Animals and Environmental Science

Wildlife

AUSTRALIAN FAUNA:

100 Australian Butterflies, Bees, Beetles & Bugs, Georgia Angus

100 Australian Butterflies, Bees, Beetles & Bugs is your beginner’s guide to unlocking the weird and wonderful world of creepy crawlies. Australia is renowned for its wacky contributions to the insect world, and with this easy-to-read field guide you’ll be ready to explore your own backyard and beyond to the fullest.

No matter where you are across the continent, nature-enthusiast Georgia Angus has taken the guesswork out of wondering what’s wriggling and buzzing in your garden. From bogong moths to witjuti grubs, this book will share how to find and identify 100 of Australia’s key native species. All the information you need is paired with distribution maps and Georgia’s annotated and intricately hand-drawn illustrations. Contributions from Gumbaynggirr, Yugambeh, Alyawarr and Warlpiri Peoples provide insect names in language and First Nations traditional knowledge for many of these species.

100 Australian Butterflies, Bees, Beetles & Bugs is for anyone wanting a comprehensive yet accessible (and entertaining) guide to anything that flies, crawls, writhes and wriggles.

Thanks to Jamil Tye for reviewing First Nations content for this publication.

Australia's Most Dangerous, Australian Geographic

Packed full of interesting and useful facts, this handy reference will help you to appreciate and avoid these often unfairly maligned animals. Each chapter, written by a recognised expert, describes aspects of the animals habits and where and in what circumstances you are likely to encounter them. Identification is made easy through clear distribution maps, colour photos and other useful aids. And in the unlikely event that you have an unpleasant encounter with one of these creatures, the comprehensive first-aid and medical-treatment section will be invaluable. Whether you live int he city or the bush, this book is a must - you never know when youll cross paths with one of Australias most dangerous inhabitants

Australian Geographic A Naturalist's Guide To The Dangerous Creatures Of Australia, Peter Rowland, Scott Eipper

Photographic identification guide to the 280 species of dangerous creature most commonly seen in Australia which is perfect for resident and visitor alike.

High quality photographs from Australia’s top nature photographers are accompanied by detailed species descriptions, which include nomenclature, size, distribution, habits and habitat. The user-friendly introduction covers the geography and climate of Australia, types of habitat, and details of orders and families. Also included is an all-important checklist of all of the dangerous creatures of Australia encompassing, for each species, its common and scientific name, and its global IUCN status as at 2015.

Australian Geographic A Naturalist's Guide To The Frogs Of Australia, Scott Eipper, Peter Rowland

A Naturalist’s Guide to the Frogs of Australia is an introductory photographic guide to the 247 species and 9 subspecies of frog most commonly seen in Australia, and is perfect for resident and visitor alike. High quality photographs from Australia’s top nature photographers are accompanied by detailed species descriptions, which include nomenclature, size, distribution, habits and habitat. The user-friendly introduction covers the geography and climate of Australia, types of habitat, and details of orders and families. The second edition includes eight new species, updated taxonomy and numerous new photographs. Also included is an up-to-date checklist of all of the frogs of Australia encompassing, for each species, its common and scientific name, its presence in a particular state or territory and its global IUCN status as at 2018.

Australian Geographic A Naturalist's Guide To The Reptiles Of Australia, Peter Rowland, Chris Farrell

This easy-to-use identification guide to the 280 reptile species most commonly seen in Australia is perfect for resident and visitor alike.

High quality photographs from Australia's top nature photographers are accompanied by detailed species descriptions, which include nomenclature, size, distribution, habits and habitat. The user-friendly introduction covers the threats to reptiles, types of habitat, anatomy of reptiles, and details of orders and families. Also included is an all-important checklist of all of the reptiles of Australia encompassing, for each species, its common and scientific name, and its global IUCN status.

Australian Geographic Naturalist's Guide To The Insects Of Australia, Peter Rowland, Rachel Whitlock

A Naturalist’s Guide to the Insects of Australia is an easy-to-use photographic identification guide to 292 species of insect commonly seen in Australia, and is perfect for residents and visitors alike. The 2nd edition includes updated taxonomy and an extensive collection of new images of the species covered. High quality photographs from Australia’s top nature photographers are accompanied by detailed species descriptions, which include nomenclature, size, distribution, habitat and habits. The user-friendly introduction covers modern Australian insects, non-insect hexapods and life cycles. Also included is an up-to-date checklist of the insect families of Australia listing the number of genera and species in each family.

Australian Geographic Naturalist's Guide To The Snakes Of Australia 2/E, Scott Eipper, Tyese Eipper

The fully revised 2nd edition of this easy-to-use identification guide to all of Australia’s 239 snake species and subspecies includes 6 new species, updated accounts for 20 species and around 30 new photographs. The high quality photographs from Australia’s top nature photographers are accompanied by detailed species descriptions, which include nomenclature, size, distribution, habits and habitat. The user-friendly introduction covers the geography and climate of Australia, types of habitat, and details of orders and families. Also included is an all-important checklist of all of the snakes of Australia encompassing, for each species, its common and scientific name, and its global IUCN status as at 2018.

Australian Geographic's A Naturalist's Guide To The Butterflies Of Australia, Rachel Whitlock, John Nielsen, Peter Rowland

A Naturalist’s Guide to the Butterflies of Australia is an introductory photographic guide to 280 butterfly species commonly seen in Australia, and is perfect for residents and visitors alike. The 2nd edition includes extensive updates to the text, featuring revised taxonomy and multiple new images of the species covered. High-quality photographs from Australia’s top nature photographers are accompanied by detailed species descriptions, which include nomenclature, size, distribution, habitat and habits. The user-friendly introduction covers the structure and life cycle of butterflies and their behaviour as a key to observing them. Also included is an up-to-date checklist of the butterflies of Australia encompassing, for each species, its common and scientific names and is IUCN status.

Australian Geographics A Naturalist Guide To The Lizards Of Australia, Scott Eiper, Tyese Eiper

Featuring 280 of Australia’s most beautiful, unusual and commonly encountered lizard species, this lavishly illustrated guide provides a thorough introduction to the land of the lizard. Stunning photographs from Australia’s top nature photographers are accompanied by detailed species descriptions, which include nomenclature, size, distribution, habits and habitat. The user-friendly introduction covers the geography and climate of Australia, types of habitat, and details of orders and families. Also included is an all-important checklist of all of the lizards of Australia encompassing, for each species, its common and scientific name, which state it is present in and its IUCN Red List status.

Australian Geographics A Naturalist's Guide To The Mammals Of Australia, Peter Rowland, Chris Farrell

This revised and updated second edition of the introductory identification guide to the 300 mammal species most commonly seen in Australia is perfect for resident and visitor alike. High quality photographs from Australia’s top nature photographers are
accompanied by detailed species descriptions, which include nomenclature, size, distribution, habits and habitat. The user-friendly introduction covers the geography and climate of Australia, types of habitat, and details of orders and families. Also included is an all-important checklist of all of the mammals of Australia encompassing, for each species, its common and scientific name, and its global IUCN status as at 2015.

Complete Guide To Reptiles Of Australia, Steve Wilson, Gerry Swan

A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia has been the most comprehensive field guide available on the subject since the first edition was published in 2003. As new species are discovered, known ranges extended and higher quality images become available, updated editions of the book have been written to reflect these changes. This new edition adds 92 reptile species, mostly comprising new descriptions since the publication of the fifth edition, plus 10 species that come with the inclusion of Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. This sixth edition of the book includes images, descriptions and maps for all 1,109 species of Australian reptiles described up until the end of June 2020. Some of these are pictured in life for the first time, and many are represented by several images to depict geographical and sexual differences. The book features easy-to-use diagnostic illustrations to explain anatomical features, a comprehensive glossary, and the more significant reptile habitats are pictured. Each species has a clear and concise text description to aid identification, with diagnostic differences from confusion species given in bold font. Each species has a distribution map and image(s) on the facing page. For ease of use there are indexes to scientific and common names. Designed as a field guide, with a sturdy plastic cover and compact layout, the target readership for this book is anyone with an interest in reptiles, whether scientists or amateurs. It is regarded as the standard reference guide for professionals working in the field and is also popular with general naturalists.

Koala, Danielle Clode

An immersive, entertaining journey into the hidden life of the koala, revealing what life is really like up in the trees

Despite their iconic status and celebrity, koalas remain something of a mystery. Often affectionate in captivity, they seek out human assistance when in need of water or care yet can also be fierce and belligerent. They are beloved worldwide and feature in popular children's stories, but are also plagued by sexually transmitted diseases and maligned for a lack of intelligence. Their diet consists solely of leaves that are full of toxins. In some states they are threatened with extinction, while in others they are dying from overpopulation.

Fuelled by her biologist's background and deep curiosity, Danielle Clode delves into the world of koalas to discover what's behind the sweet face on thousands of postcards. From their megafaunal ancestors to the disastrous effects of colonisation, from remarkable conservation success in the 1920s to the devastating bushfires of 2019-2020, Clode tells the story of koalas and their complex relationship with humans. Sharing the latest scientific insights and myth-busting facts, all woven through Clode's award-winning storytelling, Koala takes readers up into the trees to reveal the truth about this extraordinary animal and what must be done to ensure its survival.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book go towards supporting wildlife conservation efforts in Australia.

Photographic Field Guide To Australian Frogs, Mark G. Sanders

Australia is home to more than 240 species of frogs, many of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

The Photographic Field Guide to Australian Frogs provides readers with the tools to confidently identify 242 species and five recognised subspecies. It includes detailed information on the distribution, habitat preferences and call of each frog species, as well as fully illustrated keys to genera to assist with identification. Multiple photographs of each species show variation in colour and pattern as well as features used for identification such as thigh colouration, skin texture, belly colour and patterning, eye colour and extent of webbing between the toes.

With a strong focus on illustrating variation and key diagnostic features, this guide will enable frog enthusiasts, environmental professionals and research scientists to identify Australian frog species with a high level of confidence.

Platypus Matters, Jack Ashby

Winner of the Whitley Award for Best Natural History Book 2022

A compelling, funny, first-hand account of Australia's wonderfully unique mammals and how our perceptions impact their future.
Think of a platypus: they lay eggs (that hatch into so-called platypups), they produce milk without nipples and venom without fangs and they can detect electricity. Or a wombat: their teeth never stop growing, they poo cubes and they defend themselves with reinforced rears. Platypuses, possums, wombats, echidnas, devils, kangaroos, quolls, dibblers, dunnarts, kowaris: Australia has some truly astonishing mammals with incredible, unfamiliar features. But how does the world regard these creatures? And what does that mean for their conservation?
In Platypus Matters, naturalist Jack Ashby shares his love for these often-misunderstood animals. Informed by his own experiences meeting living marsupials and egg-laying mammals on fieldwork in Tasmania and mainland Australia, as well as his work with thousands of zoological specimens collected for museums over the last 200-plus years, Ashby's tale not only explains the extraordinary lives of these animals, but the historical mysteries surrounding them and the myths that persist (especially about the platypus). He also reveals the toll these myths can take.
Ashby makes it clear that calling these animals ‘weird’ or ‘primitive’ – or incorrectly implying that Australia is an ‘evolutionary backwater’ – a perception that can be traced back to the country's colonial history – has undermined conservation: Australia now has the worst mammal extinction rate of anywhere on Earth. Important, timely and written with humour and wisdom by a scientist and self-described platypus nerd, this celebration of Australian wildlife will open eyes and change minds about how we contemplate and interact with the natural world – everywhere.

Reed Concise Guide: Snakes Of Australia, Gerry Swan

A new addition to our exciting series of concise field guides, it is the ultimate keep-in-your-pocket guide to Australian snakes. It may be diminutive in size but it punches well above its weight in terms of usefulness, being packed with more than 180 images of all the species most likely to be encountered in Australia. For each of the 170 main species accounts there is at least one photograph for identification and a brief written account listing key ID features, range and habitat, food and behaviour. The book covers all of the most common and widespread species likely to be encountered in Australia ndash; from pythons and tree snakes to taipans and sea snakes ndash; along with some of the more unusual and scarce species to look out for such as Pygmy Copperhead, Small-headed Blind Snake and Square-nosed Snake. The easy-to-use layouts and small size make it ideal for taking on days out or walks in the bush. It is ideal for beginners or wildlife-watchers of an intermediate level, and also for children as a first book on snakes.

Tracks, Scats And Other Traces, Barbara Triggs

Mammals inhabit every corner of our vast continent, yet the great majority of species are seldom seen. The only clue to their presence might be a footprint left on a muddy track, a scat deposited on a rocky ledge, or bones scattered on a forest floor.In Tracks, Scats and Other Traces, Barbara Triggs provides all information needed to identify mammals anywhere in Australia, using only the tracks or other signs they leave behind. Features a new cover design, and covers all Australian states and territories.

Wildlife Of Australia, Iain Campbell, Sam Woods

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

NON-FICTION:

The Living Planet: A Portrait Of The Earth, David Attenborough

A new, fully updated narrative edition of David Attenborough’s seminal biography of our world, The Living Planet.
Nowhere on our planet is devoid of life. Plants and animals thrive or survive within every extreme of climate and habitat that it offers. Single species, and often whole communities adapt to make the most of ice cap and tundra, forest and plain, desert, ocean and volcano. These adaptations can be truly extraordinary: fish that walk or lay eggs on leaves in mid-air; snakes that fly; flightless birds that graze like deer; and bears that grow hair on the soles of their feet.
In The Living Planet, David Attenborough’s searching eye, unfailing curiosity and infectious enthusiasm explain and illuminate the intricate lives of the these colonies, from the lonely heights of the Himalayas to the wild creatures that have established themselves in the most recent of environments, the city. By the end of this book it is difficult to say which is the more astonishing – the ingenuity with which individual species contrive a living, or the complexity of their interdependence on each other and on the habitations provided by our planet.
In this new edition, the author, with the help of zoologist Matthew Cobb, has added all the most up-to-date discoveries of ecology and biology, as well as a full-colour 64-page photography section. He also addresses the urgent issues facing our living planet: climate change, pollution and mass extinction of species.

Delia Akeley And The Monkey: A Human-Animal Story Of Captivity, Patriarchy And Nature, Iain McCalman

By telling this story, Iain McCalman illuminates much about human-animal relations and the tyranny of gender inequality. He reinstates a twentieth century story of a dedicated amateur primatologist and her adopted Vervet monkey.

On an East-African hunting expedition in 1909, Delia Akeley, a forty-year-old American woman, captured a baby female monkey. Delia's loneliness in an isolating patriarchal world, and her long-frustrated desire to adopt a child, had motivated her to nurture the animal. She named the monkey JT Jr and decided to study her interactions with humans.

The unique relationship between Delia and JT unlocked Delia's latent talents of research and observation, anticipating both Jane Goodall's chimpanzee writings and Margaret Mead's Samoan ethnographies. However, Delia's love for JT clashed with her husband Carl's obsession to create a temple of African wildlife dioramas at the Museum of Natural History in New York. Nursing Carl's broken body and realising their diverging interests pushed Delia into a breakdown in Uganda, which led to a savage divorce in Manhattan, and the heartbreaking caging of JT in a Washington zoo. Carl's death triggered a long battle between Delia and Carl's widow, who succeeded in obliterating most of Delia's achievements.

In Delia Akeley and the Monkey, Iain McCalman uses official records and personal documents to build a story of passionate love and hate among women, men, animals and museums that predates our times but speaks to our present. It illuminates much about human-animal relations and the tyranny of gender inequality, through reinstating an obscured story of a dedicated amateur primatologist.

Questions Raised By Quolls, Harry Saddler

When Harry Saddler first encountered a quoll while camping as a boy, he was struck by the beauty of the timid creature who had emerged from the bush, sniffing for dinner. As Harry frantically snapped a photo, the agile-spotted quoll stole his fruitcake and disappeared into the undergrowth.
That blurry photo records the only time Harry would see a quoll in the wild. After years of habitat destruction, the species is now on the brink of extinction and Harry, contemplating fatherhood, aches for the absence of all the species lost to children born today.
Questions Raised By Quolls is an eloquent examination of extinction and conservation set against the backdrop of global climate change. From his own family lineage, Harry reveals how the prosperity of the human race runs parallel with the decline of the natural world. Evocative and challenging, this eulogy to lost species will force you to question your place in the vast interconnected web of life.

The Modern Bestiary, Joanna Bagniewska

From the familiar to the improbable, the gross to the endearing, The Modern Bestiary is a compendium of curious creatures. It includes both animals that have made headlines and those you've probably never heard of, such as skin-eating caecilians, harp sponges, or zombie worms - also known as bone-eating snot flowers.
Arranged by elements (Earth, Water, Air), The Modern Bestiary contains well-known species told from new, unexpected angles (rats that drive cars; fish that communicate by passing wind), as well as stranger and lesser-known creatures, including carnivorous mice that howl at the moon, cross-dressing cuttlefish, and antechinuses - small marsupials that literally mate themselves to death. Finally, there are the 'aliens on Earth' - the incredible, the surreal, the magical - such as tardigrades, tongue-eating lice and immortal jellyfish, creatures so astonishing that they make unicorns look rather commonplace.
Written by a zoologist with a flair for storytelling, this is a fascinating celebration of the animal kingdom.

Curious Encounters With The Natural World: From Grumpy Spiders To Hidden Tigers, Michael Jeffords, Susan Post, Peter H. Raven

Michael R. Jeffords and Susan L. Post have circled the globe--and explored their neighborhood--collecting images of the natural world. This book opens their personal cabinet of curiosities to tell the stories of the pair's most unusual encounters. From the "necking" battles of mate-hungry giraffes to the breathtaking beauty of millions of monarch butterflies at rest, Jeffords and Post share 200 stunning photographs and their own insightful essays to guide readers on a spectacular journey. Their training as entomologists offers unique perspectives on surprise stag beetle swarms and spider hunting habits. Their photographic eye, honed by decades of observation, finds expression in once-in-a-lifetime images. The result is an eyewitness collection of startling and unusual phenomena that illuminates the diverse life inhabiting our planet.

The Golden Mole, Katherine Rundell

A gloriously illustrated and fascinating bestiary of the world's most extraordinary endangered animals - a treasure trove of vanishing wonders.

'A rare and magical book. I didn't want it to end.' - Bill Bryson

A pangolin's tongue is longer than its body. It keeps it furled in a nifty pouch near the hip

A swift flies 200,000 miles in its lifetime. That's far enough to get to the moon and back - then back to the moon.

There's a fable that storks deliver babies. In fact, the Nazis used them to air-drop propaganda.

Each of these animals is extraordinary. And each of them may soon disappear from the earth.

A lavishly illustrated compendium of the staggering lives of some of the world's most endangered animals, The Golden Mole is a chance to be awestruck and lovestruck - to fall for the likes of the wondrous Pygmy Hippo, the seahorse, the narwhal and, as astonishing and endangered as them all, the human.

World of Animals, MURRAY BOOKS

Animal Liberation Now, Peter Singer

The landmark book that opened the world's eyes to the suffering of animals, fully rewritten and entirely updated

Animal Liberation started a worldwide movement when it revealed the abuse of animals in factory farms and laboratories. It demonstrated that these and other practices were the cause of appalling and unnecessary suffering and therefore morally indefensible. In the fifty years since, science has further vindicated Peter Singer's arguments about animal sentience, vegetarianism has become widespread, and the book has helped change the minds of millions. But the situation for animals has in many ways grown worse.

Despite improvements in animal welfare in some regions - brought about in large part by this book - in many others the scale of their abuse has reached staggering new depths. This revised edition, of which about two-thirds is entirely new, documents these and other developments, such as the impact of meat consumption on climate and the spread of dangerous new viruses. It refines its arguments in light of new evidence, equips the reader with fresh tools and advice, and shows us all the road ahead. The result, Animal Liberation Now, is a book of galvanising power, relevance and importance.

Animals and Environmental Science

Wildlife

AUSTRALIAN FAUNA:

NON-FICTION:

Birds

AUSTRALIAN BIRDS: