Everyone's Guide to Snakes of Southern Africa by Bill Branch

Everyone's Guide to Snakes of Southern Africa (Collectible 1991 Illustrated Southern African Snake Guide)

A colourfully illustrated popular guide to the snakes, reptiles and amphibians of southern Africa by a leading herpetologist

Bibliographic Specifications

• Title: Everyone's Guide to Snakes of Southern Africa: Includes other reptiles and amphibians
• Author: Bill Branch
• Publisher: Central News Agency (Pty) Ltd (CNA); designed and produced by Struik Publishers, Johannesburg
• Publication Date: 1991
• ISBN-13: 9780958317115
• ISBN-10: 0958317119
• Edition Details: First published 1991.
• Binding: Hardcover with the pictorial cover printed directly on the boards, green spine lettered in black with the CNA logo.
• Physical Format: Large, heavily illustrated upright format, with more than 250 colour photographs.
• Language: English

Official Condition Report

• The Book: Very Good Plus (VG+)
• Exterior / Boards: The picture-printed boards are clean and bright, with no obvious scuffs, rubbing or fading. The green spine, lettered in black with the CNA logo, is bright and tidy.
• Interior: The title page and copyright page are clean, with no marks or foxing.
• The Dust Jacket: Not Applicable (As Issued)

Synopsis & Historical Value

Everyone's Guide to Snakes of Southern Africa, subtitled Includes other reptiles and amphibians, was published in Johannesburg in 1991 by Central News Agency, with design and production by Struik Publishers. It is a popular guide written for the general reader rather than the specialist, and is richly illustrated with more than 250 colour photographs.

Branch describes the habitat and distribution of the animals, their prey and predators, and their breeding and behaviour. Throughout, he argues that these creatures are widely misunderstood and deserve conservation, with threats such as habitat destruction and illegal collection discussed.

For collectors of Africana and natural history, it is a handsome and accessible record of southern African herpetology from the early 1990s, written by a herpetologist of the Port Elizabeth Museum.

Author Profile: Bill Branch

William Roy Branch (1946–2018) was a British-South African herpetologist, born in London, who died in Port Elizabeth. He was described as the most prolific Africa-based herpetologist of his era, with 659 contributions to the field.

His other notable works include the Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa (1988), The Dangerous Snakes of Africa (with Steve Spawls, 1995) and Tortoises, Terrapins and Turtles of Africa (2008).

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