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Books > Earth & environment > The environment > Conservation of the environment > Conservation of wildlife & habitats > General
'Endangered means we still have time, but extinction is forever'
Grant Fowlds What would drive a man to 'smuggle' rhino horn back
into Africa at great risk to himself? This is just one of the
situations Grant Fowlds has put himself in as part of his ongoing
fight against poaching, in order to prove a link between southern
Africa and the illicit, lucrative trade in rhino horn in Vietnam.
Shavings of rhino horn are sold as a snake-oil 'cure' for colds or
impotence, but a rhino's horn has no magical, medicinal properties.
It is for this that rhinoceroses are being killed at an escalating
rate that puts the survival of the species in jeopardy. This
corrupt, illegal war on wildlife has brought an iconic animal to
the brink of extinction. Growing up on a farm in the eastern Cape
of South Africa, Grant developed a deep love of nature, turning his
back on hunting to focus on saving wildlife of all kinds and the
environment that sustains both them and us. He is a passionate
conservationist who puts himself on the front line of protecting
rhinos in the wild - right now, against armed poachers; but in the
longer term, too, through his work with schoolchildren, communities
and policymakers.
Insect Conservation: A Global Synthesis is a landmark,
field-defining work written by Professor Michael Samways, one of
the founding fathers of this burgeoning discipline of conservation
science. This book presents a state-of-the-art, comprehensive
review of the entire field of insect conservation, from
single-species conservation to whole-ecosystem approaches, and from
natural ecosystems to the urban landscape. The variety and number
of insects are truly vast. They are the most speciose group of
organisms on Earth, with the majority barely known to science or
still not described at all. They are a vital component in all
terrestrial ecosystems, which would fail to function normally
without them. Insect populations worldwide, however, are under
threat. Human-mediated degradation of natural habitats, pollution,
over-use of pesticides, and the spread of urbanization has led to
the collapse of insect populations in many areas of the world. A
growing recognition of the importance of insects in natural and
agricultural systems has stimulated the development of an entire
discipline dedicated to their conservation. Insect Conservation: A
Global Synthesis is designed to be used by students of conservation
biology and ecology, but also serves as an essential overview for
professional entomologists with an interest in conservation, and
for conservationists interested in insects. The book communicates
on three levels: (i) through the text, with extensive references
providing a gateway to the ever-increasing primary literature; (ii)
through the extensive use of carefully constructed illustrations,
with detailed captions which act to summarize the text and are
complete in their own right; and (iii) through focused key points
at the end of every chapter, which summarise the main learning
points for students.
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