GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Museum of Natural History will host the 37th annual Herpetology Conference Friday and Saturday (April 4-5) at the Paramount Plaza Hotel and Conference Center.
Hosted each year by the Florida Museum Herpetology Division, the conference is the country’s longest-running regional herpetology symposium. The conference aims to bring together the herpetological community for discussion of reptile and amphibian research, education and conservation in a constructive and fun environment. It is underwritten by the Reptile and Amphibian Conservation Corps.
“The conference is a way to get herpetology groups communicating,” said Florida Museum herpetology curator Max Nickerson.
This year’s conference will feature book signings by Harvey Lillywhite, author of “How Snakes Work: Structure, Function and Behavior of the World’s Snakes” and Charles LeBuff and Chris Lechowicz, co-authors of “Amphibians and Reptiles of Sanibel and Captiva Islands, Florida: A Natural History.” Ralph Curtis, who established Zoo Books and has decades of service in many herpetology sectors, will also sell the remainder of his private library at the conference. The vendor room where book sales and signings will occur is open to the general public.
Registration is required to attend the herpetology seminars, which will include 18 presentations with two keynote speakers and monetary awards for the best presentation in three categories: general, student and poster. Friday, Jerry Johnston of Santa Fe College will present the results of his ecological studies of turtles in a northern Florida river, and Saturday, Paul Moler of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will discuss the results of several years of surveys in southern Vietnam. Registered conference attendees will also enjoy silent and live auctions, a social and barbecue.
Registrations will be accepted at the door; however, those who register at the event are not guaranteed a dinner ticket. For schedule and registration information, visit www.snre.ufl.edu/herpetology.
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Writer: Katina Prokos, kprokos@flmnh.ufl.edu
Source: Max Nickerson, maxn@flmnh.ufl.edu, 352-273-1946
Media Contact: Paul Ramey, pramey@flmnh.ufl.edu, 352-273-2054