In the spring of 1994, The Center for North American Amphibians and Reptiles (CNAAR) (By-Laws) was established as a non-profit foundation incorporated in the state of Kansas by Joseph T. Collins, Herpetologist Emeritus, Natural History Museum, The University of Kansas, and Suzanne L. Collins, professional wildlife photographer, with the objective of promoting scientific research on amphibians, turtles, reptiles, and crocodilians in the United States and Canada. In 2000, the CNAAR Board of Directors voted to change the name of the foundation to The Center for North American Herpetology (CNAH), to free themselves from the ever-changing taxonomic categories and definitions. CNAH continues to operate as a non-profit foundation.
The Center for North American Herpetology serves as a data bank for information about North American amphibians, turtles, reptiles, and crocodilians, and promotes research on them by financial support of selected publications, photography, and any other appropriate medium, as well as the establishment of awards for excellence in research about these fascinating creatures.
Travis W. Taggart,
Director |