The Encyclopedia of Animals: Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians - Hardcover

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9781876778729: The Encyclopedia of Animals: Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1876778725 ISBN 13: 9781876778729

Publisher: Fog City Press, 2002

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About the Author:

George McKay (mammals) is an independent consultant in conservation biology who lives in Sydney, Australia. He has contributed to Fauna of Australia and Zoological Catalogue of Australia. He is the editor of Encyclopedia of Biodiversity and Conservation. Fred Cooke (birds) was Chair of Wildlife Ecology at Simon Fraser University. He is President-Elect of the American Ornithologists Union and lives in Norfolk, England, where he is associated with the British Trust for Ornithology. Stephen Hutchinson (fish) is a Senior Fellow at the Southampton Oceanography Centre. Richard Vogt (reptiles and amphibians) is Curator of Herpetology and Professor at the National Institute for Amazon Research in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. Hugh Dingle (invertebrates) is Professor Emeritus at the University of California, Davis, where he was also Director of the Center for Animal Behavior.

From Booklist:

This lavishly illustrated chronicle of Earth's biodiversity is a visual delight. Compiled by a team of animal experts from Australia, the U.K., and the U.S., it presents an overview of animal life and behavior. The audience includes younger readers, who will enjoy the photos and illustrations, as well as adults interested in the natural world.

Following an overview on animal classification, evolution, behavior, and more, content is arranged in six taxonomic sections covering mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates. Each of these sections is broken down into smaller sections that treat particular subgroups. A sample entry on bears covers two pages and includes the classification, two photos, six illustrations, a diagram of the skeletal structure, text about feeding and anatomy, and a sidebar on bear paws. A "Fact File," which relies heavily on icons, enumerates characteristics such as size, distribution, reproduction, and conservation status.

The information presented is a good start, although readers may need to turn to more comprehensive works, such as Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia [RBB Ap 1 04], for details about a specific species. The Simon and Schuster Encyclopedia of Animals (1998) is very similar to the University of California volume in size, arrangement, and number of illustrations but does not include invertebrates. The reasonable price and attractive layout of The Encyclopedia of Animals will make it a popular choice for school, public, and academic libraries. Jack O'Gorman
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