Arizona HerpCount?

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Tonia Graves
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Arizona HerpCount?

Post by Tonia Graves »

Has anyone heard of Arizona HerpCount? It's a site where you can report reptile sightings to folks at the U of A. One glaring problem is that anyone can see the locations where the herps were found. Any thoughts?
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GrnPyro
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Re: Arizona HerpCount?

Post by GrnPyro »

I think I had heard something about that and one point.... My buddy Austin worked with a researcher with the last name Good?? I believe... and when he worked for him helped manage entries of locations in their databases.

As far as locations being seen, I have a hard enough time entering locations into the naherp database even when they are not seen, so if they were to be seen, there is no way I would enter them. The general public just does not need to know your spots. Think about all the first time herpers that don't understand proper field herping. (putting rocks back, not digging up burrows, breaking rocks or logs, etc) Would you want them to know the exact location of where you found something??? Just my thoughts.

Tim
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ThamnElegans24
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Re: Arizona HerpCount?

Post by ThamnElegans24 »

That site looks like it is more for herps found in the backyard or while hiking Tucson rather than pure field herping.
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GrnPyro
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Re: Arizona HerpCount?

Post by GrnPyro »

does it? I didn't actually look at it but I thought I had heard of it in the past.
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azatrox
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Re: Arizona HerpCount?

Post by azatrox »

Tim...

The researcher you are referring to is Matt Goode down at U of A.

-Kris
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GrnPyro
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Re: Arizona HerpCount?

Post by GrnPyro »

Yea !! Thats the guy! My friend would manage records of herp findings (mostly tigris, heloderma, and gopherus) and all records in saguaro national monument as well as pick up poop and water the live collection.
He told me that researcher was a good guy and so were most of the people down there at the university.

Kris do you know him??

Tim
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Biker Dave
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Re: Arizona HerpCount?

Post by Biker Dave »

I tried to arrange a meeting with the people who run that site two Octobers ago but it never happened.

They said they were going to make it so that the exact GPS wouldn't show. Have they fixed that?

Dave
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Tonia Graves
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Re: Arizona HerpCount?

Post by Tonia Graves »

Tim-I appreciate your thoughts on the matter. I'm not a die-hard herper, but I'm not giving up certain sites that I know of. The last thing I would want is for too many people to know about them and cause stress on the animals, or worse yet, to collect them.

Dave-From what I saw, anyone could see the locations...ie, Sabino Canyon, etc. I didn't see exact GPS coordinates, but I'd have to go back and check to be sure.
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: Arizona HerpCount?

Post by Brian Hubbs »

Not to start a debate or anything, but collecting is not bad in itself as long as the collector knows what they are doing, does not take too many animals or protected animals, and replaces habitat as found. Most of us got our start in herpetology as collectors.
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GrnPyro
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Re: Arizona HerpCount?

Post by GrnPyro »

Hey Brian, I totally agree with you in the fact that collecting can be done responsibly.. BUT, there is a place that I go and have seen the same pyro for 2 springs and 1 fall, in the same crack that goes to a hole and under the same slab on top. I would never give that area up because its nice to see the same male when im visiting family in the area.


Tim
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: Arizona HerpCount?

Post by Brian Hubbs »

I would agree with your choice to not give up that locality. But, if you have it in the database, I would move the gps marker 100 yds away. This will not screw up the mapping for pyro habitat, but it will protect your spot if you ever decide to release the data. And please, to the rest of you, no negative comments about what I just said.
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Biker Dave
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Re: Arizona HerpCount?

Post by Biker Dave »

And please, to the rest of you, no negative comments about what I just said.
Then why say it? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: Arizona HerpCount?

Post by Brian Hubbs »

Because some of the best scientists use that ploy and it doesn't hurt anything, unless you mark a turtle spot on top of a hill... :lol: And anyway, nobody will know the difference. I challenge anyone to identify which localities I have fudged in some way...it can't be done...but all of them are close enough for gov't work... ;)
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Southwest wanderer
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Re: Arizona HerpCount?

Post by Southwest wanderer »

Here is a link to the About-page:

http://www.herpcount.org/about

That guy Dave Praziek is the person handling most of the technology construction of the site. It was presented at a Tucson Herp Society meeting about a year and a half ago. They said it was in the early stages of development.

I had got a Username and Password and started to enter a few random sightings until I realized my GPS coordinates were showing with a google map. I emailed Dave P and gave him a long list of corrections I would like to see done with the site. He emailed back and said they wanted to make many of those changes including the hiding of locations better. It never happened. No changes as of yet.

Janine
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GrnPyro
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Re: Arizona HerpCount?

Post by GrnPyro »

Brian, Already been on top of that idea! :thumb: I am in the process of re entering my stuff and all of that will go in.

Tim
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