What’s in a name? As birding grows in popularity, more and more people are beginning to appreciate that birds carry not only ecological significance but represent unique stories, embedded in the names they’ve been given. South African Birds by Name provides insight into the origins and meanings of these ‘scientific’ names, mostly rooted in Greek and Latin, helping readers to make sense of the species they are looking at.
Eddie Germiquet has paintakingly researched historic explorer accounts, indigenous names, ancient mythologies and early science writings to demystify and simplify the nomenclature. Where a name derives from a physical attribute of the bird, he has drawn a captivating illustration to depict it. Names deriving from explorers, biologists and other historical figures are also explained, uncovering some fascinating histories.
Bulbous plants produce some of the most striking natural oral displays, and our region is endowed with the greatest number and richest variety globally. With over 1,200 naturally occurring bulb species, the Cape Floristic Region is the undisputed bulb capital of the world and the source of many species now found growing in other parts of the world, including Europe, the UK and the USA.
Bulbs of the Fynbos features 345 of the region’s more common or showy species, meticulously arranged for easy comparison and identi cation. is guide features:
Etosha National Park is one of Africa’s greatest wildlife sanctuaries – renowned for its stark beauty and abundant wildlife. Spanning more than 22,000 square kilometres in the semi-arid reaches of northern Namibia, it shelters a dazzling variety of mammals, birds, reptiles and other life forms, coexisting in a fragile ecosystem shaped by seasonal changes and water availability. At its heart lies Etosha Pan, the remnant of a vast inland lake, where adjacent springs and waterholes attract large herds of animals – elephants, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, springbok, gemsbok, and the predators that follow in their wake.
While presenting a record of Etosha’s past and present, this volume also serves as a valuable guide, providing practical advice, as well as describing active waterholes and the animals that can be seen there, recommended self-drive routes for prime game viewing, and accommodation options within and beyond the park.
An indispensable companion to an unforgettable African safari.
A bestseller for over 30 years, Lundy’s Best Walks in the Cape Peninsula was last revised in 2012. For this new edition, all routes have been rewalked and updated and defunct routes have been replaced with new hikes. Full-colour maps and new photographs accompany each of the 30 walks.
Every route has a particular point of interest, be it a waterfall, cave, indigenous forest, or spectacular viewpoint. Walks range from challenging climbs to the top of Table Mountain to leisurely strolls among the fynbos. A simple grading system, information on the average hiking time, notes on the availability of water and practical advice on mountain safety ensure that the hiker is given a clear idea of what to expect. The easy-to-follow route descriptions are spiced with historical snippets and nature notes.
An informative introduction details the Cape Peninsula’s botanical and birding highlights, as well as the local climate, geology and more.
The ultimate guide to walks in the Cape Peninsula for hikers of all levels.
Sky Guide Southern Africa is a practical resource for all stargazers, whether novice, amateur or professional. This annual guide highlights the cosmic events for each month of the upcoming year, including planetary movements, predicted eclipses and meteor showers. Star charts plot the evening sky for each season, facilitating the identification of stars and constellations. The guide contains a wealth of information about the Sun, Moon, planets, comets, meteors and bright stars, and includes photos, diagrams, charts and images.
The most trusted guide to the southern skies
This captivating and informative book focuses on the coastal and terrestrial bird species most at risk within South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini. Presented in an elegant large format, Birds on the Brink highlights the beauty, unique traits and vulnerabilities of these birds, while emphasising the human-induced threats, such as habitat loss, climate change, energy infrastructure and competition for resources. Personal accounts from scientists, conservationists and guides on the front lines offer insight into the science, skill and dedication required to safeguard these species. The birds featured are not merely fascinating creatures – they act as sentinels of biodiversity, whose decline signals concerning ecological shifts.
A valuable resource for birders, students, educators, conservationists and anyone who cares about the future of our planet, Birds on the Brink is both an enduring record and a call for conservation action at this tenuous moment in time. It is a reminder that while the challenges are immense, so too is our capacity for change.
Lions are the stuff of legends. Revered and feared in equal measure, both majestic and terrifying, they once reigned supreme over an extensive domain. But this once-dominant beast’s original range has contracted by some 85%, and the world population is thought to have dropped to just over 20,000 individuals. The IUCN Red Data List now classifies lions as Vulnerable, and the West African subpopulation as Critically Endangered. Not only are lion numbers crashing, but the remaining populations cling to their existence on ever smaller, more fragmented pockets of land. Feared and despised by farmers trying to eke out a living on marginal land, lions are increasingly being exterminated or repurposed for commercial gain. Trophy hunters pay extortionate sums to bag specimens in their prime, and lion bones are being sold for the roaring Eastern trade in ‘tiger wine’.
This landmark book aims to halt the downward spiral. It takes you on a journey across the continent and into the lives of rangers, scientists and communities, and the majestic creatures they work to conserve. Along with the bad news about today’s lions, it offers a message of hope, showing how innovative conservationists are rethinking our approach to human-lion coexistence.
This book, with its searing, inspiring images and vivid accounts from the experts and foot-soldiers of conservation, brings the plight of lions to the attention of the world and is an urgent plea for the actions that need to be taken before it’s too late.
Addresses the alarming state of lion populations today.
Stuarts’ Field Guide to Mammals of Southern Africa – Including Angola, Zambia & Malawi
Southern Africa has a wealth of mammal fauna, and is home to about 530 species, including tiny shrews, intriguing pangolins and majestic whales. All the species that occur in the region are featured in this updated sixth edition of Stuarts’ Field Guide to Mammals of Southern Africa.
This comprehensive guide features:
• Fully updated text based on the most recent research and taxonomy.
• Detailed species accounts describing key identification characteristics, behaviour, habitat, diet, reproduction and longevity.
• Visual identification tools, including full-colour photographs, spoor and size icons, and skull photographs.
• Up-to-date distribution maps showing the geographical range of each species within the region.
The ultimate guide for identifying and understanding the mammals of the region
Stargazing from Game Reserves in Southern Africa offers visitors to game and nature reserves an opportunity to discover the magnificence of the night skies without the distractions of city lights. However, the book has equal relevance for all skywatchers throughout southern Africa.
Readers are taken on a brief celestial ‘game drive’ and are then directed towards the ‘Big Five’ constellations of the night sky. There are clear steps for navigating the skies, tracking the planets, and even spotting the moons of Jupiter. This new edition features updated charts, colourful photos, illustrations and charts. Interesting fact boxes make for added interest and accessibility.
Written and revised by recognised authorities and expertly illustrated, the book also features useful tips and hints for star-watchers in any out-of-town location.
A lively introduction to the night skies.
This beautifully illustrated large-format book showcases some 2,400 South African indigenous plants, making it a comprehensive guide to the range of local plants available to gardeners to transform their outdoor spaces.
An Introduction lays the groundwork, covering climate, various garden styles, spatial planning and garden maintenance, as well as giving suggestions for attracting wildlife to the garden.
The encyclopaedic Plant Catalogue forms the bulk of the book. Plants are grouped by growth form into 13 chapters, from bulbs, orchids and aloes through to shrubs, grasses, trees and fynbos. The introduction to each group provides essential information on the selection, planting and feeding of the species, and gives tips on growing and maintaining them in the garden or in containers.
Following each introduction is an extensive catalogue of species, pairing full-colour photographs with brief descriptions that cover size, shape, flowering times and best growing conditions.
The book concludes with a handy Plant Selector, which helps gardeners to choose the most appropriate plants for species areas or functions in their garden or home.
Compiled and edited over several years by an expert team, this easy-to-use reference introduces a host of new and exciting possibilities for gardens and gardeners, both locally and across the globe.
Destined to become a standard reference for gardeners, horticulturists, nurserymen, landscapers and plant lovers.
Discover the diverse birdlife of Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area with this visually stunning guide. More than 300 commonly seen bird species are described in concise, engaging prose, highlighting their main characteristics. The text is accompanied by excellent full-colour photographs. Viewing notes, including tips about where and when birds are best observed, are given throughout.
For ease of use, the book is categorized into six sections: ground-dwelling, bush and woodland, nocturnal, waterbirds, birds of prey, and birds of the air. A brief introduction presents the key features of each wildlife sanctuary and the habitats that shelter the birds.
The Serengeti and Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage site, are two of the world’s most popular safari destinations, renowned for the annual migration of over 1.5 million wildebeest and thousands of zebra. This easy-to-read, richly illustrated guide is the perfect safari companion and a valuable memento.
THE PHOTOGRAPHER AND AUTHOR
Jean du Plessis is an award-winning news photographer who has published several books with Penguin Random House. A prolific wildlife photographer, he leads annual safari tours to the Serengeti National Park.
Rupert Watson has lived in Kenya for over 40 years, where he practises as a lawyer, mediator, and writer. He has authored several books, including the forthcoming Wildlife of Serengeti & Ngorongoro Conservation Area. He is Chair of the East African Natural History Society.
Welcome to the weird and wonderful world of southern African spiders – they come in all shapes and sizes, and are more colourful and clever than you think!
This jam-packed children’s book unpacks where spiders live, what they eat, how they hunt, what venom they have and how they protect their babies. Striking macrophotography showcases the world of spiders like never before. Meet a spider that spits sticky silk, one that hides in seashells, another that pretends to be an ant . . . and over fifty more – from the familiar Daddy Long Legs to exotic-looking Flower Crab Spiders, spiky Hedgehog Spiders and well-camouflaged Bark Spiders.
Verken die wonderlike wêreld van Suider-Afrika se spinnekoppe – hulle kom in hordes verskillende vorms en groottes, en is veel slimmer as wat jy dink! Hierdie stampvol kinderboek verduidelik waar spinnekoppe woon, wat hulle eet, hoe hulle jag, watter gif hulle het, en hoe hulle hul kleintjies beskerm. Treffende makrofotografie verken die wêreld van spinnekoppe soos nooit tevore nie. Ontmoet ’n spinnekop wat spoeg om sy prooi te vang, een wat in seeskulpe wegkruip, nog een wat as ’n mier vermom is . . . en meer as vyftig ander – van die welbekende Langbeenspinnekop tot die pragtige Blomkrapspinnekop, stekelrige Krimpvarkiespinnekop en goedgekamoefleerde Basspinnekop.
My First Book of Southern African Caterpillars, butterflies and moths is the newest title in this highly successful children’s series. Beautifully illustrated, the book introduces 56 species of southern African caterpillars and their adult butterfly or moth. Young children will learn about the fascinating life cycle of these insects and the important role they play in pollination. Each page features a striking outsize illustration of a caterpillar plus the adult insect it will eventually become. Simple text describes each species, and clear visual clues show size, pupa shape, and whether the insect is dangerous.
This lively book will appeal to both pre-readers and those beginning to read and is sure to be a welcome addition to a young nature lover’s bookshelf.
All text appears in English, Afrikaans, Xhosa and Zulu.
