Set in the African bush: a tracker seeks one lion, thanks to lessons that can teach us all how to live--Provided by publisher.

THE HABITAT Nairobi National Park lies to the south-southeast of the capital of Kenya, Nairobi, where the Athi Plains meet the Eastern escarpment of the Rift Valley. These plains form part of the semi-arid highland plateau lying between the coast and the Rift Valley. Both the city itself, and the Park bordering it, are a meeting place of two generally distinct types of landscape and climate. While to the east-southeast are semi-arid plains with grasslands and scattered trees, the western-north western parts are higher, hilly, cooler, more humid and support lush forests. The combination of latitude-a little over one degree south of the Equator -and altitude-average of 1600 m. (5000-5500 ft.) -combine to give Nairobi a most equable climate where the temperature varies during the year between about 11 degrees and 27 degrees centigrade (mean minimum and mean maximum for eight years). However, considerable changes are usually experienced within each day and a rise from 14 degrees C at 0600 hours to 22 degrees at 1100 hours is not unusual. Nairobi Park has a unique concentration of wild animals living in their natural habitat less than 10 km. from the centre of a modern city of half a million people. The only interference with the natural course of events in the Park is that normally required for the proper management of a game park, such as maintenance of roads and dams, and, in this particular case, partial fencing towards the city.

“Until the lion has its own storyteller, tales of the lion hunt will always glorify the hunter.” —Zimbabwean proverb In 2015, an American hunter named Walter Palmer shot and killed a lion named Cecil. The lion was one of dozens slain each year in Zimbabwe, which legally licenses the hunting of big cats. But Cecil’s death sparked unprecedented global outrage, igniting thousands of media reports about the peculiar circumstances surrounding this hunt. At the center of the controversy was Dr. Andrew Loveridge, the zoologist who had studied Cecil for eight years. In Lion Hearted, Loveridge pieces together, for the first time, the fascinating life and murky details of this beloved lion’s slaying. In the tradition of Born Free and Gorillas in the Mist, Lion Hearted chronicles Loveridge’s long acquaintance with a host of charismatic lions that his team has tracked, often from birth to death. Born and raised in Zimbabwe, Loveridge learned to love predators at the knee of his father, an eminent herpetologist who stored baby crocodiles in the family bathtub. After earning his doctorate at Oxford, he seized an invitation to study the lions of Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park. There he meets Stumpy Tail, who, despite her name, has the dignity of the Queen of the Animal Kingdom; Dynamite, a venerable coalition leader who, muscled out by younger males, sets off on an incredible thirty-seven-day, 137-mile journey to find a new home; and Kataza, who escapes another lion’s claws, and whom Loveridge twice saves from death at the hands of humans. And, of course, there is Cecil. Dethroned in an epic battle, he forms an alliance with a former rival. He also becomes a favorite of photographers and tourists—until the fateful night when a Minnesota dentist and his hunting guide entice the trusting cat with a free meal. Loveridge unravels the complexities of lion society and the dangers the cats face both within their ranks and from the outside world. Despite their ruthless reputation, lions can form deep emotional bonds—females live in prides, a sisterhood of mothers, daughters, sisters, and aunts that can exhibit military precision when hunting in formation; males band together in coalitions to vie for control of territory and the female prides. They also display a wide range of emotional behavior, including mourning the loss of their mates, partners, and cubs. Africa’s lion population is estimated to have shrunk by 43 percent in the last twenty years. There may now be as few as 20,000 wild lions across the entire continent—far fewer than the number of elephants. While deploring the killing of lions for sport, Loveridge does not believe that banning trophy hunting, by itself, will halt the decline of Africa’s lion populations. He sees greater threats in human population growth, the loss of habitat to agriculture, and the illegal trade in lion body parts for use in traditional medicines. And he offers concrete proposals for averting the lion’s extinction. More than a gripping detective story, Lion Hearted is an exploration of humanity’s relationship with the natural world and an attempt to keep this majestic species from disappearing. “Lions are one of the most beloved animals on the planet,” Loveridge observes. “They are the national symbol of no fewer than fifteen countries. . . . Surely, we can think of a better way to save the wild animals we love besides killing them.”

An English professor at North Carolina State University, the author spent a sabbatical as a hands-on volunteer, working with lions, leopards, and other wild creatures at Harnas Wildlife Foundation in Namibia. This title is based on her incredible experiences there.

From the New York Times bestselling author/illustrator of Max the Brave comes an inspiring and adorable picture book about a pair of unlikely friends who face down a pack of bullies. In this timely and charming story about the importance of being true to yourself, mindfulness, and standing by your friends, we meet Leonard, a lion, and his best friend Marianne, a . . . duck. Leonard and Marianne have a happy life together—talking, playing, writing poems, and making wishes, But one day, a pack of bullies questions whether it's right for a lion and a duck to be pals. Leonard soon learns there are many ways to be a lion, and many ways to be a friend, and that sometimes finding just the right words can change the world . . . This sweet, funny, thoughtful, and much-needed story will open up readers' eyes to the importance of being who they are and not backing down to hurtful criticism. It's an empowering tale about connecting with others and choosing kindness over bullying, and shows children how angry and provocative words can be overcome by empathy and inner courage.

Keep wildlife in the wild! Support the Born Free charity and join Virginia McKenna and her team behind the scenes of a real life leopard rescue. Every year Born Free helps hundreds of animals around the world. This is the true story of one of their incredible rescues . . . Meet brave Leda, a dedicated mother leopard, and her shy twin daughters, Rhea and Roxanni. These are the Limassol leopards, a family who grew up behind bars in a cramped city zoo in Cyprus, far from their natural homeland. This is the inspiring true story of their rescue, a journey that led these remarkable creatures from hardship to hope, and to the eventual sanctuary of Born Free's South African wildlife reserve. Filled throughout with full-colour photographs and fascinating facts about how leopards live in the wild, this is an ideal book for young animal lovers.

Vivid photographs and beautiful illustrations follow the life of the lion from playful cub to fierce adult. Kids will enjoy reading about lions in Asia and Africa, the network of aunts, sisters, and cousins in a lion pride, cubs and their involvement in the pride's work and play, and how they learn skills for the hunt.

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Little Lion is a fact-filled picture book story based on the everyday adventures of a Lion Cub and their WILD family. Learn what different members of the lion family get up to, and how the fun and games of a little lion help them develop the vital survival skills they will need to use later on in life. This charming celebration of Lions will show children just how extraordinary these animals are and is a reminder that it is up to us to care for our planet and its creatures. This adorable story is followed by a fun factivity section packed with craft projects, case studies and a quiz section at the back of the book, so you can put everything you have learnt about Little Lion and their family to the test. In the Really Wild Families series, based on the everyday adventures of wild animals, discover what the littlest members of the family get up to! Through their eyes we will explore the habitats, family dynamics and how they play, grow and survive as a family.