KENT A. VLIET, Ph.D. Coordinator of Laboratories Department of Biology University of Florida P.O. Box 118525 Gainesville, Florida 32511-8525 (352) 392-8130; 392-4738 Fax kvliet@ufl.edu

RESEARCH INTERESTS: Crocodilian Biology
Social Behavior
Reproductive Biology
Energetics of Development
Allometry of Metabolism

I am Coordinator of Laboratories for the Department of Biology. I oversee the Introductory Biology lab program, which consists of three lab courses: Integrated Principles of Biology I and II, BSC 2010L and BSC 2011L, a two semester sequence of laboratories for majors; and BSC 2009L, a laboratory for non-science majors.

I work primarily with American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis), although the large number of captive crocodilians in Florida has allowed me to work with many other species in a comparative manner. Early in my career, I concentrated on aspects of social behavior. My graduate work involved detailed description and analysis of alligator courtship behaviors. I also studied other aspects of social signals, including visual and auditory displays. Some of this early work on alligator biology was featured in the National Geographic Society Television Special Realm of the Alligator, an excellent source for video images of the complex social and reproductive behaviors these animals perform.

As my current job responsibilities are largely administrative, I am unable to spend large amounts of time observing the behavior of crocodilians. In recent years, I have worked in many other areas of crocodilians biology, including aspects of anatomy, endocrinology, parasitology, and developmental energetics.

I have worked for many years with captive animals in zoo settings, especially in association with the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park. Due to this involvement, I have become co-chair of the American Zoo and Aquariums Association (AZA) Crocodilian Advisory Group (CAG).

Here are links to sections of this page or other pages I have made. These sections consist of links only, to sites of interest to me.

CROCODILIANS HERPETOLOGY ZOOS AND AQUARIA VETERINARY MEDICINE PERSONAL INTERESTS ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE

HERPETOLOGY

American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists

Herpetologist's League

Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles

Association of Reptile & Amphibian Veterinarians

The Center for North American Amphibians and Reptiles

On-line herp lists for US states and Canadian provinces from CNAH

Contemporary Herpetology On-line journal

FLMNH Herpetology Homepage

The Global Gecko Association

The Froggy Page

Herp Index

Herp Links

HERP.COM

Herplit Database

Herplit Current Herpetological Contents

The TIGR Reptile Database

The Basking Spot

Kingsnake.com

Pigmy Rattlesnake homepage

Eric Pianka's Lab homepage

Frank and Kate Slaven's Herpetological website

League of Florida Herp Societies

Australian Herpetological Directory

Chicago Herpetological Society

Minnesota Herpetological Society

The Gournet Rodent

ZOOLOGICAL PARKS AND AQUARIA

I work closely with the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park and other zoos. If you are interested in zoos and zoo-related careers, here are some links that may interest you.

Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA)

American Association of Zoo Keepers

CITES

Conservation Breeding Specialist Group

Electronic Zoo

International Species Information System (ISIS)

Zoolex

VETERINARY MEDICINE

My wife, Dr. Kathy Vliet, is a veterinarian. Her clinic is Jonesville Animal Hospital in Newberry, Florida. Here are a number of links to vetmed sites on the Web.

AVMA Homepage

NetVet/Electronic Zoo homepage

Veterinary Images

OTHER THINGS OF INTEREST TO ME

Dinosaurs

Sharks

Gargoyles and Grotesques

Egyptology

Helicopters

Cacti and Other Succulents

Books

ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Last modified on 15 January, 2019.