Tortoises of the World

Baltimore 2024, 256 Seiten, viele Abb. The first book dedicated entirely to the fascinating ecology of the world's tortoises, it is the only book to offer a comprehensive exploration of the biology, natural history, and conservation of the fascinating family Testudinidae. The authors 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 behavioural ecology; the odd anatomy and physiology that enables tortoises' life in shells; their resilience in the face of extreme temperatures and aridity; their ecosystem engineering in the diverse habitats they occupy; the fascinating life cycle of tortoises, from their mating rituals to the arduous task of nesting and 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.