Cote d'Ivoire

[bubblesharp]

So you were forbidden to catch a snake, and the rangers or whoever would tell if you did, then do f-all if some one kills one???? I'm sure I'm not the only one missing to see the logic here!

But hey, that seems like one hell of an adventure! Enjoy and thanks for sharing, really enjoyed looking at the photo's!

What camera are you using in that humidity? When I go into a rain forest to take pictures I take my under water camera, quality is always the best, but no water damage, ever! Or I'll take one of the compact digital's, so I wont cry if something happens to it! I like my other camera too much to take that chance!

[Sico]

Really stunning species you found there. Working just over the border I'm hoping to find some of those species here as well, especially the frogs, as we are now into the rainy season. Were the Atheris species that you found in a specific biome type or were they mixed?

[Aaxel]

awsome pics!!!!!, loved the philothnus!

[Viridovipera]

So you were forbidden to catch a snake, and the rangers or whoever would tell if you did, then do f-all if some one kills one???? I'm sure I'm not the only one missing to see the logic here!

What camera are you using in that humidity? When I go into a rain forest to take pictures I take my under water camera, quality is always the best, but no water damage, ever! Or I'll take one of the compact digital's, so I wont cry if something happens to it! I like my other camera too much to take that chance!

Wow. I didn't realize that this thread got going again! Thanks for all the feedback.


As for the logic behind the snake rules it's more of a cover your ass move. Basically, she's my boss, if I wanted to stay employed, I had to listen. Her logic was that if something did happen (read the green mamba accident that happened to Sico!), it would ruin the mission. We would all have to pack up and leave camp (often hiking 15-20km out of the forest), go back to a village and then make our way as quickly as possible back to Abidjan for some "decent" medical attention. Having to do all this, or use a medical evacuation via helicopter, would cost the NGO thousands of dollars and would be a waste of a mission (since we'd have to go back in and finish the transects that we didn't complete). Since snakes aren't even a target species in this biomonitoring program, she wanted to avoid the whole mess all together. Although I was furious, I understood her decision from a CYA mentality. I had made plans to go herping in the savannahs up north once my term was over, but that got postponed indefinitely by a near civil war.

A sad reality in the world, as many people here already know, is that snakes are not appreciated for the ecological value. Instead, they are simply killed because they are assumed to all be deadly or for their meat. The same is true in Cote d'Ivoire. I believe that I began to educate the rangers that I became friends with, but changing this engrained stigma is not something that can be done in only two weeks. It's sad, but it's true. We can all do our part to educate everyone around us and slowly stop this stigma from spreading!!

I use a Panasonic Lumix (DMC FZ28) for all my shots. In the forest, I bring a tuperware case with silica gel in it and store the camera in there when I'm not using it. Even in the city of Abidjan, if I left the camera out of the silica gel box for more than a few days the zoom knob would get sticky and the shudder would get stuck down and take multiple pictures. The silica gel box not only kills the mold that may grow on your lens or sensors, but also keeps moisture out of the camera in general. It's a pain (maybe not as much as carrying an entire underwater housing around), but it gets the job done. I wouldn't have taken my baby into the forest without it!

To those that want to visit Cote d'Ivoire, I highly encourage it. It will take a lot of patience to get where you want to go, but it's worth it in the end. The country is settling down again after the elections and is getting safer every day. If you need suggestions or people to contact, feel free to shoot me a PM. Ivorians love tourists!!!

The Atheris was definitely the highlight of my trip I'm just sad it got cut so short.

I may post another picture on here soon -- there have been reports that some pythons were spotted near the lagoon in Abidjan where I used to live. If my friend can get a good picture of it, I'll pass it along!

-Alex

[bubblesharp]

After your explanation her decision does make a bit more sense. And its not just there even in SA snakes are generally viewed as all dangerous! Snakes get killed here just for being a snake, and by "educated currently disadvantaged" people due to pure arrogance and ignorance! I can see that your tub would be a bit more practical, but once you get used to the housing its not that bad, it still weighs less than my Canon and less bulky, but humidity and water and even dust doesn't damage the camera, I have a seal for diving and use the older perished seals for other activities! The heat does wear the seals out!

Hopefully the two weeks you spent with the rangers and educating them will make them think twice before killing a snake, and maybe just maybe they will tell their kids and something starts to change! I'm also sure that others will do the same as you and the seed that you planted will grow!

[Craig Borten]

Hey, actually I have read this post of yours from the Field Herp Forum lately. Thanks for sharing here too. But, some picture are not loading here. Can you share the link to your post in the Field Herp Forum here, please?

[Viridovipera]

So most of the links to the pictures are dead there too. I guess that's what I get for uploading pictures from facebook. Enjoy the album straight from facebook: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 1484de19db

[froot]

I have fixed some of the image urls, since you posted internet security has come some distance. I changed the 'http' to 'https' and it fixed some of them, others I identified and inserted and will finish when time allows. Would hate to lose such a good post.