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Covers tortoises worldwide in evolution, myth and reality, ranging across palaeontology, natural history, veterinary medicine, folklore, myth, art forms, literature, and trade regulations.

(Paperback)

In Vulture, Thom van Dooren counters the common association of the vulture with death and putrefaction, offering a concise and enlightening new history of this previously much-misunderstood bird.

(Paperback)

An enlightening and entertaining guide to the natural and cultural history of the wasp.

(Paperback)

Whales are the largest animals ever to have lived on the earth; a large Blue Whale's tongue alone can weigh more than an elephant. This title recounts the evolutionary and ecological background, as well as the cultural history, of these extraordinary mammals, long persecuted and now celebrated throughout the world.

(Paperback)

Highly regarded woodpecker expert Gerard Gorman presents a unique natural, social and cultural history of woodpeckers.

(Paperback)

An insight into the mysterious world of the remarkable, but often underrated worm.

(Paperback)

Ants are legion: at present there are 11,006 species of ant known; they live everywhere in the world except the polar icecaps; and, the combined weight of the ant population has been estimated to make up half the mass of all insects alive today. This title elucidates the cultural reasons behind our varied reactions to these extraordinary insects.

(Paperback)

Few animals are as closely associated with humans as bears. Tracing the evolution of the bear family, the author discusses extinct types, such as the cave bear and the giant short-faced bear, as well as describing the eight species that exist. It explores the bear-human relationship and how human perceptions of bears have changed over time.

(Paperback)

Thoroughly illustrated, bursting with historical detail and accessibly written, this cultural and natural history of the beetle is sure to change the way readers think about their relationship with these ancient, enduringly captivating animals.

(Paperback)

A new title by best-selling author, zoologist, and former television presenter Desmond Morris, Bison is a natural and cultural history of the bison, an iconic animal of the Great Plains of America.

(Paperback)

A vivid portrait of the formidable-looking yet sociable and intelligent crab.

(Paperback)

Flamingo presents the natural and cultural history of the bird in an accessible way, including its behaviors, habitats and rich symbolism. It describes how the bird gets its distinctive pink colour, and why it has become such an iconic animal throughout the world.

(Paperback)

Foxes live throughout the world in widely different habitats from forest to desert to the Arctic. What is surprising, though, is that scientists admit that very little is actually known about the lives and habits of foxes. This book states that the reason for this, is that foxes are almost universally despised as being wicked.

(Paperback)

Giraffe is a comprehensive, twenty-first-century view of the giraffe in human and natural history that contains new insights into the giraffe's genetics, evolution and unique biology and also looks at the giraffe in art, literature, film and popular culture.

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Tracking the hare from ancient Egypt, where a hieroglyph of the animal signified existence itself, to the serial hare works of artist Joseph Beuys, this book finds its subject in many surprising places and forms: from Crucifixion scenes, Buddhist lore and Algonquin creation myths, to witch trials, treatises on logic, and contemporary poetry.

(Paperback)

This is a natural and cultural history of the hippopotamus, the well-loved, cumbersome, rotund mammal famous for lounging around semi-submerged in muddy pools.

(Paperback)

From Pegasus to Black Beauty, horses have held a unique place in human society and imagination. This book chronicles the rich and complex natural history of the animal, from wild feral horses to the domesticated species that once played a central role in daily life as a means of transportation, an instrument of war, and a source of labour.

(Paperback)

Filled with beguiling images throughout, Lizard is a unique and sometimes surprising introduction to this popular but little-understood reptile. Boria Sax describes the diversity of lizard species and traces the representation of this reptile in cultures worldwide.

(Paperback)

The moose is a fascinating but elusive animal of the north. This book focuses on its little-known natural history. It explains the animal's behaviour, evolution and diet, and describes its natural environments around the world, including in the USA, Canada and Scandinavia, where the moose is the national animal of Sweden and of Norway.

(Paperback)

From the Linux logo to The March of the Penguins, a certain tuxedo-wearing member of the animal kingdom has long captured our hearts and imaginations. Stephen Martin regales us here with the cultural and natural history of the penguin, revealing many fascinating and little-known facts about this beloved bird.

(Paperback)

Our frequent urban companion, cooing in the eaves of train stations or scavenging underfoot for breadcrumbs and discarded scraps, the pigeon has many detractors and even some fans. This title explores pigeon's cultural significance, comparing it to the dove.

(Paperback)

The natural and cultural history of an opportunistic omnivore, the raccoon.

(Paperback)

In Rat, Jonathan Burt traces the history of the human relationship with rats, from the first archaeological finds to the genetically engineered rats of the present day, describing its role in the arts and sciences, religion and myth, psychoanalysis and medicine.

(Paperback)

For most of us, snails do not elicit feelings of warmth or affection. Apart from our repugnance at its appearance, our relationship with the snail has been influenced by the harm it has inflicted over the years on our garden seedlings. The author intends to change our perspectives on this little but much maligned creature.