Thousands of animal species have vanished in the last two centuries, and many others, like the Amur leopard, are almost gone.

From the first microscopic sea creatures to the Tasmanian wolf, this book traces all of extinct life. Each chapter covers the animals themselves, the processes that brought them to extinction, and the modern scientific discoveries that reveal their lost worlds.

Did you know that blue whales are the largest animals in the world? Or that sea otters wash their paws after every meal? The world is filled with millions of animal species, and all of them are unique and special. Many are on the path to extinction.

Is life on earth facing a new period of mass extinction like those that have destroyed billions of species in the past? In Dying Planet, science writer Jon Erickson tells the story of history's great episodes of plant and animal extinction and speculates on how modern man's continued destruction of large ecosystems around the globe could have a similar impact on life in the centuries to come.

More than 600 species have become extinct in the last 400 years, and, while there are many reasons for this alarmingly high number, the influence of human behavior is undeniable. This illustrated book examines many at-risk species, and the principal threats to their well-being, at the same time empowering students to get involved in conservation efforts.

Eyewitness: Endangered Animals takes a look at creatures around the world that are currently threatened with extinction, along with the ways that we can help them survive. Starting with an overview of biodiversity and the web of life, the book then examines the threats facing a wide range of species, including polar bears, sea turtles, tree frogs, river dolphins, jaguars, pandas, gibbons, and the California condor.

Information about some of the more important and interesting endangered animals of the oceans, including the animal's common name, scientific name, and conservation status; also includes a glossary, additional resources, and an index.

Creatures of all types and sizes have been vanishing at an alarming rate.This book talks about twenty-six animals that have become extinct in recorded history, one for each letter of the alphabet -- from aurochs, the wild cattle that appear in cave paintings, to Burchell's zebra, which roamed the South African grasslands until the mid-1800s. Along the way we also meet the elephant bird from Madagascar, the Barbary lion, which the Romans captured for their sports arenas, and the Xerces blue butterfly, which disappeared from California in 1941.

Mother Earth's Lullaby is a gentle bedtime call to some of the world's most endangered animals.

In this book, Joel Sartore and National Geographic present 80 iconic images, representing a lifelong commitment to the natural world and a three-year investigation into the Endangered Species Act and the creatures it exists to protect. This book will give readers not only a broader understanding of the history and purpose of the Endangered Species Act, but also a look at the very species it seeks to preserve.

An interactive look at endangered animals imploring readers to discover fifteen species facing extinction. Inspired and endorsed by the "Red List" database of animals in peril maintained by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) this illustrated book introduces species from six different habitats on six continents.

Decades of commercial whaling nearly decimated a variety of whales considered a keystone species. Keystone species are indicators of the overall health of Earth's habitats. While whales have made a comeback through an international ban on commercial whaling, they are still threatened with extinction. Global warming, water and noise pollution, and commercial shipping and fishing are among the most serious threats to whale survival.

What would the world be like without elephants? In recent years, the dwindling population of this endangered species has made it necessary to confront this question. Habitat destruction and poaching have jeopardized the survival of this keystone species, leading to widespread consequences.

Animals are endangered in many kinds of habitats and for different reasons. This book looks at why some animals have become endangered due to changes in their habitat. Examples include animals in the Arctic that rely on ice for hunting face the challenge of melting ice due to climate change, the populations of animals born only on particular islands and nowhere else are shrinking, and many kinds of ocean animals are being poisoned by water pollution.

Did you know that a Galapagos tortoise can live to be 200 years old if nothing harms it? And yet, the Galapagos tortoise is an endangered species. Learning about endangered species is the first step toward saving them.