Overview

The first book dedicated entirely to the fascinating ecology of the world's tortoises. Tortoises of the World is the only book to offer a comprehensive exploration of the biology, natural history, and conservation of the fascinating family Testudinidae. Renowned reptile scientist George R. Zug and acclaimed science writer Devin A. Reese bring a wealth of research to life in this beautifully illustrated volume, the first dedicated wholly to tortoises. Focusing on the diversity of the 47 known tortoise species and their evolution from ancestral turtles, this approachable and informative work explores: • Tortoise adaptations, their unique body plan, and their behavioral ecology • The odd anatomy and physiology that enables tortoises' life in shells • Their resilience to extreme temperatures and aridity • Tortoises' role as ecosystem engineers in the diverse habitats they occupy • Their intricate life cycle, from mating rituals and nesting to the tenuous survival of eggs and hatchlings Zug and Reese also examine the challenging nature of interactions between tortoises and humans while highlighting ongoing conservation efforts to secure their futures.

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9781421448350

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George R. Zug, emeritus research scientist of reptiles and amphibians at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, is an award-winning herpetologist, the author of Reptiles and Amphibians of the Pacific Islands, and the coauthor of Herpetology: An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles. Devin A. Reese is the executive editor of Natural History magazine. An award-winning science writer who earned her PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, she has written for the Smithsonian, PBS, the World Wildlife Fund, Science News, and elsewhere.

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