Picture the following global biodiversity hotspot: a thick canopy hangs over a small, rocky stream that bisects the mountain slope. As darkness falls, a light rain begins to fall. Black-bellied salamanders--eight-inch long, slick amphibians with shovel-shaped heads--emerge from their streamside burrows in search of a meal and slender, red-legged salamanders begin their nocturnal march over the forest floor. Brilliantly-colored two-lined salamanders sit knee-high on vegetation, soaking up the moisture. It’s hard to find a square meter of the forest where one of these creatures is not active, and you can’t take a step for the fear of squishing one. Where are you? Not in the Amazon. Not in the Congo. You’re here.
Georgia sits near the southern terminus of the Appalachian Mountains, and for several hundred million years, its highlands have been busy setting the stage for the evolution and diversification of salamanders. Nowhere else in the world has an equivalent diversity, but we have it in our own backyard.
And it’s not just salamanders. Georgia’s diverse landscape--from the Blue Ridge to the Okefenokee to the barrier islands--is home to an equivalent diversity of amphibians and reptiles. Furthermore, the University of Georgia has rich legacy of herpetological research that continues to this day. Dr. John Maerz of the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources is a herpetologist with a very active lab that works on a variety of ecological and conservation projects involving amphibians and reptiles. Herpetology (WILD 4040) is offered very spring and not only provides students with a great knowledge of global herpetology, but also gives them access to beautiful places like the Savannah River Site and the Jones Ecological Research Center on field trips. The opportunities are endless!
Do you think you’re interested in herpetology? You should join the Herpetological Society at UGA. We’re a student group that has three main goals:
1) Host monthly meetings featuring a guest lecture about herpetology. We bring in a new guest speaker each month to speak about a relevant topic in herpetological research, conservation, or captive-care.
2) Plan field trips to see amphibians and reptiles in the wild. We plan local, Athens-area events several times a semester and coordinate a weekend-long bioblitz competition with Auburn University.
3) Organize community outreach. Amphibians and reptiles are some of the most feared and disliked animals on the planet, and we attempt to reverse misconceptions through educational programs in classrooms and for community groups.
If you want to get involved, email us at ugaherp@gmail.com to be signed up for our listserv or visit our Facebook page athttps://www.facebook.com/groups/ugaherp/
