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Monday, September 24, 1990 / University Daily Kansan
Zoologist leads volunteers in Kansas' second annual reptile, amphibian census
By Mike Brassfield
Kansan staff writer
This year's reptile census is complete.
The final results of the second annual Kansas Herp Count were tabulated this month. A total of 48 species and 1,417 specimens were found in the count, a controlled census of amphibians and reptiles in Kansas compiled by University of Kansas zoologist Joseph Collins.
Counts were conducted in nine counties in April and May by teams of volunteers. Collins said, The teams turned over rocks, observed turtles submoth, listened for singing frogs and masses and live animals along roads.
"Probably the biggest surprise was when we turned over a rock in Cottonwood Falls and found seven copperheads. Now that will make you jump," he said. "They haven't been seen that far southwest since the 1960s. I think they were as excited to see us as we were to find them."
Collins said the count would be a valuable indication of long-term changes in reptile and amphibian populations.
"You hear a lot of theories about the world's amphibian crisis," he said. "People say that amphibians are disappearing. There are reports that frogs in particular are in trouble worldwide."
"People ask me if there has been a gradual decline around here, and I have to tell them I don't know. I guess the counting traps for the past years
He said the Kansas count was the first attempt in any state to begin to count reptiles and amphibians to see what had been a decline in their numbers.
John Simmons, collection manager of the division of herpetology at the Museum of Natural History, said the count was modeled after the bird counts the Anduban Society had done for years.
The bird people have statistics
going back for 30 years, so they can actually make some scientific conclusions about changes in bird populations," he said. "We wish we had statistics going back that far, but we don't. But now is a good time to
Collins said the count also was a public education tool.
"This is a good way for people to get out of the house in the springtime and participate," he said. "They can make a meaningful contribution and have a good time while they're doing it."
Among the species found during the census this year were the prairie ringe snake (225), the Great Plains toad (297) and the flathead snake (65). Poisonous snakes included the prairie rattlesnake (45), the massasauga (3) and the Osage copperhead (11).
Volunteers counted in Hodgeman, Ellis, Russell, Chase, Cowley, Barber, McPherson, Comanche and Kiowa counties.
Zoologist Joseph Collins handles a copperhead snake while his wife, Suzanne, looks on.
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