Countdown To Extinction: Animals In Danger!

by David Burnie

Today, there are over 6.5 billion people in the world. Together, we take up more space, eat more food and create more waste than any other form of life. Human dominance may be good news for us, but it's bad news for many other animals that share the planet with us. David Burnie looks at
extinction from the mass wipe-out of the dinosaurs, 65 million years ago, to the probable extinction of the tiger within the next ten years. He covers many species from the cuddly and much-loved panda to the less attractive thylacine, classed as vermin but no less valuable to the ecological balance
of the planet. All sorts of animals are represented, from the feathered and winged to the slimy and scaly.

80 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2008

About the author

David Burnie studied zoology and botany at the University of Bristol and worked as a biologist and nature reserve ranger. He contributed to award-winning books including Deadly Creatures and the Explorers series while consulting and writing scripts for history programmes.

Reviews

[Gemma Kilgore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Representing the scaly, furry, slimy, and feathery, author David Burnie shares an abundance of knowledge of the animals who have gone extinct, who has been reintroduced into the wild, and of the species whose numbers are quickly dwindling. The contents of "Countdown To Extinction: Animals in Danger!" covers topics regarding illegal poaching, vanishing habitats, invasive species, pollution and disease, and what the future holds. Burnie emphasizes the significance of keeping these animals alive and minimizing human-caused damage, as habitats are destroyed and certain species are hunted for their fur, bones, or horns (ivory). This book encompasses many of the different biomes and their animals, detailing the harm of climate change, disease, and oil spills. "Countdown To Extinction: Animals in Danger!" is a great book with organized and interesting information.

***I would definitely add "Countdown To Extinction: Animals in Danger!" to my classroom library. Its contents are important to students' understanding of the real world and how/why it is imperative to help save these species. Along with helpful, real-life photographs, Burnie has a glossary and index for readers to refer to. I could also look at this book for some more information if students happened to do an animal study.