Don Broadley is universally regarded as the "godfather" of modern African herpetology. WIth more than six decades of active research based in Zimbabwe, Don's career has been at the nexus of the field since shortly after his arrival in Africa. IN his autobiography, Don presents the many details that have made up his life in herpetology. HIs numerous field trips, their participants and the reptiles and amphibians collected are all outlined in the orderly fashion that has characterised his many technical publications. DOcumented too are his first contacts with herpetologists around the world. THis reveals how central Don has been to research programs near and far, providing data, specimens and expertise to a tremendous number of researchers and facilitating the last half century's growth in African herpetology. [...] In Umtali and then in Bulawayo, Don built one of the largest collections of amphibians and reptiles in Africa, with its greatest strengths in the Zambesiaca region, incorporating Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, and Botswana - areas where most of Don's own field trips and those of his close associates generally took place. TOday, because of Don, the collection in Bulawayo, one of the largest in Africa, it is rich in type material and the Museum's journal Arnoldia is known to herpetologists around the world. BEcause of Don's centrality to herpetology, this book is a chronicle of the discovery of the herpetofauna of southeastern Africa. STories from many of Don's field trips, such as his run-in with a lioness in Botswana, have become legendary. HIs snake bites are even more storied from a stiletto snake bite only a few months after arriving in Rhodesia, to the 1960 puff adder bite that cost him his middle finger, to the boomslang bite that necessitated the transfusion of 13 pints of blood. ALl are documented in this book. [...] Don was an unassuming man, yet his life was anything but uneventful and his contributions were many. ANd all of this was achieved against the backdrop of hardships that life in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe have brought. FRom the war of independence to hyperinflation, Don persevered, driven by his abiding fascination with the African herpetofauna. WHether the reader is a longtime friend of Don's or someone for whom the name Broadley is familiar only from the literature cited of innumerable papers, this book will provide new insights into an extraordinary life in herpetology.

The story of one paleontologist's fossil digs in Africa, and his unexpected findings Winner of the Colbert Award for the best adult book about dinosaurs Winner of the Colbert Award for the best adult book about dinosaurs Louis Jacobs reopened paleontologists' eyes to the African continent when he uncovered a major fossil site in the hills of Malawi in the 1980s. During five digging seasons in Malawi and three in Cameroon, Jacobs found the remains of two meat-eating theropods, two herbivorous sauropods, an odd crocodile about the size of a Chihuahua, and rare early mammals. Now in paperback, Quest for the African Dinosaurs includes Jacobs' new introduction, which discusses recent developments in paleontological research in Africa.

Tracks and Shadows is both an absorbing autobiography of a celebrated field biologist and a celebration of beauty in nature. Harry W. Greene, award-winning author of Snakes, delves into the poetry of field biology, showing how nature eases our existential quandaries. More than a memoir, the book is about the wonder of snakes, the beauty of studying and understanding natural history, and the importance of sharing the love of nature with humanity. Illustrations.

Frogs of Southern Africa - a Complete Guide is an authoritative and comprehensive guide that covers all aspects of frog and toad biology and behaviour. Now updated and including recently discovered species, it has a fascinating introduction that unpacks frog biology, along with a full illustrated identification key. Stunning full-colour photographs of both frogs and tadpoles accompany distribution maps and authoritative text for each species; and QR codes link readers directly to their frog calls.

A Primer on Reptiles and Amphibians is an innovative educational resource designed to forge a connection between the reader and the creeping critters of the world. Turtles, frogs, lizards, salamanders, snakes, and crocodiles¿ these animals evoke fear and fascination. This primer dispels myths and unlocks mysteries surrounding these diverse survivors which have mastered virtually every habitat on Earth. Tragically, these animals now face pressures of unprecedented severity, but there is still time to make a difference if more of us work together.Micha Petty is an international award-winning Master Naturalist and wildlife rehabilitator. This critically-acclaimed debut volume is a collection of Micha's interpretive writings, carefully crafted to make learning easy for everyone. These bulletins display his passion for Conservation Through Education while covering topics such as living harmoniously with wildlife, physiology, natural history, observation, and conservation. Flip to any page to be instantly introduced to new facets of reptiles, amphibians, the perils they face, and how you can join the fight to save them.

The first—and only—authoritative guide to the snakes of Central and Western Africa. Nobody knows exactly how many snake species live in the biodiversity hotspots of Western and Central Africa. While field guides abound that make mammals, birds, and even insects identifiable for residents, travelers, and scientists, half a continent's herpetological richness has remained shrouded in mystery. In a region where nearly 30,000 people die from snake bites every year, even dire medical necessity has been an insufficient inducement for researchers to take on the daunting task of assembling an authoritative list of extant species, let alone a full descriptive record to aid in identification, the essential first step to administering an effective antivenin. The reptiles of Central Africa, particularly, are the most poorly studied in the world, despite their crucial role in the survival of threatened ecosystems. With Snakes of Central and Western Africa, Jean-Philippe Chippaux and Kate Jackson have created a game changer. The result of years of field research and systematic study in the world's leading museums, this book compiles for the first time a comprehensive guide to the region's snakes. Covering a vast swath of the continent, ranging from Mauritania in the northwest to Rwanda in the east and Angola in the south, Chippaux and Jackson provide detailed accounts for the more than 200 species of snakes that inhabit the region. The first part of the book is devoted to the taxonomic characters used for identifying snakes. The authors deal with the evolution and biogeography of African snakes as well as epidemiological and clinical aspects of snakebite. The remaining chapters are organized phylogenetically, following the latest consensus on evolutionary patterns of major snake lineages in sub-Saharan Africa. Species identification is facilitated by simple and accessible dichotomous keys and detailed descriptions of morphological characteristics, complemented by numerous drawings, photos, and distribution maps. Invaluable information on taxonomy and natural history is also included. The book concludes with a comprehensive index and a list of nearly 600 references. Snakes of Central and Western Africa illuminates a previously little-known part of the natural world, provides vital information that could save many lives, and will make an excellent addition to any herpetology library.