Inspired by true events, this book details first-hand encounters with Australian wildlife in south-east Queensland. While the focus is on free-roaming kangaroos, adorable possums and native birds, other creatures such as lizards as well as an echidna are included in the mix. The reader will find out many interesting facts about marsupials from an evolutionary perspective. Reflecting day-to-day life in modern Australia, it is the aim of this narrative to spread a message of conservation and promote appreciation for the amazing fauna still calling the Great Southern Land home.
"Paul S. Martin's innovative ideas on late quaternary extinctions and wildlife restoration have fueled one of science's most stimulating recent debates. He expounds them vividly here, and defends them eloquently. A must-read."—David Rains Wallace, author of Beasts of Eden "This is a marvelous read, by a giant in American prehistory, about one of the greatest mysteries in the earth sciences."—Tim Flannery, author of The Eternal Frontier "Whether or not you agree with Paul Martin, he has shaped how we think about our Pleistocene ancestors and their role in transforming this planet."—Ross D. E. MacPhee, Curator of Mammalogy, American Museum of Natural History
This book focuses on the evolution, biogeography, systematics, taxonomy, and ecology of New World and Australasian marsupials, greatly expanding the current knowledge base. There are roughly 140 species of New World marsupials, of which the opossum is the best known. Thanks to recent research, there is now an increasing amount of understanding about their evolution, biogeography, systematics, ecology, and conservation in the Americas, especially in South America. There are also some 270 marsupial species in the Australasian region, many of which have been subject to research only in recent years. Based on this information and the authors’ extensive research, this book provides comprehensive insights into the world's marsupials. It will appeal to academics and specialized researchers, students of zoology, paleontology, evolutionary biology, ecology, physiology and conservation as well as interested non-experts.
Discover the lifestyles, habitats, and behaviors of the animal kingdom as you’ve never seen them before with The Encyclopedia of Animals. Each page of this comprehensive guide is packed with amazingly detailed artworks and full-color photographs. From the flying squirrel to the yellow-bellied sapsucker, and from the fire ant to the sun bear, animals are seen in all their splendid variety in this fascinating visual guide. Divided by class and family, the sections in this book clarify the distinguishing traits of the animals, which are depicted in colorful scientific drawings; captions provide additional information. User-friendly and with the sections marked by color tabs for quick consultation, this book could serve as a field guide or a desk reference. Shown in all their glory, here are the gulper eel, the blue wildebeest, the giant African bullfrog, the Sumatran Orangutan, the Chilean flamingo, and the tiny but terrifying anglerfish. Many of the book's images show the animals in their natural environment and behaving as they would in the wild. An orangutan is shown swinging from a branch, a bird-of-paradise is illustrated during a courtship display, and hyenas are depicted in pursuit of zebra prey. Map icons illustrate the animal’s distribution around the world, while key fact boxes highlight features of the animal’s anatomy, diet, and genus. Learn more about your favorite species, from the smallest insects to the largest mammals, with expert information and up-to-date population statistics throughout. User-friendly and accessible, this is the perfect modern encyclopedia for animal enthusiasts of all ages.
This book introduces readers to the cutest little neighborhood trash collector. The opossum's special life cycle, diet, and habit are explored in clear, easy-to-read text with bright photos and infographics. QR Codes in the books give readers access to book-specific resources to further their learning. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Cody Koala is an imprint of Pop!, a division of ABDO.
