Frogs, toads, salamanders, caecilians, turtles, lizards, crocodiles, and numerous species of snakes in the Petén region of northern Guatemala and adjacent terrain in Mexico and Belize are illustrated and profiled in this first field guide to the reptiles and amphibians of the area. The 160 species of creatures range from the enormous, dramatic, and potentially dangerous--such as the common venomous snake called the barba amarilla (yellow beard) and the now endangered American crocodile--to diminutive tree frogs, anoles, geckos, and skinks, and the secretive snakes of the forest floor. With 176 color photographs plus line drawings and maps, this guide is designed for use both by scientists and by interested tourists and armchair travelers. Notes on where animals are likely to be found and English and Spanish identification keys help anyone wishing to spot and recognize animals in the field.

World-renowned for its biological diversity and model conservation system, Costa Rica is home to a wide variety of amphibians and reptiles, from the golden toad to the scorpion lizard to the black-headed bushmaster. Jay M. Savage has studied these fascinating creatures for more than forty years, and in The Amphibians and Reptiles of Costa Rica he provides the most comprehensive, up-to-date treatment of their biology and evolution ever produced. Costa Rica has played, and continues to play, a pivotal role in the study of tropical biology as well as the development of ecotourism and ecoprospecting, in part because more than half of the amphibians and reptiles in Costa Rica are also found elsewhere in Central America. The Amphibians and Reptiles of Costa Rica will be an essential book for a wide audience of nature lovers, naturalists, ecotourists, field biologists, conservationists, government planners, and those interested in Central America more generally. "Written for the enthusiast as well as for the field researcher, this work is an excellent reference source for each of the 396 species of amphibians and reptiles that can be found in Costa Rica. Includes complete full-color photographs of all known species in the region, as well as maps showing their distribution patterns. . . . A must-have book for any library with interests in this subject area."—J. Elliott, Southeastern Naturalist

Are you worried and anxious about the present state of the world? Are you concerned about your future and that of your family? Do you want to live better, cheaper and healthier? Without worrying about politics, war, money problems, government surveillance, keeping up with the Joneses or even the unthinkable -- nuclear Armageddon? Then consider bugging out to Belize, the little English-speaking country on the Caribbean Coast. It's so close, yet so far from most of the world's problems. Bug Out to Belize by Lan Sluder tells you how to do it: What areas are best ? How much does it costs to live in Belize? How to get residency? What are the pitfalls to avoid? And, how to make the move! Written by one of the world's leading experts on Belize, an award-winning reporter, editor and author of more than 20 books, Bug Out to Belize -- new in 2018 -- can guide you to a better, more worry-free future in beautiful Belize, the friendly, affordable, frost-free and English-speaking little country on the Caribbean Coast.

EASY BELIZE How to Live, Retire, Work and Buy Property in Belize, the English Speaking, Frost Free Paradise on the Caribbean Coast, Second Edition 2016, by Lan Sluder, is the complete guide for anyone considering relocating or retiring to Belize, and for anyone thinking of buying property or building a home in Belize. This is the fully updated, revised and expanded Second Edition. In 40 chapters, 460 pages and 170,000 words, with dozens of photographs and maps, it covers everything you need to know: Where are the best areas of Belize to live? Can you still find affordable beachfront land in Belize? What do things cost in Belize? How to find the best values on real estate Facts on health care in Belize Truth about safety and security What pitfalls and problems should you avoid? Options for residency How much per month do you need to live in Belize? Tax savings in Belize Qualified Retired Persons (QRP) program How to stretch your dollars in Belize. While this books is primarily a guide for those thinking about retiring, relocating or buying property in Belize, it also includes comprehensive information on hotels and restaurants. It also covers what to do and see in Belize, including diving, snorkeling, boating, fishing, caving, visiting Maya sites and other adventures. This makes Easy Belize handy for your "check-it-out" scouting trip to Belize. Easy Belize provides detailed information on all the major areas of Belize, whether inland or on the coast and cayes: Corozal Town and Corozal District; the islands of Belize including Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) and Caye Caulker and the small offshore cayes; Belmopan City, San Ignacio/Santa Elena and Benque Viejo in Cayo District; Dangriga, Hopkins and Placencia in Stann Creek District; the Punta Gorda and Maya villages areas in Toledo District; and Belize City and rural Belize District. Lan Sluder has been reporting on Belize for 25 years. He is the author of more than a dozen books and ebooks on the country, including Fodor's Belize, Living Abroad in Belize, Bug Out to Belize and San Pedro Cool.

This book provides information relevant for the conservation of biodiversity and the sound management of the coastal and forest ecosystems of the Yucatan Peninsula in the face of global change. Various aspects of the biodiversity of the Yucatan Peninsula are analyzed in an integrative manner, including phenological, ecophysiological, ecological and conservation aspects of plants and animals and their relationships with humans in coastal and forest ecosystems.

Snakes of the World: A Catalogue of Living and Extinct Species-the first catalogue of its kind-covers all living and fossil snakes described between 1758 and 2012, comprising 3,509 living and 274 extinct species allocated to 539 living and 112 extinct genera. Also included are 54 genera and 302 species that are dubious or invalid, resulting in reco

Documents in comprehensive detail a major environmental crisis: rapidly declining amphibian populations and the disturbing developmental problems that are increasingly prevalent within many amphibian species.

Describes the different species of amphibians and reptiles which can be found on the Yucatan Peninsula.

Birds and Beasts of Ancient Mesoamerica links Precolumbian animal imagery with scientific data related to animal morphology and behavior, providing in-depth studies of the symbolic importance of animals and birds in Postclassic period Mesoamerica. Representations of animal deities in Mesoamerica can be traced back at least to Middle Preclassic Olmec murals, stone carvings, and portable art such as lapidary work and ceramics. Throughout the history of Mesoamerica real animals were merged with fantastical creatures, creating zoological oddities not unlike medieval European bestiaries. According to Spanish chroniclers, the Aztec emperor was known to keep exotic animals in royal aviaries and zoos. The Postclassic period was characterized by an iconography that was shared from central Mexico to the Yucatan peninsula and south to Belize. In addition to highlighting the symbolic importance of nonhuman creatures in general, the volume focuses on the importance of the calendrical and astronomical symbolism associated with animals and birds. Inspired by and dedicated to the work of Mesoamerican scholar Cecelia Klein and featuring imagery from painted books, monumental sculpture, portable arts, and archaeological evidence from the field of zooarchaeology, Birds and Beasts of Ancient Mesoamerica highlights the significance of the animal world in Postclassic and early colonial Mesoamerica. It will be important to students and scholars studying Mesoamerican art history, archaeology, ethnohistory, and zoology.

This book is the first significant contribution to thoroughly examine the potential hazards associated with snakes of the former family, Colubridae. This family contained >65% of living snake species (approximately 3,000 taxa) and has recently been split into multiple families. Many of these snakes produce oral secretions that contain toxins and other biologically-active substances. A large variety of these snakes figure in the pet industry, yet little documented information or formal study of their potential medical importance has been published. Therefore, although the possible medical importance of many of these species has been subjected to speculation since the mid-nineteenth century, there is a limited amount of useful descriptive information regarding the real hazard (or lack thereof) of snakes belonging to this diverse, artificial family. There is a need for "one-stop shopping" offering information regarding their possible toxicity and clinical relevance as well as recommendations for medical management of their bites. This book is the first synthesis of this information and includes evidence-based risk assessment, hazard rankings and specific recommendations regarding important species, many common in captivity. - Fills a gap in the toxinological, medical and herpetological literature by providing a comprehensive review of this entire assemblage of snakes, with particular attention given to their capacity, real or rumored, to cause harm to humans - A patient-centered, evidence-based approach is applied to analyzing documented case reports of bites inflicted by approximately 100 species - Clinical management of medically significant bites from non-front-fanged colubroids is methodically reviewed, and specific recommendations are provided