Animals have existed on Earth for many hundreds of millions of years. In that time they have evolved into a great variety of forms, exploiting nearly every habitat the planet has to offer. In the dark depths of the oceans, in the seemingly inhospitable Polar Regions, in the driest deserts, even within the bodies of other animals, there are animal species that have developed unique and extraordinary means of surviving and thriving. Extraordinary Animals: An Encyclopedia of Curious and Unusual Animals is an exploration of those members of the animal kingdom who possess strange and...

Everyone is familiar with the dodo and the wooly mammoth, but how many people have heard of the scimitar cat and the Falkland Island fox? Extinct Animals portrays over 60 remarkable animals that have been lost forever during the relatively recent geological past. Each entry provides a concise discussion of the history of the animal--how and where it lived, and how it became extinct--as well as the scientific discovery and analysis of the creature. In addition, this work examines what led to extinction--from the role of cyclical swings in the Earth's climate to the spread of humans...

From mosquitoes to nematodes to mice, there are a multitude of organisms and animals that pose major health risks, cause economic burdens, and even threaten famine conditions for human civilization. Addressing these problems is often extremely costly and only partially effective.

" Pests: A Guide to the World's Most Maligned, Yet Misunderstood Creatures" presents an overview of the animals that have the greatest impact on our lives, from the creatures that eat our crops through the ones that invade our homes and those that transmit diseases. Each entry provides a brief history of our...