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Books > Sport & Leisure > Natural history, country life & pets > Wild animals > General
A collection of first-hand accounts of the park's famous residents
by explorers and hunters, naturalists, and tourists (including one
US president T. Roosevelt), from 1880 to 1950. The editor, a
Yellowstone bear expert, provides commentary and context.
Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.
Julia Rothman's series of Anatomy books (549,000 copies in print)
are beloved by children and adults alike. In Wildlife Anatomy,
Rothman captures the excitement and distinctive attributes of wild
animals around the world. The book is packed with hundreds of her
charming, original illustrations, detailing the unique features of
animals of the rainforest, desert, grasslands, oceans, and much
more. From lions, bears, and zebras to monkeys, mongoose, bats,
elephants, giraffes, hippos, and much more, Rothman's visual guide
covers all the key features, right down to the anatomy of a lion's
claw and a wild horse's hoof. All the illustrations are accompanied
by labels, intriguing facts, and identifying details, such as: When
is a Panther Not a Panther? and What Makes Aardvarks So Odd?
Rothman's characteristic combination of curiosity and an artist's
eye makes this wildlife treasury rich and full, and promises new
discoveries every time it's opened.
In this book, we document and evaluate the recovery of gray wolves
(Canis lupus) in the Great Lakes region of the United States. The
Great Lakes region is unique in that it was the only portion of the
lower 48 states where wolves were never c- pletely extirpated. This
region also contains the area where many of the first m- ern
concepts of wolf conservation and research where developed. Early
proponents of wolf conservation such as Aldo Leopold, Sigurd Olson,
and Durward Allen lived and worked in the region. The longest
ongoing research on wolf-prey relations (see Vucetich and Peterson,
Chap. 3) and the first use of radio telemetry for studying wolves
(see Mech, Chap. 2) occurred in the Great Lakes region. The Great
Lakes region is the first place in the United States where
"Endangered" wolf populations recovered. All three states
(Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan) developed ecologically and
socially sound wolf conservation plans, and the federal government
delisted the population of wolves in these states from the United
States list of endangered and threatened species on March 12, 2007
(see Refsnider, Chap. 21). Wolf management reverted to the
individual states at that time. Although this delisting has since
been challenged, we believe that biological recovery of wolves has
occurred and anticipate the delisting will be restored. This will
be the first case of wolf conservation reverting from the federal
government to the state conser- tion agencies in the United States.
"This is, indeed, an "Alaskan adventure." For two years this
resourceful couple experienced intense and dangerous situations,
yet they persevered and learned a tremendous amount about sea
otters."
-Ancel M. Johnson, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sea Otter
Biologist, retired
A white-headed male sea otter paddles on his back, patrolling
his territory, while he rubs his round fuzzy face with his
dexterous forepaws. Suddenly, he notices a young couple on shore
and pops straight up in the water to have a better look. As two
people stare back at him through a high-powered telescope, these
three have one thing in common-curiosity.
"The Otter Spotters" chronicles the incredible journey of
Minnesotans Dave and Judy Garshelis, who spent over a year in the
wilderness of Prince William Sound, Alaska, studying sea otters.
While working from remote field locations and traveling by open
skiff, they faced relentless rain, rough seas, bears, mechanical
failures, and perilous mishaps, all while completing one of the
most comprehensive studies of this fascinating species. This
captivating story includes unforgettable adventures, as well as
detailed documentation of the otters' social relationships,
feeding, activity patterns, and breeding behaviors. Here is a rare
insider's view of the true essence of wildlife research: from the
day-to-day drudgery of checking capture nets at 4:00 AM to evening
brainstorming sessions under the warm glow of a Coleman lantern,
interspersed with the occasional "Eureka " moments that make it all
worthwhile.
The heart-wrenching and adventure-filled stories of a South African
wild animal vet and his colleagues When do you watch a wild animal
suffer and let nature take its course, and when do you intervene?
In his more than twenty-five years as an African vet, Dr. Roy
Aronson has seen and done some remarkable things. He has tracked
lions and cheetahs, anesthetized rhinoceroses and king cobras,
collared rogue elephants, performed eye surgery on a lion out in
the bush, been attacked by a puff adder, come face to face with an
angry hybrid wolf, and nearly lost a foot to a crocodile. Dr.
Aronson has also worked with some of Africa's most dedicated
conservationists and wildlife veterinarians. He has witnessed their
passion and bravery and been with them when hard decisions had to
be made. "Tales of an African Vet" brings together Dr. Aronson's
adventures in a rare behind-the-scenes look at those who treat wild
animals in their natural habitat. For those drawn to outdoor
adventure stories, African wildlife, or the veterinarian's trade,
it is a riveting book replete with rich insights into both the
animal and human cultures of Africa.
This single volume describes the animals that are most injurious
and costly to humans, examining the important roles of these pests
throughout history and the implications of the never-ending wars we
wage against the natural world. From mosquitoes to nematodes to
mice, there are a multitude of organisms and animals that pose
major health risks, cause economic burdens, and even threaten
famine conditions for human civilization. Addressing these problems
is often extremely costly and only partially effective. Pests: A
Guide to the World's Most Maligned, Yet Misunderstood Creatures
presents an overview of the animals that have the greatest impact
on our lives, from the creatures that eat our crops through the
ones that invade our homes and those that transmit diseases. Each
entry provides a brief history of our interactions with the
specific pest, methods of management or eradication for the pest
being discussed, and an extensive Further Reading list that
includes resources on both the biology of the pest and methods of
control. The author explains the complexity of the worldwide pest
problem and demonstrates how some of these issues are a result of
human over-population and shortsightedness, inviting readers to
consider our place in nature and how other animals have adapted to
and benefited from the growing human population. Includes more than
60 photographs of the pests in question as well as illustrations
that highlight topics discussed throughout the book Contains more
than 50 sidebars that provide greater detail and showcase the role
pests play in history and current events to promote critical
thinking A substantial bibliography provides readers with starting
points for further reading A glossary defines specialist
terminology
"Plans are usually only good for one thing - laughing at in
hindsight. So, armed with rudimentary Spanish, dangerous levels of
curiosity and a record of poor judgement, I set off to tackle
whatever South America could throw at me." On his nineteenth
birthday, Peter Allison flipped a coin. One side would take him to
Africa and the other to South America. He recounted his time spent
as a safari guide in Africa to much acclaim in Don't Run, Whatever
You do and Don't Look Behind You. Sixteen years later he makes his
way to Chile, ready to seek out the continent's best, weirdest and
wildest adventures - and to chase the elusive jaguar. From learning
to walk a puma (or rather be bitten and dragged along by it) in
Bolivia, to finding love in Patagonia and hunting naked with the
remote Huaorani people in Ecuador, How to Walk a Puma is Peter's
fascinating and often hilarious account of misadventures in South
America. Ever the gifted storyteller and cultural observer, Allison
makes many observations about life in humid climes, the nature of
nomadism, and exactly what it is like to be nearly blasted off a
mountain by the famous Patagonia wind. His self-deprecating humour
is as delightful as his crazy stunts, and his love for animals -
even when they bite - is infectious.
'Somehow, the elephants got into my soul, and it became my life's
work to see them safe and happy. There was no giving up on that
vision, no matter how hard the road was at times.' Francoise
Malby-Anthony is the owner of a game reserve in South Africa with a
remarkable family of elephants whose adventures have touched hearts
around the world. The herd's feisty matriarch Frankie knows who's
in charge at Thula Thula, and it's not Francoise. But when Frankie
becomes ill, and the authorities threaten to remove or cull some of
the herd if the reserve doesn't expand, Francoise is in a race
against time to save her beloved elephants . . . The joys and
challenges of a life dedicated to conservation are vividly
described in The Elephants of Thula Thula. The search is on to get
a girlfriend for orphaned rhino Thabo - and then, as his behaviour
becomes increasingly boisterous, a big brother to teach him
manners. Francoise realizes a dream with the arrival of Savannah
the cheetah - an endangered species not seen in the area since the
1940s - and finds herself rescuing meerkats kept as pets. But will
Thula Thula survive the pandemic, an invasion from poachers and the
threat from a mining company wanting access to its land? As
Francoise faces her toughest years yet, she realizes once again
that with their wisdom, resilience and communal bonds, the
elephants have much to teach us. 'Enthralling' - Daily Mail
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