Other reptiles of the Galapagos Islands include geckos and Galapagos snakes. A must-have wonderfully illustrated book showing the unique diversity of Galápagos reptiles! Beautiful, informative, and fun to learn from, the Reptiles of Galápagos will be treasured by scientists, visitors, and local people of the Galápagos alike. And the endemic marine iguana is the only sea-going lizard, its features undeniable proof of Darwin's theory of evolution. The need for a handy guide to the diverse Galápagos reptiles has finally been met. Galapagos Conservancy is sponsoring a new book, Galápagos Reptiles, which is currently available digitally and contains information on how to find and identify each reptile species in the Galapagos along with their habits, distribution, and threats. New “Reptiles of Galápagos” Book Now Available Online. Congratulations to our friends and colleagues at Tropical Herping on this achievement. The photos are stunning. – Cristina Mittermeier, Sea Legacy "Now at last is a book that uniquely illustrates the amazing biodiversity among Galápagos reptiles. Reptiles historically had an advantage over mammals when it came to arriving to the islands: it is thought that most land animals that arrived by chance into the Galapagos came clinging to clumps of vegetation or wood set adrift from the mainland. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law in your country. Mammals need more water and were much less likely to survive the journey to the Galapagos Islands, whereas reptiles had the endurance for the trip. In 1845, Charles Darwin wrote about the reptiles of Galápagos and noted that the islands were a paradise for these animals. 2 Between 1875 and 1890, several European researchers, most notably Albert Günther, Georg Baur, and Franz Steindachner, published the first accounts detailing some of the major groups of Galápagos reptiles, including tortoises, 1 lava lizards, 3 and snakes. Cristina Mittermeier, Sea Legacy. What a wonderful new field guide to the strange and remarkable reptiles of Galápagos. While we didn’t see (or, honestly, seek out) any geckos or snakes on our trip, it’s a guarantee that anyone traveling to the Galapagos Islands for a ecologically sensitive experience … Now at last is a book that uniquely illustrates the amazing biodiversity among Galápagos reptiles. The Galapagos Islands are a paradise for reptiles: the conditions are perfect for iguanas, lizards and tortoises. Every dollar you give will help us offset the challenges of 2020 and help prepare us for the new year ahead. Galapagos Conservancy is sponsoring a new book, Galápagos Reptiles, which is currently available digitally and contains information on how to find and identify each reptile species in the Galapagos along with their habits, distribution, and threats. In fact, the Spanish word "Galapago" literally refers to the saddle shape of the giant tortoise's shell. © 2020 Tropical Herping. Miguel Vences, Technische Universität Braunschweig. Sponsorship by GC and other organizations makes the book free for everyone. This new contribution to the knowledge of the reptiles of Galápagos does not only contain information of great scientific value, but a collection of photographs of extraordinary quality. GC has provided sponsorship for the overall book, as well as for five individual species listed in its contents — the green sea turtle, the Sierra Negra giant tortoise, the Santiago racer snake, the Santa Cruz lava lizard, and the Pinzón leaf-toed gecko. Galapagos Conservancy, Inc.® is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with EIN Tax ID # 13-3281486. The illustrations are outstanding. This is one of the best, if not the best, field guide to amphibians and reptiles that I have ever seen globally. The landscape is dominated by these ancient reptiles. July 8, 2019. Beautiful, informative, and fun to learn from, the Reptiles of Galápagos will be treasured by scientists, visitors, and local people of the Galápagos alike.