# Field Herping Guidelines



## ryanharvey1993 (Oct 27, 2009)

*Field Herping guidelines*

*I have put together a few guidelines to herping, just for people new to it or interested, to tell them a few guideline rules that we should all follow, all of it is so we have as little impact when we do it as possible, Please feel free to add you own stuff, hopefully we can get a sticky on this thread as it will be useful for new herpers or anyone else interested in this.*

If you lift a rock, put it back exactly as you found it, do no lift rocks that are to heavy or really fragile, when putting them down, place them don’t just drop them, make sure they are exactly as you found them, do not lift rocks that are likely to topple off edges and always check both sides of the rocks as geckos often are found motionless on the bottom of the rock

Rolling logs, the same as rocks, make sure they are put back as they were found, do not cut hollow logs to pieces searching they provide homes for animals

If you choose to rake leaf litter, make sure you rake all leaves back how you found them and use a plastic rake to avoid damage to animals

When lifting objects, make sure you lift them away from you so animals can escape out the other side, it is safer as you may lift something and find and angry brown snake coming at you

If you find tin, please put that back, be mind full that other herpers may be using it, tin is also a reptiles home and in areas where there is not any other cover that is what they will need to survive

If a reptile goes in a termite mound or outcrop, do not smash the place trying to get it out, just wait quietly and it might come out after about 10 minutes.

Do not take souvenirs, all reptiles are protected in Australia, most are readily available in captivity, just buy one if you like the species

If a reptile goes down a hole, do not attempt to get it out, you never know what else is down there, also you are wrecking something’s home

It is illegal to flip rocks, logs, rake or disturb any habitat in national parks

If you are frogging make sure you wash your boots with f10 before going to separate places to stop the spread of chytrid fungus

Do not handle captive reptiles then handle wild reptiles; there is a risk of spreading disease visa versa

Do not handle the animal for to long as you may stress it, saying this, it is illegal to touch wild reptiles in NSW

*If you want to do your bit and help*

Do not give out exact locations, dishonest people will always find out and wreck it for everyone, even friends, be careful who you tell, national park name is enough or general area/closest town

Report sighting of endangered species to local wildlife authorities

If you find feral species out herping, remove them from habitat and humanely euthanize them or take them to someone that can

Replace rocks that people have flipped, repair stuff so animals can use it again

Pick up rubbish as it is hazardous to many animals

Remove road killed reptiles off the road, other reptiles might come on the road to eat them and be hit

When night driving or day driving, make sure you “Persuade” the animal off the road, as it is illegal to touch them even if there in danger…. Stupid I know.

Try to educate others that reptiles are protected, not to destroy habitat, kill or poach reptiles, education is the key to saving these species, so if your out herping and find something along the track and others come along maybe you could fill them in on it, every extra person counts

*As I have said, feel free to add your own and please post pictures and stories from your herping adventures*

*Happy herping*


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## ryanharvey1993 (Oct 28, 2009)

and this is why you dont share your herping locations, want more and I will post. any herper will have a long list.

http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/384705-post27

http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/384992-post45

http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/384778-post36

http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/385007-post49

http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/384634-post16

http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/384658-post19

*some personal examples of damage I have come accross*

I visited a nice spot in the hunter valley, which the year before had been very succesful in the way of snakes seeing 3 dwyers snakes in a 15 minute search, and various lizards, this year I arrived to find every single rock was upturned and broken, tin was moved and flipped, everything was flipped, there were no species to be seen except a single skink

I visited Warrumbungle national park last year, one of the outcrops in the park was loaded with geckos, We saw about 3 species in 5 minutes of walking (over 20 geckos), this year we went for a walk in the day, every single rock was flipped, smashed most of the rocks left where the size of pebbles as people had broken them to pieces pushing them off stuff and flipped them so many times, we saw a single thick tailed gecko after a few days of looking around at this spot.

In Lane Cove national park have went for a walk a few times, and have noticed the place has really been cleaned out of animals, years ago it was a great spot for geckos apparently, This year we saw 1 broad tailed gecko, no Lesueur's velvet geckos were to be seen, they should be found there, but because the amount of rock flipping and poaching that has gone on I doubt there are many left if any.

In Ku-ring-gai chase national park also noticed the same amount of damage, flipped rocks, places where all the rocks had been pushed right off and broken to pieces, places were people had broken of huge bits of exfoliation, also noticed people had taken rakes and raked lots of leaf litter looking for death adders in various locations.


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## ryanharvey1993 (Oct 28, 2009)

has anyonw got anything to add, would be good if someone could add some stuff on frogging, I do not know much about it as I am only new. also any comments on stuff or opinions, please add them.

thanks.


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## Brown_Hair (Oct 28, 2009)

Good idea for a possible sticky thread ryan...

I beleive one should not place sheets of corrugated iron ANYWHERE as this is not natural, as much as herps may like this, just so YOU can view some wilds. I no alot of you conduct this kind of practice....


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## ryanharvey1993 (Oct 28, 2009)

Brown_Hair said:


> Good idea for a possible sticky thread ryan...
> 
> I beleive one should not place sheets of corrugated iron ANYWHERE as this is not natural, as much as herps may like this, just so YOU can view some wilds. I no alot of you conduct this kind of practice....


 
most herpers use tin that has been dumped, instead of dumping it themselves, and just position in better if its in a bad spot.


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## Brown_Hair (Oct 28, 2009)

thats fair enough in a degree but i personally beleive one should not "better position" rubbish, especially for their own benefits, one should remove rubbish and strive to have a rubbish free environment....j.m.o


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## beatlloydy (Oct 29, 2009)

As the saying goes "we should leave nothing but footprints" and I would like to add my own personal one to this for all herpers "take nothing but photos".

Most reptiles and amphibians are cheap enough these days to buy from a proper breeder...and supporting illegal taking to make a quick profit of a few $$hundred is bad karma for any of you who insist on doing it...if you have crap luck in life...perhaps look at some of the decisions you have made in regards to herping etc.


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## ryanharvey1993 (Oct 29, 2009)

beatlloydy said:


> As the saying goes "we should leave nothing but footprints" and I would like to add my own personal one to this for all herpers "take nothing but photos".
> 
> Most reptiles and amphibians are cheap enough these days to buy from a proper breeder...and supporting illegal taking to make a quick profit of a few $$hundred is bad karma for any of you who insist on doing it...if you have crap luck in life...perhaps look at some of the decisions you have made in regards to herping etc.


 
agree 100%


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## markars (Oct 30, 2009)

I dont mind the tin and rubbish deposits in certain areas, I think that half of the time in the small suburban pockets of bushland, all of "natural" cover and hides for reptiles has been taken by firewood gathers and garden renovators. 
In my local bit of bush, There is not a stick on the ground, let alone a log! even the pinecones are removed, the banksia men are taken from the tree for peoples fires. all of the rocks were taken for garden borders before i was born.
But the thoughtless people who have dumped old piles if terracotta roof tiles and pipes as well as the sheets of tin and the doors off the old stolen and burnt out car have unwittingly provided refuge for all of our local reptiles. I am torn between removal of these items or leaving them. I discussed it with the local (informal) bush regeneration group and we decided to spread them into areas where they would not be seen from the tracks, and where the low scrub growth would hide them. it seems to work as the stacks now have signs of tracks and tunnels though and around them and there is always a skink or dragon nearby that will scoot into them as you pass.

Saying that it would sicken me to find tin and rubbish deliberatly in national parks or some of the larger healthy tracts of bushland where natural hides occur.


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## froggyboy86 (Oct 30, 2009)

Good post Ryan. When dealing with frogs its important to disinfect any gear that comes into contact with water in between "sites" (Usually defined as moving from waterbody to another). Usual items that need disinfecting are boots/shoes, nets, containers. 

Generally you rarely need to handle frogs in the wild for photographs as the majority will sit and pose with minimal interference. But if you must handle them (which is technically not allowed under NPWS regulations) its best to use disposable gloves, changing them between each frog. 

And for those of us that like to camp near waterways its important not to put detergents in the water when cleaning. Also swimming in creeks after you have saturated yourself with sunscreen and deoderant is detrimental to the health of frogs and other aquatic organisms. As a result many creeks in national parks are now banned for swimming. 

Thats all I can think of at the moment...

Aaron


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## ryanharvey1993 (Oct 30, 2009)

before artificial cover was added to the habitat, what where the species utilising? thanks Aaron, thats what I was interested in, just a question, will F10 harm frogs if its still on your shoes of should you rinse them with clean water after wetting them?


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## bk201 (Oct 30, 2009)

reporting rare and endangered wildlife to authorities is a nice idea in a perfect world but isnt good idea in the real world

since its illegal to touch wild reptiles does that mean its illegal to move one of the road so you dont have to run over it to get past.


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## ryanharvey1993 (Oct 30, 2009)

bk201 said:


> reporting rare and endangered wildlife to authorities is a nice idea in a perfect world but isnt good idea in the real world
> 
> since its illegal to touch wild reptiles does that mean its illegal to move one of the road so you dont have to run over it to get past.


 
what do you mean by endangered species comment? I think people should be reporting as it helps them to know numbers left, range plus areas they can protect.

and yes it is illegal to move an animal off the road which is why I said "persuade" offcourse we can kill it with the car and get away with it......... laws are very stupid, some I do not understand.


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## ryanharvey1993 (Oct 30, 2009)

by the way if mods think this is worth "*stickying*" go ahead, I think this topic would be important for new herpers

also there are a lot of keen herpers who use these forums, would be great to here some other points, as some of you have been doing it for years.


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## Casey (Oct 30, 2009)

bk201 said:


> reporting rare and endangered wildlife to authorities is a nice idea in a perfect world but isnt good idea in the real world



I am wondering why you think that it is not a good idea? Atlas record are important, without having accurate records how do you expect the wildlife authorities in your area to have a change protect the rare and endangered wildlife?


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## bk201 (Oct 30, 2009)

i mean who says the wildlife workers wont collect them themself, i know theres alot of wildlife keepers/carers/government agencies that care but theres always corrupt people in the system somewhere.


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## JoshMVG (Oct 31, 2009)

bk201 said:


> i mean who says the wildlife workers wont collect them themself, i know theres alot of wildlife keepers/carers/government agencies that care but theres always corrupt people in the system somewhere.


Thats like saying people should not report drug traffickers just in case the police want in on the business


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## JoshMVG (Oct 31, 2009)

bk201 said:


> i mean who says the wildlife workers wont collect them themself, i know theres alot of wildlife keepers/carers/government agencies that care but theres always corrupt people in the system somewhere.


Double post (****ty isp) sorry


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## froggyboy86 (Oct 31, 2009)

Ryan, I don't think the relevant authorities would be too concerned if you moved an animal off the road and into adjacent bushland. I think if you can show beyond reasonable doubt that you are simply moving the animal because you had no choice they wouldn't care. However, if you are wandering around at night with a snake hook they probably wouldn't take it too kindly because it shows an intent to interfere with animals whether they are on the road or not. 

Although dead animals are technically still protected under law they should also be removed from the road. I helped some local police officers drag the carcasses of an eastern grey kangaroo and a Gould's monitor off the road near Cootamundra because they pose a risk not only to other vehicles but other animals as well. 

And as for reporting threatened or notifiable species to relevant authorities it is a good idea because it can assist greatly with management plans for a park or for a species. However I have heard anecdotal stories of DECC officers poaching wildlife and there are a variety of ways for unscrupulous people to gain access to database records. But in a perfect world there would be very little need for us 'amateurs' to report anything if DECC and other agencies were adequetely funded and carried out proper surveys...


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