Robert wrote:
>You are indeed a legend to have seen the "golden frogs" of Monterverde.
>I have never visited the place but have seen many pictures of them up
>there in the cloud forests, and have like-wise wondered at their strange
>demise.
I've been called a lot of names in my time.. but never a "legend". And I
can't even throw, bat or kick a ball!! Now I REALLY feel old. It wasn't
that long ago.. perhaps 10 years or so.. but we've seen other huge
congregations of frogs in high mountain passes of Panama that were never
popularized by being in an area where tourists visited.. probably never
even described and they're gone too. Loss of habitat and tourists never
had anything to do with their demise. It is a terrible tragedy. Of course,
one can say this has happened all through history.. extinctions are the
rule not exception.. but to witness it is really shocking. It's even
harder to believe we are capable of contaminating something as huge as the
oceans but we have.
As photographers, documentors of our times we are much more aware of
changes, don't you think?
The only caveat I'll add to the snake & frog tales ( which unfortunately I
don't think will apply) is our lack of understanding of Nature's rhythms.
Orchids are ALL on the Endangered Species list but a good many of the
rarest are not rare at all. We've found them just very cyclical in
occurance. They die back in one area.. but survive in a breeding
population in some small area only to emerge 10 years or more later in vast
numbers. Others are rare because the only time they were noticed by
someone who could recognize them for what they were - they were at a low
point in their population.. They might be common in another season or
area. But, we haven't documented the pathogens, effects of UV or all the
other problems that folks have been following with the Amphibians - in
Orchids. I keep hoping someone will find a relatively unknown area where
the golden frogs still sing.
(Oh, and my shorts are baggy and long!! and, I do wear
>boots when photographing reptiles!!)
Now That's a disappointment!
Question? Does your Museum allow photography of exhibits? I just received
a notice from the Florida Museum of Natural History (University of FLorida)
that they will not longer permit any photography! Apparently, traveling
exhibits have new regulations attendant to their appearance at the museum
that forbid this. Some say flashes cause damage to exhibits.. and I've
heard that about flashes inside Pyramids in Egypt, but to forbid ALL
PHOTOGRAPHY? I'd be interested in any comments you might have. I get the
impression from UF that they are jumping on the bandwagon as much to
preserve their "copyright " to images of their exhibits as much as from
fear of damage.
Kerry
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Kerry Dressler Email: bio-photo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Bio-Photo Services, Inc. http://www.bio-photo.com
21305 NW 86th Ave TEL: (352)466-4215
Micanopy, FL 32667 FAX: (352)466-3151
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