Mammals

Book Review: Wildlife Of Australian Rainforests

Jade Craven · August 30, 2021 ·

Wildlife of the Australian Rainforests isn’t the type of book I would typically read. I prefer guides dedicated to specific regions or species. However, I found myself really enjoying this guide.

This book focuses on significant wildlife-watching sites in rainforests across Australia. It gives readers an overview of entire ecosystems.

It is a comprehensive and inspiring read that will give naturalists many ideas for new places to visit.

Book Review: A Naturalist’s Guide to the Mammals of Australia

Jade Craven · March 30, 2020 ·

Australia is well known for its diverse range of mammals. Some species – such as the koala and kangaroo – have captured the imagination of both tourists and locals. Despite the notoriety, many people would underestimate the sheer diversity of mammals in Australia.

This is understandable. The behavior and habitat requirements of many species mean that most people don’t get the opportunity to observe them.

A Naturalist Guide To Mammals of Australia aims to change that. The beginner-friendly field guide provides an overview of 300 species of mammals in Australia.

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Book Review: Guide to Introduced Pest Animals of Australia

Jade Craven · October 25, 2019 ·

I’ve read a lot of field guides to review for this website. I’ve amassed a lot of knowledge but still consider myself to be a beginner. This has resulted in me reading a lot of species profiles. Some are very user friendly; many are not. The Guide to Introduced Pest Animals of Australia has some of the best species profiles I’ve seen. In this review, I’ll explore whether you should add this book to your collection.

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Rook Review: A Bat’s End: The Christmas Island Pipistrelle and Extinction in Australia

Jade Craven · October 11, 2019 ·

I didn’t think that I would get much out of a book about Christmas Island pipistrelle. This is because I prefer to focus on ecosystems closer to home, rather than those on an island that is closer to Java than Australia.

I was wrong.

The official description describes A Bat’s End as ‘a compelling forensic examination of the circumstances and players surrounding the extinction of the Christmas Island pipistrelle’. This is an understatement. It is a scathing overview of the many failures of multiple organizations to take the plight of the pipistrelle seriously. It goes beyond that; it highlights a growing trend of how many Australians are willing to overlook the extinction of native species. I believe that every naturalist should read it to learn about the many failings when it comes to threatened species.

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