Reptile Monitoring

All Reptiles and Amphibians observed will be recorded in the base inventory. The principle methods of herptile sampling will be through drift fences and coverboard transects. Drift fences are often constructed at the margins of small water bodies (e.g. depression marsh) and at other areas of high animal movement.

Drift fences and coverboards will be checked for five (5) consecutive days each quarter. All herptiles (and other vertebrates) captured will be identified to species, and morphometric data will be collected prior to their release at site of capture. In order to identify herptiles that are recaptured, all captures, excluding venomous snakes, will be marked via toe clipping (for frogs, lizards, etc.) (Figure 1), scale clipping (for snakes) (Figure 2), or notching the shell (for turtles) (Figure 3). 

Wetland areas on several Natural Lands parcels serve as reproductive sites for many species of amphibians. Nighttime and rain event surveys will be conducted at least once quarterly as a means of assessing general species diversity.

Gopher tortoises inhabit several of the SCNLP wilderness areas and will be further discussed in the section addressing listed species. Voucher specimens of common species collected may be preserved and placed in the University of Central Florida vertebrate collection

MONITORING PROTOCOL
FENCES (Every Natural Land has at least one drift fence on it. )
	The investigator should open all pit falls and place funnel traps in the appropriate positions by two hours before sunset.
	All traps should be well shaded with wood or vegetation (palmetto fronds) to keep captured animals cool. Each pit fall trap should also contain at least one sponge to keep amphibians from drying out.
	All traps should be checked before eleven a.m. each day that they are open.
	When arriving at the site a temperature. and humidity should be recorded.
	When checking pit fall traps the investigator should dig down through any dirt to make sure no animals are buried.
	When checking the funnel traps the traps should be picked up and examined –DO NOT SIMPLY SHAKE THE TRAP- THIS WILL RESULT IN MISSED ANIMALS. Some live insects may be left in the funnel traps as this may attract some amphibians.
	No live or dead animals should be left in the buckets.
	If ants are in the pit-falls bring "Amdro" the next day to get rid of them.
	When finishing the trap check, replace all the traps in the correct way. Make sure the funnel traps are placed below the level of the surrounding substrate!!
COVERBOARDS
	Coverboards should be checked on the first and last day of the trapping event.
	When running out of time, check the fences first- do not check the coverboard transects first. These boards can be checked at any time.
	All boards should be quickly raised and litter under boards should be mixed to determine if there is any animal hiding.
	The standard measurements should be taken on any animal found under these boards
MINNOW TRAPS
	Minnow traps may (but are not required to be set) at any trapping event were there are bodies of water.
	If traps are set they should be checked before eleven a.m.
	The trapping protocol is slightly different than when using these for fish. When trying to capture herps. The traps should be set with at least some portion of the trap out of the water. These traps perform better when app. ½ of the trap is out of the water.
	All measurements and other protocols are the same (see fish sampling)