Taronga Big Book of Animals
Taronga Conservation Society Australia
Penguin, 2024
256pp., hbk., RRP $A39.99
9781761347467
The inhabitants of our natural world have always fascinated young people, but never before has their existence been such a focus as they battle human intrusion on their lives, to the extent that some believe that in addition to the five catastrophic events such as the Ice Age and the asteroid which wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago, there will be a sixth and it will be entirely due to human choices, decisions and actions.
Currently there are over 8 000 000 animal species that share this one planet with humans, and the authors of this book, the Taronga Conservation Society Australia a not-for-profit organisation whose vision is to secure a shared future for wildlife and people, want to encourage our young readers to continue to be curious about them and continue to learn more so their new knowledge and understanding leads to greater care and protection.
Especially designed to be accessible to young readers, the book is divided into the eight key habitats of the world – rainforests, rivers and lakes, deserts, grasslands, oceans and coastlines, mountains, forest and scrublands and polar regions – and then each section is packed with information and surprising facts about some of the creatures to be found there. For example, I first learned about pangolins from a Kindy kid whose fascination for them meant he became an early reader, but now I know they are the only mammals that have scales and, when threatened, they curl up much as an echidna does to protect their bare belly. They are also the most trafficked wild mammal, and that the illegal wildlife trade is the second biggest cause of global species loss.
I’ve also learned that of all the kangaroo, wombat, wallaby, possum and other poo that we regularly have to pick up (or watch where we tread), that that which is glittery belongs to the occasional echidna that visits and makes itself comfortable in the pot plants.
While credit is rightfully given to the individual authors and the four artists whose illustrations are remarkable, special credit goes to the designer Astred Hicks who has drawn such a diverse manuscript together into something that is so accessible to and fascinating for our younger readers. As well as being one of those big, thick, heavy books that young boys, particularly, like to tote around to show off their reading prowess (even if their ambition outweighs their abilities) it has the potential to actually engage them with the contents, such is its appeal.
It is also a perfect companion to those who are enjoying the new Taronga Presents,,, series so they can take their interest and broaden their horizons beyond those stories, and for those who are keenly interested, there is also the television series Taronga: Who’s Who in the Zoo
An outstanding contribution to student knowledge and a stand-out among the many books about animals.