The Lake District is one of our busiest national parks. Many people believe that wildness is long gone from the fells, lakes, tarns and becks, yet, within its boundaries, Jim Crumley sets out to prove them wrong - to find "a new way of seeing and writing about this most seen and written about of landscapes". With a naturalist's eye and a poet's instinct he is drawn to Lakeland's turned-aside places where nature still thrives, from low-lying shores to a high mountain oakwood that's not even on the map. Through backwaters and backwoods, Crumley traces this captivating land's place in the evolution of global conservation and pleads the case for a far-reaching reappraisal of all of Lakeland's wildness.

This is the story of war and conservation, a drama enacted in a theatre in the southwestern corner of Africa.

Author Jan Breytenbach, a legend in military circles, and the founder of South African special forces - the Recces - describes how he discovered that Military Intelligence was involved in illegal wildlife trade with Jonas Savimbi. To his horror and astonishment, senior officers were also using the MI created ivory-smuggling routes for their own corrupt ends.

A must-read on a little known topic of the South African Border War, Angolan Civil War, and the de facto genocide of southern Africa's Big Five, particularly the elephant.

The grey wolf is one of the world's most polarizing and charismatic species. Respected, adored, or held in awe by many as an icon of wilderness, wolves have also sparked fear and hatred when they have come into conflict with human presence. Not surprisingly, they are one of the most intensively studied mammalian species in the wild.The World of Wolves offers a fresh and provocative look at current trends in wolf and wildlife management. Representative case studies, from geographically and culturally diverse areas of the world, highlight the existing interconnections between wolves, their prey, their habitat, their ecosystems and people, and the role of science in policy formation and wolf management. In addition, the studies involve many issues (for example, population genetics and livestock husbandry practices) that are entry points into larger aspects of ecology and evolution. This book will appeal to conservationists, scientists, wildlife managers, and anyone seeking a better understanding of wolves and their co-existence with us.

'Wonderfully intense and honest - a poignant manual of how to grow hope against the odds.' Chris Packham, TV presenter and author of Fingers in the Sparkle Jar Finding herself in a new home in Brighton, Kate Bradbury sets about transforming her decked, barren backyard into a beautiful wildlife garden. She documents the unbuttoning of the earth and the rebirth of the garden, the rewilding of a tiny urban space. On her own she unscrews, saws and hammers the decking away, she clears the builders' rubble and rubbish beneath it, and she digs and enriches the soil, gradually planting it up with plants she knows will attract wildlife. She erects bird boxes and bee hotels, hangs feeders and grows nectar- and pollen-rich plants, and slowly brings life back to the garden. But while she's doing this Kate's neighbours continue to pave and deck their gardens locking them away, the wildlife she tries to save is further threatened, and she feels she's fighting an uphill battle. Is there any point in gardening for wildlife when everyone else is drowning the land in poison and cement? Sadly, events take Kate away from her garden, and she finds herself back home in Birmingham where she grew up, travelling the roads she used to race down on her bike in the eighties, thinking of the gardens and wildlife she loved, witnessing more land lost beneath paving stones. If the dead could return, what would they say about the land we have taken, the ancient routes we have carved up, the wildlife we have lost?

"SAM IN FULL" is a humorous, heart warming story of a White Tailed Deer Family told through the eyes of an Ol' Man that loved them. The deer assume almost humanistic characteristics as the story unfolds. The book is much more than a hunting adventure. It will bring a tear to your eye, a smile to your face and you will never forget the characters. The book is a must read for anyone who loves to laugh, loves the world of the White Tailed Deer and has a deep philosophy of life.

For most of us, the story of mammal evolution starts after the asteroid impact that killed the dinosaurs, but over the last 20 years scientists have uncovered remarkable fossils and new technologies that have upended this story. In Beasts Before Us, palaeontologist Elsa Panciroli charts the emergence of the mammal lineage, the Synapsida, beginning with their murky split from the reptiles in the Carboniferous period, more than three-hundred million years ago; these animals made the world theirs long before the rise of dinosaurs. Travelling forward into the Permian and then Triassic periods, we learn how our ancient mammal ancestors evolved from large, hairy beasts with fast metabolisms to exploit miniaturisation, the key to unlocking the traits that define mammals as we now know them. Elsa criss-crosses the globe to explore the sites where discoveries are being made and to meet the people who make them. In Scotland, she traverses the desert dunes of prehistoric Moray, where quarry workers unearthed the footprints of Permian synapsids; in South Africa, she introduces us to animals that gave scientists the first hints that our furry kin evolved from a lineage of egg-laying burrowers; and in China, new and astounding fossil finds reveal a suite of ancient mammals including gliders, shovel-pawed moles, and flat-tailed swimmers. This brilliantly written book radically reframes the narrative of our mammalian ancestors, providing a counterpoint to the stereotype of cowering Mesozoic mammals hiding away from their mighty dinosaur overlords. The earliest mammals weren't just precursors - they were pioneers.

Sasol First Field Guide to Snakes & Other Reptiles of Southern Africa provides fascinating insight into the reptiles of the region.

Through full-colour photographs and distribution maps, and easy-to-read text, the beginner and budding naturalist will be able to identify the more common species found in southern Africa, discover where they live, and learn about their unique feeding and nesting habits.

One of the most varied and spectacular natural areas in California, Monterey's pristine beaches and rich forests are teeming with wildlife including sea otters, sea lions, monarch butterflies and over 400 species of birds. This beautifully illustrated guide highlights over 140 familiar and unique species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, seashore creatures and butterflies/insects and includes a map featuring prominent wildlife-viewing areas. Laminated for durability, this lightweight, pocket-sized folding guide is an excellent source of portable information and ideal for field use by visitors and residents alike. Made in the USA.

The Kruger National Park is one of the world’s leading stewards of biological diversity. Its management requires ongoing monitoring and re-evaulation to ensure that species survive.

Shaping Kruger provides fascinating insight into the lives, habits and behaviour of the larger animals that significantly affect the workings of the park. It expertly synthesizes decades of ground-breaking research into the animals and their environment, examining along the way individual species; predator-prey relationships; mammal distribution, and browsing and grazing interactions.

This detailed look at how Park management has had to interpret, monitor and adapt the processes that allow species to survive – even thrive – in an ever-changing environment makes for an intriguing and enlightening read.

On his nineteenth birthday, Peter Allison flipped a coin. One side would take him to Africa and the other to South America, the two places he wanted to explore before he died. He recounted his time spent as a safari guide in Africa to much acclaim in "Whatever You Do, Don't Run" and "Don't Look Behind You." Sixteen years later, he makes his way to Santiago, Chile, ready to seek out the continent's best, weirdest, and wildest adventures, and to chase the elusive jaguar. In just the first six months, Allison is bitten by a puma (several times), knocked on his head by a bad empanada, and surrounded by piranhas while rafting down a Bolivian river--all because of his unusual fear of refrigerators and of staying in any one place for too long. 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. Allison's self-deprecating humor is as delightful as his crazy stunts, and his love for animals--even when they bite--is infectious.

'Lyrical and beautiful and feels like a haven in a cynical world - exactly the book we all need to read right now' Catherine Simpson, author of One Body: A Retrospective, When I Had A Little Sister and Truestory 'A book of passionate resistance to everything in modern life that wants us to stay neat and small and fearful' Tanya Shadrick, author of The Cure For Sleep An intimate weaving of memoir and herbal folklore, All My Wild Mothers is a story of rewilding our wastelands and the transformation that can happen when we do. At seven months pregnant, Victoria Bennett was looking forward to new motherhood and all that was to come. But when the telephone rang, the news she received changed everything. Her eldest sister had died in a canoeing accident. Five years later, struggling with grief, the demands of being a parent-carer for her young son, and the impact of deeper austerity, life feels very different to the future she had imagined. A move to a new social housing estate in rural Cumbria offers Victoria and her family a chance to rebuild their lives. Constructed over an industrial site, at first the barren ground seems an unlikely place to sow the seeds of a new life. She and her son set about transforming the rubble around them into a wild apothecary garden. Daisy, for resilience. Dandelion, for strength against adversity. Red campion, to ward off loneliness. Sow thistle, to lift melancholy. Borage, to bring hope in dark and difficult times. Stone by stone, seed by seed, All My Wild Mothers is the story of how sometimes life grows, not in spite of what is broken, but because of it. 'An exciting new voice in nature writing' Cal Flyn, Sunday Times Writer of the Year, and author of Islands of Abandonment and Thicker Than Water

Olympic National Park's towering mountains, old-growth forests and rugged coastline provide a variety of habitats for the region's diverse array of wildlife. This beautifully illustrated guide highlights over 140 familiar and unique species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, seashore creatures and butterflies/insects and includes a map featuring prominent wildlife-viewing areas. Laminated for durability, this lightweight, pocket-sized folding guide is an excellent source of portable information and ideal for field use by visitors and residents alike. Made in the USA.

More than 1 000 mammal species occur in Africa south of the Sahara Desert. These creatures vary in size from the massive elephant to the tiniest bats, shrews and mice. A Photographic Guide to Mammals of Southern, Central and East Africa was compiled with a view to easing identification of many of the larger and more conspicuous mammals in the region, as well as some of the smaller and more unusual ones.

This compact, easy-to-use guide features:

- 152 of the region's mammal species

- key identification features showing how to differentiate between similar species

- distribution maps and a list of major parks and reserves indicating where species are likely to be seen

- quick reference key on inside cover

- thumbnail silhouettes of each family group for quick identification

This new revised edition is an ideal pocket-sized travelling companion for nature lovers and visitors to nature reserves and wildlife areas.

This groundbreaking new guide is an authoritative field reference for these two groups of animals. The taxonomy and systematics of European reptiles and amphibians have changed a lot in recent years, yet there is no modern, up-to-date field guide available that comprehensively covers all the species. The last illustrated field guide to European reptiles and amphibians was first published 38 years ago, and remains oudated despite occasional reprints and new editions. This major new field guide addresses this deficiency. A total of 219 species are covered in detail, with a focus on identification and geographical variation; species texts also cover distribution, habitat and behaviour. Superb colour illustrations by talented artist Ilian Velikov depict every species and all major variations, and colour photographs are also included for most species. It includes: - Over 370 colour artworks and 200 colour photographs - 155 accurate and up-to-date distribution maps - Easy-to-use keys and tables to help with swift species identification

'An intriguing and mesmerising book' Ben Fogle My life is free, random and spontaneous. This in itself creates enormous energy and clarity in body and mind - Miriam Lancewood Miriam Lancewood is a young Dutch woman living a primitive, nomadic life in the heart of the mountains with her New Zealand husband. She lives simply in a tent or hut and survives by hunting wild animals, foraging edible plants and using minimal supplies. For the last six years she has lived this way, through all seasons, often cold, hungry and isolated in the bush. She loves her life and feels free, connected to the land and happy. This book tells her story, including the very practical aspects of such a life: her difficulties learning to hunt with a bow and arrow, struggles to create a warm environment in which to live, attempts to cross raging rivers safely and find ways through the rugged mountains and dense bush. This is interwoven with her adjustment to a very slow pace of life, her relationship with her much older husband, her interactions with the few other people they encounter, and her growing awareness of a strong spiritual connection to the natural world.

Winner of the 2021 Books Are My Bag Readers Award for Non-fiction Shortlisted for the 2021 Wainwright Prize "I knew in every bone of my body, in every fibre of my being, that I had to report what had happened, not only for myself but to help stop anyone else having to go through what I did. I knew I could not remain silent, or still, I could not stop walking through the world." A journey of reclamation through the natural landscapes of the North, brilliantly exploring identity, nature, place and belonging. Beautifully written and truly inspiring, I Belong Here heralds a powerful and refreshing new voice in nature writing. Anita Sethi was on a journey through Northern England when she became the victim of a race-hate crime. The crime was a vicious attack on her right to exist in a place on account of her race. After the event Anita experienced panic attacks and anxiety. A crushing sense of claustrophobia made her long for wide open spaces, to breathe deeply in the great outdoors. She was intent on not letting her experience stop her travelling freely and without fear. The Pennines - known as 'the backbone of Britain' runs through the north and also strongly connects north with south, east with west - it's a place of borderlands and limestone, of rivers and 'scars', of fells and forces. The Pennines called to Anita with a magnetic force; although a racist had told her to leave, she felt drawn to further explore the area she regards as her home, to immerse herself deeply in place. Anita's journey through the natural landscapes of the North is one of reclamation, a way of saying that this is her land too and she belongs in the UK as a brown woman, as much as a white man does. Her journey transforms what began as an ugly experience of hate into one offering hope and finding beauty after brutality. Anita transforms her personal experience into one of universal resonance, offering a call to action, to keep walking onwards. Every footstep taken is an act of persistence. Every word written against the rising tide of hate speech, such as this book, is an act of resistance.

Building a Survival Kit will help you to survive adverse outdoor conditions: heat, cold or extreme weather. Staying warm and dry is essential and you'll learn how to protect your Core Temperature (CTC) while saving (heat) calories through less energy output. Tips will include essential supplies to bring should an emergency occur. This guide is waterproof and nearly indestructible. It can fit in a back pocket so you can have vital information when you need it. A must-have for the serious wilderness explorer. Co-authored by noted survival expert and woodsman Dave Canterbury, this is one of a 10-part series on survival skills.

Eighth-Century Adventure for Twenty-First Century Children In this exciting conclusion to Peter Ward's epic Viking Trilogy, Eric Bignose, bravest of the young Viking rebels, embarks on a dangerous journey. Together with Beowulf, his rescued mystical bear cub, Eric confronts the legendary demon dog, Black Shuck. But in so doing, he brings a curse upon his adopted Saxon village, and the villagers banish him to the wild. Yet Eric's loyal Viking comrades have not forgotten him. They rally to their friend's side and sail to Orkney, the islands north of the Scottish mainland. Here the young warriors avoid a sea witch's whirlpool, huge whales, and angry rock-tossing giants. When their longboat is wrecked by alluring mermaids, the youngsters are taken captive in a dark and dismal sea cave. All hope seems lost. But Beowulf and his extraordinary Merman friend, the Murrough of Scottish legend, may have the final say in their fate. Will Eric and his friends survive or is this the end of their journey-and their lives? A thrilling ride for young and old alike, Eric and the Mystical Bear will transport you to another era filled with adventure, danger, and courage!