Download or read book RSPB Spotlight Seals written by Frances Dipper and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2021-03-18 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.

Download or read book RSPB Spotlight Seals written by Frances Dipper and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2021-03-18 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.

Download or read book Spectacular Britain written by Kevin Sene and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2024-01-18 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the Northern Lights to whirling coastal birds, and sunken villages to the annual deer rut, the UK is home to some of the world's finest natural spectacles. With this guide and a little luck, you too can experience the magic of seeing something truly extraordinary. Start planning your spectacular year with the help of this practical guide to the UK's most magical natural phenomena. This guide shows you when and where to go, and how to maximise your chances of a sighting, as well as explaining why these amazing spectacles occur in the first place. Sections cover: - Space: meteor showers, eclipses and supermoons, Northern Lights - Weather: hidden currents, mountain waves, named winds - Tides: tidal bores, tidal races, low tide walks - Land: autumn colours, wildflower displays, rutting deer - Rivers and lakes: salmon runs, sunken villages, waterfall wonders - Coast: wheeling waterbirds, seabird cities, seal pups Each spectacle is graded according to how easy it is to spot, and the author gives expert tips on achieving the best sighting. Scientific insights describe the astronomical, meteorological and ecological causes of events, which are brought to life through the stories of the people who know them best, from the glider pilots who ride mountain waves to the King's Guides who help people navigate the dangerous sands of Morecombe Bay. This is your starting point for some truly phenomenal adventures.

Download or read book RSPB Spotlight Hares written by Nancy Jennings and published by Bloomsbury Wildlife. This book was released on 2024-01-02 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.

Download or read book Elephant Seals written by Bernard J. Le Boeuf and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2021-10-07 with total page 195 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In-depth documentation of the diving, foraging, and migratory behavior of a superlative marine mammal, based on 50 years of study.

Download or read book Roly Poly Round Seals written by and published by Pie International. This book was released on 2021-08-03 with total page 96 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Round like a balloon! Ridiculously cute seals will make you happy! You've never seen animals as round as these seals! The three seals featured in this book, Arare-chan, Yuki-chan, and Moya-kun, live peacefully in Kaiyukan, an aquarium in Osaka, Japan. There, they have charmed visitors, including photographer Chiho Kuwata, with their chubby, round bodies and smiley faces. Kuwata started taking photos of the three seals in 2018. Her photos show the seals swimming leisurely looking relaxed, asking for food with their cute round eyes, sleeping adorably like round balloons, etc. This book showcases a selection of the best shots of Arare-chan, Yuki-chan, and Mayo-kun from Chiho Kuwata's huge photo collection in an appealing small, square format. Full of roly-poly round seal pictures, this charming little book is the perfect gift for your friends, family and loved ones.

Download or read book RSPB Spotlight Snakes written by Jules Howard and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2020-05-28 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.

Download or read book Britain s Sea Mammals written by Jon Dunn and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2014-01-17 with total page 131 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Britain's Sea Mammals is the essential field guide to all the sea mammals--whales, dolphins, porpoises, and seals--found in coastal Britain. The book features more than 100 stunning photographs and close to 40 detailed and beautiful illustrations of 34 species of sea mammals, paying special attention to the 14 species most readily seen and most likely to be encountered. Factoring in behavior and locations, introductory chapters look at sea mammal biology and ecology, and how, when, and where these creatures can be spotted. Species accounts highlight key identification characteristics and include information on status, habitat requirements, and distribution. Handy and informative, Britain's Sea Mammals is the ideal guide to sea mammal watching in the United Kingdom. The only guide that focuses on the 34 species of sea mammal recorded in Britain, particularly the 14 most readily seen species More than 100 photos and almost 40 illustrations highlight species, their behavior, and locations Introductory chapters explore how, when, and where to look for sea mammals Species accounts highlight key identification features, including information on status, habitat requirements, and distribution

Download or read book RSPB Spotlight Bats written by Nancy Jennings and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2018-10-04 with total page 130 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: RSPB Spotlight: Bats is packed with eye-catching, informative colour photographs and features succinct, detailed text written by a knowledgeable naturalist Thanks to their speed, size and nocturnal habitats, bats are among the most interesting, and least understood, mammals that frequent our homes and gardens. From their ability to make sounds that are above the range of human hearing, to their reliance on echolocation to navigate objects and find prey, their unique behaviour means that bats are seldom seen or heard. With nearly 1,400 species worldwide, bats make up around 25 per cent of all mammal species. Spotlight Bats features all 17 species that live and breed in the British Isles, as well as an array of the most fascinating bats from around the world, including some of the more charismatic species such as vampire bats and fishing bats. Nancy Jennings uses up-to-date research to provide insights intothe lives of these elusive mammals, covering the biology, diversity, evolution and ecology of bats, as well as their interactions with humans and folklore. The Spotlight series introduces readers to the lives and behaviours of our favourite animals with eye-catching colour photography and informative expert text.

Download or read book Swimming with Seals written by Victoria Whitworth and published by Apollo. This book was released on 2021-05-13 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A book about intense physical and personal experience, narrating how Victoria Whitworth began swimming in the cold waters of Orkney as a means of escaping a failing marriage. A book about intense physical and personal experience, narrating how Victoria Whitworth began swimming in the cold waters of Orkney as a means of escaping a failing marriage. This is a memoir of intense physical and personal experience, exploring how swimming with seals, gulls and orcas in the cold waters off Orkney provided Victoria Whitworth with an escape from a series of life crises and helped her to deal with intolerable loss. It is also a treasure chest of history and myth, local folklore and archaeological clues, giving us tantalising glimpses of Pictish and Viking men and women, those people lost to history, whose long-hidden secrets are sometimes yielded up by the land and sea.

Download or read book The Marine World written by Frances Dipper and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2021-06-08 with total page 544 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Marine World is a book for everyone with an interest in the ocean, from the marine biologist or student wanting expert knowledge of a particular group to the naturalist or diver exploring the seashore and beyond. With colour illustrations, line drawings, more than 1,500 colour photographs, and with clear accessible text, this book encompasses all those organisms that live in, on and around the ocean, bringing together in a single text everything from the minuscule to the immense. It includes sections on all but the most obscure marine groups, covering invertebrate phyla from sponges to sea squirts, as well as plants, fungi, bacteria, fish, reptiles, mammals and birds. It incorporates information on identification, distribution, structure, biology, ecology, classification and conservation of each group, addressing the questions of ‘what?’, ‘where?’ and ‘how?’. Today global warming, overfishing, ocean acidification and pollution are just a few of the ever increasing number of threats and challenges faced by ocean life. Without knowledge of the animals, plants and other organisms that live in the marine world, we cannot hope to support or implement successful conservation and management measures, nor truly appreciate the incredible wealth and variety of marine life. The Marine World is the product of a lifetime spent by Frances Dipper happily observing and studying marine organisms the world over. It has been brought to colourful life by a myriad of enthusiastic underwater photographers and by Marc Dando, the renowned natural history illustrator.

Download or read book RSPB Spotlight Ducks and Geese written by Marianne Taylor and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2020-05-28 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.

Download or read book RSPB Spotlight Kingfishers written by David Chandler and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2017-05-23 with total page 130 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: RSPB Spotlight Kingfishers is packed with eye-catching, informative color photos and features succinct, detailed text written by a knowledgeable naturalist.

Download or read book Mister Cleghorn s Seal written by Judith Kerr and published by HarperCollins UK. This book was released on 2015-09-10 with total page 96 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An exquisite new story to delight readers young and old, from a much-loved writer and illustrator.

Download or read book The Atlantic Walrus written by Xénia Keighley and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2021-06-18 with total page 358 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Atlantic Walrus: Biological, Historical, and Indigenous Insights into Species-Human Interactions addresses the key dimensions of walrus and human interactions across the North Atlantic and Arctic regions over the past 4,000 years. It establishes a new synthesis of historical ecology and biology, focusing on the effects of climate change on the species' population and the different phases of human impacts. Sections cover genetics and behavior, delving into evolution and purposes, and detail prehistoric, pristine walrus populations affected by Indigenous and Viking hunting and usage. The book emphasizes the importance of molecular advances and biological research and how to conserve remaining populations. This is an ideal resource for marine biologists and conservationists who require the most updated and accurate source of biological and historical information on the species. Paleoecologists will also find this useful for the evolution of the Atlantic walrus and how the species has needed to adapt to the environment and neighboring humans to survive. Edited and written by leading international researchers and experts on the Atlantic walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) Features integrative case studies on the effects of human interaction, including hunting, cultural significance and habitat destruction Details the latest marine mammal research, including drone technology applications for tracking walrus populations Assesses historical management of the species vs. implemented and future efforts for conservation due to human interference and climate change

Download or read book RSPB Spotlight Sparrows written by Amy-Jane Beer and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2019-07-25 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sparrows are often considered familiar to the point of invisibility, but the recent steep decline in numbers of both native British species is a reminder that these unassuming chatterboxes deserve a little more attention. Of all the true sparrow species found worldwide, only two occur in the British Isles. Globally, the story of the House Sparrow is one of dramatic expansion: from humble origins in the Middle East where they spread, along with agriculture, to become the most widely distributed bird on the planet. The smaller, more active Tree Sparrow has also spread extensively, following the domestication of rice rather than wheat, and both species have been heavily persecuted in recent years. In Spotlight Sparrows, Amy-Jane Beer examines the causes behind the decline of these familiar species, and explores their biology and life cycle, social behaviour, and the significant role that sparrows play in human culture, from Shakespeare and Edith Piaf to Captain Jack Sparrow.

Download or read book Otter written by Daniel Allen and published by Reaktion Books. This book was released on 2020-05-11 with total page 186 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.