The Austrian capital is characterized by numerous green spaces. Not only a part of the "Nationalpark Donauauen" and areas of the "Biosphärenpark Wienerwald" are located on Vienna's city territory, but also many small landscape and nature reserves, ecological development areas and protected biotopes and parks contribute to the preservation of valuable greenery in the city.
17 different amphibian and 9 reptile species have their habitat in the city, including rarities such as the pelobates fuscus, the moor frog, the European pond turtle or "sympathizers" such as the fire salamander.

Silke Schweiger, curator of the herpetological collection at the NHM Vienna, Georg Gassner, collection manager of the herpetological collection, Jürgen Rienesl, expert from the nature conservation department MA 22, and Günther Wöss, research associate at the NHM Vienna, have set out to find the snakes, lizards, toads, frogs of Vienna and have now published the book together with their team "Wien: Amphibien & Reptilien in der Großstadt". "Many authors have collaborated on this book project: This creates an interesting, wide-ranging arc from biological topics to historical and anecdotal observations, which makes this book so particularly interesting," emphasizes editor Silke Schweiger.

Already since 1990, distribution data of all native amphibian and reptile species have been recorded at the NHM Vienna. Since 2018, active work has been done on the preparation of the book, which was produced by the NHM Vienna's in-house publishing house. With beautiful pictures and detailed drawings, the 18 authors in total present the animals and their habitats in the new book. In entertaining stories about the herpetofauna, they also show how much amphibians and reptiles are part of Vienna, not only as part of the animal world, but also in art and culture.
The essays are divided into four sections within the 456-page book. The texts are accompanied by numerous photographs of each species and their habitats, handmade illustrations, distribution maps, and QR codes that can be used to access the voices of frogs and toads. Each species chapter is divided into the listing of the characteristics, the way of life, the distribution, the habitat, the food, as well as protection and endangerment. The final special topics deal with research on amphibians and reptiles, but also with trails, curious stories, important personalities and much more.

Publication:
Silke Schweiger, Georg Gassner, Jürgen Rienesl & Günther Wöss (Ed.)
Wien: Amphibien & Reptilien in der Großstadt. Die spannende Vielfalt der urbanen Herpetologie
Publishing house of the NHM Vienna, 2021, 456 p., Hardcover, 27×19 cm, ISBN: 978-3-903096-30-1
Available at the publishing house of the NHM Vienna, in the museum store, and in all bookstores.
Price: € 45,00