It is the evening of 26 August 2009 on Christmas Island. The last known pipistrelle emerges from its day-time shelter. Scientists, desperate about its conservation, set up a maze of netting to try to catch it. It is a forlorn and futile exercise - even if captured, there is little future in just one bat. But the bat evades the trap easily, and continues foraging. It is not recorded again that night, and not at all the next night. The bat is never again recorded. The scientists search all nearby areas over the following nights. It has gone. There are no more bats. Its corpse is not, will never be, found. It is the silent, unobtrusive death of the last individual. It is extinction. This book is about that bat, about those scientists, about that island. But mostly it is an attempt to understand that extinction; an unusual extinction, because it was predicted, witnessed and its timing is precise. A Bat's End is a compelling forensic examination of the circumstances and players surrounding the extinction of the Christmas Island pipistrelle. A must-read for environmental scientists, policy-makers, and organisations and individuals with an interest in conservation. FEATURES: Fascinating forensic examination of the processes and players involved in the extinction of the Christmas Island pipistrelle bat, including personal accounts of ecologists, administrators and politicians Considers our relationship with nature, and the extent to which we should and do care for nature Uses the Christmas Island pipistrelle bat's extinction as a case study, from which lessons can be learned that will resonate more broadly Examines Australia's environmental law and policy, and provides recommendations to strengthen these Foreword written by Tim Low, renowned Australian environmental consultant and author. "To bear witness to extinctions is painful, and made worse when hardly anyone knows they took place. By exploring one extinction from all angles, John gives Australians the opportunity to know what transpired on that island and to reflect on what it says about our nation's treatment of its wildlife. He tells a powerful and perceptive story, one that should be taken to heart by every Australian."" Tim Low, excerpt from the Foreword.

Winner of the Whitley Award for Best Natural History Book 2022 A compelling, funny, first-hand account of Australia's wonderfully unique mammals and how our perceptions impact their future. Think of a platypus: they lay eggs (that hatch into so-called platypups), they produce milk without nipples and venom without fangs and they can detect electricity. Or a wombat: their teeth never stop growing, they poo cubes and they defend themselves with reinforced rears. Platypuses, possums, wombats, echidnas, devils, kangaroos, quolls, dibblers, dunnarts, kowaris: Australia has some truly astonishing mammals with incredible, unfamiliar features. But how does the world regard these creatures? And what does that mean for their conservation? In Platypus Matters, naturalist Jack Ashby shares his love for these often-misunderstood animals. Informed by his own experiences meeting living marsupials and egg-laying mammals on fieldwork in Tasmania and mainland Australia, as well as his work with thousands of zoological specimens collected for museums over the last 200-plus years, Ashby's tale not only explains the extraordinary lives of these animals, but the historical mysteries surrounding them and the myths that persist (especially about the platypus). He also reveals the toll these myths can take. Ashby makes it clear that calling these animals ‘weird’ or ‘primitive’ – or incorrectly implying that Australia is an ‘evolutionary backwater’ – a perception that can be traced back to the country's colonial history – has undermined conservation: Australia now has the worst mammal extinction rate of anywhere on Earth. Important, timely and written with humour and wisdom by a scientist and self-described platypus nerd, this celebration of Australian wildlife will open eyes and change minds about how we contemplate and interact with the natural world – everywhere.

After the snowmelt, at the dawning of spring, in emerald forests giants waken. They escape their underground lairs, somnolent, tousled - and hungry. Some are alone and wander the forests in search of food and others of their kind. Elsewhere, miniature facsimiles - minor versions of these quarter ton leviathans - shadow others, tethering them closer to their dens. For centuries, humans' link with bears has been tenuous. Whatever people's individuals views, however, bears are absorbing and captivating creatures. Intelligent, adaptable and dextrous, and instinctively caring, at the same time they can be lazy, belligerent and cantankerous. Always, however, they demand respect. They have survived for centuries at the top of the food chain, kings and queens of their environment - a creature to which all others bow.

A gripping story of man pitted against nature's most fearsome and efficient predator.
Outside a remote village in Russia's Far East a man-eating tiger is on the prowl. The tiger isn't just killing people, it's murdering them, almost as if it has a vendetta. A team of trackers is dispatched to hunt down the tiger before it strikes again. They know the creature is cunning, injured, and starving, making it even more dangerous. As John Vaillant re-creates these extraordinary events, he gives us an unforgettable and masterful work of narrative nonfiction that combines a riveting portrait of a stark and mysterious region of the world and its people, with the natural history of nature's most deadly predator.

Whether you're a wildlife specialist, an avid hunter, or an armchair veterinarian, Of Moose and Men provides a wealth of information about moose from all corners of the world. Follow Jerry Haigh on his adventures with moose both tame and wild, and get an overview of moose biology, including their specialized diet and the relationship between sex and antlers -- where size really does matter. The book also covers the history of moose on Earth and the marked fluctuations in populations that have occurred over time. There are accessible chapters on moose diseases, moose and traffic, moose as a resource, and the surprising uses of moose as pets and dairy animals.

After centuries of relative isolation, the Karoo – South Africa’s parched heartland – is a latecomer to the tourist industry. What was once viewed as a harsh and desolate place of limited attraction is rapidly gaining popularity with visitors who now make the Karoo their destination, keen to partake of its legendary charm, its extraordinary flora and the resurgence of wildlife that once again populates its plains.

Wild Karoo documents Mitch Reardon’s 4,000-kilometre journey of discovery through the region. The book focuses on:

• local nature conservation in all its facets
• the game, large and small – some recently reintroduced – plus birds, reptiles and invertebrates
• the unique, arid-adapted flora
• the landscape and geology
• the history and lifestyle of the people who have made a home here
• plans to combine public and private protected land to create wildlife corridors between isolated parks, re-establishing old migration routes and so reversing some of the effects of human settlement

Beautifully written, and illustrated with evocative photographs, this book is a must read for anyone interested in travel, wildlife and the environment.

'Fowler's moving memoir charts her experience of coming out as a gay woman, alongside her journey through Birmingham's canal networks, mapping both the waterways and the travails of her heart.' Observer 'An emotional and compelling memoir, that left me inspired, both by her bravery in transforming her life, and by the unexpected beauty she finds along the way' Countryfile Magazine 'Fowler beautifully exposes her emotional fragility while also celebrating the unloved nature of buddleia, herons and even the water rats who take refuge among the locks.' i paper 'Fowler captures the beauty of the canal's dishevelled, neglected condition...' Times Literary Supplement 'Thoughtful and heartbreakingly honest ...Beautiful' Press Association 'An astounding memoir' Gay Star News 'Hidden Nature is one of the most thrilling things I've read in a long time' Waterways World 'She writes wonderfully about the species that have carved out a place for themselves amid the discarded shopping trolleys, condom packets and industrial waste' Guardian 'This candid book is as much about mapping the heart as it is about mapping the paths of waterways. Lovely.' Simple Things 'A beautiful memoir' Good Housekeeping 'Gentle, brave and acutely observant' Woman's Weekly Leaving her garden to the mercy of the slugs, the Guardian's award-winning writer Alys Fowler set out in an inflatable kayak to explore Birmingham's canal network, full of little-used waterways where huge pike skulk and kingfishers dart. Her book is about noticing the wild everywhere and what it means to see beauty where you least expect it. What happens when someone who has learned to observe her external world in such detail decides to examine her internal world with the same care? Beautifully written, honest and very moving, Hidden Nature is also the story of Alys Fowler's emotional journey and her coming out as a gay woman: above all, this book is about losing and finding, exploring familiar places and discovering unknown horizons.

Coyotes hold a peculiar interest as both an enduring symbol of the wild and a powerful predator we are always anxious to avoid. This book examines the spread of coyotes across the country over the past century, and the storm of concern and controversy that has followed. Individual chapters cover the surprisingly complex question of how to identify a coyote, the real and imagined dangers they pose, their personality and lifestyle, and nondeadly ways of discouraging them.

Antarctic Wildlife is a pocket reference guide to more than 120 of the most common species of marine birds, whales, seals, fishes and marine invertebrates found in this remote region. Beautiful illustrations and detailed descriptions highlight the distinguishing features of the familiar species eco-tourists are most likely to see on land and at sea during their visit. Laminated for durability, this lightweight, pocket-sized folding guide is an excellent source of portable information and ideal for field use. Made in the USA.

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.

Featuring 280 of Australia's most beautiful, unusual and commonly encountered lizard species, this lavishly illustrated guide provides a thorough introduction to the land of the lizard. Stunning photographs from Australia's top nature photographers are accompanied by detailed species descriptions, which include nomenclature, size, distribution, habits and habitat. The user-friendly introduction covers the geography and climate of Australia, types of habitat, and details of orders and families. Also included is an all-important checklist of all of the lizards of Australia encompassing, for each species, its common and scientific name, which state it is present in and its IUCN Red List status.

With this lively guide, young adventurers will discover the many treasures along southern Africa’s shores, learn all about the strange and beautiful creatures they can expect to see at the beach and where to find them, then try the fascinating activities and make their own first-hand discoveries.

A companion volume to the popular Exploring Fynbos, this lively book is loaded with:

• interesting topics in accessible text

• interactive activities

• ‘did you know’ boxes

• ‘things to do’ panels

RSPB Spotlight: Bats is packed with eye-catching, informative colour photographs and features succinct, detailed text written by a knowledgeable naturalist Thanks to their speed, size and nocturnal habitats, bats are among the most interesting, and least understood, mammals that frequent our homes and gardens. From their ability to make sounds that are above the range of human hearing, to their reliance on echolocation to navigate objects and find prey, their unique behaviour means that bats are seldom seen or heard. With nearly 1,400 species worldwide, bats make up around 25 per cent of all mammal species. Spotlight Bats features all 17 species that live and breed in the British Isles, as well as an array of the most fascinating bats from around the world, including some of the more charismatic species such as vampire bats and fishing bats. Nancy Jennings uses up-to-date research to provide insights intothe lives of these elusive mammals, covering the biology, diversity, evolution and ecology of bats, as well as their interactions with humans and folklore. The Spotlight series introduces readers to the lives and behaviours of our favourite animals with eye-catching colour photography and informative expert text.

This is the sixteenth issue in the FAO series of worldwide annotated and illustrated catalogues of major groups of organisms that enter marine fisheries. It contains the 159 species in 15 genera known from the serranid subfamily Epinephelinae, including one species new to science. There is an introductory section with general remarks on habitat and fisheries of the family, a glossary of technical terms, an illustrated key to each genus and all species, and a detailed account for all species. Species accounts include an illustration of each species, scientific and vernacular names, and information on habitat, biology, fisheries, size, relevant literature, and distribution. Following the species accounts are a list of nominal species in the subfamily, a table of species by major marine fishing areas, and colour plates. A list of all nominal species and their present allocations is given. The work is fully indexed and there is a comprehensive list of references to pertinent literature.

Bovids are a diverse group of ruminant mammals that have hooves and unbranched hollow horns. Bovids of the World is the first comprehensive field guide to cover all 279 bovid species, including antelopes, gazelles, cattle, buffaloes, sheep, and goats. From the hartebeest of Africa and the takin of Asia to the muskox of North America, bovids are among the world's most spectacular animals and this stunningly illustrated and easy-to-use field guide is an ideal way to learn more about them. The guide covers all species and subspecies of bovids described to date. It features more than 300 superb full-color plates depicting every kind of bovid, as well as detailed facing-page species accounts that describe key identification features, horn morphology, distribution, subspeciation, habitat, and conservation status in the wild. This book also shows where to observe each species and includes helpful distribution maps. Suitable for anyone with an interest in natural history, Bovids of the World is a remarkable and attractive reference, showcasing the range and beauty of these important mammals. * The first comprehensive field guide to all 279 bovid species*337 full-color plates, with more than 1,500 photographs * Detailed species accounts describe key identification features, distribution, subspeciation, habitat, behavior, reproduction, and conservation status* Fully updated and revised taxonomy, with common and scientific names* Easy-to-read distribution maps

In the best tradition of natural history writing and art, The Snake and the Salamander explores the diverse collection of reptiles and amphibians that inhabit the northeastern quadrant of the United States. Covering 13 states that run from Maine to Virginia, author Alvin R. Breisch and artist Matt Patterson showcase the lives of 83 species of snakes, lizards, turtles, frogs, and salamanders. These intriguing animals are organized by habitat and type, from forest to grassland to bogs to big waters, and revealed through a combination of Breisch's engaging prose and Patterson's original color illustrations. Breisch's guided tour combines historical notes and conservation issues with lessons on genetics, evolution, habitats, life histories, and more. Discover how careful attention to frog calls coupled with DNA analysis led to the discovery of a new species of frog in New York City, why evolutionary adaptations made the Eastern Ratsnake a superb climber, and the surprising fact that Spiny Softshell turtles actually sprint on land to retreat from predators. Breisch also tells the odd tale of the Green Frog and the Smooth Greensnake, two "green species" that do not actually have any green pigment in their skin. Every species has a story to tell-one that will keep the reader wanting to learn more. The breadth of herpetofauna in the area will surprise many readers: more than 8% of the world's salamanders and 11% of all turtle species live in the region. Beyond numbers, however, lie aesthetics. The surprising colors and fascinating lifestyles of the reptile and amphibian species in this book will mesmerize readers young and old.

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!

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.

Get Up Close and Personal with Deer, Elk, and Moose From the Alaskan wilderness to the Florida Keys, Stan Tekiela has spent 30 years in pursuit of deer, elk, and moose in order to study and photograph them. Now, he shares his fascination with these grand and majestic creatures, providing you with a naturalist's point of view. Stan presents the lives of these intriguing mammals through headings and concise blocks of text paired with gorgeous images that only he could capture. Marvel at North America's most amazing animals.