Synopses & Reviews
Have you ever seen an antelope the size of a cat, or a frog bigger than a lapdog? What kinds of animals thrive in the Sahara? Earth is full of incredible creatures, all specially adapted to survive in even the most inhospitable environments. This vividly illustrated atlas is the essential wildlife reference, providing a spectacular visual survey of animals and their habitats across the globe. Divided into eight geographic areas and organized by continent and habitat type,
The Illustrated Atlas of Wildlife leads readers from the Great Barrier Reef to the Appalachians and from the ocean floor to the cloud forests, showcasing in scientific detail the bizarre, beautiful, and highly specialized wildlife of each location. Learn about the critically endangered mountain gorilla, the reptiles of the Everglades, a desert spider that transforms into a wheel,and hundreds of other endemic and endangered species, as well as the threats and challenges they face.
*Details the ecology and wildlife of the continents, oceans, and poles
* Includes the most up-to-date conservation and preservation data
* Features hundreds of beautiful color photographs, illustrations, and maps
* Chronicles evolution and adaptation over the ages, as well as current issues
* Explores human impacts upon the world's complex ecosystems
Review
“Lets you hold a collection of 800 stunning images and a wealth of easily digestible facts in your hands” Boston Globe Book Section
Review
and#8220;With ample maps and photos, this is a book that can be browsed endlessly.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;Showcasing in scientific detail bizarre, beautiful, and highly specialized wildlife for each location.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;This beautiful, oversized book is a first-rate work of reference that invites hours of browsing.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;Lets you hold a collection of 800 stunning images and a wealth of easily digestible facts in your handsand#8221;
Synopsis
This vividly illustrated atlas is the essential wildlife reference, providing a spectacular visual survey of animals and their habitats across the globe.
About the Author
Dr. Channa Bambaradeniya is the Coordinator of the Asia Regional Species and Biodiversity Programme at the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Cinthya Flores is an international social communications consultant and journalist. Dr. Joshua Ginsberg is Vice President for Global Programs at the Wildlife Conservation Society. Dwight Holing is the author of many books on rain forests, coral reefs, and wilderness in Europe and western America. Dr. Susan Lumpkin is a Research Associate of the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoological Parks. George McKay chairs the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Advisory Council, Australia. Dr. John Musick is Marshall Acuff Professor Emeritus in Marine Science at the College of William and Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Dr. Patrick Quilty is Honorary Research Professor in Earth Sciences at the University of Tasmania. Dr. Bernard Stonehouse is an environmental biologist with the Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge, and the Maritime Historical Studies Centre, University of Hull. Dr. Eric John Woehler is an expert on antarctic and subantarctic birds. Dr. David Woodruff is Professor of Biology at the University of California, San Diego.
Table of Contents
Foreword
How to use this book
OPENER - LIVING EARTH
Introduction
Evolution
Where animals live
Balancing act
Forest habitats
Grasslands habitats
Dry habitats
Frozen habitats
Aquatic habitats
Urban and rural habitats
Threats and challenges
Conservation
OPENER - EUROPE
Introduction
Deciduous Woodlands
The European Badger
River Valleys
Delta of Cota Donana
Mountain Ranges
The Mountaineers
The Mediterranean
Mediterranean Islands
Flyways of Europe
Coniferous Forests of Northern Europe
Life Along the Shore
Marshes and Wetlands
OPENER - NORTH AMERICA
Introduction
The Boreal Forest
Caribou on the Move
The Pacific Northwest Coniferous Forest
The Rocky Mountains
The Wolf in North America
The Great Plains
Prairie Dogs of the Plains
The Great Basin
Sagebrush Country
Deserts of the Southwest
Saguaro Cactus Community
Eastern Deciduous Forest and the Appalachians
Oak Forests of the Eastern States
Salamanders of the Forest
Coastal Plains
Bird Migration
OPENER - CENTRAL and SOUTH AMERICA
Introduction
Central America
Central American Rain Forests
The Jaguar
Amazon Rain Forests
Life in the Treetops
The Andes Wilderness
The Condor
The Galapagos Islands
The Gran Chaco
Patagonia
Birds of the Pampas
Llamas and their Relatives
Life in the Caribbean
OPENER - ASIA
Introduction
The Steppes of Central Asia
The Siberian Wilderness
Hot and Cold Deserts
The Himalayas
The Asian Big Cats
The Indian Subcontinent
The Mountains of Southwest China
The Sundaland
Tropical Rain Forests of Southeast Asia
East Asia, Japan and Korea
The Lower Mekong
The Philippine Archipelago
OPENER - AFRICA
Introduction
The Sahara and Sahel
The Congo Basin
Primates of the Congo
The Ethiopian Highlands
East African Savanna
Grassland Grazers
Life in the Albertine Rift
Birds of Africa
The Miombo Woodlands
The Okavango
Africa's Big Carnivores
Life in the Kalahari
Madagascar: island habitat
Africa's Coral Reefs
OPENER - AUSTRALASIA and OCEANIA
Introduction
Monotremes and other Unique Animals
Australia's Marsupials
New Guinea Highlands
The Great Barrier Reef
Wildlife of Cape York
Tropical Rain Forests
The Tropical North
The Australian Outback
Water in the Desert
Temperate Forests and Heathlands
Parrots and Cockatoos of Australia
New Zealand's island wildlife
The Pacific Islands
OPENER - THE POLES
Introduction
Across the Tundra
The Arctic Food Chain
Summer Bloom
The Polar Bear
Long-distance Migrants
Antarctica: frozen desert
Penguin Parade
Antarctic Birds
OPENER - THE OCEANS
Introduction
The Pacific Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean
The Indian Ocean
The Arctic Ocean
The Southern Ocean
OPENER/INTRO - FACTFILE
Factfile
GLOSSARY
INDEX
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS