DAGHESTAN HERP TRIP (North Caucasus, Russia) 2008 pictures

[boiga]

Couple years ago I traveled from Moscow to Daghestan by train. That trip was SUPERB - nice people, beautiful landscapes and animals.

If there are someone, who would like to look pics about my Daghestan herp trip, I put some.

Cheers
Toomas

[Jeremiah_Easter]

Of course we would like to see them, post them up!

[Ryan Sikola]

Baltic friend, I'm sure everyone wants to see these pictures

[monklet]

Herps reports/pictures, including habitat, scenic and culture from the less traveled parts of the globe are always especially welcome. Please post.

[Paul White]

You gotta ask? Hells yes we want

[Jimmy_77]

Indeed very much! Please post!

[boiga]

Ok!

[Nigel Smith]

Herps reports/pictures, including habitat, scenic and culture from the less traveled parts of the globe are always especially welcome. Please post.

What he said!

[boiga]

This country is mountainous and beautiful. Daghestan be locate in Western Asia (North Caucasus) and is part of Russia. Daghestan is islamic country and people in this country are quite religious.



Sulak river. There are the northest biotope of Macrovipera lebetina obtusa in Daghestan. Not very far from Daghestan capital Machackala.




Macrovipera lebetina obtusa.




Natrix tesselata by creek which flow to the Sulak river.




Semi-desert mountains in Southern Daghestan. There are possible to see Macrovipera lebetina obtusa, Telescopus fallax etc. This is habitat for the 5 Daghestan Red Book reptile species.




Pseudopus apodus is common lizard species in Southern Daghestan semidesert mountains




Buthus (Mesobuthus) eupeus is common everywhere in semidesert-mountains.




With Testudo graeca between cities Derbent and Ogni by Caspian Sea (Southern Daghestan). There is Caspian Lowland. We found this T.graeca from the place where was minus 21 metres.




Testudo graeca is common everywhere in Southern Daghestan.




The biotope of Emys orbicularis (Southern Daghestan).




Emys orbicularis (Southern Daghestan).




In Southern Daghestan. That habitat is good for Macrovipera lebetina obtusa.


I had the plans to visit the biotope of Vipera lotievi and Vipera dinniki. But when I drove there, started rain and rain were also there in the mountains. Because after rain have not possible to drive on the roads (they are completely unsuitable) my travel group (me and local herpetologists) turned back. Next time I would like to visit the habitats where are those vipers. Maybe I will be in August in Daghestan again.

Cheers
Toomas Pranstibel

[Josh Holbrook]

Good stuff! Thanks for posting.

[Josh Vandermeulen]

Nice post! Cool to see herps posted here of species which haven't been posted in the past. Good luck with your next trip to see the remaining Vipera.

Josh

[Nigel Smith]

Wow interesting stuff. I especially loved the habitat shots. Good luck on your future trips to this area!

[yoloherper]

Awsome post! I love that first scenery shot and the first snake.

[Hans Breuer (twoton)]

Thank you for this, Toomas! The entire Western Asian landmass is certainly underrepresented in this forum, so please feel free to share whatever you have whenever you have it!!!

Cheers

Hans

[mrichardson]

Very interesting. I look forward to more reports like that! Thanks for posting.

[joeysgreen]

Thanks for the excellent post Toomas! I just finished reading Turtles of Russia and Other Ex-Soviet Republics and am currently flipping through The Reptiles of the Western Paleoarctic Region and your pictures added another dimension to my learning. I especially am fond of your Emys orbicularis find!

Ian

[chrish]

Toomas,

Thank you for sharing this. Seeing a post from a place this "foreign" to most of us is always a treat.

I hope you get to go back because I would love to see another post from this region!

Chris

[KatiyaLilith]

Love the Macrovipera! Looks like a super fun trip!

[monklet]

Some how never saw your follow-up. This is great, an area of the world I've never even heard of, let alone seen great pics of herps and habitat.

Thanks

[Gabrial]

Very cool post!

Hope you don't mind me asking, but are you, or were you, a Navy SEAL? I ask because of the hat...

[Neil M]

love this out of country stuff! Nice post, thanks!

Neil M