The author explores the natural history of Skomer Island, and provides a personal reflection on life and work of a beautiful and remote seabird colony off the west Wales coast.

QI The Pocket Book of Animals is John Lloyd and John Mitchinson's funny, eccentric and confounding handbook filled with interesting animal facts and figures. Join the QI team for an off-road safari into the wildlife, past one hundred of the most unusual members of the animal kingdom, armed with illuminating illustrations and diagrams by award-winning artist Ted Dewan. Amongst the weird, wonderful and really quite interesting animal facts, meet albatrosses that fly non-stop for ten years, leeches with 34 brains, koalas that don't drink, geese that mourn their dead and lobsters that live for a century. marvel at elephants that walk on tiptoe, pigs that shine in the dark, and woodpeckers that have ears on the end of their tongues. Collected by the writers of the hit BBC show, QI, and authors of the international bestsellers The Book of General Ignorance and 1,227 QI Facts To Blow Your Socks Off, QI The Pocket Book of Animals is an animal encyclopedia that even David Attenborough would learn something from. And remember - everything you think you know is wrong.

Join wildlife photographer Will Nicholls on a journey to find the elusive British red squirrel, documenting its secret life with words and beautiful photographs. If you sit quietly in a woodland, a new world will reveal itself around you. The red squirrel is one of the most treasured mammals in Britain, but if you are lucky enough to see one it will often be just a fleeting glimpse. Filled with many images, this book will provide you with a window into the world of the red squirrel. Stories of Will's experiences studying this fascinating creature are interwoven with factual information about many aspects of the squirrel's life.

South Georgia is rich in wildlife and spectacular scenery, and it is a prime destination spot on most Antarctic tours. This beautifully illustrated field guide depicts the birds, mammals, insects, flowering plants, and other vegetation found in this unique part of the world. It features 368 full-color photographs of more than 180 species, including 65 species of birds, 20 species of sea mammals, nearly 60 species of insects, and more than 40 species of flowering and nonflowering plants. Detailed species accounts describe key identification features, with information on status, behavior, threats, and distribution. This one-of-a-kind photographic guide also includes introductory chapters on South Georgia's geography, climate, ecology, and conservation. * Features 368 photos of more than 180 species * Covers birds, sea mammals, insects, and plants * Provides detailed species accounts * Includes chapters on geography, climate, ecology, and conservation * The only photographic field guide to focus specifically on South Georgia

Turtle, **** stars: Came with super cute case, not the fastest, but outlasts every comparable unit. Dropped into a pond and still works perfectly. Otter, *** stars: Sturdy build, totally winter-ready and waterproof. Only comes in brown. Launched by the Oregon Zoo and quickly picked up by zoos, aquariums, scientists, and the funny people of Twitter, #rateaspecies is a global, viral hit, and a chance for people to honestly - and hilariously - review the animal kingdom. In Rate A Species, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums has crowd-sourced 150 of the best entries, the majority of which are new to the book, from their 233 member zoos and aquariums. Packed with adorable photographs of every animal and laced with wit and humour, Rate A Species is the perfect gift or self-purchase for animal lovers of all ages.

Common Wild Flowers of Table Mountain has proved tovbe a valuable guide for flower-lovers, hikers and mountainvclimbers who wish to know more about the flowers theyvencounter on their outings. Now expanded to take in the expansive Silvermine reserve, and generally updated for the entire area, this new edition will appeal to an even wider market.

It offers:

- Flowers grouped according to colour to enable quick ID

- Some 260 flowers that can be seen along the way

- Clear photographs and concise, informative text for each species.

- A variety of walking routes that crisscross the mountain and reserve, plotted on accompanying route maps

For anyone with an interest in identifying the flowers of the mountain and reserve, this will be an indispensable guide.

What happens to political thought if we take the problematic nature of the human animal distinction, not as something to be demonstrated, but rather as a given? What sorts of animal-existential possibilities are derived by tracking not the animal but the animal-to-come through the inherited traditions and institutions that continue to shape prevailing concepts of culture and politics? Robert Briggs lays out an original interpretation of Derrida's work which takes the 'question of the animal' beyond the critique of political and philosophical anthropocentrism. Eschewing approaches grounded in animal vulnerability, Briggs reviews theories of power, politics and culture in terms of their capacity to enable novel images of 'zoopolitics'. Along the way he engages with recently translated work in the emerging field of philosophical ethology, including Vinciane Despret's What Would Animals Say If We Asked the Right Questions? (2016) and Dominique Lestel's empirical and constructivist phenomenology of human-animal relations. Through these and other interventions, Briggs departs from well-established positions in animal studies to develop new ways of thinking animal politics today.

Drawing on the latest scientific research, the authors introduce the book with a discussion of reptile identification, diversity, biology, distribution patterns, and where to find and observe them, as well as unraveling the facts and fallacies of snakebites.

Written in a lively and accessible way, the subsequent chapters offer insight into: -Identification to group level, with an inclusive list of related species-A detailed description of appearance, together with colorful images-Biology and behavior of each group-Conservation status of species-Reproduction details-DistributionInformative panels provide key information at a glance, with a distribution map and clear icons giving typical habitat and period of activity.

A wealth of full-color photographs throughout brings the subject matter vividly to life.

This book will appeal to all wildlife enthusiasts, both professional and amateur, and will prove to be a valuable guide in the field.

Discover the simple and considerate things YOU can do to save the elephant- and the world! In recent years, the global elephant population has diminished rapidly in recent years. Both Asian and African elephants face a number of grave threats, including poaching and loss of habitat. African elephant numbers are estimated to have dropped by 30% in the past decade alone. These beautiful creatures need your help more than ever, but it's never been so easy to make a difference. 50 Ways to Save the Elephants is packed with steps you can take to help elephant populations recover and protect elephants in captivity. Whether it's engaging in online activism from your home, helping to reduce climate change, or being a conscientious consumer and traveler, these simple contributions will benefit more than just the elephants - they also help make a difference in our community and the world!

Meet Najin and Fatu—the last of the northern white rhinos—as well as the scientists, conservationists, and rangers who are fighting for the species’ survival. The last two remaining northern white rhinos, an already functionally extinct species, are kept behind three electrical fences and protected by a squad of rangers at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya. Their names are Najin and Fatu. Both are descended from the last male northern white rhino, Sudan. Najin is his daughter, while Fatu is his granddaughter. Along with Sudan and another male named Suni, they were transferred to Kenya in 2009, in the hope that returning them to their natural habitat might help them regain their zest for life and reproduction. Unfortunately, things didn’t go to plan. With the deaths of Sudan and Suni, the northern white rhinos’ destiny is now in the hands of their Kenyan caretakers and a team of scientists at the BioResuce international consortium, which is developing and using several different techniques to resurrect the species, including assisted reproduction and stem cell research. The plan is to insert northern white rhino embryos into southern white rhino surrogate mothers as soon as possible. There is a real chance the first “new� northern white rhino baby will be born in late 2023. Will science prevail, or is it too late? Journalists Boštjan and Maja Videmšek explore this question by taking readers on a journey through the history of the northern white rhinos. They introduce the rangers, conservationists, and scientists fighting for the future of the northern white rhinos and dissect what led the species to the brink of extinction, from wars and climate change to poaching and the black market. The Last Two offers hope for the future of the environment and the fight to save the many species that call Earth home.

This riotous assembly of unrespectable creatures comprises 42 short accounts of southern Africa’s vibrant collection of wild animals.

From the one-of-its-kind aardvark to the wilfully ignorant ostrich; the Houdini-like honey badger to the precariously specialised klipspringer; and from the curvaceous, sports-model springbok to the recklessly insensitive hyena – this book airs the dirty laundry (and shares the trade secrets) of some of our wackiest, most eccentric fauna. Many of the stories are illustrated with delightful line drawings.

Basing his accounts on accurate, true-to-life detail, but always looking on the light side, author David Muirhead captures the weird and wonderful lives of his subjects, investigating their often exaggerated reputations, their habits, weaknesses, armouries and modi operandi.

At once informative and hugely entertaining, this riotous assembly will appeal to anyone with the slightest interest in wildlife and – for its excellent entertainment value – will make a particularly wonderful gift.

This book is suitable for ages 9 to 12 years. Who wouldn't want to fly? Despite our unique status as human beings, we do not possess the ability to lift our feet off the land like birds do. Having inspired us to build aeroplanes and helicopters, birds and other flying animals like bees, dragonflies, and mosquitoes have many other skills, too. With illustrations, this book presents geese helping each other in the sky, the secretary bird hunting snakes, woodpeckers digging nests in trees, the albatross with a huge wingspan, and the honey guide co-operating with the badger to feed on the wax of hives.

Hailed as a "nonfiction epic . . . in the tradition of Jared Diamond's best-seller Collapse, and Simon Winchester's Atlantic" (Dallas Morning News), Jack E. Davis's The Gulf is "by turns informative, lyrical, inspiring and chilling for anyone who cares about the future of 'America's Sea' " (Wall Street Journal). Illuminating America's political and economic relationship with the environment from the age of the conquistadors to the present, Davis demonstrates how the Gulf's fruitful ecosystems and exceptional beauty empowered a growing nation. Filled with vivid, untold stories from the sportfish that launched Gulfside vacationing to Hollywood's role in the country's first offshore oil wells, this "vast and welltold story shows how we made the Gulf . . . [into] a 'national sacrifice zone' " (Bill McKibben). The first and only study of its kind, The Gulf offers "a unique and illuminating history of the American Southern coast and sea as it should be written" (Edward O. Wilson).

The essential photographic guide to Ireland's wildlife. Collins Complete Irish Wildlife describes almost all the mammals, birds, fish and butterflies of Ireland likely to be encountered by the keen amateur naturalist, as well as all the common and widespread flowers, trees and shrubs. With over 1,000 colour photographs, this comprehensive guide illustrates every species described. The introduction by Ireland's best known wildlife expert, Derek Mooney, sets out where you can find the best of Irish wildlife. Reptiles and amphibians, insects and spiders, molluscs and other invertebrates are also featured, and species are organised taxonomically. Each section is coded with a symbol for quick reference and species are grouped according to natural relationships and similarities. Collins Complete Irish Wildlife is a book no nature lover should travel without.

'A warm and inspiring invitation to put down our phones, pick up a pencil and start really looking at the beauty all around us.' - Kathy Clugston, presenter of Gardeners' Question Time Learn to let go of your worries and lose yourself in nature with this practical guide to sketching for pleasure, not perfection. Most of us know that creativity and time outdoors are good for our wellbeing, yet so many of us struggle to find the time or motivation to step away from our screens. But there's a solution! Combining quick and easy exercises with the latest research on nature connection, wellbeing and creativity, The Green Sketching Handbook will inspire you to pick up a pencil and get started. Inspired by her own journey from climate scientist who hadn't tried drawing since childhood to artist and nature lover, Dr Ali Foxon will show you how to embrace your wobbly lines, unhook from a fear of criticism and create a habit that makes you feel good, not inadequate. You will learn more about yourself and your unique relationship with nature, finding out what brings you comfort and joy. Best of all, you'll create vivid and evocative memories of all your outdoor adventures, big and small, even if you're convinced you can't draw.

In these moving, often surprising essays, award-winning author and comedian Bob Smith writes about facing life with ALS, his rich, funny experience of fatherhood before and after his diagnosis, and about his enduring relationship with nature, which inspires him to fight for his survival and for the future of his two children. Aiming his potent, unflinching wit at such public concerns as global warming and environmental destruction, he also articulates how the wild world is a visual and vocal echo that we're still alive.

The story of a man’s obsession with whales, which takes him on a personal, historical and biographical journey – from his childhood to his fascination with Moby-Dick and his excursions whale-watching. All his life, Philip Hoare has been obsessed by whales, from the gigantic skeletons in London’s Natural History Museum to adult encounters with the wild animals themselves. Whales have a mythical quality – they seem to elide with dark fantasies of sea-serpents and antediluvian monsters that swim in our collective unconscious. In ‘Leviathan’, Philip Hoare seeks to locate and identify this obsession. What impelled Melville to write ‘Moby-Dick’? After his book in 1851, no one saw whales in quite the same way again. This book is an investigation into what we know little about – dark, shadowy creatures who swim below the depths, only to surface in a spray of spume. More than the story of the whale, it is also the story of our own obsessions.

On the Alaska Peninsula, where exceptional landscapes are commonplace, a small river attracts attention far beyond its scale. Each year, from summer to early fall, brown bears and salmon gather at Brooks River to create one of North America's greatest wildlife spectacles. As the salmon leap from the cascade, dozens of bears are there to catch them (with as many as forty-three bears sighted in a single day), and thousands of people come to watch in person or on the National Park Service's popular Brooks Falls Bearcam. The Bears of Brooks Falls tells the story of this region and the bears that made it famous in three parts. The first forms an ecological history of the region, from its dormancy 30,000 years ago to the volcanic events that transformed it into the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. The central and longest section is a deep dive into the lives of the wildlife along the Brooks River, especially the bears and salmon. Readers will learn about the bears' winter hibernation, mating season, hunting rituals, migration patterns, and their relationship with Alaska's changing environment. Finally, the book explores the human impact, both positive and negative, on this special region and its wild population.

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.

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.

Long considered ground zero for global climate change in the United States, Florida presents the perfect case study for disaster risk and prevention. Building on the idea that disasters are produced by historical and contemporary social processes as well as natural phenomena, Amanda D. Concha-Holmes and Anthony Oliver-Smith present a collection of ethnographic case studies that examine the social and environmental effects of Florida’s public and private sector development policies. Contributors to Disasters in Paradise explore how these practices have increased the vulnerability of Floridians to hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, droughts, frosts, and forest fires.