Herping Texas: The Quest for Reptiles and Amphibians (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781623496647)

Coiled beneath discarded trash or rocky slabs, basking along river edges, and tucked into rock cuts beside the highway, reptiles and amphibians constantly surround us. While many people go out of their way to avoid snakes or shudder at the thought of touching a toad, herpers take to the field armed with cameras, hooks, and notebooks hoping to come across a horned lizard, green tree frog, or even a diamondback rattlesnake.

In Herping Texas: The Quest for Reptiles and Amphibians, Michael Smith and Clint King, expert naturalists and field herpers, take readers on their adventures across the state as they search for favorite herps and rare finds. Organized by ecoregion, Herping Texas describes some of the state's most spectacular natural places, from Big Bend to the Big Thicket. Each chapter contains photographs of the various snakes, lizards, toads, and turtles Smith and King have encountered on their trips.

Part nature travel writing and part guide to field herping, Herping Texas also includes a section on getting started, where the authors give readers necessary background on best field herping practices. A glossary defines herping lingo and scientific terms for newcomers, and an appendix lists threatened and endangered species at the state and federal level.

Herping Texas promotes experiencing natural places and wildlife equipped with solid information and a responsible conservation ethic. Throughout their decades tracking herps, Smith and King have collected humorous anecdotes and fascinating facts about reptiles and amphibians. By sharing those, they hope to dispel some of the stigma and false ideas people have about these misunderstood animals.

Author: Michael A. Smith, Clint R. King
ISBN-10: 1623496640
ISBN-13: 9781623496647
Publisher: Texas A&M University Press
Language: English
Published: 10/04/2018
Pages: 336
Format: Paperback
Weight: 1.45lbs
Size: 9.30h x 6.20w x 0.90d

Review Citation(s):
Choice 04/01/2019

About the Author
MICHAEL SMITH is the cofounder of the Dallas-Fort Worth Herpetological Society and often teaches herpetology to local classes of master naturalists. By day, he is a licensed psychological associate and lives in Arlington, Texas. CLINT KING is a longstanding member of the Dallas-Fort Worth Herpetological Society and has served on its board as the field trip director. He lives in Azle, Texas. Follow their adventures at greatrattlesnakehwy.com.