Mojave Desert 2011

View from Mitchell Caverns, Mojave National Preserve

Although they are often immature, herpatologists tend to be more committed and creative than other biologists. Those who specialize in venomous snakes are attracted to the field to some extent because of the kick they get from handling dangerous animals. Slightly embarrassed by this, they usually deny it and go to great lengths to conceal their passion from outsiders.

...

"The syndrome becomes all-absorbing and the young herpetophile often develops a nerdishness which precludes membership in the school in-group. Some of the individuals fail to pass beyond this developmental phase: they become fixated on an interest that many of us were able to outgrow ... [However] they understand evolutionary theory better, are more current in their taxonomic knowledge, and they cooperate with one another."

I am heading to the Mojave Desert for a four days of herping.  We only take pictures not animals, but you will be seeing some of these pictures in a week or so after the trip. We are way behind in posting and have camera trap pictures from March-April and even earlier to still post, so hopefully we can get caught up.

We will be doing some camera trapping on the trip, targeting rodents such as Kangaroo rats and woodrats and maybe some predators if we get lucky, but cams will only be out for 24 hour periods, so we probably won't be getting many if any of them.

Bonus points to anyone who can identify the author of the above paraphrased and direct quotes above without the help of google.