This Oxford scholar of everything living was previously unknown to me, but when I got this small book, I consumed it in just 24 hours. She outlines the fascinating lives of 23 species or subspecies that are endangered, usually nearing extinction as a result of human activity including human beings. Some of this seems to be a stretch and her claim that there has been a 70 % decline of species in the last 50 years seems to me to me to be an exaggeration.
The species featured include the crow, the stork, the hermit crab, the tuna, the spider, the pangolin, the elephant, the giraffe, the wolf, and the bear. While some of these are certainly in danger in parts of the world or for some subspecies, I doubt that most of them will become extinct worldwide. There is an emphasis on the critical destructive role of habitat destruction and climate change.
There is extensive discussion of the role that these 23 species have played in folklore and mythology, some of it quite outrageous. But there are also fascinating little known facts of their unique life cycles and their interactions with Homo sapiens, most of it new to me and I am in awe of her vast knowledge. Highly recommended.
4/5
Thanks, Book Browze.
The Passionate Reader 