Victor Valley College Tropical Research Initiative
Herpetofauna of Timor-Leste
Phase I

Baucau, Baucau District

Map of Baucau, Baucau District.
(click to enlarge and view Baucau locations)

Rice paddies below Baucau, our main herping habitat in the area.

We searched the rice paddies below Baucau during the late afternoon and night, and drove the roads after dark.

Zito, Benny & Scott chasing flying lizards (Draco timoriensis) (Laca is up the tree).

We also explored garden plots on the Viqueque road where we pursued skinks and flying lizards with varying success.

The rice paddies contained several species of frogs but we only captured a Rice paddy frog (Fejervarya sp.).

FROGS from BAUCAU click on an image to enlarge
Rice paddy frog, Fejervarya sp.

Lizards consisted of a Four-fingered skink (Carlia sp.), Leschenault's snake-eyed skink (Cryptoblepharus leschenault) and a very pale and oddly patterned Common house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus).

LIZARDS from BAUCAU click on an image to enlarge
Common house gecko, Hemidactylus frenatus
Four-fingered skink, Carlia sp. 4
Leschenault's snake-eyed skink, Cryptoblepharus leschenault

Snakes were more in evidence at Baucau than many other places we have visited. We obtained a Lesser Sunda ratsnake (Coelognathus subradiata) in the road out of town, another Island pitviper (Cryptelytrops insularis) in the paddifields and an Asian dog-faced watersnake (Cerberus cf. rynchops), submerged in the paddyfields.

SNAKES from BAUCAU click on an image to enlarge
Lesser Sunda ratsnake, Coelognathus subradiata
Dog-faced watersnake, Cerberus cf. rynchops
Island pitviper, Cryptelytrops insularis

Mark milking an Island pitviper, Cryptelytrops insularis

We obtained a Reeves' stripe-necked turtle (Mauremys reevesii) from the owner of the Albergaria Planalto Hotel. It seems these Asian mainland turtles were introduced, possibly during the Indonesian period, and have been released or escaped into the wild. Download the note we published on Reeves' stripe-necked turtle in Timor-Leste by clicking on the link below.

Kaiser, H., V.L.Carvalho, P.Freed & M.O'Shea 2010 A widely traveled turtle: Mauremys reevesii (Testudines: Geoemydidae) in Timor-Leste. Herpetology Notes 3:93-96.

TURTLE from BAUCAU click on an image to enlarge
Reeves' stripe-necked turtle, Mauremys reevesii