"Snails and slugs have a reputation as slimy, repulsive creatures that are nothing more than garden pests, but they are important components of the ecosystems they live in. In fact, most of the pest slugs and snails are introduced species that have come here with the plants we import for our gardens. Worldwide there are more species of snails and slugs than all the mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians combined, yet they are often overlooked because of their relatively small size. Land snails and slugs are well adapted to live in almost any kind of environment, from high arctic tundra to tropical forests. In British Columbia, they can be found just about everywhere. Land Snails of British Columbia describes all 92 species of terrestrial molluscs in our province. It includes photographs and detailed drawings of each, diagnostic keys and a selection of colour photographs to aid in identification. With each species description, the author discusses its natural history and distribution in the province. He also talks about reproduction, life history, diet, locomotion and shell structure (even slugs have shells). Nature buffs and anyone interested in looking past the bad reputation of these much-maligned creatures will find this handbook an enlightening guide. For gardeners, this book will tell you which snails to cast out of your garden and which ones to keep, because some snails and slugs are beneficial to gardens and some even prey on their pestilent relatives."--

Terrestrial mollusks, the second largest phylum in the animal kingdom, are vitally important to the earth's ecology. With the publication of Land Snails and Slugs of the Pacific Northwest, a definitive and comprehensive guide to snails and slugs of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and western Montana is finally available. Primarily an identification guide, this richly illustrated volume offers complete information on the range of terrestrial mollusk shapes, sizes, and characteristics. It presents an overview of their habitat requirements as well as details of land snail and slug ecology, collection and preservation methods, and biogeography. Land Snails and Slugs of the Pacific Northwest is an essential reference for biologists, horticulturalists, gardeners, and naturalists, and anyone wishing to identify species in the field. * Identification keys and species accounts for most of the 245 taxa of terrestrial slugs and snails in the region * 280 full-color photographs of 155 species and subspecies * Range maps for most species

Hoofed mammals (ungulates) are the most abundant large mammals in the world. They are also plentiful in British Columbia, which is home to nine wild native species: moose, elk, caribou, bison, mountain goat, two species of deer and two of sheep. There are also several introduced species. In Hoofed Mammals of British Columbia, David Shackleton presents a comprehensive summary of the most up-to-date information on these ungulates. In the well-illustrated introduction, he discusses their evolution and biology, survival adaptations, and social organization. He also covers conservation issues, tracking, and taxonomy. In the species accounts, he describes each species and subspecies and discusses their natural history: habitat, diet, behaviour, reproduction, life expectancy, and mortality factors, and predators. Each account includes a distribution map and data on taxonomy, recent population estimates, conservation status, and traditional aboriginal use. Excellent illustrations and two keys help identify each species by its external features or its skull. Hoofed Mammals of British Columbia is the third of six handbooks on the mammals of British Columbia, a Royal B.C. Museum project to update and expand the classic treatment by Ian McTaggart-Cowan and Charles Guiguet, The Mammals of British Columbia, last revised in 1965.

" ... Comprehensive, up-to-date information on the 21 species of wild terrestrial carnivores in the province."--Back cover.

The BC publishing event of the decade! 30,000 copies in print!