What's so special about grass? Why do cows have four stomachs? When will lions give their last roar? How do animals plan menus - and co-ordinate hunts? Why do bees dance? How many elephants are too many?

This compelling book explores and finds answers to some of Nature's most intriguing mysteries. Drawing on the African landscape, the author looks at the biology and physiology of animals and plants, and their adaptations in a world of unpredictable change. Wide-ranging chapters cover, among other topics, mass extinctions, the world's grasslands, predators and prey, FIV in lions, chemical communication and that most contentious of issues - animal consciousness. Playful line drawings illustrate the text, to make a bumper read for anyone with an interest in the workings of the natural world.