For nearly eighty years, a huge portion of coastal South Africa was closed off to the public. With many of its pits now deemed “overmined” and abandoned, American journalist Matthew Gavin Frank sets out across the infamous Diamond Coast to investigate an illicit trade that supplies a global market. Immediately, he became intrigued by the ingenious methods used in facilitating smuggling particularly, the illegal act of sneaking carrier pigeons onto mine property, affixing diamonds to their feet, and sending them into the air.

Entering Die Sperrgebiet (“The Forbidden Zone”) is like entering an eerie ghost town, but Frank is surprised by the number of people willing—even eager—to talk with him. Soon he meets Msizi, a young diamond digger, and his pigeon, Bartholomew, who helps him steal diamonds. It’s a deadly game: pigeons are shot on sight by mine security, and Msizi knows of smugglers who have disappeared because of their crimes. For this, Msizi blames “Mr. Lester,” an evil tall-tale figure of mythic proportions.

From the mining towns of Alexander Bay and Port Nolloth, through the “halfway” desert, to Kleinzee’s shores littered with shipwrecks, Frank investigates a long overlooked story. Weaving interviews with local diamond miners who raise pigeons in secret with harrowing anecdotes from former heads of security, environmental managers, and vigilante pigeon hunters, Frank reveals how these feathered bandits became outlaws in every mining town.

Interwoven throughout this obsessive quest are epic legends in which pigeons and diamonds intersect, such as that of Krishna’s famed diamond Koh-i-Noor, the Mountain of Light, and that of the Cherokee serpent Uktena. In these strange connections, where truth forever tangles with the lore of centuries past, Frank is able to contextualize the personal grief that sent him, with his wife Louisa in the passenger seat, on this enlightening journey across parched lands.

Blending elements of reportage, memoir, and incantation, Flight of the Diamond Smugglers is a rare and remarkable portrait of exploitation and greed in one of the most dangerous areas of coastal South Africa.

Leon Nell’s sixth book to explore another captivating part of South Africa reveals a bounty of treasures that give the West Coast, or Weskus as locals call it, its particular allure.

Beginning at Melkbosstrand just north of Cape Town, and ending where the Orange River meets the Atlantic Ocean, the book divides the coastal stretch into four discrete and easily explored regions. Coastal and inland towns are described, together with their main
attractions, offering glimpses into early human history, local culture and traditions, nature and wildlife, and modern-day economic pursuits.

• SOUTH encompasses the Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserve, various wildflower reserves, Darling, Evita se Perron and !Khwa ttu San Heritage Centre
• CENTRAL covers Yzerfontein and the West Coast National Park, including Langebaan Lagoon, Eve’s Footprints, Postberg Flower Reserve and Saldanha
• NORTH explores the celebrated fishing industry at Velddrif, St Helena Bay and Elands Bay, and archaeological discoveries in the area
• DIAMOND COAST spans Doringbaai, Vredendal, Port Nolloth, Kleinzee and Alexander Bay.

This larger edition is based on the updated and expanded fifth edition of Sasol Birds of Southern Africa, which has been brought fully up to date by its expert author panel, with additional contributions from two new birding experts.

Greatly enhanced, this comprehensive, best-selling guide is sure to maintain its place as one of Africa’s most trusted field guides.

Key features of the 5th revised edition:

• More than 800 new illustrations
• Scan and play bird calls using free downloadable app
• Fully revised text (with latest species records), maps and plate annotations
• Fresh input from new contributing authors
• The larger format allows for better appreciation and easier use of the plates.

ow in its fifth edition, Sasol Birds of Southern Africa has been brought fully up to date by its expert author panel, with additional contributions from two new birding experts. Greatly enhanced, this comprehensive, best-selling guide is sure to maintain its place as one of Africa’s most trusted field guides.

Key features of the 5th revised edition:

• More than 800 new illustrations
• Scan and play bird calls using free downloadable app
• Fully revised text (with latest species records), maps and plate annotations
• Fresh input from new contributing authors
• Comprehensive coverage of the region’s birds

Shall we take an umbrella... or evacuate the city? The Weather Machine is about a miraculous-but-overlooked invention that helps us through our daily lives - and sometimes saves them - by allowing us to see into the future.

When Superstorm Sandy hit North America, weather scientists had predicted its arrival a full eight days beforehand, saving countless lives and astonishing us with their capability. Their skill is unprecedented in human history and draws on nearly every major invention of the last two centuries: Newtonian physics, telecommunications, spaceflight and super-computing.

In this gripping investigation, Andrew Blum takes us on a global journey to explain this awe-inspiring feat - from satellites circling the Earth, to weather stations far out in the ocean, through some of the most ingenious minds and advanced algorithms at work today. Our destination: the simulated models they have constructed of our planet, which spin faster than time, turning chaos into prediction, offering glimpses of our future with eery precision.

This collaborative invention spans the Earth and relies on continuous co-operation between all nations - a triumph of human ingenuity and diplomacy we too often shrug off as a tool for choosing the right footwear each morning. But in this new era of extreme weather, we may come to rely on its maintenance and survival for our own.

Step behind the scenes of one of the world’s top ten zoological gardens with Willie Labuschagne in his captivating second memoir, Of Man and Beast. As director during a time of intense political change and unprecedented challenges in South Africa, Willie recounts
his wild journey with humour, suspense, and unflinching honesty.

From managing the needs of over 9 000 animals during the first-ever massive staff strike, to navigating the intricate politics of acquiring unique species as diplomatic gifts for Nelson Mandela, Willie’s stories are as enlightening as they are entertaining. He shares thrilling close encounters with wild animals, and the light-hearted moments that make every day in the zoo an adventure.

Willie’s experiences extend beyond the zoo’s boundaries – from an intimidating passage through Checkpoint Charlie in 1987 to lifethreatening situations in the depths of the Congolese jungle. His narrative is a potent reminder of the zoos’ role in conservation and
discusses their evolution into ‘biological gardens’, inviting readers to grasp the critical importance of controlled breeding in conservation and the preservation of endangered species.

Of Man and Beast is not just an account of a man’s life among animals, but a profound look at the responsibilities we share in safeguarding our planet’s diverse inhabitants. Willie invites readers to reflect on the future of wildlife conservation, poised between the
extremes of poaching and habitat destruction.

This book is a must-read for anyone passionate about wildlife, conservation, and the extraordinary stories of a man who has dedicated his life to understanding and protecting the natural world.

Join Willie as he leads us through his incredible journey, exploring the complex relationship between man and beast, and the enduring impact of his work on our global ecosystem.

Of Man and Beast is an urgent, beautiful homage to the wild connections that bind us all.

Spirit of Africa transports you to some of the continent’s last remaining wild places. This selection of powerful landscape, wildlife and people images, underpinned by evocative, sometimes poignant, personal anecdotes and hard-hitting conservation stories, reflect Scott’s deep connection with nature. Spirit of Africa is a call to the modern world to recognise that the protection of African wilderness is now more important than ever – not only for the preservation of biodiverse landscapes and endangered species, but also to fortify the human spirit.

• The most extensive collection of fine-art imagery from Africa’s national parks and wilderness in countries including South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe.
• 150 spectacular, large-scale images, both colour and black and white, of landscapes, wildlife, ocean, rivers, skies and people.
• Insightful and science-informed text that highlights many of the conservation challenges facing iconic species such as lions, elephants and pangolins.
• Explores the essential personal connection that all humans around the world have with African wilderness.
• Images of animals include the gorillas of Congo, the wildebeest migration in Serengeti and the flying lions of Busanga Plains in Zambia, but also less obvious – yet no less fascinating – subjects such as bees and geckos.

Now in its fifth edition, Sasol Birds of Southern Africa has been brought fully up to date by its expert author panel, with additional contributions from two new birding experts. Greatly enhanced, this comprehensive, best-selling guide is sure to maintain its place as one of Africa’s most trusted field guides.

Key features of the 5th revised edition:

• More than 800 new illustrations
• Scan and play bird calls using free downloadable app
• Fully revised text (with latest species records), maps and plate annotations
• Fresh input from new contributing authors
• Comprehensive coverage of the region’s birds

Scenic Cape Town takes the reader on a photographic tour of the City, starting with Robben Island and Table Mountain, running through the City Centre, the Malay Quarter, Gardens and the Waterfront. Then along the Atlantic Seaboard through to Cape Point, back along the False Bay coastline to Constantia, Kirstenbosch and Southern Suburbs. The West Coast, Stellenbosch and the Winelands are also featured ending with Hermanus, Gordons Bay and Cape Agulhas.

Mark Skinner’s photography is outstanding, and all the photography featured has been specially commissioned for this book. Mark contributed most of the Cape material for the highly successful Scenic South Africa.

A concise introduction and extended captions are provided by Sean Fraser who wrote the text for Scenic South Africa, and Seven Days in Cape Town.

What are things made of? What is the sun? Why is there night and day, winter and summer? Why do bad things happen? Are we alone? Throughout history people all over the world have invented stories to answer profound questions such as these. Have you heard the tale of how the sun hatched out of an emu's egg? Or what about the great catfish that carries the world on its back? Has anyone ever told you that earthquakes are caused by a sneezing giant? These fantastical myths are fun - but what is the real answer to such questions?

The Magic of Reality, with its explanations of space, time, evolution and more, will inspire and amaze readers of all ages - young adults, adults, children, octogenarians. Teaming up with the renowned illustrator Dave McKean, Richard Dawkins answers all these questions and many more. In stunning words and pictures this book presents the real story of the world around us, taking us on an enthralling journey through scientific reality, and showing that it has an awe-inspiring beauty and thrilling magic which far exceed those of the ancient myths.

We encounter rainbows, our genetic ancestors, tsunamis, shooting stars, plants, animals, and an intriguing cast of characters in this extraordinary scientific voyage of discovery. Richard Dawkins and Dave McKean have created a dazzling celebration of our planet that will entertain and inform for years to come.

Sky Guide Southern Africa is a practical resource for all stargazers, whether novice, amateur or professional. This annual guide highlights the cosmic events for each month of the upcoming year, including planetary movements, predicted eclipses and meteor showers. Star charts plot the evening sky for each season, facilitating the identification of stars and constellations. The guide contains a wealth of information about the Sun, Moon, planets, comets, meteors and bright stars, and includes photos, diagrams, charts and images.

In the far northwestern corner of South Africa lies the Richtersveld, recently inscribed towards the end of 2007 as South Africa' 8th World Heritage Site. At first glance, it is a desolate and inhospitable place, with hot sandy plains and startling, jagged mountains of black rock. It is the world' only biodiversity hotspot located in an arid region, where thousands of plant species, many of which are endemic to the area. It is also the home to the last remaining groups of Nama (Khoikhoi) people who still practise their traditional semi-nomadic lifestyle, living in portable reed huts and moving with their flocks of sheep and goats. The Richtersveld travel guide contains all the information you need to explore this stunning region. It covers the geological, botanical and cultural history of the area, and it contains full details of where to stay and what to do. The guide includes the Richtersveld Community Conservancy, the Richtersveld National Park, the nearby towns of Alexander Bay and Port Nolloth, and crosses the border into Namibia, where the Richtersveld is joined with the Ai-Ais hot springs and the Fish River Canyon (second largest in the world) in a spectacular Transfrontier Conservation Area. The Richtersveld is also part of the greater Namaqualand region, which runs south from the Orange River for several hundred kilometers. This beguiling part of the world has won international renown for its annual spring-flower spectacle, when millions of flowers burst forth to mount a staggering display that attracts visitors from all over the world.

This lively collection by celebrated storyteller Doug Elliott will delight readers with its blend of natural history and heartfelt, hilarious takes on life. Whether tracking skunks, philosophizing over dung beetles or reading divine script on the back of a trout, Elliott brings a sense of wonder and humor to every story. His broad scientific and cultural knowledge of the Appalachians and beyond is a treasure. Dive deeply into the richness of the natural world, climb high into the tree of life and return- with amazing tales, humorous insights and deep spiritual truths.

Walkers, bikers, paddlers and snowshoers can encounter relics of the past and their incredible tales from Keene to the Seacoast. "Exploring Southern New Hampshire" takes history off the page, out of the car and into the welcoming pine-scented woods and pristine waters of the Granite State. Hike Mount Monadnock, paddle the Nashua River and retrace Lincoln's footsteps down Exeter's streets. Experience the legacy of a women's sawmill at Turkey Pond from the waters that powered it. Visit Cathedral of the Pines, a beautiful outdoor altar built with stones from historic sites around the world. Set sail on the Piscataqua River onboard a gundalow and learn about the region's rich maritime history. Local history explorer and nature lover Lucie Bryar leads readers through the Monadnock, Merrimack Valley and Seacoast regions. Granite State natives and transplants alike will explore trails and waterways to gain a new appreciation for the history hidden in natural New Hampshire.

The Chattooga River has run through the American consciousness since the movie Deliverance thrust it into the national spotlight. But this National Wild and Scenic River is much more than the make-believe set of a suburbanite nightmare. People travel from all over the country to run its rapids, cast into its current for trout and hike the miles of trails that meander through thousands of acres of woods in the Chattooga watershed. One of the last free-flowing rivers in the Southeast, the river muscles fifty-seven miles through a southern deciduous forest with one of the highest levels of biodiversity in the country and is home to many species of rare wildflowers. Join author Laura Ann Garren as she describes the history and wonder of the real Chattooga River.

"[A] glorious guide to the miracle of life's sound." -The New York Times Book Review A lyrical exploration of the diverse sounds of our planet, the creative processes that produced these marvels, and the perils that sonic diversity now faces We live on a planet alive with song, music, and speech. David Haskell explores how these wonders came to be. In rain forests shimmering with insect sound and swamps pulsing with frog calls we learn about evolution's creative powers. From birds in the Rocky Mountains and on the streets of Paris, we discover how animals learn their songs and adapt to new environments. Below the waves, we hear our kinship to beings as different as snapping shrimp, toadfish, and whales. In the startlingly divergent sonic vibes of the animals of different continents, we experience the legacies of plate tectonics, the deep history of animal groups and their movements around the world, and the quirks of aesthetic evolution. Starting with the origins of animal song and traversing the whole arc of Earth history, Haskell illuminates and celebrates the emergence of the varied sounds of our world. In mammoth ivory flutes from Paleolithic caves, violins in modern concert halls, and electronic music in earbuds, we learn that human music and language belong within this story of ecology and evolution. Yet we are also destroyers, now silencing or smothering many of the sounds of the living Earth. Haskell takes us to threatened forests, noise-filled oceans, and loud city streets, and shows that sonic crises are not mere losses of sensory ornament. Sound is a generative force, and so the erasure of sonic diversity makes the world less creative, just, and beautiful. The appreciation of the beauty and brokenness of sound is therefore an important guide in today's convulsions and crises of change and inequity. Sounds Wild and Broken is an invitation to listen, wonder, belong, and act.

Farming – whether domestic crops, forestry, fish or livestock – is one of the pillars of human civilization, dating back to the early settlements of Neolithic times. Today, approximately one billion people work the land, providing food and other products for our ever-increasing human population. Arranged geographically, Farming explores the many types of farm and farming that exist today. See how farmers in Malaysia extract milky latex from the bark of rubber trees, used to make everything from protective gloves to vehicle tires; be amazed at the gorgeous stepped rice fields of Bali, where the traditional subak irrigation system is created around ‘water temples’ and managed by Hindu priests; marvel at the vast corn and soya bean fields of Ontario, much of it used for animal feed to support Canada’s beef industry; learn about nomadic pastoralism in low rainfall areas such as Somalia, where herders move camels, cattle, sheep and goats in search of grazing; explore the wineries and vineyards in Bordeaux, where more than 700 million bottles of wine are produced each year by more than 8,500 châteaux; and see how freshwater prawns are harvested for export in the watery deltas of Bangladesh. Presented in a landscape format and with more than 180 outstanding photographs of farming from every part of the planet, Farming offers a pictorial celebration of mankind’s deep connection with the land that sustains us.

Introducing 70 of the world's most dazzling, extraordinary and, at times, disturbing insects. In this richly illustrated and engaging book, you'll discover their remarkable adaptations, intricate worlds and the surprising ways they impact our own lives.

Many of these insects that represent peak biological innovation. By sharing their amazing physical attributes - from wings to antennae, iridescence to camouflage, microscopic Fairy Wasps to Goliath Beetles - entomologist and zoologist Ross Piper reveals the fascinating stories of insect origins, mating rituals and survival, as well as their resonance in culture and history. With large-scale, detailed illustrations by Carim Nahaboo, The Wonder of Insects is a celebration of these endlessly fascinating and important creatures.

How does a mudskipper fish manage to “walk� on land? Why is the Hoatzin also known as ‘The Stinkbird’? And once the female Pipa toad has laid her eggs, where does she put them? The answers? The mudskipper can “walk� using its pectoral fins, the Hoatzin has a unique digestive system which gives the bird a manure-like odour, and the female Pipa Toad embeds its eggs on its back where they develop to adult stage. Illustrated throughout with outstanding colour photographs, Strange Animals presents the most unusual aspects of 100 of the most unusual species. The selection spans a broad spectrum of wildlife, from the tallest land living mammal, the giraffe, to the light, laughing chorus of Australian kookaburra birds, from the intelligence of the Bottlenose dolphin to octopuses that change colour when they dream to the slow pace of the three-toed sloth. Arranged geographically, the photographs are accompanied by fascinating captions, which explain the quirky characteristics of each entry. Including egg-laying mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, cannibalistic insects and other invertebrates, Strange Animals is a compelling introduction to some of nature’s most curious beasts.

Stargazing from Game Reserves in Southern Africa o ers visitors to game and nature reserves an opportunity to discover the magni cence of the night skies without the distractions of city lights. However, the book has equal relevance for all skywatchers throughout southern Africa.

Readers are taken on a brief celestial ‘game drive’ and are then directed towards the ‘Big Five’ constellations of the night sky.  There are clear steps for navigating the skies, tracking the planets, and even spotting the moons of Jupiter.  This new edition features updated charts, colourful photos, illustrations and charts. Interesting fact boxes make for added interest and accessibility.

Written and revised by recognised authorities and expertly illustrated, the book also features useful tips and hints for star-watchers in any out-of-town location.

This book is one of a popular and exciting series that seeks to tell the story of some of Britain's most beautiful landscapes. Written with the general reader - the walker, the lover of the countryside - firmly in mind, these pages open the door to a fascinating story of ancient oceans, deltas, mineralization and tundra landscapes. Over millions of years the rocks that now form the spectacular terrains of the White Peak and the Dark Peak were laid down on the floors of tropical seas and deformed by plate tectonics before being shaped by streams and rivers. The white limestone was fretted into its own distinctive landscape above hidden cave systems; then generations of miners and farmers modified and contributed to the landscapes we see today. With the help of photographs that are largely his own, geologist Tony Waltham tells the remarkable story of the Peak District, explaining just how the landscapes of limestone plateau, grit moors and river valleys came to look as they do. Including suggestions for walks and places to visit in order to appreciate the best of the National Park's landforms, this accessible and readable book opens up an amazing new perspective for anyone who enjoys this varied and beautiful area.