Field / Identification Guide
By: James P Gibbs and Alvin R Breisch
422 pages, 48 halftones, 65 maps, 15 line illus
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Contents
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About this book
This is the first ever guide to the amphibians and reptiles of New York State, a large and heavily populated state that hosts a surprisingly diverse and interesting community of amphibians and reptiles.
The book presents the results of the New York State Amphibian and Reptile Atlas for the first time (a compilation of 60,000 distributional records collected 1990-1999); thus, the volume is a repository for detailed distributional data on the 69 species native to the state.
The book presents in-depth species accounts based on the six authors decades of collective experience as teachers, researchers and conservationists. Supporting chapters focus on the biology of amphibians and reptiles, New Yorks environment, finding and studying these creatures, and the rich folklore of New York State as it pertains to amphibians and reptiles, particularly rattlesnakes.
A heavy emphasis on conservation biology of amphibians and reptiles sets the book apart from any comparable volume yet produced in the United States. To this end, chapters on threats, legal protections, habitat conservation guidelines, and conservation case studies are presented. An expanded colour insert presents striking photographs contributed by over 30 photographers.
Contents
Acknowledgments; 1. Introduction; 2. Amphibians and Reptiles of New York State; 3. New York State's Environment as Habitat for Amphibians and Reptiles; 4. Salamanders; 5. Frogs and Toads; 6. Turtles; 7. Lizards and Snakes; 8. Threats; 9. Legal Protections; 10. Habitat Conservation Guidelines; 11. Conservation Case Studies; 12. Finding and Studying Amphibians and Reptiles; 13. Folklore; 14. Epilogue; "Herp Atlas" report card; Resources; Glossary; Literature Cited; Index
Customer Reviews
Field / Identification Guide
By: James P Gibbs and Alvin R Breisch
422 pages, 48 halftones, 65 maps, 15 line illus
"A long awaited, much-needed guide to the herpetofauna of a state at the crossroads of north and south."--CHOICE
"Read, and own, this fine book and learn how to find and help protect your herp friends."--The Independent
"Will do much towards teaching New Yorkers and their neighbors about their herpetofauna and will hopefully open their eyes to the many threats these animals face in modern times. The suggestions provided here to protect and conserve the habitats of these animals will go a long way to ensure that New York will not lose these species to statewide extinction." --Joseph C. Mitchell, University of Richmond
"The authors of this solid book combine a huge amount of experience and together probably have more expertise than those of any other state guide. I particularly enjoyed the sections on the history of herpetology studies in New York State and the nods to the urban herpetofauna of New York City. The book is explicitly oriented toward people who want to identify