Zoos and Aquariums: Impacts of Living Collections on Conservation and Research

A Symposium at the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (link)

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Save the Date: Saturday July 11, 2026

The shift in the mission of zoos and aquariums to focus on conservation and research in the last 10–20 years provides a crucial opportunity at this junction to highlight and expand upon the number of studies and types of research that are conducted at these institutions. To build on these efforts, the symposium will highlight the unique and diverse research and conservation projects conducted at zoos and aquariums, both ex situ, with living collections, and in situ using resources and expertise at these institutions. We will cover a wide breadth of topics, including conservation, behavior, and physiology to illustrate the wide range of research done at zoos and aquariums.

This symposium is sponsored by the SSAR, and organized by Sinlan Poo, Anne Sabol, and Jennifer Terry.

We are delighted to announce that childcare will be available for attendees at the 2026 Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists in New Orleans. Free childcare is open to everyone, with a $50 deposit to hold your child’s spot for the entire conference.

Attendees can sign up during registration on the JMIH website. Pease note that the option to add childcare is located toward the bottom of the registration page, so keep an eye out for it as you finalize your form. To ensure this amenity is accessible to everyone, student members for whom the deposit is cost prohibitive are encouraged to contact Emily Taylor (etaylor@calpoly.edu). For more information about childcare, visit the JMIH website.

Are you presenting at the 2026 Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists & Herpetologists? Remember to register by May 22 on the JMIH website. Early registration rates are available through June 7 for all other attendees.

Whether you’re a JMIH-veteran or first-time attendee, please consider joining the Conference Mentorship Program! For several years, the SSAR mentorship program has helped new attendees get the most out of our annual conference and provided an impactful way for attendees of all career stages to support new members. This program is not restricted to SSAR members – anyone who registers from JMIH can sign up for the program using this Google Form by due June 15.

Save the date:
8–12th July, 2026
Sheraton New Orleans Hotel, Louisiana, USA

Faculty who are recruiting students for the 2027-2028 academic year (or postdocs to begin any time) can fill out this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfATm8QsceTpi6tJ56tF4-SIcrGxIcTh4d15cUY0xcUqfHXJA/viewform?usp=header

The form populates a view-only spreadsheet that prospective applicants can use to find labs that match their interests. In addition to master’s, PhD, and postdoctoral positions, this year’s form + spreadsheet will advertise paid positions for post-undergraduate research experience (e.g., field/lab tech). These positions may include, but are not limited to, labs associated with Universities, museums/collections & nature centers, or similar institutions offering paid positions to recent graduates holding a Bachelor’s degree.

Questions, or need assistance with the form? Please contact the Website Coordinator (ssarherps@gmail.com).

Prospective applicants to graduate, post-undergrad, and postdoctoral positions can check out this spreadsheet of current opportunities: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1qO6cHoEH9PfeeAudgltJUi78R1m8HF45L2c5Xv8L7zY/edit?usp=sharing.

For additional resources on grad school applications, visit: https://ssarherps.org/herp-lab-recruiting/.

The Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles will hold Live and Silent Auctions at the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 8–12th, 2026. We are glad to accept any herp-related donations, including but not limited to: frameable art (photographs, paintings, and line illustrations), books, music, glassware, jewelry, clothing, and gift certificates for New Orleans area services/events during the meeting week. No live animals or products made from herps (e.g., books bound in snakeskin). The SSAR Student Travel Committee organizes the Annual Silent Auction to raise money to fund the student travel awards to attend the annual meeting. Increasing travel costs each year makes it more difficult for students to attend meetings and become involved in societies. However, your continued support through donations to the silent auction helps offset these costs and enables students to attend, network, and present their research. The SSAR Live Auction Committee organizes the live auction, which also helps support student travel and provides additional support to the organization. If you have any questions about donating items to either auction (tax deductible for U.S. residents), please contact Griffin Nicholson (gnicholson@tamu.edu) or Jennifer Deitloff (jmd240@lockhaven.edu) for more information. Ideally, donated items will be brought to the meeting directly. However, if transporting the item(s) is not possible, they may be shipped to a local host (Steven Whitfield; swhitfield@auduboninstitute.org). Please e-mail Stephen Whitfield, Griffin Nicholson, and Jennifer Deitloff before sending any items to the address below.

JMIH 2026 Conference Auction
c/o Steven Whitfield, Director of Terrestrial and Wetlands Conservation
Audubon Zoo
6500 Magazine St
New Orleans, LA 70118

Herpetological Review Volume 56, Number 3, is now available online! The cover features an image of the African Hairy Bush Viper (Atheris hispida), a small, venomous arboreal viper photographed by Ross McGibbon in central Uganda. Native to the tropical rainforests of Central Africa, this species is typically found in dense vegetation where its cryptic coloration—ranging from yellowish green to deep olive—allows it to blend seamlessly into moss-covered branches. Despite its striking appearance and popularity in herpetoculture, it remains a secretive and relatively elusive inhabitant of the African canopy.

Full contents are available online to SSAR members at https://ssarherps.org/herpetological-review-pdfs/. Natural History Notes, Geographic Distribution Notes, Book Reviews, and select sections are Open Access and available for download at the same link.

If you are not a member of SSAR, please consider joining the leading international herpetological society. Student and online-only rates are available. Click here to join or learn more about membership.

Are you presenting at the 2026 Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists? The deadline to submit an abstract is April 10. Click here to access the submission form on the JMIH website.

Student members that are presenting can apply for the SSAR Student Travel Award. The deadline to apply is May 1 and applications can be submitted through this Google Form.

We look forward to seeing everyone this July (8–12) in New Orleans, Louisiana!

If you are passionate about herpetology and field research, two unique roles have just opened up at the Memphis Zoo! The Conservation and Research Husbandry Manager will oversee captive-breeding and reintroduction for the Dusky Gopher Frog and Louisiana Pine Snake. For researchers, there is also a 3-year Post Doctoral Fellow position focused on a new Alligator Snapping Turtle conservation initiative.

Applications for the Husbandry Manager are due by April 1, while the postdoc application window closes May 1. Interested candidates should apply directly through the Memphis Zoo Careers Page.