Venomous River

“Venomous River weaves together thrilling expedition tales with profound insights about conservation, offering a rare glimpse into one of our planet’s most crucial yet imperiled ecosystems. Herpetologist Eli Greenbaum journeys deep into one of Earth’s remotest and most dangerous regions, searching for new species of amphibians and reptiles while confronting deadly snakes, mysterious diseases, and a cook with a dark past. Along the way, he witnesses both the incredible biodiversity of the Congo Basin and the urgent threats it faces from deforestation, poaching, and climate change.” – Neil Shubin, author of Your Inner Fish: A Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body
“The author accomplishes something that was rare in the more popular genre of biologists writing about their search for species, namely a fully contextual account where projects are situated in diverse sets of experiences. In this account, people, culture, and history are not just a backdrop but are actually integrated into the research process.” – N. Thomas Håkansson, adjunct professor of anthropology, University of Kentucky
“A riveting story of herpetological adventure in one of the most dangerous places in the world; Eli and his Congolese team brave diseases, deadly snakes, and armed men in their search for herpetological ground truth.” – Steve Spawls, author of A Field Guide to East African Reptiles
“Recounting his adventures in Africa with plants, animals, and people, Greenbaum proves to be a literary scholar and a skilled raconteur. His blend of wide-eyed naturalist, hard-core scientist, and modern environmentalist lead to 10 superbly written chapters of breathtaking adventures… Anyone with an inkling of interest in the mystique of Africa’s natural history, the Congo River, and an intrepid scientist’s pursuits of exploring them will enjoy this book.” – J. Whitfield Gibbons * The Quarterly Review of Biology *
“Greenbaum recounts how he and his team, with the help of locals, collected a wide variety of organisms, including species new to science… Readers will be captivated.” * Publishers Weekly *

Eli Greenbaum is a professor of biological sciences and the director of Biodiversity Collections at the University of Texas at El Paso. He is a world expert on the amphibian and reptilian fauna in Central Africa and has published over 125 studies in peer-reviewed scientific journals and books. His work has been covered by CNN, Newsweek, The Washington Post, NBC News, National Geographic Daily News, Africa Geographic Magazine, Reptiles Magazine, and The Huffington Post. He is the author of Emerald Labyrinth: A Scientist’s Adventures in the Jungles of the Congo, a Forbes magazine “Top 10 Science Book” of the year.

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