The Amphibians and Reptiles of New York State: Identification, Natural History, and Conservation (Paperback)

by James P. Gibbs (Author), Alvin R. Breisch (Author), Peter K. Ducey (Author), Glenn Johnson (Author), the late John Behler (Author), Richard Bothner (Author)
Key Phrases: eastern ratsnakes, eastern ribbonsnakes, eastern wormsnakes, New York, Long Island, Other Intriguing Facts (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"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 specimens they've encountered and learn more about the animals in their area." --Russell Burke, Hofstra University
"Gibbs offers a long-awaited, much-needed guide to the herpetofauna of a state at the crossroads of north and south."--Choice
"Species descriptions are marvelously detailed, putting their field-guide forbears to shame. Every time I pick up this handsome volume, and I do often since it arrived in my office, I stand in awe of its clever, user-friendly organization."--Adirondack Explorer
"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 specimens they've encountered and learn more about the animals in their area." --Russell Burke, Hofstra University
"Eastern Canadian naturalists will find this book a must for their bookshelves as an excellent reference not just to the species included, but also for the conservation approaches and philosophy."--The Canadian Field-Naturalist


Product Description
This is the first guide yet produced 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. This much needed guide to the identification, distribution, natural history and conservation of the amphibians and reptiles of New York State fill a long-empty niche.
The book is the first comprehensive presentation of the distributional data gathered for the New York State Amphibian and Reptile Atlas project. With more than 60,000 records compiled from 1990-1999, this extraordinary and up-to-date database provides a rich foundation for the book. This volume provides detailed narratives on the 69 species native to New York State. With a heavy emphasis on conservation biology, the book also includes chapters on threats, legal protections, habitat conservation guidelines, and conservation case studies.
Also included are 67 distribution maps and 62 pages of color photographs contributed by more than 30 photographers. As a field guide or a desk reference, The Amphibians and Reptiles of New York State is indispensable for anyone interested in the vertebrate animals of the Northeast, as well as students, field researchers and natural resource professionals.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 504 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (April 5, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195304446
• ISBN-13: 978-0195304442
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #207,612 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally , April 2, 2007

By	D. W. MACDOUGALL "SWS Reviewer" (Corinth, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This Book is long overdue for those of us who had to consult with the online herp atlas everytime we needed to find out if a species had been recorded in a certain county. This book is set up and flows very nicely with excellent pictures and species accounts, habitat descriptions, counties of occurance, and so on. I have been very impressed already with this book and how much easier it will make things when I need New York based data for site evaluations and habitat assessment. This book is very informative and well written and my hats off to the authors for compiling all of the data used and keeping it readible. This book is an invaluable resource and is cheap enough to keep it accessible to everyone. A must have for anyone in NY that is interested in herps, some of the information is also valid for surrounding states.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Review from Adirondack Explorer/Edward Kanze, March 7, 2008

By	Reviewer "Book Review from Adirondack Explorer" (New York) - See all my reviews

"What's so good about this book? Without being long-winded and pedantic, the text is incredibly thorough. Species descriptions are marvelously detailed, putting their field-guide forbears to shame. Every time I pick up this handsome volume, and I do often since it arrived in my office, I stand in awe of its clever, user-friendly organization. Each species is described in six sections: "Quick Identification," "Description" (a greatly expanded version of the preceding), "Habitat," "Natural History," "Status and Distribution" and "Other Intriguing Facts." There are chapters, too, on environmental threats, conservation and folklore... With the help of this extraordinary book and its color photographs, the reader, young or old, novice or veteran, will get to know [New York's amphibians and reptiles] intimately."

Edward Kanze, Adirondack Explorer Vol. 10(2) March/April 2008.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent guide, August 20, 2008

By	game lover (Miami, FL USA) - See all my reviews

Its strategic location on the outskirts of formerly glaciated areas, but with the moderating climatic influence of the sea along the coast, as well as vast areas of mountainous terrain cloaked in rich deciduous forests, makes the state of New York an incredible hotbed of herpetological diversity, including some very rare and unusual species. In this beautifully composed guide, each and every one of these is described in detailed accounts accompanied by absolutely stunning color photos which almost seem to come alive before your eyes. The hardcover edition is of superb quality with leather binding and sewn pages, and is rather expensive but well worth the price. The size of the book is small enough to make it useful for taking into the field, although it might be best left on the shelf to preserve its quality! Highly recommended.