Reptile & Amphibian Forums

one of my tv producers visited me yesterday looking for something to do some shows on. We will be doing some stuff at my farm with my animals because he needs something fast but he wants me to pick some locations to do a series that will be shot may or june.

He wanted to go back to australia or peru but i told him i do not want to go back to somewhere i have already been when there is so much more to check out. So this is the deal. The show is like any other in that when i sell him a location it needs the wow factor. They all want the same thing, big retics, ancondas, monitors and gators, deadly cobras, etc. As long as i can give him something along these lines, then i can add the "good stuff(from my perspective)". Some will go into the shows and the rest will be for my own library.

I am considering several locations and can do more than one country on the trip which normally is limited to 4 weeks long. I have thought about visiting dinodon (if he is willing) and also perhaps vietnam, thailand and the philippines. I have also considered china but do not know what part if i did.

Any suggestions from anyone would be great. The more detail you can give me on exact locations or possible species that would be interesting to cover would be great.

Thanks, Don

How about going to Florida and do a show on the exotics. They now have burmese pythons, anacondas and boa constrictors. Also there's an island with large monitors (I think they're niles) Then of course there are some of the smaller exotics like the iguanas, basilisks and anoles. Of course the alligators and crocodiles are always a good show.

Regards
John

John, I actually had discussed going to florida for not only what you mentioned but if i timed it right i could hit the daytona show and perhaps jump over to tx. That is not until august though.

I was thinking if i do something over on this side of the world that i could learn about some species that i have never had contact with. Species that are not typically found in the pet industry.

Thanks for the suggestion though. I will keep it under consideration.

Thanks, Don

Don:
I like your idea of hitting Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and China. From a time perspective you're in at least the same quadrant of the globe and those places have a wealth of the "wow" factor critters along with any number of great smaller herps (ratsnakes for instance). But I'm assuming working in multiple countries multiplies the amount of advance work that you must do to have everything go smoothly and on time. I would assume China (and Vietnam)will be the toughest to get the contacts needed to see the stuff you want to see. But both have some amazing and relatively neglected herps. I certainly envy you the chance.

I guess the other great place to go is Africa. Southern Africa has any number of great snakes (giant, poisonous, beautiful), nile crocs, nile (and other) monitors and oddities like the chameleons and large tortoises. Not to mention all the other kinds of animals.

Good luck and please keep us in the loop. Maybe we can order a copy of the show someway.

Best regards
John

I have a humble suggestion....

MEXICO!

Why????

Because it's NEVER done! And honestly, there is such a diverse ecosystem. There is a bit of everything in Mexico from Beaded Lizards, milks, kings, rats to some really cool mammals.

There have been tons of shows filmed in Oz, South America, Africa and Asia etc. But I have to say Mexico really isn't herped on television. And Mexico really does have a little of everything minus the pythons.

I am not a citizen of Mexico nor have I ever herped there, but I do know it's something I have wanted to do, and a television show might encourage me (Hey that was my idea ~lol~). It's also not out of the financial realm of possibility for me to eventually be able to herp there. Unlike those exotic locations like Oz and Africa I am pretty sure I will never be able to afford to go to, Mexico might actually be doable for me.

It's just a suggestion, and one I haven't seen before.

Perhaps you could title it "Mexico, the Affordable North American Herp Hot Spot".

I hope I gave you a reasonable idea...

Very Respectfully,
Jarrett

Don, funny you should mention this. I've been reading from, Biogeography of the Reptiles of South Asia, today, by Indraneil Das, 1996. There are some very interesting areas in India and Sri Lanka. I was daydreaming about what an experience it would be to visit the Western Ghats, with its Coelognathus helena monticollaris, montane trinket snake, and myriad of other species, many being endemic. Did you know there's almost 50 species just of Uropeltids in India. Then you have savannas in southern India and Sri Lanka and the mtns on the island, with all their various large herps, including the ones you mentioned. I could go on.

As far as the areas you mentioned, that sounds great too. I think Taiwan would be a great place to visit, but I don't know how many torts, crocs, or monitors you'd see. North Vietnam would also be a really neat place for some super exotics, like the various colubrids, but again, not too many of the big herps you need. Maybe South Vietnam would be good for the big guys; Thailand would be; and the Phillipines would be, I think. If you wanted to go to China, I might be able to suggest a couple places, but again, the big herps will be lacking, except maybe in the extreme south. I've always wanted to go to Zhoushan Island, near Shanghai. It has a multitude of ratsnake species, as well as other Asian colubrids, and I love islands.

More later...Terry

>>one of my tv producers visited me yesterday looking for something to do some shows on. We will be doing some stuff at my farm with my animals because he needs something fast but he wants me to pick some locations to do a series that will be shot may or june.
>>
>>He wanted to go back to australia or peru but i told him i do not want to go back to somewhere i have already been when there is so much more to check out. So this is the deal. The show is like any other in that when i sell him a location it needs the wow factor. They all want the same thing, big retics, ancondas, monitors and gators, deadly cobras, etc. As long as i can give him something along these lines, then i can add the "good stuff(from my perspective)". Some will go into the shows and the rest will be for my own library.
>>
>>I am considering several locations and can do more than one country on the trip which normally is limited to 4 weeks long. I have thought about visiting dinodon (if he is willing) and also perhaps vietnam, thailand and the philippines. I have also considered china but do not know what part if i did.
>>
>>Any suggestions from anyone would be great. The more detail you can give me on exact locations or possible species that would be interesting to cover would be great.
>>
>>Thanks, Don

Terry, I have considered india and was checking it out a few days ago. You can see why i did not want to go back to somewhere i have already been. So many places to see it is going to be a tough decision. Let me know if you think of anything else.

thanks, Don

if someone offered me a blank check. Check with Bill Love about what species are over there.
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phflame
kingsnake.com host

We had discussed madagascar before. It is also a possibility. It has been many years since I have spoken to Bill but if i decide to go that way he is for sure the one i would contact.

Thanks, Don