Reports and Studies 2014 Review: 1975 Environment of Kiawah Report | Page 26

Summary & Analysis of the 1975 Kiawah Environmental Report 

Page 26

REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS
The 1975 Environmental Report
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The purpose of the study was to obtain information on the abundance, distribution, population, and general ecology of reptiles and amphibians on
Kiawah.
According to historical records, most barrier islands such as Kiawah have about
half the number of species of reptiles and amphibians as does the mainland.
The collection period was from June 1974 to July 1975.

Methods
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Researchers used baited hoop nets, minnow traps, pitfall traps, trot lines, tarpaper ground cover, seining, road collecting, and field collecting.
· Each method came up with different results.
·  oop nets proved not to be useful because alligators kept trying to eat the
H
bait and destroyed the traps.
Seining was very successful, capturing everything including alligators.
Drift fences and pitfall traps.
· These were generally more successful for amphibians than reptiles.
· High rain levels reduced the overall effectiveness of this method.
Tarpaper sheets
·  as a ground cover, which many species of reptiles and amphibians use
Act
for hiding and cover.
Hand/incidental collecting was the most effective method, yielding more species than any other method.

Individual and Species Results
Individual animals sampled:
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1000 amphibians
200 snakes
100 lizards

Revised: May 2014_REV 8

• Information on reptiles is at:
www.wildlifeatkiawah.com/reptiles.html