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Peter Godson Reviews Wildlife of South Africa: A photographic guide by Duncan Butchart
by Jani on 19 Mar 2010 |
Verdict: carrotIT’S great for a family to have a shared interest. We all have our own individual pastimes but we come together when it comes to the brilliant diversity of life, flora and fauna, of South Africa’s eco-system.
Naturally, we have ended up with a bookcase full of guides, some area-specific, others on birds, trees, mammals, succulents, insects, etc.
Book Details
- Wildlife of South Africa: A photographic guide by Duncan Butchart
EAN: 9781770076327
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- Wildlife of South Africa: A photographic guide by Duncan Butchart
Book Launch: My First Book of Southern African Wildlife at Exclusive Books Midlands Mall
by Amanda on 19 Mar 2010 | 
Exclusive Books and Struik Nature invite you to the launch of My First Book of South African Wildlife by Erroll Cuthbert, Peter Apps and Bill Branch. The launch will take place on 20 March at 10:00 at the Exclusive Books branch in the Midlands Mall, Pietermaritzburg.Event Details
- Date: Saturday, 20 March 2010
- Time: 9:30 AM for 10:00 AM
- Venue: Exclusive Books Midlands Mall,
Chase Valley
Pietermaritzburg | Map - RSVP: Exclusive Books,
midlands@exclusivebooks.co.za, 033 342 2074
www.exclus1ves.co.za
Book Details
- My First Book of Southern African Wildlife by Erroll Cuthbert, Peter Apps and Bill Branch
EAN: 9781770078574
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Martin Hatchuel Talks to Gareth Patterson about The Secret Elephants
by Tracey on 18 Mar 2010 | 
For decades people have wondered whether any elephants still exist in the Knysna forests, for most the tales seemed like myths or legends of a forgotten time. But for Gareth Patterson, author of The Secret Elephants, these silent giants are a reality.Martin Hatchuel from Motion Magazine met with Patterson to chat about his book, his work and of course, the elusive Knysna elephant.
- Not loading? Watch on MartinhatchuelTV
Book details
- The Secret Elephants by Gareth Patterson
Book homepage
EAN: 9780143026136
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Slithering, Sliding Snakes and How to Identify Them
by Amanda on 18 Mar 2010 | 
South Africa has 120 odd varieties of snakes, quite a few of which are poisonous. As such it is vital that you be prepared when going hiking or camping in the country. Gasbalwe Seretse debunks some of the myths surrounding snakes while highlighting some of the dangers and Lauren Wise teaches you how to identify them. John Marais is probably the local snake expert and his books Snakes and Snake Bites as well as A Complete Guide to the Snakes of Southern Africa are invaluable resources when dealing with these slithering creatures.For many people any snake seen is an enemy and every year thousands of snakes are killed, in the home, fields, on the road and even in the bush. So goes the saying, 'a good snake is a dead one'. So universally entrenched is the belief that snakes are bad that a dream that involves snakes will always be seen as a bad omen. According to Wikipedia, historically, snakebites were seen as a means of execution, a form of punishment in some cultures. In medieval Europe, a form of capital punishment was to throw people into snake pits, leaving victims to die from multiple venomous bites. In the Judeo-Christian scriptures, more than once the devil or evil one is portrayed as a snake or a serpent. Sadly some have interpreted the scripture literally and believe that every snake is the devil and deserves to die. The same fear is reflected in most societies where any snake species is feared. This has led to the death of many harmless and very useful snake species.
On the off chance that you are bitten by a snake it is vital to try and identify it in order to get the correct anti-venom treatment. Lauren Wise provides a helpful guide on identifying South African snakes.
Step 1: Examine the shape of the South African snake’s head. Look for horn-like scales above the eyes, triangular heads, very strong jaws that jut out, or a rattle–the snake is very dangerous and should be avoided immediately. These snakes include Mambas, Adders, Rinkhals, Cobras and a handful of others. Snakes with more rounded heads are usually harmless.
Book details
- A Complete Guide to the Snakes of Southern Africa by John Marais
Book homepage
EAN: 9781868729326
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- Snakes and Snakebite in Southern Africa by John Marais
Book homepage
EAN: 9781868722815
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Image courtesy Neveryetmelted
- A Complete Guide to the Snakes of Southern Africa by John Marais
Dianne Low Reviews More Bird Calls for Beginners by Doug Newman
by Jani on 16 Mar 2010 | 
Verdict: carrotAs a nature lover I spend a lot of time in game reserves. Hearing the lions at night is a magical sound and I can identify the fish eagle and a few other birds. However, I must admit that my birding knowledge is limited.
So a while back we played a CD as we drove home, and with the book in hand, we hoped that by the time we got home we would be able to identify many more birds.
Book Details
- More Bird Calls for Beginners by Doug Newman
EAN: 9781770078000
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- More Bird Calls for Beginners by Doug Newman
A Frogger's Dream: 'Extinct' Litoria castanea Discovered in Australia
by Amanda on 11 Mar 2010 | 
Australian scientist, David Hunter, was shocked when he discovered a Yellow-Spotted Bell Frog (Litoria castanea) in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales. It was the first spotting of the species, which was believed to be extinct, in forty years.Want to make news by finding a rare species of frog in Southern Africa? You’ll need A Complete Guide to the Frogs of Southern Africa by frog fundis Vincent Carruthers and Louis du Preez.
An Australian frog which disappeared nearly 40 years ago and was feared extinct has been rediscovered in a remote creek, astounding experts.
A state government scientist spotted an unusual species during a trip to New South Wales’ Southern Tablelands, and later returned with a frog specialist to confirm the Yellow-Spotted Bell Frog’s first sighting since 1973.
“This was definitely the most exciting moment of my career and I will be surprised if I repeat it,” doctor David Hunter, who was led to a thriving community of the frogs by conservation officer Luke Pearce, said.
Book details
- A Complete Guide to the Frogs of Southern Africa by Vincent Carruthers and Louis du Preez
EAN: 9781770074460
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Image courtesy FNPW
- A Complete Guide to the Frogs of Southern Africa by Vincent Carruthers and Louis du Preez
New: A Captivating Portrait of Africa's Largest Mammal, Lyall Watson's Elephantoms
by Tracey on 08 Mar 2010 | 
As a child in South Africa, spending summers exploring the wild with his boyhood friends, Lyall Watson came face to face with his first elephant. From that moment on, Watson’s fascination grew into a lifelong obsession with understanding the nature and behaviour of this impressive creature.Around the world, the elephant – at once a symbol of spiritual power and physical endurance – has been worshipped as a god and hunted for sport. In this captivating portrait of the elephant, Watson draws from scientific research, anthropological studies, and personal experience to document the animal’s wide-ranging capabilities to remember and to mourn; and he reminds us of its rich mythic origins, its evolution, and its devastation in recent history.
Part meditation on an elusive animal, part evocation of the power of place, Elephantoms presents an alluring mix of the mysteries of nature and the wonders of childhood.
About the author
Born in Johannesburg in 1939, Lyall Watson was an author, zoologist, scientist and adventurer. He entered the University of the Witwatersrand at the age of 15 and completed degrees in botany and zoology, and would later gain further degrees in chemistry, geology, marine biology and ecology. He is the author of over twenty books, and is best remembered for the bestseller Supernature (see also Beyond Supernature), which was first published in 1973 and would go on to sell over 750 000 copies.
Book details
- Elephantoms by Lyall Watson
Book homepage
EAN: 9780143024538
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- Elephantoms by Lyall Watson
A Photographic Extravaganza with Roger and Pat de la Harpe
by Ceri on 05 Mar 2010 | 
Roger and Pat de la Harpe love wildlife and tend to share their love and photographic experiences with others. Not only do they make their work available with books such as In Search of the African Wild Dog, they also do regular Photographic Safaris (read workshops) with guests. If you’re interested in signing up have a look at some of the pics from their Safari to Madikwe Game Reserve in this slideshow:- Not loading? Watch video Africa Imagery
Wow! What a Photo Graphic Safari that was! We had 5 people join us at Jaci’s Camp in Madikwe Game Reserve in South Africa’s North West Province – Lousie Donald (Publisher of Pix Magazine), Tim and Yvonne Driman, Hilary Baak and Mike Rickard out from the UK. The idea was to try to photograph the African Wild Dogs that Madikwe Game Reserve is so well known for but, as so often happens with wildlife photography, the dogs were not quite as cooperative as they could have been.
Book details
- In Search of the African Wild Dog by Roger de la Harpe, Pat de la Harpe
Book homepage
EAN: 9781919938110
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Nicolette Scrooby Reviews My First Book of Southern African Wildlife
Verdict: carrot
My First Book of Southern African Wildlife is a must-have!
Children will be kept entertained for hours paging through this book.While their eyes roam the pages looking at all the pictures of mammals, birds and reptiles, they’ll be learning loads, too.
Names of animals are given in English, Afrikaans, Xhosa and Zulu.
Book Details
- My First Book of Southern African Wildlife by Erroll Cuthbert, Peter Apps and Bill Branch
EAN: 9781770078574
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Podcast and Video: Dr Bill Branch on Discovering New Species and Conservation
If cold blooded creatures that slither and slide are your cup of tea, then Dr Bill Branch is your man. This intrepid explorer is quite an ace at discovering rare new species – in this case a chameleon and forest viper in Mabu. We posted an earlier article on the chameleon discovery but, now we bring you audio and video footage. Enjoy:
Professor Bill Branch (Curator of Herpetology, Port Elizabeth Museum): Hunting chameleons at night is much easier than during the day because at night they sit out in the open, and they also bleach to a white colour. And that means they stand out in a torch light.
Because of the confined spaces within rainforests, many species such as this pigmy chameleon, evolve into dwarf versions.
DNA samples taken by Professor Branch verify that these pigmy chameleons are new to science.
Another dwarf version of a species Bill has described as new to science is this forest viper.
Bayworld reptile and amphibian expert Dr Bill Branch was part of a multi-national expedition that returned recently from northern Mozambique where they explored the remote granite mountain top and pristine forest of Mt Mabu.
- Read the complete article in The Herald
Listen to The Herald’s Bill Branch podcast:
[display_podcast]
- Not playing? Click here
Book details
- My First Book of Southern African Snakes and other Reptiles by Bill Branch
EAN: 9781770075429
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- My First Book of Southern African Wildlife by Erroll Cuthbert, Peter Apps, Bill Branch
EAN: 9781770078574
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- Photographic Guide to Snakes and Reptiles of East Africa by Bill Branch
EAN: 9781770071506
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Events Calendar
Book Chat Latest
March 19, 2010, 10:50 pm
Helen on An Ode to the President's PenisHee hee hee hee. Beukes for Poet Laureate?
March 19, 2010, 10:27 pm
Helen on Home Away Preview: Sydney, Australia: "Redundant" by Sarah BrittenSo where are the TWO pages I've been begging for? [...]
March 19, 2010, 9:03 pm
Fiona on Home Away Preview: Sydney, Australia: "Redundant" by Sarah BrittenNarrative that grips you by the throat and pulls you [...]
March 19, 2010, 4:35 pm
Lauren Beukes on Wole Soyinka and Zukiswa Wanner in Johannesburg: A Multi-Photo PortraitAmazing photos. And I want that hat.
March 19, 2010, 4:18 pm
Justin on Media Watch: "Free the Web" to Hopefully Reveal that it's not a Guerilla Marketing Campaign TomorrowAnd Vox have just undercut MWeb: http://mybroadband.co.za/news/broadband/11840.html
March 19, 2010, 3:32 pm
Helen on Poetry Reading: Helen Moffett and Liesl Jobson at Folio BooksGentle reminder, good people. Liesl and I read at the [...]
March 19, 2010, 3:27 pm
Helen on The buzzMike, I apologize in advance for not swelling the numbers [...]
March 19, 2010, 3:23 pm
Helen on Stuff that authors (AND editors) need to know: 3Aha! I can add a footnote on Orientalism!
March 19, 2010, 2:53 pm
Sven Eick on Stuff that authors (AND editors) need to know: 3This is good stuff, thanks Louis and Fiona. Helen, just [...]
March 19, 2010, 2:50 pm
Helen on Léonora Miano Lashes Out at Her US Publisher Over Faulty ForewordSobering, but not that surprising. IMHO, probably fallout from the [...]
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