The Rhode Island Nature Set offers the best in wildlife and plant identification for The Ocean State. The set includes three Pocket Naturalist Guides to Rhode Island -- Trees & Wildflowers, Birds, and Wildlife -- and is attractively packaged in a cellophane bag. The beautifully illustrated folding guides highlight well over 300 familiar and unique species and include ecoregion maps featuring prominent wildlife-viewing areas and botanical sanctuaries. Laminated for durability, Pocket Naturalist Guides are lightweight, pocket-sized sources of portable information and ideal for field use by novices and experts alike. Made in the USA.

From the host of the Travel Channel's "The Wild Within."
A hunt for the American buffalo--an adventurous, fascinating examination of an animal that has haunted the American imagination.
In 2005, Steven Rinella won a lottery permit to hunt for a wild buffalo, or American bison, in the Alaskan wilderness. Despite the odds--there's only a 2 percent chance of drawing the permit, and fewer than 20 percent of those hunters are successful--Rinella managed to kill a buffalo on a snow-covered mountainside and then raft the meat back to civilization while being trailed by grizzly bears and suffering from hypothermia. Throughout these adventures, Rinella found himself contemplating his own place among the 14,000 years' worth of buffalo hunters in North America, as well as the buffalo's place in the American experience. At the time of the Revolutionary War, North America was home to approximately 40 million buffalo, the largest herd of big mammals on the planet, but by the mid-1890s only a few hundred remained. Now that the buffalo is on the verge of a dramatic ecological recovery across the West, Americans are faced with the challenge of how, and if, we can dare to share our land with a beast that is the embodiment of the American wilderness.
"American Buffalo" is a narrative tale of Rinella's hunt. But beyond that, it is the story of the many ways in which the buffalo has shaped our national identity. Rinella takes us across the continent in search of the buffalo's past, present, and future: to the Bering Land Bridge, where scientists search for buffalo bones amid artifacts of the New World's earliest human inhabitants; to buffalo jumps where Native Americans once ran buffalo over cliffs by the thousands; to the Detroit Carbon works, a "bone charcoal" plant that made fortunes in the late 1800s by turning millions of tons of buffalo bones into bone meal, black dye, and fine china; and even to an abattoir turned fashion mecca in Manhattan's Meatpacking District, where a depressed buffalo named Black Diamond met his fate after serving as the model for the American nickel.
Rinella's erudition and exuberance, combined with his gift for storytelling, make him the perfect guide for a book that combines outdoor adventure with a quirky blend of facts and observations about history, biology, and the natural world. Both a captivating narrative and a book of environmental and historical significance, "American Buffalo" tells us as much about ourselves as Americans as it does about the creature who perhaps best of all embodies the American ethos.

Southern India is home to the greatest concentration of elephants in Asia. However, populations are fast diminishing and the Asian elephant is faced with extinction. In order to save this endangered creature we must increase our knowledge of this crucial population.

This is the broadest treatment of the subject yet,written by one of the leading workers in the field, Raman Sukumar, the book promises to bring the understanding of elephants to a new level, making it of interest not only to biologists but also a broader audience including field ecologists, wildlife administrators, historians, conservationists and all those interested in elephants and their future.

From the time they lived on the island of Corfu, Gerald Durrell's family hoped he'd outgrow his love of animals. Instead he became a zoologist and worldwide conservation hero. In 1945, young zoologist, Gerald Durrell, finally came to work at his first actual zoo; Whipsnade Zoo--then a new concept in open-range animal exhibits--where Durrell joined in as a student keeper with Albert the lion, Babs the polar bear, and a baby deer among his first charges. In this entertaining history, he recaptures all the passion that permeated those early years, while conveying his insight into and affection for four-footed creatures. The book is full of larger-than-life animal characters: the bear who sang operatic arias with one paw clasped to his breast, his bosom friend Billy the goat, playful zebras, and a host of equally endearing and memorable critters. This is Durrell at his best. Fans of the PBS Masterpiece series, The Durrells in Corfu, know Gerald Durrell as a young boy with endless curiosity about animals. This is where that interest led. Durrell's great life work, the Wildlife Preservation Trust International, was still ahead in his future. Beasts in My Belfry is a wonderfully entertaining memoir for anyone who loves animals and a life lived with great purpose.

Definitive work covering 70 species from 17 groups. Each species is described with sections on characters (external, cranial and dental), recognised subspecies, morphology, taxonomy, ecology, echolocation, distribution and conservation status. The volume contains a key to groups and species, a gazeteer, many line illustrations and colour plates illustrating many of the species.

Based upon detailed observation in the New Forest, this delightful book tells the story of Buckie, a fawn from a small herd of fallow does which the author was first privileged to observe just before sunset one magical June evening. Following this defining moment, the author, accompanied by her dachshund George, spent every spare moment watching deer - red, sika and roe but mostly the beautiful fallow deer. She observed the deer in all weathers, how they interacted with each other or with other wild creatures amongst the New Forest's ancient stands of oak and beech. Buckie's contacts with a variety of people such as those who befriend him, the local keepers and poachers are all described in realistic detail. Every November the author went to the New Forest to observe the rut, an exciting time in the deer world, when the great belching roars echoed out over twilight in autumnal woods, evoking a thrill of pleasure. Ferny Wood is a closely observed, lovingly detailed account of a deer's first three years of life and also an illuminating portrait of a forest in all its moods.

"Antarctic Wildlife" is the definitive identification guide to the birds and marine mammals of the Antarctic Peninsula, Drake Passage, and Beagle Channel. This easy-to-use photographic field guide enables visitors to this unique region of the world--newcomer and seasoned traveler alike--to identify with confidence the penguins, whales, seals, seabirds, and other stunning wildlife they encounter on their journey. Full-color photographs show typical views of each species of bird or marine mammal, together with the terrestrial plants likely to be seen. Detailed species accounts describe key identification features, give tips on where to look, and highlight interesting facts. This one-of-a-kind guide also includes introductory chapters that cover the wildlife of each Antarctic environment by season, as well as information on tourism and Antarctic cruising that will help visitors get the most from their trip.

"Antarctic Wildlife" is a must-have photographic guide for travelers taking the standard cruise from Ushuaia, Argentina, to the great white continent, and for anyone interested in the diverse wildlife found in this remote part of the world.Covers the wildlife of the Antarctic Peninsula, Drake Passage, and Beagle Channel Features full-color photographs throughout Describes key identification features and gives tips on where to look Includes an introduction to Antarctic environments and information on Antarctic cruising

Artist Kristin Llamas (her real name) has been drawing adorably odd portraits of llamas for years. Inspired by a name and her affection for these delightfully expressive animals, she creates detailed, personality-rich portraits in her realistic and humorous black-and-white style. The results are charming and funny, raising the question, which llama are you? Some mornings are Claire mornings. Allyn, we know just how you feel.... This smile of a gift book collects 60 of Llamas's most amusing and endearing portraits, pairing them with biographical quips and jewel-tone color washes to capture these llamas' quirky inner lives, and our own.

Which birds have the most air miles? Are adders born venomous? Springwatch Unsprung brings together all the most-asked questions from the surprise hit BBC 2 TV spin-off of the same name. The heart of the book is what has become the star of the TV programme - the viewers' anecdotes and questions. Many seemingly simple questions turn out to have complex answers, and some that seem difficult have a very simple explanation. All wildlife questions - be they trivial, idiosyncratic, baffling or strange - are covered, making this compilation equally as entertaining and enlightening as it is educational. Arranged by season, the book allows people to discover what is going on around them at any particular time of year. The book is peppered with elements from the Unsprung TV programme such as quizzes, wildlife suggestions for each season, and practical ideas of how to preserve wildlife in your garden. Each seasonal section comprises: A short introduction to the season including what the wildlife-watcher might expect to see at this time of year Questions and answers drawing on the latest research, but translated by the Springwatch experts. Quizzes - simple, mostly multiple choice questions e.g. who collects the most air miles? Spring sees the arrival of many of our migrant birds but which travels the furthest? What You Can Do - suggestions of seasonal activities including top tips on how to help wildlife at any given time of year, plus 3 or 4 things to make and do. e.g. helping your hogs - what and how to feed hedgehogs and what to do if you find an underweight one that should be hibernating. Springwatch Unsprung will entertain, inform and empower anyone interested in British wildlife.

Home to the Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, and Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania offers some of the finest big game watching in the world, from elephants and rhinos to chimpanzees and lions. This field guide covers all the larger mammals of Tanzania, including marine mammals and some newly discovered species. Detailed accounts are provided for more than 135 species, along with color photos, color illustrations of marine mammals, and distribution maps. Accounts for land species give information on identification, subspecies, similar species, ecology, behavior, distribution, conservation status, and where best to see each species. The guide also features plates with side-by-side photographic comparisons of species that are easily confused, as well as first-time-ever species checklists for every national park. * The definitive, most up-to-date field guide to the larger mammals of Tanzania, including marine mammals* Features detailed species accounts and numerous color photos throughout* Provides tips on where to see each species* Includes species checklists for every national park

Madagascar is home to one of the most remarkable assemblages of mammals on earth. Millions of years of isolation has resulted in the evolution of a suite of species that are exceptional for two major reasons. Firstly, every native non-volant species (approximately 210 species) is endemic. No other island or place on earth boasts such a combination of species richness and endemism. And secondly, these mammals have evolved an extraordinary diversity of body forms and lifestyles often displaying significant convergence with forms elsewhere but also at times evolving utterly unique features. Handbook of the Mammals of Madagascar describes all 217 native species, including bats, tenres, mice and lemurs, and a small number of introduced, non-native species. Species accounts are subdivided into sections covering description and identification, habitat and distribution (including distribution maps), behaviour and where to see. Over the past 15 years, major advances in research have been made into the island's mammal fauna and species accounts include all the latest information. Supporting chapters cover the island's regions and habitats, threats to mammals, conservation and important mammal watching sites. There is also a section covering the bizarre extinct mammal fauna. Throughout, the book is illustrated with exceptional, high-quality photography, often featuring species rarely photographed previously.

From timid shrews to commonly seen rabbits, red deer to minke whales, and including the many species of bats, there are over 60 resident wild mammals in the UK or around its coasts. The aim of this book is to provide a brief account of these and also of some that are no longer here. They represent a diverse and sometimes surprising group.The essential illustrated guide for children and adults alike.

This is a collection of exceptional images from past years of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition - the most famous and prestigious event of its kind in the world. Each portrait captures an intimate moment and reveals the character of both the individual and often of the species itself. Such images require both photographic skill and an intimacy with the subject that comes from spending long periods in the field. They have been taken by more than 50 award-winning photographers worldwide representing more than 20 countries.

The ultimate compact, quick ID guide to southern and East African animal behaviour, and the latest in the popular series of 'quick guides' to wildlife.

This title:

- describes and explains the habits of the more commonly found mammals of southern and East Africa;

- matches concise text with action photographs that capture characteristic behaviour;

- serves as a companion volume to more detailed field guides;

- provides a quick reference and easy read for anyone interested in understanding wild animals and their sometimes baffling rituals.

The Secret Lives of Animals is the perfect mix of field guide know-how and armchair entertainment. In addition to the standard field guide notes and range maps, the meat of the book will offer up "spark moments" in nature-something fascinating or memorable that catches your attention and sets you on a path of lifelong learning. The Secret Lives of Animals will feature more than 100 North American animals and over 1,000 tidbits in a fun, colorful, illustrated format.

A richly illustrated natural history of the world's crabs that examines their diversity, ecology, anatomy, behavior, and more This lavishly illustrated book offers a remarkable look at the world's crabs. More than 7,000 crab species, in 100 different families, are known today. Their unique physiology and complex behaviors have made them one of the most diverse and adaptable of all animal groups. They can thrive in the darkness of abyssal seas, on the edges of scalding hot volcanic hydrothermal vents, on sunlit coral reefs, on wave-washed rocky shores, and in tropical rain forests at the tops of mountains. They even persist in some of the harshest desert conditions. Playing a vital role in marine and coastal ecology, crabs have been identified as keystone species in habitats such as coral reefs and coastal tropical swamps. Crabs comprises five chapters: evolutionary pathways; anatomy and physiology; ecology; reproduction, cognition, and behavior; and exploitation and conservation. Individual chapters include a variety of subtopics, each illustrated by exceptional images, and followed by numerous double full-page species' profiles. Each profile has been chosen to emphasize remarkable and intriguing aspects of the life of these fascinating creatures. Some species may be familiar, but many are beyond anything you have probably seen before and will stretch your understanding of what a crab is. Written by a world authority, Crabs offers an accessible overview of these fascinating crustaceans. More than 190 spectacular color photographs Accessible and well-organized chapters Full profiles on 42 iconic species from across the world

At last, one of the most popular books on the American West is available once again in hardcover. In celebration of the twentieth anniversary of the publication of "Desert Solitaire, " the University of Arizona Press is pleased to publish a new edition featuring a new introduction by the author, his definitive corrections to the text, and new illustrations commissioned exclusively for this volume. Edward Abbey's account of two summers spent in southeastern Utah's canyonlands is surely one of the most enduring works of contemporary American nature writing. In it he tells of his stint as a park ranger at Arches National Monument, of his love for the natural beauty that surrounded him, and of his distaste for the modernizing improvements designed to increase visitation to the park. "I confess to being a nature lover," admits Abbey more than thirty years after his sojourn in the wilderness. "But I did not mean to be mistaken for a nature writer. I never wanted to be anything but a writer, period." First published in 1968 to "a few brief but not hostile notices," "Desert Solitaire" quietly sold out of its first printing but eventually developed a loyal enough following in paperback to earn Abbey the "nature writer" label he claims never to have wanted. "Desert Solitaire" lives on because it is a work that reflects profound love of nature and a bitter abhorrence of all that would desecrate it. "Abbey is one of our very best writers about wilderness country," observed Wallace Stegner in the "Los Angeles Times Book Review"; "he is also a gadfly with a stinger like a scorpion." "This book may well seem like a ride on a bucking bronco," added Edwin Way Teale in the "New York Times." "It is rough, tough, combative...passionately felt, deeply poetic." But perhaps the spirit of the man, the work, and the circumstances of its writing were best summarized by Larry McMurtry in his review for the "Washington Post" "Edward Abbey is the Thoreau of the American West."

Hailed as a classic, Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? explores the oddities and complexities of animal cognition-in crows, dolphins, parrots, sheep, wasps, bats, chimpanzees, and bonobos-to reveal how smart animals really are, and how we've underestimated their abilities for too long. Did you know that octopuses use coconut shells as tools, that elephants classify humans by gender and language, and that there is a young male chimpanzee at Kyoto University whose flash memory puts that of humans to shame? Fascinating, entertaining, and deeply informed, de Waal's landmark work will convince you to rethink everything you thought you knew about animal-and human-intelligence.

Behaviour problems are a significant cause of companion animal relinquishment and euthanasia. This book provides up to date information about animal behaviour as well as practical advice on how veterinary practice professionals can manage undesirable animal behaviour and give down to earth, appropriate and trusted advice to owners. This book: * Covers the important aspects of behaviour in dogs, cats, rabbits and rodents, parrots and birds, as well as how this behaviour has adapted to the domestic environment. * Discusses the role of the veterinary practice in improving the emotional experience of animals attending the veterinary practice, including practice design, socialisation classes for young animals and effective communication with owners. * Covers the clinical decision-making process in managing the signs of undesirable behaviour, appropriately handling pets in the practice to minimise distress, as well as: behavioural first aid, referral to a specialist, medical influences on behaviour and decisions about euthanasia. This practical and accessible book gives all the essential information needed by veterinary professionals in order to advise clients on the behaviour and well-being of animals in their care.

Although the lion is not the largest, fastest or most lethal animal, its position as king of beasts has rarely been challenged. Since Palaeolithic times, lions have fascinated people, and due to its gallant mane, knowing eyes, and distinctive roar, the animal continues to beguile us today. In "Lion," Deirdre Jackson paints a fresh portrait of this regal beast, drawing on folktales, the latest scientific research, and even lion-tamers' memoirs, as well as other little-known sources to tell the story of lions famous and anonymous, familiar and surprising.

Majestic, noble, brave--the lion is an animal that has occupied a great place in the human imagination, inspiring countless myths, lore and legends. As well, this creative relationship has abounded in visual culture--painted on wood and canvas, chiseled in stone, hammered in metal, and tucked between the pages of medieval manuscripts, lions have often represented divinity, dignity, and danger.

In "Lion" Jackson summarizes the latest findings of field biologists and offers in-depth analyses of works of art, literature, oral traditions, plays, and films. She is a peerless guide on a memorable visual and cultural safari.

No other continent offers the opportunity to see such diverse wildlife -- up close and in its natural habitat. Eco-tourists, adventurers, and nature lovers will find African Wildlife to be the essential pocket-sized, folding guide as they travel. This beautifully illustrated guide highlights over 140 familiar species of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. Created and printed in the USA, this guide was updated in 2012 with a new cover design and a back panel map highlighting prominent ecosystems. Laminated for durability, this guide will conveniently fit into a pocket when you want to reach for your camera or binoculars.

Aesop’s Anthropology is a guide for thinking through the perplexing predicaments and encounters that arise as the line between human and nonhuman shifts in modern life. Recognizing that culture is not unique to humans, John Hartigan Jr. asks what we can learn about culture from other species. He pursues a variety of philosophical and scientific ideas about what it means to be social using cultural dynamics to rethink what we assume makes humans special and different from other forms of life. Through an interlinked series of brief essays, Hartigan explores how we can think differently about being human. Forerunners: Ideas First is a thought-in-process series of breakthrough digital publications. Written between fresh ideas and finished books, Forerunners draws on scholarly work initiated in notable blogs, social media, conference plenaries, journal articles, and the synergy of academic exchange. This is gray literature publishing: where intense thinking, change, and speculation take place in scholarship.