🇸🇨 Seychelles has 8 endemic caecilian species. Seven of them can all be found in Morne Seychellois National Park on Mahé island. These limbless amphibians are highly understudied due to their underground burrowing lifestyle. However, the difficulty makes finding one very rewarding!
There is a symposium happening on Monday 20th Jan, titled "SEYCHELLES ENDEMIC #AMPHIBIANS AND #REPTILES: CURRENT KNOWLEDGE AND NEXT STEPS FOR #CONSERVATION". We will be streaming the talks if you can't be here: Link tinyurl.com/Seychelleshe... or use QR code.
Nb. Schedule is Seychelles time.
🧪🐍🐸🔬
Simon Maddock
Ellen Sharkey
Just launched the Island Ecology & Evolution Network 🏝️ Starter Pack!
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go.bsky.app/FrLJh4F
🌡During fieldwork we also collected habitat and climate data in order to better understand the ecology of these species and how they will be impacted by climate change.
The most exciting find of my recent fieldwork: the Montane Mahé Caecilian. Only found on the highest peak in Seychelles, this Critically Endangered amphibian had not been observed since 2015.
📷: @simonmaddock.bsky.social
Fantastic week at the European Croc Network Field Workshop learning field techniques for crocodilian research and management! 🐊
Huge thank you to Miriam Boucher, the WISE lab, Clemson University and everyone else involved.
(Alligators handled under appropriate institutional and state permits)
