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.

The go-to introductory guide to Australia's diverse wildlife and habitats Ideal for the nature-loving traveler, Wildlife of Australia is a handy photographic pocket guide to the most widely seen birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and habitats of Australia. The guide features more than 400 stunning color photographs, and coverage includes 350 birds, 70 mammals, 30 reptiles, and 16 frogs likely to be encountered in Australia's major tourist destinations. Accessible species accounts are useful for both general travelers and serious naturalists, and the invaluable habitat section describes the Australian bush and its specific wildlife. Animal species with similar features are placed on the same plates in order to aid identification. Wildlife of Australia is an indispensable and thorough resource for any nature enthusiast interested in this remarkable continent. Easy-to-use pocket guide More than 400 high-quality photographs Accessible text aids identification Habitat guide describes the Australian bush and its specific wildlife Coverage includes the 350 birds, 70 mammals, 30 reptiles, and 16 frogs most likely to be seen on a trip around Australia

This second part of Volume 1 provides excellent coverage of the 34 native Australian mammal families, as well as the nine introduced families of mammals, in an Australian context. General essays and each family chapter include information on the history of scientific discovery, morphology and physiology, natural history, biogeography and phylogeny, care and conservation. Complete pictorial keys to the genera of mammals in Australia are included.

There is nothing to beat the extraordinary wildlife of Australia. Its colourful parrots, its venomous snakes, its abundance of hopping marsupials and the strange, egg-laying Platypus - these are just a few of the players in a story that began hundreds of millions of year ago. Many members of Australia's wildlife live nowhere else on Earth. They are unique, the result of evolution on a continent that has been geographically isolated from the rest of the world for 38 million years. Wildlife of Australia is an account of how these animals have developed in response to changing climates and habitats. It describes their day-to-day habits, where they live, how they find partners and care for their young, and how they protect themselves and find food and shelter. Superbly illustrated with over 550 colour photographs by renowned wildlife photographer Jiri Lochman, the book also contains a list of scientific names, good zoos and wildlife parks, useful websites and books, and a comprehensive glossary. Wildlife of Australia reveals the fascinating worlds of the animals that live all around us on this ancient land but remain largely unnoticed.

Examines the hollow-dependent fauna of Australia, looking at the development of hollows, selection by fauna, and pests and introduced species.

For first-time visitors here, Australia's wildlife - from the platypus and the thorny devil to the cassowary and the koala - seems almost indescribably exotic. This is not only true for its plants and animals but also for its landscapes and environments. The unusual fauna, unusual environments, unusual climate, and the vast size of Australia - ......

The Australian continent provides a unique perspective on the evolution and ecology of carnivorous animals. In earlier ages, Australia provided the arena for a spectacular radiation of marsupial and reptilian predators. The causes of their extinctions are still the subject of debate. Since European settlement, Australia has seen the extinction of one large marsupial predator (the thylacine), another (the Tasmanian devil) is in danger of imminent extinction, and still others have suffered dramatic declines. By contrast, two recently-introduced predators, the fox and cat, have been spectacularly successful, with devastating impacts on the Australian fauna. Carnivores of Australia: Past, Present and Future explores Australia's unique predator communities from pre-historic, historic and current perspectives. It covers mammalian, reptilian and avian carnivores, both native and introduced to Australia. It also examines the debate surrounding how best to manage predators to protect livestock and native biodiversity. Readers will benefit from the most up-to-date synthesis by leading researchers and managers in the field of carnivore biology. By emphasising Australian carnivores as exemplars of flesh-eaters in other parts of the world, this book will be an important reference for researchers, wildlife managers and students worldwide.