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Amateur naturalists will be armed with all the tools they need to identify an array of reptiles and amphibians in Britain, Ireland and the Channel Islands, from Great Crested Newts to Hawksbill Turtles. Species photos are accompanied by detailed descriptions, and the handy ID charts will be perfect for quick references when out in the field. -- "BBC Wildlife
In addition to useful quick identification charts, each species receives a full treatment in an account awash with excellent photographs. It is a stunning book, well thought out and eminently practical. -- Mike Toms, BTO News
Whether trekking with the aim of field-study, or whether simply interested in reptiles and amphibians, I would recommend Britain's Reptiles and Amphibians to anyone with interests in herpetology and native wildlife. -- Ian Millichip, Lacerta
[T]his guide is a worthy addition to any naturalist's library. -- Rachel Thompson, Surrey Nature
This slim but extremely useful and profusely illustrated new book, written by life-long herpetological enthusiast Howard Inns, helps to spotlight the creatures that rarely make headlines and can be difficult to observe really well. -- Ron Toft, TheTravelEditor.com
In addition to useful quick identification charts, each species receives a full treatment in an account awash with excellent photographs. It is a stunning book, well thought out and eminently practical. -- Mike Toms, BTO News
Whether trekking with the aim of field-study, or whether simply interested in reptiles and amphibians, I would recommend Britain's Reptiles and Amphibians to anyone with interests in herpetology and native wildlife. -- Ian Millichip, Lacerta
[T]his guide is a worthy addition to any naturalist's library. -- Rachel Thompson, Surrey Nature
This slim but extremely useful and profusely illustrated new book, written by life-long herpetological enthusiast Howard Inns, helps to spotlight the creatures that rarely make headlines and can be difficult to observe really well. -- Ron Toft, TheTravelEditor.com
Product Description
This detailed guide to the reptiles and amphibians of Britain, Ireland, and the Channel Islands has been produced, with the collaboration of the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust, with the aim of inspiring an increased level of interest in these exciting and fascinating animals. It is designed to help anyone who finds a lizard, snake, turtle, tortoise, terrapin, frog, toad, or newt to identify it with confidence.
- Stunning photography
- An easy-to-use approach to identification
- Superbly illustrated introductory sections on the biology and conservation, taxonomy, lifecycle, and behavior of each species group
- Profiles of the 16 native reptiles and amphibians that breed in Britain, Ireland, and the Channel Islands and the 5 marine turtles that visit Britain's seas
- Profiles of 7 established nonnative species and a summary of 8 more with a history of release/escape
- Distribution maps based on the latest available information
- Hints and tips on where, when, and how to watch reptiles and amphibians
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Difficult to fault. As someone who prefers good quality artworks to photographs in identification guides, I must admit that these photos could not be bettered. If anything, the book almost suffers from an overdose of them. I have never seen such a 'picture heavy' guide, but that's no bad thing. Aside from New Naturalists, there doesn't seem to have been a guide devoted solely to the British fauna in living memory, presumably due to the difficulty of producing a meaningful book covering so few species. And yet Howard Inns has done it, filling 160 or so pages without ever resorting to padding or waffle. Perhaps this explains the number of pictures. The marine turtles, and Channel Isles species such as the agile frog are given fuller treatment here than in the New Naturalist volumes too.
Trying hard to find something to nitpick, I am disappointed that in amongst all the pictures of sand lizards there isn't a single one of a non-breeding male. Perhaps the differences in throat / belly markings between the smooth and palmate newts are not always as clear cut as the guide suggests? And why are the smooth and palmate newts separated by the great created? And finally, while the plastic jacket is a nice touch, its not actually going to stop the book turning to pulp if you drop it in a pond.
All pretty trivial criticisms though. This really is an excellent guide.
Trying hard to find something to nitpick, I am disappointed that in amongst all the pictures of sand lizards there isn't a single one of a non-breeding male. Perhaps the differences in throat / belly markings between the smooth and palmate newts are not always as clear cut as the guide suggests? And why are the smooth and palmate newts separated by the great created? And finally, while the plastic jacket is a nice touch, its not actually going to stop the book turning to pulp if you drop it in a pond.
All pretty trivial criticisms though. This really is an excellent guide.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is the most detailed and well informed of all the British field guides I have read. Inns writes in a style that lends itself to easy understanding managing to make even the most dull of technical detail interesting.
The guide is awash with stunning colour photographs (a marked improvement over even the most detailed of illusrations)and useful pointers on every page that tells you everything you need to know in order to observe and conserve these much maligned yet very attractive members of British fauna!
The guide is well laid out and comes in a protective sleeve, a nice touch for those who take their guides into the field.
My only complaint really is the price, a little hefty but at least its discounted on Amazon.
An essential up to date and complete tome. Recommend!
The guide is awash with stunning colour photographs (a marked improvement over even the most detailed of illusrations)and useful pointers on every page that tells you everything you need to know in order to observe and conserve these much maligned yet very attractive members of British fauna!
The guide is well laid out and comes in a protective sleeve, a nice touch for those who take their guides into the field.
My only complaint really is the price, a little hefty but at least its discounted on Amazon.
An essential up to date and complete tome. Recommend!
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
For several years now, WILDGuides have been setting the standard for small, handy field guides that focus mainly on the identification of neglected groups of wildlife. Their approach is characterised by portability, emphasis on visual utility (the use of computer enhanced photographs) and a significant contribution to conservation. The latter is achieved in two ways: firstly by getting these guides into the hands of the public at very competitive prices (WILDGuides is a non-profit publisher) and secondly by donating all profits to conservation organisations that work on the area or organisms treated by each guide.
True to form, WILDGuides' new guide to Britain's Reptiles & Amphibians covers a group that has not received much attention in recent years. But the guide recommends itself not just by simple default: a lot of care has clearly gone into ensuring that this will be the definitive guide for years to come. To begin with, all Britain's species are included: thirteen species native to Britain and Ireland, plus five marine turtles (the "native" Leatherback and the four vagrants), six well established non-native species and eight other exotics.
Foremost are the photographs, more than 200 of which handsomely illustrate the introductory chapters as well as the species accounts themselves. Needless to say, the images are of the highest quality. The text matches them, being succinct, informative and authoritative, both on identification features and on natural history. It is heartening to see a strong emphasis on conservation too. WILDGuides' trademark annual activity clocks - a highly effective way of portraying life cycles - and crystal clear, up-to-date distribution maps, complement the text. Preceding the species accounts, a series of summary identification charts compare the characteristics of similar groups of species. And there are some striking comparative images of snake heads, as well as photographs of the sloughed skin of reptiles (the latter easily enabling identification by this method). It would be difficult to ask for more.
And since WILDGuides is a non-profit organisation that supports conservation throughout the world, you are helping ensure that the wildlife you enjoy today will still be there for others to enjoy tomorrow. In this case, profits from the book go to the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust.
In sum, this is THE guide to reptiles and amphibians, an essential addition to the naturalist's library. Highly recommended for beginners and experts alike.
Chris Sharpe, 3 November 2009. ISBN-13: 978-1-903657-25-6
True to form, WILDGuides' new guide to Britain's Reptiles & Amphibians covers a group that has not received much attention in recent years. But the guide recommends itself not just by simple default: a lot of care has clearly gone into ensuring that this will be the definitive guide for years to come. To begin with, all Britain's species are included: thirteen species native to Britain and Ireland, plus five marine turtles (the "native" Leatherback and the four vagrants), six well established non-native species and eight other exotics.
Foremost are the photographs, more than 200 of which handsomely illustrate the introductory chapters as well as the species accounts themselves. Needless to say, the images are of the highest quality. The text matches them, being succinct, informative and authoritative, both on identification features and on natural history. It is heartening to see a strong emphasis on conservation too. WILDGuides' trademark annual activity clocks - a highly effective way of portraying life cycles - and crystal clear, up-to-date distribution maps, complement the text. Preceding the species accounts, a series of summary identification charts compare the characteristics of similar groups of species. And there are some striking comparative images of snake heads, as well as photographs of the sloughed skin of reptiles (the latter easily enabling identification by this method). It would be difficult to ask for more.
And since WILDGuides is a non-profit organisation that supports conservation throughout the world, you are helping ensure that the wildlife you enjoy today will still be there for others to enjoy tomorrow. In this case, profits from the book go to the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust.
In sum, this is THE guide to reptiles and amphibians, an essential addition to the naturalist's library. Highly recommended for beginners and experts alike.
Chris Sharpe, 3 November 2009. ISBN-13: 978-1-903657-25-6
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A Fantastic Purchase
This book is one which I am very fond of. I thought I knew my way around British Herpetofauna but it seems i've only scraped the barrel! Read more
Published 22 months ago by Erik Paterson
Excellent value
Written by an acknowledged expert, beautifully produced and sensibly given a plastic jacket to help with use under field conditions.
Published on 28 Feb 2010 by D. Tutt
Highly recommendable
This brand-new photographic field quide sets a bench mark of clear informative text and superb quality pictures beautifully reproduced. Read more
Published on 16 Dec 2009 by P. H. Smith
Excellent book
This is an excellent publication with superb, close-up, coloured photographs in true life colours. It contains detailed descriptions, habitat, feeding, behaviour and population... Read more
Published on 9 Oct 2009 by tsugaclive
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