Remarkable Reptiles of South Africa

South Africa has an inordinate wealth of plants
and animals. It is a country of superlatives with
an entire floral kingdom occuring within its
borders. With a land surface area of only 2 per
cent of the global landmass, it contains 10 per
cent of the world´s plants and between 6 and 7
per cent of the world´s mammals, birds and
reptiles. Not only does South Africa boast the greatest number of species of land tortoises of any place on Earth, it ranks fifth in the world
with regard to overall number of reptile species.

Such an array of reptiles, which at last count
numbered 363 species, with more being described
annually, shows an incredible range of
adaptations enabling these remarkable creatures
to live in extremes of climate from the high
mountains to desert, from coast to coast and some
even adapting to an urban environment. Despite
this, the daily lives of most reptile species
remain a closed book. Many species are cryptic,
preferring not to be seen, while others display
amongst the brightest colours in the animal
kingdom. they range from very small species
weighing less than a gram to the giant Nile
crocodile, which may achieve a mass of 1000 kg,
and include some of the most poisonous species on
the planet. It is indeed a treasure house.
Remarkable Reptiles offers a glimpse into the fascinating world of snakes, lizards, chameleons, tortoises, terrapins and crocodiles and hopes to provide a greater insight into the behaviour of these often maligned animals. Many reptiles, especially snakes, receive unjust treatment because of attacks on humans, while anthropogenic causes, which are far more lethal, tend to be less emphasised. Hopefully this book will contribute to, and instil respect and interest in the remarkable diversity of reptiles with which South Africa has been blessed.
Südafrika besticht durch seine einzigartige Flora und Fauna. Obwohl das Land nur 2 % der weltweiten Landmasse umfasst, leben hier 10% aller Pflanzen und 6–7% aller Säugetiere, Vögel und Reptilien, die über erstaunliche Anpassungsmechanismen verfügen.
Das Buch gibt Einblick in die faszinierende Welt der Schlangen, Echsen, Chamäleons, Schildkröten, Dosenschildkröten und Krokodile und möchte aufräumen mit Fehleinschätzungen und Vorurteilen, die der Mensch diesen Tieren gegenüber hegt.