This title features race runners, spiny tails, caimans, and more. This heavily illustrated, lively, and accessible guide covers twenty native and thirty-nine introduced species of lizards and crocodilians found in the Southeast. Introductory chapters cover the biodiversity of lizards and crocodilians both regionally and globally and discuss lizard and crocodilian life cycles, morphology, habitats, diets, and behaviors. Illustrated, fact-filled descriptions of each species and its habitat comprise the heart of the book. The accounts include a physical description of the species plus information about distribution and habitat, behavior and activity, food and feeding, reproduction, predators and defense, and conservation status. Variations within each species are noted as are taxonomic questions, many of which have arisen because of recent advances in genetic techniques. Useful information about human interaction with these animals is also covered: how to observe them, how to ensure the survival of native species, how to properly care for pet lizards, and more. Interspersed throughout the book are ""Did You Know?"" boxes to answer frequently asked questions and to provide interesting facts. Clearly written, cleanly designed, and fun to use, this guide will promote a better understanding of the habitat needs of and challenges to this fascinating group of animals. It features: in-depth descriptions of both native and introduced species; conservation-oriented approach; approximately 330 color photographs; approximately 18 distribution maps (for native species only); 'Did You Know?' sidebars of interesting facts, size charts, key identifiers, and information about distribution and habitat, behavior and activity, food and feeding, reproduction, predators and defense, variation and taxonomy, and conservation, as well as chapters on lizard and crocodilian biodiversity and on human interactions with lizards and crocodilians.

A joyous book - Alan Titchmarsh Bright, colourful and boundlessly enthusiastic, this is also a practical guide to making your garden a refuge for wildlife to fit all plots. - Chris Packham 'The Wildlife Gardner' is a book which helps you to create wildlife habitats in your very own garden, and is very handily split into sections on shelter, food and water. Kate gives advice on the best nectar and pollen plants to grow, dos and don'ts of bird feeding and organic methods of pest control.There are also 10 step-by-step projects that will help encourage wildlife into your garden, such as: creating a bumblebee nester, making a green roof and building a hedgehog box. With step-by-step pictures to help you follow the instructions, these homely creations are all achievable in a weekend and are suitable for even the smallest gardens. Also included is a mini field guide, which will help you to identify the birds and other creatures that you are likely to spot in your garden. Kate gives tips on particular species, explaining what to look out for and how to cater for specific birds, mammals, bees, butterflies, moths and pond life. 'The Wildlife Gardener' is a passionately written, practical book that is essential reading for those who would like to make homes for wildlife in their garden.

While observing a family of elephants in the wild, Caitlin O'Connell noticed a peculiar listening behavior--the matriarch lifted her foot and scanned the horizon, causing the other elephants to follow suit, as if they could "hear" the ground. "The Elephant's Secret Sense" is O'Connell's account of her groundbreaking research into seismic listening and communication, chronicling the extraordinary social lives of elephants over the course of fourteen years in the Namibian wilderness.
This compelling odyssey of scientific discovery is also a frank account of fieldwork in a poverty-stricken, war-ravaged country. In her attempts to study an elephant community, O'Connell encounters corrupt government bureaucrats, deadly lions and rhinos, poachers, farmers fighting for arable land, and profoundly ineffective approaches to wildlife conservation. "The Elephant's Secret Sense "is ultimately a story of intellectual courage in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
"I was transported by the author's superbly sensuous descriptions of her years spent studying the animals. . . . Conjures a high-class nature documentary film in prose."--Steven Poole, "Guardian"
""
"A ride as rough and astonishing as the roads of the African floodplain."--Joan Keener, "Entertainment Weekly"
""
"A successful combination of science and soulfulness, explaining her groundbreaking theory of how elephants use seismic communication. . . . O'Connell's account is studded with sympathetic insights and well-turned phrases."--"Publishers Weekly"
""
"This fascinating book reads like a fast-paced detective story of a scientific discovery and adventure set in contemporary Africa. . . . By the end, O'Connell takes her rightful place among the leading biographers of the African elephant."--Iain Douglas-Hamilton, author of "Among the Elephants"""

This new title in the Crossbill Guides Series covers Iceland, a country well known for its superb landscape, unique geology and splendid birdlife. As any Crossbill Guide, the Iceland title gives detailed route descriptions (16 in total) and site descriptions (close to 50) for naturalists throughout Iceland, covering the best sites for birdwatching, finding wildflowers, seeing marine life and, in the case of Iceland, the most remarkable geological sites. This information comes with extensive descriptions of the ecology, geology, history and flora and fauna of Iceland.

This easy-to-use identification guide to the 239 reptile species most commonly seen in South Asia (covering India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives) is perfect for resident and visitor alike.High-quality photographs from the region's top nature photographers are accompanied by detailed species descriptions, which include nomenclature, size, distribution, habits and habitat. The user-friendly introduction covers reptile topography, climate and geography, habitats and a glossary. Also included is an all-important checklist of all of the reptiles of South Asia encompassing, for each species, its common and scientific name, and IUCN status.

"Excellence and care guide every quiet step Mark Warren makes; to follow him teaches unique, wonderful truths about one's connection to the Earth and its inhabitants. " -Rhyse Bendell, Medicine Bow summer camper and student "Mark leads the modern reader along the almost forgotten paths of wood lore, natural medicine, and self-sufficiency. " -Emily Ghiz, baker and Montessori teacher In this third volume of the "Secrets of the Forest" series, outdoor educator Mark Warren opens the door to experiences with wildlife such as: * how to stalk animals of the wild without being detected by their keen senses. This discipline addresses posture, clothing, diet, de-scenting, and "soft-walking," the ultra-slow-motion technique that falls below the radar of wildlife's peripheral vision. * how to read individual tracks and multiple gaits of specific animal species. * how to convert animal skins into rawhide and leather for crafts and clothing. * how to differentiate species of snakes and, in the process, demystify their often misunderstood intentions. The second half of the book is dedicated to games. Its main purpose is to ensure that young ones (under an adult leader) simply have fun on an outing and will want to return to nature for another adventure. Some of these games come from Native American traditions, but many are new and range from "high-action" to "pensive around the campfire" kinds of activities. This volume contains more than one hundred fifty original adventures.

When South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony was asked to accept a herd of "rogue" wild elephants on his Thula Thula game reserve in Zululand, his common sense told him to refuse. But he was the herd's last chance of survival: they would be killed if he wouldn't take them. In order to save their lives, Anthony took them in. In the years that followed he became a part of their family. And as he battled to create a bond with the elephants, he came to realize that they had a great deal to teach him about life, loyalty, and freedom. Set against the background of life on an African game reserve, "The Elephant Whisperer" is a heart-warming, exciting, funny, and sometimes sad account of Anthony's experiences with these huge yet sympathetic creatures.

Africa is famous for its abundance and variety of wildlife, making it a great attraction for hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. In many ways it is a continent of records. The author has produced a book of amazing records, facts and did-you-knows that cast new light on our extraordinary continent. From lists of 'largests' and 'smallests' to detailed accounts of exceptional features, we are introduced to a vast range of facts about the world around us. A fresh design and light-hearted illustrations make the title highly accessible to both young and old. For serious trivia addicts, casual browsers, those seeking out specific information, or as an aid to spark ideas for further research, African Wildlife Trivia will delight and intrigue a wide readership.

If you want to attract more bees, birds, frogs and hedgehogs into your garden, look no further than Wildlife Gardening for Everyone and Everything. Kate Bradbury offers tips on feeding your neighbourhood wildlife and explains how you can create the perfect habitats for species you'd like to welcome into your garden. With handy charts tailored to the needs of every size and style of garden, this easy-to-use book also includes practical projects such as making bee hotels or creating wildlife ponds, compost corners and wildflower meadows, as well as fact files for the UK's most common garden species. Everyone can garden with wildlife in mind, and in this practical new guide, Kate has teamed up with the Wildlife Trusts and the RHS to help you discover how you can make your garden, balcony, doorstep or patio a haven for garden wildlife.

In his entertainingly light-hearted style Johnny describes in detail what is now known about pine marten ecology and behaviour in Britain and Ireland, and offers some continental insights from further east in the pine marten's range. He explores the different forces driving the pine marten's decline and recent recovery: and considers the conflicts that now test the tolerance of those who live with pine martens once more.

This easy-to-use identification guide to all of the 120 species of primate in Asia is perfect for resident and visitor alike. High quality photographs from some of the region's top nature photographers are accompanied by detailed species descriptions, which include nomenclature, size, distribution, habits and habitat, as well as interesting snippets of information about the primates. The user-friendly introduction covers details on habitats, advice on primate watching, notes on taxonomy and information on threats to the wildlife. Also included is an all-important checklist of all of the primates of Asia encompassing, for each species, its common and scientific names.

When Ralph Helfer, now one of Hollywood's top animal behaviorists, first began working, he was shocked by the cruelty that was accepted practice in the field. He firmly believed in "affection training" -- that love, not fear, should be the basis of any animal's development, even when dealing with the most dangerous of creatures. Then Zamba came into his life -- an adorable four-month-old lion cub that went on to prove Helfer's theories resoundingly correct.

Over the next eighteen years, Zamba would thrive and grow, and go on to star in numerous motion pictures and television shows -- all the while developing a deep and powerful bond of love and affection with the man who raised him. By turns astonishing, hilarious, and poignant, "Zamba" is not only the unforgettable story of the relationship that Helfer would come to consider one of the most important in his life but also that of the amazing career and adventures of the greatest lion in the world.

This is a collection of exceptional images of animal behaviour, all having been recognized in past years of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition - the most famous and prestigious event of its kind in the world. Each captures a moment that reveals a special aspect of an animal's lifestyle or a surprising element of behaviour, sometimes photographed for the very first time.Such images can involve luck, but it is a luck created by both photographic skill and an intimacy with the subject that usually comes from spending long periods in the field. The pictures have been taken by more than 50 award-winning photographers worldwide representing more than 20 countries.

The first comprehensive book to be published about the wildlife of the Brecon Beacons is a much-anticipated addition to the New Naturalist series, and reveals the natural wonders of this seemingly wild and inhospitable mountain landscape.

Published In Aid of BBC Children in Need * The Countryfile Calendar has brought nature into our homes for nearly three decades, and now this comprehensive collection captures the essence of each season, bringing together viewers' photographs of the British countryside throughout the year. The Countryfile Calendar is an institution, raising millions for BBC Children in Need and celebrating the glorious range of British nature photography. Now nearly three decades of stunning images taken by Countryfile viewers have been brought together for the first time in a unique, all-encompassing view of rural Britain, offering a month-by-month guide to the natural world around us. John Craven, who has chaired the judging panel from the start, introduces this treasury of images, and he is joined by Matt Baker in picking out their personal favourites, as well as describing what is going on in each month. Illustrated with beautiful colour photographs throughout, this book brings the beauty of the countryside to you - whether you are at the southern tip of the Scilly Isles or in the far north of the Shetland Islands, and everywhere in between. * At least GBP30,000 from the sales of this book will go to BBC Children in Need (charity number 802052 in England & Wales and SC039557 in Scotland)

From domestic cats to shire horses to dromedaries, from farmyard Jersey cattle to pandas to stick insects, Animals Visual Encyclopedia is an exploration of the wonders of nature, featuring more than 750 of the world's mammals, birds, fish, invertebrates, reptiles and amphibians. Each featured animal is illustrated with an excellent full-colour artwork, showing in great detail its characteristics and colouring, and completed with an informative caption and a box of key facts including height, weight, diet and lifespan. With more than 750 outstanding colour artworks, Animals Visual Encyclopedia is an authoritatively researched book that celebrates the natural world and all its inhabitants.

China's breathtaking diversity of natural habitats--from mountains and deserts to grasslands and lush tropical forests--is home to more than 10 percent of the world's mammal species. This one-of-a-kind pocket guide describes the characteristics, geographic distribution, natural history, and conservation status of all 558 species of mammals found in China. An up-to-date distribution map accompanies each species account, and beautiful color illustrations by wildlife artist Federico Gemma depict a majority of the species. The definitive text is written by leading specialists and follows the most current global standards for mammalian systematics.

This field-ready pocket edition of A Guide to the Mammals of China makes the rich mammal fauna of China accessible to ecotravelers and naturalists like never before.The comprehensive pocket guide to all of China's 558 mammal species Describes the physical characteristics, geographic distribution, natural history, and conservation status of every species Features up-to-date distribution maps and stunning color illustrations throughout Written by a team of leading specialists

A remarkable achievement that took over 30 years to construct, Keys for Identifying Mexican Mammals is the only complete identification guide to Mexico's mammalian fauna. Fully updated and revised, this bestselling book follows a bilingual arrangement, with identical information presented in Spanish and English on facing pages. The dichotomous presentation is both easy to follow and flawlessly compiled, including updated and expanded material that surpasses any previously available resource. Hundreds of diagnostic images are dispersed throughout the book, many showing minute details that differentiate one species from another, and introductory materials carefully explain the use of diagnostic features. The heart of the book, though, is the keys themselves, which cover every taxa-from artiodactyls and carnivores to primates and rodents-while allowing confident identification at the species level for both field and museum use. The book closes with appendices that cover preparation of specimens, a glossary, and a bibliography. Anyone with an interest in the mammalian fauna of Mexico, or mammals in general, will find this one-of-a-kind book an indispensable reference to Mexico's rich diversity of wildlife.