An Atlas of Endangered Species is a beautifully illustrated guide to the diversity of life on earth, in a world where a species goes extinct every 3 hours. This book shows how species are adapting: Sharks can navigate using electromagnetic fields, sloths use algae as camouflage, albatross can fly for hours without beating their wings and orca pods have unique cultures and languages.
But our incredible world is at risk. In this book, Megan reveals the stories of scientists, rangers and conservationists who are fighting to save these extraordinary creatures from extinction, and how we all have a part to play.
The book begins with some sobering facts, but also hopeful stories about creatures that had been declared extinct, that are now thriving, thanks to conservation efforts worldwide.
The book features 19 animals from rhinos to elephants, and also one endangered species closer to home. Plus there is a chapter on our orange furry cousins: orangutans:
Orangutans are the victims of years of environmental destruction and illegal human activity. Illegal hunters shoot a mother high up in the tree, and wait for her and her baby to come crashing to the ground.
They then prise the youngster from the mother’s warm, bloodied fingers to be shipped across the world to sit in a cage for the remainder of its life (40 years). The other threat is habitat destruction for palm oil (sold in 50% of products in supermarkets).
Megan McCubbin is a qualified zoologist who is often featured presenting wildlife programs on TV, including BBC Springwatch and Autumnwatch. She often presents alongside her step-father Chris Packham.
This is a lovely book, well-written and beautifully illustrated. And I’m delighted to see that it’s been written by one of the generation of new young naturalists that are helping to change our perception and appreciation of the natural world. Iolo Williams
We have many endangered species both in England (hedgehogs, dormice and water voles are a few) along with many others worldwide. The IUCN Red List is the place to find current statistics, and learn how to help. The shocking news is that there are 44,000 threatened species (almost a third of all of them). The list ranges from slightly concerned to extinct.
Readers of National Geographic will remember the heart-breaking photo a few years ago of the carer of the last male white rhino being caressed, just before died. With just two females left, Sudan’s death left the species near extinct (IVF treatment with a southern white rhino is now trying to help).
A Book on Awesome Endangered Species
Awesome Endangered Animals is a fun book for children, bringing bite-size facts about these beautiful creatures to life, using die-cuts and raised images, for an interactive learning experience. The book includes a challenge to guess which are the rare, rarer and rarest creatures.
From mountain gorillas, orangutans and snow leopards to polar bears, rhinos and tigers, this book is packed with facts to discover and learn about endangered animals.