13th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Herpetological Society.
Université Laval, Quebec City, Canada
12-15 September 2025
About the meeting
The Canadian Herpetology Society (CHS) hosts an annual conference to promote the conservation and research of amphibians and reptiles across the country. This is a major event that brings together researchers, professionals, students, and enthusiasts from across Canada. The conference provides a platform for sharing conservation projects, scientific studies, and educational initiatives related to herpetology.
Participants are encouraged to present oral communications or posters on various aspects of herpetological research and conservation. This year's meeting will take place in beautiful Québec city on 12-15 September 2025. In addition to oral and poster sessions, the banquet (including the travelogue and herp quiz), the event will feature workshops on recent technological advances in herpetology, namely using drones, grids of acoustic recorders, and artificial intelligence. A symposium on Assisted reproduction and species reintroduction will take place on the second day of the meeting. The last day of the meeting will be devoted to discovering amphibians and reptiles of the Québec region during the field trip. Registration for the CHS 2025 meeting is now open.
Abstract submission will remain open until 15 August 2025.
About the Canadian Herpetological Society
The Canadian Herpetological Society is a registered Canadian charity that advances reptile and amphibian research and conservation in Canada.- Over 250 members on email list.
- Facebook group and Page (over 7000 members).
- Instagram (over 1 000 followers).
- Youtube (over 250 subscribers).
- The Canadian Herpetologist/L'Herpétologiste canadien annual publication.
- Active Website.
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Preliminary program
Schedule at a glance
With the exception of the banquet and the field trip, all activities during the meeting will take place at the Faculté de foresterie, de géographie et de géomatique de l'Université Laval (see map of Abitibi-Price and Kruger buildings).
Friday 12 September 2025
12:00 - 13:30: Registration
Workshops on technological advances in herpetology
13:30 - 14:30: Using drones to survey wildlife (Patrick Charbonneau, Ministère de l'environnement, de la lutte aux changements climatiques, de la faune et des parcs du Québec)
14:30 - 15:30: Setting up passive acoustic surveys with open source tools (Lucas Voirin and Tohi Adenot, Université Laval)
15:30 - 16:30: Using artificial intelligence to detect species in image and sound files (Marc J. Mazerolle, Université Laval)
18:00 - 21:00: Icebreaker social event with games, local bites (artisan cheese, bread, charcuteries, and other snacks), and refreshments (including cash bar)
Saturday 13 September 2025
8:00 - 9:00: Registration
8:45 - 9:00: Welcome address from local organizing committee & Opening address from president of CHS
9:00 - 10:00: Keynote address (David Green, McGill University) - A passion for amphibians: a life in herpetology
10:00 - 10:30: Health break
10:30 - 12:00:
Symposium on assisted reproduction and population recovery
- Keynote speaker (Tharusha Wijewardena, University of Toronto Mississauga) - Hope or hype: can headstarting recover endangered turtles in urban landscapes?
- Keynote speaker (Vance Trudeau, University of Ottawa) - No more silent spring: amphibian assisted reproduction to the rescue.
Parallel conference sessions
12:00 - 13:30: Lunch (included with registration) & CHS Board meeting
13:30 - 15:00:
Symposium on assisted reproduction and population recovery (continued)
- Invited speaker (Emiko Wong, Biodôme de Montréal)
- Invited speaker (Lyne Bouthillier, Projet Rainette)
- Conférencière invitée (Sophie Tessier, Société des établissements de plein air du Québec)
- Conférencière invitée (Éliane Montigny, Zoo de Granby)
Parallel conference sessions
15:00 - 15:30: Health break
15:30 - 17:00: Annual General Meeting
17:00 - 18:30: Poster session (including bites and cash bar)
19:00 - 23:00: Banquet (La Laurentienne building) featuring award ceremony, the travelogue, and Great Canadian Herp Quiz
Sunday 14 September 2025
8:00 - 9:00: Registration
9:00 - 10:30: Parallel conference sessions
10:30 - 11:00: Health break & Group photo (in front of conference pavilion)
11:00 - 12:00: Parallel conference sessions
12:00 - 13:30: Lunch (included with registration) & Student-Research Mentorship lunch & Results of silent auction
13:30 - 15:00: Parallel conference sessions
15:00 - 15:30: Health break
15:30 - 17:00: Parallel conference sessions
17:00 - 17:30: Closing remarks
Monday 15 September 2025
Field trip (transportation by bus and lunch included) – Forêt Montmorency, Marais Léon Provancher and other sites of herpetological interest in the Québec region
9:00: Departure from Abitibi-Price parking lot
17:00: Return to Abitibi-Price parking lot
ALL ABOUT
All you need to know about the meeting
Travel assistance
The CHS offers a travel assistance program for people having financial difficulties attending the conference.
Lodging
Several accommodation options are available in the area. We put together a list to suit all budgets.
Call for abstracts
Participants are invited to present the results of their work as an oral presentation (12 minutes of 5-min flash talk) or poster. Only abstracts that feature results will be accepted for 12-minute oral presentations. Research projects of students and postdocs will be prioritized by the scientific committee. The deadline for abstract submission is 15 August 2025.
Submit an abstractRegistration
Registration - early-bird rates (until August 1, 2025)
Everyone attending the meeting needs to register for the conference, including oral presenters, poster presenters, keynote speakers, and other participants. Registration includes all oral and poster sessions, health breaks, as well as the Saturday and Sunday lunches.
Early-bird registration and abstract submission are now open. Late registration rates will be effective starting 2 August 2025.
Student member of the CHS
For students that are members of the CHS.
Register for the meetingStudent non CHS member
For students that are not yet members of the CHS.
Register for the meetingNon student CHS member
For CHS members that are not students.
Register for the meetingNon student - non CHS member
For participants that are not students and not yet members of the CHS.
Register for the meeting* Membership fees of the Canadian Herpetological Society are only 0-$30/year and multi-year memberships are available. Join the CHS now
Committee
Local organizing committee members
Marc J. Mazerolle
Professormarc.mazerolle@sbf.ulaval.ca
Daniel Lesieur
Research Assitant CEFlesieur.daniel@uqam.ca
Aurore Fayard
Research professionalaurore.fayard.1@ulaval.ca
Clara Casabona
Research professionalclara.casabona-i- amat.1@ulaval.ca
Félicia Beaulieu
M. Sc candidate in forest sciencesfelicia.beaulieu.1@ulaval.ca
Laurianne Plante
M. Sc candidate in forest scienceslaurianne.plante.1@ulaval.ca
Mathieu Ouellette
M. Sc candidate in forest sciencesmathieu.ouellette.3@ulaval.ca
Sophie Provencher
M. Sc candidate in forest sciencessophie.provencher.3@ulaval.ca
Lucas Voirin
Ph. D candidate in forest scienceslucas.voirin.1@ulaval.ca
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Tohi Adenot
Ph. D candidate in forest sciencestohi.adenot.1@ulaval.ca
Victoria Pharand
B. Sc candidate in biologyvictoria.pharand.1@ulaval.ca
Lili-Camille Caron
B. Sc candidate in environmental scienceslili-camille.caron.1@ulaval.ca
Committee
CHS members of the organizing committee
Hannah McCurdy-Adams
Biologist, Wildlife Preservation Canada, CHS director at largeconference@canadianherpetology.ca
Jessica Harvey
Biologist, Corvidae Environmental Consulting, CHS director at largej_harvey@outlook.com
Megan Winand
M. Sc. student at UBC, CHS director at largemegwinand@gmail.com
Christie Crews
M. Sc. student at U. Ottawachristie.crews@shaw.ca
Contact
Contact Us
Address
2425 rue de la Terrasse, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6