The acclaimed author of "Cold Noses at the Pearly Gates" investigates pets' afterlife--for the truth about their existence in Heaven--in a moving, inspirational, and comforting message of hope.

The Elizabeth River courses through the heart of Virginia. The Jamestown colonists recognized the river's strategic importance and explored its watershed almost immediately after the 1607 founding. The Elizabeth River traces four centuries of this historic stream's path through the geography and culture of Virginia.

Sakgids tot Soogdiere van Suider-Afrika is 'n handleiding tot meer as honderd soogdierspesies - van die groot katte tot muise en vlermuise. Elke inskrywing bevat 'n gedetailleerde beskrywing met: Duidelike, volkleurfoto's; inligting oor identifisering, subspesies, massa, hoogte, vokalisasie, ouderdom, habitat, gewoontes, kos, voortplanting en verskille tussen die geslagte. Besonderhede van ander spesies

The greatest botanical artists in the world capture one of the most diverse floral kingdoms on earth.

The traditional medium of botanical art is given a new lens with the aim to ultimately connect the reader to a bigger picture - one in which the intricate relationship between ourselves, the natural environment, plants and their pollinators is revealed. Expect meticulous detailing of floral structures, bursting seed pods, brightly coloured beetles, foraging ants, floating pollen and striped field mice...coupled with scientific facts and narrative stories about each plant.

This is a florilegium immersed in the natural world, informed by ecology and the fragility of our botanical heritage. Each chapter includes an up-front ‘Wunderkammer’ of artists' notes, colour swatches, working drawings and archeological details, revealing a glimpse into the creative process and ancient origins of the area.

A unique marriage of art, natural science and storytelling is used to share the treasures of our botanical heritage, diversity and sustainability.

When a blonde who had walked out on her Botswana-based wildlife smuggling kingpin partner arrived at the offices of the Sunday Times in the last 1980’s, the lid would be blown off a criminal network bent on killing off two of the world’s most iconic species – the elephant and the rhino.

Using trucks to transport contraband across borders to curio shops fronting as legitimate operate operations, the syndicate operated with free abandon, until their nefarious activities were revealed through investigations by journalist De Wet Potgieter. It was because of the information supplied by Brenda Voue that De Wet was inundated with so much information about the involvement of local and foreign criminal networks, senior military officials propping up the Jonas Savimbi’s war in Angola, and senior National Party officials that he authored not only several more newspaper articles on the plight of rhino and elephant, but also produced the first edition of Contraband in 1995. Since then, a plethora of information continues to come to light about the involvement of government officials, international spies, British undercover operatives, businesspeople, and criminal elements.

This is an exposure of the depths to which certain people would go to literally enjoy a piece of the pie. The commercial international rhino horn trade has been banned by the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) for more than 45 years. In South Africa, the domestic trade in rhino horn has been legal since 2017 opening loopholes from criminal syndicates to “legally” purchase rhino horn, but then still smuggle it out of the country for traditional uses in the Far East. The involvement of criminal operations such as the Triads cannot be ignored, nor can the pressure pre- and post-apartheid on the South African police’s highly successful Endangered Species Protection Unit under Colonel Piet Lategan, which resulted it its eventual demise. It’s an inescapable fact that the onslaught on South Africa’s rhino, and on other wildlife within the Southern African region, will continue despite the commitment and tenacity of several individuals and nongovernment organisations.

The onus has now shifted to the custodians of rhino – national parks, game reserves, private game ranchers and private rhino owners – to protect these prehistoric beasts from extinction.

Walkers, bikers, paddlers and snowshoers can encounter relics of the past and their incredible tales from Keene to the Seacoast. "Exploring Southern New Hampshire" takes history off the page, out of the car and into the welcoming pine-scented woods and pristine waters of the Granite State. Hike Mount Monadnock, paddle the Nashua River and retrace Lincoln's footsteps down Exeter's streets. Experience the legacy of a women's sawmill at Turkey Pond from the waters that powered it. Visit Cathedral of the Pines, a beautiful outdoor altar built with stones from historic sites around the world. Set sail on the Piscataqua River onboard a gundalow and learn about the region's rich maritime history. Local history explorer and nature lover Lucie Bryar leads readers through the Monadnock, Merrimack Valley and Seacoast regions. Granite State natives and transplants alike will explore trails and waterways to gain a new appreciation for the history hidden in natural New Hampshire.

A year-round escape for one million annual tourists, Catalina Island is gaining popularity as a world-class eco-destination. Eighty-eight percent of the island is under the watch of the Catalina Island Conservancy, which preserves, manages and restores the island's unique wild lands. Bison, foxes and bald eagles are its best-known inhabitants, but Catalina is home to more than sixty other animal and plant species that exist nowhere else on earth. And they are all within the boundaries of one of the world's most populous regions: Los Angeles County. Biologists Frank Hein and Carlos de la Rosa present a highly enjoyable tour through the fascinating origins, mysterious quirks and ecological victories of one of the West Coast's most remarkable places.

The Chattooga River has run through the American consciousness since the movie Deliverance thrust it into the national spotlight. But this National Wild and Scenic River is much more than the make-believe set of a suburbanite nightmare. People travel from all over the country to run its rapids, cast into its current for trout and hike the miles of trails that meander through thousands of acres of woods in the Chattooga watershed. One of the last free-flowing rivers in the Southeast, the river muscles fifty-seven miles through a southern deciduous forest with one of the highest levels of biodiversity in the country and is home to many species of rare wildflowers. Join author Laura Ann Garren as she describes the history and wonder of the real Chattooga River.

Includes a new section on clicker training.

European explorers were captivated by the seemingly endless bounty of natural resources on Cape Cod Bay. One Englishman declared that the codfish were so thick one "could" walk on their backs. Early settlers quickly learned how to harness the bay's resources and excelled at shore whaling, shipping and salt making. But as these new industries flourished, the native Wampanoag, who helped the fledgling colony to take root, nearly vanished. Author Theresa Mitchell Barbo's skillful narrative weaves together the natural and cultural histories of the bay, highlighting some of the region's diverse milestones- from the drafting of the Mayflower Compact in 1620 to the establishment of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant 350 years later. "Cape Cod Bay: A History of Salt & Sea" inspires new appreciation for this storied and stunning seascape, and underscores the importance of new efforts to preserve the bay's unique ecosystem.

"[A] glorious guide to the miracle of life's sound." -The New York Times Book Review A lyrical exploration of the diverse sounds of our planet, the creative processes that produced these marvels, and the perils that sonic diversity now faces We live on a planet alive with song, music, and speech. David Haskell explores how these wonders came to be. In rain forests shimmering with insect sound and swamps pulsing with frog calls we learn about evolution's creative powers. From birds in the Rocky Mountains and on the streets of Paris, we discover how animals learn their songs and adapt to new environments. Below the waves, we hear our kinship to beings as different as snapping shrimp, toadfish, and whales. In the startlingly divergent sonic vibes of the animals of different continents, we experience the legacies of plate tectonics, the deep history of animal groups and their movements around the world, and the quirks of aesthetic evolution. Starting with the origins of animal song and traversing the whole arc of Earth history, Haskell illuminates and celebrates the emergence of the varied sounds of our world. In mammoth ivory flutes from Paleolithic caves, violins in modern concert halls, and electronic music in earbuds, we learn that human music and language belong within this story of ecology and evolution. Yet we are also destroyers, now silencing or smothering many of the sounds of the living Earth. Haskell takes us to threatened forests, noise-filled oceans, and loud city streets, and shows that sonic crises are not mere losses of sensory ornament. Sound is a generative force, and so the erasure of sonic diversity makes the world less creative, just, and beautiful. The appreciation of the beauty and brokenness of sound is therefore an important guide in today's convulsions and crises of change and inequity. Sounds Wild and Broken is an invitation to listen, wonder, belong, and act.

Filled with beautiful photos and entertaining, informative entries, this is the perfect no-nonsense quick guide for the 55 most common species in the Midwestern United States.

Waders, or shorebirds, represent only a small percentage of the world's birds, but are unparalleled in popularity among birders. Identifying these seemingly anonymous grey birds, through a combination of shape, plumage and behaviour, is one of the most rewarding challenges in birding and the possibility of finding a rarity is an ever-present drawcard.

Despite their delicate appearance, waders thrive in some of the most inhospitable environments on the planet thanks to remarkable structural and behavioural adaptations, dynamic life cycles and dramatic global migrations. More than two years in the making, this unique, lavishly illustrated book will help you not only to identify waders with confidence, but also to understand and enjoy these inspirational birds.

It is the ultimate resource on the identification and biology of Southern Africa's wader species. However, because of waders' incredible worldwide migrations, most of the species in Chamberlain's Waders will also be familiar with readers from other regions of the world (only 30 of Southern Africa's 80 waders are NOT migratory).

What makes Chamberlain's Waders different from other titles on waders? Firstly, it is written from a Southern Hemisphere perspective, unlike most European and American books. This shift of focus completely changes the picture. Secondly, it explains wader identification based on a background of biology and ecology instead of just listing all the tedious identification details. Thirdly, it is so much more than just a field guide. Some paragraphs really read like a love letter written to waders in celebration of their beauty, adaptability and triumph over seemingly insurmountable challenges.

Sunday Times Bestseller 'A paradigm-smashing chronicle of joyous entanglement' Charles Foster Waterstones Non-Fiction Book of the Month (September) Are trees social beings? How do trees live? Do they feel pain or have awareness of their surroundings? In The Hidden Life of Trees Peter Wohlleben makes the case that the forest is a social network. He draws on groundbreaking scientific discoveries to describe how trees are like human families: tree parents live together with their children, communicate with them, support them as they grow, share nutrients with those who are sick or struggling, and even warn each other of impending dangers. Wohlleben also shares his deep love of woods and forests, explaining the amazing processes of life, death and regeneration he has observed in his woodland. A walk in the woods will never be the same again.

'The most magical book about the African bush since Born Free' - Daily Mail

'A beautiful love story between humans and the majestic elephants' Jo Malone, Daily Express

Françoise Malby-Anthony never expected to find herself responsible for a herd of elephants with a troubled past. A chic Parisienne, her life changed forever when she fell in love with South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony. Together they founded a game reserve but after Lawrence’s death, Françoise faced the daunting responsibility of running Thula Thula without him. Poachers attacked their rhinos, their security team wouldn’t take orders from a woman and the authorities were threatening to cull their beloved elephant family. On top of that, the herd’s feisty new matriarch Frankie didn’t like her.

In this heart-warming and moving book, Françoise describes how she fought to protect the herd and to make her dream of building a wildlife rescue centre a reality. She found herself caring for a lost baby elephant who turned up at her house, and offering refuge to traumatized orphaned rhinos, and a hippo called Charlie who was scared of water. As she learned to trust herself, she discovered she’d had Frankie wrong all along . . .

Filled with extraordinary animals and the humans who dedicate their lives to saving them, An Elephant in My Kitchen by Françoise Malby-Anthony is a captivating and gripping read.

Farming – whether domestic crops, forestry, fish or livestock – is one of the pillars of human civilization, dating back to the early settlements of Neolithic times. Today, approximately one billion people work the land, providing food and other products for our ever-increasing human population. Arranged geographically, Farming explores the many types of farm and farming that exist today. See how farmers in Malaysia extract milky latex from the bark of rubber trees, used to make everything from protective gloves to vehicle tires; be amazed at the gorgeous stepped rice fields of Bali, where the traditional subak irrigation system is created around ‘water temples’ and managed by Hindu priests; marvel at the vast corn and soya bean fields of Ontario, much of it used for animal feed to support Canada’s beef industry; learn about nomadic pastoralism in low rainfall areas such as Somalia, where herders move camels, cattle, sheep and goats in search of grazing; explore the wineries and vineyards in Bordeaux, where more than 700 million bottles of wine are produced each year by more than 8,500 châteaux; and see how freshwater prawns are harvested for export in the watery deltas of Bangladesh. Presented in a landscape format and with more than 180 outstanding photographs of farming from every part of the planet, Farming offers a pictorial celebration of mankind’s deep connection with the land that sustains us.

The first species to be domesticated, dogs have been selectively bred over thousands of years. Today they're man's best friend - but while many are pets, many, too, are working animals: for the police, for the blind, as guard dogs, as sheepdogs, pulling sleds and as therapy animals. Arranged in chapters covering physical characteristics, senses, lifecycle, communication, behaviour and working dogs, Dogs is a hugely informative visual celebration. From huskies to German shepherds, from collies to Chihuahuas, Shih Tzu to Jack Russell Terriers, Labradors to Bullmastiffs to Dachshunds, the book includes a huge range of breeds. With fascinating captions on every page, even dog lovers will learn something new. Dogs is a brilliant examination in 150 outstanding colour photographs.

Discover over 300 varieties of tree found in Britain and Europe with this new edition, in association with the RSPB From a Black Locust to a Downy Oak, discover over 300 varieties of tree, arranged by family and genu, with this pocket-sized guide. In-situ photographs and no nonsense notes covering anatomy and classification will help you identify them in the field quickly and accurately. Maps show you what trees to find where so you can plan your spotting and make the most of your surroundings, whether you are on a holiday browse or serious quest. An ideal guide for all the family.

Learn to forage in the hedgerows like the herbalists of the past As many of us look for ways to live a more planet-friendly lifestyle, the sustainable and ethical art of foraging offers us a way to connect with the world around us. It is a practice rich in tradition and steeped in history, and one that links us to our past and our future. This foraging companion is designed to be taken with you on your adventures into the hedgerows, forests and woodland all year round. Helpfully arranged by season, this book includes clear photographs to aid plant identification, ideas on how best to prepare and preserve your finds, fascinating foraging and plant folklore, and handy pages to make your own notes and drawings. Additional features: Paperback and lightweight (approx. 330g) design, to allow you to take the book with you while foraging A month-by-month foraging calendar Advice on foraging etiquette and tips for creating a forager's toolkit This is the essential guide to enjoying the bountiful delights of the hedgerows.

The Plott bear hounds's story began in 1750, when Johannes Plott left Germany for the North Carolina Mountains. A classic American tale of adventurers and underdogs, this true story is one that author Bob Plott, the great-great-great-grandson of Johannes Plott, is uniquely qualified to tell.