Dave Goulson has always been obsessed with wildlife, from his childhood menagerie of exotic pets and dabbling in experimental taxidermy to his groundbreaking research into the mysterious ways of the bumblebee and his mission to protect our rarest bees. Once commonly found in the marshes of Kent, the short-haired bumblebee now only exists in the wilds of New Zealand, the descendants of a few queen bees shipped over in the nineteenth century. Dave Goulson's passionate drive to reintroduce it to its native land is one of the highlights of a book that includes exclusive research into these curious creatures, history's relationship with the bumblebee and advice on how to protect it for all time. One of the UK's most respected conservationists and the founder of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, Goulson combines Gerald Durrell-esque tales of a child's growing passion for nature with a deep insight into the crucial importance of the bumblebee. He details the minutiae of life in their nests, sharing fascinating research into the effects intensive farming has had on our bee populations and on the potential dangers if we are to continue down this path.

    They exhibit an array of seasonal plumages and have distinctive yet oft-confused calls and songs. "The Warbler Guide" enables you to quickly identify any of the 56 species of warblers in the United States and Canada. This groundbreaking guide features more than 1,000 stunning color photos, extensive species accounts with multiple viewing angles, and an entirely new system of vocalization analysis that helps you effectively learn songs and calls."The Warbler Guide" revolutionizes birdwatching, making warbler identification easier than ever before. Also look for the interactive companion apps for iPhone and iPad.Covers all 56 species of warblers in the United States and Canada Visual quick finders help you identify warblers from any angle Song and call finders make identification easy using a few simple questions Uses sonograms to teach a new system of song identification that makes it easier to understand and hear differences between similar species Detailed species accounts show multiple views with diagnostic points, direct comparisons of plumage and vocalizations with similar species, and complete aging and sexing descriptions New aids to identification include song mnemonics and icons for undertail pattern, color impression, habitat, and behavior Includes field exercises, flight shots, general identification strategies, and quizzes

    She is placed in a foster home, following an operation to amputate one of her front legs, and she hopes that she can stay there forever. When she finds out she can't, she worries that she will never find a home. Who would want a dog with only three legs after all? Then a close encounter with a dangerous stranger changes everything... Told in her own voice, "Jessica's Diary" follows the thoughts and feelings of a lost little puppy, trying to negotiate a world filled with uncertainty and people with unknown intentions. Inspired by a true story. This is a short story of approximately 30 print pages

    MacKinnon realized the grassland he grew up on was not the pristine wilderness he had always believed it to be. Instead, his home prairie was the outcome of a long history of transformation, from the disappearance of the grizzly bear to the introduction of cattle. What remains today is an illusion of the wild--an illusion that has in many ways created our world. In 3 beautifully drawn parts, MacKinnon revisits a globe exuberant with life, where lions roam North America and 20 times more whales swim in the sea. He traces how humans destroyed that reality, out of rapaciousness, yes, but also through a great forgetting. Finally, he calls for an "age of restoration," not only to revisit that richer and more awe-filled world, but to reconnect with our truest human nature. MacKinnon never fails to remind us that nature is a menagerie of marvels. Here are fish that pass down the wisdom of elders, landscapes still shaped by "ecological ghosts," a tortoise that is slowly remaking prehistory. "It remains a beautiful world," MacKinnon writes, "and it is its beauty, not its emptiness, that should inspire us to seek more nature in our lives."

    Making use of remarkable scientific discoveries that transform our understanding of how natural systems work, George Monbiot explores a new, positive environmentalism that shows how damaged ecosystems on land and at sea can be restored, and how this restoration can revitalize and enrich our lives. Challenging what he calls his “ecological boredom,” Monbiot weaves together a beautiful and riveting tale of wild places, wildlife, and wild people. Roaming the hills of Britain and the forests of Europe, kayaking off the coast of Wales with dolphins and seabirds, he seeks out the places that still possess something of the untamed spirit he would like to resurrect.He meets people trying to restore lost forests and bring back missing species—such as wolves, lynx, wolverines, wild boar, and gray whales—and explores astonishing evidence that certain species, not just humans, have the power to shape the physical landscape. This process of rewilding, Monbiot argues, offers an alternative to a silent spring: the chance of a raucous summer in which ecological processes resume and humans draw closer to the natural world.

    With the intellectual rigor of a scientist and the heart of a poet, Saulitis gives voice to these vital yet vanishing survivors and the place they are so loyal to. Both an elegy for one orca family and a celebration of the entire species, Into Great Silence is a moving portrait of the interconnectedness of humans with animals and place—and of the responsibility we have to protect them.

    These flying reptiles, which include the pterodactyls, shared the world with the nonavian dinosaurs until their extinction 65 million years ago. Some pterosaurs, such as the giant azhdarchids, were the largest flying animals of all time, with wingspans exceeding thirty feet and standing heights comparable to modern giraffes. This richly illustrated book takes an unprecedented look at these astonishing creatures, presenting the latest findings on their anatomy, ecology, and extinction.Pterosaurs features some 200 stunning illustrations, including original paintings by Mark Witton and photos of rarely seen fossils. After decades of mystery, paleontologists have finally begun to understand how pterosaurs are related to other reptiles, how they functioned as living animals, and, despite dwarfing all other flying animals, how they managed to become airborne. Here you can explore the fossil evidence of pterosaur behavior and ecology, learn about the skeletal and soft-tissue anatomy of pterosaurs, and consider the newest theories about their cryptic origins. This one-of-a-kind book covers the discovery history, paleobiogeography, anatomy, and behaviors of more than 130 species of pterosaur, and also discusses their demise at the end of the Mesozoic.The most comprehensive book on pterosaurs ever publishedFeatures some 200 illustrations, including original paintings by the authorCovers every known species and major group of pterosaursDescribes pterosaur anatomy, ecology, behaviors, diversity, and moreEncourages further study with 500 references to primary pterosaur literature

    When Rick Lamplugh arrives at the historic Lamar Buffalo Ranch on New Year’s Eve, he has one goal: to learn as much as possible about the ecology of the Lamar Valley. All winter he will work and live in this remote corner of Yellowstone National Park, home to some of the best wildlife watching in the world. Winter-hungry elk and bison migrate there to graze. Wolves, coyotes, and mountain lions stalk the grazers while eagles, ravens, and magpies wait to scavenge. The snowy backdrop makes the saga of death and life easy to spot. He has three frigid months to explore on skis and snowshoes, observe with all his senses, listen to and talk with experts. A literary blend of facts and feelings, In the Temple of Wolves celebrates nature’s stark beauty and treacherous cruelty, while revealing Lamplugh’s inner battles with his own human nature.

    This first book will focus on developing a competition foundation based in “Engagement and relationship”It doesn’t matter what genetic package or temperament your dog is born with; you can bring out the best in your dog! To train your dog, you must develop a relationship that encourages a willingand happy attitude with natural focus while eliminating undue stress in both training and competition.If your goal is to create a world-class performance dog, then this book is for you – we can help you refine your engagement and relationship skills to a higher level.Special note: This book won the prestigious Maxwell award for Book of the Year in the Category of Behavior and Training - 2013.

    We witness fiery volcanic eruptions; wind-sculpted icebergs in the Antarctic; mind-blowing migrations of wildlife large and small; natural wonders from Belize's Great Blue Hole to Yellowstone in Wyoming; also the imprint that humanity has made on the planet.

    For easy navigation, the book is divided into thematic changes - covering everything from Plant Parts to Plant Pests - and further subdivided into useful headings, such as 'Seed Sowing' and 'Pruning'. In addition, feature spreads profile the remarkable individuals who have collected, studied and illustrated the plants that we grow today, and 'Botany in Action' boxes provide instantly accessible practical tips and advice.Aided by this book, every gardener - and every garden - will benefit from unlocking the wealth of information that lies within the intriguing world of botanical science.

    From the recycling miracles in the soil; an army of predators ridding us of unwanted pests; an abundance of life creating a genetic codebook that underpins our food, pharmaceutical industries and much more, it has been estimated that these and other services are each year worth about double global GDP. Yet we take most of Nature's services for granted, imagining them free and limitless ... until they suddenly switch off.

    Like humans, orcas are highly social and depend on their families, but Luna found himself desperately alone. So he tried to make contact with people. He begged for attention at boats and docks. He looked soulfully into people's eyes. He wanted to have his tongue rubbed. When someone whistled at him, he squeaked and whistled back. People fell in love with him, but the government decided that being friendly with Luna was bad for him, and tried to keep him away from humans. Policemen arrested people for rubbing Luna's nose. Fines were levied. Undaunted, Luna refused to give up his search for connection and people went out to meet him, like smugglers carrying friendship through the dark. But does friendship work between species? People who loved Luna couldn't agree on how to help him. Conflict came to Nootka Sound. The government built a huge net. The First Nations' members brought out their canoes. Nothing went as planned, and the ensuing events caught everyone by surprise and challenged the very nature of that special and mysterious bond we humans call friendship. The Lost Whale celebrates the life of a smart, friendly, determined, transcendent being from the sea who appeared among us like a promise out of the blue: that the greatest secrets in life are still to be discovered.

    Three years later, now the owner of a Welsh smallholding, Kate hears that a nearby farm is to be broken up and sold off. Another farm lost; another opportunity for a young farmless farmer gone. Desperate to stop the sale, Kate contacts the council with an alternative plan - to keep the farm working and to run a rural skills and animal husbandry school alongside it. Against all odds, she succeeds. Here, in Humble By Nature, Kate shares with us a highly personal account of her journey from London town house to Welsh farm. Along the way we meet Bertie and Lawrence the donkeys, Myfanwy and Blackberry the pigs and goats Biscuit and Honey, not forgetting a dog called Badger and his unladylike sidekick Bella. And we are introduced to the tenant farmers Tim and Sarah, the locals who helped and some who didn't, and a whole host of newborn lambs. Full of the warmth and passion for the natural world that makes Kate such a sought after presenter, Humble By Nature is the story of two people prepared to follow their hearts and save a small part of Britain's farming heritage, whatever the consequences.

    Featuring Austin’s intimate images—some as detailed as a single haunting eye—that result from encounters based on mutual trust, Beautiful Whale captures the grace and intelligence of these magnificent creatures. Austin spent days at a time submerged, motionless, in the waters of remote spawning grounds waiting for humpback, sperm, and minke whales to seek him out. As oceanographer Sylvia A. Earle says in her foreword to the book, “As an ambassador from the ocean—and to the ocean—Bryant Austin is not only a source of inspiration. He is cause for hope.”Praise for Beautiful Whale:“You can’t help thinking, with every passing page, that this is what’s it’s like to swim with the whales.” —The Wall Street Journal

    Evocative storytelling combines with Nicklen's landmark photographs to reveal the truths and myths about these amazing creatures, and sheds light on their threatened ecosystems. Years of photographing bears in their habitat have given Nicklen a special understanding of these majestic mammals: the polar bear, ranked most popular species on Earth; the grizzly, feared and misunderstood; and the black bear, as well as its precious white counterpart, the spirit bear. Nicklen believes that sharing knowledge and stories about bears will impact the way we think of them, and thus ensure their future. Well-known environmentalists such as Wade Davis, Sylvia Earle, Werner Herzog, and Nicklen himself contribute essays to enhance the message of Nicklen's photographs. Quotes from literary figures punctuate the pages, offering insight into the magnificence of these impressive mammals. An epilogue takes a global look at the future of bears.

    The Kingdom of Fungi provides an intimate look at the world's astonishing variety of fungi species, from cup fungi and lichens to truffles and tooth fungi, clubs and corals, and jelly fungi and puffballs. This beautifully illustrated book features more than 800 stunning color photographs as well as a concise text that describes the biology and ecology of fungi, fungal morphology, where fungi grow, and human interactions with and uses of fungi.The Kingdom of Fungi is a feast for the senses, and the ideal reference for naturalists, researchers, and anyone interested in fungi.Reveals fungal life as never seen beforeFeatures more than 800 stunning color photosDescribes fungal biology, morphology, distribution, and usesA must-have reference book for naturalists and researchers

    A major theme is how minerals and life coevolved, leading to the unprecedented mineral diversity on our world compared to the other planets in the solar system. Professor Hazen tells this epic story in 48 action-packed lectures that take you from the big bang to the formation of the solar system to the major milestones that marked the evolution of Earth and life. He also looks ahead at what to expect millions to billions of years in the future.It's easy to think that the green Earth dominated by life that we experience today is just as it's always been. But Professor Hazen introduces you to a succession of starkly different Earths, starting with the black, basalt-covered planet of 4.5 billion years ago, and progressing through blue, gray, red, and white phases as Earth, minerals, and life developed in concert.Major episodes covered in these lectures include the formation of the moon from the collision of a Mars-sized body with the early Earth; the Great Oxidation Event, which was sparked by the earliest photosynthetic life and is responsible for Earth's iron and other important mineral deposits; the formation of the first continents; the start of plate tectonics more than 3 billion years ago; the repeating cycles of supercontinent formation; the Cambrian explosion of life, resulting in the first animal shells, bones, and teeth; the great episodes of mass extinction, including the dinosaurs; and the rise of humans - along with much else.Most impressively, Professor Hazen is a pioneer in the study of mineral evolution, which is a unique lens through which to view the development of Earth. He tells the story with authority and with a rare gift for making you see the world in a new, intriguing way.

    Distinctive and enchanting, with a songbird for each week of the year, this delightful gift book will appeal to birders, children and adults, and art and design fans alike.

    Passionate, tenacious, and occasionally brash, Haber, a former hockey player and park ranger, devoted his life to Denali’s wolves.He weathered brutal temperatures in the wild to document the wolves and provided exceptional insights into wolf behavior. Haber’s writings and photographs reveal an astonishing degree of cooperation between wolf family members as they hunt, raise pups, and play, social behaviors and traditions previously unknown. With the wolves at risk of being destroyed by hunting and trapping, his studies advocated for a balanced approach to wolf management. His fieldwork registered as one of the longest studies in wildlife science and had a lasting impact on wolf policies.Haber’s field notes, his extensive journals, and stories from friends all come together in Among Wolves to reveal much about both the wolves he studied and the researcher himself. Wolves continue to fascinate and polarize people, and Haber’s work continues to resonate.

    Humans are the adult wolf’s only true natural predator; its return to the old-growth forests and wild coastlines of the Pacific Northwest renews age-old questions about the value of wildlands and wildlife.      As the vivid stories unfold in this riveting and timely book, wolves emerge as smart, complex players uniquely adapted to the vast interdependent ecosystem of this stunning region. Observing them at close range, David Moskowitz explores how they live, hunt, and communicate, tracing their biology and ecology through firsthand encounters in the wildlands of the Northwest. In the process he challenges assumptions about their role and the impact of even well-meaning human interventions.

    The narrative spans the common—and often contested—ground that supports human and natural communities alike, seeking the unsung stories that sustain us.Guided by the belief of Rainer Maria Rilke that “everything beckons us to perceive it,” Hoffman explores the area around the Prespa Lakes, the first transboundary park in the Balkans, shared by Greece, Albania, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. From there he travels widely to regions rarely written about, exploring the idea that home is wherever we happen to be if we accord that place our close and patient attention.The Small Heart of Things is a book about looking and listening. It incorporates travel and natural history writing that interweaves human stories with those of wild creatures. Distinguished by Hoffman’s belief that through awareness, curiosity, and openness we have the potential to forge abiding relationships with a range of places, it illuminates how these many connections can teach us to be at home in the world.

    It is a hands-on guide to learning about the natural environment of California. Subjects covered include California natural history and geology, native plants and animals, California's freshwater resources and ecosystems, forest and rangeland resources, conservation biology, and the effects of global warming on California's natural communities. The Handbook also discusses how to create and use a field notebook, natural resource interpretation, citizen science, and collaborative conservation and serves as the primary text for the California Naturalist Program.

    What's more, there were other sabertooths that were not cats, animals with exotic names like nimravids, barbourofelids, and thylacosmilids. Some were no taller than a domestic cat, others were larger than a lion, and some were as weird as their names suggest. Sabertooths continue to pose questions even for specialists. What did they look like? How did they use their spectacular canine teeth? And why did they finally go extinct? In this visual and intellectual treat of a book, Mauricio Anton tells their story in words and pictures, all scrupulously based on the latest scientific research. The book is a glorious wedding of science and art that celebrates the remarkable diversity of the life of the not-so-distant past.

    Touching the Wild is the enchanting story about one man who has lived with a herd of mule deer in the Wind River mountains of Wyoming for almost seven years. Why, you may ask, would a person choose to do such a thing? His response: how could you not? For Joe Hutto, close proximity to wild things is irresistible. In Illumination in the Flatwoods he unveiled the secret lives of the wild turkey to great critical acclaim. In Touching the Wild he turns his acute sense of wonder and affinity to one of the West's quintessential big game animals: the mule deer, a species in peril due to environmental factors. Wily, thoughtful creatures, mule deer are not inclined to make foolish friendships with their primary predator-man. But due to the intense curiosity of one small doe, and the resulting introduction to an entire herd, Joe Hutto has been allowed unprecedented access and insight into the minds and behavior of this special animal.Spending every day among the herd, he develops uncanny connections with the deer, learning individual and group dynamics as well, unveiling just how much we have in common with these delicate beings. Each season brings new joy as fawns are born and heartache as matriarchs pass away, or hunting takes its toll, or a fawn is orphaned. But what overwhelmingly emerges from Touching the Wild is the enormous respect Hutto has for all wild things and the recognition that we have so much to learn from them about their world, ourselves, and the fragile planet we share. Throughout the book are gorgeous full-color photos.

    Exploring the cities, coasts, forests, and mountains of Northern California and New England, the poems in this collection immerse themselves in the specifics of bioregion and microclimate, and take special note of the cycle of death and rebirth that plays out dramatically in California’s chaparral and grasslands. Inspired by Transcendentalism, Companion Grasses sees the sacred in the workings of the material world, but its indebtedness to the ecological tradition of California poets unearths evidence in the sensual materiality of words themselves. Creating ecologically rich landscapes and highly rhythmic inscapes, the poems set seasonal and human dramas side-by-side and assess their relationship.

    We also trap and consume birds of every kind.Yet birds have not just been good to eat. Their feathers, which keep us warm or adorn our costumes, give birds unique mastery over the heavens. Throughout history their flight has inspired the human imagination so that birds are embedded in our religions, folklore, music and arts.Vast in both scope and scale, Birds and People explores and celebrates this relationship and draws upon Mark Cocker’s 40 years of observing and thinking about birds. Part natural history and part cultural study, it describes and maps the entire spectrum of our engagements with birds, drawing in themes of history, literature, art, cuisine, language, lore, politics and the environment. In the end, this is a book as much about us as it is about birds.Birds and People has been stunningly illustrated by one of Europe’s best wildlife photographers, David Tipling, who has travelled in 39 countries on seven continents to produce a breathtaking and unique collection of photographs. The book is as important for its visual riches as it is for its groundbreaking content.Birds and People is also exceptional in that the author has solicited contributions from people worldwide. Personal anecdotes and stories have come from more than 650 individuals in 81 different countries. They range from university academics to Mongolian eagle hunters, and from Amerindian shamans to some of the most celebrated writers of our age. The sheer multitude of voices in this global chorus means that Birds and People is both a source book on why we cherish birds and a powerful testament to their importance for all humanity.

    The first British climber to reach all 14 of the world's peaks over 8000m, and the 15th person ever to do so, his 2005 summit of Kangchenjunga was the crowning achievement of an 18-year journey - joining the elite few who have completed global mountaineering's most distinguished goal. Alongside Alan's down-to-earth accounts of his summits of such awe-inspiring peaks as Everest, Manaslu, K2, Annapurna and Kangchenjunga, the book features the stunning photographs from his expeditions, which are all the more impressive for having been taken under the extreme circumstances of some of the world's most challenging settings. Alan's motto throughout every expedition was 'No mountain is worth a life. Coming back is a success and the summit is only a bonus'. After reaching each of these 14 peaks, Alan came back every time, always in one piece, always with a new inspiring tale to tell. Having had time to reflect on his immense achievement, in this book he now recounts his experiences of them all.

    This green landscape, however, is not the work of nature. It s the work of history. In the years after the Gold Rush, American settlers remade the California landscape, harnessing nature to their vision of the good life. Horticulturists, boosters, and civic reformers began to "improve" the bare, brown countryside, planting millions of trees to create groves, wooded suburbs, and landscaped cities. They imported the blue-green eucalypts whose tangy fragrance was thought to cure malaria. They built the lucrative "Orange Empire" on the sweet juice and thick skin of the Washington navel, an industrial fruit. They lined their streets with graceful palms to announce that they were not in the Midwest anymore. To the north the majestic coastal redwoods inspired awe and invited exploitation. A resource in the state, the durable heartwood of these timeless giants became infrastructure, transformed by the saw teeth of American enterprise. By 1900 timber firms owned the entire redwood forest; by 1950 they had clear-cut almost all of the old-growth trees.In time California s new landscape proved to be no paradise: the eucalypts in the Berkeley hills exploded in fire; the orange groves near Riverside froze on cold nights; Los Angeles s palms harbored rats and dropped heavy fronds on the streets below. Disease, infestation, and development all spelled decline for these nonnative evergreens. In the north, however, a new forest of second-growth redwood took root, nurtured by protective laws and sustainable harvesting. Today there are more California redwoods than there were a century ago.Rich in character and story, Trees in Paradise is a dazzling narrative that offers an insightful, new perspective on the history of the Golden State and the American West."

    Just open the door and step outside. A fun, hands on approach to getting involved in nature, The Kids' Outdoor Adventure Book is a year-round how-to activity guidebook for getting kids outdoors and exploring nature, be it catching fireflies in the cool summer evenings; making birdfeeders in the fall from peanut butter, pine cones, and seed; building a snowman in 3 feet of fresh winter snow; or playing duck, duck, goose with friends in a meadow on a warm spring day. The Kids' Outdoor Adventure Book includes 448 things to do in nature for kids of all ages--more than one activity for every single day of the year. Each of the year's four seasons includes fifty checklist items, fifty challenge items, three each of projects, destinations, garden recipes, and outdoor games. Throughout the book, you'll also find fascinating facts, useful tips and tricks, and plenty of additional resources to turn to. Complete with whimsical, vibrant illustrations, this book is a must for parents and their kids.

    Organized by region and spanning every family of primates on Earth, the book features 72 splendid color plates, facing-page descriptions of key features of each family, and 86 color distribution maps."Primates of the World" also includes concise introductory chapters that discuss the latest findings on primate origins and evolution, behavior and adaptations, and classification, making it the most comprehensive and up-to-date primate guide available.Covers nearly 300 species and every family of primates worldwideFeatures 72 color plates--the finest illustrations of primates ever producedIncludes facing-page descriptions for each family and 86 color distribution mapshe most comprehensive and up-to-date guide to the world's primates

    But when we really look closely at a flower, whole new worlds of beauty and intricacy emerge. Seeing Flowers is a visual feast that gloriously highlights 343 popular garden flowers. Using a unique photo process that includes stitching together large macro photographs, Robert Llewellyn reveals details that few have ever seen: the amazing architecture of stamens and pistils; the subtle shadings on a petal; the secret recesses of nectar tubes. Teri Dunn Chace’s lyrical and illuminating essays complement these images and offer insights on each flower, by exploring its distinguishing characteristics and sharing fascinating tidbits, tales, and lore. Together, Llewellyn and Chace give the reader a deeper appreciation of how and why flowers have become so deeply embedded in human culture. Whether you’re a nature lover, a gardener, a photography buff, or someone who simply responds to the timeless beauty and variety of the floral world, Seeing Flowers will be a source of enduring delight.

    Featuring 275 stunning color plates, this book covers 262 species originating from three very different regions--the Old World, the New World tropics, and the world's oceans. It explains the causes of avian vagrancy and breaks down patterns of occurrence by region and season, enabling readers to see where, when, and why each species occurs in North America. Detailed species accounts describe key identification features, taxonomy, age, sex, distribution, and status.Rare Birds of North America provides unparalleled insights into vagrancy and avian migration, and will enrich the birding experience of anyone interested in finding and observing rare birds.Covers 262 species of vagrant birds found in the United States and CanadaFeatures 275 stunning color plates that depict every speciesExplains patterns of occurrence by region and seasonProvides an invaluable overview of vagrancy patterns and migrationIncludes detailed species accounts and cutting-edge identification tips

    With Principles of Ecological Landscape Design, Travis Beck gives professionals and students the first book to translate the science of ecology into design practice. This groundbreaking work explains key ecological concepts and their application to the design and management of sustainable landscapes. It covers topics from biogeography and plant selection to global change. Beck draws on real world cases where professionals have put ecological principles to use in the built landscape.For constructed landscapes to perform as we need them to, we must get their underlying ecology right. Principles of Ecological Landscape Design provides the tools to do just that.

    T. Hersom as he uncovers funny bug facts and sometimes weird bug behavior, with stunning full color photos with descriptions of the bugs and spiders, what they like to eat, where they live and their behavior.</p><p>Explore parts of the earth to find spiders that that jump, the world's largest moth, or beetles the size of a man's hand! See mystical wonders such as the walking stick, giant mosquito or the farting beetle.</p><h2>Funny &amp; Weird Animals Series</h2><p>Part of the Funny &amp; Weird Animals Series, Bug Life, will keep your young readers interested in reading this insects children's book over and over again. Descriptions in the large text make it easy for early readers, or for a child to be guided through with a parent or family member.</p><p>As with all books in this series, it is designed to be a learning tool too. The author combines humor with facts to make the learning fun and memorable for the kids. Additionally, with "What did You Learn Today" fun questions and answers at the books end.</p><h2><strong>The Following Bugs and Spiders are Featured:</strong></h2><ul><li><em>The giant Atlas Moth</em></li><li><em>The fruity Banana Spider</em></li><li><em>The farting Bombardier Beetle</em></li><li><em>The jumping Camel Spider</em></li><li><em>The nymph Dragonfly</em></li><li><em>The biting Gaillinipper</em></li><li><em>The swimming Giant Isopod</em></li><li><em>The dangerous Giant Water Bug</em></li><li><em>The hopping Giant Weta</em></li><li><em>The biblical Goliath Beetle</em></li><li><em>The ninja Japanese Giant Hornet</em></li><li><em>The hiding Katydid</em></li><li><em>The nosey Lantern Fly</em></li><li><em>The falling Leaf Insect</em></li><li><em>The bright Lightning Bug</em></li><li><em>The migrating Monarch Butterfly</em></li><li><em>The far east Panda Ant</em></li><li><em>The silly Peanut Head Lantern Fly</em></li><li><em>The scary Peruvian Giant Yellow-leg Centipede</em></li><li><em>The church going Praying Mantis</em></li><li><em>The stinging Scorpionfly</em></li><li><em>The smelly Stink Bug</em></li><li><em>The smiling Thorn Bug</em></li><li><em>The twiggy Walking Stick</em></li></ul><p>Click on the Look

    They were recorded on Jersey in 1985 and are used by kind permission of the Estate of Gerald Durrell.©2012 Crimson Cats Audio Books/Gerald Durrell Estate; (P)2012 Crimson Cats Audio Books

    Filled with full color macro photographs, this book explains who our pollinators are, what they do, why they are at risk, at what we can do to help them. The writing of the best seller, Bless the Bees: The Pending Extinction of our Pollinators and What We Can Do to Stop It, was a culmination of gathering news and research on the issue of the endangerment of our pollinators. It was written to educate the public on how important the pollinators are to humans, how important they are to the world, what crisis they are facing, the reasons for the crisis, and what we can do to solve it. During this mission, it occurred to me that the best way to bring my cause to the people was to write a children's book on the same subject. Since it is their world we have prepared them to inherit, and their future from the seeds we are sowing now (and the damage we are doing) they have a vested interest in the well being of our environment. Insects are a subject that have always fascinated children, and these insects are very important ones. It is crucial that they know about the crisis and collectively take action with all of us to help.

    Life is governed by the seasons: each month bringing extraordinary transformations to the land and its inhabitants. This lavish companion to the BBC One series brings Britain to life, celebrating the vibrancy of the changing year through stunning photography and mesmerizing time-lapse sequences, revealing unmissable drama and beauty.

    It was the beginning of the largest dam removal project ever undertaken in North America—one dam was 200 feet tall—and the start of an unprecedented attempt to restore an entire ecosystem. More than 70 miles of the Elwha and its tributaries course from the mountain headwaters to clamming beaches on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Through interviews, field work, archival and historical research, and photojournalism, The Seattle Times has explored and reported on the dam removal, the Elwha ecosystem, its industrialization, and now its renewal. Elwha: A River Reborn is based on these feature articles. Richly illustrated with stunning photographs, as well as historic images, graphics, and a map, Elwha tells the interwoven stories of this region. Meet the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe, who anxiously await the return of renowned salmon runs savored over the generations in the stories of their elders. Discover the biologists and engineers who are bringing the dams down and laying the plan for renewal, including an unprecedented revegetation effort that will eventually cover more than 700 acres of mudflats. When the dam started to come down in Fall 2011—anticipated for more than 20 years since Congress passed the Elwha Restoration Act—it was the beginning of a $350 million project observed around the world. Elwha: A River Reborn is inspiring and instructive, a triumphant story of place, people, and environment striving to come together.

    It can be easily downloaded and your child can begin reading and learning within a short time.Note: This Aussie Flora and Fauna Series book has been designed for children aged approximately 7 years and older, who can read the book for themselves. Alternatively, parents can read the book to their kids (of all ages) and enjoy a fulfilling time of child and parent bonding.It was a great pleasure to write this book (and the other animal books). I hope that you and your children enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.Some of the Australian native birds covered in this book include:• Australia’s Flightless Birds• Emu• Cassowary• Fairy Penguin• Kingfishers• Laughing Kookaburra• Blue Winged Kookaburra• Native Australian Parrots• Sulphur Crested Cockatoo• Rainbow Lorikeet• Budgerigar• Frogmouth• Tawny Frogmouth• Australian Wetland Birds• Australian Pelican• Australian White Ibis• Black SwanTake advantage of the limited time low price as this kindle book launches and grab a copy for your child today. I am sure your child will enjoy the colorful pictures and the interesting information on Aussie birds.Please let me know your thoughts on the book by leaving a review after you read it.Thanks so much and enjoy reading and expanding your knowledge of Australian flora and fauna. More Aussie animal books will be released very soon.

    Accounts tell of awe-inspiring numbers of spawners pushing their way upriver, the waters "running silver," to complete life cycles that once replenished marine fisheries along the Eastern Seaboard. Over the centuries these stocks were so stressed that virtually all are now severely depressed, with many extinct and some simply forgotten. "Running Silver" is an important and fascinating look at the fish whose history, life-cycles and conservation challenges are so poorly understood. Drawing on the author's thirty-year career as scientist and educator, the book tells the story of the past, present and future of these sea-river fish through research, historical accounts, personal anecdotes, interviews, and images. "Running Silver" will detail the enormous legacy that has already been lost and try to inspire efforts to save what remains.

    For many they are a highlight of the UK's summer coastline and their colourful appearance, comedy antics and approachability just add to their popularity. Several 'hotspot' are attracting high levels of interest in visits to their colonies. In spite of the high level of interest in, and appeal of, these birds there has been a surprising lack of books focused on Puffins as a species.Award-winning wildlife photographer Mark Sisson has spent several years photographing Puffins and this new book combines images that beautifully encapsulate their charm and visual appeal with an accessible text written by leading wildlife writer Dominic Couzens. The book covers the birds' life cycle, behaviour, habitats and the current and future challenges that they face, along with many surprising facts and anecdotes.

    Bakker and award-winning paleoartist Luis V. Rey combine forces in this oversized picture book about the evolution of dinosaurs. From the conquest of land by dino ancestor Acanthostega during the Devonian Period, through the mass die-off of dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous Period, Bakker and Rey take readers on a safari through time while paying subtle homage to the 1960 Giant Golden Book Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Reptiles that inspired them both as young dinophiles. With stops along the way to look at monster bugs, ferocious fin-backs, fluffy dinosaurs, sea monsters and the 12-year-old girl who discovered them, dinosaur orchestras, tickling tyrannosaurs, and much, much more, this is a journey readers will never forget. It's a perfect gift for young dinosaur lovers—as well as adult fans of Dr. Bakker and Luis Rey!

    Now, former Scotland Yard criminal intelligence officer Stevyn Colgan has designed a paper-based wireless device to do the same thing with facts – a kind of Six Degrees of Information.Called the Connectoscope, it will teach you, among many other things, what humans taste like to robots, why there were bluebirds over the White Cliffs of Dover, how a tree became the New York Stock Exchange, why Bob the Builder has more fingers In Japan than in the UK, who the patron saint of medical records is, and how to make Superman gay.Colgan sets out to prove that everything can be connected. As this dizzyingly fact-filled book shows, the fun lies in figuring out how.

    Their tracks are once again making trails throughout western Alberta, southern British Columbia and the northwestern United States, and the lonesome howls of the legendary predator are no longer mere echoes from our frontier past: they are prophetic voices emerging from the hills of our contemporary reality.Kevin Van Tighem's first RMB Manifesto explores the history of wolf eradication in western North America and the species' recent return to the places where humans live and play. Rich with personal anecdotes and the stories of individual wolves whose fates reflect the complexity of our relationship with these animals, The Homeward Wolf neither romanticizes nor demonizes this wide-ranging carnivore with whom we once again share our Western spaces. Instead, it argues that wolves are coming back to stay, that conflicts will continue to arise and that we will need to find new ways to manage our relationship with this formidable predator in our ever-changing world.

    By arranging the writings chronologically, the volume re-creates the experience of Thoreau’s readers as they followed his developing ideas over time.Jeffrey S. Cramer, award-winning editor of six previous volumes of works by Thoreau, offers the most accurate text available for each essay and provides convenient on-page annotations. He establishes context and guides the reader through unfamiliar allusions and references, plumbing the depths of Thoreau’s writings with unprecedented insight.Among the essays in this book:· The Last Days of John Brown· Resistance to Civil Government [Civil Disobedience]· Thomas Carlyle and His Works· Natural History of Massachusetts· and many more

    They remember, they experience grief and joy, fear and love. Indeed, as our knowledge of these extraordinary creatures increases, the more they transcend all preconceptions of animal behavior. Michael "Nick" Nichols, longtime photographer for National Geographic as well as the magazine's editor-at-large for photography, has been working with African elephants for more than 20 years. In Earth to Sky, he tells their story through poignant images that bring us directly into their habitats--lush forests and open savannas, or stark landscapes ravaged by human intervention--to observe the animals' daily engagements and activities. Nichols' photographs are accompanied by the words of such celebrated figures in the field of conservation as Iain Douglas-Hamilton, J. Michael Fay, Peter Matthiessen, Cynthia Moss, David Quammen and many others. In addition, Nichols engages us in his photographic journey with personal and informative introductions to each of the book's four chapters--exploring life in the wild, the ivory trade, family interactions and programs for orphaned elephants. The survival of elephants is under dire threat from territorial conflicts between man and nature, and most immediately from the market for ivory. More than 25,000 elephants are slaughtered each year, and their ivory is sold at astronomically high prices to countries such as China, Japan, the Philippines and Singapore. Sadly, all signs point to a tragic conclusion for these wise, complex creatures, should humans continue to exploit them. Earth to Sky is an urgent call for us to bring that process to a halt, while we still can.Michael Nichols (born 1952) is an award-winning photographer whose work has taken him to the most remote corners of the world. He became a staff photographer for National Geographic in 1996 and was named editor-at-large in January 2008. From 1982 to 1995 he was a member of Magnum Photos. His previous books with Aperture include Gorilla (1989) and Brutal Kinship (2005).

    Evolution has crafted the only creature on Earth that can migrate the length of a continent, dive and hunt deep underwater, perch comfortably on a branch or a wire, walk on land, climb up cliff faces, feed on thousands of different species, and live beside both fresh and salt water in a vast global range of temperatures and altitudes, often in close proximity to man. Long a symbol of gluttony, greed, bad luck, and evil, the cormorant has led a troubled existence in human history, myth, and literature. The birds have been prized as a source of mineral wealth in Peru, hunted to extinction in the Arctic, trained by the Japanese to catch fish, demonized by Milton in Paradise Lost, and reviled, despised, and exterminated by sport and commercial fishermen from Israel to Indianapolis, Toronto to Tierra del Fuego. In The Devil s Cormorant, Richard King takes us back in time and around the world to show us the history, nature, ecology, and economy of the world s most misunderstood waterfowl."

    Each species account features original illustrations by Keith Hansen. In addition to characterizing individual species, Birds of the Sierra Nevada also describes ecological zones and bird habitats, recent trends in populations and ranges, conservation efforts, and more than 160 rare species. It also includes a glossary of terms, detailed maps, and an extensive bibliography with over 500 citations.

    The authors stress the importance of smart garden design and combining the right plants to promote the natural symbiosis that occurs within plant communities. Native plants also play an important role in creating fire-resistant landscapes, and this new book has cutting-edge information on this crucial topic, refuting the myth that natives are more fire-prone than nonnatives. With its unique combination of proven techniques, environmental wisdom, and inspiring design advice, this is an essential resource for all California gardeners who want to create a beautiful, ecologically appropriate, and resource-conserving home landscape.

    These poems are peopled with gods, murderers and marvels, with Bigfoot and Billy the Kid. Gorgeous and disturbing, comically sly and coloured with sadness, Marshall revels in our animal selves and their angel traces, in gum wrappers, subway ads, love letters and the crooked children left behind to sift through them.

    This guide makes the case that identifying these distinctive communities and the factors that determine their distribution are central to understanding Georgia’s ecological diversity and the steps necessary for its conservation.Within Georgia’s five major ecoregions the editors identify and describe a total of sixty-six natural communities, such as the expansive salt marshes of the barrier islands in the Maritime ecoregion, the fire-driven longleaf pine woodlands of the Coastal Plain, the beautiful granite outcrops of the Piedmont, the rare prairies of the Ridge and Valley, and the diverse coves of the Blue Ridge.The description of each natural community includesTraits that make it interesting and significant Physical factors and ecological processes that determine the distribution and characteristics of each community Typical plant communities Representative or noteworthy animals Sidebars that discuss particularly interesting featuresWith contributions from scientists who have managed, researched, and written about Georgia landscapes for decades, the guide features more than four hundred color photographs that reveal the stunning natural beauty and diversity of the state. The book also explores conservation issues, including rare or declining species, current and future threats to specific areas, and research needs, and provides land management strategies for preserving, restoring, and maintaining biotic communities.The Natural Communities of Georgia is an essential reference for ecologists and other scientists, as well as a rich resource for Georgians interested in the region’s natural heritage.Major support for this project was provided by the AGL Resources Foundation. Additional support was provided by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division. In-kind support was provided by the Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center at Ichauway and Georgia State University.

    For many years, habitat destruction brought on by humans posed a distinct threat to the wide variety of birdlife, but thanks to recent conservation efforts, many of the country’s species of birds are now protected in parks and island sanctuaries. Illustrated with nearly a thousand new photographs from one of New Zealand’s top nature photographers and drawing on the latest information from birders and biologists, Birds of New Zealand offers a definitive introduction to the identification and behavior of the country’s extraordinary avian life. The book includes expert and up-to-date information on the 365 bird species found in New Zealand, including species ranging from albatrosses and shearwaters to kiwi and kaka. It will be a valuable addition to the existing literature on birding.

          Author Daniel Brister has dedicated his life to protecting the buffalo through field work and at every level of the policy arena. In the Presence of Buffalo was inspired by his desire to see the buffalo honored and respected and the slaughter stopped. This inspiring narrative weaves personal reflections and stories of the present-day buffalo slaughter with information gathered through historical, cultural, and scientific research. Five chapters and an appendix explore the relationship between human beings and bison, or buffalo, as they are popularly called in this country.

    However some creatures fell off the "evolutionary ugly tree" and hit all the branches on the way down. This book profiles the ugliest, most hideous animals on the planet! In "33 Ugly Animals of the World" your child will get a fun, fact-based look at the uniquely ugly animals that can be found all over the globe. Each of these 33 profiles contain an animal photograph with a caption and detailed facts. Not only will your child learn about each creature's origin, he or she will also get fun facts that will make it easy to remember every creature. These pictures come from professional stock photography sites. That means they are crisp-clear on both the black & white Kindle and the full color Kindle.Furthermore, children of all ages (even adults) will love the answers to these animal-specific questions: Star-Nosed Mole (Does it have a face?) Aye-Aye (Why do the people of Madagascar fear it?) Hercules Beetle (How strong is it??) Yeti Crab (How much do we know about this rare crustacean?) Wrinkle-faced Bat(Is it dangerous or harmless?) Naked Mole Rat (Why is it the ugliest rodent?) Goblin Shark (What makes this shark look so scary?) Wolf Spider (How many eyes does it use to catch prey?) Snub-Nosed Monkey (Is it cute or plain-ole ugly?) Want to learn more?Scroll to the page and buy this book now......Then you will turn "reading time" into fun time!

    But during the early Eocene, more than fifty million years ago, it was a subtropical lake, surrounded by volcanoes and forests and teeming with life.  Buried within the sun-baked limestone is spectacular evidence of the lush vegetation and plentiful fauna of the ancient past, a transitional ecosystem giving us clues to how North America recovered from a great extinction event that wiped out dinosaurs and the majority of all species on the planet.  Paleontologists have been conducting excavations at Fossil Butte for more than 150 years, and with The Lost World of Fossil Lake, one of the world’s leading experts on the fossils from this spectacular locality takes readers on a fascinating journey through the history of the discovery and exploration of the site. Deftly mixing incredible color photographs of the remarkable fossils uncovered at the site with an explanation of their evolutionary significance, Grande presents an unprecedented, comprehensive portrait of the site, its treasures, and what we’ve learned from them. Grande presents a broad range of fossilized organisms from Fossil Lake—from single-celled algae to palm trees to crocodiles—and together they make this long-extinct community come to life in all its diversity and splendor. A field guide and atlas round out the book, enabling readers to identify and classify the majority of the known fossils from the site.  Lavishly produced in full color, The Lost World of Fossil Lake is a stunning reminder of the intellectual and physical beauty of scientific investigation—and a breathtaking window onto our planet’s long-lost past.

    Elusive, graceful, powerful. Whether they've seen one in the wild or not, everyone is fascinated by the big cat called cougar, puma, mountain lion and approximately forty other names. But don't let their big size fool you. Olympic class athletes when it comes to jumping, cougars have been observed leaping 5.5 metres straight up from a standstill, 18.5 metres down from a tree and nearly 14 metres horizontally onto their prey. As the biggest feline in Canada, and the second largest in the Americas, the cougar's range stretches from the Yukon to Patagonia. They're found in the untamed backcountry, along the edge of suburban developments and, at times, in such unlikely places as the downtown parking garage of the Empress Hotel in British Columbia’s capital city of Victoria. Once one of the most widely distributed large mammals in the Western Hemisphere, cougar populations were decimated by hunting in many areas. But their numbers are increasing, especially in western Canada and the United States. And cougar encounters are becoming more common. Statistics from the past two hundred years show that nearly half the attacks on humans have occurred since 1990. Paula Wild describes surprisingly frequent urban sightings and the mysterious predatory habits of the cougar, as well as the magical powers attributed to them by First Nations people and the cougar's history as it transitioned from predator to prey during the bounty hunting years. She illuminates their lives in captivity and she delves into the research on the role they play in the delicate balance of our ecosystem. The Cougar is a skillful blend of natural history, scientific research, First Nations stories and first person accounts. With her in-depth research, Wild explores the relationship between mountain lions and humans, and provides the most up-to-date information on cougar awareness and defence tactics for those living, working or travelling in cougar country. Both feared and admired, cougars are rarely seen, but odds are that a big cat has watched you walk through the woods while you've been totally unaware of its presence. And that's part of what makes the cougar an icon of all that is beautiful, wild and dangerous.

    Here, before your very eyes, you will encounter bizarre, anomalous creatures of every conceivable (and inconceivable!) kind-a veritable menagerie of cryptozoological mysteries to dazzle and delight, tantalize and terrify. For this is Mirabilis-a realm of marvels, wonders, miracles...and monsters! Peer through the shadows and see what you may. Was that scuttling horror a spider the size of a puppy? Did that fallen tree trunk suddenly sprout a pair of alligator jaws? Was that a living toad that leapt out of that split-asunder block of stone? Did those flowers abruptly put forth wings and fly away as tiny birds?Behold Trunko, the hairy marine elephant-bear that supposedly battled whales off the coast of South Africa almost a century ago. Look around in every direction and witness the very last giant lemurs brought to you from the rainforests of Madagascar, the very same unicorn that was once encountered by Julius Caesar, dinosaur-sized crocodiles from the swamps of the Congo, the elephantine harpoon-tusked sukotyro of Sumatra, gargantuan prehistoric beavers resurrected in modern-day North America, illusive Germanic horned hares and elusive Liberian micro-squirrels, a giant sea snail with antlers and paws from the Sarmatian Sea and a veritable whale-fish from a forgotten Swedish lake, a vanished striped mystery steed from Iberia, enormous toothless freshwater sharks from South America, flying turtles from China and a hippoturtleox from Tibet, sea dragons and pseudo-pterodactyls, and the world's only known tusked megalopedus.Let us not tarry even a moment longer. The miracles and marvels of Mirabilis await you impatiently inside, to scintillate, spellbind, and stultify your senses. So I bid you welcome, and pray that your visit to this carnival of cryptozoology and unnatural history will be entertaining...and not too perilous!

     If your child likes animals and nature then they are sure to be stimulated and enjoy learning all about these creatures from the eight-eyed jumping spider to the colorful Cairns birdwing butterfly and the aggressive bull ants. This Kindle book is exclusive to the Amazon store. It can be easily downloaded and your child can begin reading and learning within a short time. Note: This Aussie Flora and Fauna Series book has been designed for children aged approximately 7 years and older, who can read the book for themselves. Alternatively, parents can read the book to their kids (of all ages) and enjoy a fulfilling time of child and parent bonding. It was a great pleasure to write this book (and the others on different animals). I hope that you and your children enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Some of the Australian insects covered in this book include: • Australian Huntsman Spider • Jumping Spider • Australian Golden Orb Spider • Green Carab Beetle (also called Green Saffron Beetle) • Giant Burrowing Cockroach (Australian species) • Australian Scorpion • Australian Stick Insect • Australian Dragonfly • Australian Bull Ant (also called Inch ant) • Australian Cicada • Australian Termites • Cairns Birdwing butterfly Why not take advantage of the limited time low price as this Kindle book launches and grab a copy for your child today. I am sure your child will enjoy the colorful pictures and the interesting information on Aussie insects. Please let me know your thoughts on the book by leaving a review after you read it. Thanks so much and enjoy reading and expanding your knowledge of Australian flora and fauna.

    I just loved it,especially the quiz"     "It has great pictures and the facts are very surprising" From Bestselling Author Matthew HarperIn his Essential Interactive Guide To Spiders For Kids, BestsellingAuthor Matthew Harper brings you:    Amazing facts and trivia on spiders     Awesome images taken from all over the globe     Interactive quiz to hold attention and check memory recall     A unique system of learning and cementing information

    With varied topography and a climate that is simultaneously subtropical, temperate, and subarctic, he shows that North Carolina is a meeting place for living things more commonly found far to the north and south. Highlighting the ways in which the state is a unique ecological crossroads, Earnhardt's research, insightful writing, and stunning photography will both teach and inspire. Crossroads of the Natural World invites readers to engage a variety of topics, including the impacts of invasive species, the importance of forested buffers along our rivers, the role of naturalists, and the challenges facing the state in a time of climate change and sea-level rise. By sharing his own journey of more than sixty years, Earnhardt entices North Carolinians of every age to explore the natural diversity of our state.

    Until the 1800s they were common in the longleaf pine savannas and deciduous forests of the southeastern United States. However, habitat degradation, persecution, and interbreeding with the coyote nearly annihilated them. Today, reintroduced red wolves are found only in peninsular northeastern North Carolina within less than 1 percent of their former range. In The Secret World of Red Wolves, nature writer T. DeLene Beeland shadows the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's pioneering recovery program over the course of a year to craft an intimate portrait of the red wolf, its history, and its restoration. Her engaging exploration of this top-level predator traces the intense efforts of conservation personnel to save a species that has slipped to the verge of extinction.

    With superb photography throughout, including stunning portraits and close-ups of key features where relevant, and succinct, no-nonsense text this book will help you identify almost any wild flower that you may encounter in Britain and Ireland. More than 800 carefully selected species are included in the book, and only extreme rarities or seldom seen species are excluded. The pages have been designed to ensure that the photographs are reproduced at a sensible size and that the text is readable. Key features are highlighted in tinted boxes throughout the book, and details of confusion species and look-alikes are given where relevant. Accurate colour maps based on the national plant-mapping scheme are provided for almost every species. This handy guide is an essential tool for anyone interested in our wild flowers.

     Easy to understand, entertaining and educational. A good, basic introduction to a vast topic and a great teaching resource for kids of all ages.

    This journey and work resulted in the restoration of the largest population of kokako in New Zealand with the help and dedication of many down to earth conservationists.Jeff Hudson spent 20 years helping to save the kokako from extinction. He was a passionate, multi-talented man who made an enormous impression on all those lucky enough to work and socialize with him. He was a musician, a raconteur, a formidable bushman, and an inspirational teacher. He is fondly remembered as ‘the birdman’; indeed, the local iwi have erected a carved statue in his honour at the Otamatuna hut in Te Urewera National Park. Jeff first came into contact with the kokako as a possum trapper in the Bay of Plenty. His skills in locating the kokako in remote areas got him a position with the Department of Conservation, where he turned from trapper to bird expert. He tells how he gained insights into the kokako’sbehaviour and ecology, as well as developing an appreciation of the workings of New Zealand’s forests. His acute observation skills and musical ability led to breakthroughs in understanding kokako nesting behaviour and the importance of their unique song dialects.Jeff directed the biggest survey of kokako ever attempted and was key to engineering the recovery of the species, especially in Te Urewera National Park. The successful recovery of existing kokako populations by controlling predators lead to transfers of birds to start new populations elsewhere. Jeff became the National Kokako Recovery Group leader and led the first series of large transfers and the first transfer onto Maori owned land on the east coast. The methods that were developed then are now in wide use today.Jeff had real charisma, and was well known beyond New Zealand conservation circles. He has co-authored research papers; appeared in the New Zealand Geographic magazine; was the inspiration for characters in Barry Crump’s ‘Pork and Watercress’, and the radio play ‘King Pig’ (Colin Rock, Radio New Zealand), Jeff died from cancer in late 2007, but dictated this book during his illness. He talks lovingly about the bush, the birds, his fellow workers, but also of political intrigues, bureaucracy, and scientific research. Every person engaged in or interested in animal conservation will appreciate this story. New Zealanders, in particular, will enjoy the laconic style. This is a story that hasn’t been told before and will be an eye-opener to those who read it.

    From the early-eighteenth century, settlers moved to the semi-arid but fertile grasslands from wetter, forested regions in central and northern Russia and Ukraine, and from central Europe. By the late-nineteenth century, they hadturned the steppes into the bread basket of the Russian Empire and parts of Europe. But there was another side to this story. The steppe region was hit by recurring droughts, winds from the east whipped up dust storms, the fertile black earth suffered severe erosion, crops failed, and in the worstyears there was famine.David Moon analyses how naturalists and scientists came to understand the steppe environment, including the origins of the fertile black earth. He also analyses how scientists tried to understand environmental change, including climate change. Farmers, and the scientists who advised them, trieddifferent ways to deal with the recurring droughts: planting trees, irrigation, and cultivating the soil. More sustainable, however, were techniques of cultivation to retain scarce moisture in the soil. Among the pioneers were Mennonite settlers. Such approaches aimed to work with the environment, rather than trying to change it by planting trees or supplying more water artificially.The story is similar to the Dust Bowl on the Great Plains of the USA, which share a similar environment and environmental history. David Moon places the story of the steppes in the wider context of the environmental history of European colonialism around the globe.

    Until the 1990s and the onset of the Internet, bonsai enthusiasts were few and far between. Information was very scarce and only available in a handful books written by Western 'Bonsai Masters' who had worked in isolation for many years. There was a lot of trial and error on the part of both these 'Masters' and enthusiasts.This trial and error period didn’t necessarily lead to good information...... Individuals lacking in basic knowledge and experience (relative to today’s standards) wrote books and the misinformation contained was passed around as gospel. It is no wonder that people who took up bonsai were often confused. It can be extremely difficult to decipher between fact and fiction when even reference books seemed to contradict each other!With the advent of the Internet, enthusiasts were finally able to link up across the world and compare experiences, improve their overall knowledge and discovered that many pre-90 bonsai books are inaccurate and in some cases downright wrong! Unfortunately many vendors and 'authorities' on bonsai still hark back to the old days and continue to perpetuate myths and bad practises. Upon finding that I work as a professional bonsai artist, many people will remark that they once had a bonsai, but it died and with some regret, they gave up.It is hoped that this book, 'Bonsai4me: Bonsai Basics', will arm those new to bonsai with a solid foundation of knowledge that will enable them to successfully keep their bonsai alive and well, through very simple practises, and continue to enjoy, what for many that practise the Art, is a life-long passion.Bonsai4me:Bonsai Basics takes the reader through the basics of caring for their first bonsai with honest, simple and straightforward advice from the writer of Bonsai4me, Harry Harrington.Over 29 chapters, Bonsai Basics offers chapters on subjects such as placement, watering, indoor and outdoor bonsai, pruning, wiring, repotting and root-pruning as well as fertilizing, wiring and styling.All based on a website, Bonsai4me.com, that has been widely regarded and referred to for over a decade by millions of enthusiasts around the world.

    Anthony Falls could be heard in town, a time when passenger pigeons roosted in neighborhood oak trees. Now picture a dapper professor conducting his ornithology class (the university’s first) by streetcar to Lake Harriet for a morning of bird-watching. The students were mostly young women—in sunhats, sailor tops, and long skirts, with binoculars strung around their necks. The professor was Thomas Sadler Roberts (1858–1946), a doctor for three decades, a bird lover virtually from birth, the father of Minnesota ornithology, and the man who, perhaps more than any other, promoted the study of the state’s natural history. A Love Affair with Birds is the first full biography of this key figure in Minnesota’s past.Roberts came to Minnesota as a boy and began keeping detailed accounts of Minneapolis’s birds. These journals, which became the basis for his landmark work The Birds of Minnesota, also inform this book, affording a view of the state’s rich avian life in its early days—and of a young man whose passion for birds and practice of medicine in a young Minneapolis eventually dovetailed in his launching of the beloved Bell Museum of Natural History.Bird enthusiast, doctor, author, curator, educator, conservationist: every chapter in Roberts’s life is also a chapter in the state’s history, and in his story acclaimed author Sue Leaf—an avid bird enthusiast and nature lover herself—captures a true Minnesota character and his time.

    It's the perfect pocket guide for beginners but also a handy reference for the more seasoned flower enthusiast. Featuring over 150 common flowers from around the UK and Europe, flower type overviews show you what to look for where and similar flowers are shown side by side for quick comparison and identification.

    We have always sought them out where they live, for their hides, their meat, their beauty, their knowingness. Human country and bear country exist side by side." As Sherry Simpson suggests, the relationship between bears and humans is ancient and ongoing and, in Alaska, profoundly and often uncomfortably close. A huge number of North America's bears live in Alaska: including at least 31,000 brown bears, 100,000 black bears, and 3,500 polar bears. And nearly every aspect of Alaskan society reflects their presence, from hunting to tourism marketing to wildlife management to urban planning. A long-time Alaskan, Simpson offers a series of compelling essays on Alaskan bears in both wild and urban spaces--because in Alaska, bears are found not only in their natural habitat but also in cities and towns. Combining field research, interviews, and a host of up-to-date scientific sources, her finely polished prose conveys a wealth of information and insight on ursine biology, behavior, feeding, mating, social structure, and much more. Simpson crisscrosses the Alaskan landscape in pursuit of bears as she muses, marvels, and often stands in sheer awe before these charismatic creatures. Firmly grounded in the expertise of wildlife biologists, hunters, and viewing guides, she shows bears as they actually are, not as we imagine them to be. She considers not only the occasionally aggressive behavior bears need to survive, but also the violence exacted upon them by trophy hunters, advocates of predator control, or suburbanites who view bears as land sharks that threaten the safety of their families. Shifting effortlessly between fascinating facts and poetic imagery, Simpson crafts an extended meditation on why we are so drawn to bears and why they continue to engage our imaginations, populate indigenous mythologies, and help define our essential visions of wilderness. As Simpson observes, "The slightest evidence that bears share your world--or that you share theirs--can alter not only your sense of the landscape, but your sense of yourself within that landscape.

    Additionally, hundreds of migratory birds spend a portion of the year here, making BC a birdwatcher's paradise. It doesn't matter if you're a gung-ho, out-in-the-field birdwatcher or if you enjoy winged friends from the serenity of your back porch, Birds of British Columbia is an easy way to get the best views of more than 100 of the different birds in this province.From the rare Marbled Murrelet to the common Steller's Jay, ferocious falcons to timid towhees, Glenn Bartley has captured the beauty of BC's feathered fliers in this stunning collection of photographs. Whether you're looking for an elusive Boreal Owl or simply want to revel in the magnificence of a swooping Peregrine Falcon, Bartley's incredible photographs of birds in their natural habitats will make even the ubiquitous gull look extraordinary.

    Often mistaken for mere puddles in the woods, vernal pools are the source of life for many interesting creatures. If you look carefully, you can find them and be amazed! These secret pools form every year when low places on the forest floor fill up with rain and melted snow. They soon become home to hatching wood frogs, spotted salamanders, and fairy shrimp. Even in late summer and fall, when many vernal pools have shrunk to mud holes, creatures such as turtles and snakes rely on them for shelter and food. The Secret Pool introduces young readers to the wonders right underfoot as the voice of a vernal pool shares its secrets through the seasons, and sidebars provide fun facts on its inhabitants and the crucial role these small, often overlooked wetlands play in maintaining a healthy environment

    Determined to reestablish a hardy flamingo presence in the Virgin Islands after man extirpated this native bird as recently as the 1960’s, two natural salt ponds are plumbed, providing an aquatic oasis teeming with life. Flamingo ingenuity and care is evident while rearing the first two Necker-born generations. Follow the physical and social development of four amazing characters and their friends as they grow from fluffy white chicks to elegant coral pink adults. FLAMINGOS OF NECKER ISLAND: SIR RICHARD BRANSON'S BRILLIANT BIRDS offers an intimate view of the cooperative, complex society of a flamingo colony. Over 300 beautiful photographs illustrate fun and surprising discoveries in the lives of the individuals, families and clans that share Sir Richard’s island.

    High quality photographs from Singapore's top nature photographers are accompanied by detailed species descriptions which include nomenclature, size, distribution, habits and habitat. The user-friendly introduction covers geography and climate, vegetation, opportunities for naturalists and the main sites for viewing the listed species. Also included is an all-important checklist of all of the birds of Singapore encompassing, for each species, its common and scientific name, IUCN status.

    Travel along a conveyor belt to see a prehistoric timeline, piece together the parts of a missing dinosaur at an archaeological dig, or discover the secrets of the Stegosaurus by looking at a close-up of its skeleton. In Ultimate Dinosaurs readers will learn more about the beasts of the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous Eras — including what dinosaurs ate, how they defended themselves, and what might have made them extinct.

    77–79) served as an indispensable guide to and exemplar of the ideals of art for Renaissance artists, patrons, and theorists. Bearing the imprimatur of antiquity, the Natural History gave permission to do art on a grand scale, to value it, and to see it as an incomparable source of prestige and pleasure.In this magisterial book Sarah Blake McHam surveys Pliny’s influence, from Petrarch, the first figure to recognize Pliny’s relevance to understanding the history of Greek art and its reception by the Romans, to Vasari and late 16th-century theorists. McHam charts the historiography of Latin and Italian manuscripts and early printed copies of the Natural History to trace the dissemination of its contents to artists from Donatello and Ghiberti to Michelangelo and Titian. Meanwhile, benefactors commissioned works intended to emulate the prototypes Pliny described, aligning themselves with the great patrons of antiquity. This is a richly illustrated, comprehensive reference work of social history, myth making, iconography, theory, and criticism.

    Anything might turn up in a Cornell box: a stuffed bird, images snipped from old engravings, dice, corks, a broken watch--anything. Like Cornell, Lindsay also creates tiny, complete worlds that operate according to their own particular laws."—ParnassusIn her fourth collection of poetry, National Book Award finalist and Lannan Fellowship winner Sarah Lindsay presents a lyric menagerie of bizarrely imagined personae and historic figures revealing their long-held secrets, alongside surprising scientific subjects and discoveries layered into quirky, dark-edged, sometimes macabre, always intimate and graceful poems. Imbued with a buoying sense of respect for the different, the unexpected, and the challenging, Lindsay's poems are alive with wonder.And when asked the obvious question about the title, you can say, "A 'bone-eating snotflower' is the inelegant slang for the worm-like creature, Osedax mucofloris, that feeds on the carcasses of minke whales in the North Sea."From "Without Warning":Elizabeth Bishop leaned on a table, it cracked,both fell to the floor. A gesturegone sadly awry. This was close to factand quickly became symbolic, bound to occurin Florida, where she was surroundedby rotting abundance and greedy insects. One moment a laughing smile, a graceful handalighting on solid furniture, a casual shift of weight, the next, undignified splayed legs. The shell of the tableproved to be stuffed with termite eggs . . . Sarah Lindsay graduated from St. Olaf College and holds a MFA from UNC Greensboro. Her first book of poetry, Primate Behavior, was a finalist for the National Book Award. She currently works as a copy editor for Pace Communications, and lives in Greensboro, North Carolina.

    T. Hersom as he uncovers funny ocean animal facts and sometimes weird marine animal behavior, with stunning full color photos with descriptions of the sea creatures, what they like to eat, where they live and their behavior.</p><p>Explore parts of ocean life to find sea animals that have wings and fly, the shark that looks like it has an elephant trunk, or the fish that can change it's color in mere seconds. See mystical wonders such as the sea monsters Colossal Squid and Oarfish!</p><h2>Funny &amp; Weird Animals Series</h2><p>Part of the Funny &amp; Weird Animals Series, Sea Life, will keep your young readers interested in reading this sea animals children's book over and over again. Descriptions in the large text make it easy for early readers, or for a child to be guided through with a parent or family member.</p><p>As with all books in this series, it is designed to be a learning tool too. The author combines humor with facts to make the learning fun and memorable for the kids. Additionally, with "What did You Learn Today" fun questions and answers at the books end.</p><h2><strong>The Following Sea Animals are Featured:</strong></h2><ul><li><em>The laying Carpet Shark<br></em></li><li><em>The merry Christmas Tree Worm<br></em></li><li><em>The sea monster Colossal Squid<br></em></li><li><em>The mooing Longhorn Cowfish<br></em></li><li><em>The cuddly Cuttlefish<br></em></li><li><em>The barking Dogfaced Pufferfish<br></em></li><li><em>The trunked Elephant Fish<br></em></li><li><em>The dancing Flamingo Tongue Snail<br></em></li><li><em>The soaring Flying Fish<br></em></li><li><em>The croaking Frogfish<br></em></li><li><em>The praying Monkfish<br></em></li><li><em>The sea monster Oarfish<br></em></li><li><em>The sunbathing Ocean Sunfish<br></em></li><li><em>The colorful Pinecone Fish<br></em></li><li><em>The flirty Red-lipped Batfish<br></em></li><li><em>The wild Sarcastic Fringehead<br></em></li><li><em>The oinking Sea Pig<br></em></li><li><em>The rock'n Shovelnose Guitarfish<br></em></li><li><em>The cosmic Stargazer<br></em></li><li><em>The big mouthed Napoleon Wrasse<br></em></li><li&a

    This informative children's book includes brilliant REAL, high-quality photographs & some of the most interesting, important facts about Bees.Aside from the beautiful pictures, Jared uncovers some of the most intriguing facts about bees like:BZZZZZ... Why do Bees buzz?What do Bees eat?Why are Bees known for being so "busy"?This book is appropriate for children up to age 12 and can also be read by parents who want to teach their very young child about the world.Get this book at this SPECIAL PRICE found only at the Amazon Kindle Store.Your child will be excited to know more about bees after reading this book!

    American Museum of Natural History ornithologist Paul Sweet takes readers on a migratory journey across the globe, introducing them to unique and exquisite birds, as well as to groundbreaking avian studies from the past 500 years. Featuring 40 frameable prints and an equal number of fascinating, in-depth essays, this stunning collection gives bird lovers a precious look at illustrated ornithological monographs from the museum's Rare Book Collections.

    How do you like to move? Do you like to swim like a sea lion, prance like a deer, slither like a snake, or crawl like a turtle? In this board book, photographs of wild animals go hand-in-hand with text that encourages youngsters to skip, dash, dive, and run through the natural world.

    Ruth Brooks posed this question: Do snails have a homing instinct? The nation was gripped by the unexpected thesis and by Ruth's online diaries, which catalogued her trials and tribulations as she got to grips with these slimy little gastropods."A Slow Passion" is Ruth's story, with anecdotes and misadventures galore. What starts out as a ruthless vendetta against the snails that are decimating her hostas becomes a journey of discovery into the whys and wherefores of snail life. When Ruth dumps a group of the worst offending snails in a far-off wood, she decides to paint their shells with nail varnish, just to see what happens. And guess what, they come back home. This is the beginning of an obsession that sees the grandmother-turned-scientist prowling about and pouncing on the snails in her garden, sneaking off on night-time missions to repatriate bucketloads of painted snails, reading up on the sex-life of snails (which turns out to be unexpectedly romantic) and, eventually, sending off the application to a national competition for home science. With charming illustrations, "A Slow Passion "is a sweet, funny and surprising investigation into the hidden life of snails, which will change the way you look at the smaller (and slower) things in life.

    This Kindle book is exclusive to the Amazon store. It can be easily downloaded and your child can begin reading and learning within a short time. Note: This Aussie Flora and Fauna Series book has been designed for children aged approximately 7 years and older, who can read the book for themselves. Alternatively, parents can read the book to their kids (of all ages) and enjoy a fulfilling time of child and parent bonding. It was a great pleasure to write this book (and the others that are in the pipeline). I hope that you and your children enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Some of the Australian animals covered in this book include:1. Australian Clown Fish2. Blue Tang Fish3. Soft Coral4. Hard Coral5. Giant Clam Shell6. Sea Horses7. Nudibranch (Sea Slugs)8. Australian Blue Starfish9. Green Turtle10. Blacktip Shark11. Spinner Dolphin12. DugongsWhy not take advantage of the limited time low price as this Kindle book launches and grab a copy for your child today. I am sure your child will enjoy the colorful pictures and the interesting information on Aussie animals. Please let me know your thoughts on the book by leaving a review after you read it. Thanks so much and enjoy reading and expanding your knowledge of Australian flora and fauna.

    This full-color book contains beautiful photos, easy-to-understand descriptions, and interesting facts about 290 wildflowers frequently encountered in this spectacular region. The species are arranged by color and plant family to aid in quick identification. Take this guide along on your next hike through this majestic mountain chain, which encompasses Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon National Parks.

    It is a manufactured experience—much to the detriment of our rivers and streams. Americans’ love of trout has reached a level of fervor that borders on the religious. Federal and state agencies, as well as nongovernmental lobbying groups, invest billions of dollars on river restoration projects and fish-stocking programs. Yet, their decisions are based on faulty logic and risk destroying species they are tasked with protecting. River ecosystems are modified with engineered structures to improve fishing, native species that compete with trout are eradicated, and nonnative invasive game fish are indiscriminately introduced, genetically modified, and selectively bred to produce more appealing targets for anglers—including the freakishly contrived “golden trout.” The Quest for the Golden Trout is about looking at our nation’s rivers with a more critical eye—and asking more questions about both historic and current practices in fisheries management.

    They can be a danger when we're driving at night, or they can simply be a tasty venison burger. But while we may not often eat humble pie—an actual pie filled with deer organs—deer still appear in religion and mythology, on coats of arms, in fine art, and in literature ranging from The Yearling to Harry Potter and The Chronicles of Narnia. In Deer, veterinarian and deer farmer John Fletcher brings together the cultural and natural history of these dignified animals. Fletcher traces the evolution of deer, explaining why deer grow and cast aside their antlers each year and describing their symbolism in various cultures throughout history. He divulges the true story of Rudolph and Santa’s other reindeer and explores the role deer have played as prized objects of the hunt in Europe, Asia, and America. Wide-ranging and richly illustrated, Deer provides a fresh perspective on this graceful, powerful animal that will appeal to hunters and gatherers alike.