Behind the scenes at the Reptile House, reptile keeper Todd Schmidt took us on a tour through a maze of reptiles from around the world, rare and common, big and small, deadly and mild. The variety of reptiles not on exhibit and the specialized care each of them receive is astonishing! The different corridors are all set at specific temperatures to accommodate these cold-blooded creatures, though usually the rooms were quite toasty. Since the keepers are working for the maximum comfort of the animals, they tolerate the heat. Often times the animals need to feel comfortable before breeding programs are successful. For example, in attempting to breed the green tree monitors, there was no success until one keeper figured out to place the nesting boxes high up to simulate the nests in trees that they would use in the wild.

 

Many reptiles are a part of Species Survival Programs that work towards the conservation of species. The San Diego Zoo is entrusted with rare species from across the world to implement carefully monitored breeding programs. Figi has given the zoo a few of their esteemed Fijian blue-banded iguanas for such work. Careful records must be kept of them to ensure there is no inbreeding. It is of utmost importance for there to be wide genetic diversity, because inbreeding could lead to a devastating inherited disease that could wipe out much of the species.

 

It is not just the breeding program that has conservation implications, but almost everything surrounding the reptiles. This is because so little is known about them, and even what we thought we knew is being revised due to the application of genetics to zoology. Animals like the crocodile and the rare tuatara (lizard-like reptiles with the skeleton of a bird and reproductive system of an amphibian) have been around for so long that they have become very specialized with specific niches. Because of further study on the breakdown of the phylogenetic tree, it is even being questioned whether crocodiles are more related to reptiles or birds.

 

In addition to what we can learn about reptiles, upon careful observation there is much we can learn from reptiles as well. The new emerging field of biomimicry focuses on what we can learn from animals and plants. Chameleons, for example, have technology way beyond our capacity, such as chromatic shifting and a tongue that accelerates out of its mouth as if we were spring-loaded! The chameleon could be a window into some amazing discoveries that would never be possible without them. Who knows what other things we could learn from animals! Even creatures that seem inconsequential play very important roles in their ecosystem. The Caribbean rock iguanas are the sole seed dispersers in their area. Without them, no plants would be able to grow, and eventually the island’s food web would collapse. Conservation is the sure-fire way to prevent such scenarios from occurring and from finding out we needed an organism when it is too late. It is time for us to embrace reptiles, even though they may not have the arms to hug back!

Heidi, Conservation team

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