The First Safari
The First Safari

Author: Ian Glenn

Publisher:

Published: 2018

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781431427338

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The First Safari tells how, for a quarter of a century, Ian Glenn searched for Francois Levaillant's notebooks and the fate of his collection and tried to solve puzzles and mysteries of Levaillant's life and times. Levaillant was the first and greatest South African birder, noted ornithologist, explorer, naturalist, zoological collector and anthropologist of the Cape. He collected thousands of specimens of birds and subsequently published the six-volume Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux d'Afrique between 1799 and 1808. His contribution to ornithology in Africa was immeasurable, and some of his specimens still exist in museums in Europe. Through his travels, he also shaped a range of media genres: the hunting narrative; the safari; the anthropological field record; the illustrated and mapped first-person account of travel we associate with National Geographic stories; the colonial adventure story with a well-armed hero; the erotic exotic; the investigative report on colonial brutality.

Beachcombing in South Africa
Beachcombing in South Africa

Author: Rudy van der Elst

Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa

Published: 2019-02-01

Total Pages: 371

ISBN-13: 1775845729

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Anyone who spends time beside the sea knows there’s a wealth of ‘treasure’ to be found, be it natural or manufactured, living or washed up. Beachcombing in South Africa is a friendly guide to the seashore’s rich pickings. Short chapters such as Floaters and drifters, Sea-beans, Sponges, Eggs and egg cases, and many more, detail what can be found and how to interpret or identify specimens. Items may reveal links to activities or biological events in the nearby ocean – or, perhaps, thousands of miles away. They may relate to human activities, such as fish or bird tagging, or be oceanographic instruments separated from their moorings. Or they may be part of the growing menace of flotsam and jetsam from the planet’s burgeoning human population. This book will enhance the experience of beachcombing, satisfy curiosity about finds, and contribute to a better understanding of the life in our oceans and along our shores. Aimed at a wide audience of beach strollers, dog walkers, anglers, bird watchers and families who share a fascination with the seashore and its treasures. Sales points: Lively, friendly guide to recreational beach trawling; covers many different kinds of ‘treasure’, be they natural or manufactured, living or washed up; brightly illustrated with multiple photos; will appeal to committed enthusiasts and casual beach strollers alike.

The Zoological Exploration of Southern Africa 1650-1790
The Zoological Exploration of Southern Africa 1650-1790

Author: L. C. Rookmaaker

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 1989-06-01

Total Pages: 406

ISBN-13: 9061918677

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The 18th century witnessed a new interest in African animals. Research was undertaken at the Cape of Good Hope by explorers whose books, manuscripts and drawings concerning mammals and birds are listed and discussed within this text.;This text gives details on four collections of 300 mammal and bird drawings connected with Levaillant's research. Many examples are illustrated. The zoological contents of the material left by these seven explorers are analyzed for all mammals and birds emphasizing the history, taxonomy, nomenclature and zoogeography.

Biodiversity of Angola
Biodiversity of Angola

Author: Brian J. Huntley

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2019-02-20

Total Pages: 552

ISBN-13: 3030030830

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This open access multi-authored book presents a 'state of the science' synthesis of knowledge on the biodiversity of Angola, based on sources in peer-reviewed journals, in books and where appropriate, unpublished official reports. The book identifies Angola as one of the most biologically diverse countries in Africa, but notes that its fauna, flora, habitats and the processes that drive the dynamics of its ecosystems are still very poorly researched and documented. This 'state of the science' synthesis is for the use of all students of Angola's biodiversity, and for those responsible for the planning, development and sustainable management of the country's living resources. The volume brings together the results of expeditions and research undertaken in Angola since the late eighteenth century, with emphasis on work conducted in the four decades since Angola's independence in 1975. The individual chapters have been written by leaders in their fields, and reviewed by peers familiar with the region.

UNESCO General History of Africa, Vol. I, Abridged Edition
UNESCO General History of Africa, Vol. I, Abridged Edition

Author: Jacqueline Ki-Zerbo

Publisher: Univ of California Press

Published: 1990

Total Pages: 372

ISBN-13: 9780520066960

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"This volume covers the period from the end of the Neolithic era to the beginning of the seventh century of our era. This lengthy period includes the civilization of Ancient Egypt, the history of Nubia, Ethiopia, North Africa and the Sahara, as well as of the other regions of the continent and its islands."--Publisher's description

Plumes from Paradise
Plumes from Paradise

Author: Pamela Swadling

Publisher: Sydney University Press

Published: 2019

Total Pages: 367

ISBN-13: 1743325460

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The natural resources of New Guinea and nearby islands have attracted outsiders for at least 5000 years: spices, aromatic woods and barks, resins, plumes, sea slugs, shells and pearls all brought traders from distant markets. Among the most sought-after was the bird of paradise. Their magnificent plumes bedecked the hats of fashion-conscious women in Europe and America, provided regalia for the Kings of Nepal, and decorated the headdresses of Janissaries of the Ottoman Empire. Plumes from Paradise tells the story of this interaction, and of the economic, political, social and cultural consequence for the island's inhabitants. It traces 400 years of economic and political history, culminating in the 'plume boom' of the early part of the 20th century, when an unprecedented number of outsiders flocked to the island's coasts and hinterlands. The story teems with the variety of people involved: New Guineans, Indonesians, Chinese, Europeans, hunters, traders, natural historians and their collectors, officials, missionaries, planters, miners, adventurers of every kind. In the wings were the conservationists, whose efforts brought the slaughter of the plume boom to an end and ushered in an era of comparative isolation for the island that lasted until World War II.

Knowledge and Colonialism
Knowledge and Colonialism

Author: Siegfried Huigen

Publisher: BRILL

Published: 2009-07-15

Total Pages: 326

ISBN-13: 9047430875

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The establishment of a settlement at the Cape of Good Hope in the seventeenth century and an expansion of the sphere of colonial influence in the eighteenth century made South Africa the only part of sub-Saharan Africa where Europeans could travel with relative ease deep into the interior. As a result individuals with scientific interests in Africa came to the Cape. This book examines writings and drawings of scientifically educated travellers, particularly in the field of ethnography, against the background of commercial and administrative discourses on the Cape. It is argued that the scientific travellers benefited more from their relationship with the colonial order than the other way around.