Hi fellow herpers,
I just got back from a vacation to Slovenia with my girlfriend. We travelled across the western part of the country armed with our tents and for me, my photography and herping gear. I did not have too much time to herp. It was only until the end of the vacation that herping was worthwhile since it had rained a good amount which cooled down the unforgiving temperatures. Slovenia really is a country that has a lot to offer for naturalists with tremendously beautiful mountains and azure blue rivers and lakes.
Herps encountered: Podarcis muralis, Iberolacerta horvathi, Lacerta viridis, Anguis fragilis, Coronella austriaca, Natrix natrix, Vipera ammodytes, Rana spec. (I think temporaria), Bombina variegata and DOR: Hierophis viridiflavus carbonarius (also sheds were found) and Zamenis longissimus.
Finding the ammodytes is kind of a funny story. The first time I found it, it was just about to shed and I could see that it would be a beautiful silver/black individual post shed since part of the tail already was detaching. Guess what, 2 days later I found the same individual a couple of meters away from where I first encountered it. Could not be happier finding this guy again. It is striking how the nose morphology is different pre- and post-shedding.
some extra's:
Pablo