This book is the first illustrated guide dedicated to
Australia's 13 species of Megachiroptera--the mega bats. These animals don't fit everyone's image of a bat: while they are nocturnal, they live in forests rather than caves, they navigate by sight rather than echolocation, and their long snouts and large ears and eyes give them a canine-like appearance (hence the description of flying foxes). Perhaps because of their appearance, as well as their intelligence, flying foxes are regarded with much affection in Australia and are sometimes kept as
family pets. Among the wide range of issues Flying Foxes discusses are such contentious matters as the management of flying fox populations and the recent incidents of viral diseases jumping from flying foxes to humans. The book contains outstanding line drawings by Louise Saunders and 29 superb color photographs, including many by acclaimed wildlife photographer, Theo Allofs. |
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"Hall and Richards offer an excellent summary of the taxonomy, ecology, and physiology of the flying foxes (genus Pteropus) and to a lesser degree, fruit bats and blossom bats in Australia and environs…the highlight of the volume is a series of 26 colored illustrations portraying in elegant detail the external anatomy of the species
concerned." -- G. Nicholas, Manhattan College, CHOICE, July 2001
"For those who are interested in the wildlife of Australia or who have an interest in bats this book would make an excellent addition to your library." -- Dana LaBlanc, Animal Keepers' Forum, Vol. 28, No. 5, 2001
"This book is a very worthwhile and authoritative source of information on the intriguing world of flying foxes."…Wilson Eedy, Canadian Field Naturalist, 116/1 |
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