Texas has a large and diverse turtle population, with forms that are found nowhere else (Cagle’s Map Turtle and the Texas Map Turtle) and wide-ranging species that barely touch the state, including the Painted Turtles and the Rough-footed Mud Turtle. From the Sabine River to El Paso, and from the Rio Grande to the Panhandle, thirty-one native and established exotic turtle species are definitely known in Texas, along with one crocodilian, the American Alligator. Texas Turtles & Crocodilians is the first complete identification guide to all the state’s turtles and to its single alligator. It offers detailed species accounts, range maps, and excellent color photographs to aid in field identification. The authors, two of the state’s most knowledgeable herpetologists, open the book with a broad overview of turtle natural history, conservation biology, observation, and captive maintenance before providing a key to Texas turtles and accounts of the various turtle families and species. Appendices provide brief accounts of species that occurred prehistorically in Texas and non-established exotic species, as well as a table of Texas’ major watersheds and the turtle diversity in each one. Informational resources on Texas turtles and alligators, a map of Texas counties, a glossary, a bibliography, and indexes of common and scientific names complete the volume.

Found only in the United States, the American alligator ranges in Texas through 120 counties, from the Sabine River to the Rio Grande, across a swath of river drainages and coastal marshes that include both the backwater swamps of the Big Thicket and the urban bayous of greater Houston. From its beginning in a pile of eggs buried in a meticulously constructed nest to its possible end as an alligator burger or a pair of boots, an alligator’s habitat preferences sometimes coincide with the favorite haunts of boaters, hunters, and coastal residents. In Alligators of Texas, biologist Louise Hayes and photographer Philippe Henry bring readers up close to this cryptic reptile’s food choices, parenting skills, communication techniques, and responses to natural events such as freezes and hurricanes. They also relate some Texas “alligator tales”; discuss alligator farming, hunting, and live capturing; and examine how people can successfully co-exist with this predator. They end by telling readers where they can view alligators, both in the wild and in captivity. Although not as often, as easily, or perhaps as happily observed as white-tailed deer or armadillos, the American alligator is an iconic Texas animal, and knowing more about its life and habits can help Texans better understand its rightful place in the landscape.

Crocodile snapping turtles have a place with the sort Macrochelys, which was as of late isolated into three separate species: the first species, Macrochelys temminckii, and now additionally M. suwannensis and M. apalachicolae, named after the Suwannee and Apalachicola Rivers where they live. In contrast to their cousins, the basic snapping turtles (sort Chalydra), croc snapping turtles are found for the most part in the stream frameworks of the southeastern United States. Snappers were once bountiful from the Florida Panhandle and eastern Texas to as far north as southeastern Iowa. Notwithstanding, due to overharvesting of their meat and living space misfortune, they are currently jeopardized in numerous states. (Campbell's Soup used to create solidified turtle soup in the 60's and 70's.) this book will teach you everything about this incredible creature and how you can take care of them and even keep them as pets

A ten-volume set that explores the similarities and differences between amphibians and reptiles.

Bartlett's Guide and Reference contains up-to-date and easy-to-use information for all 208 recognized species and subspecies of crocodilians, turtles, and lizards (native, introduced, and established) found within eastern and central North America, north of Mexico. Each species is classified by family and illustrated with a full-color photo. Detailed descriptions include information on appearance, behavior, range, habitat, and identifying features, as well as how to distinguish between similar species. Ecological issues are also highlighted.

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For fifteen years, the Texas Master Naturalist program has been hugely successful, training more than 9,600 volunteers who have given almost 2.8 million hours to nature education. This dedicated corps of naturalists provides teaching, outreach, and service in their communities, promoting the appreciation and stewardship of natural resources and natural areas around the state. Hundreds of new volunteers are trained every year, and the Texas Master Naturalist Statewide Curriculum serves as the basis of instruction for trainees who complete a certification course taught under the auspices of more than forty program chapters. The curriculum contains twenty-four units of instruction that range from geology to ornithology to wetland ecology—all written by the state’s top scientists and experts. Available as well to educators, interpreters, and others who may not yet be able to commit to the Texas Master Naturalist program, the curriculum offers an authoritative source of information for anyone seeking to learn more about the natural world in Texas.