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Rare Gems

May 30, 2014

Rare Gems

- as seen by -

Julie Larsen Julie Larsen

They are jewels that glow with brilliant, iridescent colors as they catch the light. The collection ranges in size from less than a 1/2 inch to the size of my fist.

They are all precious.

These are not rare gemstones, but rather “herps” (short for herpetology, a branch of zoology dealing with reptiles and amphibians.) Small frogs (like this lemur leaf frog,) turtles, and lizards have intricate characteristics that are not only exquisite, but aid in their survival throughout the world. Most are highly endangered—on the brink—due to destruction of their habitat and demand by the pet trade to own their beauty.

The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo participates in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums citizen science program called FrogWatch USA. People can help by monitoring herps in their own backyard.

Nikon D3 with R1C1 Strobe Kit


Bronx, USA Map It

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Liton Chondra Shutra Dhar
June 15, 2014 at 6:35 am

Dear Julie,
Great work and lemur frog is a small but has an amazing eye, what is the actual diameter of eye.

Julie Larsen Maher
June 17, 2014 at 11:52 pm

Lemur leaf frogs are about 1 1/2 inches in size. I took the photo with a Nikkor 60mm lens and a Nikon R1C1 Wireless Close-Up Speedlight System that is like a mini-studio for small creatures. This gear helped me get close ups on the frog’s features, especially its eyes.

Roberta Ellberger
March 7, 2015 at 6:38 am

Very cute

loanemu
October 18, 2015 at 1:56 pm

I truly appreciate this blog post.Much thanks again. Will read on…

Julie Larsen Maher
October 26, 2015 at 4:22 pm

Thanks for your interest and kind words for Wild View. We appreciate you checking out our photos and stories.