Herp Bits:
Watch for turtles crossing roads in May and June, and again in September. In spring females can travel a long way from water, looking for suitable nest sites.
Males and females will move from one water body to another in spring, making the return trip in fall.
IF IT IS SAFE TO STOP you can help the critter on its way, moving it off the road in the direction it was headed!
The MHA Data Page
Interactive Database Now Online!
The MHA interactive database is now online. As of March 20, 2012, a total of 1347 records have been submitted.
View the MHA Interactive Database
Information and instructions for the Interactive Database are given below.
(For a quick overview of some MHA statistics: Click Here.)
Accredited researchers may request access to a more detailed and downloadable MHA Database through this email link: Request Database Access. You will need to create a Google Account.
Google Fusion Table
The MHA Database is set up as a Google Fusion Table. This allows you to flip between tabular and mapped versions of the presented data. Use the "Visualize" tab to switch between "Table" and "Map"; the other options have no functionality for the MHA data at this point.
Map View
In the map view, which is the default view when you open the link, each small red dot represents a submitted herp record. If you click on a dot a pop-up window will display some information about that record. You can zoom in or out on the map or pan around as you would in any Google Map application. (Our apologies to those of you with only dial-up internet access. The database may not function without high-speed access. As an alternative, please see the image maps below.)
Open the "Show Options" link to filter the data and display selected data subsets. Select the field you wish to filter from the drop down list in the left-most box (defaulted to "nickname"). Then select the filter qualifier (default is "="), and in the right-most box type the specific feature you wish to view. For example: if you wish to view all the records of Wood Frogs you would select "species", then "=", then type "Wood Frog". Then click the "Apply" button to apply the selected filter and the map will redraw showing only the selected records. (Depending on your internet connection you may have to refresh your page in the browser or re-enter your filter selections on occasion.)
Table View
In the Table view you can sort any of the fields by clicking on the field name at the top of the table and selecting "Sort Asc" (sort ascending) or "Sort Desc" (sort descending). Example: you could see all the records submitted by one person by clicking "nickname", "Sort Asc". Then all the records would be grouped by the nickname of the person who submitted the records.
Feedback!
Please experiment with all the functions of the MHA Fusion Table and let us know what you think. For those who have submitted records you can review your data in the "Table" view to ensure its accuracy. (Some data fields in certain records have been edited since submission to correct errors or add in missing information.) There are additional features that can be activated in the MHA Fusion Table that may allow users to add comments or even alter records (password authorized users only), and these may be included at a later date. Let us know if you are experience any problems with the MHA Fusion Table. Please email us with your comments: Contact NatureNorth.com.
Species at Risk Records!
In some instances precise locations for species records are not included. For Prairie Skinks and for all records of other species that were obtained from research cover-board locations the displayed location is that of the northwest corner of the quarter section within which the record occurred. This was done to protect this sensitive species and the locations of research sites. Precise locations are available only to accredited researchers.
View the MHA Interactive Database
Alternate Presentations of MHA Data
We recognize that the Interactive Database does not function well with only a dial-up internet connection so we will try to keep some image-based presentations of the data available.
View Maps of Pre-existing Data | MHA Data to Date
Pre-existing Data Maps
The MHA has compiled the existing data, only data that was available digitally, on the recorded locations of herps in Manitoba. These data have been contributed by Manitoba's Conservation Data Centre, the Manitoba Museum and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility. The data for some species are incomplete and there are obvious errors in some instances. (This data is presented "as is" for now. If time allows at a later date, efforts will be made to correct and complete the pre-existing data records.) The following maps are point plots of this data presented by species. Some explanations are included in the image captions.
(It is likely that we have not acquired all existing Manitoba herp records. If you know of additional sources, please contact us. Email the: Manitoba Herps Atlas.)
Amphibians
Green Frog | Leopard Frog| Mink Frog| Wood Frog
American Toad | Canadian Toad| Great Plains Toad| Plains Spadefoot Toad
Cope's Gray Treefrog | Gray Treefrog| Spring Peeper| Boreal Chorus Frog
Blue-spotted Salamander | Barred Tiger Salamander| Eastern Tiger Salamander| Mudpuppy
Reptiles
Western Hognose Snake | Smooth Green Snake| Northern Red-bellied Snake
Plains Garter Snake | Red-sided Garter Snake
Common Snapping Turtle| Western Painted Turtle| Northern Prairie Skink
MHA Statistics to Date (to March 20, 2012)
- A total of 1347 herp records have been submitted to the MHA, all 24 different species have been recorded.
- 50 people have submitted herp records and 51 people have joined the MHA contact list.
- The MHA website entry page has been viewed over 3400 times since it was first posted January 11, 2011; it is averaging 10 visits a day.
MHA Data Maps
The first compilation of data submitted to the MHA is presented here (1092 records as of Nov. 30, 2011).The following maps are point plots of this data presented in total and by species. The data are presented "as is", some known errors are included at this point.
Total Record Submissions
All record submissions (to Nov. 30, 2011)
Amphibians
Green Frog | Leopard Frog| Mink Frog| Wood Frog
American Toad | Canadian Toad| Great Plains Toad| Plains Spadefoot Toad
Cope's Gray Treefrog | Gray Treefrog| Spring Peeper| Boreal Chorus Frog
Blue-spotted Salamander | Barred Tiger Salamander| Eastern Tiger Salamander| Mudpuppy
Reptiles
Western Hognose Snake | Smooth Green Snake | Northern Red-bellied Snake
Plains Garter Snake | Red-sided Garter Snake | Eastern Garter Snake
Common Snapping Turtle| Western Painted Turtle| Northern Prairie Skink
(And keep those records coming! Go to the Submit Data page.)
Limitations on Data Availability
NatureNorth is working in cooperation with Manitoba Conservation
on this project and there may be some instances where some of the information
collected won't be made available to everyone. After all, there may
be a need to protect sensitive areas and species at risk (SAR) in some
cases. Broadcasting the precise locations of endangered species or of major snake dens may not
be in the best interests of the critters. When such sensitive information
is collected it will be passed on to Manitoba Conservation and accredited researchers only. However, in such cases, we hope to be able to post generalized location information, while keeping geographically precise information confidential.
Respect the Rights of Landowners
Please respect private property and the rights of landowners. Don't trespass on your herping safaris. Ask permission to go on to private land and to report any records from that land. We will respect the rights of landowners to not have herp locations posted if they choose.