Rspb Spotlight Otters

Author : Nicola Chester
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Page : 130 pages
File Size : 40,6 Mb
Release : 2016-07-28
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9781472943699

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RSPB Spotlight: Otters by Nicola Chester Pdf

Otters by Nicola Chester is an accessible and lively account of an intriguing and much-loved animal that, surprisingly, is still endangered and rarely seen despite a recent resurgence that has seen it expand from the remote countryside into our cities. Nicola's charming, informed text brings this elusive and exciting mammal into sharper focus revealing what an otter is, and how they live, feed, play and breed. Nicola reflects on how otters exist in our imaginations culturally and how that has changed over the years. She also examines the many challenges otters have faced, exposing what brought them to the brink of extinction, and explores the challenges we face in trying to find and watch otters in the wild. Each Spotlight title is carefully designed to introduce readers to the lives and behaviour of our favourite birds and mammals.

Author : Hans Kruuk
Publisher : OUP Oxford
Page : 278 pages
File Size : 53,6 Mb
Release : 2006-08-17
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780191513725

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Otters by Hans Kruuk Pdf

Otters are highly charismatic and popular animals of very considerable concern to conservationists worldwide. Written by the pre-eminent authority in the field, this book builds on the reputation of the author's landmark monograph of the European otter, Wild Otters (OUP, 1995). Furthermore, its broader scope to include all species of otter in North America as well as Europe and elsewhere leads to a deeper synthesis that greatly expands the book's overall relevance and potential readership. Aimed at naturalists, scientists and conservationists, its personal style and generously illustrated text will appeal to amateurs and professionals alike. It emphasises recent research and conservation management initiatives for all 13 species of otter worldwide, incorporates recent molecular research on taxonomy and population genetics, and discusses the wider implications of otter studies for ecology and conservation biology. As well as enchanting direct observations of the animals, there is guidance about how and where to watch and study them. From otters in the British and American lakes and rivers, to sea otters in the Pacific Ocean, giant otters in the Amazon and other species in Africa and Asia, this book provides an engaging approach to their fascinating existence, to the science needed to understand it, and to the very real threats to their survival.

Author : Mike Unwin
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Page : 130 pages
File Size : 54,6 Mb
Release : 2016-07-28
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9781472943712

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RSPB Spotlight: Eagles by Mike Unwin Pdf

Eagles are among the most impressive hunters of the animal world. Their predatory prowess and flying skills have imbued them with a romance and mystique that runs deep in our culture and has elevated them to emblems of freedom and power across the globe. At the same time, however, people have long seen eagles as competitors. Reviled by farmers and gamekeepers as snatchers of livestock, many species have been driven into decline by persecution and disturbance. Two species of eagle occur in Britain - among 60 worldwide - and are the focus of this book. The regal Golden Eagle is the definitive 'true' eagle and occurs in wilderness areas across the northern hemisphere; the even larger White-tailed Eagle, reintroduced to the UK after historic extinction, belongs to the separate 'sea eagles' genus. These two spectacular birds are both very rare – confined largely to the remote Scottish Highlands – and a sighting of either is one of the UK's most exciting and sought-after wildlife experiences. This highly readable study looks separately at both UK eagles, exploring how each is adapted as an apex predator in its own environment, and explores the relationship between the two. Separate chapters cover all aspects of the birds' biology and lifestyle, from defending their vast territories to raising their young. Fascinating secrets are revealed, including the brutal truth behind 'Cain and Abel' syndrome. The book also takes a look at other eagles around the world, placing the two UK species within this broader context. Finally, it examines the complex relationship that humans have enjoyed with eagles since time immemorial, spanning both culture and conservation, and offers expert tips on where and how you can watch these magnificent birds for yourself. The Spotlight series introduces readers to the lives and behaviours of our favourite animals with eye-catching, colour photography and informative expert text.

Author : Frances Dipper
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Page : 226 pages
File Size : 52,9 Mb
Release : 2021-03-18
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9781472971616

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RSPB Spotlight Seals by Frances Dipper Pdf

Seals are the sleekest and most agile of all marine mammals, and they are superbly adapted to the watery world in which they spend most of their time. With their whiskery dog-like faces, curious nature and vulnerable pups, they are enduringly appealing animals. Although air-breathing, seals are superbly tuned to hunt, sleep, mate and keep warm while out at sea, but they remain inextricably linked to land. In Spotlight Seals, Frances Dipper explores the intricate lives of the UK's native Grey and Common Seals and their amazing physical and behavioural adaptations to a life split between land and sea. She reveals the complex physiology that allows seals to dive deep and for long periods without coming to any harm. Once exploited for their meat and skins, seals now have protection around the British Isles. Their numbers are increasing, but they still face the danger of plastic litter in their environment. Dipper also explores age-old legends, interactions between humans and seals, and the best places to watch them in the UK. The Spotlight series introduces readers to the lives and behaviour of our favourite animals with eye-catching colour photographs and informative expert text.

Author : James Lowen
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Page : 128 pages
File Size : 49,7 Mb
Release : 2016-06-16
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9781472921826

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RSPB Spotlight: Badgers by James Lowen Pdf

Badgers are elusive wanderers of the night and few mammals are as mysterious. Their nocturnal lifestyle meansnot many of us have ever glimpsed their monochrome form as they sniff and bustle their way through woodland or across pasture – yet most of us live far closer to a Badger group than we might think. In Spotlight: Badgers James Lowen explores all aspects of their lives including their communal living, feeding habits, as well as the major threats to and conservation support for Badgers. These iconic omnivores are widely represented in folklore and have permeated our popular culture. Generations of children have been entranced by Badger in Kenneth Grahame's book Wind in the Willows, however these determined yet mostly peaceful animals have also been loathed and persecuted for centuries. Badger baiting is thankfully now illegal, but the legal badger cull introduced in 2011 in parts of Gloucestershire and Somerset remains in place following the 2015 general election. With so much politics surrounding Badgers in the UK, it's not easy to get unbiassed information. In RSPB Spotlight: Badgers James Lowen keeps a neutral tone on the debate about Badger culling. He describes the history, from the first Badger found to be infected with bTB in 1972 and the subsequent gassing of setts from 1975 to 1982. He also outlines the RSPB's stance on the Badger cull. As one of the UK's largest landowners, the RSPB oppose Badger culling on their land, in favour of vaccination, cattle testing, bio-security and movement controls. The Spotlight series introduces readers to the lives and behaviours of our favourite animals with eye-catching, colour photography and informative expert text.

Author : Daniel Allen
Publisher : Reaktion Books
Page : 186 pages
File Size : 52,9 Mb
Release : 2020-05-11
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9781861898937

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Otter by Daniel Allen Pdf

Although rarely seen in the wild, the otter is admired for its playful character and graceful aquatic agility, fixed in the popular imagination through books and films such as Tarka the Otter and Ring of Bright Water. This is just a small part of its story, however: throughout history, the otter has been hunted for its fur and to prevent it from killing fish. Featuring numerous images from nature and culture, as well as examples from folklore, sports, and literature, this wide-ranging book also explores the movement against otter hunting, and the ongoing efforts promoting otter conservation. A fittingly lively study of its subject, Otter offers a new way of thinking about this much-loved but endangered animal.

Author : Marianne Taylor
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Page : 208 pages
File Size : 46,8 Mb
Release : 2020-05-28
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9781472971661

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RSPB Spotlight Ducks and Geese by Marianne Taylor Pdf

RSPB Spotlight: Ducks and Geese is packed with eye-catching, informative colour photos and features succinct, detailed text written by a knowledgeable naturalist. This will be a detailed 'biography' of ducks and geese that breed in or regularly visit the UK – covering 30 species in all. It will include chapters on the evolution of ducks and geese, their place in the natural world, their anatomy and physiology, various feeding methods, spectacular courtship displays and diverse breeding behaviour. Marianne Taylor will reveal their often epic migrations and examine their social interactions with their own and other species, including their unusual readiness to hybridise. She will also detail their relationships with humankind over the centuries, including their presence in folklore and literature and their role in our lives as both prey and pets. She will also explore their presence as feral and sometimes invasive species outside their natural ranges, and their current status within their native wild ranges as the group includes several species recently recognised as being of global conservation concern.

Author : Jules Howard
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Page : 128 pages
File Size : 54,8 Mb
Release : 2020-05-28
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9781472971678

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RSPB Spotlight Snakes by Jules Howard Pdf

Snakes are superbly secretive reptiles, celebrated by many for their highly tuned senses and their complex and mysterious seasonal behaviours. Though some people may be fearful of them, these important reptiles play a crucial role in many habitats. And an encounter with any one of our native snake species is an experience worth cherishing. In Spotlight Snakes, Jules Howard takes readers on a journey through the ecology and lifestyle of Britain's three native snake species: the Barred Grass Snake, the Smooth Snake and our only venomous snake species, the Adder. As well as uncovering their unique hunting styles and courtship rituals, he delves into the myths and legends at the heart of humankind's widespread and sometimes troublesome fascination with these animals. He also charts the conservation challenges our native snakes face in the modern age and explores the solutions conservationists are employing to help these extraordinary predators remain a vital part of British ecosystems for generations to come. The Spotlight series introduces readers to the lives and behaviour of our favourite animals with eye-catching colour photographs and informative expert text.

Author : Mike Unwin
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Page : 128 pages
File Size : 53,8 Mb
Release : 2021-03-18
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9781472971753

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RSPB Spotlight Crows by Mike Unwin Pdf

From Ravens to Jackdaws and Choughs to Jays, crows are among some of Britain's most familiar, abundant and opinion-dividing birds. The UK's eight crow species all belong to the Corvidae family, and they have been deeply intertwined in our lives and culture since prehistoric times. Crows have long attracted a bad press. Reviled as scavengers, crop raiders and jewellery thieves, these birds – known to scientists are corvids – have often found themselves on the wrong end of a shotgun. Yet behind crows' supposed misdemeanours lies exceptional intelligence and resourcefulness, which both explain their success and have taught us much about animal behaviour. In Spotlight Crows, Mike Unwin introduces the UK's eight corvid species, outlining their fascinating natural history and offering essential identification tips. He also explores the mythology and folklore that have embedded these remarkable birds so deeply in our culture, from nursery rhymes to horror movies. The Spotlight series introduces readers to the lives and behaviour of our favourite animals with eye-catching colour photography and informative expert text.

Author : Laurie Campbell,Anna Levin
Publisher : Birlinn Limited
Page : 128 pages
File Size : 51,5 Mb
Release : 2014
Category : Nature
ISBN : 1780272065

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Otters by Laurie Campbell,Anna Levin Pdf

This book is a celebration of the return of the otter to our rivers and freshwater wetlands after a drastic decline in the last century. For more than two decades, award-winning photographer Laurie Campbell has documented these lithe, elusive predators on the River Tweed and its tributaries near his Berwickshire home. The resulting photographs create an intimate portrait of their lives through the changing seasons, including their riverside habitat and the other wildlife that shares it. Writer Anna Levin sets this work in the context of Laurie's own life's story as she accompanies him to the riverbank. Her notebooks offer a vivid glimpse of the photographer at work and of the otters that enchant them both. This beautiful book is lavishly illustrated throughout, divided into seasonal chapters and charts Laurie's personal quest to capture these endearing creatures in their natural habitat. It also offers an insight into Laurie's philosophy - to look closer to home, rather than further away to connect with our own natural environment.

Author : Anonim
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 128 pages
File Size : 43,7 Mb
Release : 2021-07-27
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 1913207412

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The Secret Life of the Otter by Anonim Pdf

Otters are among Britain's most popular and endearing wild creatures. Made famous by literary phenomenon Ring of Bright Water, they have taken the place in the hearts of the British people. Previously threatened, their survival is now as assured as that of any wildlife can be. Andy Howard has been photographing them for more than a decade, especially on the Isle of Mull, Shetland, and Vancouver Island in Canada. His stunning photography will amaze and enlighten. His story will be reread many times.

Author : Nancy Jennings
Publisher : Bloomsbury Wildlife
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 52,5 Mb
Release : 2024-01-02
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9781399405041

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RSPB Spotlight Hares by Nancy Jennings Pdf

Spotlight: Hares is packed with eye-catching, informative colour photos, and features succinct and detailed text written by a knowledgeable naturalist. With their wild glare, swift turn of foot and secretive nature, hares are the rabbit's mysterious and untameable cousin. Always a thrilling wildlife spot, hares have also been associated with human culture and folklore for many centuries - their associations with spring can be traced back to the druids. Focussing on the Brown Hare and its relative the Mountain Hare, RSPB Spotlight Hares offers exciting and up-to-date information on these incredible lagomorphs, with chapters covering their biology, evolution, natural history, behaviour, including courtship rituals, and ecology. Information on some of the more charismatic species of hare found elsewhere in the world and on hares' other relatives, the rabbits and pikas, is also provided. Author Nancy Jennings discusses in detail Hares' interactions with humans, in agriculture, habitat management, shooting and hunting, where and how to see hares, as well as in more culinary matters, and reveals why this almost mythical animal of hill and meadow is so sensitive to the changes we make to age-old farming landscapes. The cultural significance of hares is also discussed, including the Easter hare, Lewis Carroll's mad March hare, and hares as shape-changers.

Author : David Chandler
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Page : 130 pages
File Size : 40,8 Mb
Release : 2017-05-23
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9781472933676

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RSPB Spotlight Kingfishers by David Chandler Pdf

RSPB Spotlight Kingfishers is packed with eye-catching, informative color photos and features succinct, detailed text written by a knowledgeable naturalist.

Author : Tim Mackrill
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Page : 130 pages
File Size : 47,5 Mb
Release : 2019-05-16
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9781472956040

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RSPB Spotlight Ospreys by Tim Mackrill Pdf

RSPB Spotlight: Ospreys is packed with eye-catching, informative colour photos, and features succinct, detailed text written by a knowledgeable naturalist. A hunting Osprey is one of the great sights of the natural world, and its fishing prowess is admired and revered around the globe. However, its penchant for taking fish from trout ponds resulted in a drastic decline in the UK with the species wiped out by human persecution and habitat loss. Thanks to concerted conservation efforts, it has made an encouraging comeback in recent decades, giving people across the country the chance to see this majestic hunter in action once again. This easy-to-read text explores all aspects of the Osprey's biology and ecology, including a detailed overview of the adaptations that make it such a skilled and proficient hunter. There is also a chapter dedicated to Osprey migration with a summary of the findings of groundbreaking satellite tracking research. Tim Mackrill also explores the relationship between humans and Ospreys, from the days of Shakespeare to the recent rise of Osprey tourism. The Spotlight series introduces readers to the lives and behaviour of our favourite animals with eye-catching colour photographs and informative expert text.

Author : Rob Atkinson
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 135 pages
File Size : 50,9 Mb
Release : 2013-11-07
Category : Moles (Animals)
ISBN : 187358086X

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Moles by Rob Atkinson Pdf