This attractive, practical guide explains how to transform backyard gardens into living ecosystems that are not only enjoyable retreats for humans, but also thriving sanctuaries for wildlife. Beautifully illustrated with full-color photographs, this book provides easy-to-follow recommendations for providing food, cover, and water for birds, bees, butterflies, and other small animals. Emphasizing individual creativity over conventional design, Bauer asks us to consider the intricate relationships between plants and wildlife and our changing role as steward, rather than manipulator, of these relationships.
In an engaging narrative that endorses simple and inexpensive methods of wildlife habitat gardening, Nancy Bauer discusses practices such as recycling plant waste on site, using permeable pathways, growing regionally appropriate plants, and avoiding chemical fertilizers and insecticides. She suggests ways of attracting pollinators through planting choices and offers ideas for building water sources and shelters for wildlife. A plant resource guide, tips for propagating plants, seasonal plants for hummingbirds, and host plants for butterflies round out "The California Wildlife Habitat Garden," making it an indispensable primer for those about to embark on creating their own biologically diverse, environmentally friendly garden.

From bestselling author Jane Davenport comes the ultimate inspiration for mixed-media artists! Make more time for creativity! In the follow-up to her popular 'Whimsical Girls', internationally known artist Jane Davenport once again offers her signature fanciful female figures, now accompanied by a menagerie of animal friends: cuddly koalas, noble lions, exotic birds and more. Inspirational prompts and Jane's stunning illustrations accompany the journal pages, which are printed on a variety of fine-art papers, including colouring paper, marker paper and watercolour paper, all perforated for easy display. Colourful collage papers and bonus stickers with even more original art and quotations round out this gorgeous package.

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.

Shortlisted for THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE 2017 ‘The best popular account of the lives of otters written so far’ Richard Shelton, Times Literary Supplement When Simon Cooper bought an abandoned water mill that straddles a small chalkstream in southern England, little did he know that he would come to share the mill with a family of wild otters. Yet move in they did, allowing him to begin to observe them, soon immersing himself in their daily routines and movements. He developed an extraordinary close relationship with the family, which in turn gave him a unique insight into the life of these fascinating creatures. Cooper interweaves the personal story of the female otter, Kuschta, with the natural history of the otter in the British Isles, only recently brought back from the brink of extinction through tireless conservation efforts. Following in the footsteps of Henry Williamson’s classic 1920s tale Tarka the Otter, readers are taken on a journey through the calendar year, learning the most intimate detail of this most beautiful of British mammals. Cooper brings these beloved animals to life in all their wondrous complexity, revealing the previously hidden secrets of their lives in this beautifully told tale of the otter.

From mice to manatees, identifying mammals can be simple, informative and fun. Award-winning author Stan Tekiela's famous field guide includes all 83 of Georgia's mammals, organized by family (from small to large). Each type of species gets a full-page photograph and three pages of information including size, habitat, range and more. Track patterns and other signs that an animal might leave behind aid in ensuring correct identification. Professional photos and Stan's naturalist notes help you to discover all of Georgia's diverse species.

Containing 146 stunning color photos, "Animals of the Serengeti" is a remarkable look at the mammals and reptiles most likely to be encountered in the world-famous Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. With an eye-catching layout, accessible text, and easy-to-use format, this detailed photographic guide includes 89 species of mammal and reptile. Useful "Top Tips"--shared by local Tanzanian guides that work in the region--provide visitors with insights into behavioral habits and how to locate specific animals. Filled with vivid anecdotes, "Animals of the Serengeti" will enable any safari traveler to identify the area's wildlife with ease.Covers the 89 species likely to be encountered in Tanzania's Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area Features male and female variationsAccessible text aimed at safari visitors of all levels

A photographic identification guide to 92 land and 30 marine mammals represents 90 per cent of all mammals in Sri Lanka, providing a perfect for guide for residents and visitors alike. Over 300 high-quality photographs from Sri Lanka's top nature photographers are accompanied by detailed species descriptions, which include nomenclature, size, distribution, habitat and viewing tips. The user-friendly introduction covers climatic zones, topography, top wildlife sites, night safaris and where to watch marine mammals. Also included is an all-important checklist of all of the mammals of Sri Lanka encompassing, for each species, its common and scientific names.

In 2019 the most comprehensive survey ever of adders was published. According to Make the Adder Count' the species will disappear from most of Britain in the next 15-20 years unless we take action now to save it. But despite being a priority conservation species under the Biodiversity Action Plan, not a single nature reserve in Britain has been specifically designated to protect it. Throughout our history we have systematically persecuted the adder over generations because it is Britain's only venomous snake. Now the adder population is in dire straits, its rapidly declining numbers occurring on increasingly small, isolated and fragmented sites. According to Make the Adder Count 90% of the sites where it still occurs have 10 or less adult snakes and are now considered to be very vulnerable to local extinction. Despite the adder population being in dire straits, it is still not too late to save it if we act now. This book contains a 10 point adder action plan which if implemented could help to restore the adder to its former range across Britain. Using many unique photographs of the species published for the first time, it also contains a history of the adder and reveals its secret life which has made it the most successful snake in the world. With a foreword by Iolo Williams, the BBC Springwatch presenter, this book is a story of our times, one which typifies the age of extinction through which we are all living and are all responsible.

Guy Bradley, born in Chicago in 1870, was killed in 1905 only three years into his tenure as game warden in a south Florida that was still very much a frontier. His murderer, never prosecuted, was a one-eyed former Civil War sharpshooter who made his living supplying exotic plumage for women's hats. At the time, an ounce of feathers was worth more than an ounce of gold. Bradley's death sent shock waves across America and helped give impetus to the burgeoning environmental movement.

Mainland Ecuador's spectacular wildlife makes it a magnet for nature tourists, but until now there hasn't been a go-to, all-in-one guide geared to the general reader. With this handy and accessible guide, visitors now have everything they need to identify and enjoy the majority of birds and animals they are likely to see. Written and illustrated by two of Ecuador's most experienced nature guides and photographers, this book covers more than 350 birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles. It features over 400 stunning color photographs and includes a range map for each species, as well as a brief account of the country's natural history and biogeography. With its extensive coverage, attractive and easy-to-use layout, beautiful photographs, and nontechnical text, this is an essential guide for anyone who wants to explore the natural wonders of Ecuador. * An essential all-in-one guide to mainland Ecuador's amazing wildlife* Unique and attractive layout with more than 400 stunning color photographs* Covers more than 350 of the most frequently seen birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians* Uses a habitat-based approach to aid identification* Accessible text provides key information on identification, behavior, biology, and conservation* Photos, maps, and text are presented together for ease of use

This detailed guide to the reptiles and amphibians of Britain, Ireland, and the Channel Islands has been produced, with the collaboration of the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust, with the aim of inspiring an increased level of interest in these exciting and fascinating animals. It is designed to help anyone who finds a lizard, snake, turtle, tortoise, terrapin, frog, toad, or newt to identify it with confidence. It features stunning photography; an easy-to-use approach to identification; superbly illustrated introductory sections on the biology and conservation, taxonomy, lifecycle, and behavior of each species group; profiles of the 16 native reptiles and amphibians that breed in Britain, Ireland, and the Channel Islands and the 5 marine turtles that visit Britain's seas; profiles of 7 established nonnative species and a summary of 8 more with a history of release/escape; and, distribution maps based on the latest available information Hints and tips on where, when, and how to watch reptiles and amphibians.

What hope remains for Africa's black rhinos? This book addresses that question by mixing local people and attitudes with biology and adventure, while describing the challenges of doing ecological fieldwork in a difficult setting, accompanied by a small child. It moves beyond typical nature studies by featuring real world components of conservation - the delicate mix of western and economic influences, and personal commitment.

"Required reading for anyone invested in our shared future with these powerful and complex creatures." -John Vaillant, author of The Tiger and The Golden Spruce Growing up on a northern trap line, Harold Johnson was taught to keep his distance from wolves. For decades, wolves did the same for humans. But now this seems to be changing. In 2005, twenty-two-year-old Kenton Carnegie was killed in a wolf attack near his work camp. Part story, part forensic analysis, Cry Wolf examines this and other attacks, showing how we fail to take this apex predator seriously at our own peril. "A crucial and timely examination of our shifting relationship to the land in general and the Canis lupus in particular." -Eden Robinson, author of Son of a Trickster "Insightful . . . . Johnson eloquently argues that Traditional Ecological Knowledge and the wisdom of Indigenous people can help us better understand the true nature of predators such as wolves." -Cristina Eisenberg, PhD, author of The Wolf's Tooth and The Carnivore Way

A Times and Sunday Times Book of the Year Peer into the secret, silent world of the freshwater fish and explore evolution of the art and industry of fishing in Britain's rivers and streams. From cunning Neolithic traps, intricate Roman nets and quarrellous Victorian societies to the evolution of angling and eventual gentrification of river access, this history spans thousands of years and ends with a poignant call to protect the underwater world from the horrors of industrial fishing and farming. Meanwhile, another thread of the narrative weaves in the lives of the fishes themselves: the incredible struggles of the Atlantic salmon and secretive eel; the pike, a lean and camouflaged predator; the carp, huge and stately, begetter of obsessions; the exquisite spotted brown trout and its silver cousin, the grayling. Lives built on and around fishing have largely faded from Britain, but fishermen and conservationists are working tirelessly to prevent the same fate befalling the fishes.

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.

From two of the world’s leading authorities on dogs, an imaginative journey into a future of dogs without people What would happen to dogs if humans simply disappeared? Would dogs be able to survive on their own without us? A Dog’s World imagines a posthuman future for dogs, revealing how dogs would survive—and possibly even thrive—and explaining how this new and revolutionary perspective can guide how we interact with dogs now. Drawing on biology, ecology, and the latest findings on the lives and behavior of dogs and their wild relatives, Jessica Pierce and Marc Bekoff—two of today’s most innovative thinkers about dogs—explore who dogs might become without direct human intervention into breeding, arranged playdates at the dog park, regular feedings, and veterinary care. Pierce and Bekoff show how dogs are quick learners who are highly adaptable and opportunistic, and they offer compelling evidence that dogs already do survive on their own—and could do so in a world without us. Challenging the notion that dogs would be helpless without their human counterparts, A Dog’s World enables us to understand these independent and remarkably intelligent animals on their own terms.

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.

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.