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Field Guide to the Spiders of Southern Africa
R500.00Thoroughly revised and updated, this long-awaited new edition of Field Guide to the Spiders of South Africa remains the most comprehensive guide to South African spiders published to date. It features over 780 of the more common spider species encountered in the field and in homes and gardens, as well as representative species from some of the rarer spider families.
– ‘Quick Keys’ to the 72 South African spider families provide a useful starting point to identification.
– Succinct genus and species accounts cover identifying characteristics, breeding, behaviour, distribution and conservation status.
– Colour photographs and/or illustrations as well as distribution maps support each entry.
– Introductory chapter discusses spider morphology, spider life cycle, the functions of silk, as well as spider collection techniques.
– Section on venom identifies species that pose a danger to humans, unpacks neurotoxic and cytotoxic venom, and details the symptoms and treatment of spider bites. -
Wildlife of East Africa: Photographic Guide
R350.00This photographic guide to the wildlife of East Africa is an accessible introduction to the region’s more conspicuous and interesting mammals, birds, reptiles, frogs, insects, flowers and trees. A colour photograph accompanies each account, which describes the species’ appearance, size, and habits, and gives information on their conservation status, habitat and the best viewing localities. This book is an invaluable guide for visitors to national parks and other wildlife-rich places in East Africa and is a handy size for travel.
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Nature Now Mammals of Kruger
R250.00This easy-to-read, fact-filled guide features over 80 mammal species found in the Kruger National Park, one of Africa’s most popular game-viewing destinations.
Packed with stunning photographs and engaging text, it provides brief pointers for accurate identification and highlights the most interesting facts about each species. Did you know that leopards are more dangerous than lions, elephants use their trunks to snorkel, giraffes give birth standing up, and no two zebras have the same stripe pattern?Aimed at nature enthusiasts of all ages, this compact guide:
– Covers the Park’s rich diversity of mammals – from the world-famous Big Five to the miniature mongooses seen dashing across the road
– Unpacks each animal’s most interesting characteristics and behaviours
– Notes the record-breakers: who has the longest horns, strongest jaws or greatest appetite?
– Provides game-watching tips for successful safaris, as well as ‘Best viewing’ notes for each species
– Features striking photographs of Kruger’s wildlife in action -
A Complete Guide to the Snakes of Southern Africa
R520.00This long-awaited third edition of A Complete Guide to the Snakes of Southern Africa has been updated, revised and expanded. New information based on scientific research relating to behaviour, identification, reproduction and snake venoms has been included in the species accounts. Features of this book:
– Covers all essential aspects of snake biology and behaviour.
– Species descriptions are accompanied by full-colour photographs and distribution maps.
– Simple icons make essential information available at a glance.
– A separate ‘key features’ box assists in quickly identifying species in the field.
– Chapters on classification and identification, keeping snakes, and the treatment of snakebite supplement the species accounts. -
‘n Volledige gids tot die slange van Suider-afrika
R520.00Hierdie langverwagte derde uitgawe van ‘n Volledige Gids tot die Slange van Suider-Afrika is ten volle opgedateer. Nuwe inligting gebasseer op wetenskaplike navorsing is ingesluit, en hou verband met gedrag, identifikasie, voortplanting en gif. Kenmerke van hierdie boek:
– Dek al die noodsaaklike aspekte van biologie en slang gedrag.
– Spesies se beskrywings word vergesel van volkleur fotos en verspreidingskaarte.
– Eenvoudige simbole maak belangrike inligting dadelik beskikbaar.
– ‘n Aparte ‘Kyk uit vir’ blokkie help om spesies in die veld gou te identifiseer.
– Hoofstukke oor klassifikasie en identifikasie, aanhou van slange, en die behandeling van slangbyte vul die inligting aan. -
Stuarts’ Field Guide to National Parks & Game Reserves – Namibia | Botswana | Zimbabwe | Zambia | Malawi
R400.00The first guide ever to document and explore the diverse parks and reserves of Africa’s ‘middle belt’, it covers Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi. The region contains prized spots such as the world-famous landscapes of the Namib and Kalahari deserts, Okavango Delta, Victoria Falls and Lake Malawi, and some of Africa’s best-known conservation areas, including Etosha, Chobe, Mana Pools, Hwange, Kafue and Nyika.
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The Living Deserts of Southern Africa
R550.00For generations, the deserts of southern Africa have intrigued scientists and travellers alike. Seemingly barren wastes, they in fact teem with life – from ants to elephants, stone plants to the curious welwitschia, dainty dik-diks to towering gemsbok, and cart-wheeling spiders to fog-basking beetles. How do they cope with scarce resources, unpredictable rainfall and extreme temperatures? How do they protect themselves against predators? And what is the impact of climate change on these life forms and their habitats?
Drawing on an earlier edition, published in 1993, biologist Barry Lovegrove answers these questions and unravels many of the mysteries associated with life in the desert. He describes the four arid biomes of South Africa, Namibia and Botswana –
Desert, Arid Savanna, Succulent Karoo and Nama-Karoo – and explains how and why such a great diversity of plants, insects, mammals, reptiles and birds successfully exist in these regions. The text is supported by the most recent research, spectacular photographs, and explanatory diagrams and maps.The Living Deserts of Southern Africa is a compelling, in-depth read that is accessible to both the serious student and academic as well as the interested nature lover.
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Shaping Addo: The Story of a Southern African National Park
R390.00More than a century ago elephants in the eastern Cape were systematically hunted – until only 16 were left . Today there are 650 elephants in the Addo Elephant National Park, the densest concentration of wild elephants anywhere on the planet. While elephants are undoubtedly still the park’s top drawcard, the past four decades have seen the emphasis shift from protecting a single species to conserving five biomes and the wild animals that occupy them. Today, Addo can boast the Big Seven: elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino, as well as great white shark and southern right whale.
Like Shaping Kruger, its successful predecessor, Shaping Addo expertly delves into the history of the park, detailing the positive impact that changing conservation practices have had on its development. Drawing on decades of groundbreaking research, the author provides fascinating insight into the lives and habits of the animals (both terrestrial and marine), examining individual species, the relationship between them, and the carefully crafted management strategies required to ensure the survival of all species.
Shaping Addo is an engrossing account of how a seemingly insigni cant sanctuary was transformed into an astonishingly successful mega-park, and the most ecologically diverse protected space in South Africa.
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Pangolins: Scales of Injustice
R230.00Smuggled into China and sold for meat in the live-animal markets of cities such as Wuhan, the pangolin has dominated world headlines. Is it the vector for Covid-19?
Pangolins have long been sustainably harvested by local communities for their meat and scales, but today the burgeoning trade in these mammals has reached crisis point. Eight pangolin species occur worldwide, four in Asia and four in Africa, and all face extinction if current rates of hunting and trading continue unabated.
Now the spotlight is on the world’s most trafficked mammal. Scientists have identified pangolins as the likely source of the coronavirus infection that has brought the world to its knees. This multi-trillion dollar disaster makes pangolins the most expensive meals ever eaten.
In this timely expose, Richard Peirce unpacks the horrors and dangers of the trade in this enigmatic, little-known mammal. He explains the links between wildlife and Covid-19, and details China’s response to the pandemic.
He also tells the story of a particular pangolin poached in Zimbabwe and brought to South Africa to be traded. Readers accompany an agent of the African Pangolin Working Group, assisted by the local police, on an actual sting operation to rescue the animal and capture the traffickers. And they follow the subsequent progress of the rescued pangolin, from near death to rehabilitation and release into the wild.
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Dinosaurs of Africa
R170.00African dinosaurs are no less significant than their ‘celebrity’ cousins, such as T. rex, and they are just as magnificent and fascinating. Their fossils have been discovered across the continent – from the Sahara Desert to the Karoo.
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Skullduggery – Quick ID Guide
R100.00In this short but informative guide, trusted authors Chris and Mathilde Stuart turn mammal ID on its head – literally. The identification of mammal skulls is the subject of this latest addition to the quirky ‘Quick Guide’ series, and covers the most common skulls readers are likely to encounter in the wild – from easily recognisable species such as elephant, hippo, rhino, baboons, antelope, whales and dolphins, to the more challenging family groups: dogs, cats, hyaenas, equids, pigs, civets and genets, mongooses, rats and mice, bats, sengis, shrews, moles, hares and rabbits, hyrax, and squirrels.
Each entry features:
Close-up photographs showing the entire skull, teeth and, where available, upper and lower jaws
Pointers to diagnostic features
Average measurement for skull length
Short description highlighting main features of each skull and tooth structure
Dental formula for teeth in upper and lower jaws
A brief introduction, with labelled photographs, covers anatomy as well as dentition; and a quick-reference photographic key to the main animal groups appears on the inside front cover.An ideal companion to mammal field guides, this book will be appeal to rangers, safari guides and all nature lovers wanting to deepen their understanding of life in the bush.
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Avian Architects Quick ID Guide
R100.00Another title in the ‘Quick Guide’ series, this compact little book is a handy identification guide to the surprising variety of nests built by southern African birds. Covering multiple species, it is arranged according to nest type – ground, woven, stick, cup, mud-pellet and domed, as well as nests in tree holes, on water, on cliffs and in scrapes on the ground. It is packed with photographs and illustrations showing the ingenuity of the designs, the birds that built them, and the eggs that are laid in them. In pithy fashion, the text – matched to the photographs – describes:
nesting site and nest structure
building materials used to construct outer and inner layers
nesting habits of the architects
clutch sizeA simple key to nest types on the inside front cover directs readers to the relevant section in the book.
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Wildlife of Namibia: A Photographic Guide
R350.00Namibia is a fascinating land of contrasts, where floodplains, swamps and the world’s oldest desert have contributed to a rich biodiversity. Wildlife of Namibia is an easy-to-use guide to the country’s most conspicuous and interesting mammals, birds, reptiles, invertebrates and plants.
The book includes:
- An informative introduction to the country’s geography, climate and vegetation
- Accounts describing each species’ appearance, habits, size and conservation status, as well as information on habitat and best viewing localities
- Full-colour photographs of each species, along with distribution maps to show their range
- This all-in-one compact guide will prove invaluable to visitors to national parks, nature reserves and other wildlife-rich places in Namibia.
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Wildlife of Namibia (German): A Photographic Guide
R350.00Namibia is a fascinating land of contrasts, where floodplains, swamps and the world’s oldest desert have contributed to a rich biodiversity. Wildlife of Namibia is an easy-to-use guide to the country’s most conspicuous and interesting mammals, birds, reptiles, invertebrates and plants.
The book includes:
An informative introduction to the country’s geography, climate and vegetation
Accounts describing each species’ appearance, habits, size and conservation status, as well as information on habitat and best viewing localities
Full-colour photographs of each species, along with distribution maps to show their rangeThis all-in-one compact guide will prove invaluable to visitors to national parks, nature reserves and other wildlife-rich places in Namibia.
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Orca
R230.00Great White sharks, attracted by an offshore seal colony, have brought success to the adjacent fishing village of Gansbaai along the southern African coast. A flourishing shark cage diving industry has sprung up, bringing jobs and money, and so benefiting almost the entire community. Tourists come from far and near to experience the thrill of a real-life brush with the legendary ‘Jaws’. Shark Town, as it has become known, is booming. Then one day, the sharks disappear. Slowly at first, but with gathering momentum, the word spreads: cage diving off Gansbaai can no longer promise the thrill of an encounter. The crowds thin, the boats remain at their moorings, and the once bustling community waits as their livelihoods tail off. Entrepreneurs and scientists alike are baffled.
But it’s not long before shark carcasses start washing up on the beaches. These, together with some coincidental sightings of another apex predator in the vicinity, are the first leads to the possible causes and culprits. Against the clamour and thrill of the cage-diving season in full swing, Richard Peirce visits the unfolding drama and explores what’s behind these strange events.
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Field Guide to Insects of Southern Africa (NE)
R550.00This trusted best-seller has been comprehensively updated and expanded to feature accounts of over 1,500 species and insect groups. Included are the most common, most economically and ecologically important, interesting and attractive insects in the region.
It features:
vivid photographs
easy-to-read text
detailed accounts covering identifi cation, biology, distribution and related species
a helpful introduction detailing the signifi cance, life history, collection and photography of insects, and
quick reference guides on the inside covers to facilitate identifi cation.Entomologists both amateur and professional, students, gardeners, farmers, tourists and anyone with an interest in the natural world will appreciate this illuminating and invaluable guide.
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Guide to Dragonflies & Damselflies Southern Africa (NE)
R450.00In this fully revised edition of A Guide to Dragonflies & Damselflies of South Africa, all164 species known to occur in South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland are described and illustrated, grouped according to family (six dragonfl y and six damselfl y families). The species entries feature scans of live insects (close-up and side-view images) and photographs of specimens in their natural environment and showing key behaviours. Detailed descriptions focus on size, identifying features and occurrence. An introductory chapter unpacks the life cycle, behaviour, biology and breeding of this fascinating group of insects. Presented in a classic field guide format, this revised edition now also features:
Expanded annotations to all illustrations, highlighting diagnostic features to ensure accurate identifi cation
New distribution maps
Additional colour plates and photographsBeautifully presented, informative and authoritative, this book will appeal to anyone with an interest in South Africa’s insect life, and to nature lovers in general.
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Field Guide to Tracks & Signs – East Africa NE
R530.00Originally published in 1994, A Field Guide to Tracks and Signs of Southern and East African Wildlife quickly became the standard reference to the subject in the region, reprinting many times. This new edition provides the most detailed coverage of tracks, droppings, bird pellets, nests and shelters and feeding signs, not only for mammals, but also for birds, reptiles, insects and other invertebrates. Greatly expanded, this extensive update now features: full colour throughout.
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Scorpions of Southern Africa (NE)
R280.00Scorpions of Southern Africa, the go-to guide for identifying southern Africa’s rich scorpion fauna, has now been freshly designed, updated and expanded. It includes 12 additional species, new images and distribution maps, and a chapter on how to go about identifying scorpions.
An invaluable guide for the amateur naturalist and professional alike, this accessible book describes:
scorpion anatomy and behaviour
the strategies that enable scorpions to survive harsh conditions
their use of venom, and
other aspects of their successful existence over millions of years. -
Wild Karoo
R260.00After centuries of relative isolation, the Karoo – South Africa’s parched heartland – is a latecomer to the tourist industry. What was once viewed as a harsh and desolate place of limited attraction is rapidly gaining popularity with visitors who now make the Karoo their destination, keen to partake of its legendary charm, its extraordinary flora and the resurgence of wildlife that once again populates its plains.
Wild Karoo documents Mitch Reardon’s 4,000-kilometre journey of discovery through the region. The book focuses on:
local nature conservation in all its facets
the game, large and small – some recently reintroduced – plus birds, reptiles and invertebrates
the unique, arid-adapted flora
the landscape and geology
the history and lifestyle of the people who have made a home here
plans to combine public and private protected land to create wildlife corridors between isolated parks, re-establishing old migration routes and so reversing some of the effects of human settlementBeautifully written, and illustrated with evocative photographs, this book is a must read for anyone interested in travel, wildlife and the environment.
