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Awesome stuff Gabriel!! Have visited South(ern) Africa several times and it never gets boring! Sad to see all the d.o.r. snakes Did you encounter many snakes being killed by locals? That is still a very widespread phenomenon.

Regards, Rémon

Hi guys,
Can any of you advise me on any book/guide for South African herping?
Thanks,

Luis

There are quite a few, from Branch, Marais, Alexander. Regarding snakes they are fairly complete, but I find the ones I have limited regarding lizards, agamas and skinks, with most species being mentioned within genera but no accurate description and photos of each seperate one unfortunately. Frogs of Southern Africa (Du Preez and Carruthers) I would recommend as well.

Thanks Rémon. No, usually dead snakes were found killed by cars. One of them, a big melantistic Pseudaspis cana was in the side of the road. Perfect, except the head was very broken. I don´t know if somebody hit it with a stick, if a car just hit the head, or maybe a car hit it and a moongose or something like that tried to eat it by the head (we found the first night about 12 moongose, but probably it would try to eat the internal organs).

Anyway local herpetologist told us that specially "black people" usually kill all snakes...

Miguel, for me the best book of snakes is http://www.randomstruik.co.za/books/sna ... frica/5554

For all reptiles, maybe this is the best: http://www.randomstruik.co.za/books/a-g ... frica/2428

This is not bad but there are no all species: http://www.amazon.com/Field-Snakes-Rept ... 0883590425

Cheers

BTW I put a link to a very amazing web of probably my top 1 country in the world for herping

http://kenyareptileatlas.com/index.html

Gabriel Martínez wrote:BTW I put a link to a very amazing web of probably my top 1 country in the world for herping

http://kenyareptileatlas.com/index.html

A great country regarding species diversity, but a bit hairy for field herping if you don't spend the money going to the national parks.

Thanks guys for your replies and book advice (internet site included).
I'll have a look later at all the info, but I still have time. If we go it will be in 2016. I believe that there is a list of reptiles on wikipedia, maybe that list and the reports I find will give me the first indication of what an where to go.
Thanks. Miguel

Be aware though that it might not be possible everywhere to just 'herp-around' due to safety hazards (human and animal). I wouldn't recommend just wandering around everywhere.

Thanks for you concerns Rémon, I was not intending to wander about everywhere. I am aweare of the dangers in some areas.
Nonetheless an extra warning is always welcome.
Before I go there and when I decide on the area, I'll come back on the subject in this board.
As I see it now I'll most probably only stay in the states of Cape and Northern Cape.

Miguel