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Reaktion 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.

This 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.

Learned 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.

Reaktion 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.

For 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.

An 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].