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Kirstenbosch Most Beautiful Garden In HB
R350.00Kirstenbosch is a name that resonates round the world as the home of a uniquely rich flora in a setting of unsurpassed beauty, and in 2013 Kirstenbosch celebrates its 100th anniversary. This centenary publication tells the story of its establishment, its setbacks and triumphs, its benefactors and heroes.
It outlines the Garden’s scientific eminence – as the repository of knowledge on our prized flora – and details the many attractions that make it a favourite destination for Capetonians and visitors alike.
With a finely crafted text by acclaimed ecologist Brian Huntley, and lavishly illustrated with photographs and artworks that tell the history and reflect the beauty of the Garden, this will be a sought-after volume – a quality memento for visitors to Kirstenbosch and a keepsake for the many thousands of locals who flock there annually. Beautifully presented in a colourful dustjacket, this book will be a tasteful, all-occasions gift, and one to cherish.
Also available: Special Boxed Edition
Click here to view some pages from inside the book!
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Kingdom Daylight: Memories Birdwatcher
R320.00In this autobiographical account of a lifetime spent observing, researching and photographing birds, Peter Steyn shares experiences that span some 70 years. His story starts and ends in Cape Town, South Africa, but in between we read about:- the 17 years he spent in Zimbabwe – his most productive in terms of ornithological research
- his worldwide travels in a quest to study birds
- his regular spells as a lecturer on cruise-ship voyages
- trips from the Arctic to the Antarctic, to remote Southern Ocean islands and to several Indian Ocean islands and St Helena
- travels also to the USA, South America, Australia, New Zealand and Ethiopia – all in pursuit of birds.
His detailed and fascinating memoir captures the author’s great enthusiasm for birds and their role in his shaping his life and experiences.Kingdom of Daylight: Memories of a Birdwatcher is well illustrated and features more than 400 photographs taken during Peter’s lifelong journey with birds. -
How on Earth?
R290.00This books sets out to answer puzzles in nature and the environment: how is there such a neat fit between the coastlines of Africa and South America? Why is Table Mountain flat but the adjacent Twelve Apostles so rugged? Where does the pumice stone on the beaches of Arniston come from? What happens to cause a tsunami? How does rock get folded? etc. For each question there are explanations, be they geological, mineralogical, astronomic – whatever the field, the evidence is carefully presented and explained so that even those with little knowledge in these fields can understand the processes that have been at work. The book is vividly illustrated and supported with full colour photographs.
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Hermanus Whales, Wine, Fynbos, Art HB
R320.00Set along the cliffs between mountain and sea, Hermanus is one of the most popular holiday and travel destinations in South Africa. Initially it was the abundance of fish in Walker Bay, along which the village rapidly grew, that attracted holidaymakers. Today, the stars of the bay are undoubtedly the Southern Right Whales that migrate from Antarctica to mate and calve here during the winter months. But it is not only the wonders of the sea that draw thousands of visitors to this picturesque village and surrounds year after year. Mountains, fynbos, culture, arts, crafts, country markets, adventure sports, scenic walks, golf courses, nature reserves, shark-cage diving, historical landmarks, and the vineyards and world-class wines of the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley are richly described and illustrated in this lavish volume. With chapters covering all aspects of the town’s diversity, the reader will learn more about all that is so generously on offer here, and also catch a rare glimpse of the heart that drives the town: the people and communities that have shaped this favoured destination. An earlier edition of Hermanus appeared in 2008. Now republished as a new title, the book features entirely rewritten text and fresh photographs throughout, many commissioned especially for this edition.
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Hagedash The Hadeda
R120.00A captivating story, told in rhyming verse, about a hadeda who loves to sing. Hagedash and her family will be familiar characters to children across the country – the cast is drawn from the comical birds they see every day on garden lawns.
The text offers insight into the real-life traits and habits of hadedas and tells the story of Hagedash, her happy meeting with Hagar and their growing family. The initially tranquil scene builds up to a great commotion, but it all ends peacefully.
The bright, playful drawings are by Claire Norden who has a proven track record in illustrating children’s books. The book comes with a full page of stickers to encourage further engagement with the story.
This third title in Struik Nature’s ‘Original African Tale’ series – set to become local classics – will have wide popular appeal with children and parents alike.
OOK BESKIKBAAR IN AFRIKAANS
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Grasses & Grazers of Botswana & Surround
R290.00An accessible reference to the grasses and grazers of this region, Veronica Roodt’s book details the fascinating ways in which these plants and animals have evolved together. The book covers:
– some 100 grass species (includes sketches and photographs of each species) that are preferred
livestock and wild game fodder and that serve as indicators of veld condition
– the role of grasses in the food chain
– grass anatomy and growth
– how grazers have evolved to survive on grasses, both physically and in terms of their behaviour
– significant grazers that occur in the region and that play a vital role in shaping the savanna biome
– effective grassland management practices.Nature lovers, farmers, students and tourists who seek an in-depth look at the interactions between grasses and the grazers that depend on them for life need look no further than this invaluable guide.
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Gardening for Butterflies
R250.00Eco-friendly gardening is fast catching on. Butterflies are visible signs of a healthy garden, and, with their whimsical flight patterns and glorious colours, they are among the most alluring ofour aerial visitors.
Gardening for Butterflies shows how to attract these beautiful insects, giving step-by-step instructions for planning and planting a garden that will cater for the greatest number anddiversity of butterflies. Using a Durban garden as a case study, it includes a recommended layout and plant lists for this area, as well as for other regions around the country.
The book showcases 95 garden butterflies and moths, showing their full life cycle, including pupa, eggs and caterpillar. Stunning photography and point-form text ensure accurate identification of each stage in the cycle, and an interesting introduction discusses such topics as the extraordinary process of metamorphosis and the curious habits of these mercurial insects.
Whether you’re tempted to undertake a full-scale transformation of your garden to attract butterflies, make smaller adjustments to it, or if you simply want to identify those insects already visiting your space, this book will amaze and enchant you.
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First Field Guides to Fishes of Southern Africa
R90.00These natural history guides have been developed to encourage young people and anyone with a budding interest in natural history to learn about the wonders of southern Africa’s fascinating fauna and flora. They are an invaluable resource for the beginner, providing information at a glance: each of the species presented is described in easy-to-read text, with a photograph and distribution map. A short introduction gives context to the topic. These compact guides come in a handy pocket size and are easy to use in the field – and make ideal gifts for children or beginners in the field. Also available in Afrikaans as Visse van suider-Afrika.
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Discover Southern Africa
R370.00South Africa is a land of many different cultures and diverse values – a mix that is at once the root of its many challenges and the bud of its great potential. But on one thing there is general accord: this is a beautiful land, and the traveller is faced with an almost unlimited choice of what to see and do.
The canvas is kaleidoscopic; variety and contrast are vividly evident in the astonishing mix of race and language, creed, colour and culture. The diversity is there, too, in the nature of the land; in its geological formations and regional climates; its mountains, plains and coasts; its rich farmlands; and its bushveld scrub and deserts. South Africa is, truly, a world in one country.
Packed with over 500 stunning photographs, Discover South Africa introduces the reader to the country’s fascinating history, people and cultures, and the breath taking splendours of a wildlife and floral abundance that is unparalleled anywhere in the world.
Peter Joyce’s text and captions are an ideal companion to the photographs. Detailed, revealing and eminently readable, they provide a wealth of information about, and insight into, South Africa.
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Complete Guide Snakes of Southern Africa
R480.00This detailed and comprehensive guide to the 151 snakes indigenous to southern Africa covers all essential aspects of snake biology and behaviour. Now in its second edition, A Complete Guide to the Snakes of Southern Africa has been updated, revised and expanded to include at least 11 newly discovered and 30 re-classified species and sub-species. New information based on international scientific research has been included in the species accounts relating to behaviour, identification, reproduction and snake venoms.
Features of this new edition are: Species descriptions are now accompanied by full-colour photographs; Simple icons make essential information available at a glance; Separate ‘look out for’ box assists in quickly identifying species in the field; Chapters on classification and identification, keeping snakes, and the prevention and treatment of snakebite supplement the species accounts.
This readable and user-friendly guide will be invaluable to herpetologists, snake collectors, hikers, gardeners, campers and householders, or anyone who may encounter or want to know more about these fascinating and widely misunderstood reptiles.
Ook beskikbaar in Afrikaans
Visit Johan Marais’ website at www.reptileventures.com
Click here to download a free poster about the dangerous snakes in South Africa from Johan Marais’ website
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Common Wild Flowers of Table Mountain
R90.00Common Wild Flowers of Table Mountain has proved to be a valuable guide for flower-lovers, hikers and mountain climbers who wish to know more about the flowers they encounter on their outings. Now expanded to take in the expansive Silvermine reserve, and generally updated for the entire area, this new edition will appeal to an even wider market. It offers Flowers grouped according to colour to enable quick ID; Some 260 flowers that can be seen along the way; Clear photographs and concise, informative text for each species; A variety of walking routes that crisscross the mountain and reserve, plotted on accompanying route maps. For anyone with an interest in identifying the flowers of the mountain and reserve, this will be an indispensable guide.
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Bedside Ark
R190.00This riotous assembly of unrespectable creatures comprises 42 short accounts of southern Africa’s vibrant collection of wild animals.
From the one-of-its-kind aardvark to the wilfully ignorant ostrich; the Houdini-like honey badger to the precariously specialised klipspringer; and from the curvaceous, sports-model springbok to the recklessly insensitive hyena – this book airs the dirty laundry (and shares the trade secrets) of some of our wackiest, most eccentric fauna. Many of the stories are illustrated with delightful line drawings.
Basing his accounts on accurate, true-to-life detail, but always looking on the light side, author David Muirhead captures the weird and wonderful lives of his subjects, investigating their often exaggerated reputations, their habits, weaknesses, armouries and modi operandi.
At once informative and hugely entertaining, this riotous assembly will appeal to anyone with the slightest interest in wildlife and – for its excellent entertainment value – will make a particularly wonderful gift.
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Beachcombing in SA
R190.00Anyone who spends time beside the sea knows there’s a wealth of ‘treasure’ to be found, be it natural or manufactured, living or washed up. Beachcombing in South Africa is a friendly guide to the seashore’s rich pickings.
Short chapters such as Floaters and drifters, Sea-beans, Sponges, Eggs and egg cases, and many more, detail what can be found and how to interpret or identify specimens. Items may reveal links to activities or biological events in the nearby ocean – or, perhaps, thousands of miles away. They may relate to human activities, such as fish or bird tagging, or be oceanographic instruments separated from their moorings. Or they may be part of the growing menace of flotsam and jetsam from the planet’s burgeoning human population.
This book will enhance the experience of beachcombing, satisfy curiosity about finds, and contribute to a better understanding of the life in our oceans and along our shores.
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African Wildlife Trivia
R150.00Africa is famous for its abundance and variety of wildlife, making it a great attraction for hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. Dawid van Lill has produced a book of amazing records, facts and did-you-knows that cast new light on our extraordinary continent. From lists of ‘largests’ and ‘smallests’ to detailed accounts of exceptional features, we are introduced to a wide range of facts about the world around us. A lively design and light-hearted illustrations make the book highly accessible to both young and old. For serious trivia addicts, casual browsers, those seeking out specific information, or to spark ideas for further research, African Wildlife Trivia will delight and intrigue a wide readership. Also available in Afrikaans as Natuur-Trivia uit Afrika.
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Africa’s Wild Dogs: Surivival Story
R580.00Africa’s Wild Dogs – A Survival Story is a large-format photographic celebration of one of the continent’s most charismatic and endangered predators.
With only about 6,600 wild dogs left in Africa today, wildlife photographer Jocelin Kagan has made it her mission to bring the extraordinary lives of these often misunderstood and maligned animals into the spotlight. Her remarkable images and personal observations are supported by further insights by an array of scientific experts – their contributions reveal the fascinating behaviour and pack dynamics of these effecient hunters.
Nomadic predators whose territories range thousands of kilometres, wild dogs hunt co-operatively, preying on small herbivores. They are non-confrontational, smart and sociable, and form complex and close family bonds, as this fascinating book reveals. Now restricted to small populations and threatened by human persecution, diseases, habitat fragmentation, climate change and natural predation, these dogs will be supported by the royalties earned from the sale of this book.
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100 New Herbs
R320.00Margaret Roberts is a well-known proponent of the use of natural products to enhance health and wellbeing. In 100 New Herbs she introduces readers to an exciting range of new plants that can be used in the kitchen, and medicinally.
Margaret offers practical advice on how and when to plant, grow and harvest the featured herbs, and includes recipes that harness the medicinal, cosmetic and edible nature of these plants. The accessible, down-to-earth text is laced with personal anecdotes and historical information about the use of herbs. Colourful photographs aid identification in this beautifully designed book.
An indispensable guide for anyone interested in health, wellness, organic gardening and the use of herbs to enhance cooking.
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Southern African Moths & their Caterpillars
R580.00The most comprehensive guide to the region’s moths
Authoritative and informative, Southern African Moths & their Caterpillars provides a comprehensive overview of the moth fauna of the region.
Featuring more than 1,500 of the 11,000 species occurring here, the guide focuses on those that are most abundant, of economical or ecological importance, conspicuous or unusual. This essential guide offers:
- Authoritative text richly supported with photographs of both adult moth and larva.
- Clear ID pointers plus information on biology, habitat and distribution.
- An informative introduction covering evolution, life cycle, diversity and ecological importance of moths.
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Pocket Guide Snakes & Other Reptiles of Zambia & Malawi
R250.00Zambia and Malawi are home to 240 reptile species, of which 114 are snakes, 108 lizards, 14terrapins and tortoises, and 2 crocodiles. Of these, 15 species occur nowhere else on Earth.
The first accessible pocket guide to the reptiles of these two tropical countries describes 186 of the most commonly encountered and colourful species, as well as those that are less conspicuous, rare and endemic to the region. A brief, informative introduction details the region’s reptile diversity and habitat types and outlines different venom types and snakebite treatments.
Handy and compact, this up-to-date guide makes a trusted travelling companion on trips to the wildlife areas, parks and reserves of these two spectacular countries.
– Succinct species descriptions cover key identification features.
– Clear full-colour photographs accompany species descriptions.
– Up-to-date distribution maps show the range of each species.
– Symbols for snake species denote the level of danger each snake’s venom poses for humans, from harmless to life-threatening. -
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. -
Eyezingane Izinyoni zaseNingizimu ye-Afrika
R170.00Le ncwadi ejabulisayo, egcwele mfi yethula izingane emaqenjini ezinyoni ezingaphezu kwama-60 ezitholakala eningizimu ne-Afrika: okholwase abanemilenze emide, oklebe abasheshayo, izincwincwi ezifana nejuba, izinsingizi ezinesibindi nezinye eziningi.
Funda ukubona izinyoni ezihlukahlukene, futhi uthole nendlela ehlaba umxhwele eziziphatha ngayo-indlela ezithola ngayo ukudla, ezikhetha ngayo umlingani, ezakha ngayo isidleke, ezikhulisa ngayo amachwane azo nokuthi zizigwema kanjani izilwane ezizizingelayo. Isingeniso esinemininingwane sichaza okuphathelene nezinyoni okunjengokuthandana, ukufuduka, ukuhlala kwazo ngaziningi kanye nokwebuza.
Kufakwe izithombe ezinhle ngokwedlulele ezingaphezu kwama-500, eziningi zichaziwe ukuze zigqamise izici nokuthile okuhlukile okuhlaba umxhwele ngazo.
