Over 2,000 species, from the tiny spider mite to the massive blue whale, are profiled in DK's astonishingly wonderful Animal, produced in cooperation with the Smithsonian Institution and more than 70 expert zoologists. To call this book "profusely illustrated" is to seriously underrepresent page after page of breathtaking photos capturing each creature in sharp images, thrumming with life. Even the page borders are covered with collages of animal skins to indicate which class of organisms is represented in that section--every inch of this heavy book is gorgeous. Besides heft and beauty, Animal has authority. Editors-in-chief David Burnie and Don E. Wilson are top biologists, and they have assembled a crack team of consultants for each section of the book. For instance, Richard Rosenblatt of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography takes charge of the chapter on fishes, so all the classification, behavior, and distribution data is up-to-date and full of the kind of detail that comes from years of professional specialization. In addition to basic size, location, and status information, each animal gets a short, one- to two-paragraph description, enough to give a feel for the creature:
The blackfin icefish produces a natural "antifreeze," enabling it to survive in the subzero waters of the Antarctic. It lacks red blood cells and hence looks rather pale, but has excellent blood circulation, and a strong heart which weighs as much as that of a small mammal. Its large, toothy mouth led to it being called the crocodile fish by 19th-century whalers.
Biodiversity has never been more at the forefront of biologists' concerns, and Animal reports on the issues critical to ecology, from habitat loss to the species that are most endangered within each class.
This book is an ideal browsing reference for all experience levels, as well as a delightful addition to the collection of any animal enthusiast or classroom. Of necessity, not all species are covered, but as a general source of information down to the genus level, Animal excels. Don't be put off by the price! Extraordinarily beautiful, biologically accurate, and packed with furry, feathery, finny, many-legged delights, Animal is one of the very best science books of 2001. --Therese Littleton
From Library Journal
Compiled by an international team of over 70 zoologists, biologists, naturalists, and wildlife photographers under the editorship of science writer Burnie and Wilson, past president of the American Society of Mammalogists, this comprehensive, visually stunning encyclopedia of the animal kingdom should have wide appeal. The book is divided into three sections. The first is a general introduction to animals and their lives. The second looks at animal habitats, describing each habitat in terms of its climate, plant life, and the animals found there. The main part of the book profiles over 2000 species of animals, from the familiar to the extremely rare, and includes some newly recognized species. This section is divided into chapters according to the current general consensus on how animal groups should be classified and includes mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates. Each individual listing gives the animal's range, habitat, size, and social unit and includes a full-color illustration and descriptive paragraph. Each chapter concludes with a list of critically endangered species, and a glossary and comprehensive index enhance overall usefulness. The result is an outstanding publication appropriate for all types of libraries. The visual format makes it useful for children in the older primary grades, yet there is enough information to make it valuable for serious researchers. While there are other one-volume animal encyclopedias (e.g., Wildlife of the World. o.p.), this is unique for its comprehensiveness and its coverage of animal habitats and major evolutionary developments. Highly recommended. [This volume, which is cosponsored by the Smithsonian, includes a free Encyclopedia of Nature CD-ROM, packaged in a gift box with the encyclopedia. Ed.] Deborah Emerson, Rochester Regional Lib. Council, Fairport, N.
- Deborah Emerson, Rochester Regional Lib. Council, Fairport, NY
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
This outstanding volume will have universal appeal.(Library Journal) Stunning photographs (e.g., of wolves snarling over a half-eaten meal or a falcon's perspective as it perches on a city roof) will elevate this book beyond a coffee-table or reference shelf existence. Every aspect of the book seizes attention. The first 80 pages clarify information on classification, habitats and behavior with charts, maps, photographs and illustrations. The remaining sex chapters focus on numerous specific species and subspecies, divided into broad groups: mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fishes and invertebrates. Readers learn, for instance, that the curlew's long, curved beak is touch-sensitive for seeking out foot hidden in mud and sand; plovers, on the other hand, though they share the curlew's habitat, have short bills for picking up food they can see. The editors provide endangered-species information at the end of each chapter. The varying size and shape of the photographs -- some cropped cleanly around their subject, some showing the interaction of the animal with its environment -- compel the reader onward, as do the assorted full-page spreads and action sequences (e.g., of a whale breaching). Text entries are both edifying and brief. But for its heft, this book is almost impossible to put down. Forecast: With so much visual and textual stimulus for both children and adults, this title is destined to become a staple in bookstores. The beautiful cover will jump out at readers; the free Encyclopedia of Nature CD-ROM and relatively low price won't hurt, either. (Publishers Weekly, Oct 1, 2001)
About the Author
David Burnie studied zoology at the University of Bristol. After graduating, he worked as a nature reserve ranger and biologist, and in 1979 began a career writing and editing books on natural sciences. He has written, or contributed to, over 75 books and multimedia titles. He has also acted as a consultant and scriptwriter for a number of natural history television programs. Don E. Wilson is Senior Scientist at the National Museum of Natural History. He is on the scientific Board of Directors of Bat Conservation International, The Biodiversity Foundation for Africa, Integrated Conservation Research and The Ecotourism Society. Dr. Wilson is past-president of the American Society of Mammalogists and the Association for Tropical Biology. Editor of the Journal of Mammology for five years and of the Mammalian Species and Special Publications for three years, Dr. Wilson is the author of over 180 scientific publications. Consultant for Mammals, Juliet Clutton-Brock, Managing Editor of the Zoological Society of London's Journal and Research Associate of the Natural History Museum, London. Consultant for Birds, Dr. Francois Vuilleumier, Department of Ornithology, American Museum of Natural History. Consultant for Fish, Richard Rosenblatt, Professor of Marine Biology and Curator of Marine Vertebrates, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California. Consultant for Reptiles, Chris Mattison, zoologist and writer specializing in herpetology. Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society. Consultant of Amphibians, Tim Halliday, Professor of Biology, Open University, UK. International Director of the Declining Amphibian Population Task Force. Consultant for Arthropods, Dr. George McGavin, Assistant Curator of the Hope Entomological Collections, Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Lecturer in Biology and Human Sciences, Jesus College, Oxford. Consultant for Non-Arthropod Invertebrates, Dr. Richard Barnes, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, and Dr. Frances Dipper, marine biologist and writer.
