Stephen Spawls is a herpetologist who specialises in the reptiles of East Africa, and especially Kenya. His books include Kenya: A Natural History and Handbook of Reptiles of Northeast Africa. The late Kim Howell was Professor of Zoology at the University of Dar es Salaam for more than 40 years, having studied the fauna of Tanzania since 1970. Harald Hinkel is a German naturalist specialising in biodiversity and conservation, who has also worked extensively in disaster relief, particularly in Rwanda. Michele Menegon is an expert on East African herpetofauna, having spent most of his time since 1997 conducting research across the region.