A giraffe is just a giraffe. Nothing more, nothing less. He does not envy the animals around him for being "normal", nor does he see himself as above them all (even, from a certain point of view, he quite literally is) because he's a giraffe. He does not see himself as some sort of freakish mutant horse, but neither does he see himself as some sort of Super Horse. No, a giraffe is just a giraffe. Nothing more, nothing less... but nobody else seems to agree with him, and demands that the gi...

East Africa comprises a range of habitats that provide living space for more than 360 diverse species of mammal. These vary in size from the massive elephant to the tiniest bats, shrews and mice.This compact guide covers all of the common and some of the less common mammal species of the region. For each species it offers:• key identification features, behaviour, diet, breeding biology, occurrence and size• clear, full-colour photographs• track illustrations...

Southern Africa is home to a wealth of mammal species, occupying a great diversity of habitats. This easy-to-use, compact book is the perfect pocket identification guide to mammals of the region. It covers - in surprising detail - some 120 mammals, from the smallest (bats, sengis and shrews) to the largest, such as elephant, lion and rhinoceros, as well as marine species, such as seals, dolphins and whales. Authoritative and colourfully illustrated, this guide offers concise information on...

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, reproduct...

East Africa is known for its diverse landscapes – expansive savannas, lakes, and towering mountains – but also for its numerous protected areas: its parks and reserves that are the domain of the continent’s most spectacular wildlife. These areas play a vital role in protecting both the environment and the animals it supports, and annually play host to thousands of visitors who come to experience wild Africa. This guide to the parks and reserves of East Africa provides a valuable overview o...

The latest in the popular ‘Quick ID Guide’ series, this compact little book is an easy-to-use identification guide to the whales, dolphins and seals found in southern African waters and the Southern Ocean. Close to 50 species occur here: from the demonstrative Humpback Whale and Dusky Dolphin to the striking Leopard Seal and massive Blue Whale. This title introduces the key identification features, behaviours, diets and distribution of whales, dolphins and seals; explains breaching, bow-su...

A new addition to the successful ‘Quick ID guide’ series, Primates is a succinct survey of the features and habits of our closest relatives. Divided into the three main primate groups – great apes, typical monkeys and prosimians (including the bushbabies) – this easy-to-use guide provides pertinent facts, annotated photographs and up-to-date distribution maps to help readers accurately identify the most commonly seen and charismatic primates in the field. Each entry features: full-colour p...

Of all the animal groups, none looms larger in the imagination than the carnivores. Adapted for hunting and killing other animals, they represent the most powerful predators on Earth. This compact guide covers both the mighty and ferocious – big cats, wolves, foxes and hyaenas – and a variety of smaller but equally formidable hunters – otters, polecats, weasels, mongooses and civets. Features include: Key ID points, behaviours and diet of each species; special adaptations for hunting live ...

The first guide ever to document and explore the diverse parks and reserves of Africa’s ‘middle belt’, it covers Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi. The region contains prized spots such as the world-famous landscapes of the Namib and Kalahari deserts, Okavango Delta, Victoria Falls and Lake Malawi, and some of Africa’s best-known conservation areas, including Etosha, Chobe, Mana Pools, Hwange, Kafue and Nyika. Written by two prominent conservationists, the book is organised by...

In 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, civet...

Following the success of earlier ‘Quick Guide’ books, this slim little volume tackles one of the few groups of mammals that can fly. Divided into large fruit bats and smaller insect-eating bats, this ultimate quick identification guide covers Africa’s 12 bat families. An informative introduction touches on evolution, flight, echolocation and reproduction, demystifying an animal that is all too often misunderstood. The text describes the facial characteristics and wing shapes common to each...

Another 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 cli s 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 tha...