![]() ![]() ![]() I initially started out just herping, finding and documenting reptiles and amphibians for fun on the weekends. Image © You’ve been traveling around making images of herps for years now, is this a job or a passion? And not forgetting the cobras and mambas – I mean you can’t think of Africa without black mamba snakes, which actually have a far more fearsome reputation than they deserve. But certainly the adders: there are 11 species which include the largest, the Gaboon adder ( Bitis gabonica), and the smallest, the Namaqua dwarf adder ( Bitis schneideri), they’re just incredible! When it comes to chameleons, there are 17 species of chameleons, of which 15 are dwarf chameleons ( Bradypodion species) most being either threatened or critically endangered. There are so many endemic species of herps in Southern Africa, it’s honestly hard to pick a few species. What is special about herps in South Africa, what are they known for? As a kid spending time outside at home, in the garden I’d often find chameleons, lizards, frogs and snakes in a pretty suburban area, so I’d say coming into contact with all these animals certainly helped kickstart my fascination. Tyrone Ping: Growing up in the sub-tropical city of Durban in South Africa, reptiles and amphibians are just something you come into contact with all the time. Mongabay: What got you interested in ‘ herps’? ![]() Mongabay asked him about this obsession and what he sees as the major things to celebrate about the herpetofauna of his region, as well as the challenges faced by these creatures. At some point when he was old enough, Ping began adventuring throughout Southern Africa to locate, photograph, and document as many of these creatures as possible. Tyrone Ping had ample opportunity to admire reptiles and amphibians as a child, and this initial herpetological hobby has led to a life-long fascination. Mongabay spoke with him via email to learn more about the region’s herpetofauna.Many species in the region are cryptic and yet to be properly described – species that have been known about for 20 years still don’t have names, he reports.reptiles and amphibians for a range of educational uses. Ping now travels around Southern Africa photographing and documenting the diversity of herps, i.e.Growing up in the suburbs of the sub-tropical city of Durban in South Africa brought Tyrone Ping into daily contact with reptiles and amphibians, spurring a lifelong interest. ![]()
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