Wild Animal Neighbors: Sharing Our Urban World; Ann Downer

Title: Wild Animal Neighbors: Sharing Our Urban World 

Author: Ann Downer 

Publication Year:  2013 

Publisher:  Lerner PUblishing
Edition: eGalley
Source:  NetGalley
Date Completed: Aug - 2013
Rating: 4.5/5

We've all heard of reported about some unusual types of wildlife showing up in our neighborhoods. I'm not referring to raccoons, possums or even deer. Some seven billion humans are encroaching on the space that animals had previously claimed as their homes. Their private habitats of many animals have been disturbed, and as a result, while looking for new homes or their mates that may have run off in different directions, little by little, we are seeing more and animals who previously lived in wooded areas roaming the streets and backyards in our own area. Just recently a moose was wandering the streets of a nearby town, and bears were reported in the backyard of a major urban city neighborhood where I live.

This book is (64 pages) and likely targeted toward a YA audience, but it is so well done and interesting enough for adults alike. Some of the stories and critters featured include stories about a coyote that wandered into a Quiznos sandwich shop in Chicago, Il; a young male mountain lion that roomed the busy streets of Santa Monica last year, Gators in a Texas garage after periods of extremely heavy rain; Logger-head turtles calling a Florida beach house home, and many more interesting stories, including some outside of the US.

Many different varieties of animals are profiled. Each has a wonderful, glossy photo, a description and lots of additional information about each animal including facts about what they eat, scientific name, size information, where each is typically found and whether the animal is endangered or not, and also information about what brings these critters, big and small, to our neighborhoods. 

Great books for libraries and animal/nature lovers