Showing all 11 results
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Camel.
Artist/Author: Irwin, Robert.$25.00 Add to cartReaktion Animal Series. A distinct symbol of the desert and the Middle East, the camel was once unkindly described as half snake, half folding bedstead. But in the eyes of many the camel is a creature of great beauty. This is most evident in the Arab world, where the camel has played a central role in the historical development of Arabic society. Beauty pageants are still held for camels in some Arabic countries, and an elaborate vocabulary and extensive literature have been devoted to them. In “Camel”, Robert Irwin explores why the camel has fascinated so many cultures, including those in places where camels are not indigenous. He traces the history of the camel from its origins millions of years ago to the present day, discussing such matters of contemporary concern as the plight of camel herders in the Sudan’s war-torn Darfur region, the alarming increase in the population of feral camels in Australia, and the endangered status of the wild Bactrian in Mongolia and China. Throughout history, the camel has been appreciated worldwide for its practicality, resilience and legendary abilities of survival.
As a result it has been featured in the works of Leonardo da Vinci, Poussin, Tiepolo, Flaubert, Kipling and Rose Macaulay, among others. From East to West, Irwin’s “Camel” is the first survey of its kind to examine the animal’s role in society and history throughout the world. Not just for camel aficionados, this highly illustrated book is sure to entertain and inform anyone interested in this fascinating and exotic animal. -
Giraffe reflections.
Artist/Author: Peterson, Dale and Karl Ammann.$68.00 Add to cartThis volume presents a magnificent portrait of a group of animals who, in spite of their legendary elegance and astonishing gentleness, may not entirely survive this century. Dale Peterson’s text provides a natural and cultural history of the world’s tallest and second-biggest land animals, describing in detail their biology and behaviour. He offers a new perspective on the giraffes’ place in our world, and argues for the stronger protection of these imposing yet endangered creatures and their elusive forest relatives, the okapis. Some 120 stunning photographs by award-winning wildlife photographer Karl Ammann capture the grace and elegance of Giraffa camelopardalis. Both beautiful and informative, the images document giraffes’ complex interactions with each other and their environment.
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Giraffe: biology, behaviour and conservation.
Artist/Author: Dagg, Anne Innis.$165.00 Add to cartRecent years have seen much-needed new research undertaken to improve our understanding of the world’s tallest living terrestrial animal. Drawing together the latest research, this is a detailed exploration of current knowledge on the biology, behaviour and conservation needs of giraffe. Dagg highlights striking new data, covering topics such as species classification, the role of infrasound in communication, biological responses to external temperature changes and motherly behaviour and grief. The book discusses research into behaviour alongside practical information on captive giraffe, including diet, stereotypical behaviour, ailments and parasites, covering both problems and potential solutions associated with zoo giraffe. With giraffe becoming endangered species in Africa, the book ultimately focuses on efforts to halt population decline and the outlook for conservation measures.
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Deer.
Artist/Author: Fletcher, John.$25.00 Add to cartReaktion Animal Series. Deer 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 this book, veterinarian and deer farmer John Fletcher brings together the cultural and natural history of these noble 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.
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The last rhinos: my battle to save one of the world’s greatest creatures.
Artist/Author: Anthony, Lawrence and Graham Spence.$40.00 Add to cartLearned that the Northern white rhino, living in the war-ravaged Congo, was on the brink of extinction, Anthony knew he had to act. If the world lost the sub-species, it would be the largest land mammal since the woolly mammoth to become extinct. In this book Anthony recounts his attempts to save these remarkable animals. The demand for rhino horns in the Far East has turned poaching into a dangerous black market that threatens the lives of not just these rare beasts, but also the rangers who protect them. The Northern white rhino’s last refuge was in an area controlled by the infamous Lord’s Resistance Army, one of the most vicious rebel groups in the world. In the face of unmoving government bureaucracy, Anthony made a perilous journey deep into the jungle to try to find and convince them to help save the rhino.
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Donkey.
Artist/Author: Bough, Jill.$25.00 Add to cartReaktion Animal Series. From giving rides to children at the British seaside to pulling a plough in the poorest of countries, donkeys have served humans faithfully since the time of their domestication more than 10,000 years ago. The story of the donkey makes an important addition to the complex and contradictory history of human and non-human animal relationships. With accounts that are both fascinating and touching, this book will be ideal for anyone with an admiration of the donkey or who is interested by animals in history.
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Handbook of the mammals of the world [HMW], volume two: hoofed mammals.
Artist/Author: Wilson, Don E. and Russell A. Mittermeier, editors.$300.00 Add to cartA companion work to the Handbook of birds of the world [HBW]. In this second volume of HMW the hoofed mammals are revealed in all their fascinating detail, in riveting accounts written by some of the most renowned authorities in the world. The species accounts supply complete and up-to-date information at a time when new and increasingly sophisticated methods of DNA analysis are reshaping our knowledge of these species; to give just one example, the family Bovidae has almost doubled its size in the last five years, to the 279 distinct species known today. This series illustrates and describes all the mammal species of the world and is to be completed in nine volumes.
Contents of the series
Volume one: Carnivores
Volume two: Hoofed mammals
Volume three: Primates
Volume four: Sea mammals
Volume five: Marsupials
Volume six: Lagomorphs and Rodents I
Volume seven: Rodents II
Volume eight: Insectivores
Volume nine: BatsContents of volume two:
Family Orycteropodidae (Aardvark) William Andrew Taylor
Family Procaviidae (Hyraxes) Hendrik Hoeck
Family Elephantidae (Elephants) George Wittemyer
Family Manidae (Pangolins) Philippe Gaubert
Family Equidae (Horses and relatives) Daniel Rubenstein
Family Rhinocerotidae (Rhinoceroses) Eric Dinerstein
Family Tapiridae (Tapirs) Emília Patrícia Medici
Family Camelidae (Camels) William Franklin
Family Suidae (Pigs) Erik Meijaard, Jean-Pierre d’Huart & William Oliver
Family Tayassuidae (Peccaries) Andrew Taber, Mariana Altrichter, Harald Beck & Jaime Gongora
Family Hippopotamidae (Hippopotamuses) Rebecca Lewison
Family Tragulidae (Chevrotains) Erik Meijaard
Family Moschidae (Musk-deer) Colin Groves
Family Cervidae (Deer) Stefano Mattioli
Family Bovidae (Hollow-horned Ruminants) Colin Groves, David Leslie, Brent Huffman, Raul Valdez, Khushal Habibi, Paul Weinberg, James Burton, Peter Jarman & William Robichaud
Family Antilocapridae (Pronghorn) John Byers
Family Giraffidae (Giraffe and Okapi) John Skinner & Graham Mitchell -
Horse.
Artist/Author: Walker, Elaine.$25.00 Add to cartReaktion Animal Series. Part of an unusual series that looks at the subject animal and its place in human history. Spanning the world from the wild steppes of Mongolia to the American plains, Horse chronicles the rich and complex natural history of the animal, from wild feral horses to the domesticated species that once played a central role in daily life as a means of transportation, an instrument of war, and a source of labour. Elaine Walker charts how the long-standing connection between people and horses is reflected in cultures around the world and the implications for both human and animal of such close interaction. She also traces the centrality of the horse in art, entertainment and literature, from the rich global traditions of horse-racing and equestrianism to literary classics such as Follyfoot. Ultimately, Walker contends, the continuing role of the horse in the modern world reveals telling changes in human society.
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Moose.
Artist/Author: Jackson, Kevin.$25.00 Add to cartPart of a series on animal natural and cultural history. Looks at behaviour, biology, and natural environments around the world, including in the USA, Canada and Scandinavia.
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The tale of the Przewalski’s horse: coming home to Mongolia.
Artist/Author: Wit, Piet and Inge Bouman.$150.00 Add to cartFor tens of thousands of years wild horses roamed over the grasslands of Europe and Asia. Their endurance and agility made them the perfect partner for man during his conquest of the world. The loss of importance of the domesticated horses for the cavalries of the world coincided with the disappearance of the last horses from the wild. Around 1900 some wealthy collectors rushed to the edge of the Gobi desert to catch a few specimen from the last marginalised groups of the proud horse that scientists baptised the Przewalski’s horse’, after the Polish explorer who has discovered them. Only twelve of these captured wild horses live on in their present offspring.
In the 1970s the Dutch couple Jan and Inge Bouman, on their honeymoon, visited the zoo in Prague. Seeing the wild horse petering away behind bars and fences, they decided to dedicate their life to the ideal of bringing the Przewalski’s horse back to the wild.
This book tells their success story. It marks a breakthrough in the way we look at reintroduction projects of endangered species. The Przewalski’s horse or Takh’, as the Mongolians call it, has played a catalytic role for the protection of the mountain steppe ecosystem of Hustai National Park and its surroundings. It paved the way for the development of integrated pasture management and livelihood improvement of the local herdsmen.This book aims to be an inspiration for anyone trying to start a reintroduction project, anywhere in the world. Where do you start, how to cope with the local people, how to solve financial issues. Apart from that, it is a personal view on the extraordinary country that is called Mongolia’ and it’s wonderful people.
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Mountain goats: ecology, behavior, and conservation of an alpine ungulate.
Artist/Author: Festa-Bianchet, Marco and Steeve D. Cote.$90.00 Add to cartAn assessment of the ecology and behaviour of Mountain goats. This book contains chapters which examine: habitat use, and seasonal movements; sexual segregation and social organization; individual variability in yearly and lifetime reproductive success of females; reproductive strategies and population dynamics of Mountain goats. Also available in hardcover [stock id 27109].
