Ecotourism is booming. From the Serengeti to the Great Barrier Reef, travellers the world over want to see wildlife in its natural habitat. With this in mind, Lonely Planet has put together an innovative series focusing on wildlife viewing. Each guide contains detailed maps to top wildlife-watching destinations, expert advice on viewing techniques, and a gallery of colour photographs profiling local animals. Required reading for anyone going on a two-day outing or a two-month safari.

Publisher Description

Australian Wildlife Guide - portable and easy-to-use, detailing habitats, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, the marine environment and where to go. Covers native, endemic and introduced species such as koala, kangaroo, platypus, plus Sydney, Great Barrier Reef, the Outback and elsewhere. Suitable for all ages and interest levels.

Age range 5+ Did you know that platypus have retractable webbing on their hind feetto enable an easy transition from swimming to digging? That kangaroos can'tsweat and that the cassowary has no tongue? In Fauna - Australia's MostCurious Creatures, readers are constantly introduced to facts that delight,amaze and induce sheer wonder at the clever design and adaptability of ourmuch-loved native fauna. The information on each individual species is presented in small 'bites'to hold the interest of younger readers, while the information taken in totalgives a comprehensive summary of each species, including breeding and feedinghabits, physical characteristics, habitat and other unique and quirky features. Fauna also has a strong conservation message with an 'extinction roll call'and a rating for the vulnerability of endangered species. The stylised illustrations in Faunaare lively, colourful and informative, highlighting facts that lend themselvesmore to pictures than words e.g. the actual size of crocodile teeth, or themechanics of the echidna's beak. There is also humour in the illustrations - isthat kangaroo with dark glasses actually from a different kind of mob? Readers young and old will be delighted and informed by Fauna.

Australia is a land of many unique animals, some of which are active only during the cooler evening and night-time and so are rarely seen. These are the after dark animals so widespread yet so little noticed by humans, whether in our backyards, the arid desert, woodlands or rainforest. Australian Wildlife After Dark brings this hidden fauna into the light. The after dark fauna includes a surprising diversity of familiar (and some not-so-familiar) species, from cockroaches, moths and spiders through to bandicoots, bats and birds – and then some. Each example is described in a unique, friendly style by Martyn Robinson, familiar to many Australians through his frequent media appearances on ABC Radio and in Burke’s Backyard magazine, and Bruce Thomson, an internationally renowned wildlife photographer and bat researcher. The book includes stunning photography and boxes that highlight selected topics, such as the ‘windscreen wiper’ eyelids of geckoes and the strategies used by night-time plants to attract pollinators. Also included are practical tips on finding nocturnal wildlife, a glossary of scientific terms and a short bibliography.

From famous finches to marine iguanas, the Galapagos is a dream location for anyone interested in the natural world. The islands, located off the coast of Ecuador, are home to some of the world's most unusual wildlife. An invaluable guide, Watching Wildlife Galapagos Islands features detailed coverage of conservation issues, ecotourism and natural history, hundreds of colour photographs that highlight the rich variety of fauna, and numerous ways to explore the volcanic beauty ashore or the snorkelling wonders of the seas.