'Modest, down to earth and full of humour, this is one of the best books about filming I've ever read.' MICHAEL PALIN 'Extraordinary: Gavin's easy prose and gasp-making encounters make for a gripping and very funny read. It's a rollercoaster ride with a complete professional. I loved it.' JOANNA LUMLEY '[Gavin is] a great cameraman with infinite patience, but also a writer with great powers of observation and expression. Brilliant!' ALAN TITCHMARSH _________ From Gavin Thurston, the award-winning Blue Planet II and Planet Earth II cameraman with a foreword by Sir David Attenborough comes extraordinary and adventurous true stories of what it takes to track down and film our planet's most captivating creatures. Gavin has been a wildlife photographer for over thirty years. Against a backdrop of modern world history, he's lurked in the shadows of some of the world's remotest places in order to capture footage of the animal kingdom's finest: prides of lions, silverback gorillas, capuchin monkeys, brown bears, grey whales, penguins, mosquitoes - you name it he's filmed it. Come behind the camera and discover the hours spent patiently waiting for the protagonists to appear; the inevitable dangers in the wings and the challenges faced and overcome; and the heart-warming, life-affirming moments the cameras miss as well as capture. What other readers are saying about Journeys in the Wild: 'It's touching, it's thought provoking and its emotional...Go pick it up. It's an absolute inspiration of a book.' Goodreads 'Full of unbelievable anecdotes from decades of work, some absolutely hilarious, this book left me in complete wonder.' Goodreads 'An amazing read and I would heartily recommend it to everyone I know.' Goodreads

'With characteristic self-effacement, she puts the escapades of charismatic animals ahead of her own feelings.' The Guardian. When George Mottershead moved to the village of Upton-by-Chester in 1930 to realise his dream of opening a zoo without bars, his four-year-old daughter June had no idea how extraordinary her life would become. Soon her best friend was a chimpanzee called Mary, lion cubs and parrots were vying for her attention in the kitchen, and finding a bear tucked up in bed was no more unusual than talking to a tapir about granny's lemon curd. Pelican, penguin or polar bear - for June, they were simply family. The early years were not without their obstacles for the Mottersheads. They were shunned by the local community, bankruptcy threatened and then World War Two began. Nightly bombing raids turned the dream into a nightmare and finding food for the animals became a constant challenge. Yet George's resilience, resourcefulness and tenacity eventually paid off. Now over 80 years since June first set foot in the echoing house, Chester Zoo has achieved worldwide renown. Here, in her enthralling memoir, June Mottershead chronicles the heartbreak, the humour, the trials and triumphs, above all the characters, both human and animal, who shaped her childhood.

'Retire? You can't retire!', Sir David Attenborough told John Bartram, when the man who has been gamekeeper and senior wildlife officer for Richmond Park for the past thirty years announced his intention to step away from the role, bidding farewell to the iconic park which has been his home, the backdrop for a career many would give anything for, and a way of life for so long. During a career spanning four decades John has been the behind-the-scenes mastermind ensuring the welfare and maintenance of Richmond Park's world-famous herd of deer - widely thought of as the finest herd in captivity. Working with these fabled creatures has demanded balancing their needs with the very real, and often fatal, dangers the park's visitors pose to his herd, and John pulls no punches when it comes to his opinion on the deer's place in the scheme of things, the human 'invaders' and the collision of their two worlds. A remarkable diary chronicling the final year of John's charmed life as the guardian of Richmond Park, this memoir tells of the unique demands of each new season, and of the enormous wrench he will feel upon no longer waking up in the midst of so much unchanged and wild beauty.Park Life is a treasure trove of stories and memories, some poignant and moving, others offbeat and hilarious: from the quirk of fate and farcical interview that led to him getting the job, to living in close-quarters with the deer, the tragedy of putting down fatally wounded animals, and the annual ritual of the rut - as dependable as the rising and setting of the sun.

"Elizabeth Hanson's "Animal Attractions" is much more than a history of zoological parks, it is rather a phenomenology of zoos and zoo people."--Terry Maple, Director, Zoo Atlanta

"Hanson's finely crafted chronicle of the American zoo traces the perennial struggle between the need to entertain, the desire to educate, and the yearning for natural and scientific authenticity that surrounds the public exhibition of wild animals in captivity. "Animal Attractions" is essential reading for anyone with an interest in zoos and their history."--James Serpell, author of In the "Company of Animals: A Study of Human-Animal Relationships"

"This thoroughly researched book explores the cultural and physical landscapes of America's zoos in fascinating detail. Hanson follows the progress--and the pitfalls--of every aspect of their journey from menageries to centers of conservation. She unflinchingly examines the wretched and the wonderful, the mediocre and the magnificent, and along the way she asks intelligent questions and reveals intriguing insights into an institution that is rarely examined with any seriousness."--David Hancocks, Director, Victoria's Open Range Zoo

"This is an innovative, well-researched, engagingly written, and important study of the cultural history of zoos in America. Hanson is the first to tackle this rich subject in a book, and what she achieves is impressive."--Richard Burkhardt, author of "The Spirit of System"

""Animal Attractions" provides a fascinating, behind-the-scenes look at an important but historically neglected institution: the American zoo. Anyone who has ever enjoyed a day at the zoo will want to read this book to learn more about why we find theexperience so compelling."--Mark V. Barrow, author of "A Passion for Birds"

The panda-tastic sequel to Sarah Horne's huggable debut, Panda at the Door! 'Adorable fun!' SARAH MCINTYRE Life is good for Callum's family and Pudding, their panda. Pudding and Dad's hit stage show, Panda-mime, has been wowing audiences - but then an ambitious journalist, Penni P, twigs that Pudding's a real-life talking panda. If she exposes the truth, her story will be everywhere. Penni woos the family with false promises of fame and fortune in Hollywood in order to find her proof. Soon, everyone's starry-eyed except Callum. Can he expose Penni and stop her from breaking the story that could tear his family apart? The follow-up to bestselling illustrator Sarah Horne's huggable debut Panda at the Door. A modern-day family adventure: Paddington Bear meets Mary Poppins! A funny, lively story which touches on themes of family, belonging and truth - perfect for readers aged 6+. Quirky integrated illustrations throughout.

Sculpted into graceful contours by countless centuries of wind and water, the Great Sand Dunes sprawl along the eastern fringes of the vast San Luis Valley of south-central Colorado. Covering an area of nearly thirty square miles, they are the tallest aeolian, or wind-produced, dunes in North America, towering 750 feet above the valley floor. With the addition of the enormous Baca Ranch and other adjacent lands, the dunes-originally designated as a National Monument in 1932-attained official National Park status in 2004. In Sea of Sand, Michael M. Geary guides readers on a historical journey through this unique ecosystem, which includes an array of natural and cultural wonders, from the main dunefield and verdant wetlands to the summits of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Described by explorer Zebulon Pike as "a sea in a storm" and by frontier photographer William Henry Jackson as "a curious and very singular phase of nature's freak," the Great Sand Dunes are a nexus of more than 10,000 years of human history, from Paleolithic big-game hunters to nomadic Native Americans, from Spanish conquistadores and transcontinental explorers to hard-rock miners and modern-day tourists in motor homes. Like these successive waves of visitors, Sea of Sand follows the water, analyzing its critical role in the settlement and development of the region. Geary also describes the profound impact that waves of human use and settlement have had on the land-which ultimately inspired the early grassroots efforts by San Luis Valley citizens to protect the dunes from further exploitation. He examines as well the more recent legislative effort led by an unprecedented coalition of local, state, and federal agencies and organizations, including The Nature Conservancy and the National Park Service, to secure the Great Sand Dunes' national park designation. Amply illustrated, Sea of Sand is the definitive history of the natural, cultural, and political forces that helped shape this incomparable landscape.

Established in 1836, the Bristol Zoo is the world’s oldestsurviving zoo outside of a capital city and has frequently been at the vanguard of zoo innovation. In The Wild Within, Andrew Flack uses the experiences of the Bristol Zoo to explore the complex and ever-changing relationship between human and beast, which in many cases has altered radically over time. Flack recounts a history in which categories and identities combined, converged, and came into conflict, as the animals atBristol proved to be extremely adaptive. He also reveals aspects of the human-animal bond, however, that have remained remarkably consistent not only throughout the zoo’s existence but for centuries, including the ways in which even the captive animals with the most distinct qualities and characteristics are misunderstood when viewed through an anthropocentric lens. Flack strips back the layers of the human-animal relationship from those rooted in objectification and homogenization to those rooted in the recognition of consciousness and individual experience. The multifaceted beasts and protean people in The Wild Within challenge a host of assumptions--both within and outside the zoo- about what it means to be human or animal in the modern world.

This book discusses biodiversity, management and environmental issues of several national parks around the world. The first chapter presents general principles of access to national parks for tourism and recreation under the provisions of the Nature Conservation Act. Chapter Two examines the contribution of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) exploitation to poverty alleviation in the Fako-Meme Forest region of Cameroon, as well as the nexus between NTFPs exploitation and forest conservation. Chapter Three studies the visitors' profile and travel motivations for the Peneda-Geres National Park of Portugal. Chapter Four focuses on the welfare of captive breeding stock for reintroductions into Saudi Arabian national parks.

Mountains In The Sea takes the reader on an exploration of The Table Mountain National Park through a visual feast that tells the story of the mountain chain that defines Cape Town, dipping its toe into the ocean at Cape Point at its southern end, rising rugged and varied along its spine, and standing flat-topped and majestic to the north over the city bowl and Table Bay.

The book, with a short introductory text by award-winning environmental journalist John Yeld, explains the global biological significance of an area that lies at the heart of the Cape Floristic Region - a World Heritage Site - and that harbours more endemic floral species per square kilometre than any other in the world. In a highly accessible short essay, Yeld traces the struggle to have the park formally established and looks at the challenges it will face in the future.

The bulk of the book is a rich photographic journey that is complimented by a few short texts that explore the floral, animal, ecological, geological and social history of the mountain.

What started as a vision about the Olifants River Game Reserve has become the story of a game ranger's life. With a naturalist's eye for detail as well as the bigger picture of managing a fragile ecosystem through years of drought and plenty, Mario Cesare brings a storyteller's delight – and a dash of Italian passion – to sharing his world. Life-and-death encounters with lion, elephant and buffalo are balanced by rescues and interventions as these giants of the lowveld suffer the effects of human interference in their ecosystem. There are problems with poachers and with rapacious neighbours; then the delights of success – and in the case of the elephant population, the conundrums of too much success. Mario Cesare's career has taken him from Timbavati and Mala Mala to Olifants River and beyond – and he delights in sharing his good fortune. His latest task: to develop and nurture the Olifants River Game Reserve as the fences of the Greater Kruger National Park area fall, undoing generations of damage. Man-eaters, Mambas and Marula Madness: A Game Ranger's Life in the Lowveld provides a wealth of lessons on conservation as well as stories of life in the bush as it is enjoyed only by those fortunate enough to live on a 'Big Five' reserve.

This title is about the Game Parks of South Africa gives a round-up of the country's diverse and often world-famous parks and reserves. An memento for tourists – particularly those attending the 2010 'World Cup' – as well as for locals visiting game parks around the country, this title captures the best-known features of our spectacular reserves. With short, punchy text and captions, and superb images, it details their key features, their unspoilt beauty and abundant wildlife, and makes a colourful keepsake to pack for home.

Since the 1960s, zoos and aquariums have been repeatedly challenged by animal rights activists, regulatory agencies, anti-tax advocates, and an assortment of litigators. Working through the American Zoological Association, these institutions learned to use the U.S. political system to their advantage and, simultaneously, crafted a more progressive public mission. This original study draws upon interviews, archival sources, Congressional records, court cases, regulatory hearings, media accounts, and the authors' ongoing field research.

If you can't get to the Kruger, the Okavango or Hwange game parks, this illustrated guide is the next best thing. And if you can get to these wonderful places, this is what you need to plan your visit. This title contains more than 800 destinations. There are computer-generated maps of each park. The parks and reserves are listed alphabetically within each of the nine regions. Vivid descriptions include information on distances, the best routes to follow, condition of the roads, where to stay and how to title, what to see and where to see it. You'll never have an excuse again to say you haven't been there.

This is a memento of the game-rich national park, containing photographs of the animal and bird life encountered there.

During a career spanning four decades John has been the behind-the-scenes mastermind ensuring the welfare and maintenance of Richmond Park's world-famous herd of deer - widely thought of as the finest herd in captivity. Working with these fabled creatures has demanded balancing their needs with the very real, and often fatal, dangers the park's visitors pose to his herd, and John pulls no punches when it comes to his opinion on the deer's place in the scheme of things, the human 'invaders' and the collision of their two worlds. A remarkable diary chronicling the final year of John's charmed life as the guardian of Richmond Park, this memoir tells of the unique demands of each new season, and of the enormous wrench he will feel upon no longer waking up in the midst of so much unchanged and wild beauty. Park Life is a treasure trove of stories and memories, some poignant and moving, others offbeat and hilarious: from the quirk of fate and farcical interview that led to him getting the job, to living in close-quarters with the deer, the tragedy of putting down fatally wounded animals, and the annual ritual of the rut - as dependable as the rising and setting of the sun.

Full of charming animals and devious villains, this brand new middle grade will enchant middle grade readers! PRAISE FOR THE ELEPHANT THIEF: 'A classic-in-the-making.' THE TIMES 'This is storytelling at its best' BOOKS FOR KEEPS Danny works at Belle Vue Zoo, where - alongside training the famous elephant Maharajah - he helps out with the day-to-day caring for the animals. But when animals start escaping, Danny is the prime suspect: after all, he was a former street urchin and pickpocket. When a man turns up claiming to be his father, the plot thickens. Can Danny untangle the mystery of the animal escapade - and find out where he really belongs - in order to clear his name? The second novel from Jane Kerr, author of critically acclaimed The Elephant Thief Charming animals and deveious villains will enchant readers Perfect for ages 9 and up

The fifty color photographs in Frank Noelker's Captive Beauty are not simple, uncomplicated shots of animals in zoo settings; there is an ambivalence in them that only gradually envelops the viewer. Their sad, stark beauty confronts viewers, challenging them to consider the nature, purpose, and effects of zoos. Captive Beauty includes a short epigraph by the photographer. The proceeds from this work will go to the Jane Goodall Institute for Wildlife Research, Education, and Conservation.