Author Description

Accessible to the general reader, this volume in the Illustrated Encyclopedia of World Geography series explores the great variety of animal life--from invertebrates to mammals--that inhabit the Earth. A 32-page introductory section treats the subject on a global scale, with discussions of the history and structure of the animal world, varieties of animal life, habitats, adaptation, and behavior; animals under threat from loss of habitat, pollution, and active destruction by humans; and efforts to save animal populations through research, protection, and conservation. A series of regional sections then examines the animals characteristic of each region, describes distinctive and unusual species and their survival techniques and other specializations, and examines the interactions between animals and humans. Special features throughout provide a detailed look at animals of particular interest, including fur-bearing animals of Canada and the Arctic; animals of the Galapagos; wolves of Italy and Greece; captive-breeding centers in the USSR; elephants in Central Africa; tigers in India; pandas in China; dolphins in Southeast Asia.