Family isn't just important. It's everything. From lions hunting as a pride to penguins huddling together to keep from freezing in the bitter Antarctic winter, many animals are dependent on complex social relationships for their survival. Powerful dynasties lay claim to vast swathes of territory, fighting off rivals and securing their hunting grounds for generations to come. Dynasties offers an immersive insight into the shifting hierarchies of animal families. Each chapter follows a different dynasty, from the Marsh Lions of the Masai Mara to rival packs of painted wolves, from a tiger protecting her newborn cubs to a chimpanzee troop and the penguin colonies of the Antarctic. Alongside tender moments when bonds are strengthened through grooming and play, the book charts the rivalries that tip the balance of power, when family members turn against each other and younger animals grow strong enough to challenge for control. With over 200 stunning photographs and insights from the crew of the BBC series, Dynasties reveals in astonishing detail the intricate social lives of our planet's most fascinating animals.

RSPB Spotlight: Snakes is packed with eye-catching, informative colour photos, and features succinct, detailed text written by a knowledgeable naturalist. Snakes are superbly secretive reptiles, celebrated by many for their highly tuned senses and their complex and mysterious seasonal behaviours. Though some people may be fearful of them, these important reptiles play a crucial role in many habitats. And an encounter with any one of our native snake species is an experience worth cherishing. In Spotlight Snakes, Jules Howard takes readers on a journey through the ecology and lifestyle of Britain's three native snake species: the Barred Grass Snake, the Smooth Snake and our only venomous snake species, the Adder. As well as uncovering their unique hunting styles and courtship rituals, he delves into the myths and legends at the heart of humankind's widespread and sometimes troublesome fascination with these animals. He also charts the conservation challenges our native snakes face in the modern age and explores the solutions conservationists are employing to help these extraordinary predators remain a vital part of British ecosystems for generations to come. The Spotlight series introduces readers to the lives and behaviour of our favourite animals with eye-catching colour photographs and informative expert text.

When South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony was asked to accept a herd of "rogue" wild elephants on his Thula Thula game reserve in Zululand, his common sense told him to refuse. But he was the herd's last chance of survival: they would be killed if he wouldn't take them. In order to save their lives, Anthony took them in. In the years that followed he became a part of their family. And as he battled to create a bond with the elephants, he came to realize that they had a great deal to teach him about life, loyalty, and freedom. Set against the background of life on an African game reserve, "The Elephant Whisperer" is a heart-warming, exciting, funny, and sometimes sad account of Anthony's experiences with these huge yet sympathetic creatures.

This stunningly beautiful and informative book celebrates the Arctic, one of the last great wildernesses on the planet; a place where animals have survived for thousands of years protected only by fur and feathers. Humans also survive in the Arctic, but only those who have adjusted to the climate over millennia and who clad themselves in the skins of the animals they hunt. For the casual visitor, this is a place where survival for any extended period requires taking advantage of the best that modern technology can offer. But the rewards are immense: the Arctic can be harsh, but it is also stunningly beautiful - days during which the sun glints on ice, nights illuminated by the ethereal dancing light of the aurora and with a glimpse of some of the most remarkable animals on the planet. Many travel to the Arctic to see the animals, the land mammals, the whales and seals, and the birds. However, the Arctic also has an absorbing human history. The origins of the Inuit in North America, and the array of Eurasian northern peoples, from the Sami of Scandinavia to the Yuppik hunters from Asia's Bering Sea coast, are still debated, while the discovery, just a year or so ago, of the second ship of Franklin's doomed expedition to find the North-West Passage has reopened the arguments over exactly what did happen to more than 100 Royal Navy seamen. The Arctic provides not only an understanding of the formation of the Arctic but the science of snow and ice including the phenomena of aurora and parhelia, and the way in which the area's wildlife contends with the chilling harshness of its climate. This fascinating, magnificent area is now under severe threat. Global warming is causing the sea ice to shrink, in both area and volume. This allows easier access to its probable resources and, ironically, this access merely adds to the threats to the area and its wildlife. Due to feedback mechanisms, the Arctic warms about twice as fast as the Earth. The area therefore acts in the way that canaries once acted in coal mines, giving an early warning of danger: melting sea ice not only threatens the local wildlife but indicates the threat to the Earth as a whole. This is a truly remarkable book encompassing the diverse facets of this magnificent area and its vital importance as an indicator of the planet's health.

If you've ever complained that hunting season doesn't last long enough, you'll love wild boar. From dangerous close-up shots behind dogs to quiet stalks in the deep woods, hunting the wild hog provides some of the most thrilling action anywhere. And because the wild boar is an introduced species that often wreaks havoc on native habitat, most state game agencies encourage hunters to take these adaptable creatures. For the hunter, that means nearly unlimited opportunities year-round across North America. In this complete guide, veteran boar hunter Todd Triplett details everything you need to know to take these tasty game animals, including:
Distribution and history
Scouting for prime habitat, bedding areas, and food sources
Interpreting sign like tracks, scat, rubs, and wallows
Hunting over bait, still-hunting, and hunting with hounds
Special considerations for hunting in the off-season
Pursuing wild boar across North America and around the world
Hunting javelina, the wild boar's distant relative in the Southwest
Chasing the warthog in Africa, the ultimate in hog hunting
Preparing wild boar for the table and taxidermist
And a host of tips for a successful hunt
Based on the knowledge gained from a lifetime of hunting, The Complete Book of Wild Boar Hunting is an unsurpassed introduction to a fascinating sport.

With this multispecies study of animals as instrumentalities of the colonial state in Nigeria, Saheed Aderinto argues that animals, like humans, were colonial subjects in Africa. Animality and Colonial Subjecthood in Africa broadens the historiography of animal studies by putting a diverse array of species (dogs, horses, livestock, and wildlife) into a single analytical framework for understanding colonialism in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. From his study of animals with unequal political, economic, social, and intellectual capabilities, Aderinto establishes that the core dichotomies of human colonial subjecthood--indispensable yet disposable, good and bad, violent but peaceful, saintly and lawless--were also embedded in the identities of Nigeria's animal inhabitants. If class, religion, ethnicity, location, and attitude toward imperialism determined the pattern of relations between human Nigerians and the colonial government, then species, habitat, material value, threat, and biological and psychological characteristics (among other traits) shaped imperial perspectives on animal Nigerians. Conceptually sophisticated and intellectually engaging, Aderinto's thesis challenges readers to rethink what constitutes history and to recognize that human agency and narrative are not the only makers of the past.

Notwithstanding the importance of modern technology, fieldwork remains vital, not least through helping to inspire and educate the next generation. Fieldwork has the ingredients of intellectual curiosity, passion, rigour and engagement with the outdoor world - to name just a few. You may be simply noting what you see around you, making detailed records, or carrying out an experiment; all of this and much more amounts to fieldwork. Being curious, you think about the world around you, and through patient observation develop and test ideas. Forty contributors capture the excitement and importance of fieldwork through a wide variety of examples, from urban graffiti to the Great Barrier Reef. Outdoor learning is for life: people have the greatest respect and care for their world when they have first-hand experience of it. The Editors are donating all royalties due to them to the environmental charity, The Field Studies Council, to support student fieldwork at the Council's field centres.

"Bold and fascinating ...proposing that the Internet--and other digital technology--offers an opportunity to rediscover our animals as more than abstracted images but as autonomous individuals with inherent value. A truly thought-provoking book for animal lovers and technology enthusiasts alike."--Kirkus Reviews A bestial Brave New World is on the horizon: Some fifty thousand creatures around the globe--including whales, leopards, flamingoes, bats, and snails--are being equipped with digital tracking devices. The data gathered and studied by major scientific institutes about their behavior will warn us about tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, but also radically transform our relationship to the natural world. With a broad cultural and historical perspective, this book examines human ties with animals, from domestic pets to the soaring popularity of bird watching and kitten images on the Web. Will millennia of exploration soon be reduced to experiencing wilderness via smartphone? Contrary to pessimistic fears, author Alexander Pschera sees the Internet as creating a historic opportunity for a new dialogue between man and nature. Foreword by Martin Wikelski, Director, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology. The book includes eight color photos and an index. Alexander Pschera, born in 1964, has published several books on the internet and media. He studied German, music, and philosophy at Heidelberg University. He lives near Munich where he writes for the German magazine Cicero as well as for German radio.

See those animal signs on the trail? Was that footprint left by a fox or a wolf? Was that pile of droppings deposited by a moose, a mouse, or a marten? Scats and Tracks of North America will help you determine which mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians have passed your way and could still be nearby. Clearly written descriptions and illustrations of scats, tracks, and gait patterns will help you recognize species across the entire continent. An identification key, a glossary of tracking terms, and detailed instructions on how to document your finds are also included here. Easy-to-use scat and track measurements appear on each page, making this book especially field friendly and letting you know if a white tailed ptarmigan, a red fox, or even a black bear has been your way.

Accompanying a major 5-part BBC series presented by David Attenborough and produced by the team behind Planet Earth and Blue Planet, Perfect Planet is an exploration of the unique conditions that make life on earth possible, and how our wildlife is perfectly adapted to its environment.

There is no place like home.The conditions of Earth are not just good for life, they are perfect. Everything about our planet - its size, its distance from the Sun, its spin and tilt, its moon - is perfectly suited to our existence, and our planet's forces serve to nurture its spectacular biodiversity. APerfect Planet shows in stunning detail how Earth has always been more than the sum of its parts. Unlike any other astronomical body, it is a living world.

Focusing on four key natural forces - global weather systems distributing fresh water to all corners; marine currents delivering nutrients to the deepest reaches of the ocean; solar energy warming and electrifying everything it touches; and volcanic activity fertilising the earth's surface - Huw Cordey reveals to us new levels of this living world, a place populated with astonishing characters living remarkable lives. From Arctic wolves prowling moonlit landscapes or wood frogs, frozen in winter and magically thawing back to life, to flamingos flying thousands of miles to a vast volcanic lake in Africa to breed, we see time and again how animals are perfectly adapted to whatever the environment throws at them.

Packed with over 250 full-colour images, and including a foreword by David Attenborough and stills from the BBC series' spectacular footage, APerfect Planet is a stunning exploration of life on Earth - life that is increasingly precious and rare.

Star-shaped flowers, short-tempered snapping turtles, and clusters of chicken-flavored mushrooms are just a few of the many fascinating things awaiting discovery just beyond the typical North American backyard. In Heartland Habitats: 265 Midwest Nature Walks, Mary Blocksma guides readers through North American terrain, introducing them to the land and its thriving wildlife of Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. From birds of all kinds to fungi of both the tasty and deadly varieties-Chicken of the Woods, Death Caps, Jack-O-Lanterns-Blocksma gradually uncovers a world rich with breathtaking beauty. Adventures filled with swan-on-goose battles, squirrel squabbles, and forays into forests all lead to a deeper understanding of the world around us. A lively and detailed guide in befriending the great outdoors, Heartland Habitats showcases the natural wonders thriving just outside our homes with full-color illustrations and vivid descriptions.

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!

China's breathtaking diversity of natural habitats--from mountains and deserts to grasslands and lush tropical forests--is home to more than 10 percent of the world's mammal species. This one-of-a-kind pocket guide describes the characteristics, geographic distribution, natural history, and conservation status of all 558 species of mammals found in China. An up-to-date distribution map accompanies each species account, and beautiful color illustrations by wildlife artist Federico Gemma depict a majority of the species. The definitive text is written by leading specialists and follows the most current global standards for mammalian systematics.

This field-ready pocket edition of A Guide to the Mammals of China makes the rich mammal fauna of China accessible to ecotravelers and naturalists like never before.The comprehensive pocket guide to all of China's 558 mammal species Describes the physical characteristics, geographic distribution, natural history, and conservation status of every species Features up-to-date distribution maps and stunning color illustrations throughout Written by a team of leading specialists

From yaks and vultures to whales and platypuses, animals have played central roles in the history of British imperial control. The contributors to Animalia analyze twenty-six animals-domestic, feral, predatory, and mythical-whose relationship to imperial authorities and settler colonists reveals how the presumed racial supremacy of Europeans underwrote the history of Western imperialism. Victorian imperial authorities, adventurers, and colonists used animals as companions, military transportation, agricultural laborers, food sources, and status symbols. They also overhunted and destroyed ecosystems, laying the groundwork for what has come to be known as climate change. At the same time, animals such as lions, tigers, and mosquitoes interfered in the empire's racial, gendered, and political aspirations by challenging the imperial project's sense of inevitability. Unconventional and innovative in form and approach, Animalia invites new ways to consider the consequences of imperial power by demonstrating how the politics of empire-in its racial, gendered, and sexualized forms-played out in multispecies relations across jurisdictions under British imperial control. Contributors. Neel Ahuja, Tony Ballantyne, Antoinette Burton, Utathya Chattopadhyaya, Jonathan Goldberg-Hiller, Peter Hansen, Isabel Hofmeyr, Anna Jacobs, Daniel Heath Justice, Dane Kennedy, Jagjeet Lally, Krista Maglen, Amy E. Martin, Renisa Mawani, Heidi J. Nast, Michael A. Osborne, Harriet Ritvo, George Robb, Jonathan Saha, Sandra Swart, Angela Thompsell

The most complete and user-friendly photographic field guide to the world's canids This stunningly illustrated and easy-to-use field guide covers every species of the world's canids, from the Gray Wolf of North America to the dholes of Asia, from African jackals to the South American Bush Dog. It features more than 150 superb color plates depicting every kind of canid and detailed facing-page species accounts that describe key identification features, morphology, distribution, subspeciation, habitat, and conservation status in the wild. The book also includes distribution maps and tips on where to observe each species, making Canids of the World the most comprehensive and user-friendly guide to these intriguing and spectacular mammals. Covers every species and subspecies of canid Features more than 150 color plates with more than 600 photos from around the globe Depicts species in similar poses for quick and easy comparisons Describes key identification features, habitat, behavior, reproduction, and much more Draws on the latest taxonomic research Includes distribution maps and tips on where to observe each species The ideal field companion and a delight for armchair naturalists

The first professionally researched miscellany guide to the animal kingdom, packed with fascinating and bizarre facts* Did you know that the male flour beetle is the only animal which can mate and impregnate a female he has never met?* That virgin male butterflies make better lovers than more experienced ones?* Or that rats can learn the difference between Dutch and Japanese?Why Do Moths Drink Elephants' Tears? is an entertaining and addictive collection of eclectic insights and unusual facts, detailing the wondrous diversity of animal life that surrounds us.

In the fall of 2001, deep in the jungle of Burma, a team of scientists searches for rare snakes. They are led by Dr. Joe Slowinski, at 38 already one of the most brilliant biologists of our time. It is the most ambitious scientific expedition ever mounted into this remote region, brought to a dramatic halt by the bite of the many-banded krait, the deadliest serpent in Asia. Thus begins one of the most remarkable wilderness rescue attempts of modern times. In The Snake Charmer, renowned journalist and author Jamie James captures the life and death of the fascinating and charismatic Joe Slowinski--a man whose career was fast and exciting, and whose tragic final expedition became a pulse-pounding struggle between man and nature.

Winner of the History of Science Society's Watson Davis and Helen Miles Davis Prize in the History of Science.

From the early exploits of Teddy Roosevelt in Africa to blockbuster films such as "March of the Penguins," Gregg Mitman's "Reel Nature" reveals how changing values, scientific developments, and new technologies have come to shape American encounters with wildlife on and off the big screen. Whether crafted to elicit thrills or to educate audiences about the real-life drama of threatened wildlife, nature films then and now have had an enormous impact on how Americans see, think about, consume, and struggle to protect animals across the globe.

Gregg Mitman is William Coleman Professor of the History of Science and Interim Director of the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

"Gregg Mitman's "Reel Nature" isn't a book about natural history filmmaking, it's the book: it's the one I recommend to all our students." - Lloyd Spencer Davis, Centre for Science Communication, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

"As the popularity of natural history television continues to soar, we need a book like this to help us understand the influences that this 'electronic environment' may have on the ultimate survival of our natural one." - Thomas Veltre, Wildlife Conservation Society

"A wonderful book that takes the reader into the worlds of dog and dolphin TV stars, on-screen wildlife conservation, and popular nature films. Readers will never see their animal familiars in the same way again." - Donna Haraway, University of California, Santa Cruz

"Few books offer greater insight into the cultural history of American ideas of nature during the twentieth century than this one. Whether one cares about the history of filmmaking, the evolution of American environmental attitudes, or the ways that science, commerce, and entertainment have shaped each other in the creation of American consumer culture, "Reel Nature" is essential reading." - from the Foreword by William Cronon

For more information about the author go to: http: //gmitman.com/

Your Quick Guide to Identifying Animal Tracks When you're out and about, keep this convenient track guide by Jonathan Poppele close at hand. Designed for ease of use, the tabbed booklet is organized by track group for quick identification. Narrow your choices by group, and view just a few animal tracks at a time. The detailed illustrations cover more than 100 species of mammals-from mice and squirrels to deer and bears-as well as common birds, amphibians, and reptiles. It includes species found in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The illustrations are carefully drawn to resemble the track prints as you might see them in the field. Plus, size information, sample gait patterns, and a step-by-step guide to track identification help to ensure positive ID. The pocket-sized format is much easier to use than laminated foldouts, and the tear-resistant pages help to make the booklet durable. So bring this lightweight quick guide along on your next hike, camping trip, or walk in the park, and improve your tracking skills with every animal track sighting.

Whether referring to a place, a nonhuman animal or plant, or a state of mind, wild indicates autonomy and agency, a will to be, a unique expression of life. Yet two contrasting ideas about wild nature permeate contemporary discussions: either that nature is most wild in the absence of a defiling human presence, or that nature is completely humanized and nothing is truly wild. This book charts a different path. Exploring how people can become attuned to the wild community of life and also contribute to the well-being of the wild places in which we live, work, and play, Wildness brings together esteemed authors from a variety of landscapes, cultures, and backgrounds to share their stories about the interdependence of everyday human lifeways and wildness. As they show, far from being an all or nothing proposition, wildness exists in variations and degrees that range from cultivated soils to multigenerational forests to sunflowers pushing through cracks in a city alley. Spanning diverse geographies, these essays celebrate the continuum of wildness, revealing the many ways in which human communities can nurture, adapt to, and thrive alongside their wild nonhuman kin. From the contoured lands of Wisconsin's Driftless region to remote Alaska, from the amazing adaptations of animals and plants living in the concrete jungle to indigenous lands and harvest ceremonies, from backyards to reclaimed urban industrial sites, from microcosms to bioregions and atmospheres, manifestations of wildness are everywhere. With this book, we gain insight into what wildness is and could be, as well as how it might be recovered in our lives and with it, how we might unearth a more profound, wilder understanding of what it means to be human.