Revised and expanded edition of the classic Mammals of the Great Lakes.
Mammals evolved from an obscure group of reptiles about 230 million years ago. Early mammals were probably no larger than modern shrews or mice, and they remained this size---while living in the shadows of dinosaurs---for over 150 million years.
First published in 1957, Mammals of the Great Lakes Region, by William H. Burt, offered countless numbers of amateur and professional naturalists a source of information on mammals living in the Great Lakes basin. Over the past thirty-plus years, the knowledge of mammals has grown tremendously, and this new edition offers the most up-to-date information on the mammals living in the region.
Intended to serve as a quick reference for teachers, students, naturalists, and professional biologists, the heavily illustrated book can be tucked into a backpack and carried into the field. The author's introduction serves to help understand the major characteristics of mammals and the Great Lakes ecosystem. It outlines the physical factors that affect the distribution and abundance of mammals in the area, including surface geology, temperature, snowfall, and vegetation.
Detailed information on eighty-three species provides the measurements, description, and natural history of the mammal. In addition, all species accounts have accompanying photographs as well as maps showing the geographic range in the Great Lakes region and in North America. Also included is a section on how to capture small mammals and how to prepare specimens for research or teaching.
Allen Kurta is Associate Professor of Biology, Eastern Michigan University. He is well known for his work on the Indiana bat.
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6 x 9, ca 350 pages, photographs, maps, tablesISBN 0-472-09497-1
cloth 42.50E (tentative)
ISBN 0-472-06497
paper 16.95T (tentative)
December