Nature Books

Kenya is home to 1,060 bird species and boasts many globally important birding areas. This, the first detailed guide to the country's best birding sites, is the perfect companion to any bird field guide. "50 Top Birding Sites in Kenya" will help both local and visiting birders to locate the key species in each area, including the sought-after 'specials' and endemics.

The book offers:
• a detailed map for each site, with specific guidance on what to look for and where
• information about the birds likely to be seen
• descriptions of each site, indicating the plants and wildlife that may also be encountered
• tips for planning your trip
• road directions and a map for each site
• details of entry fees, where applicable. and options for accommodation.

The most trafficked wild animal in the world!

The burgeoning international trade in pangolins means that all eight of the world's pangolin species (four African and four Asian) are under threat of extinction. When, in 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic swept across the globe, it shone a new light on the trade in pangolins, fingering these mammals as possible vectors for the transmission of the virus from its bat hosts to humans. Southeast Asia's wet markets, where assorted wild animals are stacked in cages one on top of the other with their bodily fluids mingling unchecked, were identified as the likely source.
In "Pangolins - Scales of Injustice", Richard Peirce introduces readers to this enigmatic and discreetly charming mammal, and follows the likely journey of a pangolin poached in Zimbabwe and brought to Johannesburg to be sold to a waiting trafficker. Readers accompany an agent of the African Pangolin Working Group on a real-life sting operation to capture the law breakers and rescue the animal, and follow its subsequent rehabilitation and release into the wild.
Peirce unpacks the methods and terrifying statistics of the trade, describes visiting wildlife markets and restaurants in Southeast Asia, explains the links between wildlife and Covid-19, and details China's response to the unfolding drama of the pandemic.

A walking safari is one of the best ways of exploring South Africa's famously diverse parks and reserves - just as our ancestors once did, on foot, in the tracks of wild animals, attuned to the scents and sounds of nature. Accompanied by expert trail guides, walkers experience the thrill of encountering wildlife, and gain insight into their behaviour and habitat.
Seasoned hikers Hlengiwe Magagula and Denis Costello identify 59 guided walking experiences across 18 parks and reserves in South Africa, along with two in eSwatini and one in Botswana. They present the choices available in each park - short, dawn and dusk walks, wilderness trails from dedicated base camps, and multi-day backpacking trails. Accommodation ranges from ultra-luxurious to 'wild camping' under the stars, so there is something to suit every pocket. A series of first-hand accounts vividly illustrates the profound impact of encountering nature on foot, and a practical section discusses pre-trip preparation and the dos and don'ts of walking in areas with big game.
"Walking Safaris" is both an invitation to reconnect with our wild heritage and a call to preserve the myriad life forms of our natural world - essential for the future of all creatures.

This inspirational guide will help you to bring birds into your garden the natural way, by creating a wildlife-friendly outdoor space wherever you are in southern Africa. The book also profiles 101 garden birds likely to be found in gardens across the region and advises what to look and listen for, where and when. Vibrant photography and watercolour illustrations bring garden birds to life.

• Get to know your local species, their feeding, breeding calls and general behaviour
• Design your garden to attract the widest range of birds and other wildlife
• Discover the best plants and structures to provide food and shelter for birds
• Be inspired by recommended indigenous trees, shrubs, climbers, aloes and grasses

Now in its fifth edition, "Sasol Birds of Southern Africa" has been brought fully up to date by its expert author panel, with additional contributions from another two birding experts.

This fifth edition offers:
• New 'bird-call' feature - access calls by scanning barcodes with a free downloadable call app.
• More than 800 new illustrations, including all-new plates for raptors and seabirds.
• Comprehensive coverage of southern Africa's birds, including latest species records.
• Redesigned plates with diagnostic features noted.
• Calendar bars depicting species' occurrence and breeding periods.
• Fully updated species accounts and distribution maps.
• Fresh input from new contributing authors and illustrators.
• Alphabetical and illustrated quick references to bird groups.

Greatly enhanced, this comprehensive, best-selling guide is sure to maintain its place as one of Africa's most trusted field guides.

Met hierdie vyfde uitgawe, is "Sasol Voëls van Suider-Afrika" volledig deur sy paneel kundige outeurs opgedateer, met bydraes deur nog twee voëldeskundiges.

Hierdie vyfde uitgawe bied:
• 'n Nuwe 'voëlroep'-funksie - hoor roepe deur 'n gratis toep af te laai en streepkodes te skandeer.
• Omvattende dekking van al Suider-Afrika se voëlsoorte, wat die jongste spesie-optekenings inlsuit.
• Meer as 800 illustrasies, wat splinternuwe kleurplate vir roof- en seevoëls insluit.
• Herontwerpte kleurplate met byskrifte van uitkenmerke.
• Kalenderbalke wat die spesie se voorkoms en broeiperiode toon.
• Volledig opgedateerde spesiebeskrywings en verspredingskaarte.
• Vars insette van nuwe outeurs en illustreerders.
• Alfabetiese en geïllustreerde kitsverwysings van voëlgroepe.

Aansienlik uitgebrei, sal hierdie omvattende topverkoper beslis sy posisie as een van Afrika se staatmaker-veldgidse behou.

Both informative and entertaining, "Peacocks & Picathartes" is a celebration of Africa's diverse birdlife and examines not only the continent's endemic bird families, but also those birds that, despite being more widespread, are quintessentially African.
Watson's anecdotal style vividly captures his encounters with prized species, such as the secretive White-necked Picathartes and the elusive Congo Peacock. His enthusiasm extends from the common to the extraordinary: he conveys the sheer delight mousebirds take in 'being what they are' - and reveals the surprise discovery in 1991 of a new partridge in Tanzania's Udzungwa Mountains.
Drawing on precolonial and current-day avian accounts, he offers his own insights based on a lifetime of personal observations in the wilds of Africa, recounting unforgettable expeditions, quirky bird behaviour, shifting taxonomy, moments of rare good luck - and much more.

A lavishly illustrated field guide to all of South Africa's dragonfly and damselfly species.

Delicate, colourful, jewel-like and predatory, dragonflies and damselflies are intriguing insects that belong to a group called the Odonata. All 164 species known to occur in South Africa are described and illustrated here, grouped according to family (12 in total, six dragonfly and six damselfly families). Presented in classic field-guide format, the book offers images of each species - in this instance, scans made from living insects - opposite a detailed description, distribution map and photographs of specimens in their natural environment. An introduction covers the Odonata life cycle, biology and behaviour, and there are pointers on how to ID these fascinating insects.
With the use of this detailed, comprehensive guide and a pair of binoculars, anyone should be well equipped to identify the colourful and capricious dragonflies and damselflies of the region.

It cannot have been an easy story to tell, witnessing first-hand such individual cruelty, institutional abuse and government indifference. But Richard Peirce, his wife Jacqueline, and their team never wavered.
The tragedy that unfolds with each page of "Cuddle Me Kill Me" is op epic proportions. It exposes the massive scale of lion captive breeding and canned hunting in South Africa; the exploitation of thousands of gullible volunteers who pay to care for 'orphaned' lions and, unwittingly, finance this grotesque industry; the profound lack of empathy by those who make a dreadful living out of abusing captive-bred carnivores from birth to untimely death; and the culpability of a government out of touch with its soul.
No one with a beating heart can read "Cuddle Me Kill Me" and not want to help end a form of wild animal exploitation that brings shame on us all.
My organisation, The Born Free Foundation, has been fighting for the future of the wild lions and against such abuse for decades. This book stiffens our resolve to ensure that one day - and it cannot come soon enough - this will end.
Some still try to make excuses for canned hunting, cub petting and walking with lions. Some claim they are ignorant of the dreadful fate that will befall thousands of lions and other predators every year. Their excuses are no longer valid. This book has told the truth.

-- WILL TRAVERS OBE - PRESIDENT, THE BORN FREE FOUNDATION

While Africa's Big Five are quite distinctive, it's more challenging to tell apart some of the lesser-known mammals in the region such as antelope, mongooses, genets and primates. "Southern African Mammals made simple" uses a quick and easy three-step system to help identify these commonly confused mammals. Range maps, accurate full-colour illustrations, detailed labelling and concise text giving key identification pointers and favoured habitat all aid quick identification.
This follow-up to the hugely popular "LBJs made simple" will serve as a handy aid for visitors to game reserves and a valuable reference for general readers and wildlife enthusiasts.

Namibia - ein faszinierendes Land der Gegensätze, in dem Auen, Sümpfe und die ältese Wüste der Welt zu einer reichen biologischen Vielfalt beigetragen haben. Dieser umfassende Bildband enthält über 540 der auffälligsten und interessantesten Säugetiere, Vögel, Reptilien, Invertebraten und Pflanzen des Landes. Jede Darstellung beschreibt Aussehen, Größe und Verhaltensweisen der Arten und enthält eine Karte mit den Verbreitungsgebieten sowie Informationen zum Lebenstraum und zu den besten Beobachtungsorten.

After centuries of relative isolation, the Karoo - South Africa's parched heartland - is a latecomer to the tourist industry. What was once viewed as a harsh and desolate place of limited attraction is rapidly gaining popularity with visitors who now make the Karoo their destination, keen to partake of its legendary charm, its extraordinary flora and the resurgence of wildlife that once again populates its plains.
"Wild Karoo" documents Mitch Reardon's 4,000-kilometre journey of discovery through the region. The book focuses on local nature conservation; the game, the large and small - some recently reintroduced - plus birds, reptiles and invertebrates; the unique, arid-adapted flora; the regional landscape and geology; and the history and lifestyle of the people who have made a home here. It also examines plans to combine public and private protected land to create wildlife corridors between isolated parks, thereby re-establishing old migration routes and reversing some of the effects of human settlement.
Beautifully written, and illustrated with evocative photographs, this book is a must read for anyone interested in travel, wildlife and the environment.

Of the more than 5,500 mammals species worldwide, at least 1,200 occur in Africa. "Stuarts' Field Guide to the Larger Mammals of Africa" concentrates on the more visible and easily distinguished larger species, as well as some of the more frequently seen smaller mammals. This new edition has been extensively revised, expanded and redesigned and includes:
• detailed descriptions of each species, offering insight into key identification characters, typical behaviour, preferred habitat, food choice, reproduction and longevity
• the most recent research and taxonomy
• revised distribution maps and many new images
• colour-coded grouping of orders
• size icons
• marine mammals featured for the first time

"Aardvark to Zebra: Questions and Answers" offers:
• 780 colour pages
• 2200+ questions and answers
• 1300+ photos
• 300+ titbits
• 90+ articles
on 70 wild animals in an easy, readable format.

A must-have companion for the game reserve.

Elephants are both charismatic and enigmatic. and are often the biggest attraction to game reserves and national parks. When we enter their territory, it is essential that we respect their space and make every effort to understand the and respond to their various behaviours. "Understanding Elephants" cautions us to be sensitive to their needs, to read the signs, and to act accordingly. It will also help in understanding these highly sensitive, intelligent giants.
This book describes elephant family life, from rearing of infants to establishing dominance within a herd; it unpacks regular elephant behaviour, the matriarchal system, the particular danger of males in musth, and many other aspects of their lives. Most of all, it provides guidelines for ensuring safe and enjoyable encounters with these majestic animals.

• Written by a team of wildlife specialists in the field
• Explains elephant behaviour, communication and interaction
• Examines psychological and behavioural consequences brought about by social disruption
• Flags early warning signs of possible confrontation, and gives emergency advice

The first guide ever to document and explore the diverse parks and reserves of Africa's 'middle belt', it covers Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi. The region contains prized spots such as the world-famous landscapes of the Namib and Kalahari deserts, Okavango Delta, Victoria Falls and Lake Malawi, and some of Africa's best-known conservation areas, including Etosha, Chobe, Mana Pools, Hwange, Kafue and Nyika. Organised by country, this book includes:
• Detailed descriptions outlining the history, geology, climate, vegetation and wildlife of some 50 conservation areas.
• Annotated park maps, indicating places of interest and best sites to view key species.
• Text panels featuring each park's highlights, facilities and activities, wildlife facts, and important alerts.
• A concise photographic gallery for quick identification of common mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian and tree species.

Is a zebra black with white stripes or white with black stripes? And why do flamingos stand on one leg while bats hang upside down? Did you know that a chameleon's tongue can shoot out at five times the acceleration of a fighter jet?

In "The Buck That Buries its Poo", naturalist Quinton Coetzee answers these and many other intriguing wildlife questions. He also dispels countless myths and elucidates some of the legends that surround creatures in the South African bush we thought we knew all about. For example, bats do not get tangled in people's hair (because they are far too adept at flying) and elephants are not afraid of mice (but they do fear bees).
Other tall tales you might hear around the campfire are that lions toll in animal dung, entrails or carcasses to disguise their scent, and that rhinos have a predilection for stamping out fires. What is true, though, is that hyenas are more closely related to cats than to dogs.
This handy guide is based on Coetzee's own research and that of others, and his experience gleaned over decades living close to nature and wildlife. It seeks to unravel the mysteries of nature in Africa - from mammals and birds to arthropods and plants - with fascinating information and fun trivia. It is a book that will enlighten and entertain.

PS: Zebras are black with white stripes!