Tuataras are special animals because theyre old in many ways. Theyre part of an order of reptiles that first appeared more than 200 million years ago! They can also live more than 100 years! Readers fascinated by these odd animals will love learning why theyre only found in New Zealand and how they adapted characteristics of many different kinds of animals, including amphibians, reptiles, and even fish! With full-color photographs showing off these features in great detail, this book is sure to impress young readers.
Tuataras are special animals because they're old in many ways. They're part of an order of reptiles that first appeared more than 200 million years ago! They can also live more than 100 years! Readers fascinated by these odd animals will love learning why they're only found in New Zealand and how they adapted characteristics of many different kinds of animals, including amphibians, reptiles, and even fish! With full-color photographs showing off these features in great detail.
Turtles can live for a long time, but tortoises can live for even longer! These slow-moving animals can live for hundreds of years in many places on Earth, from Galapagos tortoises outliving the explorers who discovered them to Seychelles giant tortoises that may be nearly 200 years old! With the help of full-color photographs, readers learn about the many different tortoises that have life-spans longer than most humans and how their bodies are built to live long, leisurely lives. They also explore how zoos take care of these special animals to ensure their lives are not cut short in captivity.
The ocean is full of amazing creatures we know little about. Red sea urchins are one of those creatures. Previously thought to only live a few decades, scientists now think they can live up to 200 years! Through colorful photographs showing these bright creatures living in their shallow ocean habitats, readers learn exactly how these animals sustain long lives in the water. They also discover how scientists used atomic bomb testing research to decide these animals can live well over a century.
Why did the top fall off Mt Cook? Do male kākāpō ever get lonely? Why do sheep like to 'follow the leader'? Are there glaciers in the North Island? What did Māori use for chewing gum? Are there moose in Fiordland? . . . and why can't kiwis fly? Why Can't Kiwis Fly? is a succinct, quirky and informed collection of questions and answers about New Zealand's natural history. Crammed full of fascinating, fun and sometimes challenging facts, it's a lively, bite-sized introduction to our natural world.
Get closer to nature than you’ve ever been before with this jaw-dropping guide to our wonderful world. Marvel at the breathtaking photography showcasing flora and fauna in the most incredible, intricate detail. From ants to elephants, the animal kingdom is explored and explained in this extraordinary encyclopedia that puts you at the heart of the action. See the tiny spines on a stinging nettle, watch lichen spreading over a tree, and observe the secret suckers on an iguana’s feet. The mysteries of the natural world are displayed in brand new images, together with cross-sections, macro, and electron microscope images. Alongside the utterly absorbing visual content, Explanatorium of Nature brings its own fountain of knowledge about how nature works. For instance, did you know baby foxes that are born with blue eyes turn to gold? Or that reptile scales are made from the same material as your fingernails? Discover how spiders spin webs, how birds fly, how snakes kill, and much, much more. This irresistible book is a guaranteed favorite for animal lovers, nature enthusiasts, and budding wildlife experts everywhere.
Offers thousands of animal facts and records that identify animals in such categories as fastest, oldest, and biggest, as well as smelliest, loudest, and deadliest.
Dinosaurs are back. Say hello to the Giganotosaurus, the Velociraptor, and Tyrannosaurus rex. Ready yourself for the deadly horns of the Zuniceratops and the razor sharp tail of the Tuojiangosaurus. But above all, be sure to expect the unexpected. Armed with a host of stunning recent discoveries, Keiron Pim re-introduces us to these mind-boggling creatures in mesmerizing detail. As we live through a ‘golden age’ of discovery, the rise and fall of the dinosaur is once again staking its claim as Nature’s most spectacular phenomenon. For decades, these weird and wonderful creatures have roamed the imaginations of adults and children alike; now they are brought to life before our very eyes. If you think you know the world of Dinosaurs, then think again, for it grows stranger and more fascinating all the time. Filled with fun facts and gory details, with ancient history and modern discovery, and with stunning design and illustrated throughout, this book is sure to delight readers of all ages.
Covering diverse species from garter snakes to Komodo dragons, this book delves into the evolutionary origins and fascinating details of the mysterious social lives of reptiles. Reptiles have been too often dismissed as dull animals with tiny brains and simple, "asocial" lives. In reality, reptiles engage in a remarkable diversity of complex social behavior. They can live in families; communicate with one another while still in the egg; and hunt, feed, migrate, court, mate, nest, and hatch in groups. In The Secret Social Lives of Reptiles, J. Sean Doody, Vladimir Dinets, and Gordon M. Burghardt—three of the world's leading experts on reptiles—bring together a wave of new research with a synthesis of classic studies to produce the only authoritative look at the social behaviors of the most provocative animals on the planet. The book covers turtles, lizards, snakes, crocodilians, and the enigmatic tuatara. Enhanced with dozens of images, it takes readers through a myriad of social interactions, tendencies, and intimacies ranging from fierce territorial battles to delicate paternal care and from promiscuous pairings to monogamous partnerships. This unique text • explains why reptiles have been neglected as subjects of social behavior studies; • provides numerous examples across all major reptilian groups that overturn the false paradigm of "solitary" reptiles; • explores the sensory, genetic, physiological, life history, and other factors underlying social behavior in reptiles; • presents the case that evolutionary "experiments" found among reptiles offer unparalleled opportunities for understanding how and why social behavior evolves in animals; and • identifies new and developing areas of research helping to reshape our view of reptiles. Revealing the secrets of reptilian social relationships through original quantitative research, field studies, laboratory experiments, and careful analysis of the literature, The Secret Social Lives of Reptiles elevates these fascinating animals to key players in the science of behavioral ecology.
