Przemyslaw Zdunek
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About Przemyslaw Zdunek
Naturalist, traveler, French-Polish herpetologist, interested in biodiversity and the conservation of herpetofauna. I have always been passionate about observing and studying amphibians and reptiles, especially different species of lizards in many countries. This has allowed me to gain experience in scientific research by collaborating with other specialists, attending numerous conferences and writing papers on herpetofauna. I participate in numerous monitoring and conservation programmes. Member of the IUCN SSC Monitor Lizard Specialist Group. Addicted to Natural History.
Education and the sharing of knowledge is the key to progress and understanding.
"Learning from the past to understand the present and prepare the future."
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Amazing work!! Is it possible that these prey/ prey attempts are due to any other factors relating to the diet, such as temperature drop? I have also observed pit vipers near the water bodies, particularly at night, since they are nocturnal, which could be a prey attempt on amphibians, perhaps.
The influence of temperature on prey selection has not yet been studied, with most studies pointing to environmental factors as key. What species of viper do you usually observe?
Thanks for sharing. I do have some concerns to raise here.
1) The use of robot rabbits is certainly a much smarter way to control invasive Burmese pythons. The use of live animals is unnecessary and unethical ESPECIALLY in this time and age.
It shouldn't have been a matter of how expensive and time-consuming was to use live rabbits as snake lures, but rather a matter of how much unnecessary suffering and harm was involved in previous experiments. Just because rabbits aren't an endangered species, it doesn't make them less worthy of respect and protection. I am 100% against the sacrifice of animals for human benefit (or knowledge) or for other species!
I applaud all individuals, activists and scientists developing alternative methodology, working to rid the sciences of non-consenting subjects. This requires structural change and constant action to rid the sciences, and society, of speciesism.
2) I know that Burmese pythons have very few predators in Florida (which is one of the reasons this invasive species has taken over), but is hunting them down the best way to reduce them in number? What's your take on this as an herpetologist?
1. I totally agree.
2.
Pythons are a huge problem for biodiversity there. These robots are only an extreme and, at the moment, very limited method of eliminating them.
Unfortunately, the most effective methods are cash rewards and organized “hunts”:
https://myfwc.com/news/all-news/python-challenge-winners-825/#:~:text=The%20winners%20of%20the%202025,60%20Burmese%20pythons%2C%20winning%20%2410%2C000.
🦎 Absolutely intriguing, Przemyslaw, thank you for shedding light on this groundbreaking study! The sheer scope and rigor behind analyzing nearly 2,000 specimens using micro-CT scanning is commendable, and the 85% increase in known osteoderm presence is astonishing.
This discovery doesn’t just rewrite our assumptions about monitor lizard anatomy; it stirs broader questions about evolutionary biology and survival strategies. If osteoderms are found in nearly half of all lizard species, could they be a universal ecological response, shaped by environmental challenges across diverse habitats? I wonder how these adaptations vary regionally and whether similar pressures have triggered osteoderm development in other reptiles or even amphibians.
Moreover, the Australian context adds such a compelling layer, with its extreme climates and rich biodiversity, which makes me curious how these armored traits play into predator-prey dynamics or thermoregulation. Could osteoderm density correlate with geographical harshness or resource scarcity?
Would love to hear your thoughts on how this new dataset might inform future field studies or museum curation. Are there any plans to expand this research to African monitor species? Your work continues to open doors not just for herpetology but for cross-disciplinary conservation insights.
Thanks again for making this complex topic so digestible and for inspiring curiosity across borders. Looking forward to seeing how this sparks new collaborations and questions in the WildHub community! 🙌
Thank you very much for your comment. It is precisely research like this that we need. Research that opens up so many possibilities and raises so many interesting questions and issues for action.
Thermoregulation and osteoderms (even in the context of extinct animals such as Stegosaurus), the formation of osteoderms based on predator pressure, or the type of biotope are topics for many groundbreaking studies, in the context of global or local populations.
I always quietly hope that this type of papers and their wide sharing will inspire people who want to get involved in ecology and animal evolution.
best reagrds,
Przemyslaw
🦎 This is such a compelling piece of research, Przemyslaw! This study turns the usual narrative about reptiles on its head. The idea that hunger can drive tropical lizards to make calculated, riskier choices — and that their strategies still yield similar net rewards — really challenges how we think about decision-making in cold-blooded species.
It’s incredible to see how even small shifts in physiological state, like hunger, can reshape behavior so dramatically. I’m curious, do you think this kind of risk-sensitive foraging could influence conservation strategies for urban reptile populations? Especially in places where habitat fragmentation or food scarcity might skew behavior?
Looking forward to diving deeper into the full paper and checking out your herpetology page for more insights. Thanks for sharing such thought-provoking research!
🌿 Warm regards,
Simon.
Hi Simon,
Thank you for your comment and motivating words.
I think it can have an impact in urban populations (and it's a great idea for research).
In terms of conservation, I think the emphasis on environmental fragmentation should be the first to be considered.
regards,
Przemyslaw
I just read the paper and watched the two videos! I must say that this was one of the thrilling documentation of tortoises I've seen! Thank you so much for sharing it, Przemyslaw!
Do you know if this behavior has been seen elsewhere since that 2020 observation? Or any further updates? Would be interesting to explore if it’s isolated or part of a wider pattern among island tortoises.
I have not heard of other cases since this publication. An interesting topic to tease out.
Thanks for always sharing interesting facts about reptiles and amphibians! I am a fan of tortoises myself but oh boy seeing this big girl eating the baby bird was horrifying.
Do you think this hunting behaviour could be driven by ecosystem change? Unexpected interactions between species may appear when ecosystem change - for whatever reason. I wonder if this is a new type of behaviour that tortoises are developing due to excessive lack of calcium on the island - for example - or if this is a natural behaviour that simply hasn't been recorded or seen before. Any thoughts?
These are very rare phenomena. As you can see from this publication, there is the first case documented. Surely this behavior is related to dietary supplementation, an interesting aspect for future research !
Thanks for posting - fascinating study. Great to see it published as open access too.
Thank you for your comment, it motivates to share knowledge
Interesting Gecko Facts Przemyslaw, thanks for sharing! Do you know if Geckos also make alarm calls to each other in case of disturbances in their environment?
The Tokay described above is known for its high territoriality and loud displays towards predators and other males. Many species of the Hemidactylus genus produce characteristic sounds. Lizards are amazing animals!