2026 SCPARC Annual Meeting

We are excited to host our Annual Meeting on August 7th and 8th at the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL) Conference Center! This two-day event will bring together professionals, students, and educators to share their incredible work in research, conservation, and education focused on South Carolina’s reptiles and amphibians.

The meeting will feature engaging presentations, opportunities to connect with fellow herp enthusiasts during social hours, and field trips to explore local habitats. We will also hold our Annual Business Meeting, where attendees can contribute to shaping SCPARC's future.

The full schedule of events and list of presenters will be updated and shared soon. If you are interested in presenting at this year's annual meeting, please visit our presenter page here: https://scparc.org/2026-annual-meeting-presenters/

Lodging for the Event:

There are several lodging options within 15-20 minutes from the conference center. We have secured a room block for meeting attendees at the Holiday Inn Express at 2897 Whiskey Road, by the Aiken Mall. To receive the discounted rate, please request the "SCPARC Block" or use this link to make your reservation. Please note there are several other hotel options in the area.

Note:

Our goal is to ensure this meeting is as accessible as possible to all herpetologists, students, and enthusiasts. If you would like to attend the meeting, cannot pay the registration fee, please contact us directly at [email protected].

Friday, August 7

Coffee, drinks, and snacks will be provided throughout the afternoon sessions.

8:00 – 11:00 AM — Optional Field Trip

Field trip to Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve (SCDNR). A sign-up link will be sent to all registered meeting participants after registration closes. If you plan to attend, please sign up so we can track participation and share important trip details.

1:00 – 1:30 PM — Check-In

1:30 – 2:00 PM — Welcome & Business Meeting

2:00 – 3:30 PM — State Presentations

• The Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy in South Carolina: A Case Study in Collaborative Conservation — Maddie Prickett (Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy)

• Update from the State — Andrew Grosse (SCDNR)

• Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve Management — Hunter Young (SCDNR)

3:30 – 4:30 PM — Keynote Presentation

• What Was SREL Herpetology Like Before Your Parents Were Born? 70 Years of Herpetological Inventory, Monitoring, and Research on the SRS (SRP) — Whit Gibbons (University of Georgia)

4:30 – 6:00 PM — Social Hour & Lowcountry Boil

Food and non-alcoholic beverages provided by SCPARC. BYOB permitted.

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Saturday, August 8

Coffee, drinks, and snacks will be provided throughout the day.

8:30 – 9:00 AM — Check-In

9:00 – 9:10 AM — Welcome

9:10 – 10:30 AM — Oral Presentation Session 1

15-minute presentations followed by 5 minutes for questions.

• Scale-Dependent Predictors of Disease: Integrating Species Distribution Models with Telemetry to Predict Snake Fungal Disease — Matt Grisnik (Coastal Carolina University)

• Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in the Habitat and Blood of Diamondback Terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) in Coastal South Carolina — Dorothy Cornelia Aldridge (Clemson University)

• Elucidating the Effects of Ophidiomyces ophidiicola on Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus) Spatial Ecology — Loren Quintana (Coastal Carolina University)

• Integrating Telemetry, Remote Sensing, and Fire History to Guide Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake Habitat Management in Francis Marion National Forest — Rachel Brubaker (Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy)

10:30 – 10:40 AM — Break

10:40 AM – 12:00 PM — Oral Presentation Session 2

15-minute presentations followed by 5 minutes for questions.

• Genetic Mechanisms Governing a Deadly Rattlesnake Venom — John Henry Fowler (Clemson University)

• Reptile Richness and Abundance in a Restored Former Agricultural Property in the South Carolina Piedmont —Wyatt Burton (Winthrop University)

• Movement Ecology of Spotted Turtles (Clemmys guttata) in South Carolina — Aaron Johnson (University of Georgia)

• Assessing Post-Release Success of Head-Started American Crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus) in Lago Enriquillo, Dominican Republic — Bobby (Robert) Greco (Clemson University)

• Comparative Genomics and Venom Evolution of Three North American Coral Snake Species — Diego Quirola (Clemson University)

12:00 – 1:30 PM — Lunch & Poster Session*

Catered lunch provided by SCPARC with a variety of dietary options.

*See notes about the poster session and list of poster titles and authors below

1:30 – 3:10 PM — Oral Presentation Session 3

15-minute presentations followed by 5 minutes for questions.

• What Eastern Box Turtle Shells Reveal About Their Growth and Life History — Amelia Flippin and Govind Amar (South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics)

• Development of a Blood-Based Age Estimation Tool in the American Alligator — Ethan Shealy (University of Georgia)

• Conserving the Carolina Gopher Frog: Recovery Efforts in the Francis Marion PARCA — Maddie Prickett (Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy)

• Understanding the Evolution of Mole Skinks — Christopher Parkinson (Clemson University)

3:10 – 3:30 PM — Closing Remarks

Poster Session

Poster presenters are required to set up their posters by 8:00 AM on August 8th, but are encouraged to set up at 1:00 PM on August 7th if possible. The poster session will be held during and just after lunch. Presenting authors are asked to be by their posters at this time to discuss their work and answer questions. The posters are listed below along with the presenting author.

• Temporal Dynamics of Snake Fungal Disease: Evidence of Recovery from Ophidiomyces ophidiicola — Anthony Alter (Coastal Carolina University)

• Thermal and Spatial Ecology of Spotted Turtles in a Modified Wetland Ditch System — Lilly Osborne (Coastal Carolina University)

• Ranavirus Surveillance in the Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata): Monitoring an Emerging Threat in a Species of Conservation Concern — Mia O’Neill (Coastal Carolina University)

• Evaluating Novel Biologging and Videography Methods to Study Snake Behavior and Space Use in a Small Barrier Island Landscape — Chloe Mullinax (University of South Carolina Beaufort)

• Hopping Along with Hogs: Field Observations of Wild Pig Wallows Serving as Breeding Sites for Anurans — Taylor A. Fisher (University of Georgia)

• Amphibian Species Richness and Habitat Associations in Restored Former Farmland — Zamar Harry (Winthrop University)

• Wet or Dry? Continuous Activity Monitoring of Chicken Turtles — Abby Odom (University of South Carolina Beaufort)

• Diamondback Terrapin Road Mortality on a South Carolina Causeway — David Wise (University of South Carolina Beaufort)

• Habitat Use of Woodland Box Turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) on the Urbanizing Catawba Reservation — Paiton Funderburk (Winthrop University)