A Complete Guide to the Snakes of Southern Africa

Author: Johan Marais
Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa
ISBN: 1775847489
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 1026

Book Description
This long-awaited third edition of A Complete Guide to the Snakes of Southern Africa has been updated, revised and expanded. New information based on scientific research relating to behaviour, identification, reproduction and snake venoms has been included in the species accounts. Features of this book: Covers all essential aspects of snake biology and behaviour; species descriptions are accompanied by full-colour photographs and distribution maps; simple icons make essential information available at a glance; a separate ‘key features’ box assists in quickly identifying species in the field; chapters on classification and identification, keeping snakes, and the treatment of snakebite supplement the species accounts. Sales points: A guide to all snakes, dangerous and harmless, in southern Africa; practical first-aid advice for snakebite; packed with full-colour images; icons, maps and concise text make identification simple.

A Guide to the Reptiles of Southern Africa

Author: Graham Alexander
Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa
ISBN: 1431702250
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 408

Book Description
Southern Africa is home to a remarkably diverse and rich reptile fauna, which is presented in this book in a lively and accessible way. A Guide to the Reptiles of Southern Africa introduces the 517 species currently described in the region and presents interesting insight on reptile identification and diversity, distribution patterns, and biology and behaviour. It also offers tips on finding and observing reptiles, as well as unravelling the facts and fallacies of snakebite. Southern African reptiles fall into three main groups (orders): snakes and lizards, crocodiles and shelled reptiles, and each group comprises in turn a number of related families and sub-groups, which form the basic structure of the book. The reptiles are discussed within their relevant groups according to appearance, biology, reproduction, distribution and conservation status. Informative panels with simple icons provide key information on distribution, typical habitat and period of activity, and a wealth of full-colour photographs brings the subject matter vividly to life.

Snakes of Southern Africa

Author: Johan Marais
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780620243872
Category : Snakes
Languages : en
Pages : 18

Book Description
An A5 laminated fold-out field guide featuring dangerous and common harmless snakes found in Southern Africa. Includes a Snake Bite First Aid and Treatment section.

Snakes of Central and Western Africa

Author: Jean-Philippe Chippaux
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
ISBN: 1421427192
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 442

Book Description
Snakes of Central and Western Africa illuminates a previously little-known part of the natural world, provides vital information that could save many lives, and will make an excellent addition to any herpetology library.

"Venomous Bites from Non-Venomous Snakes

Author: Scott A Weinstein
Publisher: Elsevier
ISBN: 0123877555
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 365

Book Description
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

Guidelines for the Management of Snakebites Second Edition

Author: Who Regional Office for South-East Asia
Publisher: World Health Organization
ISBN: 9290225300
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 208

Book Description
Snakebites are well-known medical emergencies in many parts of the world especially in rural areas. Agricultural workers and children are most affected. The incidence of snakebite mortality is particularly high in South-East Asia. Rational use of snake anti-venom can substantially reduce mortality and morbidity due to snake bites. These guidelines are a revised and updated version of those published in 2011. The geographical coverage extends from India in the west to DPR Korea and Indonesia in the east Nepal and Bhutan in the north and to Sri Lanka and Indonesia in the south and south-east. Snakes inhabiting the Indonesian islands east of Wallace?s line (West Papua and Maluku Islands) are part of the Australasian elapid fauna differing from those west of this line. This publication aims to pass on a digest of available knowledge about all clinical aspects of snake-bite to medically trained personnel including medical doctors nurses dispensers and community health workers. They aim to provide suffcient practical information to allow medically trained personnel to assess and treat patients with snake-bites at different levels of the health service.

The Dangerous Snakes of Africa

Author: Steve Spawls
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472960270
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 612

Book Description
The definitive reference guide to all of Africa's venomous snakes, written by two internationally acclaimed herpetologists. Africa is a true hotspot for snake diversity, with several hundred species. Unfortunately, a scared snake or one that is trodden on may bite, and some species have venom that can prove fatal. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa is an indispensable guide to these reptiles. It covers all 137 dangerous snake species in Africa, along with another 70 species that are easily confused with them. All are described, with each account looking in detail at their identification, habitat and distribution, behaviour and venom, as well as how to treat bites and a selection of photographs, accompanied by an accurate range map. Introductory sections cover the major snake groups, their venom characteristics, how to avoid snake bites and first-aid advice. This comprehensive book is an essential tool for all naturalists, conservationists, educators, field workers and medical personnel throughout Africa.

"Venomous" Bites from "Non-Venomous" Snakes

Author: Scott A Weinstein
Publisher: Elsevier
ISBN: 0128227877
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 790

Book Description
"Venomous" Bites from "Non-Venomous" Snakes, Second Edition thoroughly examines the potential hazards associated with bites by non-front-fanged snakes (popularly, but inaccurately, called "rear-fanged snakes"). This diverse group contains approximately 80% of living snake species (approximately 2,900 species). A large proportion of these snakes were previously assigned to the family Colubridae but, as a consequence of expanding systematics investigations, have been split into multiple families and subfamilies. Many of these snakes produce venoms or oral secretions that contain toxins and other biologically active substances. A large variety of non–front-fanged 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-19th century, there is a limited amount of useful descriptive information regarding the real hazard (or lack thereof) of this wide variety of snakes. The first edition of this book provided "one-stop shopping" by offering information regarding their possible toxicity and clinical relevance as well as recommendations for medical management of their bites. The second edition expands and updates the content with detailed information about the effects and medical management of bites by a broad representation of non–front-fanged species. The hypothetical venomous nature of some lizards considered as non-venomous such as the Komodo monitor or dragon and their allies, as well as the medical effects of their bites, is also examined. The dynamic taxonomy of advanced snakes is updated, and the bases for some of these fluid changes are discussed. Likewise, terminology is also updated in order to reflect the ongoing debates regarding the definition of "venom" and the balanced reinforcement of nonmedical criteria used to define the biological basis of the term "venomous." - Fills a gap in toxicological, medical, and herpetological literature by providing a comprehensive review of this entire assemblage of non–front-fanged snakes, with particular attention given to their capacity to cause harm to humans - Offers a patient-centered, evidence-based approach which is applied to analyzing documented case reports of bites inflicted by a broad representation of species - Provides expanded and updated detailed information on the clinical management of medically significant bites from non–front-fanged snakes, which is also methodically reviewed, and specific recommendations are provided - Includes updates of the fluid taxonomy of advanced snakes and also of terminology with particular regard to the definition of "venom" and the nonmedical criteria used to define the biological basis of the "venomous condition" in snakes and lizards

Snakes, People, and Spirits, Volume One

Author: Robert Hazel
Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing
ISBN: 1527542920
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 567

Book Description
This two-volume publication offers an in-depth analysis of ophidian symbolism in Eastern Africa, while setting the topic within its regional and historical context: namely, with regards to the rest of Africa, ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, the Greek world, ancient Palestine, Arabia, India, and medieval and pre-Christian Europe. Through the ages, most of those areas have connected with Eastern Africa in a broad sense, where ophidian symbolism was as “rampant” and far-reaching, if not more so, as anywhere else on the continent, and perhaps in past civilisations. Much as in the wider context, snakes were held to be long-lived, closely related to holes, caverns, trees, and water, life and death, and credited with a liking for milk. Even though ophidian symbolism has always been developed out of the outstanding biological and ethological features of snakes, the process of symbolisation, which plays a crucial role in the elaboration of cultural systems and the shaping of human experience, was inevitably at work. This first volume deals with snakes as a zoological category; snake symbolism as perceived by encyclopaedists and psychologists; and ophidian symbolism as it occurred in ancient civilisations. It explores the traditional African scene in general with a view to set the scene for a more proximate baseline for comparison. The divide between animals and humans was porous, and snakes had a more or less equal footing in both the animal realm and the spiritual world. Key features of snake symbolism in traditional Eastern Africa are then examined in detail, especially phantasmagorical snakes, the rainbow serpent, snake-totems, and snake-related witches and ritual leaders, among others. In Eastern Africa, the meanings attributed to snakes were multifaceted and paradoxical. Overall, the two volumes of this publication show that African snake symbolism broadly echoed the diverse representations of ancient civilisations. The widely acknowledged assimilation of snakes to death and Evil is therefore unrepresentative, both historically and culturally.

Nephrology and Public Health Worldwide

Author: G.B. Silva Junior
Publisher: Karger Medical and Scientific Publishers
ISBN: 331806937X
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 369

Book Description
Nephrology is one of the fastest growing specialties in medicine. Nevertheless, kidney disease is one of the most serious unmet health needs in many countries. To provide healthcare access with the desirable equity worldwide, the nephrology community needs to discuss this public health issue and take part in decisions for elaboration of public health policies with more justice and equity. This book brings together key current public health problems that affect kidney function and illuminates them in contributions by an international group of nephrologists and general practitioners. The chapters review current knowledge and provide guidelines to manage these conditions and decrease the disease burden. At the end, developments in the digital era and their application to kidney disease treatment are synthesized, and a broader outlook on the future of nephrology is given. Ultimately, the publication aims to gather nephrology and public health expertise from researchers from all over the world, providing a broad vision of issues that must be discussed and overcome to guarantee a better treatment for patients with kidney diseases in the world today.