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Australia
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| I went on the trip of a lifetime;
driving into the Australian Outback for two weeks in search of the
various reptile life, and I wasn't disappointed. |
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| Australia is extremely protective
of their animal life, primarily due to the many species found
there which can't be found anywhere else (platypus, kangaroos,
etc). Exportation of wildlife is VERY restricted, and
collection of native animals, even by Australian citizens, is
heavily regulated. As a nonresident, I knew I'd be facing an
uphill battle if I wanted to do things "by the
book." I contacted the governments of both Queensland
and the Northern Territories in an effort to secure permission to
capture, photograph, and release the reptiles I found. At
first, they seemed willing to work with me, but ultimately my
various permit applications were denied. I was basically
told I could take all the pictures I wanted, but just couldn't
touch any of the animals I found! Naturally, the quality of
the pictures suffered, but I pretty much obeyed their wishes. |
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| There ARE two pictures in this
section in which I'm handling native reptiles, but this was done
under supervision; details are explained on the relevant
pages. I do not condone the handling of native Australian
reptiles without appropriate permits (or equipment); not only
because it's illegal in most cases to do so, but because it can be
downright difficult for the inexperienced to positively
distinguish between the venomous and non-venomous snakes! |
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| All told, I encountered at least 23
different reptiles on my trip. Some of these were DOR
specimens, but most types were found alive and well. Those
are the ones I present here. If I have misidentified any of
these animals, please drop me a line and I will correct the
pages! NOTE: I generally follow Cogger's taxonomy in
the species descriptions I give. |
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