Born in September 1942, Joseph A. Stokes began writing short stories after he retired. There was one story (Henyas’ Tree) that mostly developed on its own. It is a story about the interactions between various aggressive, strong willed characters. The author developed an interest in human interaction while attending school. It affected the remainder of his course selections and later gave direction to a career. In 1970 he was working at a large plant. Within his first months of work, he jumped at the chance to join the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Committee. His duties involved visits to local minority organizations and meeting with employees of all ages, races, etc., on matters that might affect their work performance. The author worked 28 years as a problem-solving counselor, investigator, specialist and unit manager. It helped him understand people and the directions a person might take under stress. A strong-willed, multi-raced woman was born into a life she would not accept; a world of servitude that demanded she be dutiful to others. At an early age she was separated from her family and, therefore, was required to grow up quickly. This was done with the assistance of a surrogate mother, Haddie. It was Haddie that gave her the confidence and courage to adjust to and accept her lot in life. She was able to allow herself to commit to her affections and a life with a man who was well outside of her social status.

In 1971 I received an appointment in a United Nations Development Wildlife Project in Zambia Africa. From that time until May 1984 I worked on projects in the Developing World. This book is about my experiences, the environment, the people and the animals that I met in those countries, I worked in rural areas and with the people who lived and worked in those areas. I learned much about the world that had been unknown to me. I hope you enjoy reading the book as much as I enjoyed living it.

The most comprehensive and user-friendly photographic field guide to the world’s wildcats and hyenas From the Leopard Cat of Asia, the Black-footed Cat of Africa, and the Amur Tiger of Siberia to South America’s Ocelots and North America’s Bobcats, the wildcats known as felids are among the most fascinating and spectacular of all animals. This stunningly illustrated book is the most comprehensive and user-friendly guide to the world’s felids and their often misunderstood relative, the hyenas. Covering and illustrating every species and subspecies, the guide features more than 150 superb full-color plates that incorporate more than 600 photographs and show species in similar poses for quick and easy comparison. Drawing on the latest taxonomy and research, the facing-page species accounts provide distribution maps, common and scientific names, and detailed information on key identification features, distribution, behavior, reproduction, similar species, habitat, conservation status, and where to observe each species. An ideal field companion for use anywhere in the world, the book will appeal to both casual nature enthusiasts and seasoned professionals. Covers 41 felids and 4 hyenas—every species and subspecies in the world Features more than 150 color plates incorporating more than 600 photos Depicts species in similar poses for quick and easy comparisons Provides key identification information in detailed, facing-page species accounts Uses the latest taxonomy Includes easy-to-read distribution maps and tips on where to observe each species

Humans and Hyenas examines the origins and development of the relationship between the two to present an accurate and realistic picture of the hyena and its interactions with people. The hyena is one of the most maligned, misrepresented and defamed mammals. It is still, despite decades of research-led knowledge, seen as a skulking, cowardly scavenger rather than a successful hunter with complex family and communal systems. Hyenas are portrayed as sex-shifting deviants, grave robbers and attackers of children in everything from African folk tales through Greek and Roman accounts of animal life, to Disney’s The Lion King depicting hyenas with a lack of respect and disgust, despite the reality of their behaviour and social structures. Combining the personal, in-depth mining of scientific papers about the three main species and historical accounts, Keith Somerville delves into our relationship with hyenas from the earliest records from millennia ago, through the accounts by colonisers, to contemporary coexistence, where hyenas and humans are forced into ever closer proximity due to shrinking habitats and loss of prey. Are hyenas fated to retain their bad image or can their amazing ability to adapt to humans more successfully than lions and other predators lead to a shift in perspective? This book will be of great interest to students and scholars in the environmental sciences, conservation biology, and wildlife and conservation issues.

Red is an ape that becomes separated from his father. He is terrified that a wild animal has attacked him. But as he makes his way through the woods, he stumbles upon something far stranger; an animal community hidden in the forest. He is welcomed with open arms by all sorts of animals he has never seen or heard of in his life. As they make him a part of their society, he learns the great truth. The Humans are gone. It's time for the animals to inherit the Earth.