The Australian Herpetological Society

REPTILE HUSBANDRY ORIENTATION COURSE
Are you fascinated by the incredible world of reptiles? Do you want to enhance your knowledge and skills in providing the best care for your new scaly friends? Look no further! Raptor Reptiles is proud to partner with Camos Reptiles to bring you this educative and interactive experience.
Led by Raptor Reptiles very own Christian Parsa, our course provides a unique opportunity to delve into the world of reptiles & acquire practical skills. Whether you're a beginner seeking a strong foundation or an experienced reptile enthusiast looking to expand your expertise, this course has something for everyone!

Learn from Experts on Reptile Husbandry Orientation Course Join our Reptile Husbandry Orientation Course to master the care of your scaly companions. Led by experts, this course covers health, habitat and more. Enroll now!

AHS NEWS — JUNE 2026

Big month for the Society. Here’s what’s happening.

AHS Junior launches this month

We’re launching a dedicated program for primary and high school aged kids, running before our regular monthly meeting at Burwood. First session focuses on desert herps from last year’s Alice Springs trip, with a talk and photos from James Fulton. Big thanks to Christian Parsa and James for making this happen.

Wednesday 24 June, 6:00pm
Jackett Room, Woodstock Community Centre, 22 Church St Burwood

Monthly meeting — Philip Topham: Herping the USA

Phil works with the Australian Museum’s FrogID project and with herpetofauna at Taronga Zoo. This month he takes us coast to coast across the southern USA — Arizona deserts, the Florida Everglades, rattlesnakes, salamanders, and a whole lot more.

Wednesday 24 June, 7:00pm for 7:30pm start
Same venue

Alice Springs & Kings Canyon field trip — September 2026

We’re going back. 15 to 21 September, building on last year’s trip with new locations including Kings Canyon and Curtin Springs. Members only. Express interest to [email protected]

Red Bellied Courier Issue 11 is out

Order online at ahs.org.au — pickup at meetings or posted via Australia Post.

Issue 12 call for contributions

Theme: record-sized reptiles. Also after your best “snake in a weird spot” stories and photos. Pitch to [email protected]

Smiths Lake field trip — late November/December

Interest check underway. Email [email protected] if you’d like to go.

Lost thesis alert

Harold Heatwole’s 1960 PhD thesis on terrestrial amphibians has gone missing. If you’ve accidentally taken home a bound copy, please contact [email protected]

Book of the Year

Corey Tutt’s Caution! This Book Contains Deadly Reptiles has won the 2026 ABIA Book of the Year for Younger Children. A great reptile book for kids.

Not a member yet? Join at ahs.org.au

Australian Herpetology Society - Founded in 1949 The Australian Herpetological Society was founded, in 1949 and is Australia's first natural history society devoted to herpetology.

Introducing AHS Junior!

The Australian Herpetological Society is excited to announce the launch of AHS Junior.

Over the years, we've recognised that many of our monthly presentations are geared towards adult audiences and may not always be suitable for younger members. Now we are meeting at a much more family friendly venue in Burwood, we want to actively encourage the next generation of reptile enthusiasts.
Starting this month, we're launching a dedicated program designed for primary and high school-aged kids.

AHS Junior meetings will be held before our regular monthly meetings at the same venue in Burwood. Topics will include field trips, reptile keeping, wildlife photography, careers in herpetology, and other subjects requested by our junior members.

We're kicking things off this month at 6:00 pm, with James Fulton presenting on the AHS field trip to Alice Springs last year.

We're also planning another Alice Springs field trip in September, with more details to be announced soon.

If you have a child in primary or high school with an interest in reptiles, frogs, wildlife, or conservation, we'd love to see them at our first AHS Junior meeting.

We're excited about this new initiative and would like to thank Christian Parsa and James Fulton for taking the lead in bringing it to life.

See you in Burwood on the 24th!

The federal seizure of 100,000 exotic cockroaches from a small business in regional NSW has sent ripples around Australia.

Dubia cockroaches (Blaptica dubia) were likely imported into Australia over two decades ago as a source of reptile protein.

Over the last five years, they've become a staple feed, with an estimated 100 million across the nation.

Until the raid on a Bathurst business on May 26 in western NSW, you could have found them in pet shops, and both Sydney's Taronga Zoo and Melbourne Zoo had in-house breeding colonies to feed their animals.

Biosecurity seizure exposes nationwide cockroach mayhem: 'Hysteria' There are estimated to be over 100 million of the species in Australia.

From Marion Anstis:
I have a request for frog sightings or presence of the New England Tree Frog, D. subglandulosus (a frog I discovered back in 1973) in the New England region anywhere in the past 5 years or so? I am looking to do some further research next summer on their tadpoles which have unique mouthparts, and am hoping there are still some sites where they are hanging on? This poor frog and its close relative Davies' Tree Frog which looks very similar (D. daviesae, mid-north coastal ranges) have suffered steep declines over the past 40+ years as a result of chytrid fungus, so I know I will be lucky to find them! Similarly, if anyone has encountered Davies' tree frog let me know please. Many thanks, in hope!

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BGqcuqwWD/

The bugs have an estimated value of up to $200,000. Read the full story: https://www.nine.com.au/australia-news/nsw/massive-seizure-of-100-000-exotic-cockroaches-in-bathurst-20260605-p6045e.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=nine.com.au&utm_content=feed&utm_term=nine_digital

LifeFlight airlifts man after snake bite in North West The Mount Isa-based LifeFlight aeromedical team today airlifted an 18-year-old man to hospital after he was bitten by a snake.

Congratulations to Kevin Markwell guest editor of Issue 11 of The Red Belly Courier. The finished publication is sensational.

Most eligible financial members should have received their copy over the past few days. Members and who received the Rick Shine book as part of their current membership period can still purchase a copy using the link below.

We know you’re going to love it!

Thank you all for your continued support.

ahs.org.au

https://theconversation.com/self-destructive-behaviour-among-hermanns-tortoises-on-a-macedonian-island-is-leading-to-demographic-suicide-282081

Self-destructive behaviour among Hermann’s tortoises on a Macedonian island is leading to ‘demographic suicide’ Female tortoises are bearing the brunt of the brutal behaviour of their male counterparts, who are regularly pushing them off cliffs in North Macedonia.

A very happy 100th birthday to the one and only Sir David Attenborough.
There’s never been anyone quite like him, and it’s hard to imagine there ever will be again.
No individual has done more to raise awareness and appreciation of the world’s flora and fauna.
He’s not just a national treasure, he’s an international one.
So many unforgettable moments over the decades, it’s impossible to pick just one.