Signs Of The Wild

Signs of the Wild is a successful field guide to identification of Southern African animals based on spoor, droppings and other signs.

Tristan Gooley ... shows how it is possible to achieve a level of outdoors awareness that will enable you to sense direction from stars and plants, forecast weather from woodland sounds and predict the next action of an animal from its body language - instantly. Although once common, this now rare awareness would be labelled by many as a 'sixth sense'. We have become so distanced from this way of experiencing our environment that it may initially seem hard to believe that it is possible, but Tristan Gooley uses a collection of 'keys' to show how everyone can develop this ability and enjoy the outdoors in an exciting way - one that is both new and ancient.

An indispensable color-illustrated field guide to the tracks and signs of Europe's animals and birds This beautifully illustrated field guide enables you to easily identify the tracks and signs left by a wide variety of mammal and bird species found in Britain and Europe, covering behaviors ranging from hunting, foraging, and feeding to courtship, breeding, and nesting. Introductory chapters offer detailed drawings of footprints and tracks of large and small mammals, which are followed by sections on mammal scat, bird droppings, and the feeding signs of animals on food sources such as nuts, cones, and rose hips. The book then describes specific mammal species, providing information on size, distribution, behavior, habitat, and similar species, as well as more specific detail on tracks and scat. Distribution maps are also included. This indispensable field guide covers 175 species of mammals and birds, and features a wealth of stunning color photos and artwork throughout. Helps you easily identify the tracks and signs of a variety of mammals and birds Covers 175 species Illustrated throughout with photos, drawings, and artwork Includes informative descriptions of mammal species along with distribution maps

Tracking is a much-loved yet difficult subject that attracts at least some of the attention of almost every bush-goer who ventures into the wild places of southern Africa. The ability to accurately read difficult, partial, or little-seen signs left in the soil or sand is rare and largely the domain of professionals. However, by making use of this comprehensive guide, anyone who applies him- or herself can begin to decipher these natural hieroglyphs etched on the ground. In this volume, highly accurate sketches of animal tracks are combined with a wide selection of extremely varied photographs that provide an all-round impression of the signs the animals may leave behind. This field guide to mammal tracks and signs also serves as an ID guide to the mammals of southern Africa as full color photographs of each animal are included.

From the New York Times-bestselling author of The Secret World of Weather and The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs, learn to tap into nature and notice the hidden clues all around you Before GPS, before the compass, and even before cartography, humankind was navigating. Now this singular guide helps us rediscover what our ancestors long understood—that a windswept tree, the depth of a puddle, or a trill of birdsong can help us find our way, if we know what to look and listen for. Adventurer and navigation expert Tristan Gooley unlocks the directional clues hidden in the sun, moon, stars, clouds, weather patterns, lengthening shadows, changing tides, plant growth, and the habits of wildlife. Rich with navigational anecdotes collected across ages, continents, and cultures, The Natural Navigator will help keep you on course and open your eyes to the wonders, large and small, of the natural world.

'A paean to the beauty and majesty of nature, especially the nature we overlook in our back gardens and local parks... And like all the best books, it makes the world around you a lot more interesting' - Spectator 'Beautifully written... I promise you will feel more in tune with the world around after reading only one chapter of Wild Signs and Star Paths, let alone the book in its entirety' - Royal Institute of Navigation 'A beautifully written almanac of tricks and tips that we've lost along the way' - Observer Tristan Gooley, author of the internationally bestselling How To Read Water and The Walker's Guide to Outdoor Clues & Signs, shows how it is possible to achieve a level of outdoors awareness that will enable you to sense direction from stars and plants, forecast weather from woodland sounds and predict the next action of an animal from its body language - instantly. Although once common, this now rare awareness would be labelled by many as a 'sixth sense'. We have become so distanced from this way of experiencing our environment that it may initially seem hard to believe that it is possible, but Tristan Gooley uses a collection of 'keys' to show how everyone can develop this ability and enjoy the outdoors in an exciting way - one that is both new and ancient.