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Books > Sport & Leisure > Natural history, country life & pets > Wild animals
Botswana is one of the premier birding destinations in Africa, and
hosts over 600 bird species. This easy-to-use, compact guide features
more than 360 of the most conspicuous and commonly seen birds in the
country.
Features include:
■ An informative introduction to birding in Botswana, including habitat
descriptions and a glossary
■ Colour photographs illustrating diagnostic features and plumage
differences
■ Concise identifcation text, including key ID pointers, call
descriptions and favoured habitat of each species
■ Up-to-date distribution maps.
Originally published in 1930 BRING' EM BACK ALIVE by FRANK BUCK AND
EDWARD ANTHONY. Contents include: To Begin With ........ . . . . 3
CHAPTER I. Tapir on a Rampage ...... 7 II. Giant Jungle Man .......
18 III. Tiger Revenge ........ 32 IV. Wanted: Two Rhinos ...... 48
V. Delivered: Two Rhinos ...... 61 VI. Jungle Laundress ....... 91
VII. Holter's Traps ........ 101 VIIL Chips Lends a Hand ...... 119
IX. Man-Eater ........ 130 X. Baby Boo ......... 161 XL Monkey
Mothers ....... 173 XII. Ghost of Katong ....... 189 XIII. Elephant
Temper ...... .200 XIV. Monkey Mischief ....... 221 XV. Loose on
Board . . 2 XVI. Mouse-Deer . . W>. . . 6 . _--____, -, * XVIIL
Eang Cobra ........ 272 Finally ............. 288. BRING' EM BACK
ALIVE. TO BEGIN WITH . . . It might be well to state at the outset
that my aim is not to write a book that will add one more volume to
the world 9 s col lection of natural histories or the existing
treatises on the habits of wild animals. Whatever I have to say
about the peculiarities of different species is incidental to my
adventures in the field of collecting. For eighteen exciting years
I have been gathering live animals, reptiles and birds for the
zoos, the circuses and the dealers. I have brought back to America
thousands of specimens, A great many of these were collected for
the New York Zoological Park, the Philadelphia Zoological Garden,
the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, the St. Louis Zoological Gardens,
the Dallas Zoo, the San Diego Zoological Park, the Milwaukee Zoo
and the smaller zoos located in Memphis, Kansas City, San Antonio,
Minneapolis and other cities. Many others were absorbed by the
Ringling Bros.-Barnum & Bailey Circus, the Al G. Barnes
WildAnimal Show, the Sells-Floto Circus, the Christy Brothers drew,
the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus and other similar organizations. A
good percentage of these specimens were sold direct to the zoo
authorities and circus owners, the rest through dealers. I have had
more than my share of thrills, including narrow escapes. Yet I am
frank to say that these close calls do not represent a love of
looking Death in the eye. I am not that kind of adventurer. I take
no unnecessary risks. When a man oper ates on as big a scale as I
do he doesn't have to look for trouble. No matter how careful one
is, something is bound to go wrong when live animals and reptiles
are handled wholesale. It is then that experience counts. When I
listed all the specimens with which I've returned to America since
I started bringing' em back alive I found myself wondering that I
hadn't had more anxious moments. There were plenty, as I have
indicated, but on the whole I consider my 4 self lucky. So many
live creatures, if they had tried real hard, could have made much
more trouble for me. Here's the list: 39 elephants; 60 tigers (
Royal Bengal, Mala yan and Manchurian); 28 spotted leopards; 20
black leopards; 10 clouded leopards; 4 Himalayan snow leopards; 20
hyenas; 52 orang-utans; 31 gibbon apes ( white-handed, silvery,
agile, Hoolock's and siamang); over 5,000 monkeys of different
varie ties; 20 tapirs; 120 Asiatic antelope and deer, including
black buck, nilgai antelope, Indian gazette, axis deer, barking
deer, hog deer, sambor, etc.; p anoas or pigmy water buffalo; i sla
dang or Malayan gaur; i babirussa ( rarest of wttd swine}; 2
African cape buffalo; iS African antelope, including sable, water
buck and the rare whiteoryx of the Sudan; 2 giraffes; 40 wild goats
and sheep, including Markhor goats, Barbary sheep, Mala yan serow
and Punjab sheep; n camels; 40 kangaroos and wal labies; 2 Indian
rhinoceros ( the rarest and most valuable wild animals in America
as this is written); 40 bears, including Mala yan honey bears,
Himalayan black bears and Indian sloth bears; pa large pythons
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Honey Bees
(Hardcover)
Jurgen Tautz; Photographs by Ingo Arndt
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R659
Discovery Miles 6 590
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Ships in 12 - 19 working days
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Bees are a symbol of nature conservation. People all over the world
are studying their fate and the threats posed to them by human
activity and biodiversity loss. This is a stunning photographic
record captures for the first time the unique way of life of the,
forest-dwelling honey bee. A lavish, picture-led book, this is a
unique collaboration between Germany's leading bee expert, Prof. Dr
Jurgen Tautz, and one of the world's top nature photographers Ingo
Arndt, which documents a major research project into the
mysterious, hidden world of the honey bee.
Experience the excitement of the holidays and the joy of the
seasons with the colorful characters of Tubblewood. Miss Duck would
prefer to stay in the warmth of her cozy home sipping a cup of hot
apricot tea. However, her life always turns into an adventure when
she is called upon to help a friend or a neighbor. Throughout the
year, you can join Miss Duck and her woodland friends in their
escapades. They may be assisting the groundhog with a mystery guest
on his big day, correcting a problem after an April Fool's Day
prank goes too far, learning the meaning of Independence Day and
how to celebrate the holiday in a safe manner, or working together
to save Tubblewood Forest. Holiday traditions for St. Patrick's
Day, Easter, Arbor Day, and Thanksgiving also are included. There
is a tale to be savored for every season in this collection of
stories. Intertwined throughout each story are valuable life
messages. Miss Duck and her charming entourage teach these lessons
through their words and actions and demonstrate them in a positive
manner. The Tubblewood tales have universal appeal. They can be
comprehended by young children and still hold the interest and
imagination of older children and adults. The quality of the
content spans all ages and any generation. Additionally, special
scenes are artistically depicted in beautifully designed
illustrations. Don't miss the opportunity to create memories by
sharing this enchanting group of holiday stories with your loved
ones. It's certain to be a time-treasured addition to any household
library. Be sure to add to your collection another captivating
book, Tales From Tubblewood: A Duck For All Seasons, which contains
stories in the settings of Valentine's Day, Easter, summer
vacation, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
In the sixteenth century, Dutch traveller Jan Linschoten noted the
absence of lions throughout the Indian subcontinent. Two hundred
years later, echoing similar comments made by various hunters and
observers of Indian wildlife, the British shikari and writer,
Captain Thomas Williamson, emphatically declared: 'There are no
lions in Hindustan.' Much the same was said about the cheetah in
the region. These observations piqued the interest of well-known
naturalist Valmik Thapar. After an enormous amount of research and
study he now believes that, contrary to existing scientific theory,
neither of these animals were indigenous to the Indian
subcontinent. Remarking on the lack of accounts of encounters with
these animals - as opposed to the tiger and the leopard which are
extensively documented - as well as inconclusive genetic studies,
he argues that, over the centuries, the lion and cheetah were
brought into the country from Persia and Africa by royalty, either
as tributes or to populate their hunting parks and menageries.
Enlisting the help of renowned historian, Romila Thapar - who
analyzes historical accounts and representations of the lion in
early India - and scholar, Yusuf Ansari - who looks back at the
lives of the Mughals and their famed hunts - to further validate
his theory, Valmik Thapar concludes at the end of this
thought-provoking book that the Indian lion and the Indian cheetah
were, in fact, exotic imports, and not indigenous subspecies.
Tracing the history of the lion and the cheetah for over 5,000
years, and substantiated with pictorial evidence, Exotic Aliens is
a pioneering work that could turn field biology on its head.
Fishermen of Taupo is a book about the fly fishermen of New
Zealand's Lake Taupo. It tells the individual stories of twenty
Taupo fishermen that I have been fortunate enough to fish with over
the years. Taupo is, and still remains, a gem, but with the world
getting ever smaller due to air travel, this fishery is fragile.
Still it remains, like its trout, wild. It needs protecting before
it's lost.
About seventy-one per cent of the Earth's surface is water, and
even on dry land we remain closely connected to aquatic life. It
provides us with oxygen, food, medicine and materials. Wild
waterlife infiltrates our lives in many surprising ways. Every
other breath we take is filled with oxygen provided by
ocean-dwelling microscopic plants. A type of seaweed provides a
means to directly test whether people are infected with viruses,
including Covid-19. Robotics design takes inspiration from a pike's
ability to accelerate with greater g-force than a Porsche. Wild
Waters by Susanne Masters is a celebration of the breadth of
wildlife that can be found in and around our varied waterways, from
oceans and rivers to rock pools and ponds. Armchair explorers can
read a fascinating account of how aquatic plants and animals enrich
human life. Swimmers, paddleboarders, dog walkers, families and
anyone with a passion for the great outdoors can learn about local
wildlife, including when and where to look for different species
without causing any harm. With stunning illustrations by Alice
Goodridge, Wild Waters provides a tantalising insight into the
world beneath the surface.
RSPB Spotlight: Eagles is packed with eye-catching, informative
colour photos and features succinct, detailed text written by a
knowledgeable naturalist. Eagles are among the most impressive
hunters of the animal world. Their predatory prowess and flying
skills have imbued them with a romance and mystique that runs deep
in our culture and has elevated them to emblems of freedom and
power across the globe. At the same time, however, people have long
seen eagles as competitors. Reviled by farmers and gamekeepers as
snatchers of livestock, many species have been driven into decline
by persecution and disturbance. Two species of eagle occur in
Britain - among 60 worldwide - and are the focus of this book. The
regal Golden Eagle is the definitive 'true' eagle and occurs in
wilderness areas across the northern hemisphere; the even larger
White-tailed Eagle, reintroduced to the UK after historic
extinction, belongs to the separate 'sea eagles' genus. These two
spectacular birds are both very rare - confined largely to the
remote Scottish Highlands - and a sighting of either is one of the
UK's most exciting and sought-after wildlife experiences. This
highly readable study looks separately at both UK eagles, exploring
how each is adapted as an apex predator in its own environment, and
explores the relationship between the two. Separate chapters cover
all aspects of the birds' biology and lifestyle, from defending
their vast territories to raising their young. Fascinating secrets
are revealed, including the brutal truth behind 'Cain and Abel'
syndrome. The book also takes a look at other eagles around the
world, placing the two UK species within this broader context.
Finally, it examines the complex relationship that humans have
enjoyed with eagles since time immemorial, spanning both culture
and conservation, and offers expert tips on where and how you can
watch these magnificent birds for yourself. The Spotlight series
introduces readers to the lives and behaviours of our favourite
animals with eye-catching, colour photography and informative
expert text.
From the best-selling illustrator of Flip-a-Feather, Mix-a-Mutt,
Flip-o-saurus, and Flip-o-storic comes another book with charming
artwork and die-cut pages for flip-and-flop fun ― this time with
insects! Build-a-Bug lets you create wacky combinations of ten
types of insects, including a curious beetle, a climbing
caterpillar, and a buzzing honey bee. Each flap includes a fun fact
about the pictured species, and inside the front cover is a chart
showing the relative sizes of the insects featured, from the ant to
the praying mantis.
Originally published in 1972 this important falconry book is
probably one of the best of its kind. The author was a respected
falconer of many years experience and his sheer pleasure in the
sport shines through his writing. Contents Include: The Mews -
Weathering Enclosure, Bath, Blocks - Bells, Jesses, Clip Swivels,
Lures, Hoods, Whistle - Hack Hut and Hack Ground - Eyasses,
Treatment before Hack - Hack, its Advantages and Disadvantages -
Eyasses compared with Passgers and Haggards - Food - Hooding and
Manning - Taming - Flying to Lure and Use of the Lure - Hawking -
Homing - The Moult - Health - Miscellany - The Gyrfalcon
A complete beginner's guide to British moths. Moths are sometimes
overlooked compared to the day-flying butterflies, however, many
moths are even more colourful, accessible and fascinating. Britain
and Ireland are home to an incredible array of moths, with more
than 2,500 species known, and increasing numbers of people have
discovered the joy in watching, catching and photographing this
diverse group. But, where should you start in being able to
identify them? British Moths: A Gateway Guide is a wonderful
introduction to 350 species of the most common and eye-catching
adult moths that you may encounter in the UK. Rather than being
grouped in taxonomic order, species are organised by season, and
similar-looking moths are placed alongside one another for ease of
identification. Concise species accounts include information on key
features, making it easy to distinguish between confusion species,
seasonality, and when and where to see them; each account is also
placed alongside photos that have been carefully chosen to aid
identification with clearly-marked top tips. From the author of
Much Ado About Mothing, this is the perfect companion for anyone
wanting to learn more about these beautiful and remarkable
creatures - from hawk-moths to tigers and ermines to emeralds.
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