This past June I drove out to New Jersey with one firm goal in mind – record an interview with Robert Zappalorti, the founder and executive director of Herpetological Associates, Inc. It all came together; Bob is an interesting person to talk to, with decades of experiences, and a gracious host as well. The resulting recording became Episode 118: Pinesnakes, Bog Turtles and more with Bob Zappalorti.
I met with Bob at the HA headquarters in Pemberton, New Jersey, and we had an hour-long recorded chat that I think is excellent. I’m sure some folks find it absurd, traveling 800 miles for an interview, but what better way to get a real feel for what Bob and his staff are doing for herp conservation? No regrets on my part, and I will do it again with some other future guest. Plus, I had fallen in love with the Pine Barrens on my first visit five years ago, and I was excited to come back and maybe have another go.
Bob was tied up after our interview, but my pal Pete was free, and we headed out in search of pine snakes. Pete is an old hand in the Pine Barrens, all the way back to the Kauffeld era, so it was cool to be out with another subject matter expert. It was nesting season for Northern Pines, so I was hoping we might see some natural history in action.
At our first stop, we walked up to a clearing with some sky exposure. Pete said “we want to scan this area carefully, there may be pines out basking.” Despite the overcast sky, snakes could still benefit from what radiation came through the cloud barrier. About ten seconds later he said “right there” and pointed.
Pete called the shot, how cool was that? This was my first adult Northern Pine, and a nice looking one. I had seen a yearling on my first visit to the Barrens, but this one was a healthy four-footer, and I just drank it all in while I used my 100-300 zoom to get some in situ photos.
I took some video of the snake as it moved off. Watching a snake crawl away is an aspect of field herping that I love, especially when it’s a large and charismatic serpent such as a pine snake.
That would be our only snake of the afternoon. Pete and I did come across several fresh excavations, probably made earlier in the day. It was likely that female pine snakes were down in those burrows, laying their eggs. I felt like we just missed seeing something awesome.
Bob had some free time the next morning, and along with Pete and Zach, we visited a few of the artificial den sites that Bob and HA staff have created over the years.
Looking like just a raised pile of sand, these artificial dens are specifically designed for pine snakes and corn snakes, but other types of snakes use them as well. Some these dens have been in place since 1983.
Entrances to the den interiors were originally constructed with cinder block, but the newer dens feature PVC pipe, a long-lasting, low maintenance tunnel material.
We didn’t run across any serpents on our little den site tour, but when the herps aren’t biting, there’s always something else that grabs my attention, especially in unique environments.
The Barrens are a perfect spot for a little botanizing. Just a little. When other herpers aren’t looking.
Bob headed back to the office – being the boss means you can’t always spend the entire day goofing off. Pete and Zach and I headed over to a conservation area that was once a commercial cranberry bog. Most of the morning’s cloud cover was gone, and the afternoon had some heat to it.
Near the water’s edge we found an Eastern Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula), with opaque eyes, muddy face, and a rough layer of skin that would soon be shed. I have not yet seen enough chain kings, so even a gnarly one was a welcome find. One might ask, is there such a thing as seeing enough of this snake or that frog? I don’t think so, if you’re deep enough into this lifestyle.
The raised banks with water on both sides looked to be lovely habitat for chain kings, a snake with a very broad diet that includes turtle eggs and baby turtles. The scene put me in mind of a similar landscape near Reelfoot Lake in Tennessee, where Black Kingsnakes (Lampropeltis nigra) congregated.
As we walked on, we kept our eyes on areas where trees and bushes provided some cover. Given the blazing sun overhead, our next serpentine target was likely to be tucked up under some shade somewhere.
Sure enough, it wasn’t long before we spotted our first Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus), an adult coiled up under the cover and shade of some young Atlantic cedars and blueberry bushes.
Now that the cranberry bog has transformed back into a wetland, the timbers are doing well. We took a few photos from a distance, and let the snake continue to chill in its hide spot. There were plenty of ripe berries on loads of blueberry bushes, and we all enjoyed handfuls as we went along.
Who doesn’t love carnivorous plants? We passed by many sundews on our hike, and I was thrilled – back home, our two most common plants are genetically modified corn and soybeans. It’s always good to get away from that drab landscape and appreciate the flora and fauna in unique habitats.
Coming back the way we came, our Timber had moved a little bit, and was cozied up at the base of an old stump. When I’m asked “what’s your favorite rattlesnake?”, I think my answer is often a surprise. Timbers are just so adaptable to many different habitat types – forests, mountains, swamps, river valleys, and even old cranberry bogs. And the colors and patterns! But I digress.
Close to where we parked, Zach spotted another Timber under some low-hanging cedars, and we could just make out traces of pattern on a young adult snake. A much younger me might have dragged it out into the sun for photos, but we let it be. We were content with having a look at it, not getting too close, and just taking a crappy photo or two.
The afternoon was getting on, and it was time for me to think about the 12 hour drive home. What a fantastic couple of days – interviewing Bob and getting to know him better, hanging out with a couple of friends, and getting another taste of what the Pine Barrens has to offer.
Thanks for reading this.
