Endangered: Wildlife on the Brink of Extinction

A beautifully illustrated book on endangered species and the opportunities to save them. Earth has seen at least five great extinction periods, each wiping out up to 95 percent of all living species. They involved massive volcanic eruptions, disastrous meteor strikes and rapid climatic changes. The main point of Endangered is that the sixth great extinction will be the result of humankind's abuse of the environment. Featuring more than 400 photographs, this book details the plant and animal species that are either endangered or so severely threatened that they soon will be. The authors offer a thoughtful celebration of nature's diversity not scaremongering -- and a plea to rein in current behaviors that negatively affect the planet. Their proposals form a reasoned and hopeful guide to a future world that will be safe for all species. Creatures profiled include marsupials, monkeys, sea turtles, birds of prey, and butterflies and moths. The extraordinary imagery and the compelling and objectively presented information make Endangered essential reading for anyone interested in natural history.

About the Author :
George McGavin is an assistant curator of entomological collections at Oxford University who lectures on biological and human sciences. He is the author of Essential Entomology: An Order-by-Order Introduction. David Burnie is a biologist and zoologist whose professional books have won educational awards and science prizes.

Review :
Balances encyclopedia coverage with a style that is engaging and easy to read. Even though conservation is a rapidly developing science, McGavin's material is up to date and relevant. The writing is appealing enough for the reader to read through the book from cover to cover.... Endangered would be an excellent addition to any school or public library. The material is covered in enough depth to be used as a resource for undergraduates or the adult general public, yet accessible enough for junior high readers.-- (07/01/2007) Reading Endangered is like visiting an engaging, well-organized, modern museum.... [Gives] readers a sense of awe and appreciation for the world's biodiversity.... Balances encyclopedic coverage with a style that is engaging and easy to read.... Material is up to date and relevant..... An excellent addition to any school or public library.-- (05/01/2007) [Globe and Mail 2006 Holiday Gift Book selection] Full of lovely photographs ... a history of forms of extinction and a catalogue of contemporary creatures and the threats they face.-- (12/09/2006) An eye-catching overview for general-interest patrons, and to high school and college-level libraries.... More than a simple rehash of extinction theory... [it] deftly examines the different types and scales of extinctions and their consequences.-- (02/11/2007) Best Books 2007, Junior High & Young Adult, Zoological Sciences--Science Books & Films (02/01/2008) Compelling book about biodiversity... Written in simple, nonscientific prose and fully illustrated with color photographs, maps, and many sidebars, the book is visually appealing as well as intellectually stimulating... timely and relevant.-- (06/01/2007) Explores extinction and how it progresses... reviews the actions that people can take now to stem the tide of destruction.-- (01/06/2007) McGavin tells us [that] without radical changes... the next great extinction event will be caused by our careless ways.-- (12/10/2006) Much more than just a picture book, Endangered examines how various creatures live, why each is threatened and what might be done about it. It also weighs the pros and cons of preserving species in zoos and aquariums, including the problems posed by breeding from a limited gene pool.-- (12/24/2006) This Firefly book is valuable for much more than its high quality color photographs.... Easy to read and enlightening.... A valuable and educational resource book.-- (03/01/2007) Extinction provides an enormous amount of anecdotal information that is interesting to read.--Brent Tegler, North-South Environmental Inc."Canadian Field Naturalist" (04/01/2008) Most ecologists can trace their career path to a moment that kindled their interest in the natural world; the photographs of this book have that quality and can compete with the electronic distractions of the internet.--Tom Scott, Environmental Science, Policy & Man"The Quarterly Review of Biology" (09/01/2007)