Creepy Conservation: Pine snakes, Gopher Frogs, and Good Deeds for Wildlife
Creepy Conservation: Pine snakes, Gopher Frogs, and Good Deeds for Wildlife
Live Lecture with Dr. Steve Reichling, Memphis Zoo's Conservation and Research Department
Just in time for Halloween, join The Wolf River Conservancy, Memphis Botanic Garden, and Dr. Steve Reichling, Director of Conservation and Research at the Memphis Zoo, for a fascinating look into the wild and often misunderstood creatures that slither and crawl through our local landscapes.
This informative talk will cover the zoo’s conservation efforts, with a focus on regional projects including the elusive pine snake, the mysterious gopher frog, and a recent survey of snake species in the upland habitats of the Ghost River State Natural Area.
From eerie ecosystems to vanishing species, discover how conservation science is helping to protect the wildlife lurking just beneath the leaf litter. It’s a perfect blend of nature and the supernatural, for anyone curious about the creatures that haunt the woods this time of year.
Steve Reichling has worked at the Memphis Zoo for 44 years. He is heavily involved in the captive management of reptiles and amphibians and their conservation in the wild, leading the zoo component of the recovery program for the critically endangered dusky gopher frog. He has been studying the extremely rare Louisiana pine snake since 1984, publishing research that elevated it from subspecies to species, and leading the zoo-based recovery effort. In addition to herpetology, he is intensely interested in tarantulas.
This event is free and open to the public. All donations benefit The Wolf River Conservancy and The Memphis Botanic Garden.
