Anaconda tells the unexpected story of the world's largest snake. Written by Jesus Rivas, the undisputed expert on the biology of anacondas, this is the first authoritative book on the biology of the green anaconda. In this book, Rivas describes his experiences over a quarter of a century, exploring the secret life of these fantastic snakes, including: their diet, movement patterns, life and tribulations, survival, behavior, and fascinating reproductive life. More than just presenting facts about anacondas, Rivas tells his story about studying them in the field. Anaconda presents a comprehensive treatment of the natural history of the elusive green anacondas. Drawing on twenty-five years of research on this reptile in the wild and in captivity, Rivas delves into the biology, behavior, demography, reproductive habits, and diet of the anaconda, as well as issues relating to its conservation. Rivas uses an ecological and evolutionary framework to present his research and supplements hard data with descriptions of his research methods, including how he tracked down the anaconda for observation and study in wild. The resulting book is a complete and engaging examination of the world's largest snake. The rich photographs provided, paired with Rivas' storytelling, makes this the perfect book for anyone looking to learn (or even learn more!) about this mysterious snake.

This long-standing, trusted field guide to the wildlife of southern Africa has been comprehensively updated and now includes distribution maps. It describes over 2,000 plants and animals, each accompanied by accurate illustrations in full colour. This book has been a trusted field companion for many years. Comprehensively updated, it now features range maps for most groups. The chapters are colour-coded for easy reference, and diagnostic features appear in bold type within the descriptions. Each chapter is written by a leading expert in the field.

When Gerald Durrell died in 1995, at the age of seventy, he left behind an extraordinary legacy. As a pioneer animal conservationist, television personality and much-loved writer who inspired generations of readers with books like 'My Family and Other Animals', 'The Bafut Beagles', 'A Zoo in My Luggage' and 'The Amateur Naturalist', he packed a dozen lives into a single lifetime. A charismatic, passionate and above all dedicated to his crusade on behalf of animals and endangered species, he was founder of the world's leading zoos and of the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust, now renamed the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust in his honour.

"Douglas Botting is to be congratulated on 'Gerald Durrell'. He has done a magnificent job in telling the complex story of a complex person, wrinkles and all."
DAVID BELLAMY 'Literary Review'

"Douglas Botting's biography is as large in spirit as the subject himself and opens the mind to many crucial concerns."
DAVID HUGHES, 'Sunday telegraph'

"A monumental biography … Douglas Botting is sympathetic, perfectly qualified. His book does Durrell's memory as much justice as the Jersey sanctuary where his ideals live on."
ANTHONY HOLDEN, 'Sunday Express'

Few people have had the privilege of living on an isolated nature reserve of international importance, their every move judged by countless critics. Young ranger Ajay Tegala, embarking on his placement at Blakeney Point aged just nineteen, would have to stand firm in the face of many challenges to protect the wildlife of one of Britain's prime nature sites. In over 120 years, only a select few rangers have devoted their heart and soul to the wildlife of Norfolk's Blakeney Point. Watching and learning from his predecessors, Ajay faced head-on the challenges of the elements, predators and an ever-interested public. From the excitement of monitoring the growing grey seal population, to the struggles of trying to safeguard nesting birds from a plethora of threats, in The Unique Life of a Ranger, Ajay shares the many emotions of life on the edge of land and sea with honesty and affection.

This excellent book’s size belies its incredible utility. The perfect companion to any foray into the savannah, Kruger Wildlife includes not only beautiful photographs of a wide array of birds, mammals and reptiles, but informative text which is both extremely compact and highly comprehensive. All statistics that could conceivably help a viewer to identify, catalogue and learn about each animal are provided in concise and clear format. The Latin and colloquial names for each animal are included, along with the Afrikaans, French, German and Zulu names. The listings are given ratings for rarity of sightings, and each animal a tick box for viewers to mark upon sighting.

The region colloquially known as Greater Kruger is the most famous wildlife conservation area in southern Africa. The area includes the world-renowned Kruger National Park; several privately owned game reserves; and a contractual park. This region also forms part of the much larger Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, which spans international boundaries and includes neighbouring game reserves in Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

Kruger Wildlife will help you make the best of your guided game drives in this region.

Elephants have long been targeted by humans: not only are they killed for their ivory, but their extraordinary strength, intelligence and charisma have seen some of them captured, chained and effectively jailed for life.

Bully and Induna are two African elephants, both orphaned in organised culling operations and destined for lives in captivity. Growing up far apart and quite differently, Bully (a former animal film star) and the less fortunate Induna were both driven to react to their circumstances – Induna even killed one of his carers. Their individual situations reached a point where both were considered to be dangerous animals and were under threat of being put down.

This is the true story of their lives. Conservationist Richard Peirce presents their individual narratives and the twists and turns of their fortunes: the exploitation of these majestic but sensitive animals, how they each came to be trapped in unsuitable ‘employment’ and shunted about from one venue to the next, before finding one another – free at last – on a farm in southern Africa.

Giant Steps is a gripping story, full of drama, danger, sadness and ultimate rescue.

A fully updated second edition of this user-friendly field guide to the mammals of Borneo, covering Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei and Kalimantan. The book gives descriptions of all 247 land mammals and 30 marine species. These are superbly illustrated in 141 colour plates. Each plate is accompanied by species descriptions covering taxonomy, size, range, distribution, habits and status. Distribution is shown by detailed thumbnail maps. There are 7 habitat plates, 12 regional maps, fast-find graphic indexes and a full overview of vegetation, climate and ecology.

One of the most important books ever written about our connection to the natural world, GORILLAS IN THE MIST is the riveting account of Dian Fossey's thirteen years in a remote African rain forest with the greatest of the great apes. Fossey's extraordinary efforts to ensure the future of the rain forest and its remaining mountain gorillas are captured in her own words and in candid photographs of this fascinating endangered species. As only she could, Fossey combined her personal adventure story with groundbreaking scientific reporting in an unforgettable portrait of one of our closest primate relatives. Although Fossey's work ended tragically in her murder, GORILLAS IN THE MIST remains an invaluable testament to one of the longest-running field studies of primates and reveals her undying passion for her subject.

The Utah Mollusk Identification Guide offers up-to-date information for identifying aquatic and terrestrial snails, slugs, clams, and mussels within the state of Utah, providing comparative tables, taxonomic keys, and more than 230 images, including many type specimen images published for the first time. Amateur naturalists and biologists alike will benefit from detailed information regarding size, type, specimen location, junior synonyms (including taxonomy notes), original descriptions for each of the 139 species, and comments to help differentiate similar species. In contrast to older guides, this book includes data on the external and internal anatomy of mollusks. Taxonomic names are updated to incorporate the latest information available. Family descriptions and miscellaneous data on ecology, life history, and genetics are also presented. Distribution data are based on historical articles, museum records, personal observations, and collections. Although the focus is on Utah mollusks, many species are widely distributed and the data, images, references, and taxonomy details within the guide will be of interest to many outside the state.

A photographic celebration of the return of otters to our rivers and freshwater wetlands after a drastic decline. Ripples of excitement are spreading through Europe's rivers and wetlands. A generation ago, otter watching was a wildlife highlight restricted to remote coastal areas - otter populations had been decimated over the previous century by pesticide poisoning and habitat disturbance. Now we are seeing the positive effect of determined conservation efforts over recent decades. As our waterways improve, otters are returning and spreading throughout their former habitats. One of the UK's leading natural history photographers, Laurie Campbell got to know otters while working in Scotland's Highlands and Islands, but he had never seen these elusive predators on his home beat. Then, in the early 1990s, he was delighted to find otters back on the Tweed and its tributaries, a river system he has lived close to for most of his life. The discovery launched him on a quest to create a photographic account of their lives on his home river. More than two decades later, otter numbers continue to increase, and new generations of otters have become more confident around people, sometimes appearing in broad daylight and in town centres. Laurie continues his long-standing study, still photographing the otters through the changing seasons - always with an eye on the bigger picture of the river itself and the plants and animals that share the otters' habitat. Wildlife journalist and writer Anna Levin accompanies Laurie to the riverbank and learns of his working philosophy and fieldcraft. Together they weave a wealth of information into the stories that the pictures tell. While extracts from Anna's notebooks offer a vivid glimpse of the photographer at work and the otters that enchant them both.

A Naturalist's Guide to the Reptiles of the Philippines is an introductory photographic guide to 176 reptile taxa commonly encountered in the Philippines. High quality photographs from the region's top nature photographers, some of species that have never before been published, are accompanied by detailed species descriptions, which include common and scientific names, size, identifying features, distribution, habits and habitat. The user-friendly introduction covers climate and biogeographical regions, habitats, conservation, topography and advice on snakebites. Also included is an all-important checklist of all of the reptiles of The Philippines encompassing, for each species, its common and scientific name, IUCN status and CITES listing.

Mammals come in a huge variety of shapes and sizes, from tiny bats and mice to massive elephants and whales. This title introduces a cross-section of southern African mammals - 58 animals illustrated in full colour, along with easy text and visual clues as to the animals' size, their tracks and what they eat.

This beautifully packaged facsimile of Edith Holden s original diary is filled with a naturalist s masterful paintings and delightful observations chronicling the English countryside throughout 1906. As one of the few true records of the time in print, the handwritten thoughts and paintings contained in The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady transport readers to a more refined, romantic, and simpler time. Capitalizing on the current Downton Abbey inspired appetite for Edwardian-era ephemera, fashions, and society, this reproduction brings readers back to a time in which propriety, civility, and an appreciation for the natural world reigned. This souvenir of a bygone era serves not only as a calming touchstone, but a reminder that as long as we choose to see it, we are still surrounded by beauty and grace. Presented to retain the charm and beauty of the original volume filled with Holden s hand-drawn illustrations of the English countryside s flora and fauna through the changing seasons of the year, as well as handwritten notes, observations, and quotations, The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady makes a lovely addition to any home s library or side table.

This new, thoroughly revised edition of Bradt's Southern Africa Wildlife guide provides an overview of all southern African wildlife - not only 'big game' and other large mammals, but also birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates. Excellent for independent travellers, it is reliable as a standalone guide combining both wildlife and visitor information, and is also a perfect complement to traditional field guides. Countries covered include Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini and Zimbabwe, with Malawi and Zambia both added to this new edition. Colour photographs illustrate all key species and the engaging text extends beyond basic identification features to illuminate the natural history and ecology of the wildlife that visitors will encounter. Text has been updated throughout to reflect the latest conservation initiatives and wildlife population figures. Included are a practical guide to tracks and signs, plus top tips for optimising your wildlife experience, as well as a 'where to go' overview which outlines the key wildlife attractions of each country and, together with a seasonal highlights calendar, enables visitors to plan a safari that suits their interests.

Year after year the family returns to the lake. The children, barefoot and free, explore its sun-drenched wilderness... The summer Bruce turns ten seems, at first, like any other: swimming out to the raft, watching the gulls, frogs and herons, catching crayfish. But just when he thinks that life is perfect, everything begins to change, and over the course of two months both the harshness of the adult world and the patterns of the natural reveal themselves.Barefoot at the Lake is not only a beautifully written boy's-eye view of the animals, humans and landscape of his youth, it is also delightfully funny, with a moving wisdom at its heart.

THE AVOCADO DRIVE ZOO is a warm and personal, yet humorous, recounting of how the members of the Hamner family have lived with and loved the animals in their lives. By the time they moved to Hollywood and settled into a lovely residence on Avocado Drive, their home was virtually a zoo.

Safari guide Jeff Williams has brought together a treasure-trove of stories of dramatic events that occurred whilst guides were leading parties through the bush on foot. Often these were recounted during evenings sitting around a campfire with friends and guide colleagues, swapping yarns and sharing their experiences. Frequently guests were there listening enthralled, shocked and amused in equal measure and sometimes the telling of the tale evoked vivid images. A walking trail in the bush is the ultimate adventure for a visitor to wild Africa and it is the skill and experience of their guides that allow them to do this safely. These walks highlight the essence of the bush - the sights, sounds, and scents that still embody the Africa of the past. Nevertheless, there are occasions when, in spite of the guide's best efforts, unplanned confrontations with potentially dangerous animals occur. Usually these end comfortably with only an adrenaline rush for guests to carry home or publish on social media. But occasionally things become much more dramatic. The reader will hear of potentially perilous situations involving encounters with charging lions, angry elephants, cantankerous buffalos, curious rhinos and, worst of all, the animals' and humans' greatest enemy, poachers. There is the bushman guide who walked over 20km through the night with an inexperienced young girl, successfully handling an attack by a hyena, avoiding elephants and finding shelter and sustenance. Another very young guide used a hugely unorthodox and personally dangerous technique to rescue a guest literally from the jaws of death. Talking to a large elephant to dissuade him from harming a walking party? Yes, that's here too. Sadly, the real African bush is shrinking in size and is under serious threat from the increasingly populated and developing modern world. Some may be able to visit these precious remnants in person but this book provides a window into the specialized field of walking safaris for the armchair reader, the seasoned world traveller and even a stimulating reminder for those who have done it before. Whether you are an armchair explorer or an old Africa Hand there is drama, excitement and even laughter: they are all here.

Based on more than 1.8 million records, this Atlas provides the most up-to-date information on the current distributions of both terrestrial and marine mammals in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. Many changes over time, such as the rapid invasion of the grey squirrel, the recovery of the pine marten and the decline of the water vole, are readily apparent from the detailed maps. Fully illustrated with photographs, detailed information is provided for 84 species, including descriptions of their ecology and identification, together with graphs showing the seasonal distribution of records. Data are also presented for feral species, vagrants, and cetaceans that have only ever been found as strandings. The Atlas will be an invaluable source of information to mammal enthusiasts, professional ecologists, and policy makers.

This fully revised and updated 3rd edition of A Naturalist's Guide to the Snakes of Southeast Asia is an easy-to-use identification guide to 264 snake species most commonly found in Southeast Asia (covering Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar, Borneo, Sumatra, Java and Bali), and is perfect for resident and visitor alike. High quality photographs from the region's top nature photographers, some of species that have never before been published, are accompanied by detailed species descriptions which include nomenclature, size, distribution, habits and habitat. The user-friendly introduction covers snake topography, how to deal with snake bites and a glossary. Also included is an all-important checklist of all of the snakes of Southeast Asia encompassing, for each species, its common and scientific name, IUCN status as at 2020 and its status in each country.

'London in the Wild is a timely opportunity to get out and explore all the wild spaces and natural places that exist alongside us. Both on your doorstep and on the other side of the river.' - Chris Packham A place of cars, concrete, lights, noise and pollution, London is a harsh, unyielding landscape created to meet the needs of people, not wildlife, but if you take the time to stop and look, you'll discover it is teeming with more than 15,000 species of flora, fungi and fauna, including marsh frogs, hedgehogs, short-eared owls and dragonflies. With London in the Wild as your guide, you can explore the city from your garden, local parks and community space, but also from its wetlands, woodlands and heaths. Along the way you'll discover the best places to see bluebells in springtime, the day-to-day life of a London Tube mouse and the activities of seals who make their home in the Thames.

A fascinating insight into the badger's world. Badger biology, life in the sett, rescue & rehabilitation, consultancy, badgers & farming, and badger-watching with George Pearce - an expert on badgers. George has surveyed over 700 sites, visited 1,500 setts, been consulted as an expert in 120 animal cruelty cases and rehabilitated more than 100 badgers. Brought up on a farm, he earned his living as a farmer for 45 years. Today, he is a badger consultant and one of the foremost experts on the British mammal he admires the most. For many years, the RSPCA, police, veterinary surgeons and conservation groups all over the country have relied on George Pearce's knowledge and his instinctive feel for animal behaviour. Now you can share in his experience and enthusiasm for badgers from his 70 years of badger watching and his vast professional wildlife experience.