Stuarts' Field Guide to Mammals of Southern Africa

by Chris Stuart

Overview

This is a fully revised edition of the Stuart's best-selling field guide to southern Africa's extraordinary wealth of mammal species – from tiny shrews to the iconic Big Five, and including those that live in the sea. Clear, detailed text, distribution maps and color photographs enable quick identification, and there's information on diet, habitat, habits, and silhouettes of tracks and skulls.

This new edition brings all information up to date, along with revised distribution data and many new photographs. Its coverage is expanded to include Angola, Zambia, Malawi and northern Mozambique.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781775841111
Publisher:	Penguin Random House South Africa
Publication date:	12/01/2014
Edition description:	Revised
Pages:	360
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Chris Stuart is the author of a range of books on African mammals, wildlife and conservation, as well as numerous scientific papers and popular articles. Much of his time is spent traveling the world, searching for wild mammals and promoting their conservation. Chris holds an MSc from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. He is the co-founder of African-Arabian Wildlife Research Centre.

Table of Contents

Introduction 7

Major biotic zones of southern Africa 7

Using this field guide 10

Mammal identification 11

Conservation and wildlife management 12

Family Introductions 16

Order Afrosoricida 36

Golden moles (family Chrysochloridae) 36

Giant otter shrew (family Tenrecidae) 42

Order Macroscelidea 42

Sengis (Elephant-shrews) (family Macroscelididae) 42

Order Eulipotyphla 48

Hedgehogs (family Erinaceidae) 48

Shrews (family Soricidae) 50

Order Chiroptera 58

Fruit-bats (family Pteropodidae) 58

Insectivorous bats 70

Sheath-tailed & tomb bats (family Emballonuridae) 70

Trident & leaf-nosed bats (family Hipposideridae) 72

Slit-faced bats (family Nycteridae) 76

Horseshoe bats (family Rhinolophidae) 80

False vampire bats (family Megadermatidae) 84

Long-fingered bats (family Miniopteridae) 84

Vesper bats (family Vespertilionidae) 88

Wing-gland, serotina, pipistrelle, butterfly, long-eared & house bats (subfamily Vespertilioninae) 88

Woolly bats (genus Kerivoula, subfamily Kerivoulinae) 106

Free-tailed bats (family Moiossidae) 108

Order Primates 112

Baboons & monkeys (family Cercopithecidae) 112

Pottos (family Lorisidae) 126

Galagos (Bushbabies) (family Galagidae) 126

Order Pholidota 132

Pangolins (family Manidae) 132

Order Lagomorpha 134

Hares & rabbits (family Leporidae) 134

Order Rodentia 142

Scaly-tailed squirrels (family Anomaluridae) 142

Squirrels (family Seiuridae) 144

Dormice (family Myoxidae) 158

Springhsres (family Pedetidae) 160

Rodent moles (Mole-rats) (family Bathyergidae) 162

Porcupine (family Hystricidae) 166

Cane-rats (family Thryonomyidae) 168

Dassie rat (Noki) (family Petromuridae) 170

Rats & mice (family Muridae) 170

Gerbils (subfamily Gerbillinae) 182

Order Carnivora 222

Foxes, jackals & African wild dog (family Canidae) 222

Otters, badger, weasel & polecat (family Mustelidae) 230

Mongooses (family Herpestidae) 236

Genets & civets (family Viverridae) 256

Palm civet (family Nandiniidae) 260

Hyaenas & Aardwolf (family Hyaenidae) 262

Cats (family Fslidae) 268

Order Tubulidentata 282

Aardvark (family Orycteropodidae) 282

Order Proboscidea 284

Elephant (family Elephantidae) 284

Order Hyracoidea 286

Dassies (Hyrax) (family Procaviidae) 286

Odd-Toed Ungulates Order Perissodactyla 294

Zebras (family Equidae) 294

Rhinoceroses (family Rhmocerotidae) 296

Order Whippomorpha, Suborder Ancodonta 302

Hippopotamuses (family Hippopotamidae) 302

Order Suiformes 304

Pigs & hogs (family Suidae) 304

Even-Toed Ungulates Order Cetartiodactyla 308

Giraffe (family Giraffidae) 308

Buffalo & antelopes (family Bovidae) 310

Deer (family Cervidae) 368

Order Carnivora - Marine 370

Fur seals (family Otariidae) 370

True seals (family Phocidae) 374

Order Whippomorpha, Suborder Cetacea 380

Baleen or whalebone whales (infraorder Mysticeti) 380

Rorquals (pleated whales) (family Balaenopteridae) 380

Right whales (families Balaenidae) 388

Pygmy right whale (family Cetotheriidae) 390

Toothed whales & dolphins (infraorder Odontoceti) 390

Beaked whales (family Ziphiidae) 390

Sperm whales (families Kogiidae & Physeteridae) 398

Whale dolphins, pilot whales, killer & false killer whales (family Delphinidae) 400

Order Sirenia 422

Dugong (family Dugonqidae) 422

West African manatee (family Trichechidae) 424

Skulls 426

Glossary 436

Suggested Further Reading 437

Photographic Credits 438

Index 439