This guide provides descriptions of when the bat species resident in Britain and Ireland use natural and human-made rock habitats, how they use them, and the environments each species occupies therein. For the first time it brings together findings from historical scientific investigations, useful photographic accounts and open-access biological records, along with a rich seam of new data – all in a practical and user-friendly structure. The book encompasses: ~ Descriptions of the features that a climber, caver or professional ecologist might encounter on and in rock habitats where bats roost. ~ Recording criteria for both the physical and environmental attributes of different features and situations. ~ Identification of suitability thresholds against which the recorded information can be compared to assess the likelihood that a specific feature might be exploited by a particular bat species. ~ Suggestions for how to avoid mistakes and difficulties when performing a survey. The intention is that using this book will help generate standardised biological records which can feed into the fully accessible online database at www.batrockhabitatkey.co.uk. These data will be analysed to search for patterns that can increase the confidence in the suitability thresholds and help build roost features that deliver the environment each species really needs. As well as offering many new insights, this book allows the reader to participate in cutting-edge research.

Insektopedie lê die betowering en ryke verskeidenheid van die wêreld van insekte bloot. Dit deurgrond hul fassinerende gedrag en biologie – van paring en broeigedrag, metamorfose en beweging tot sig, reuk, gehoor en hul aanpassings by hitte en koue.

’n Hoofstuk oor superorganismes ondersoek die merkwaardige verskynsel van sosiale gemeenskappe; ’n ander een dek die kritieke rol wat dié diertjies speel om die fyn balans van lewe op ons planeet in stand te hou.

Die boek sluit af met ’n 60-bladsy geïllustreerde veldgids wat die meeste insekordes en hul belangrikste families beskryf. Voorheen as Inseklopedie van Suider-Afrika gepubliseer, maar die nuwe uitgawe is nou grondig hersien en herontwerp, met die nuutste inligting, ’n uitgebreide ID-seksie en ’n paar honderd nuwe foto’s.

A charming illustrated introduction to the pangolin-the shy, scaly-skinned creature scapegoated for the coronavirus outbreak. Pangolin. You've seen the name on the news ticker. You've read the headlines. You've typed it into your search bar. Maybe you know how for centuries, poachers and traffickers have targeted these enigmatic mammals, selling their trademark scales for use in traditional medicine and folk remedies. And that today, pangolins bear an unwieldy burden as the long-snouted face of the COVID-19 virus, as they have been identified as a possible link in the spread of the disease. But what is a pangolin? A mythical creature? A dinosaur? How could it have started all of this? And what can a pangolin teach us about surviving sickness, attacks, and isolation? With heartwarming images and witty revelations, this book will set the record straight: teaching you about these elusive introverts, the dangers they may or may not present to humans, and the threats that they face as an endangered species. This illustrated manifesto will clear up the tabloid misconceptions and reveal time-tested pangolin beliefs, including: Looks can be deceiving (pangolins are more closely related to cats and dogs than lookalike reptiles like armadillos). It's okay to be a loner-especially in a global pandemic. Your worth is not skin-deep. You deserve protection, even if you're different. Curling up into a ball is always the best defense. Through the delightful drawings and clever captions that fill the pages of It's Not My Fault: A Pangolin's Manifesto, animal lovers of all ages will laugh, cry, and learn that even the most misunderstood members of the animal kingdom are worthy of a second look.

Hierdie fotografiese veldgids tot die voels van Suider-Afrika bevat die grootste en omvattendste versameling foto's van die area in een volume.

Die 958 voel spesies wat in Suider-Afrika gevind word, word beskryf en geillustreer asook 'n ekstra 17 spesies van die Suidelike Oseaan en geassosieerde eilande en Antarktika. Meer as 2 500 illustrasies wys die ouderdom en geslag variasies, voels op land en in die lug asook kleure.

Teks deur Suid-Afrika se top voel skrywers fokus op identifikasie, roep, habitat en status, broei besonderhede en dieet. Kleur gekoordineerde verspreidingskaarte. Jaarlikse seisoen kolomme wys wanneer spesies daar is en wanneer hulle broei. A-Z gids om groepe op te spoor.

Hierdie gids volg die tradisionele spesie volgorde en bring 'n nuwe dimensie na voel identifikasie in Suider-Afrika. Dit sal onvervangbaar wees in die veld.

Play Cards and Learn to Identify Mammal Tracks in the Southern United States! Anyone who enjoys nature, wildlife, and the great outdoors will love these cards for playing your favorite games or to use as flash cards. Inspired by Jonathan Poppele's popular Animal Tracks of the Southeast & Gulf States quick guide, this gorgeous deck of playing cards features detailed illustrations of 54 of the most notable mammal tracks in the South and Southeastern states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, as well as eastern Texas. Each card depicts realistic tracks of such animals as the Nine-banded Armadillo, River Otter, Wild Boar, and more-along with range maps-so you can begin to learn what 54 different animal prints look like. Card Features 54 of the most notable mammal tracks Realistic illustrations on every card Ideal for card games or as flash cards Play games like blackjack, poker, rummy, and solitaire while learning more about tracking. Get Animal Tracks of the Southeast & Gulf States Playing Cards for yourself, and you can also give this deck of cards as a fun and thoughtful gift.

Tigers is an outstanding collection of photographs showing these fearsome yet magnificent animals in action. Tigers are the largest big cats in the world and because of this, many cultures consider the tiger to be a symbol of strength, courage and dignity. They are featured in ancient mythology and folklore and continue to be depicted in modern films and literature. You’ll discover how tigers are adapted for hunting: A tiger’s paws and claws are one of its greatest weapons during the hunt. Strong, and powerful enough to kill prey with a swipe, the bones in their paws also have cord-like ligaments to buffer them from the impact of hitting prey at a full run. You’ll also learn many other fascinating facts, such as how each tiger is unique – did you know that no two tigers have the same pattern of stripes? Or that you can tell a tiger’s age by its nose? Young tigers have a pink nose which gradually darkens, turning orange, then a blackish-brown as it reaches maturity. With full captions explaining how these incredible animals hunt and feed, rear their young and survive in the wild, Tigers is a brilliant examination in 150 outstanding colour photographs of this beautiful animal.

Meet 36 of southern Africa’s most common and interesting snakes in this lively and engaging kids’ guide. Discover the intriguing habits of snakes – where they live, how they hunt, what dangers they face, and how they protect themselves, all richly supported by more than 250 captivating photographs. A detailed introduction to many aspects of snake behaviour opens up the fascinating world of these widely misunderstood reptiles.

With the natural world increasingly under threat, Our Place in Nature explores one of the most topical issues of our day; our appreciation of nature and recognition of our place in it. Part of the Macmillan Collector's Library; a series of stunning, pocket-sized classics with ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition is edited and introduced by Zachary Seager. A timely anthology of classic writing exploring our complex relationship with the natural world. Famous names such as George Orwell, Dorothy Wordsworth, John Muir and Rachel Carson are gathered here to share their wonder, concern and appreciation for our place in nature.

From the No.1 bestselling author of The Shepherd's Life, a spellbinding story of friendship, history and redemption on a remote Norwegian island

We are all in need of lights to follow.

One afternoon many years ago, James Rebanks met an old woman on a remote Norwegian island. She lived and worked alone on a tiny rocky outcrop, caring for wild Eider ducks and gathering their down. Hers was a centuries-old trade that had once made men and women rich, but had long been in decline. Still, somehow, she seemed to be hanging on.

Back at home, Rebanks couldn’t stop thinking about the woman on the rocks. She was fierce and otherworldly – and yet strangely familiar. Years passed. Then, one day, he wrote her a letter, asking if he could return. Bring work clothes, she replied, and good boots, and come quickly: her health was failing. And so he travelled to the edge of the Arctic to witness her last season on the island.

This is the story of that season. It is the story of a unique and ancient landscape, and of the woman who brought it back to life. It traces the pattern of her work from the rough, isolated toil of bitter winter, to the elation of the endless summer light, when the birds leave behind their precious down for gathering, like feathered gold.

Slowly, Rebanks begins to understand that this woman and her world are not what he had previously thought. What began as a journey of escape becomes an extraordinary lesson in self-knowledge and forgiveness.

This is an account of the world of birds, and this volume is 1st of 12. The introductory chapter is illustrated with detailed plates to complement the text, and deals with such diverse aspects as evolutionary history, anatomy, physiology, migration, and systematics. Each chapter covers a different family, headed by a summary box. Photographs illustrate more unusual features, such as courtship behaviour, thermoregulation or feeding techniques. Each chapter is subdivided into sections: systematics; morphological aspects; habitat; general habits; voice; food and feeding; breeding; movements; relationship with man; status and conservation; and a general bibliography. The species account lists names in French, German and Spanish, in addition to scientific and English names. Each species features: its own distribution map indicating resident, breeding and non-breeding ranges; its official status, according to BirdLife International; and the threats facing each species.

There are more crows now than ever. Their abundance is both a sign of ecological imbalance and a generous opportunity to connect with the animal world. CROW PLANET is a call to experience the wildlife in our midst, reminding us that we don't have to head to faraway places to encounter "nature." Even in the cities and suburbs where we live we are surrounded by wildlife such as crows. Through observing them we enhance our appreciation of the world's natural order, and find our own place in it. Haupt, a trained naturalist, uses science, scholarly research, myth, and personal observation to draw readers into the "crow stories" that unfold around us every day, culminating in book that transforms the way we experience our neighborhoods and our world.

A fully revised, comprehensive photographic field guide to the dragonflies of Britain and Ireland Britain's Dragonflies is the only comprehensive photographic field guide to the damselflies and dragonflies of Great Britain and Ireland. Written by two of Britain's foremost Dragonfly experts, this fully revised and updated fourth edition features hundreds of stunning images and identification charts covering all 57 resident, migrant and former breeding species, and six potential vagrants. The book focuses on the identification of both adults and larvae, highlighting the key features. Detailed species profiles provide concise information on identification, distribution, flight periods, behaviour, habitat, status and conservation. Other sections cover biology; how to watch, photograph, record and monitor Dragonflies; conservation status and legislation; and introduced exotic species. This redesigned, updated and expanded edition features: Beautiful colour plates showing males, females, immatures and all colour forms for every species Over 500 stunning photographs, many of which are new, and more than 550 illustrations Up-to-date species profiles and distribution maps Detailed, easy-to-use identification charts for adults and larvae

Fly fishing is complex and costly with too much cumbersome gear, right? Well, tenkara's different. Long overlooked in the West, tenkara is economical and simple, productive, and pleasurable This Eastern approach is today taking the fly-fishing world in North America and Europe by storm. Its tool kit is simple: a long, collapsible rod; a length of line tied to the end of the rod; and a fly. Without a reel, casting techniques become easy and intuitive. The gear is inexpensive and easily portable, perfect for hiking and camping. This pioneering book is an ideal guide to tenkara, covering the essentials of gear and rigging, the roots of tenkara, fishing dry flies as well as subsurface fishing and casting--as well as tenkara backpacking and tenkara for women. Tenkara has been the subject of features in Field & Stream, American Angler, and Fly, Rod & Reel magazines, and has been endorsed by the likes of Patagonia CEO and environmentalist Yvon Chouinard. Major retail outlets are now selling tenkara rods.

The Eagle Owl is one of the biggest owls in the world and is considered the most eclectic in terms of habitat, nest site and diet. An undisputed top predator, it can prey on a range of mammals up to the size of foxes, and almost every species of bird, reptile, amphibian and fish, as well as a large spectrum of invertebrates. Surprisingly, it can also breed almost anywhere, laying its eggs on a variety of natural and artificial structures over an array of altitudes. Yet, despite being so adaptable, it is still a vulnerable species and has suffered widely from persecution as well as other threats including electrocution on power lines, decreasing prey availability, the effects of pesticides and pollutants, and habitat alteration.

Vincenzo Penteriani and María del Mar Delgado have studied this fascinating bird extensively across its vast Eurasian range. In this book, they detail its remarkable ecology: distribution, breeding behaviour, foraging ecology, interspecific interactions, dispersal and conservation issues are all addressed, while the final two chapters provide a remarkable insight into vocal and visual communication. Scientists have long believed that owls and other crepuscular and nocturnal birds forgo the visual signals found in other avian species, but research on the Eagle Owl has indicated otherwise.

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.

There is something uplifting about having butterflies in your flowerbeds, frogs in your water feature and birds in your bushes, and knowing they're there because of you. Rich in detail and accessible in style, Gardening for Wildlife is the crucial companion to novices and expert gardeners alike. Adrian Thomas dispels myths and offers new insights and ideas, helping everyone understand what to do so gardens, large or small, can become ideal homes for wildlife. Building on the success of the award-winning first edition, this expanded and updated edition reflects the latest research and developments in nature-friendly gardening. The book serves as an expert guide to the practical aspects of this rewarding pastime and educates readers about the ecological principles involved, while exploding commonly held misconceptions that often deter people from pursuing a kinder approach to gardening. Adrian Thomas provides a detailed guide to the many and varied species that can contribute to a natural and healthy garden. Practical sections help you create entire habitats, such as woodland and meadow gardens, in your garden. And the massively expanded catalogue of the top 500 best garden flowers, shrubs and trees for wildlife, now includes colour photos of every species. If you love wildlife and want to encourage more to visit your garden, this inspirational book will help you sow the seeds and reap the rewards.

WINNER OF THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE 2018 WINNER OF THE JEFFERIES AWARD FOR NATURE WRITING 2017 The full story of seabirds from one of the greatest nature writers. The book looks at the pattern of their lives, their habitats, the threats they face and the passions they inspire - beautifully illustrated by Kate Boxer. Seabirds are master navigators, thriving in the most demanding environment on earth. In this masterly book, drawing on all the most recent research, Adam Nicolson follows them to the coasts and islands of Scotland, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, and the Americas. Beautifully illustrated by Kate Boxer, The Seabird's Cry is a celebration of the wonders of the only creatures at home in the air, on land and on the sea. It also carries a warning: the number of seabirds has dropped by two-thirds since 1950. Extinction stalks the ocean and there is a danger that the grand cry of a seabird colony will this century become little but a memory.

Filled with succinct descriptions and dazzling photographs, the National Audubon Society Pocket Guide to Familiar Butterflies in North America is designed to be compact enough for nature-lovers to easily bring along when observing butterflies. This streamlined volume contains: a simple field guide identifying 80 of the most widespread butterflies in North America and a complete overview of observing butterflies, covering basic identifying field marks and practical tips for observing and distinguishing different butterflies.

This pocket guide is packed with information; bright photographs capturing the butterflies perched with their wings spread and closed; specific descriptions of each species' important identifying characteristics, life cycle, habitat and range, line drawings depicting the basic butterfly anatomy, a description of major butterfly groups and a glossary of technical terms.

When observing these beautifully fragile creatures, the National Audubon Society Guide to Familiar Butterflies of North America is an excellent and handy reference guide to take along during any nature walk.