Latest Reptiles Stories

April Flowers for redOrbit.com - Your Universe Online The Isthmus of Panama uplifted 2.6 million years ago to form a land bridge connecting North and South America. This bridge has long been thought to be the crucial step in the interchange of animals between the Americas. Armadillos and giant sloths moved up into North America and ancient relatives of modern horses, rabbits, foxes, pigs, cats, dogs and elephants moved down into South America. A new study from the University of Florida...

Lee Rannals for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online A deadly disease outbreak that devastates boa constrictors and pythons has been discovered, which scientists call Inclusion Body Disease (IBD). This disease outbreak among snakes is being investigated by scientists at the Steinhart Aquarium in San Francisco. The team said they may have found a virus that is responsible for this common, but deadly disease, which could ultimately help lead to prevention and treatment options. IBD is...

Crocodiles can kill with the strongest bite force measured for any living animal, according to a report published Mar. 14 in the open access journal PLoS ONE. The authors of the study, led by Gregory M. Erickson of Florida State University, measured the bite forces, as well as tooth pressures, for mature adults from all 23 living crocodilian species, including crocodiles, alligators, caimans, and gharials. The strongest biter was a saltwater crocodile at 3,700 pounds. It also generated...

By Kathy Marks Rare Australian animals perish after seven-year-old goes on killing spree STAFF AT a popular zoo in central Australia were in shock after a seven-year-old boy broke in overnight, bludgeoned a range of animals to death, and fed them to the resident crocodile, Terry. The boy also hurled a number of live creatures into the crocodile's enclosure, where they too, were consumed. The 30-minute killing spree was captured by security cameras, which showed the boy smiling during...

By KRISTEN GELINEAU SYDNEY, Australia - A 7-year-old boy broke into a popular Outback zoo, fed a string of animals to the resident crocodile and bashed several lizards to death with a rock, the zoo's director said today. The 30-minute rampage, caught on the zoo's security camera, happened early Wednesday after the boy jumped a security fence at the Alice Springs Reptile Center in central Australia, said zoo director Rex Neindorf. The child then went on a killing spree, bashing three...