Have you ever seen an antelope the size of a cat, or a frog bigger than a lapdog? What kinds of animals thrive in the Sahara? Earth is full of incredible creatures, all specially adapted to survive in even the most inhospitable environments. This vividly illustrated atlas is the essential wildlife reference, providing a spectacular visual survey of animals and their habitats across the globe. Divided into eight geographic areas and organized by continent and habitat type, "The Illustrated Atlas of Wildlife" leads readers from the Great Barrier Reef to the Appalachians and from the ocean floor to the cloud forests, showcasing in scientific detail the bizarre, beautiful, and highly specialized wildlife of each location. Learn about the critically endangered mountain gorilla, the reptiles of the Everglades, a desert spider that transforms into a wheel, and hundreds of other endemic and endangered species, as well as the threats and challenges they face. This title details the ecology and wildlife of the continents, oceans, and poles. It includes the most up-to-date conservation and preservation data. It features hundreds of beautiful color photographs, illustrations, and maps. It chronicles evolution and adaptation over the ages, as well as current issues. It explores human impacts upon the world's complex ecosystems.

Table of Contents:
Foreword How to use this book OPENER - LIVING EARTH Introduction Evolution Where animals live Balancing act Forest habitats Grasslands habitats Dry habitats Frozen habitats Aquatic habitats Urban & rural habitats Threats and challenges Conservation OPENER - EUROPE Introduction Deciduous Woodlands The European Badger River Valleys Delta of Cota Donana Mountain Ranges The Mountaineers The Mediterranean Mediterranean Islands Flyways of Europe Coniferous Forests of Northern Europe Life Along the Shore Marshes and Wetlands OPENER - NORTH AMERICA Introduction The Boreal Forest Caribou on the Move The Pacific Northwest Coniferous Forest The Rocky Mountains The Wolf in North America The Great Plains Prairie Dogs of the Plains The Great Basin Sagebrush Country Deserts of the Southwest Saguaro Cactus Community Eastern Deciduous Forest and the Appalachians Oak Forests of the Eastern States Salamanders of the Forest Coastal Plains Bird Migration OPENER - CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA Introduction Central America Central American Rain Forests The Jaguar Amazon Rain Forests Life in the Treetops The Andes Wilderness The Condor The Galapagos Islands The Gran Chaco Patagonia Birds of the Pampas Llamas and their Relatives Life in the Caribbean OPENER - ASIA Introduction The Steppes of Central Asia The Siberian Wilderness Hot and Cold Deserts The Himalayas The Asian Big Cats The Indian Subcontinent The Mountains of Southwest China The Sundaland Tropical Rain Forests of Southeast Asia East Asia, Japan and Korea The Lower Mekong The Philippine Archipelago OPENER - AFRICA Introduction The Sahara and Sahel The Congo Basin Primates of the Congo The Ethiopian Highlands East African Savanna Grassland Grazers Life in the Albertine Rift Birds of Africa The Miombo Woodlands The Okavango Africa's Big Carnivores Life in the Kalahari Madagascar: island habitat Africa's Coral Reefs OPENER - AUSTRALASIA & OCEANIA Introduction Monotremes and other Unique Animals Australia's Marsupials New Guinea Highlands The Great Barrier Reef Wildlife of Cape York Tropical Rain Forests The Tropical North The Australian Outback Water in the Desert Temperate Forests and Heathlands Parrots and Cockatoos of Australia New Zealand's island wildlife The Pacific Islands OPENER - THE POLES Introduction Across the Tundra The Arctic Food Chain Summer Bloom The Polar Bear Long-distance Migrants Antarctica: frozen desert Penguin Parade Antarctic Birds OPENER - THE OCEANS Introduction The Pacific Ocean The Atlantic Ocean The Indian Ocean The Arctic Ocean The Southern Ocean OPENER/INTRO - FACTFILE Factfile GLOSSARY INDEX ACKNOWLEDGMENTS