Visiting The Savannah River Ecology Lab

In the fall of 2010, members of the Herpetology Lab and Dr. Dorcas's Herp Conservation course visited the Savannah River Ecology Lab on the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. As part of the University of Georgia, the lab conducts ecological research and provides training for undergraduate and graduate students. We toured the facility with some of the faculty, learning about some of the ongoing studies being conducted. During our tour, we got the opportunity to hop into the python pit to track the pythons using radio telemetry. We headed out to a swampy part of the woods known to be a favorite haunt of cottonmouths. We spotted one basking, but it made a beeline for a drainage pipe. After a quick bite in the evening, we headed out to Par Pond to lend a hand with capturing and marking american alligators. We spotted plenty, but only managed to capture one. We took a walk along some drift fences and checked a few minnow traps, finding some salamanders, including a few lesser sirens (Siren intermedia). On our way back to the lab, we picked up a snack for Stump, the famous (or infamous) resident male alligator.

Marking an american alligator

Evan poses with an alligator snapping turtle

Checking out an indigo snake

Dr. Dorcas shows off an alligator

Ross L. has a go at holding the alligator

Ross D. takes a turn

There were some interesting turtles...

and some VERY interesting turtles

Rick makes a new friend

Inside the python pit...

They may be big, but they can hide pretty well

A basking cottonmouth

One of the lesser sirens from a minnow trap

A red salamander that we found under a board

Feeding Stump

A big-headed turtle

A green tree frog

Tiger salamander (and newest addition to the lab!)