CFHS meeting Tues. 9-1-09 @ 7 pm
B.P. eradication program in "glades"
Greetings Central Florida Herpetological Society (CFHS) members & friends of FL wildlife,

Our President, Shawn Heflick, was pictured in the August 10th edition of Time magazine this month as he was 1 of 3 herpetologists to start a partnership with the Florida Freshwater Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to help eradicate Burmese Pythons (B.P.'s) from the Florida Everglades.

Shawn will be sharing his experiences with this new cooperative effort to thin / eradicate B.P.'s from the glades with us at our Sept. 1st meeting from 7 pm until 9 pm at Mayor Carl T. Langford Park's visitors center @ 1808 E. Central Blvd. Orlando, FL 32803.

Please bring your reptiles to show / sell in their enclosures & keep them there unless supervised.

Remember: no food or drinks except bottled water that has the cap in place when not in use.

Please see our newly board appointed Membership Chairman...Mr. Jeremy Maley...you will remember him from the wonderful program he shared with us at our meeting 5-5-09 about Chameleon breeding & cultural practices. Please bring your cash for individual membership dues ( $ 25 ), family membership dues ( $ 30 ), and visitor fees ( $ 3 per person).

And please congratulate our lovely hostess, Nikki (ne: Tanner) Palean who was recently wed in California. And thank her for allowing us to use her facility. She & her staff do a wonderful job keeping the Nature Center beautiful & are great at accomodating us for our special meetings!

Directions from I-4: get off at Amelia if heading East, or Colonial Dr. if heading West...then head East on Colonial Dr. (SR 50), South @ light on Orange Av. heading into downtown Orlando, East on Central Blvd., continue for a mile or so to 1808 East Central Blvd. on the South side...park just past the visitors center @ Mayor Carl Langford Park or in the overflow lot further East at the SW corner of Hampton St. where Central dead ends into the church with the blue neon sign stating "Jesus Never Fails".

Hope to see you all at the meeting with our famous herpetologist President sharing the latest news with this exciting new cooperative program with the FWC!

With Kind Regards,
Christopher J. Stalder "Chris"
2009 CFHS Secretary

Attention CFHS Herpers!
The August "meeting" will be a volunteer day at the Orlando Science Center's "Rockin Reptiles event!"
The event is Saturday, August 8 at the Orlando Science Center. Chris and Jim will both have tables and we will try to work it out for the OSC to have our slide show running for attendees! Please come and enjoy the event!
Cheers,

Shawn K. Heflick
President

Greetings CFHS Herpers!
If you haven't already seen it, FWC has initiated a Burmese Hunting program in South Florida. Myself, Greg Graziani and Michael Cole have been working with them to develop this program and permit. The hunt started last Friday with the first three permittees (Myself, Greg and Michael) onsite at Everglades Holiday Park with FWC Commissioners and Law Enforcement...along with droves of media.
After the initial ceremony we went out on airboats to allow the media to see the habitat/ecosystem...and actually found a 9 and a half foot Burmese Python on a little island! The python was euthanized, as mandated by FWC, and data was collected...Length, Sex (female) Stomach Content (rat).
Additional permits will be issued to individuals who have their ROC permits or are willing/qualified to get them. The Burmese Hunt permit itself is a no fee permit. The initial program will run through October 31 and will be evaluated for extension/revision.
One of the many positive aspects of this program is that FWC and representatives from the Florida Reptile Community are working together for a solution!
Cheers,

Shawn K. Heflick, MS
President
Central Florida Herpetological Society
www.CFHS.com
Phone: 321.626.0583

URGENT EMERGENCY HERPERS!!!
The US House of Representatives has a bill before it called HR669 (The Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act) that will ban the keeping and breeding of many non-native species. It was written by an environmental group called the Defenders of Wildlife and has Democratic support in the House. Please act now to protect our rights. The hearing for this bill is on April 23rd. Contact your local congress critter and express your views (Use snail mail because it carries more weight). Go here to learn more. You can view a YouTube video from Viperkeeper about this topic. Also, if you are affiliated with or in contact with any other pertinent groups, please spread the word about this awful bill.

Greetings Herpers!
Welcome to the Central Florida Herpetological Society Website and information portal!

Our meetings are a bit off schedule from having to move venues, but we will back on track for the FIRST Tuesday of every month starting in February 2009. We now meet at the Langford City Neighborhood Center Park.

Come back often and visit us for new information on CFHS Events (Like our famous BBQs) as well as new Reptile/Amphibian Regulations, Events and Meetings!

We have also been doing some great educational work and I would like to applaud all of our members for their grand efforts!!

Keep On Herpin’

Shawn K. Heflick
President

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www.Wildlandtours.com