National Geographic Book of Mammals I-II. [antikvár]

OR MEand I suspect for almost everyonemammals appeal deeply to the imagination. One of my favorites is the elephant. It's hard to imagine that such a massive beast can manipulate its trunk to pick up a tiny peanut and yet be able to heft a thousand-pound log of teak with obvious ease! In Sri Lanka, Raja, a movie-star elephant, once swung me up with his trunk and carried me across a river. That night, Raja gently led a sacred procession through a jammed crowd of ten thousand peoplewithout stepping on anyone's feet.Many peoplemy daughter, Alexi, among themare intrigued by cats of any size. Others favor dogs, and still others are enthralled by whales and other marine mammals. This interest is natural, for we too are mammalstied to the other members of this realm by myriad, complex relationships.For those of us privileged to observe animals in the wild and to interact with them, the allure of the world of mammals is even greater. While snorkeling with humpback whales off Hawaii, I was amazed by these gentle giantsamong the largest mammals ever to inhabit earth. I watched one huge humpback swimcarefully it seemedover a diver in its path. The mere slap of a fluke could have instantly killed the diver. As the whales glided silently past, I marveled at their sensitivity toward other creatures.In Africa, I have followed herds of wildebeests across the Serengeti Plain. How do these large, shaggy antelopes live, forage for food, escape predators? Why do they move along established migratory paths, when other kinds of antelopes do not? How many kinds of antelopes are there? And what are their differences and similarities?These are the kinds of questions that the two-volume Book of Mammals answers. Educators, librarians, and specialists in many fields of mammalogy have contributed their expertise. In-depth information about habitat, food, and behaviorpresented in a form that the entire family can enjoymakes these volumes unique. They greatly expand the opportunities for parents like me to teach our children about the world of mammals.Illustrated with nearly a thousand exciting photographs of animals in the wild, the Book of Mammals is much more than a collection of wildlife portraits and a compilation of vital statistics. It is an extraordinary work, compelling in its breadth of information, in its variety, and in the quality and the range of its photographs.Never in my 25 years with the National Geographic Society have I been so enthusiastic about a project. Since the Geographic's founding nearly a hundred years ago, Society members have ranked wild animals and animal behavior among their chief interests. I believe that the National Geographic Book of Mammals sets a standard of excellence in the field of wildlife study. It not only reveals the heritage of the wild, free past, but it also points the way to greater understanding and concern for a new generation of readers.Gilbert M. GrosvenorPresident National Geographic Society