Reptiles and Amphibians of California's Journal

Scientists observed turtles using flippers for digging, rolling stuff and swiping at prey.

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5aa96a94e4b0004c0406af60

Although bites are rare, visitors are warned to avoid trying to capture or harm a snake since all wild animals in the park are protected.

https://patch.com/california/livermore/rattlesnakes-spotted-sycamore-grove-park

In urban areas, the forces of rapid natural selection are leading to striking genetic changes in animals. Dutch biologist Menno Schilthuizen talks to Yale e360 about the transformations seen in creatures ranging from mice in Central Park to anole lizards in Puerto Rico.

https://e360.yale.edu/features/urban-darwinism-how-species-are-evolving-to-survive-in-cities

Each spring and summer, there are snake bites reported in different areas of the county, usually resulting from a pedestrian or hiker stepping into the path of a rattlesnake. Bites can result in serious injury, or death.

https://www.pe.com/2018/04/06/as-weather-heats-up-officials-warn-inland-empire-residents-to-watch-for-snakes/

According to Slyapich, the proliferation of rattlesnakes is all a part of a healthy, working ecosystem. “More growth means more seeds, means more rodents, means fat rattlers,” he said. “Mom can have 20-plus kids in late fall, around October or early November. Then they go in hibernation.”

Slyapich refered to the early seasonal surge as a “bumper crop.”

“We’ll see a bumper crop early,” he said. “The babies are smaller, so they warm up first, and that means they come out first.”

http://www.thecoastnews.com/beware-there-are-rattlers-among-us/

A Santa Rosa man out for his regular walk on the Santa Rosa Creek Trail was stopped in his tracks by what he thought was a rattlesnake, but turned out to be a gopher snake on Monday evening.

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/8217359-181/baby-rattlesnake-spotted-on-santa

Question: Why do I need to have a fishing license to take a bullfrog? They are a non-native species, have voracious appetites, eat many of our native species and should be removed wherever we can. (Robert, Merced).

http://www.lakeconews.com/index.php/news/recreation/55508-california-outdoors-needing-a-fishing-license-to-take-a-bullfrog-lost-hunter-education-certificate

Scientists have uncovered a strong historical link between the introduction of the American bullfrog into the western United States and the emergence of the deadly chytrid fungus, a pathogen that has caused declines and extinctions of amphibians around the world.

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2018/bullfrog-chytrid-fungus-04-16-2018.php

DeSousa said the male tortoise probably was a pet that got loose from a yard.

It was found Sunday after falling over the wall while escaping a dog. The fall caused the animal’s shell to crack into three pieces.

http://www.foxnews.com/science/2018/04/19/tortoise-with-cracked-shell-recovers-after-4g-operation.html

Research Splits Animal Into Three Species, Accenting Need for Federal Protection.

https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2018/Shasta-salamanders-04-23-2018.php