12/24/2023 0 Comments Jack ashby platypusThere are only passing references to the iconic and beloved koala. His descriptions of the various climatic and geographic wildernesses where he observed the mammals display a vivid sense of place. He details their unique biological qualities and his encounters with them in the wild. His devotion to these animals is contagious. He also focuses on other favourite mammals, such as the wombat, echidna, kangaroo, and various animals that may be unfamiliar to most readers. His favourite mammal in the world is the platypus which he describes with enthusiasm and affection. The book is well-detailed and interesting, and he makes it accessible to the average reader. He writes with wit, knowledge, wisdom, and emotion. The author Jack Ashby is well qualified to write this engaging and in-depth scientific and history-based book about Australian mammals. Only Ashby could have written this book, and I absolutely loved it!"-Georgia Ward-Fear, Macquarie University, cofounder, Cane Toad Coalition -This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition. Most profound is the book's intellectual exploration of colonial perspectives and how they shaped the world's understanding of, and subsequent relationship with, Australia's unique fauna-to this day. Helgen, chief scientist and director, Australian Museum Research Institute "Timely, important, and multifaceted, Platypus Matters is a lesson in the evolution of mammals, a historical journey, and an adventure book packed with exciting stories of Ashby's global travels. Both serious and fun, Platypus Matters is compelling reading."-Kristofer M. Some of the species met along the way, including echidnas, wombats, Tasmanian devils, and scaly-tailed possums, leave lovely impressions that will be lasting portrayals. He explores how this traditional narrative about Australia's native animals arose, how it is incorrect, and why it matters. It's also a bloody good read."-Katherine Tuft, general manager, Arid Recovery (Australia) "Ashby makes the case that Australia's wildlife is not a collection of oddities and species that can kill you, as it is most often, even well-meaningly, portrayed. His book is a clear call to action to address the urgency of the current extinction crisis. Ashby's raw enthusiasm as a naturalist and love of sharing a good anecdote make for entertaining reading, but the final chapters take a sobering turn, and rightly so. Most importantly, with a combination of beguiling stories and impassioned arguments, he explains the very real consequences of devaluing Australian wildlife for the survival of this unique fauna. Ashby seeks to convince us of the importance of Australia's mammals, using the platypus as a worthy ambassador. " Platypus Matters is an original, charming book with a contemporary message. Important, timely and written with humour and wisdom by a scientist and self-described platypus nerd, this celebration of Australian wildlife will open eyes and change minds about how we contemplate and interact with the natural world – everywhere. Ashby makes it clear that calling these animals ‘weird’ or ‘primitive’ – or incorrectly implying that Australia is an ‘evolutionary backwater’ – a perception that can be traced back to the country's colonial history – has undermined conservation: Australia now has the worst mammal extinction rate of anywhere on Earth. He also reveals the toll these myths can take. Informed by his own experiences meeting living marsupials and egg-laying mammals on fieldwork in Tasmania and mainland Australia, as well as his work with thousands of zoological specimens collected for museums over the last 200-plus years, Ashby's tale not only explains the extraordinary lives of these animals, but the historical mysteries surrounding them and the myths that persist (especially about the platypus). But how does the world regard these creatures? And what does that mean for their conservation? In Platypus Matters, naturalist Jack Ashby shares his love for these often-misunderstood animals. Platypuses, possums, wombats, echidnas, devils, kangaroos, quolls, dibblers, dunnarts, kowaris: Australia has some truly astonishing mammals with incredible, unfamiliar features. Or a wombat: their teeth never stop growing, they poo cubes and they defend themselves with reinforced rears. Think of a platypus: they lay eggs (that hatch into so-called platypups), they produce milk without nipples and venom without fangs and they can detect electricity. Winner of the Whitley Award for Best Natural History Book 2022Ī compelling, funny, first-hand account of Australia's wonderfully unique mammals and how our perceptions impact their future.
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