FORT RILEY, Kan. -- Reptile and amphibian species that call Fort Riley home were tracked and documented during the 15th annual herpetological survey conducted by the Environmental Division of the Directorate of Public Works April 25.
Wildlife Biological Technician Brett Parsons said the survey, a part of Fort Riley's natural resource program, documents what reptile and amphibian species reside on the installation. Additionally, the survey keeps the post in compliance with the Threatened and Endangered Species Act.
"Some of the reptiles and amphibians in Kansas might be considered threatened or endangered, so we survey to see if we find any of those," Parsons said. "We haven't found any species yet that have caused us to have to change the way the Army trains.
For the most part, since none of the things we find are endangered or threatened, we just note that we have them and put them on the federal survey list and keep monitoring them. In the future, if they did become endangered or if their range was reduced, we might then have to change the way we do things out here to try to preserve them."
Herpetology is the study of amphibians such as frogs, toads, salamanders, newts and reptiles like snakes, lizards, turtles, alligators and crocodiles. The survey attracts a wide range of herpetological enthusiasts from organizations like the Kansas State University Wildlife Society, Kansas Herpetological Society, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Individuals and families, like David Pool and his 11 year-old son Kelton, from Manhattan, Kansas, also like to attend. David and Kelton have participated in the survey together for the past several years. This year, the pair began their hunt with the goal of locating an elusive gopher snake.
Tom and Tricia Becker from Kansas City, Missouri, and their three teenage boys, have also made the survey an annual family event.
"The first year I didn't want to come, but I really enjoyed it," Tricia said.
Tom said his sons have been interested in snakes and reptiles for just about as long as he can remember.
"There are two passions that they have: four-wheel drive trucks and herpetology," Tom said and laughed.
Although his sons, Kyle, 19, Ryan, 17 and Alex, 15, are the resident experts, Tom also knew quite a bit about when it came to identifying different snake species.
"I'm not ashamed to tell you, I've learned everything from my boys," Tom said. "What keeps us all coming back is that it's kind of like an Easter egg hunt: you flip rocks over and you never know what's underneath them. Then all of a sudden, you get a surprise."
Some of the species found on this year's survey include the eastern copperhead, eastern collard lizard, Great Plains skink, six-lined racerunner lizard, ring-necked snake, western milk snake, and the eastern yellow-bellied racer snake.
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