This popular and authoritative field guide to the mammals of southern Africa has been fully revised and updated to include the latest research, while remaining accessible and compact for use in the field. Detailed accounts of over 220 land and nine marine mammal species are discussed in depth, with full species descriptions detailing physical characteristics, habitat, diet, life history, behaviour, field signs and conservation status. Beautiful, accurate illustrations depict each species, and there are up-to-date distribution maps, spoor patterns, symbols showing conservation status, time of activity, and whether the animal occurs only in the subregion. As an extra aid to identification, line drawings show the relative sizes of similar mammals, drawn to a common scale. Smithers' numbers make for easy cross-referencing to the first and third editions of Mammals of the Southern African Subregion. Written in non-technical language and with a fresh design, this field guide classic will appeal to general readers, wildlife enthusiasts and professional guides, as well as to students and specialists in the field.

Peter Apps began his studies of animal behaviour at the University of Oxford before moving to South Africa in 1979. He has worked from England to Antarctica on species ranging from insects to elephants. His special interests are the behaviour of small carnivores and the role of chemical communication in mammal social behaviour. He works as Senior Researcher at the Paul G Allen Family Foundation Laboratory for Wildlife Chemistry, in Botswana. Editor of Smithers' Mammals of Southern Africa: A Field Guide, he has also written numerous scientific papers and magazine articles.