"Amazing photography accompanies engaging information about the fighting abilities of mountain lions and coyotes. The combination of high-interest subject matter and light text is intended for students in grades 3 through 7"--
Trespassing in mountain lion habitat is a dangerous idea. Mountain lions do not share their territory, and they will not hesitate to stalk, pounce, and bite to defend it. Read about people who are lucky to be alive after brutal battles with mountain lions.
Two predators challenge each other for dominance in North America. Who will come out on top? Mountain lions and coyotes face off in this high-interest title. Reluctant readers will learn basic information about mountain lions and coyotes, as well as how these animals do battle. Action-packed images highlight the strengths of these animals, while animal profiles and other features show off their battle tools. Let the fight begin!
The mountain lion, a fearsome predator and an elusive loner, is one of the last icons of the North American wilderness. These writings from Elizabeth Marshall-Thomas and Pam Houston, among others, describe the mountain lion's natural history, encounters with humans, and the politics of predators. Interest is peaking in this remarkable animals' habits and whereabouts as it slowly makes a comeback.
The relationship between humans and mountain lions has always been uneasy. A century ago, mountain lions were vilified as a threat to livestock and hunted to the verge of extinction. In recent years, this keystone predator has made a remarkable comeback, but today humans and mountain lions appear destined for a collision course. Its recovery has led to an unexpected conundrum: Do more mountain lions mean they’re a threat to humans and domestic animals? Or, are mountain lions still in need of our help and protection as their habitat dwindles and they’re forced into the edges and crevices of communities to survive? Mountain lion biologist and expert Mark Elbroch welcomes these tough questions. He dismisses long-held myths about mountain lions and uses groundbreaking science to uncover important new information about their social habits. Elbroch argues that humans and mountain lions can peacefully coexist in close proximity if we ignore uninformed hype and instead arm ourselves with knowledge and common sense. He walks us through the realities of human safety in the presence of mountain lions, livestock safety, competition with hunters for deer and elk, and threats to rare species, dispelling the paranoia with facts and logic. In the last few chapters, he touches on human impacts on mountain lions and the need for a sensible management strategy. The result, he argues, is a win-win for humans, mountain lions, and the ecosystems that depend on keystone predators to keep them in healthy balance. The Cougar Conundrum delivers a clear-eyed assessment of a modern wildlife challenge, offering practical advice for wildlife managers, conservationists, hunters, and those in the wildland-urban interface who share their habitat with large predators.
"This is one stirring account of one stirring journey: the trek of a fellow creature through a hostile, man-made world--and through our imaginations." --Bill McKibben, author of EAARTH: MAKING A LIFE ON A TOUGH NEW PLANET Late one June night in 2011, a large animal collided with an SUV cruising down a Connecticut parkway. The creature appeared as something out of New England's forgotten past. Beside the road lay a 140-pound mountain lion. Speculations ran wild, the wildest of which figured him a ghostly survivor from a bygone century when lions last roamed the eastern United States. But a more fantastic scenario of facts soon unfolded. The lion was three years old, with a DNA trail embarking from the Black Hills of South Dakota on a cross-country odyssey eventually passing within thirty miles of New York City. It was the farthest landbound trek ever recorded for a wild animal in America, by a barely weaned teenager venturing solo through hostile terrain. William Stolzenburg retraces his two-year journey--from his embattled birthplace in the Black Hills, across the Great Plains and the Mississippi River, through Midwest metropolises and remote northern forests, to his tragic finale upon Connecticut's Gold Coast. Along the way, the lion traverses lands with people gunning for his kind, as well as those championing his cause. Heart of a Lion is a story of one heroic creature pitting instinct against towering odds, coming home to a society deeply divided over his return. It is a testament to the resilience of nature, and a test of humanity's willingness to live again beside the ultimate symbol of wildness.
A single coyote's howl measures around 90 decibels—about as loud as a gas-powered lawn mower. That’s pretty noisy, but when a pack of coyotes howl together they can sound louder than the sum of their individual parts! Coyotes can change the sounds they make by altering the pitch of their voice and the loudness of their howling. By playing with sound in this way, one small family of coyotes can make itself seem bigger and tougher than it is, which helps the coyotes protect their territory. These are just some of the interesting facts that kids will discover as they learn about the howls, growls, and snarls of these animal loudmouths. Fabulous photos and clear, easy-to-read text will engage emergent readers as they come face-to-face with these noisy animals. In addition, children discover where coyotes live, how they stay safe, and the different ways their sounds help them communicate with each other—and tell other coyotes to stay away! A "Sound Check" chart at the end of the book compares the decibel level of a coyote to familiar noises, including an airplane, an ambulance, and a train engine.
Jaguars prowl through the rain forest while anacondas lurk in the waters of the famed Amazon River. Both of these animals are feared by animals and humans alike, but do they fear one another? In this high-interest title, readers will learn why weapons like sharp teeth and spotted bodies make both of these animals formidable fighters. Features such as profiles, comparison graphics, and a final fight narrative make high-intensity read hard to put down!
Introduces readers to the life, diet, habitat, behavior, and physical description of coyotes. Colorful spreads, fun facts, diagrams, a range map, and a special reading feature make this an exciting read for animal lovers and report writers alike.