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Books > Sport & Leisure > Natural history, country life & pets > Wild animals > General
Extending from the spillway below Cochiti Dam, about fifty miles north of Albuquerque, to the headwaters of Elephant Butte Reservoir, near Truth or Consequences in the southern portion of New Mexico, the Middle Rio Grande Bosque is more than a cottonwood woodland or forest. It is a complete riverside ecosystem, among the more important in the world's arid regions. Every day hundreds of visitors to the bosque encounter flora and fauna they can't identify. Researchers and municipal, county, state, and federal resource agency personnel concerned with the bosque's management need to know how plants and animals are linked to their habitats. With descriptions of more than seven hundred plants and animals illustrated with color photographs, this authoritative guide is the first of its kind for the Middle Rio Grande Bosque and is an invaluable resource for land managers, teachers, students, eco-buffs, and nature enthusiasts. It also reveals the important role the bosque plays in New Mexico's natural heritage.
This emotionally captivating, suspense-filled, spiritually engaged, romantic memoir will appeal to cat lovers of all kinds, as well as conservationists, New Age spiritual seekers, armchair travellers, and vicarious adventurers. In this captivating, suspenseful memoir, white lion conservationist Linda Tucker describes her perilous struggle to protect the sacred white lion from the merciless and mafia-like trophy-hunting industry, armed only with her indomitable spirit and total devotion. Compellingly written in the intimate style of a journal, Tucker describes with unflinching honesty her fears, doubts, hopes, and dreams, all the while unfolding for us an unforgettable tale of adventure, romance, spirituality, and most of all, justice.
John (Kay) Corner left home in 1960, aged 19. He would never see his father, E. J. H. Corner, again. Edred John Henry Corner was one of the most colourful and productive biologists and mycologists of the 20th century. His career began in 1929 as Assistant Director of the Straits Settlements Singapore Botanic Gardens, where he trained monkeys to collect specimens from the treetops of the rainforest, and published Wayside Trees of Malaya, a classic field guide interspersed with his delightful and idiosyncratic observations on plant life. He was key in the creation of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, a 163- hectare plot that contains more tree species than the whole of North America. When war came, he considered it his responsibilty to safeguard the scientific and cultural collections of Singapore during the Japanese Occupation, but was branded by some as a collaborator. Post-war, after heading the ambitious UNESCO Hylean Amazon Project, he returned to Cambridge University and was appointed Professor of Tropical Botany in 1965. There he propounded his theory that the Durian represented an ancestral type of angiosperm tree. He was elected a Fellow of The Royal Society, where he promoted the conservation of tropical forests and led expeditions to the British Solomon Islands and Mount Kinabalu. For the latter, he proposed Kinabalu Park which led to its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After 46 years, John Corner faces his estranged father in a suitcase marked: 'For Kay, wherever he might be.' The letters, pictures and other memorabilia that spill out led him to search for the father he hardly knew, resulting in an engaging and frank biography of an eminent scientist who put science above all, including his family.
Two-volume set. Since the publication of The Venomous Reptiles of Latin America by Cornell University Press in 1989, scientific discoveries and taxonomic changes have resulted in the addition of many taxa and species to the herpetological fauna of the Western Hemisphere. This updated, heavily rewritten, and greatly expanded version of that book now includes accounts of all 192 species of venomous snakes and lizards found in the Western Hemisphere. This two-volume set is illustrated with stunning color photographs, including portraits of venomous reptiles (many of which are unique in showing newly discovered species and views of male, female, and juvenile individuals); images of snakebites, an important tool for diagnosis and treatment; color vegetation and topographic maps; black-and-white photographs; line figures; and completely revised distribution maps. Volume I includes a list of tables, preface, introduction, and regional/country accounts with related bilingual identification keys and vegetation and topographic maps. Genus and species accounts in this volume treat the lizards, coralsnakes, seasnakes, and all the pitvipers except rattlesnakes; these accounts are accompanied by color photographs of each species. Volume I also contains a complete index to both volumes. Volume II includes descriptions of all known species of rattlesnakes. It also features four chapters by experts on mimicry, evolution, and snakebite treatment in tropical and temperate America. A glossary, literature-cited section, and index serve both volumes. Color photographs portray rattlesnakes, mimics, and the damage done by snakebite. The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere is an essential reference for all naturalists interested in herpetology amateurs impressed by the beauty and complexity of venomous reptiles as well as professional herpetologists and their students conducting research in the classroom, at the zoo, and in the field."
From the world-famous couple who lived alongside a three-generation wolf pack, this book of inspiration, drawn from the wild, will fascinate animal and nature lovers alike. For six years Jim and Jamie Dutcher lived intimately with a pack of wolves, gaining their trust as no one has before. In this book the Dutchers reflect on the virtues they observed in wolf society and behavior. Each chapter exemplifies a principle, such as kindness, teamwork, playfulness, respect, curiosity, and compassion. Their heartfelt stories combine into a thought-provoking meditation on the values shared between the human and the animal world. Occasional photographs bring the wolves and their behaviors into absorbing focus.
British Columbia's rocky and sandy shorelines simply teem with life and 'tide-pooling' for creatures is a pastime enjoyed by residents and tourists alike. British Columbia Seashore Life is the perfect pocket-sized, folding guide for the beachcomber, and features over 140 beautiful illustrations of familiar and unique seashore plants and animals. Laminated for durability, this lightweight, pocket-sized folding guide is an excellent source of portable information and ideal for field use.
Often amusing, sometimes romantic or fraught with danger, these 30 short stories are about local people, spectacular places and the special wildlife the author sets out to find. The stories include seeking out Arabian Oryx on the searing plains of the Saudi desert; eiderdown collecting in Iceland, crouching in swirling clouds and darkness on a knife-edge ridge in the rugged Madeiran mountains and swimming with Grey Seals off the Pembroke coast. The author describes incredible encounters with spectacular animals from lumbering manatees and dangerous rhinos to unforgettable experiences such as being led by a honeyguide with a Kenyan Dorobo tribesman to the nest of wild bees and watching cranes tip-toeing their courtship dances. These hugely entertaining tales visit places as diverse as the Florida Everglades, England's New Forest, Iceland's offshore islands, the Empty Quarter of the Saudi Desert, the tiny remnants of Jordan's Azraq wetland and the impressive oak dehesas of Extremadura. Sit back and visit the world!
One night, poet and environmental writer John Lane tuned in to a sound from behind his house that he had never heard before: the nearby eerie and captivating howls of coyote. Since this was Spartanburg, South Carolina, and not Missoula, Montana, Lane set out to discover all he could about his new and unexpected neighbors. Coyote Settles the South is the story of his journey through the Southeast, where he visits coyote territories: swamps, nature preserves, old farm fields, suburbs, a tannery, and even city streets. On his travels he meets, interrogates, and observes those who interact with the animals-trappers, wildlife researchers, hunters, rattled pet owners, and even one devoted coyote hugger. Along the way, he encounters sensible, yet sometimes perplexing, insight concerning the migration into the Southeast of the American coyote, an animal that, in the end, surprises him with its intelligence, resilience, and amazing adaptability.
On his nineteenth birthday, Peter Allison flipped a coin. One side would take him to Africa and the other to South America, the two places he wanted to explore before he died. He recounted his time spent as a safari guide in Africa to much acclaim in "Whatever You Do, Don't Run" and "Don't Look Behind You." Sixteen years later, he makes his way to Santiago, Chile, ready to seek out the continent's best, weirdest, and wildest adventures, and to chase the elusive jaguar. In just the first six months, Allison is bitten by a puma (several times), knocked on his head by a bad empanada, and surrounded by piranhas while rafting down a Bolivian river--all because of his unusual fear of refrigerators and of staying in any one place for too long. Ever the gifted storyteller and cultural observer, Allison makes many observations about life in humid climes, the nature of nomadism, and exactly what it is like to be nearly blasted off a mountain by the famous Patagonia wind. Allison's self-deprecating humor is as delightful as his crazy stunts, and his love for animals--even when they bite--is infectious.
This beautifully illustrated concise guide is packed with information on the wildlife that can be found in Britain and the near Continent, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects, molluscs, and crustaceans. It covers around 200 species, all of which are illustrated with superb full-colour artworks. A concise written account covering size, description, voice, habitat, distribution and habits appears on the same page as the illustration for each species. The easy-to-follow layouts and superb artworks aid quick and accurate identification, and make this book an invaluable reference outdoors as well as at home. To protect it against the elements, the book is wrapped in a durable plastic wallet. Also included is a fold-out insert illustrating differences between similar species, and assisting in quick identification. Renowned natural history artists Sandra Doyle, Stuart Carter, David Daly and Lyn Wells painted the illustrations.
A must-read about these magnificent but sometimes deadly creatures--thoroughly revised, expanded, and updatedEvery year, millions of people travel to grizzly country, hoping for a glimpse of the Great Bear. And every year, somebody is attacked. The power of the grizzly is almost mythical and has become the stuff of legend. "Mark of the Grizzly" relies on neither myth nor legend. Rather, it relies on the true accounts of dozens of attacks, from Yellowstone National Park to Alaska, from 1977 to 2010. Author Scott McMillion examines each attack and its aftermath, interviewing victims, their survivors and investigators. Hikers, photographers, hunters, scientists and others tell their stories here, offering what they have learned and the lessons that others should know. Neither mysteries nor tales of horror, these stories create a world of wonder, respect and fear that make for a book you'll find hard to put down. In the thirteen years since "Mark of the Grizzly" first appeared. DNA science has revolutionalized how people study bears and how they investigate attacks. Growing populations of grizzlies and people have led to more bear/human encounters--some fatal--and grizzlies now wander parts of the West where they hadn't been seen for decades. This new edition includes a thorough update of existing material and new or expanded chapters that cover: - The recent attacks around Yellowstone National Park and Anchorage, Alaska, which have generated national headlines.- The increased popularity of mountain biking and trail running in grizzly country. Are such sports advisable there?- Expanding bear populations into the prairies of Montana and Wyoming, far from the expected mountain locales.- "Bear Men." People who get "too" close to bears, and sometimes die in their jaws. The book includes a profile of Timothy Treadwell, subject of the movie "Grizzly"" Man."- The continuing phenomenon of "dinner bell" grizzlies.
Describing the most intriguing creatures on the planet, from the big cats of Africa to the apes that are our closest evolutionary ancestors and the whales and dolphins that roam the world's oceans, Animals profiles over 400 of the world's most fascinating species, offering a truly comprehensive overview of animals from every continent and giving a sense of the incredible diversity of animal types. Featured animals are grouped by order, then within each order by family; each family section contains examples of the key species, which are illustrated with beautifully detailed, full-colour artworks. For easy reference, each entry includes a table of information on scientific name, order and family, features, habitats, distribution, diet and breeding, as well as informative maps and detailed box features. Packed full of information and colour, Animals is guaranteed to appeal to any budding zoologist or animal enthusiast.
The opening of this vital new book centers on a series of graves memorializing baboons killed near Amboseli National Park in Kenya in 2009--a stark image that emphasizes both the close emotional connection between primate researchers and their subjects and the intensely human qualities of the animals. Primates in the Real World goes on to trace primatology's shift from short-term expeditions designed to help overcome centuries-old myths to the field's arrival as a recognized science sustained by a complex web of international collaborations. Considering a series of pivotal episodes spanning the twentieth century, Georgina Montgomery shows how individuals both within and outside of the scientific community gradually liberated themselves from primate folklore to create primate science. Achieved largely through a movement from the lab to the field as the primary site of observation, this development reflected an urgent and ultimately extremely productive reassessment of what constitutes ""natural"" behavior for primates. An important contribution to the history of science and of women's roles in science, as well as to animal studies and the exploration of the animal-human boundary, Montgomery's engagingly written narrative provides the general reader with the most accessible overview to date of this enduringly fascinating field of study.
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes' Field Journal (or Snqeymintn, "a place to write," in Salish) is a lavishly illustrated field notebook supplementing Bull Trout's Gift, the Tribes' publication for young readers. Bull Trout's Gift examines the sacred and natural significance of the bull trout and the Tribes' restoration project along the Jocko River of Montana, which courses through their reservation. Meant to inform students, nature enthusiasts, and other lovers of the wilderness, the Field Journal is the place to conveniently record one's observations about the Jocko River habitat and can be used by nature enthusiasts everywhere to observe the watersheds in their own locales. The Field Journal is divided into four sections: Riparian Animals and Plants, Native Fish, Observation Pages, and Salish Language Pronunciation Guide. The lists of riparian animals and plants will assist students and nature enthusiasts in identifying the plant and animal specimens of watersheds throughout the Northern Rockies. The journal also includes a detailed map showing the Jocko River's path through the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes' lands.
The water vole is one of Britain's most endangered mammals. A native of the British Isles, and popularised in modern culture as 'Ratty' in Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows, the water vole is a cherished resident of our rivers, canals, streams and ponds. But this once ever-present mammal, like so many others, is now in danger - during the 1990s Britain's water vole population declined by over 80 per cent, and it is now fully protected by law in England and Wales. In The Water Vole, Christine Gregory, author of Brown Hares in the Derbyshire Dales and A River in Time, tells the story of the water vole, past, present and future, principally through its history in the waterways of Derbyshire. Having spent several years studying Derbyshire's water vole population and habitats, and capturing their behaviour intimately through her photography, Christine has developed a relationship with many of the custodians of the county's waterways, who are vital to the survival of the water vole. Decades of painstaking research into the decline of the water vole and the visionary work of conservationists give much cause for hope. Respecting our countryside and wild places and rebuilding the health of our rivers is key: we all have a role to play in the water vole's future.
All of the larger mammals of Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti and Somalia are described together with identification notes. In full colour, all of the endemic species, and distinctive sub-species, are covered by up to two pages of text with a distribution map and four images, showing the main characters of the mammal and its habitat. Almost all of the other species each occupy a full page with two images and a distribution map. Each species carries details of its distribution, IUCN status, typical localities, local or alternative name, size, description, habitat, similar species and behaviour. The descriptions of the specialties and endemic mammals, including many endangered and little known species, carry additional information including history, threats, status, future outlook and more behavioural details. Experts around the world, who are specialists in their field, have contributed data to ensure a wide and up to date coverage. 350 illustrations including distribution maps and high quality images, designed to show aspects of the mammal's character and habitat, are presented in a pleasing format which has been designed to be easy to use and to enable quick reference to each species. The book is designed for nature lovers, animal lovers, researchers and broadcasters associated with the natural world. Travellers, tourists, naturalists, mammal watchers, animal scientists and tour guides, travelling to or resident in the countries of the Horn of Africa, will find the field guide of help in locating and identifying the larger mammals. Other topics covered include: Country information, additional information about the endemic mammals, where to find mammals, use of local names, spelling, place names. Topographical regions, biospheres, vegetation, habitats, climate, altitudes, Taxonomy - subspecies, geographical and individual variations. Sources of data, how to use the book, acronyms, abbreviations, map key. National Parks, nature reserves, Great Rift Valley, conservation, mammal lists by country and the Horn of Africa. Bibliography, index, acknowledgements.
"An animal is a prescription without side effects." Do you love animals? Do you feel a connection with a furry friend? Do you believe animals offer something that can touch and heal a human heart? My Therapist and Other Animals tells of the healing bond that can be created when animals are participants in our lives. These true stories document the loving connection between humans and those with whom we share a planet. Written by Rene Chorley, an experienced attachment therapist, it illustrates how animals can reach through the pain of abuse, neglect and trauma and reignite the ability to feel safe, cared for and valued. Animals can make a difference in our lives. They are consistent and unconditional in their time, attention and affection, qualities that may be missing in the lives of so many. Each story brings to life a connection - whether it be an exceptional dog offering friendship or a squeaky guinea pig excited for feed time, our importance in their lives feeds our self-worth. These heart-warming stories prove that this connection has the power to overcome all.
A Sunday Times Book of the Year A Telegraph Best Science Book of the Year A Waterstones Best Nature Book of the Year A unique history of plant and animal invaders of the British isles spanning thousands of years of arrivals and escapes, as well as defences mounted and a look to the future. As Brits we pride ourselves as stoic defenders, boasting a record of resistance dating back to 1066. Yet, even a cursory examination of the natural world reveals that while interlopers of the human variety may have been kept at bay, our islands have been invaded, conquered and settled by an endless succession of animals, plants, fungi and other alien lifeforms that apparently belong elsewhere. Indeed it's often hard to work out what actually is native, and what is foreign. From early settlement of our islands, through the Roman and mediaeval period, to the age of exploration and globalisation, today's complement of alien species tells a story about our past.
Joel Sartore's quest to photograph all the animal species under human care celebrates its 15th year with this glorious and heartwrenching collection of photographs. The animals featured in these pages are either destined for extinction or already extinct in the wild but still alive today, thanks to dedication of a heroic group comitted to their continued survival. From the majestic Sumatran rhinoceros to the tiny Salt Creek tiger beetle, Sartore's photographs bring us eye to eye with the kaleidoscopic diversity of shapes, colors, personalities, and attitudes of the animal world. In these vivid pages, Sartore singles out the species most likely to disappear in the next decades, as well as some that have already been lost. Alongside these indelible images are the words of scientists and conservationists who are working to protect and restore populations of endangered species. With Sartore's distinctive portrait photography, he invites us to look closer--and to care more.
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