ZooChat Challenge BE/NL 2016

[KevinVar]

''Just one word: Reptiles''

Because of the Zoochat UK Challenge being very appealing every year I was thinking it's about time for us to host our own. As discussed with Shorts we will be paying attention to the same animal group as our counterparts from the United Kingdom. Reptiles are a fairly underappreciated group under a lot of zoo-goers, including myself, so maybe this challenge will give us the chance to appreciate these animals more. Feel free to visit this topic about the 2016 ZooChat UK Challenge to read more about the original idea of this challenge.

This challenge will be open for members from the Netherlands and Belgium (However, if any other members from neighbouring countries want to join in, feel free to ask me and I'll expand the range a bit). Since these countries are of course not as large as the United Kingdom as a whole I decided to add a little twist to it. You are allowed to include species seen in collections located in neigbouring countries of the Netherlands and Belgium. Meaning this includes France, Germany and Luxembourg. This increases the maximum amount of species that can be seen, which should be plenty to keep anyone from reaching the maximum amount of species that can be seen, even when visiting some major collections.

Just like our UK equivalent, I'll be keeping this challenge to a species level to avoid any confusion and/or debates.

This challenge of course also has rules, with credits to Shorts:
1. You have to actually see the animal, even if just for a second. You don't score if you visit a collection but don't see the animal (harsh, but fair);
2. Proof via photographs is not required, your word is your bond;
3. You have to see the animal via normal public access (i.e. not including zookeeper for the day or photography days behind the scenes) during normal public opening hours (i.e. no scoring because you know the keeper and can get access before/after hours). Basically the species has to be seen as Joe Public would;
4. Only collections located in the following countries count: Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourgh and Netherlands;
5. Report/update your progress on this thread as you go along (let's say mandatory reporting from fifteen species and above);
6. The winner will be deemed to be the person(s) who's seen the most at 31st December 2016;
7. My (final) decision is final but I'm open to discussion and debate on any specific points.

This challenge is solely for fun and sadly I won't be able to offer the winner an actual prize.

Last but not least, a major shout-out to Shorts for being so supportive and allowing me to copy his idea!

Alright, let's see how well we will fare compared to our dear tea-sipping neighbours from across the Channel!

 

[Vision]

I'm definitely in! First stepping stones to my "collection" will be laid tomorrow, in Antwerp

 

[EmperorTamarin]

I'm in! Although I probably won't be seeing any reptiles until the end of January.

 

[vogelcommando]

I'm also in and I guess that every serious participant will come on at least 150 + species.

 

[vogelcommando]

Had a good start to come to a good score in this challenge this year by visiting the "Stichting Schildpaddenopvang Nederland". Still don't know the exact score because I have to check out my photo's because all species are kept in multi-species enclosures and the signage seemed to be a little mixed-up. I guess however that my total is already at about 40 - 50 species but as soon as I have checked-out the photos I will report this in this challenge. So far I've verified the tortoises and can start the challenge with 10 species:
1 ) African spurred tortoise ( Centrochelys sulcata )
2 ) Leopard tortoise (Stigmochelys pardalis )
3 ) Hermann's tortoise ( Testudo hermanni )
4 ) Elongated tortoise ( Indotestudo elongata )
5 ) Forsten's tortoise ( Indotestudo forstenii )
6 ) Spur-thighed tortoise ( Testudo graeca )
7 ) Home's hingeback tortoise ( Kinixys homeana )
8 ) Horsfield's tortoise ( Testudo horsfieldii )
9 ) Red-footed tortoise ( Chelonoidis carbonaria )
10) Yellow-footed tortoise ( Chelonoidis denticulata )

 

[Vision]

Visited "ZOO Antwerpen" today, and saw 44 species to begin with. The beginning steps are always the easiest

Here's my current list:

TAXONOMICAL LIST:
Turtles & Tortoises:
South-east asian box turtle (Cuora amboinensis)
New guinea snapping turtle (Myuchelys novaeguineae)
African keeled mud turtle (Pelusios carinatus)
Central African mud turtle (Pelusios chapini)
Radiated tortoise (Astrochelys radiata)
African spurred tortoise (Centrochelys sulcata)
Red-footed tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonaria)
Pancake tortoise (Malacochersus tornieri)

Lizards:
Blue spiny lizard (Sceloporus cyanogenys)
Black iguana (Ctenosaura similis)
Rhinoceros iguana (Cyclura cornuta)
Cuban rock iguana (Cyclura nubila)
Desert iguana (Dipsosaurus dorsalis)
Common green iguana (Iguana iguana)
Common chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater)
Philippine sailfin lizard (Hydrosaurus pustulatus)
Frill-necked lizard (Chlamydosaurus kingii)
Central bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps)
William's electric blue gecko (Lygodactylus williamsi)
Madagascar day gecko (Phelsuma madagascariensis)
Robert Mertens' day gecko (Phelsuma robertmertensi)
Seychelles giant day gecko (Phelsuma sundbergi)
Common leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius)
Common wonder gecko (Teratoscincus scincus)
Sudan plated lizard (Broadleysaurus major)
Black-lined plated lizard (Gerrhosaurus nigrolineatus)
Major skink (Bellatorias frerei)
Solomon Island skink (Corucia zebrata)
Senegal mabuya (Trachylepis affinis)
Schneider's skink (Eumeces schneideri)
Chinese crocodile lizard (Shinisaurus crocodilurus)
Gila monster (Heloderma suspectum)
Mexican beaded lizard (Heloderma horridum)
Spiny-tailed monitor (Varanus acanthurus)
Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis)

Snakes:
African rock python (Python sebae)
Malagasy ground boa (Acrantophis madagascariensis)
Amazon tree boa (Corallus hortulanus)
Brazilian rainbow boa (Epicrates cenchria)
Jamaican boa (Epicrates subflavus)
Snouted cobra (Naja annulifera)
Rhinoceros viper (Bitis nasicornis)
Western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox)

Crocodiles:
Spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus)

NUMBERED LIST:
1) South-east asian box turtle (Cuora amboinensis)
2) New guinea snapping turtle (Myuchelys novaeguineae)
3) African keeled mud turtle (Pelusios carinatus)
4) Central African mud turtle (Pelusios chapini)
5) Radiated tortoise (Astrochelys radiata)
6) African spurred tortoise (Centrochelys sulcata)
7) Red-footed tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonaria)
8) Pancake tortoise (Malacochersus tornieri)
9) Blue spiny lizard (Sceloporus cyanogenys)
10) Black iguana (Ctenosaura similis)
11) Rhinoceros iguana (Cyclura cornuta)
12) Cuban rock iguana (Cyclura nubila)
13) Desert iguana (Dipsosaurus dorsalis)
14) Common green iguana (Iguana iguana)
15) Common chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater)
16) Philippine sailfin lizard (Hydrosaurus pustulatus)
17) Frill-necked lizard (Chlamydosaurus kingii)
18) Central bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps)
19) William's electric blue gecko (Lygodactylus williamsi)
20) Madagascar day gecko (Phelsuma madagascariensis)
21) Robert Mertens' day gecko (Phelsuma robertmertensi)
22) Seychelles giant day gecko (Phelsuma sundbergi)
23) Common leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius)
24) Common wonder gecko (Teratoscincus scincus)
25) Sudan plated lizard (Broadleysaurus major)
26) Black-lined plated lizard (Gerrhosaurus nigrolineatus)
27) Major skink (Bellatorias frerei)
28) Solomon Island skink (Corucia zebrata)
29) Senegal mabuya (Trachylepis affinis)
30) Schneider's skink (Eumeces schneideri)
31) Chinese crocodile lizard (Shinisaurus crocodilurus)
32) Gila monster (Heloderma suspectum)
33) Mexican beaded lizard (Heloderma horridum)
34) Spiny-tailed monitor (Varanus acanthurus)
35) Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis)
36) African rock python (Python sebae)
37) Malagasy ground boa (Acrantophis madagascariensis)
38) Amazon tree boa (Corallus hortulanus)
39) Brazilian rainbow boa (Epicrates cenchria)
40) Jamaican boa (Epicrates subflavus)
41) Snouted cobra (Naja annulifera)
42) Rhinoceros viper (Bitis nasicornis)
43) Western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox)
44) Spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus)

Missed out on the Malagasy tree boa and Australian water dragon, but saw everything else on show

Here's a list I'll keep updated continuously.
The first 2 pages are my total mammal and bird lists, but those don't matter of course.

 

[vogelcommando]

@ Vision : Australian big-headed turtles - in the enclosure with the Spectacled caiman - not anymore on view ?

 

[Vision]

The only turtles I remember ever being with the Caimans are the New Guinea snapping turtles (Myuchelys novaeguineae) haha, unless the signage and ZTL are wrong?

Either way Platysternon megacephalum wasn't indicated anywhere, and I don't remember ever seeing them.

 

[vogelcommando]

I mean the "Australische grootkopschildpad" Emydura australis which has bred quite succesfull at Antwerp Zoo. Will upload the sign in the Antwerp Zoo Gallery.

 

[Vision]

Hmmm, according to ZTL Antwerp doesn't even have Myuchelys novaeguineae, although that definitely is the species on the information sign. I'll check next time I visit, I go like at least twice a month anyways

EDIT: Definitely not the most reliable source, but here on Laafsekikkers (Dbelgian's post, on 20 Jul 2015 19:42) it states that the Emydura australis were indeed replaced with Myuchelys novaeguinae. I'll make sure to take close-up pictures next time for confirmation.

 

[vogelcommando]

My last visit at Antwerp was in Oct. 2014 and I remember 2 more species not on your list, can you tell me if they still are there :
Ocelated skink Chalcides ocellatus ( at that time kept in the room were the recently hatched herps can be seen )
Masked curly-tailed lizard ( Leiocephalus personatus ). Was in one of the smaller terrariums.

 

[Vision]

Nope, both are now gone, not sure what happened to them haha. The hatching room keeps "updating" with the babies in the terraria on the front (Currently had 4 or 5 of the infamous New guinea snapping turtles, 6 Bearded dragons, 1+ Leopard gecko and 3 terraria each with 2 Red-legged tortoises) and then with temporary exhibits in the back (Currently 1 with Electric blue geckos, 2 with Common madagascar day geckos, 2 with Common wonder geckos, and then a tank with 4 animals without signage too, which I _think_ were baby Desert iguanas). I saw those last ones in the large North american desert terrarium later on too though, don't worry

One of the small terraria is inhabited by Robert Mertens' day gecko with a dart frog species, another by Electric blue geckos, another by a single? Seychelles giant day gecko, and all others have either dart frogs, clawed frogs or salamanders/newts in them.

 

[vogelcommando]

Had a good start to come to a good score in this challenge this year by visiting the "Stichting Schildpaddenopvang Nederland". Still don't know the exact score because I have to check out my photo's because all species are kept in multi-species enclosures and the signage seemed to be a little mixed-up. I guess however that my total is already at about 40 - 50 species but as soon as I have checked-out the photos I will report this in this challenge. So far I've verified the tortoises and can start the challenge with 10 species:
1 ) African spurred tortoise ( Centrochelys sulcata )
2 ) Leopard tortoise (Stigmochelys pardalis )
3 ) Hermann's tortoise ( Testudo hermanni )
4 ) Elongated tortoise ( Indotestudo elongata )
5 ) Forsten's tortoise ( Indotestudo forstenii )
6 ) Spur-thighed tortoise ( Testudo graeca )
7 ) Home's hingeback tortoise ( Kinixys homeana )
8 ) Horsfield's tortoise ( Testudo horsfieldii )
9 ) Red-footed tortoise ( Chelonoidis carbonaria )
10) Yellow-footed tortoise ( Chelonoidis denticulata )

By checking my photos and with the great help of wally war eagle I can update the list :
11) Common box turtle ( Terrapene carolina )
12) Common map turtle ( Graptemys geographica )
13) Pond slider ( Trachemys scripta )
14) Painted turtle ( Chrysemys picta )
15) River cooter ( Pseudemys concinna )
16) European pond turtle ( Emys orbicularis )
17) False map turtle ( Graptemys pseudogeographica )
18) Florida red-bellied turtle ( Pseudemys nelsoni )
19) Ornate slider ( Trachemys ornata )
20) Southern painted turtle ( Chrysemys dorsalis )
21) Texas map turtle ( Graptemys versa )
22) Western box turtle ( Terrapene ornata )
23) Caspian pond turtle ( Mauremys caspica )
24) Chinese soft-shelled turtle ( Pelodiscus sinensis )
25) Florida soft-shelled turtle ( Apalone ferox )
26) South-east asian box turtle ( Cuora amboinensis )
27) Chinese three-striped box turtle ( Cuora trifasciata )

 

[TeaLovingDave]

I won't have a chance of getting anywhere *near* the total of people actually living on the continent, but as I plan to visit Germany again later this year I may submit my reptile total from that trip to this challenge for a little bit of fun

 

[KevinVar]

Currently we're both at the grand total of zero, Dave, so anything can happen.

 

[Hamerhaai]

I'm in! I don't think I will visit many large reptile collections but at least it's fun to to keep track of the species I see.

 

[vogelcommando]

Todays visit to De Aarde in Breda brought some new species for this year :
28) Reticulated python ( Malayopython reticulates )
29) Frill-necked lizard ( Chlamydosaurus kingii )
30) Central bearded dragon ( Pogona vitticeps )
31) Dwarf crocodile ( Osteolaemus tetraspis )
32) Black iguana ( Ctenosaura similis )
33) Green iguana ( Iguana iguana )
34) Blue-tongued skink ( Tiliqua scincoides )
35) Rhinoceros iguana ( Cyclura cornuta )
36) Green basilisk ( Basiliscus plumifrons )
37) Austrlian water dragon ( Physignathus lesueurii )
38) Argentine black and white tegu ( Tupinambis merianae )
39) Fiji banded iguana ( Brachylophus fasciatus )
40) Panther chameleon ( Furcifer pardalis )
41) Asian rock python ( Python molurus )
42) Common chuckwalla ( Sauromalus hispidus )
43) Carpet python ( Morelia spilotus )
44) Water monitor ( Varanus salvator )
45) Ambon sail-fin lizard ( Hydrosaurus amboinensis )
46) Cuvier's dwarf caiman ( Paleosuchus palpebrosus )
47) Ball python ( Python regius )

 

[Vision]

Visited Blijdorp today, with Kevin! Had an absolute blast, and was able to add some more species to the list.

ALREADY LISTED:
6) African spurred tortoise (Centrochelys sulcata)
8) Pancake tortoise (Malacochersus tornieri)
11) Rhinoceros iguana (Cyclura cornuta)
16) Philippine sailfin lizard (Hydrosaurus pustulatus)
25) Sudan plated lizard (Broadleysaurus major)
32) Gila monster (Heloderma suspectum)
35) Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis)

45)Annam leaf turtle (Mauremys annamensis)
46)Arrau river turtle (Podocnemis expansa)
47)Caiman lizard (Dracaena guianensis)
48)California kingsnake (Lampropeltis californiae)
49)Cuvier's dwarf caiman (Paleosuchus palpebrosus)
50)Galapagos giant tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra)
51)Green basilisk (Basiliscus plumifrons)
52)Green turtle (Chelonia mydas)
53)Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
54)Mata-Mata (Chelus fimbriatus)
55)McCord's snake-necked turtle (Chelodina mccordi)
56)Neotropical painted wood turtle (Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima)
57)Rhinoceros snake (Rhynchophis boulengeri)
58)Gopher snake (Pituophis catenifer)
59)West Indian iguana (Iguana delicatissima)
60)Yellow anaconda (Eunectes notaeus)
61)Burmese rock python (Python bivittatus)
62)Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus)

And then there's a cobra we saw, but it isn't on ZTL and we weren't able to identify it.
Anyone know more info about the cobra(s) in Blijdorp (Rotterdam Zoo)'s Aziëhuis?

EDIT: This source (Vrienden van Blijdorp - Geschenken aan Blijdorp - Actuele actie) states the exhibit houses Indian cobra(s), so until proven otherwise I'll go with that.

63)Indian cobra (Naja naja)

 

[KevinVar]

As stated above, I visited the Rotterdam zoo today with Vision. Being my first zoo visit of the year I was able to start off my list with 26 species.

1) African spurred tortoise (Centrochelys sulcata)
2) Pancake tortoise (Malacochersus tornieri)
3) Galapagos giant tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra)
4) Annam leaf turtle (Mauremys annamensis)
5) Arrau river turtle (Podocnemis expansa)
6) Mata-Mata (Chelus fimbriatus)
7) McCord's snake-necked turtle (Chelodina mccordi)
8) Neotropical painted wood turtle (Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima)
9) Green turtle (Chelonia mydas)
10) Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
11) Caiman lizard (Dracaena guianensis)
12) Green basilisk (Basiliscus plumifrons)
13) Rhinoceros iguana (Cyclura cornuta)
14) West Indian iguana (Iguana delicatissima)
15) Philippine sailfin lizard (Hydrosaurus pustulatus)
16) Sudan plated lizard (Broadleysaurus major)
17) Gila monster (Heloderma suspectum)
18) Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis)
19) Cuvier's dwarf caiman (Paleosuchus palpebrosus)
20) Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus)
21) Burmese rock python (Python bivittatus)
22) California kingsnake (Lampropeltis californiae)
23) Gopher snake (Pituophis catenifer)
24) Indian cobra (Naja naja)
25) Rhinoceros snake (Rhynchophis boulengeri)
26) Yellow anaconda (Eunectes notaeus)

 

[sooty mangabey]

As stated above, I visited the Rotterdam zoo today with Vision. Being my first zoo visit of the year I was able to start off my list with 26 species.

That Blijdorp's reptile collection now consists of just 26 species is extraordinary (even if there may have been additional species that Kevin was unable to see).