WINNER OF THE ARTHUR C. CLARKE AWARD A SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR Out on the road, no one speaks, everything talks. Hard-drinking, foul-mouthed grandma Jean has never been good at getting on with other humans, apart from her granddaughter, Kimberly. Instead, she surrounds herself with animals, working as a guide in an outback wildlife park. Then, a strange pandemic begins sweeping the country, its chief symptom that its victims begin to understand the language of animals. Many infected people lose their minds, including Jean's son, Lee. When he takes off with Kimberly, Jean follows, with Sue the dingo riding shotgun. As they travel, they discover a stark, strange world in which the animal apocalypse has only further isolated people from other species.

More than 1 000 mammal species occur in Africa south of the Sahara Desert. These creatures vary in size from the massive elephant to the tiniest bats, shrews and mice. A Photographic Guide to Mammals of Southern, Central and East Africa was compiled with a view to easing identification of many of the larger and more conspicuous mammals in the region, as well as some of the smaller and more unusual ones.

This compact, easy-to-use guide features:

- 152 of the region's mammal species

- key identification features showing how to differentiate between similar species

- distribution maps and a list of major parks and reserves indicating where species are likely to be seen

- quick reference key on inside cover

- thumbnail silhouettes of each family group for quick identification

This new revised edition is an ideal pocket-sized travelling companion for nature lovers and visitors to nature reserves and wildlife areas.

Of all Africa's wildlife, none has captured the imagination more than those species that have come over the years to be known as the big five. Whether the biggest, the most beautiful, the fiercest or most formidable, these animals are the ones that have the power to remind us of our insignificance in the face of the true kings of the savannas. This is a truly magnificent record of Africa's Big Five.

Toward a posthumanist art and ethology The Owls Are Not What They Seem is a selective history of modern and contemporary engagements with animals in the visual arts and how these explorations relate to the evolution of scientific knowledge regarding animals. Arnaud Gerspacher argues that artistic knowledge, with its experimental nature, ability to contain contradictions, and more capacious understanding of truth-claims, presents a valuable supplement to scientific knowledge when it comes to encountering and existing alongside nonhuman animals and life worlds. Though critical of art works involving animals that are unreflective and exploitative, Gerspacher's exploration of aesthetic practices by Allora & Calzadilla, Pierre Huyghe, Agnieszka Kurant, Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook, Martin Roth, David Weber-Krebs, and others suggests that, alongside scientific practices, art has much to offer in revealing the otherworldly qualities of animals and forging ecopolitical solidarities with fellow earthlings.

The natural world is full of awesome surprises, and the animal kingdom is no exception. As The Secret Lives of Animals reveals, it seems that the more we discover about the unusual species that populate our planet, the more we understand just how ingenious, resourceful and downright creative they can be! Did you know that red pandas are not only incredibly cute, but also master escape artists able to flee their enclosures in high security zoos all over the world with alarming frequency? Or that beautiful manta rays have not only been observed recognizing their own reflection in mirrors, but are also able to identify friendly divers and ask for their help when they're in a bit of a jam? Or that elephants, as well as having famously impressive memories, are also sophisticated communicators who send signals to each other using a wide range of body language? Or that parrots, as well as being amazing mimics, are able to learn dance moves? YouTube star Snowball, the dancing cockatoo, has a very entertaining fourteen-move repertoire. With charming and humorous illustrations from BAFTA-award-winning artist Greg McLeod (half of The Brothers McLeod), The Secret Lives of Animals is a window into some of the most complex and impressive minds of the animal kingdom, revealing the little-known skills and natural intuition that have allowed them to survive - and often have a little fun along the way.

'A superb naturalist and writer.' CHRIS PACKHAM 'From Stone Age remains to modern day skyscrapers, Stephen Moss takes us on an exhilarating journey through place and time, providing a fascinating insight into nature's relationship with environments created by man.' DR MYA-ROSE CRAIG (BIRDGIRL) Welcome to The Accidental Countryside. This is the fascinating and remarkably empowering story of our influence upon the landscape and wildlife of these crowded islands, and of how wildlife has co-opted its most unlikely corners - even when we least expected it. From the seabirds sheltering in the prehistoric stone structures of Shetland to the peat diggings in Somerset teeming with life, and from the rare insects hidden in Belfast's docklands to the falcons that make London's Shard their home, Stephen Moss reveals the unexpected oases which foster the crucial links in the chain that bind the natural world together.

Twenty-four safari guides are profiled by experienced safari travel promoter, Susie Cazenove. She tells us their stories of adventure and dreams – of following their passion into the wild and of making their guests see Africa in a new light. Read of the antics of the guides in the early days of Londolozi, of guests having to cling to trees in the face of charging rhinos, of safaris with Mary Leaky and legends of the Masai warriors. The tales tell of a wilderness under increasing threat and these guides' determination to share the privilege of a truly wild experience with their guests. The stories take the reader from South Africa to Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya and Namibia in search of legendary safari guides.

Building a Survival Kit will help you to survive adverse outdoor conditions: heat, cold or extreme weather. Staying warm and dry is essential and you'll learn how to protect your Core Temperature (CTC) while saving (heat) calories through less energy output. Tips will include essential supplies to bring should an emergency occur. This guide is waterproof and nearly indestructible. It can fit in a back pocket so you can have vital information when you need it. A must-have for the serious wilderness explorer. Co-authored by noted survival expert and woodsman Dave Canterbury, this is one of a 10-part series on survival skills.

'Exquisite and timely.' Maggie O'Farrell 'A rare and magical book. I didn't want it to end.' Bill Bryson 'A witty, intoxicating paean to Earth's wondrous creatures.' Observer 'A total miracle.' Max Porter ** SHORTLISTED FOR WATERSTONES AND FOYLES BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARDS ** The world is more astonishing, more miraculous and more wonderful than our wildest imaginings. In this passionately persuasive and sharply funny book, Katherine Rundell tells us how and why. A lavishly illustrated collection of the lives of some of the Earth's most astounding animals, The Golden Mole is a chance to be awestruck and lovestruck - to reckon with the beauty of the world, its fragility, and its strangeness. A swift flies two million kilometres in its lifetime. That's far enough to get to the moon and back twice over - and then once more to the moon. A pangolin keeps its tongue furled in a pouch by its hip. A Greenland shark can live five hundred years. A wombat once inspired a love poem. 'Rundell's pen is gold-tipped.' Sunday Times 'I love everything about this book: it is a rare little treasure.' Joanna Lumley 'Beautifully written.' Monty Don

Can you tell a hare from a rabbit? What’s the difference between a llama and an alpaca? Which has two humps – the Bactrian camel or the dromedary? In this animal matching game with a twist, the goal is to match 25 pairs of animals that look almost the same but that tend to be confused. Includes a fascinating booklet by a zoologist explaining the differences between the animals.

A photographic celebration of British wildlife and the country way of life. A Year in the Country is a book about the beauty of the British countryside, featuring stunning photography from some of Britain's greatest wildlife photographers. The book will follow the changes in nature throughout the year and revel in the joy of the British countryside. Each season presents its own gifts to the nature lover: from the trumpeting of wild daffodils in spring to the hypnotic dive and twist of starlings gathering over roosting sites in autumn. The majesty of British wildlife is captured in stunning images that evoke a timeless country existence. Part celebration of nature, part nostalgia for a slower pace of life, this book will make a stunning gift. An escape from everyday life, A Year in the Country transports its audience to a world where the sun shines and the grass is always greener.

An easy-to-follow gardening guide to help you encourage different types of wildlife into your garden. 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 2020, it will have been twenty-five years since one of the greatest wildlife conservation and restoration achievements of the twentieth century took place: the reintroduction of wolves to the world's first national park, Yellowstone. Eradicated after the park was established, then absent for seventy years, these iconic carnivores returned to Yellowstone in 1995 when the US government reversed its century-old policy of extermination and--despite some political and cultural opposition--began the reintroduction of forty-one wild wolves from Canada and northwest Montana. In the intervening decades, scientists have studied their myriad behaviors, from predation to mating to wolf-pup play, building a one-of-a-kind field study that has both allowed us to witness how the arrival of top predators can change an entire ecosystem and provided a critical window into impacts on prey, pack composition, and much else. Here, for the first time in a single book, is the incredible story of the wolves' return to Yellowstone National Park as told by the very people responsible for their reintroduction, study, and management. Anchored in what we have learned from Yellowstone, highlighting the unique blend of research techniques that have given us this knowledge, and addressing the major issues that wolves still face today, this book is as wide-ranging and awe-inspiring as the Yellowstone restoration effort itself. We learn about individual wolves, population dynamics, wolf-prey relationships, genetics, disease, management and policy, newly studied behaviors and interactions with other species, and the rippling ecosystem effects wolves have had on Yellowstone's wild and rare landscape. Perhaps most importantly of all, the book also offers solutions to ongoing controversies and debates. Featuring a foreword by Jane Goodall, beautiful images, a companion online documentary by celebrated filmmaker Bob Landis, and contributions from more than seventy wolf and wildlife conservation luminaries from Yellowstone and around the world, Yellowstone Wolves is a gripping, accessible celebration of the extraordinary Yellowstone Wolf Project--and of the park through which these majestic and important creatures once again roam.

This is a collection of powerful images from past years of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition - the most famous and prestigious event of its kind in the world. Taken by photographers who are skilled in storytelling and reportage, each image carries with it an unforgettable story, often a message about the current state of the natural world. Sometimes these involve individual characters, but always there is a bigger story behind the immediate one. Such images require not only photographic skill but also an intimacy with the subject and considerable research and dedication. They have been taken by more than 50 award-winning photographers representing nearly 20 countries.

Following the success of the earlier Scatalog – Quick ID guide to southern African animal droppings, here’s another quick and quirky identification guide, this time to tracks of the region’s most commonly found mammals, but also includes tracks of reptiles, rodents, birds and insects.

A simple key on the inside front cover directs users to any of 11 categories, such as ‘cloven hooves’, ‘paws’ or 'tramline-like trails'. Nearly 100 animals or closely related groups of animals are depicted; for each, there’s

- a silhouette of front and back feet and a colour photograph of the track

- the average measurements for each track

- a short description of the track

- information about the circumstances and likely habitat

Concise and to-the-point, this pocket-sized reference will prove indispensible in the field, no matter the experience of the user.

The majestic gray wolf and the comical raccoon dog are just a couple of the fascinating species covered in this guide. The World of Wild Dogs -- edited by world-famous naturalist Jeff Corwin -- teaches about the way wild dogs evolved, how they are built and how they behave, reproduce and survive in different habitats around the world. It also highlights some of the most familiar and unique species found worldwide, their current status, what to do if you encounter a wild dog and what you can do to help their conserving and protecting these spectacular creatures. This folding pocket guide is the ideal reference for dog-lovers and teachers alike. Made in the USA.

In the 40 years since the classic review of osmotic and ionic regulation written by Potts and Parry, there has been astonishing growth in scientific productivity, a marked shift in the direction and taxonomic distribution of research, and amazing changes in the technology of scientific research "...It is indicative of the growth of the subject that as time passes the number of authors needed to review the subject grows exponentially. The time is ripe for a new survey of the subject and Dr. Evans is to be congratulated on the expert crew that he has recruited." -From the foreword by W.T.W. Potts Osmotic and Ionic Regulation: Cells and Animals not only fills a gap in the literature, but delineates the new approaches, outlooks, and findings that define how the field has changed. Providing the first comprehensive summary of the fundamentally important mechanisms of ionic and osmotic regulation in 40 years, it ties the new findings to the older work of Potts and Parry. This book, written by accepted leaders in this field dealing with the ecology to the molecular biology of the processes and the taxa, provides background information in a broad range of disciplines such as zoology, evolutionary biology, physiology, ichthyology, aquaculture, marine biology, entomology, herpetology, avian biology, human nephrology, conservation biology, and pharmacology.

Those who have encountered Cape Cod know that it is a singular place. In The Outer Beach, Robert Finch weaves together his collected writings from more than fifty years and more than a thousand miles of walking along Cape Cod's Atlantic coast to create a poignant, candid chronicle of an iconic landscape.

Separate Fact from Fiction with This Fun, Fascinating GuideWe need bats to eat mosquitoes, pollinate plants, and more. Karen Krebbs has been studying the world's only flying mammals for more than 35 years-and she's sharing her expertise with you. Learn the bat basics, such as how they use echolocation, why they hibernate, and what they eat. Then use the field guide section to identify common and important species to know.Inside You'll Find Bat myths debunked-they won't really fly in your hair or try to bite Identification guide to 32 North American species Instructions on how to bat-proof a house and what to do if you find a bat indoors Projects, activities, and tips to help bats Get Bat Basics, and celebrate the amazing lives of bats!

True Tales of Encounters with Bears Bear Encounters is a collection of stories about the run-ins everyday people have with bears. From the one about the black bear at the cabin that was chased away by the fifteen-pound family dog, to the bear that harmlessly wandered through a Boy Scout camp, these brief and often funny encounters capture the true nature of bears. More than 90 stories have been collected from fans of the North American Bear Center. They include a variety of tales, from routine encounters in backyards, on porches and driveways to sometimes funny and challenging experiences. The stories are grouped into sections around common myths and include anecdotes about how bear encounters have changed people's views for the better. Read these stories, and you'll never see bears the same way again.

From a veteran furry comes an immersive entry into the world of furries and furry fandom, with a colorful look at an amazing subculture, the timeless human instinct to identify with animals, and a wealth of photos and illustrations showcasing fursuits and furry art. Furries are the creative subculture of people who identify with animals. You can find them at furry conventions, furfests, worldwide—tens of thousands of people donning their most elaborate fursuit. In costume, at conventions, with friends or alone, furries unleash the animal within, letting their inner beasts roar and their inner cats purr, aware of the power—and joy—to be found in connecting with one’s animal side and encouraging others to do the same. In Furry Planet, long-time furry and a media staple for commentary on the culture, Joe Strike—a certified “greymuzzle,� as older furries are known—dives deep into this compelling subculture to share its appeal and rewards. Strike addresses stigmas and misconceptions head on and traces the history of the culture from forty thousand-year-old lion-man figurines through sixteenth-century legends of monkey kings to modern day television and movies starring anthropomorphized animals living human lives. He shares how furry fandom began in the United States but has spread across the globe and delves deep into the various iterations of the culture today, in the process covering events, media, art, storytelling, community resources, costume creation, and advice for newcomers. An unprecedented in-depth look at this intriguing, offbeat world, Furry Planet is complemented by colorful images throughout and is sure to inform and excite fans of the culture, as well as anyone who has ever been curious about it. Inside you’ll find: - Insight into the natural impulse to anthropomorphize animals and the joys of furry culture - A fascinating history of furry culture - A thorough guide to furfest conventions, fursuit costume creation, and resources for furries  - A wealth of colorful photographs from furfests and of superb fursuits - Gorgeous furry artwork - Much more!

As a review of the status of biogeography in the West Indies in the 1980s, the first edition of Biogeography of the West Indies: Past, Present, and Future provided a synthesis of our current knowledge of the systematics and distribution of major plant and animal groups in the Caribbean basin. The totally new and revised Second Edition, Biogeography of the West Indies: Patterns and Perspectives, emphasizes recent ideas and hypotheses in the field and includes many new chapters and contributions. The authors use the broadest possible interpretations of the concepts of biogeography, consider anthropological and geological factors, and discuss the conservation of endemic species. Drawing together contributions from the leading experts in biogeography and biodiversity, this book introduces new patterns and developments that add to our understanding of how plants and animals are dispersed throughout the region. Many contributions use new techniques such as molecular systematics to test older studies based strictly on morphological data. Unique in its inclusion of a wide variety of organisms and in its coordination of scientific data and conservation strategies, Biogeography of the West Indies: Patterns and Perspectives, Second Edition provides the only encyclopedic discussion available on the biogeography of the Antilles.

Shortlisted for the 2018 TWS Wildlife Publication Awards in the edited book category The various species of new world blackbirds, often intermingled in large foraging flocks and nighttime roosts, collectively number in the hundreds of millions and are a dominant component of the natural and agricultural avifauna in North America today. Because of their abundance, conspicuous flocking behavior, and feeding habits, these species have often been in conflict with human endeavors. The pioneering publications on blackbirds were by F. E. L. Beal in 1900 and A. A. Allen in 1914. These seminal treatises laid the foundation for more than 1,000 descriptive and experimental studies on the life histories of blackbirds as well as their ecology and management in relation to agricultural damage and other conflicts such as caused by large winter roosting congregations. The wealth of information generated in over a century of research is found in disparate outlets that include government reports, conference proceedings, peer-reviewed journals, monographs, and books. For the first time, Ecology and Management of Blackbirds (Icteridae) in North America summarizes and synthesizes this vast body of information on the biology and life histories of blackbirds and their conflicts with humans into a single volume for researchers, wildlife managers, agriculturists, disease biologists, ornithologists, policy makers, and the public. The book reviews the life histories of red-winged blackbirds, yellow-headed blackbirds, common grackles, and brown-headed cowbirds. It provides in-depth coverage of the functional roles of blackbirds in natural and agricultural ecosystems. In doing so, this authoritative reference promotes the development of improved science-based, integrated management strategies to address conflicts when resolutions are needed.