Steve Spawls was born in London but moved to Kenya when he was four. After taking a degree in geology, he worked in Ghana; subsequently he trained as a physics teacher and worked in Egypt, Botswana and Ethiopia, spending nearly 40 years in Africa. Herpetology is his major interest; he caught his first chameleon at the age of six and lost a finger to a puff adder when he was 17. His publications include a classic field guide to East African reptiles . Bill Branch is a well-known African herpetologist and author of a range of scientific papers and eight books on the African herpetofauna, including the standard reference guide to the reptiles of southern Africa. Skilled at reaching both the scientific world and the general public, Bill has conducted extensive scientific fieldwork in over 20 African countries and has described over 40 new species. Recognized as one of Africa's leading herpetological photographers, Bill also regularly serves as an expert leader on National Geographic tours, and has frequently served on international conservation committees.