Koala: A Natural History and an Uncertain Future

Clode, Danielle

ISBN 10: 1324036834 / ISBN 13: 9781324036838

Published by W. W. Norton & Company (edition ), 2023

About this Item

It's a well-cared-for item that has seen limited use. The item may show minor signs of wear. All the text is legible, with all pages included. It may have slight markings and/or highlighting.

Seller Inventory # 1324036834-8-6

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Koala: A Natural History and an Uncertain Future
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (edition )
• Publication Date: 2023
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1324036834
• ISBN 13: 9781324036838
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Very Good

About this title

Synopsis

A New Scientist Best Popular Science Book of 2023

An Australian biologist delves into the extraordinary world of koalas, from their ancient ancestors to the current threats to their survival.

Koalas regularly appeared in Australian biologist Danielle Clode’s backyard, but it was only when a bushfire threatened that she truly paid them attention. She soon realized how much she had to learn about these complex and mysterious animals.

In vivid, descriptive prose, Clode embarks on a delightful and surprising journey through evolutionary biology, natural history, and ecology to understand where these enigmatic animals came from and what their future may hold. She begins her search with the fossils of ancient giant koalas, delving into why the modern koala has become the lone survivor of a once-diverse family of uniquely Australian marsupials.

Koala investigates the remarkable physiology of these charismatic creatures. Born the size of tiny “jellybeans,” joeys face an uphill battle, from crawling into their mother’s pouch to being weaned onto a toxic diet of gum-tree leaves, the koalas’ single source of food.

Clode explores the complex relationship and unexpected connections between this endearing species and humans. She explains how koalas are simultaneously threatened with extinction in some areas due to disease, climate change, and increasing wildfires, while overpopulating forests in other parts of the country.

Deeply researched and filled with wonder, Koala is both a tender and inquisitive paean to a species unlike any other and a call to ensure its survival.

2 maps

About the Author

Danielle Clode is a biologist and an award-winning author. Her books include Killers in Eden, Voyage to the South Seas, and The Wasp and the Orchid, which was shortlisted for Australia’s National Biography Award. She lives in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia.