Mammals of the Southwest Deserts - Revised Edition

Tucson, Arizona: Southwest Parks and Monuments Association, 1982. 1982 Revised Edition . Trade Paperback. Very Good. 6" x 9. Thompson, Dale. 97 Pages. This is a 1982 Revised Edition publication by the Southwest Parks and Monuments Association which in 2002 was renamed The Western National Parks Association and is still located in Tucson Arizona. No defects noted and interior text pages are flawless. Illustrated by Dale Thompson throughut - some in full page color. This book is designed to help the amateur desert naturalist identify desert mammals. While not intended to be a scientific key, its illustrations and descriptions will aid in determining genus, if not species, of the animals included. Common and scientific names are included for each animal. Latin names are a universal language to serious students of natural history. All mammal names consist of two or three parts. The first is the genus, or group to which the animal belongs; the second is the specific name, which identifies one member of the group; the third, if present, is the subspecific name or the variety of the species. Few subspecific forms have been described here unless a variety is so distinct from the type that it can easily be identified. Only one or two of the most outstanding species of each group have been included in this book. More detailed information can be gained by consulting the references. The 42 mammals in this book represent 21 families and 8 orders. With apologies to mammalogists, some liberties have been taken in arrangement of the species. Visitors to the Southwest may at first may be surprised to see so few animals during the day. Most are nocturnal, saving their activities until temperatures have dropped. An hour's quiet vigil, with a flashlight, can prove rewarding at night. Do not expect to see many mammals on windy nights, because the noise of the wind and rustling branches hides the sound of predators, causing most to stay under cover. The greatest animal activity is found just after the first summer rains. National parks and monuments, where animals are protected in their natural surroundings, are excellent places to view wildlife.