Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
|
Your cart is empty |
|||
Books > Sport & Leisure > Natural history, country life & pets
'The most magical book about the African bush since Born Free' -
Daily Mail
From the author of The History of the World in 100 Animals, a BBC Radio Four Book of the Week, comes an inspirational new book that looks at the 100 plants that have had the greatest impact on humanity, stunningly illustrated throughout. As humans, we hold the planet in the palms of ours hands. But we still consume the energy of the sun in the form of food. The sun is available for consumption because of plants. Plants make food from the sun by the process of photosynthesis; nothing else in the world can do this. We eat plants, or we do so at second hand, by eating the eaters of plants. Plants give us food. Plants take in carbon dioxide and push out oxygen: they give us the air we breathe, direct the rain that falls and moderate the climate. Plants also give us shelter, beauty, comfort, meaning, buildings, boats, containers, musical instruments, medicines and religious symbols. We use flowers for love, we use flowers for death. The fossils of plants power our industries and our transport. Across history we have used plants to store knowledge, to kill, to fuel wars, to change our state of consciousness, to indicate our status. The first gun was a plant, we got fire from plants, we have enslaved people for the sake of plants. We humans like to see ourselves as a species that has risen above the animal kingdom, doing what we will with the world. But we couldn't live for a day without plants. Our past is all about plants, our present is all tied up with plants; and without plants there is no future. From the mighty oak to algae, from cotton to coca here are a hundred reasons why.
Of course, we are entirely dependent on plants for our food and the air we breathe, but did you know that 5,000 mature English oak trees were used in the construction of Admiral Nelson's flagship HMS Victory, or that sweet peas were involved in the birth of the science of genetics? King Cotton was the driver of the slave trade, which was the first domino to fall in the American Revolution, and cotton was also the catalyst for the Industrial Revolution. These, and many other extraordinary facts in Fifty Plants that Changed the Course of History, highlight the dynamic ways in which plants have influenced human history. This beautifully designed and illustrated volume provides an engaging guide to the fifty key plants that have had the most impact on human history. Packed full of information, the book includes details about the habitat and characteristics of each plant, fact boxes, full colour photographs and lovely botanical illustrations. Weaving together strands of economic, political and agricultural history, each entry is a fascinating look at the most influential plants known to mankind.
Following the success of earlier ‘Quick Guide’ books, this slim little volume tackles one of the few groups of mammals that can fly. Divided into large fruit bats and smaller insecteating bats, this ultimate quick identification guide covers Africa’s 12 bat families. An informative introduction touches on evolution, flight, echolocation and reproduction, demystifying an animal that is all too often misunderstood. The text describes the facial characteristics and wing shapes common to each family and points out features that can help to distinguish between them. But it is the photographs and annotated line drawings that are most useful for identification. They include bats in flight and roosting sites, and close-ups of facial structures and wings that highlight key diagnostic attributes. An added extra is a photographic section showing the skulls of a variety bats. This is a valuable guide for anyone with an interest in wildlife and its less common members.
Sasol Eerste Veldgids tot Spinnekoppe & Skerpioene van Suider-Afrika bied aan die jong leser Æn fassinerende blik op die ryke verskeidenheid spinagtiges wat in die streek voorkom. Met behulp van volkleur fotoÆs en maklik leesbare teks, sal die jong volwassene en ontluikende natuur liefhebber die algemene spesies in Suider-Afrika identifiseer.
Caring for Natural Rangelands provides practical guidelines for the management of natural rangelands with worldwide application. It will be essential to those who deal with practical management problems like the control of soil erosion, sensitive road maintenance and invasive alien plant control on a regular basis. Farmers, landscape managers, nature and game reserve managers and students of natural resource management will find instruction and remedy within these pages. The approach is one of understanding the natural ecology system and working ethically within it. The well-tested methods recommended are simple but effective, and if suitably adapted to local conditions, can contribute to the significant rehabilitation of degraded rangelands.
Sasol First Field Guide to Birds of Prey of Southern Africa provides fascinating insight into the birdlife of the region. With the help of full-colour photo graphs and distribution maps, and easy-to-read text, the young adult and budding naturalist will be able to identify the more common birds of prey in southern Africa, discover where they live, and learn about their unique feeding and nesting habits.
Featuring all-new spoor drawings, some 200 new photographs and an extra 35 species, this fully revised and updated edition of the ever-popular Tracker Manual is packed with the latest on the art of tracking. Based on information developed by some of southern Africa’s best traditional trackers, Tracker Manual gives even more guidance on how to identify the spoor of some 190 animal species. Individual chapters cover carnivores, large mammals, antelopes, small mammals, primates, hares and rodents, amphibians and reptiles, birds and insects. Each account contains:
An instructive introduction describes the science of tracking and outlines what to look for in the field, while a quick-reference table compares tracks that are easily confused. This detailed and richly illustrated manual to the region’s most common animal tracks and signs will prove invaluable in the field.
'On Skellig Michael, thousands of birds appear and disappear, erecting towers, coming together in wings of movement which build and unravel over the empty sea. Often, no one else is there to stand beside me on the island. The mind wanders; links with the past are easily made; ancient ways of viewing things come alive.' In 1987 Robert Harris happened upon an unusual job advert in The Kerryman - a new warden service was being set up on Skellig Michael, and the deadline was imminent. Just weeks later he was on his way to set up camp in one of Ireland's most remote locations, unaware that he would be making that same journey every May for the next 30 years. Here he transports us to the otherworldly island, a place that is teeming with natural life, including curious puffins that like to visit his hut. From the precipice he has observed a coastline that is relatively unchanged for the last thousand years - a beacon of equilibrium in an ever-changing world. But the island can be fierce too. Inhabitable only for five months of the year, solitude can quickly become isolation as bad weather rolls in to create a veil between Skellig Michael and the rest of the world, when the dizzying terrain can become a very real threat to life. Returning Light is an extraordinary memoir about the profound effect a place can have on us, and how a remote location can bring with it a great sense of belonging.
Wildflowers are not only beautiful, they are of vital importance in providing food for bees and other pollinators. And they are found everywhere - in meadows, woodlands, jungles, mountains, deserts, grasslands and even in towns and cities. This fabulously illustrated book showcases dozens of different species with over 130 flower and insect stickers to add to the delightful scenes. Each is carefully labelled to help you differentiate cornflowers from corn cockles and poppies from primroses.
Revised in 2020 with 218 new terms, this pocket-sized glossary is essential for everyone in the tree care industry as a foundation for using a shared language of defined terms to work with professionals in arboriculture and related fields. The 2020 edition also includes expanded terminology for tree risk assessment and stationary rope climbing systems, hundreds of enhanced, clarified, and updated definitions, and a reference guide for abbreviations and acronyms.
Why are some things cute, and others not? What happens to our brains when we see something cute? And how did cuteness go global, from Hello Kitty to Disney characters? Cuteness is an area where culture and biology get tangled up. Seeing a cute animal triggers some of the most powerful psychological instincts we have - the ones that elicit our care and protection - but there is a deeper story behind the broad appeal of Japanese cats and saccharine greetings cards. Joshua Paul Dale, a pioneer in the burgeoning field of cuteness studies, explains how the cute aesthetic spread around the globe, from pop brands to Lolita fashion, kids' cartoons and the unstoppable rise of Hello Kitty. Irresistible delves into the surprisingly ancient origins of Japan's kawaii culture, and uncovers the cross-cultural pollination of the globalised world. If adorable things really do rewire our brains, it can help answer some of the biggest questions we have about our evolutionary history and the mysterious origins of animal domestication. This is the fascinating cultural history of cuteness, and a revealing look at how our most powerful psychological impulses have remade global style and culture.
Hierdie gids is deel van 'n nuwe reeks, Eerste veldgidse, en bied 'n fassinerende blik op die natuurlewe van die streek. Met behulp van kleurfoto's en -verspreidingskaarte asook maklik leesbare teks, sal die beginner- en ontluikende natuurkenner die meer algemene diere van Suider-Afrika kan identifiseer, kan vasstel waar hulle voorkom, en meer te wete kom oor hul unieke gedrag en ongewone eienskappe.
Established over a century ago, Fauna & Flora International (FFI) was the world's first international conservation organisation. The pioneering work of its founders in Africa led to the creation of numerous protected areas, including Kruger and Serengeti National Parks. For the first time, the story of FFI's history is told in its entirety. Throughout its history, FFI has repeatedly broken new ground. It is renowned for its innovative, landmark programmes, many of which have come to be regarded as classic examples of conservation practice: the eleventh-hour rescue of the Arabian oryx in 1962; the multifaceted Mountain Gorilla Project launched in 1978; Tunnels for Toads in 1987, one of countless campaigns on behalf of the UK's neglected amphibians, reptiles and bats; a 1994 botanical initiative in Turkey that anticipated the Important Plant Area concept; and, in 2000, the first programme to put biodiversity firmly on the agenda of blue-chip companies. It has been instrumental in creating much of today's global conservation infrastructure, including such well-known institutions as IUCN - The World Conservation Union, the Worldwide Fund for Nature, CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) and TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network. To this day, FFI continues to blaze a trail for others to follow, and this beautifully illustrated volume showcases its illustrious history. With a Foreword by Sir David Attenborough, FFI's Vice-President, the book is filled with stunning photography throughout, making it the perfect gift for nature and wildlife enthusiasts.
These natural history guides have been developed to encourage young people and anyone with a budding interest in natural history to learn about the wonders of southern Africa's fascinating fauna and flora. They are an invaluable resource for the beginner, providing information at a glance: each of the species presented is described in easy-to-read text, with a photograph and distribution map. A short introduction gives context to the topic.
Mario Cesare wrote about his life as a game ranger in his memoir Man-eaters, Mambas and Marula Madness. Through these stories his readers have come to know and love, Shilo, a dog in a million and the love of Mario’s life. Though Mario is a game ranger and conservationist, this is not just another “40 years as a game ranger” type of book. It is the story of an adventurous life - spanning both pre- and post-1994 Southern Africa – which is interwoven with the tale of an intense, loving 14-year relationship between himself and his dog Shilo. This relationship between man and dog was clearly meant to be from the day Mario first took the tiny newborn pup into his hands. It has lasted through innumerable adventures of duck-hunt and killer crocodile, wounded buffalo, lion, leopard and poacher. The Man with the Black Dog is permeated by the same love and empathy that made Jock of the Bushveld such a classic and it is also, of course, a very South African story. Never before has the story of a man and his dog revealed so much of the flavour of life in such an exquisite wild location and, though over a century has passed since the transport wagons carved their trails to and from Delagoa Bay, the scent evoked of dust and rain remains the same and the grey ghosts of kudu and elephant still melt into the bush. Mario Cesare’s career has taken him, and Shilo, from Timbavati and Mala Mala to Olifants River and beyond – and he delights in sharing his good fortune.
Hyenas have a bad reputation and are misunderstood by most people. Until recent years many wildlife publications used words like freak, stupid, demented and ungainly to describe hyenas, but in this title the author allow the reader to see these intriguing animals for what they really are: intelligent, powerful, even beautiful. Gus and Margie Mills, newly married, trekked to the Kalahari to spend two years studying the little-known brown hyena. They were so enchanted by these captivating animals that they ended up stayed for 12 years and uncovered a treasure trove of facts about the lives of both brown and spotted hyenas. Their studies allowed them to get to know the hyena clans and their hierarchies intimately and became privy to events which only a handful of people have ever had the privilege to witness. |
You may like...
Nicole - The True Story Of A Great White…
Richard Peirce
Paperback
(1)
The Larger Illustrated Guide Sasol Birds…
Ian Sinclair, Phil Hockey
Paperback
Flight Of The Diamond Smugglers - A Tale…
Matthew Gavin Frank
Paperback
|