Instructor: Stephen Ressel

The scene in Stephen Ressel's Herpetology class one Monday morning could just as easily be taking place among colleagues in a research lab as undergraduates in a college classroom. Two students lead their peers in a lively discussion that begins with research on lizard physiology, delves into muscle metabolism and the unsolved mysteries of fatigue, and ends with questions about the physical endurance of marathon runners and mountaineers.

In Ressel's view, herpetology isn't just the study of reptiles and amphibians - it's also a gateway to examine broader questions of physiology, ecology, and evolution. As Ressel teaches the basics of this discipline, he encourages students to explore connections across other species and disciplines.

He also makes sure students get their feet wet with weekly fieldtrips that ground theory in experience. Students might spend a rainy spring evening visiting vernal pools to observe breeding wood frogs and spotted salamanders or a sunny afternoon paddling canoes to search for painted turtles. The fieldtrips are eye opening for anyone "weaned on the Discovery Channel and 24/7 footage of cheetahs eating gazelles,” Ressel says. He adds that encountering nature up close and personal gives students a chance to practice "patient observation” and deepen their understanding of ecology and conservation issues.

One key to successful conservation is the ability to work with diverse groups of people, Ressel says. He encourages students to look beyond traditional allies and appreciate sources of knowledge outside the ivory tower. "Amateur herpetologists might know a lot more about breeding snakes than a museum curator who spends all his time in meetings,” Ressel says.  "Once students leave here and they're no longer surrounded by COA types, they need to be able to recognize that the guy down the street who rides a Harley really knows his snakes.”

Ressel practices what he teaches. To build COA's herpetology teaching collection without destroying live animals, he contacted groups including the Maine Herpetological Society, museum curators and animal wholesalers to solicit donations of reptiles and amphibians that had died in captivity. Today, students have access to a collection that includes such specimens as the King Cobra, Gaboon Viper, and Leaf-tailed Gecko.

Students who have studied herpetology with Ressel have pursued a variety of projects in fields ranging from education to the arts. One student completed a senior project on grassroots efforts to protect nesting sea turtles in Costa Rica. Another student created a slide show for museums on spring phenology, and others are studying amphibian populations in Acadia National Park. "The great thing about teaching herpetology at COA,” Ressel says, "is that whatever students end up doing will contribute to a greater understanding of these under-appreciated animals.”

Course Readings