Animal enthusiast, Cartoonist, Photographer, Writer
This category features reptiles and amphibians.
I’ve just come back from a family holiday in County Donegal, and now I’ve come to write a review about the two zoos we visited there: Wild Ireland and Tropical World. It was Wednesday, the 5th of August, and my … Continued
International name: European common frog Scientific name: Rana temporaria Irish name: Frog; Ioscán Length: 5-10cm Diet: Carnivore Tips on how to find them: The most widespread of Ireland’s three amphibian species; best found in areas with water, be it a pond, ditch … Continued
Scientific name: Zootoca vivipara Irish name: Iaghairt bheobhreitheach Diet: Carnivore Size: 10-15cm Tips on how to find them: Lizards are small and are well-camouflaged against mosses and grass, so look carefully and scan potential areas; search between March and October, … Continued
Scientific name: Alligator mississipiensis Length: Up to 5m Origin: North America Diet: Carnivore IUCN status: Least Concern Threats: Habitat degradation, climate change, historically poaching Zoos I have seen them: National Reptile Zoo, Zoomarine Interesting fact: The alligator became increasingly rare in … Continued
Scientific name: Ambystoma mexicanum Size: 10-30cm Origin: North America (Mexico) Diet: Carnivore IUCN status: Critically Endangered Threats: Pollution of its habitat, capture for the pet trade Zoos I have seen them: National Reptile Zoo, Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes. Also saw … Continued
Scientific name: Furcifer pardalis Origin: Africa (Madagascar, but introduced to Réunion and Mauritius) Origin: 40-52cm Diet: Carnivore IUCN status: Least Concern Threats: No current threats to this species Zoos I have seen them: Parc Zoologique de Paris, Dublin Zoo, Belfast Zoo, Tropical World … Continued
Scientific name: Varanus komodoensis Length: Up to 3 metres Diet: Carnivore Origin: Asia (Indonesia) IUCN status: Endangered Threats: Human-induced burning of natural grasslands, loss of prey species, climate change Zoos I have seen them: London, Chester, Natura Artis Magistra, Diergaarde Blijdorp Interesting … Continued
Scientific name: Chelonoidis niger Origin: South America (Galápagos islands) Diet: Herbivore Size: 1.2 metres long IUCN status: Vulnerable Threats: Hunted for its meat, competition with introduced species Zoos I have seen them: ZSL London Zoo, Chester Zoo (?), Diergaarde Blijdorp Interesting … Continued