The ultimate compact, quick ID guide to southern and East African animal behaviour, and the latest in the popular series of 'quick guides' to wildlife.

This title:

- describes and explains the habits of the more commonly found mammals of southern and East Africa;

- matches concise text with action photographs that capture characteristic behaviour;

- serves as a companion volume to more detailed field guides;

- provides a quick reference and easy read for anyone interested in understanding wild animals and their sometimes baffling rituals.

Mammals come in a huge variety of shapes and sizes, from tiny bats and mice to massive elephants and whales. This title introduces a cross-section of southern African mammals - 58 animals illustrated in full colour, along with easy text and visual clues as to the animals' size, their tracks and what they eat.

Of all Africa's wildlife, none has captured the imagination more than those species that have come over the years to be known as the big five. Whether the biggest, the most beautiful, the fiercest or most formidable, these animals are the ones that have the power to remind us of our insignificance in the face of the true kings of the savannas. This is a truly magnificent record of Africa's Big Five.

Freshwater life – the first illustrated field guide of its kind for the wider southern African region – describes a vast range of plant and animal groups in a single volume.

A ground-breaking concept that encompasses diverse groups from the large and conspicuous vertebrates to the diverse microscopic taxa, the book facilitates identifi cation and describes the ecology of more than 1,000 freshwater organisms.

Species have been selected on the basis of how likely they are to be encountered, and each account is accompanied by photographs and a distribution map. A comprehensive introduction details the ecology and signifi cance of freshwater systems. This indispensible, easy-to-use guide will prove invaluable to outdoor enthusiasts, students and conservationists.

Sasol First Field Guide to Sharks, Whales and Dolphins of Southern Africa provides fascinating insight into the sea creatures of the region. With the help of full-colour photographs or illustrations, distribution maps, and easy-to-read text, the young adult and budding naturalist will be able to identify the more common shark, whale and dolphin species found in southern Africa, discover where they live, and learn about their unique feeding and breeding habits.

Al lank ’n gewilde hulpbron, die nuwe, opgedateerde Oorsiglys van Voëls in Suider-Afrika is nou beskikbaar. Dit bevat ’n lys van al die voëls wat in die streek te sien is, en bied ’n eenvoudige metode om aan te dui waar en wanneer jy hulle waargeneem het.

In gerieflike sakformaat bied dit:

• Kruisverwysings na die nuwe Sasol Voëls van Suider-Afrika (vyfde uitgawe)
• Ses kolumme vir veelvuldige waarnemings op ses verskillende plekke
• Jongste name van alle Suider-Afrikaanse voëls
• Endemiese en bedreigingstatus

Sal verwelkom word deur die streek se voëlkykers wat hulle waarnemings in Afrikaans wil nasien en opteken.

Sasol Eerste Veldgids tot Sterrehemel van Suider-Afrika bied ’n fassinerende blik op die suidelike sterrehemel. Met behulp van volkleurfoto’s en illustrasies, maandelikse sterrekaarte en maklik leesbare teks, sal die ontluikende sterrekundige die meer sigbare voorwerpe in ons naghemel kan uitken en meer van die unieke verskynsels in ons sterrestelsel te wete kom.

When the famous South African fish scientist Professor JLB Smith published Old Fourlegs - The Story of the Coelacanth in 1956 he created an international sensation. After all, this 400-million-year-old fish, known only from fossil remains, was thought to have become extinct around 66 million years ago! JLB Smith’s dramatic account of the discovery of the first and second coelacanths in 1938 and 1952 turned him into a cult figure and put South African science on the world map. His book was eventually published in six English editions and translated into nine foreign languages.

Mike Bruton’s The Annotated Old Fourlegs includes a facsimile reprint of the original book, to which he has added notes and images in the margins that provide an interesting and revealing commentary on Smith’s text, as well as new introductory and explanatory chapters that bring the coelacanth story up to date.

A new addition to this successful series and a companion volume to My First Book of Southern African Seashore Life, this book focuses on creatures that are found within the sea environment, away from the shore: fi shes; squid; sharks; rays; whales and dolphins; turtles; seabirds, and other creatures found off-shore. It follows the series model, with an illustrated introduction giving context to the subject, and then each page featuring:

•  a vivid, full-colour illustration
•  simple, informative text in English, Afrikaans, Xhosa and Zulu
•  visual clues about the creatures’ diet, size, habits and distribution round our coast

Hierdie omvattend uitgebreide, hersiene uitgawe van die beste verkoper onder boom-veldgidse vir die streek bied veel meer as die hoogs suksesvolle eerste uitgawe. Volledig bygewerkte teks (insluitend bykomende spesie-inskrywings) en verspreidingskaarte, talle nuwe foto’s en ’n nuwe seksie van 87 bladsye met foto’s van die hele boom maak dié gewilde gids nog meer noodsaaklik in die veld.

Suider-Afrika het ’n ryk verskeidenheid bome, met sowat 2 100 inheemse en meer as 100 genaturaliseerde uitheemse spesies. Veldgids tot Bome van Suider-Afrika beskryf en illustreer meer as 1 000 hiervan, met die klem op die algemeenste bome en dié wat waarskynlik die meeste teëgekom word. Spesies is op grond van maklik waarneembare blaar- en stingelkenmerke logies in 43 groepe gerangskik, elke inskrywing met volkleurfoto’s van die diagnostiese dele van die plant. Praktiese gebruike van die plante word ook genoem.

How many of the more common birds of southern African can you identify from their calls?

Birdsong is everywhere, whether we live in the city or in the country. Without the musical backdrop of our feathered friends, our gardens, parks and fields would be relatively silent – and much the poorer for it. Often we hear their calls, but cannot see the birds making them.

• The enclosed CD features 60 common bird calls.

• The book features full-colour photographs of the birds, distribution maps and interesting text about their habits, feeding and nesting routines, and their calls.

This first book of birds introduces children to commonly seen birds of parks gardens and open areas of southern Africa. The lively approach, presenting full-colour illustrations of 58 birds and visual cues to each bird's size, the food it eats, its nest and the footprint it leaves behind, will appeal to both pre-readers and those just starting to read.

Elephants have long been targeted by humans: not only are they killed for their ivory, but their extraordinary strength, intelligence and charisma have seen some of them captured, chained and effectively jailed for life.

Bully and Induna are two African elephants, both orphaned in organised culling operations and destined for lives in captivity. Growing up far apart and quite differently, Bully (a former animal film star) and the less fortunate Induna were both driven to react to their circumstances – Induna even killed one of his carers. Their individual situations reached a point where both were considered to be dangerous animals and were under threat of being put down.

This is the true story of their lives. Conservationist Richard Peirce presents their individual narratives and the twists and turns of their fortunes: the exploitation of these majestic but sensitive animals, how they each came to be trapped in unsuitable ‘employment’ and shunted about from one venue to the next, before finding one another – free at last – on a farm in southern Africa.

Giant Steps is a gripping story, full of drama, danger, sadness and ultimate rescue.

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.

A is for Aardvark
B is for Bakkie
C is for Cango Caves ...

A lively book to learn your ABC but also a colourfully illustrated guide to South Africa, its celebrated places and well-known objects.

Seasoned illustrator Sandy Lightley’s bright illustrations bring the country to life while fostering an awareness of sounds and letters. There are fun questions about the elements on each page; and a parents’ guide at the back, with addresses and contact numbers, outlines key activities and places of interest, and will facilitate visits to the major sights and attractions.

Aimed at tourists and locals alike, this vibrant book will delight and inform.

Following the success of the earlier Scatalog – Quick ID guide to southern African animal droppings, here’s another quick and quirky identification guide, this time to tracks of the region’s most commonly found mammals, but also includes tracks of reptiles, rodents, birds and insects.

A simple key on the inside front cover directs users to any of 11 categories, such as ‘cloven hooves’, ‘paws’ or 'tramline-like trails'. Nearly 100 animals or closely related groups of animals are depicted; for each, there’s

- a silhouette of front and back feet and a colour photograph of the track

- the average measurements for each track

- a short description of the track

- information about the circumstances and likely habitat

Concise and to-the-point, this pocket-sized reference will prove indispensible in the field, no matter the experience of the user.

This first book of birds introduces children to the birds most commonly seen in gardens and wildlife areas in East Africa. The 58 birds are featured in full colour illustrations, with visual cues to each birds size, the food it eats, its nest and the footprint it leaves behind. This lively approach will appeal to young readers, as well as to learners of all ages who wish to improve their knowledge of other languages.

This edition of Newman's birds of Southern Africa at once updates a classic and pays tribute to one of the region's birding authors, the late Kenneth Newman. With the support of Faansie Peacock, the author's daughter, Vanessa Newman, has thoroughly revised, updated and expanded this new edition to reflect the latest research, both in terms of text and illustrations.

Covering all the birds recorded from the Antarctic to the Zambezi River, its range includes the birds from the southern seas as well as those of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho and Mozambique. The format of Newman's birds has been preserved and subtly modernized.

Colour coding of major bird groups and the characteristically bold cross-referencing between text and images have been retained. As always, large, accurate paintings of each species reflect the bird as it is seen in the field, and are now labeled with diagnostic features, in line with top guides round the world.

A revised introductory section takes readers step-by-step through how to use this latest edition of Newman's Birds of Southern Africa in the field.

African dinosaurs are no less significant than their ‘celebrity’ cousins, such as T. rex, and they are just as magnificent and fascinating. Their fossils have been discovered across the continent – from the Sahara Desert to the Karoo.
 
Dinosaurs of Africa  starts with a brief general introduction, which is followed by short chapters on different dinosaur species, including fish-eating, sociable and predatory dinosaurs, as well as those that were cannibals. It also introduces the biggest meat-eating dinosaur of all time. Details are given about where these creatures were found, the meaning of their scientific names, and their size and diet.
 
Spectacular, colourful illustrations bring the dinosaurs vividly to life; photographs, maps and line drawings further illustrate the subject, while ‘Facts’, ‘Unsolved’ and ‘Up close’ boxes add to the intrigue.
 
This new edition of the much-loved Famous Dinosaurs of Africa  published in 2014 revitalises our idea of what these incredible animals may have been like, with:

• newly discovered species
• the latest scientific information
• updated terminology
• vibrant new illustrations.

This long-standing, trusted field guide to the wildlife of southern Africa has been comprehensively updated and now includes distribution maps. It describes over 2,000 plants and animals, each accompanied by accurate illustrations in full colour. This book has been a trusted field companion for many years. Comprehensively updated, it now features range maps for most groups. The chapters are colour-coded for easy reference, and diagnostic features appear in bold type within the descriptions. Each chapter is written by a leading expert in the field.

This highly regarded reference work, a botanical classic, has been fully revised and updated. A fresh new design and beautiful full-colour images aid identification.

First published in 1981, Succulent Flora has long served as an authoritative guide for academics and lay enthusiasts alike. This third edition takes into account intervening taxonomic advances and the discovery and naming of ever more species.

Information has been supplemented in line with the latest thinking and the book has been newly designed for clarity and ease of reference. Given the phenomenal extent of our succulent flora, this fully updated edition is a timely addition to the botanical literature of southern Africa.

Sasol Eerste Veldgids tot Bome van Suider-Afrika bied ’n fassinerende blik op die bome van die subkontinent. Met behulp van volkleurfoto's en verspreidingskaarte, asook maklik leesbare teks, sal die beginner en ontluikende natuurliefhebber die meer algemene bome in Suider-Afrika kan identifiseer, kan vasstel waar hulle groei, en meer te wete kom oor hul unieke eienskappe.

This photographic field guide to southern African birds comprises the biggest and most comprehensive collection of photographs of the region's birds in one volume.

It describes and illustrates all 958 bird species found in southern Africa, and an additional 17 species recorded from the Southern Ocean and associated islands, and Antarctica. Over 2 500 images show age and sex plumage variations, perched and in-flight birds, and colour morphs where relevant. authors.

Colour-coded distribution maps give resident and migratory status, and bird density. Annual seasonality bars show at a glance when species are present and when they breed. A-Z directory provides quick guide to locating groups. Group introductions provide additional clues to identification.

This comprehensive guide follows traditional species sequence. It brings a new dimension to bird identification in southern Africa and will prove indispensable in the field.

Ook in Afrikaans beskikbaar as Volledige Fotografiese Gids: Voëls Van Suider-Afrika.

My first book of Southern African Animal Tracks introduces 55 different types of animals and the footprints they leave behind.

The animals and birds included are those that you are likely to find on visits to nature reserves or game parks – or even in gardens.

For each species featured, the book gives:

- Life-sized track ‘imprints’

- A full-colour illustration of the animal and a visual size comparison with a human body, arm or hand

- A short description in four languages of each creature and its prints.

This introduction to the intriguing world of tracking will keep children happily absorbed for hours at home or on trips to view wildlife. The text in four languages expands the readership and promotes multilingualism.

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.