Archive for the ‘Nature’ Category
by Amy on May 22nd, 2013
Discover South Africa’s shoreline aviary species in The Field Guide to Shorebirds of South Africa from Jacana Media:
This unique new guide will help identify the more common waders (shorebirds) in South Africa and will appeal to both experienced birders as well as novices.
Using classification, characteristics and behaviour, and based on an 8-point identification framework, the reader is guided through the stages of identification of shorebirds. The book also gives visual clues to both plovers and sandpipers through silhouettes and plumage patterns showing their relative size as a key to identification, as well as photos with key species characteristics. Also included are descriptions of habitats, tables showing seasonality, abundance, and distribution.
About the authors
Roy Cowgill has been bird watching for many years throughout southern Africa and in various parts of the world. He has gained wide experience in bird guide training, leading birdwatchers and students into the field on excursions and educational trips over the years. Cowgill is currently a member of BirdLife South Africa Council and president of BirdLife Port Natal. He was educated at Durban Teachers’ Training College and the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, where he completed a Teaching Diploma and a B.Sc Hons in Zoology. He is currently teaching Life Sciences at Durban High School.
Stephen Davis has been a birder since moving to South Africa in 1975 and has birded in most parts of southern Africa and many countries around the world. He has presented numerous birding talks and courses with Cowgill, has previously served on the Bird Life Port Natal Committee and until recently was the Chair of the KwaZulu-Natal Rare Birds Committee. Davis is a chemical engineer by profession, having gained an M.Sc.Eng (Chem) at the University of Natal, Durban, and is currently a Head of Process Engineering research at the Sugar Milling Research Institute in Durban.
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by Amy on May 7th, 2013
Jacana Media and TWK Agriculture Limited invite you to the launch of If Trees Could Talk by Megan Emmett
Emmett will give a presentation and read from the book on Wednesday 8 May at 6 PM for 6:30 PM at the Origins Centre.
See you there!
Event Details
- Date: Wednesday, 08 May 2013
- Time: 6:00 PM for 6:30 PM
- Venue: The Origins Centre
Cnr Yale & Enoch Sontonga
Wits University
Braamfontein | Map
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by Amy on Apr 22nd, 2013
Over almost two decades of working in the bush, Megan Emmett has developed a knack for unravelling the mystery of trees and making the subject come alive in a simple and fun way.
If Trees Could Talk is not a typical tree guide; it unlocks the world of trees by taking the reader on a personalized journey, covering 100 of the most popular and commonly encountered bushveld trees and making learning about trees easy and engaging.
Illustrated by award-winning photographer Shem Compion, If Trees Could Talk is jam-packed with beautiful stylized visuals and extreme close-up shots that show the individual features of each tree for a one-glance reference. This guide shines a new light on trees, bringing them alive and making them accessible to everyone. Understanding something about trees is key to getting the most out of an encounter with the bush and if trees could talk, they’d tell you that themselves.
About the author
Since leaving school, Megan Emmett has worked in the wildlife industry and has had broad exposure to numerous parts of South Africa through her studies and profession. She began her career by completing a B.Tech degree in Nature Conservation and spent time working in the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve and in the North West Parks. Subsequently her resume includes a diversity of fields in wildlife: the wildlife television industry producing documentaries for channels such as National Geographic; a field guide in the private safari industry in the greater Kruger Park area (FGASA level 3); contributing to small research initiatives; nationally accredited field guide’s trainer and assessor. Her passion is academia and writing. Emmett enjoys the editorial interpretation of her experiences, contributing regularly to magazines such as Africa Geographic. She has also written two wildlife books.
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by Amy on Apr 4th, 2013
If you like the idea of growing and cook your own food, but have little expertise, fairly limited space and very little time, then this is the book to turn to. In The Grower’s Cookbook authors Dennis Greville and Jill Brewis combine their gardening and culinary talents to provide you with a wealth of information and inspiration.
Many vegetables offer a vibrant beauty that few other plants are able to match. Their unique colours, textures, fragrances, flavours and forms are always exciting – they are glamorous in the garden, and tasty and rewarding in the kitchen. Whether large or small, your own edible garden can be a place of comfort and fulfillment.
About the authors
Dennis Greville is a leading gardening writer and photographer with a lifelong passion for gardening. He is the author of several best-selling books.
Jill Brewis is an experienced food writer and editor, well known for her enthusiasm for good food and cooking. She was a judge for the World Food Media Awards.
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by Amy on Dec 18th, 2012
Jacana has shared a preview of Between the Tides: In Search of Sea Turtles by George Hughes, a book in which he describes his experiences with these marvellous creatures and his efforts to save them from extinction.
The preview includes a contents page, maps, a preface by Allan Heydorn, Chapter 1 and a number of photos that illustrate the story of the sea turtle.
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by Amy on Dec 3rd, 2012
Jacana Media, Fogarty’s Bookshop and the Ron Belling Art Gallery are pleased to invite you to the launch of Between the Tides: In Search of Sea Turtles by George Hughes.
The launch will take place on 6 December at the Ron Belling Art Gallery in Port Elizabeth and it starts at 6:00 PM for 6:30 PM.
See you there!
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by Amy on Nov 29th, 2012
Much can be learned about the condition of the planet’s environment by looking at sea turtles. They have existed for over 100 million years, and they travel throughout the world’s oceans. Suddenly, however, they are struggling to survive – largely because of things people are doing to the planet’s oceans and beaches.
But what does this mean for the human species? It is possible that a world in which sea turtles cannot survive may soon become a world in which humans struggle to survive. If, however, we learn from our mistakes and begin changing our behaviour, there is still time to save sea turtles from extinction. In the process, we will be saving one of the earth’s most mysterious and time-honoured creatures. We might just be saving ourselves too.
South Africa has played an active role in this, protecting its own sea-turtle populations and researching turtle populations in neighbouring countries. An early pioneer in conservation techniques, South Africa has assisted many countries and researchers, and the sea turtles of south-east Africa are now extensively protected, with positive signs of recovery.
Between the Tides tells this remarkable story, as seen through the eyes of the author, whose interest in sea-turtle research has taken him all over the world and involved him in exciting expeditions, scientific controversy, political unrest, the companionship of wonderful people, both scientific and conservationist, and survival by sheer luck. His lasting reward has been his association with beautiful beaches and the wonderful family of sea turtles.
About the author
George Hughes finished a BSc (Hons) in Zoology in 1968 and pursued a higher degree in Zoology by studying sea turtles throughout the south-western Indian Ocean. Between the Tides is essentially the story of his eccentric experiences and the results of his original research, expanded and brought up to date following a life-long association with these fascinating and endearing reptiles.
George was CEO of the Natal Parks Board and then Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, and is the recipient of numerous awards including a lifetime achievement award from the International Sea Turtle Society. He has led many official South African delegations to conservation conferences with objectives as diverse as sustainable use, CITES and conservation economics issues. Having retired after 42 years in conservation work, he continues to be involved in sea-turtle conservation. He enjoys writing (297 publications) and lecturing and spent four years as chairman of a national radio programme Talking of Nature.
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by Amy on Sep 18th, 2012
Clive Walker, co-author of The Rhino Keepers: Struggle for Survival, has been awarded the Enviropaedia Lifetime Eco-Logic Achievement Award in this year’s Eco-Logic Awards.
Walker founded the Endangered Wildlife Trust in 1973, acted as chairman for the Wilderness Trust of Southern Africa in 1985, served as a member of the South African National Parks Board from 2000 to 2006, and is a renowned conservationist:
Press release:
Clive Walker is being awarded a Enviropaedia Lifetime Eco-Logic Achievement Award in association with SABC 3.
The Eco-Logic Awards have been created to enable and assist the consumer to participate in looking after our Planet through the conscious use of their consumer spending power. Every product or service purchased by a consumer has an environmental impact! They encourage and enable the consumer to look for and purchase products and services that have been produced with most care for and least damage to the Earth and its eco-systems. These Awards, initiated by the Enviropaedia and judged by a panel of highly respected, environmentally aware individuals, will investigate a range of products, services and organisations with a view to recognising and rewarding those that have been produced in an eco-logical manner.
Ends
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by Amy on Aug 27th, 2012
Ed Stoddard of Reuters interviewed conservationist Clive Walker, author of The Rhino Keepers, about legalising the rhino horn trade in a bid to stop poaching.
Q: What prompted you to write the book and take the approach you took?
A: “I wanted to approach the subject with an open, neutral mind because the issue is very sensitive, very controversial.”
Q: The crisis is escalating. Do you think rhinos could go extinct in our lifetime?
A: “The species almost went extinct and we were able to bring it back. If rhinos continue to decline at the rate that they are now it would be difficult to say at what point extinction could take place. There are still at least 21,000 white rhino and at least 4,800 black rhino.
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by Amy on Aug 23rd, 2012
The John Voelcker Bird Book Fund (JVBBF) is proud to publish Roberts Geographic Variation of Southern African Birds, an illustrated version of aspects dealt with under the subject of Geographic Variation in the large handbook tome Roberts Birds of Southern Africa 7th ed Worldwide, this is the first field guide to attempt to comprehensively illustrate the varied plumages that are exhibited by the region’s birds.
Although sometimes a camouflage and defence mechanism against predation, many other factors contribute to plumage variation and it is hoped that this guide will stimulate the reader’s interest in this complex subject so that we can further our knowledge on various subspecies, a concept that was brought to the fore a little over 100 years ago. The colour maps (courtesy of Guy Upfold), are a guide to the distribution of the subspecies; included too are the meaning of scientific names (Etymology). This information, together with 105 annotated plates illustrated by the exceptional talent of Ingrid Weiersbye, makes this guide essential for both beginner and expert birders.
About the authors
Hugh Chittenden has over 50 years’ birding experience in the region. His ornithological interests have taken him to many remote places on the African continent and elsewhere in the world. Chittenden received an honorary Doctorate for contributions to Ornithology in 2012, has a passion for bird photography and is author of numerous bird guides in the southern African region. He is Chairman of the John Voelcker Bird Book Fund.
David Allan is Curator of Ornithology at the Durban Natural Science Museum. Prior to this he was based at the University of Cape Town, initially at the FitzPatrick Institute studying cranes and bustards, and subsequently at the Avian Demography Unit, working on the Southern African Bird Atlas Project. Allan started his career with the Transvaal Division of Nature Conservation, studying raptors, grassland birds and waterbirds. He was an editor of the Atlas of Southern African Birds and has authored books on birds of prey and many scientific and popular articles.
Ingrid Weiersbye grew up in Zimbabwe, a country where the natural beauty shaped her deep interest in and love for all aspects of nature. Weiersbye has painted professionally and exhibited extensively for 38 years, working in acrylic and oils from her studio in Hilton, KZN. She travels widely, particularly in the rest of Africa to acquaint herself and photograph subject matter. Weiersbye is a Trustee of the JVBBF, for which she has illustrated for the past 12 years.
Book details
- Roberts Geographic Variation of Southern African Birds Annual 2: A Guide to the Plumage Variation of 613 Bird Races in Southern Africa by Hugh Chittenden and David Allan, illustrated by Ingrid Weiersbye
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EAN: 9781920602000
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