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This spring in march/april I had the chance to join an excursion to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan for three weeks. Unfortunately for herpetology-related stuff we had an onset of winter par excellance. But -- it was absolutely amazing to experience a trip and weatherconditions like this:

Besides herpetology wasn't the main goal, more to get an overall impression of nature, country and people, and share it with lots of cool participants.

Full "report" can be found there (which is i think more interesting than the animals only; click on "me" should do it):
https://thxalot.net/v2/index.php/de/toc ... tan-2015-1
https://thxalot.net/v2/index.php/de/toc ... tan-2015-2
https://thxalot.net/v2/index.php/de/toc ... tan-2015-3

And now for the questions/asked confirmations; unfortunately there was usually only a small amount of time for photgraphing, so the pictures were mostly clicked for quick documentary reason:












And the hightlights (except for the grammica all pics in Kyrgyzstan, was warmer then again)





Pics partially (c) A. Klamm

Can anyone plz confirm or determine the upper 6 animals (and correct everything else if neccessary); or provide me with contacts?
thx
Gerald

PS: That is something you really don't expect somewhere in the nowhere of middle-asia (..never saw it before... and never again afterwards)

No input on your IDs, but looks like a great trip. Some beautiful countries and the "-stans" are certainly a future destination. Just need to learn a bit of Russian first.

Cheers for posting.

Martti Niskanen wrote:No input on your IDs, but looks like a great trip.

Agreed!

Just to complete the list -- the questionmarks are most likely Phrynocephalus guttatus (thanks to Thomas Bader)

Martti Niskanen wrote:Just need to learn a bit of Russian first.

..indeed, either a guide or russian are i think required; our group was well equipped with both (including scientists) speaking all the languages

That looks like a very special trip in a region rarely visited by herpers. The Elaphe dione is by far my favourite, what a stunningly beautiful snake!

Great Destination & cool herps, despite the cold weather. Would be interesting to go there later in the year.
Thanks for posting!

Actually the time of the year wouldn't be that bad (i think last year they had at the same time Pseudotrapelus in mating colors), at the first day temperature was about +20°C. The late onset of winter was what i learned something really unusual. Even more amazing to see, what the animals of those continental steppes are capable of, in terms of quick reaction to warming. It's really something surprising, after quite some minus degrees in the night and hard frost the days before, to see more than one Phrynocephalus outside, at 6°C, capable of running maybe 20 cm a the most.

... regarding the first statement -- for sure, one month later would be much better

Gerald Ochsenhofer wrote:The late onset of winter was what i learned something really unusual. Even more amazing to see, what the animals of those continental steppes are capable of, in terms of quick reaction to warming. It's really something surprising, after quite some minus degrees in the night and hard frost the days before, to see more than one Phrynocephalus outside, at 6°C, capable of running maybe 20 cm a the most.

Great stuff!