Advanced Search
Print - Close Window
www.greenwood.com/catalog/GR4987.aspx
All Greenwood Products
Extinct Animals An Encyclopedia of Species that Have Disappeared during Human History
Book Code: GR4987
ISBN: 0-313-34987-8
ISBN-13: 978-0-313-34987-4
Greenwood Press
Publication: 3/30/2009
List Price: $85.00 (UK Sterling Price: £47.95)
Availability: Not yet published. (Estimated publication date, 3/30/2009)
Media Type: Hardcover
Trim Size: 7 x 10
Subjects:
Description: 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 and their activities. Many scientists believe that we are in the middle of a mass extinction right now, caused by the human undermining of the earth's complex systems that support life. Understanding what caused the extinction of animals in the past may help us understand and prevent the extinction of species in the future. Extinct Animals examines the biology and history of some of the most interesting creatures that have ever lived:
  • The American Terror Bird, which probably became extinct over 1 million years ago, were massive predators, some of which were almost 10 feet tall
  • The Rocky Mountain Locust, last seen in 1902, formed the most immense animal aggregations ever known, with swarms estimated to include over 10 trillion insects.
  • The Giant Ground Sloth, which was as large as an elephant
    and
  • Neandertals, the first Europeans, which co-existed with prehistoric Homo sapiens
    Extinct Animals includes illustrations - many created for the work - that help the reader visualize the extinct creature, and each entry concludes with a list of resources for those who wish to do further research.
  • Table of Contents:
    • PREFACE
    • INTRODUCTION
    • 1. LESS THAN 100 YEARS AGO
    • GOLDEN TOAD
    • GASTRIC-BROODING FROG
    • ESKIMO CURLEW
    • CARIBBEAN MONK SEAL
    • THYLACINE
    • CAROLINA PARAKEET
    • PASSENGER PIGEON
    • EXTINCTION INSIGHT 1: THE LOTTERY OF FOSSILIZATION
    • 2. LESS THAN 200 YEARS AGO
    • ROCKY MOUNTAIN LOCUST
    • PIG-FOOTED BANDICOOT
    • QUELILI
    • STEPHENS ISLAND WREN
    • TARPAN
    • QUAGGA
    • WARRAH
    • GREAT AUK
    • EXTINCTION INSIGHT 2: THE GREAT AMERICAN INTERCHANGE
    • 3. LESS THAN 500 YEARS AGO
    • ELEPHANT BIRDS
    • STELLERS SEA COW
    • DODO
    • AUROCHS
    • MOA
    • HAASTS EAGLE
    • MARCANO'S SOLENODON
    • EXTINCTION INSIGHT 3: HUMAN DISCOVERY AND EXTINCTION
    • 4. LESS THAN 10000 YEARS AGO
    • MOA-NALO
    • DU
    • HORNED TURTLE
    • GIANT LEMUR
    • WOOLY MAMMOTH
    • SIVATHERE
    • GIANT DEER
    • GIANT GROUND SLOTH
    • CUBAN GIANT OWL
    • EXTINCTION INSIGHT 4: ENTOMBED IN TAR: THE RANCHO LA BREA ASPHALT DEPOSITS
    • 5. 10000-12500 YEARS AGO
    • GLYPTODONTS
    • SABER TOOTH CAT
    • SCIMITAR CAT
    • AMERICAN MASTODON
    • GIANT BEAVER
    • AMERICAN CHEETAH
    • AMERICAN LION
    • WOOLY RHINOCEROS
    • LITOPTERN
    • DIRE WOLF
    • CAVE BEAR
    • SICILIAN DWARF ELEPHANT
    • MERRIAMS TERATORN
    • EXTINCTION INSIGHT 5: ICE AGES
    • 6. MORE THAN 12500 YEARS AGO
    • GIANT SHORT-FACED BEAR
    • FLORES HUMAN
    • GIANT BISON
    • HOMO ERECTUS
    • NEANDERTAL
    • MARSUPIAL LION
    • DIPROTODON
    • AUSTRALIAN THUNDER BIRDS
    • GIANT MONITOR LIZARD
    • QUINKANA
    • GIANT SHORT-FACED KANGAROO
    • GIANT ECHIDNA
    • WONAMBI
    • EXTINCTION INSIGHT 6: A HOLE IN THE DESERT: THE NULLARBOR PLAIN CAVES
    • 7. MORE THAN 50000 YEARS AGO
    • GIANT RHINOCEROS
    • MEGATOOTH SHARK
    • MAGNIFICENT TERATORN
    • POUCH-KNIFE
    • TERROR BIRDS
    • GIANT HYENA
    • GIANT APES
    • GIANT CAMEL
    • SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
    LC Card Number: 2008050409
    LCC Class: QL83
    Dewey Class: 591
    All rights reserved. Copyright © 1999-2009 Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc.
    88 Post Road West, Westport CT 06881, (203) 226-3571