The Discovery Of The Third Locality Of
Albino Rosy Boas In California
Herping, field observing, road cruising, flipping, spotting, collecting, hunting...............what ever you want to call it, to those that do it, it just means one thing.........finding reptiles and amphibians in their natural habitats. For most, but not all herpers, seeing some of the animals that we enjoy and work with in the wild is just a natural part of herpetoculture. Some just take pictures and note information, some take a few animals, some take too many. The thoughts and philosophies are as varied as those who participate. For my partner Jason and I, our focus is primarily snakes, but a few of the lizards hold some interest as well. Now, we all have a favorite home range which is the area that is known the best, and seen the most. Yet, there’s always the chance or possibility that some undiscovered gem may show up beyond the next turn or rock or board. Such is the case with the greater Anza Borrego desert region for both of us. On average each year, we will spend the majority of our herp observation time roaming throughout the entire area. Sometimes it’s just a few specific places or spots, other times it’s to scan as much of the many different types of habitats as possible that are contained within the overall desert experience of the region. Most of the area is protected by the designation of being a State Park. This includes all of it’s native inhabitants, so look but don’t touch is the rule here. The diversity and amount of nocturnal reptiles that can be seen at any given time on a “good” night is truly amazing, and should be considered a privilege, for it is not like that every night or every trip by any means. Dedication, awareness, learned knowledge, good eyes, the experience of being there many times before......and luck, are all equally important for the chance of a successful night of observations.
With that combination in mind, I feel extremely fortunate to have hooked up with Jason several years ago. His passion for snakes, and especially for Rosy Boas has made for many memorable times in the quest for serpents in the night. When the snakes were scarce, the knowledge shared from his years of interest and experience became the foundation for enhancing my own thoughts and understanding of these often times mysterious creatures. Jason began his road cruising with other veteran herpers before he could drive, and has continued in earnest to this day, about 22 years and counting. I, on the other hand, have been fortunate to live in a few places over the years that have allowed for “ home herping” (finding a wide variety of herps on the respective properties) as well as going on adventures out and about in the field. When we are out on our runs, we are the kind of herpers who just have to stop for every snake we see. AOR, DOR as long as it’s safe to do so, we will be sure to check them all out. From the most common to least common, we enjoy seeing what ever is out that particular night. We both have a very keen sight for seeing snakes, with Jason having an almost unnatural ability of being able to spot them, even if they’re not exactly visible. Of course we end up stopping for several “non serpent” objects along the way, but rarely pass up the real thing if it’s there. As the year 2003 has progressed, it has become an especially good year for unusual finds. Not only personally, but also evidenced by the numerous posts and stories by other herpers around the country. New ranges, new animals, and what seems a multitude of aberrant patterned animals have been highlighted practically every month so far. Certainly more than any other time I can remember. What all of this is leading up to, is what will turn into the most unbelievable moment either of us could have ever imagined involving field herping.