Browsing by Author "Spawls, Stephen"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    A Field Guide to the Reptiles of East Africa. Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi
    (2001-12) Drewes, Robert; Spawls, Stephen; Howell, Kim; Ashe, James
    This book breaks new ground: it is the first complete listing and guide to all the known reptiles of the five East African countries (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi.) Written by expert East African herpetologists, it incorporates virtually all known information on the East African reptile fauna. Nearly 500 high-quality color photographs illustrate most of the species involved, many of which have never been illustrated in color before. Keys and introductory essays are included for all orders, families, genera, and species, giving clear introductions for every group. There is an individual account for each species, describing its appearance, habits, and habitat, accompanied by a map showing its known distribution within East Africa and notes indicating its Africa-wide distribution as well. Hence this book will be useful not only in East Africa, but in the surrounding countries as well, for which no reptile guides exist. In addition, the descriptions of dangerous snakes include a section on their venom. A comprehensive appendix discusses aspects of snakebite risk and treatment in East Africa and the do's and don'ts of first aid
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    A Pocket Guide tp Reptiles and Amphibians of East Africa
    (2005-12) Spawls, Stephen; Howell, Kim; Drewes, Robert
    This is a lightweight and portable guide, partly adapted from the popular and highly acclaimed A Field Guide to the Reptiles of East Africa by the same authors. Covering the most prominent 150 reptiles and 80 amphibians found in the region (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi), with concise text, photograph and map for each, this is a convenient and attractive pocket guide for a diverse and often conspicuous and attractive group of animals
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    Tanzania's reptile biodiversity: Distribution, threats and climate change vulnerability
    (2016-05) Meng, Han; Carr, Jamie; Beraducc, Joe; Bowles, Phil; Branch, William R.; Capitani, Claudia; Chenga, Jumapili; Cox, Neil; Howell, Kim; Malonza, Patrick K.; Marchant, Rob A.; Mbilinyi, Boniface P.; Mukama, Kusaga; Msuya, Charles; Platts, Philip J.; Safari, Ignas; Spawls, Stephen; Farpon, Yara S.; Wagner, Philipp; Burgess, Neil D.
    Assessments of biodiversity patterns and threats among African reptiles have lagged behind those of other vertebrate groups and regions. We report the first systematic assessment of the distribution, threat status, and climate change vulnerability for the reptiles of Tanzania. A total of 321 reptile species (including 90 Tanzanian endemics) were assessed using the global standard IUCN Red List methodology and 274 species were also assessed using the IUCN guidelines for climate change vulnerability. Patterns of species richness and threat assessment confirm the conservation importance of the Eastern Arc Mountains, as previously demonstrated for birds, mammals and amphibians. Lowland forests and savannah-woodland habitats also support important reptile assemblages. Protected area gap analysis shows that 116 species have less than 20% of their distribution ranges protected, among which 12 are unprotected, eight species are threatened and 54 are vulnerable to climate change. Tanzania's northern margins and drier central corridor support high numbers of climate vulnerable reptile species, together with the eastern African coastal forests and the region between Lake Victoria and Rwanda. This paper fills a major gap in our understanding of the distribution and threats facing Tanzania's reptiles, and demonstrates more broadly that the explicit integration of climate change vulnerability in Red Listing criteria may revise spatial priorities for conservation.