Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference

Reptiles and amphibians, despite general public revulsion, have a more positive than negative potential. On the positive side are food, scientific, and educational benefits, biological control of pests, medicine, ornamentation, carrion cleanup, pets, and aesthetic values. On the negative side are predation, human confrontation, and health. Where control is deemed a necessary management procedure, it can be achieved to some degree by cultural controls, repellents , trapping, and reductional methods such as hand capture, den hunting, electric fence, and pesticides (though none are currently registered for this purpose).