# Globe-Herping?! experiences please :D



## hollydominique (Apr 8, 2009)

Hi people!

Im very lucky to be taking a year out to sail round the globe in just over a years time, stopping off at various destinations. Not sure what I'm going to encounter on these travels reptile wise - going to do some of my own research before I go, but I'd like to hear from you!

1 - What places have you visited? 
2 - What wonderful wild herps have you seen? (photos would be great!)
3 - Precautions with regards to safety?
4 - Rules/legislation to watch out for? (e.g. if i find an empty turtle shell can i bring it back depending on where I am?)
5 - other tips?

Route I'll be taking (roughly)










Thanks in Advance!
:2thumb:


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## Guest (Sep 7, 2010)

Missing Papa new guinea and soulth africa :gasp:

Some tips before undertaking this sort of trip:

- Go with someone 
- Get some good books which show all the wildlife of the regions (so you know what to look out for) 
- Have a chat with the locals- invaluable 
- watch where you are walking, stepping on a well camouflaged hot could really ruin your trip
- Go to your doctor and get a course of vaccinations

That's all I can think of atm :lol2:

Oh and take plenty of pics : victory:

Chris


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## hollydominique (Apr 8, 2009)

Thanks chris,

Going with a fleet of boats but Im joining the boat with my bf and some of his family. Each harbour point we stop for 2 weeks or so so we can explore the destinations a bit farther inland.

Yes, Im a bit gutted to not go to S.Africa and Madagascar (Ive got some fab succulents from a S.African neighbour when I was 5 and the only other ones Ive seen in the uk have been in Kew and the Eden project! like to see them grow wild) but we are going to the Galapagos Isles by which Im quite excited :2thumb:

Speak to locals = good tip to remember!

Watch where I step - true, first time in Greece and had to watch out for _Caretta caretta_ hatchlings on the shore! Very cute, have a couple of great photos on my old camera, but have invested in a DSLR Im currently learning to use before the trip.

and yes vaccinations are a must 

Thanks!

More advice and experiences welcome!


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## Guest (Sep 7, 2010)

hollydominique said:


> Thanks chris,
> 
> Going with a fleet of boats but Im joining the boat with my bf and some of his family. Each harbour point we stop for 2 weeks or so so we can explore the destinations a bit farther inland.
> 
> ...


Sounds like you are going to have a brill time :2thumb: enjoy it


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## jamestheball (Apr 28, 2009)

In Australia get a decent field guide if you are going serious herping, some areas have incredible diversity of lizards in particular. Als watch out for any snake because a lot of aussie snakes look very similar to each other, icluding some venemous and non-venemous lookalikes. In Australia it's also illegal to disturb a reptile in any way.:2thumb:


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## Skorps (Nov 23, 2009)

Seen a fair few in our holidas to Cate Town to visit Mum-in-Law

This lil guy we found on top of table mountain









This lil guy was in Mum-in-Laws kitchen










AND this guy we saw when we were driving back from a weekend camping on the beach
***NOTE- Photo was taken from INSIDE the car!!* Theres no WAY I'd get out to take a pic of a Puff Adder up close!!


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## hollydominique (Apr 8, 2009)

Oh wow these tips and photos are great...

Thanks for the info regarding Australia - I had no plan on poking/going near any snakes but I also had no idea that its illegal to disturb reptiles in any way - sensible law 

Ive just come back from Ibiza and spotted LOADS of adults and juveniles of what I thought were 2 types of lizard but may be the same one at varying stages

Ibiza wall lizard (not my photo but i have some somewhere!)
http://mwilsonherps.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/img_4469.jpg
very green and pretty!

Also some teeny geckos were out at night but I couldnt get close enough....
:2thumb:


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## Stubby (Jan 30, 2007)

Been to Grand Cayman twice for 3 weeks working with the Blue Iguana Recovery Programme. Got to work with said Iguanas and saw plenty of other herps too...hard work, but great fun! Got some pics round here somewhere, hang on:


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## hollydominique (Apr 8, 2009)

*Some photos!*

Wow that must have been fantastic fun...

My favourite closest encounters Ive had with wild herps was when camping in the south of Greece. Seeing the volunteers help free some late _Caretta caretta_ (loggerhead turtle) hatchlings out of the protected nests...something ill never forget!

Nests









Turtle trails!









One looking pretty grumpy after being washed upside down by the surf...









Another one braving the sea!









Also found a 'wild' tortoise or maybe an escapee 









And some geckos!









And another lizardy thing...









Otherwise I've been lucky enough to see some of our native herps and the ones in Ibiza, thats it!


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## kettykev (May 15, 2009)

Thought I recognised that Ibizan wall lizard, I was standing next to Matt when he took the picture :2thumb:


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