Customer Reviews
Ranger in your pocket! - By: , 07 Sep 2003 
If you think that going on safari should consist of more than lazily ticking off a lion, a hippo & a zebra before heading for the barbeque, this is the book for you. It takes you deep into the bush & opens your eyesin the way that a rangerin the field might do, from explaining the breeding habits of turtles to advising what to do if charged by a lion. The writing is infused with enthusiasm, & has a lightness of touch that keeps you reading - it's therefore ideal for whetting your appetite before you go, keeping you company while you're there, & offering a nostalgic reminder when you get back.
The book is widein scope, covering mammals, birds, invertebrates, reptiles & amphibians as well as habitats, tracks & how to go about a safari. But astonishingly for a book you can slip into your pocket, it offers much more than a brief overview. Unless you are a specialist, this is all you would really need to appreciate everything you see (other than a field guide to birds, which you would need for identification purposes). Both the photography & illustrations are superb. I'm off to South Africain a few weeks, & my copy is already dog-eared.
The business! - By: , 26 Aug 2003 Southern Africa has to be one of the best wildlife-watching destinations on earth, with far more to see & enjoy than can be packed into the average two-week itinerary. This new wildlife-watching guide will help visitors make the most of this animal extravaganza. Mike Unwin, who obviously loves the area & its animals, takes us on a lively, quirky tour of the wildlife, highlighting the 'greatest hits' but not neglecting the less well-known but no less fascinating species & groups. The book also has plenty of travel advice & information on animal tracks & signs. It's illustrated with a wealth of beautiful colour photos, & many of the author's own superb line drawings. It's wonderfully inspiring - I can't wait to road-test itin the field.
