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Herpetology in Olema Valley by Kitundu

racer profileA friend invited me out to check out Olema Valley with an ecologist familiar with the snakes, lizards, and amphibians of the area. Cool!

Here is a little VIDEO I made with the Vine app to give you a feeling for the day.

hand on snakes Lifting the plywood early enough in the day before the snakes have warmed up too much means they are easier to handle. It goes without saying that this activity is best left to the experts.

hydra A trio of Racers in hand.

racer Really beautiful creatures.

racer photo Worthy of a photo or three.

patrick explains The ecologist answers our many questions.

snake fist He deftly handles the snakes with just the right amount of pressure.

racer full length This gives a better sense of the length of these Racers.

patrick The snakes began to warm up from the heat of our hands and became more and more active.

ring-necked baby We also spotted a baby Ring-necked Snake.

calgart And a few California Garter Snakes.

calgart_ann

returning home We were careful to return each snake to its favored dark, slowly warming environment under the boards.