Non Fiction > Natural History

"Frozen Planet" is the exciting successor to the ground-breaking "Planet Earth" and "Blue Planet" series, and has been created by the same award-winning team. Most of us will never travel to these great wildernesses and, even for those lucky enough to have gone, this portrait of our polar regions will surprise and astound. Take a journey to the last truly great wilderness regions. From the Great Melt in Spring to the 24-hour summer, the beginning of the Big Freeze and long dark winter, this epic series will follow the dramatic land... read more

In this narrative of the Earth's long and dramatic history, Jan Zalasiewicz shows how many events in the Earth's ancient past can be deciphered from a single pebble. He explores how geologists reach deep into the past by forensic analysis of even the tiniest amounts of mineral matter, demonstrating and revealing Earth's extraordinary story.

On their journey westward, Lewis and Clark demonstrated an amazing ability to identify the new plants and animals they encountered, and their observations enriched science's understanding of the trans-Mississippi West. Now biologist David Dalton reexamines some of those discoveries in the light of modern science to show their lasting biological significance. Throughout the book he expertly balances botanical and zoological information, introducing the tools and techniques of today's science in a way that won't intimidate nonspecial... read more

This is a monumental and extraordinarily beautiful guide to the Earth's natural wonders. 5 years in the making, covering over 5,000 species, "The Natural History Book" is one-of-a-kind; the only book to offer a complete survey of the Earth's natural history. Each geological and biological grouping is introduced and explained in an engaging and highly informative way, making it the perfect addition to every family bookshelf, as well as an ideal gift for every nature lover. It is packed with thousands of stunning, specially commissio... read more

From avalanches to glaciers and seals to snowflakes, from igloos to icebergs, permafrost to hoarfrost, chilblains to frostbite, Bill Streever unearths the consistent, ongoing influence of cold on the planet. Evoking history, myth, geography and ecology, Streever's quest for icy, forty-below cold gains purchase in July, while he's taking a dip in an Arctic swimming hole; in September, while excavating our planet's ice ages; and in October, while exploring animals' hibernation habits, from humans to wood frogs to bears. In March he e... read more

Since it was first published in 1984, Simpson and Day's Field Guide to the Birds of Australia has been one of the most respected bird guides in the country. The guide contains 132 superb full-colour plates showing all Australian bird species; key points of identification using the latest classification system; distribution maps for all species; over 900 black-and-white line illustrations; breeding information; a vagrant bird bulletin; a core library list; and easy-to-use indexes. This edition has been revised and updated, including... read more

Bark is the culmination of ten years of photography dedicated to finding the most beautiful examples of tree bark around the globe.

Fishes that walk, fishes that breathe air, fishes that look like and are monsters from the deep. These and many more strange creatures swim through The Rise of Fishes John A. Longs richly illustrated tour of the past 500 million years. Long has updated his classic work with illustrations of recent fossil discoveries and new interpretations based on genetic analyses. The Rise of Fishes combines scientific expertise with entertaining stories about Longs own excursions, which span the oceans and continents. The book includes photograp... read more

In this gorgeously illustrated book, Anita Albus recounts the sad histories of several extinct bird species, including the passenger pigeon, the Carolina parakeet, and the great auk. She gives a detailed account of six rare birds: the hermit ibis, the elusive corncrake, the Eurasian nightjar, the barn owl, the northern hawk owl and the kingfisher.

Voyages of Discovery is a mesmerising visual record of ten of the most significant natural history expeditions. Superb artworks and photographs spanning three centuries document advances and watersheds in the field of natural science. The stories behind these images - of explorers, naturalists, artists and photographers - entwine into a fascinating study of human achievement and natural wonder. Among the many stories of adventure and great scientific endeavour are James Cook's perilous Pacific crossings and Darwin's historic voyage... read more

The natural wonders of the world are brought to life in this colourful, informative book, with easy to make practical projects. Children will discover what our planet consists of, how it was made and how it works. Ages 8+.

Photographer Markus Mauthe captures the diversity and beauty of the jungle habitat in his unusually beautiful photographs. For five years he has travelled through all the major primeval forests of the world to regions never seen by man. His journey led from the Amazon to Patagonia, and even to Siberia. He documents the beauty of the jungles and the ongoing destruction of these green paradises. Essays by renowned environmentalists as the biologist Thomas Henningsen make this a unique volume.

Confucius called them the "king of fragrant plants," and John Ruskin condemned them as "prurient apparitions." Across the centuries, orchids have captivated us with their elaborate exoticism, their powerful perfumes, and their sublime seductiveness. But the disquieting beauty of orchids is an unplanned marvel of evolution, and the story of orchids is as captivating as any novel. As acclaimed writer Michael Pollan and National Geographic photographer Christian Ziegler spin tales of orchid conquest in "Deceptive Beauties: The World o... read more

Horseshoe crabs are far from the only contemporary manifestation of Earth's distant past. This book leads readers on a journey through those lingering traces of a lost world. It begins by defining the concept of a relic - a creature or habitat that, while acted upon by evolution, remains similar to its earliest manifestations in the fossil record.

Life on Lawrence Anthony's game reserve, Thula Thula, is rarely dull, what with spitting cobras endangering his rangers and the unpredictable behaviour of his herd of elephants. But at least his orphaned rhino Heidi is calm around people and a favourite of staff and guests alike. Until she is brutally slaughtered for her horn. Furious and heartsick, Lawrence heads off to track down the poachers, but also embarks on a bid to save the Congo's last few northern white rhino from extinction. Diplomatic efforts are failing, so he ... read more

In the Western world we are more comfortable than ever before. So why aren't we happier or healthier? Spencer Wells uses the latest research to show the answer lies in our hunter-gatherer roots. Settling 10,000 years ago may have led to modern civilization, but it also opened a Pandora's box: everything from our sweet tooth to stress, environmental problems and terrorism can be usefully traced back to the mismatch between genes and lifestyle. On a globe-trotting journey, Wells illustrates how we can learn from our ancestors how to ... read more

"We tend to take birds for granted, in the landscape or in our neighbourhoods. The presence of birds communicates the health of a place. When they're gone, it's as though there's a hole in the sky, in the air, an absence of beauty and grace, and vivid chatter or haunting cries are replaced with eerie silence." As an amateur naturalist and nature lover, Janine Burke, art historian and author, has spent many years observing birds. Nest: The Art of Birds is the story of her passion, a personal, wide-ranging and intimate book - part na... read more

With one-third of known species being threatened with extinction, wildlife conservationists are some of the most important heroes on the planet, and Wildlife Heroes profiles the work of 40 of the leading conservationists and the animals and causes they are committed to saving, such as Belinda Low (zebras), Iain Douglas-Hamilton (elephants), Karen Eckert (sea turtles), S.T. Wong (sun bear), Steve Galster (wildlife trade), and Wangari Maathai (habitat loss). Since we all should have an interest in conservation, there is a chapter pro... read more