Reptiles of the Soutpansberg: Biogeography, distribution and communities

Abstract

Globally, reptiles, like all terrestrial vertebrates, are currently facing human induced population declines at an unprecedented level. However, from a South African perspective, it is unclear how human pressures are affecting reptiles. One of the reasons this is so, is due to a scarcity of community level baseline information, thus hindering our ability to adequately monitor fluctuations in species and populations. This thesis aims to critically evaluate and map the current state of knowledge concerning reptile communities in South Africa.