Reptiles

Just a quick post tonight with a couple of mobile phone pictures taken at the zoo last week.

I don't have much to say about these images, I can't remember what species the lizard is. The python is an impressive specimen, over 20ft long.

Crested and Green

I have posted pictures of the Crested Green Lizard before, but  thought this pose was quite interesting also because of the unusual white top lip. It is not a moustache or the froth from a cappucino, rather it is the last remnant of skin as it had almost completed shedding its old skin.

Meet Athena

I have had an extra special visitor in my home overnight, not everyone was as excited as me to welcome Athena the 3 year old Boa constrictor but she is such a beauty and I enjoyed making friends with her albeit very briefly.

I took a number of shots last night but the lighting was really not good enough and although one or two images were not too bad I was keen to get some better pictures to share, so just after lunch we went out into the sunshine and as Athena warmed up her beautiful colours came to life. 

She proved quite an attraction as passers-by stopped to observe and say hello and Athena patiently took all this in her stride (if you can say that about a snake, perhaps "in her slide" would be better).

In the first of today's images you can see the range of exquisite colours, from the shades of brown and black that you might expect to the salmon, pink and shimmering blue that are probably more of a surprise. 

Although she is young and quite slender Athena is all muscle and very strong and you can feel this as she moves with such precision and control and as she holds her head forward to survey her surroundings.

In the second image you can see clearly her eye and the way the pattern on the side of her head continues into her eye completing the effective camouflage. You can also see her "moustache" which is a nice feature.

The final shot today took some patience. I was really keen to get a shot of her deep blue tongue but as she was almost constantly moving getting the focus right and hitting the shutter at just the right time. I think with this one I got it spot on.

Colour Change Master

This little beauty is a Green Crested Lizard (Bronchocela cristatella) from South East Asia.

There are no prizes for guessing how it gets its name, after all it is a lizard, it is green and it has a nifty little crest. 

Reptiles are really fascinating creatures. I can recall seeing a lizard in the grip of a cat shedding its tail and making its escape while the cat was mesmerised by the still flapping tail left behind. Chameleons have the ability to rotate their eyes through crazy angles and of course they're known for their incredible ability to change colour to blend in with their environment.

Well chameleons don't have the monopoly on colour changing tricks as the Crested Green Lizard can also change from green to brown to signal when it is distressed or feeling threatened. Fortunately, as you can see from this shot this little specimen was totally at ease with me as he posed for this portrait.

Red Tailed Racer

Back to the zoo for today's post and this beautiful snake.

The lighting in the vivarium wasn't great and the snake was quite well hidden so I didn't get the shot I had hoped for but it is still not too bad. This is a Red Tailed Racer, also known as a Red Tailed Green Rat Snake or to be technical Gonysoma oxycephala. Now I know that this isn't everybody's taste but next time I go I will try for some better shots because I think this is a real beauty.

Snake in repose

I tried to remember the species of snake in today's picture but even though I only took the shot earlier today I have forgotten what it is. 

Even so it is a lovely snake and if you zoom in the detail is great.

Lovely Lizards

Now I know that some people wont like these pictures because of the subject matter but I have always loved reptiles and so whenever I have seen lizards like this I have been more than a little excited. 

They are very timid creatures and really skittish which means it is very difficult to get good photos. I am pleased with these shots though, these lovely creatures were so sleek and elegant and posed just long enough to capture.