Eli Greenbaum is the author of the new book Venomous River: Changing Climate, Imperiled Forests, and a Scientist's Race to Find New Species in the Congo. His other books include Emerald Labyrinth. He is a professor of biological sciences at the University of Texas at El Paso.
Q: What inspired you to write Venomous River?
A: Encouraged by the positive reviews from my previous popular science book Emerald Labyrinth, I endeavored to write a new book that combined a narrative of the dangerous adventures I had along the Congo River with an important message about the ability of biodiversity to mitigate the effects of climate change.
The experience I had during the 10-week expedition also galvanized me to share the awe-inspiring beauty and complexity of the rare and new species I encountered in the heart of Africa.
Q: How did you research the book, and did you learn anything that especially surprised you?
A: Three years in the making, I consulted 566 scientific studies, reports, and books to write this book. I also spoke to experts in a wide array of fields in the sciences and humanities to put this research into context for the reader.
The most surprising and concerning thing I learned during my conversations with MD/PhD researchers is that increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere might already be affecting human health in insidious ways.
Q: How was the book’s title chosen, and what does it signify for you?
A: The title has multiple meanings that are all related to our hazardous journey along the Congo River.
The primary literal meaning relates to the large number of venomous animals we encountered, including potentially deadly cobras, mambas, vipers, and scorpions.
A secondary connotation is tied to the deception and malice of the expedition cook Poignard, who was slowly revealed to be a dangerous schemer.
Finally, the river itself evokes great peril because of its remoteness, unpredictable nature, and smorgasbord of deadly tropical diseases, some of which struck during the expedition.
Q: What do you see looking ahead when it comes to climate change in the Congo?
A: For decades, scientists have been raising the alarm about the need to reduce greenhouse gases to slow the effects of climate change. But they have seemingly failed to educate the public about the equally important need to reverse extensive damage to natural areas and conserve remaining biodiversity, especially in faraway tropical regions like the Congo Basin.
My book aims to address this shortcoming as I discuss why restoration of tropical forests with healthy levels of biodiversity will be essential to reverse our planet’s current trajectory of surging greenhouse gas levels.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: As explained in the book, dozens of potentially new species to science were discovered during the expedition, underscoring my contention that the Congo Basin has the most poorly known terrestrial biodiversity in the world. Since then, I have continued to work with my students and collaborators to describe several new species of frogs, geckos, and snakes.
Before a conservation program can be implemented for a species that is threatened with extinction, the world must first know of its existence, and thus, describing new species is a prerequisite to protect them. As a taxonomist and herpetologist, it is a joy to identify and describe new species to science, and I expect this work will continue for decades.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: I am part of a team that will unveil a year-long public museum exhibit about biodiversity hotspots, including the Eastern Afromontane hotspot, at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) Centennial Museum in September 2025.
More information about me, my students, Congolese collaborators, and our research, including many photos, videos, and blogs of 11 expeditions to Central Africa, can be found on my website, https://www.utep.edu/science/eligreenbaum/. Links to all of my social media accounts can be found on the bottom of the homepage.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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