Ethno-herpetology studies the relationship between people and reptiles and amphibians and is derived from “ethnic-” - relating to people and culture - and “herpetology” - the study of reptiles and amphibians. Sikkim being a melting pot of ethnic cultures as well as astounding biodiversity, provides exceptional motivation for the exploration of its ethno-herpetology. Since biological and ethnic diversity is often geography-specific, studying this in small geographical regions makes sense, as knowledge of ethno-herpetology varies extraordinarily across geographic boundaries. This book has been envisaged to capture Sikkim’s immense and vibrant ethno-herpetology. It is expected to bring a new understanding of this state’s rich bio-cultural heritage and provide new details and directions to researchers of ethnobiology, zoology, ecology, anthropology, human ecology, and culture. It sincerely hopes to generate greater interest in Sikkim, Ethno-herpetology, and herpetofauna. It has the potential to reward integration with tourism and traditional knowledge.

Ethno-ornithology is the study of the relationship between people and birds. This book makes an in-depth study of ethno-ornithological traditions of the Lepchas—an aboriginal group of people of North-East India. Bringing to light the Lepcha bird nomenclature, it describes in detail the place of birds in Lepcha myths of origins and their importance in the day-to-day lives of the Lepcha people. Taking note of Lepcha views on the birds, it also presents behaviour of different birds as depicted in Lepcha folktales, songs and dances.

This book describes the myriad components of the Hindu Kush-Himalaya (HKH) region. The contributors elaborate on challenges, failures, and successes in efforts to conserve the HKH, its indigenous plants and animals, and the watershed that runs from the very roof of the planet via world-rivers to marine estuaries, supporting a human population of some two billion people. Readers will learn how the landforms, animal species and humans of this globally fascinating region are connected, and understand why runoff from snow and ice in the world’s tallest mountains is vital to inhabitants far downstream. The book comprises forty-five chapters organized in five parts. The first section, Landscapes, introduces the mountainous watersheds of the HKH, its weather systems, forests, and the 18 major rivers whose headwaters are here. The second part explores concepts, cultures, and religions, including ethnobiology and indigenous regimes, two thousand years of religious tradition, and the history of scientific and research expeditions. Part Three discusses policy, wildlife conservation management, habitat and biodiversity data, as well as the interaction of animals and humans. The fourth part examines the consequences of development and globalization, from hydrodams, to roads and railroads, to poaching and illegal wildlife trade. This section includes studies of animal species including river dolphins, woodpeckers and hornbills, langurs, snow leopards and more. The concluding section offers perspectives and templates for conservation, sustainability and stability in the HKH, including citizen-science projects and a future challenged by climate change, growing human population, and global conservation decay. A large assemblage of field and landscape photos, combined with eye-witness accounts, presents a 50-year local and wider perspective on the HKH. Also included are advanced digital topics: data sharing, open access, metadata, web portal databases, geographic information systems (GIS) software and machine learning, and data mining concepts all relevant to a modern scientific understanding and sustainable management of the Hindu Kush-Himalaya region. This work is written for scholars, landscape ecologists, naturalists and researchers alike, and it can be especially well-suited for those readers who want to learn in a more holistic fashion about the latest conservation issues.

"Muhammad Sharif Khan presents the most authoritative illustrated compendium on Pakistan's amphibians and reptiles-a work with no peer in its geographic realm. The book represents the distillation of nearly 40 years of research. Most species are illustrated in full color, and the text includes identification keys, descriptions, natural history, and distribution maps. This is a valuable guide for zoos and institutions, reptile keepers, and natural history travelers in Pakistan. It will be useful not only in Pakistan but in all the surrounding countries, the general region, and beyond."

Destruction of habitat due to urban sprawl, pollution, and deforestation has caused population declines or even extinction of many of the world's approximately 2,600 snake species. Furthermore, misconceptions about snakes have made them among the most persecuted of all animals, despite the fact that less than a quarter of all species are venomous and most species are beneficial because they control rodent pests. It has become increasingly urgent, therefore, to develop viable conservation strategies for snakes and to investigate their importance as monitors of ecosystem health and indicators of habitat sustainability. In the first book on snakes written with a focus on conservation, editors Stephen J. Mullin and Richard A. Seigel bring together leading herpetologists to review and synthesize the ecology, conservation, and management of snakes worldwide. These experts report on advances in current research and summarize the primary literature, presenting the most important concepts and techniques in snake ecology and conservation. The common thread of conservation unites the twelve chapters, each of which addresses a major subdiscipline within snake ecology. Applied topics such as methods and modeling and strategies such as captive rearing and translocation are also covered. Each chapter provides an essential framework and indicates specific directions for future research, making this a critical reference for anyone interested in vertebrate conservation generally or for anyone implementing conservation and management policies concerning snake populations. Contributors: Omar Attum, Indiana University Southeast; Steven J. Beaupre, University of Arkansas; Xavier Bonnet, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Frank T. Burbrink, College of Staten Island-The City University of New York; Gordon M. Burghardt, University of Tennessee; Todd A. Castoe, University of Colorado; David Chiszar, University of Colorado; Michael E. Dorcas, Davidson College; Lara E. Douglas, University of Arkansas; Christopher L. Jenkins, Project Orianne, Ltd.; Glenn Johnson, State University of New York at Potsdam; Michael Hutchins, The Wildlife Society; Richard B. King, Northern Illinois University; Bruce A. Kingsbury, Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne; Thomas Madsen, University of Wollongong; Stephen J. Mullin, Eastern Illinois University; James B. Murphy, National Zoological Park; Charles R. Peterson, Idaho State University; Kent A. Prior, Parks Canada; Richard A. Seigel, Towson University; Richard Shine, University of Sydney; Kevin T. Shoemaker, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York; Patrick J. Weatherhead, University of Illinois; John D. Willson, University of Georgia