How poignant it is to look at some of Gould's beautiful images of our animals and know that some are no longer with us, and some are fighting for their lives? In this book, author Fred Ford compares Gould’s world, and the world that the animals live in at that time, with the world today. John Gould’s Extinct and Endangered Mammals of Australia includes 46 Australian mammal species that, today, are threatened or extinct and that were portrayed in the lavish colour plates in John Gould’s 1863 publication, The Mammals of Australia. Each animal ‘opener spread’ begins with a Gould plate accompanied by ‘At a Glance’—a very short summary; the conservation status according to the EPBC (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation) list, the species names, a map of its former and current distribution and sites of reintroduction; and a timeline of the species history since European colonisation. Accompanying the pictures are accounts of the animals as they lived in the relatively untouched Australia that John Gould knew, and evidence of the attitudes of European settlers towards the native fauna. The author provides the reader with fascinating, and often poignant, material and stories of what would be considered today as shameful behaviour and attitudes towards Australia’s native fauna. In this book are not only sobering stories of the fate of these animals after Gould’s time, but also success stories of reintroducing species to places, ridding areas of introduced pests, and preserving habitat.

In 1838, John Gould, the 'father of Australian ornithology' visited Australia with the intention of gathering material for his great work on Australian birds. In the resulting publication, The Birds of Australia: In Seven Volumes (1848), and the accompanying Supplement (1869), Gould named, for the first time, no fewer than 32 Australian bird species. Gould's words about the Norfolk Island Kaka were prophetic-the last bird of its kind died in a cage in London in 1851. Since then, a number of other species illustrated in The Birds of Australia have become extinct and others are now facing extinction. John Gould's Extinct and Endangered Birds of Australia features 59 plates of birds from Gould's eight-volume work, birds that today are threatened or that no longer exist. Featuring exquisite full-colour lithographs reproduced from the National Library of Australia's copy of The Birds of Australia, this book gives an insight into the history of each bird's European discovery, as well as its subsequent fortunes or misfortunes.

Details the diversity, evolution and ecology of this much neglected group of animals, and describes their range of reproductive strategies and dietary adaptations. The book includes a chapter on rodent diseases, the impact of human settlement, and the efforts that are being made to conserve key species.

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The Australasian region is home to the greatest diversity of cephalopods — squid, cuttlefish, octopuses — in the world. Yet, we know very little about these fascinating marine animals. This book provides insights into the biology and behaviour of more than 60 species. From the Giant Squid to the deadly Blue-ringed Octopus, the secret lives of cephalopods are revealed in a highly readable form with outstanding colour images and informative text. For each species there is a distribution map and identification notes which summarise the main features to look for. While the book focuses on species found in relatively shallow coastal waters, a few of the more bizarre deeper-water species are included. Naturalists, divers, reef-walkers and anglers will find the book authoritative, yet very easy to use. A comprehensive section illustrating cuttlebones will enable beachcombers to identify most of the species they are likely to encounter.