Aquatic and Terrestrial Vertebrates of Black River Cypress Preserve – 2024
This report includes photographs and information on the natural history, ecology, habitats, GPS locations and geographic distribution in South Carolina of all aquatic and terrestrial vertebrates documented on the Black River Cypress Preserve — a 1,040-acre tract bordering the Black River near Andrews (Georgetown County), South Carolina.
The report also includes a list of species expected to be found on the Preserve based on their documented presence in the Francis Marion National Forest, which is located in adjoining counties. Field sampling was conducted from January 1 through December 31, 2022. Selected vertebrate survey techniques were used to sample in all seasons to maximize documentation of as many species as feasible.
Salleyland: Wildlife Adventures in Swamps, Sandhills, and Forests – October, 2022
Following his retirement from academic life, renowned naturalist and writer Whit Gibbons and his family purchased a tract of abandoned farmland where the South Carolina piedmont meets the coastal plain. Described as backcountry scrubland, it was originally envisioned as a family retreat, but soon the property became Gibbons’s outdoor learning laboratory where he was often aided by his four grandchildren, along with a host of enthusiastic visitors.
Inspired by nature’s power to excite, educate, and provide a sense of place in the world, Gibbons invites readers to learn about their surrounding environments by describing his latest adventures and sharing expert advice for exploring the world in which we live. Peppered throughout with colorful personal anecdotes and told with Gibbons’s affable style and wit, Salleyland: Wildlife Adventures in Swamps, Sandhills, and Forests is more than a personal memoir or a record of place. Rather, it is an exercise in learning about a patch of nature, thereby reminding us to open our eyes to the complexity and wonder of the natural world.
Starting with the simple advice of following your own curiosity, Gibbons discusses different opportunities and methods for exploring one’s surroundings, introduces key ecological concepts, offers advice for cultivating habitat, explains the value of and different approaches to keeping lists and field journals, and celebrates the advances that cell phone photography and wildlife cameras offer naturalists of all levels. With Gibbons’s guidance and encouragement, readers will learn to embrace their inner scientists, equipped with the knowledge and encouragement to venture beyond their own front doors, ready to discover the secrets of their habitat, regardless of where they live.
Turtles of the World: A Guide to Every Family Hardcover – December 7, 2021
by
A lavishly illustrated guide to the world’s turtles that covers every family and genus
Turtles of the World reveals the extraordinary diversity of these amazing reptiles. Characterized by the bony shell that acts as a shield to protect the softer body within, turtles are survivors from the time of the dinosaurs and are even more ancient in evolutionary terms than snakes and crocodilians. Of more than 350 species known today, some are highly endangered. In this beautiful guide, turtle families, subfamilies, and genera are illustrated with hundreds of color photographs. Each genus profile includes a population distribution map, a table of information, and commentary that includes notable characteristics and discussion of related species.
- More than 250 beautiful color photos
- Each profile features a distribution map, table of information, and commentary
- Broad coverage includes every family and genus
Snakes of the Eastern United States Paperback – April 15, 2017
More than sixty species of snakes are found in the eastern United States, the region of highest biodiversity of all reptiles and amphibians in North America. In this brand new guide, stunning photographs, colorful geographic range maps, and comprehensive written accounts provide essential information about each species―including detailed identification characteristics, general ecology and behavior, and conservation status. Carefully researched and written, the guide is directed toward a general audience interested in natural history.
Additional information supports the already fact-filled snake species profiles. A chapter on urban and suburban snake ecology focuses on species most commonly found in some of the country’s largest cities and residential settings. A chapter on snake conservation includes information on threats faced by native species in many regions of the eastern United States. Another chapter provides the latest updates on the status of invasive species of pythons and boa constrictors that have now become naturalized permanent residents in certain areas of the country. This is the most accessible and informative guide to snakes of the eastern United States available anywhere.
Features:
-More than 385 stunning color photographs
-Colorful geographic range maps
-Species accounts that cover identification, general ecology and behavior, and conservation status
-Extra information on snakes in urban and suburban areas
-Strong conservation message, with a focus on environmental threats to native species
-Coverage of invasive snakes
Covers snakes in these states (plus Washington, DC): Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin.