Peru : The Ecotravellers' Wildlife Guide

by Pearson, David L.; Beletsky, Les

• ISBN13: 9780125480659
• ISBN10: 0125480652
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-01-01
• Publisher: Academic Pr

Summary

From the world-famous Machu Picchu Incan ruins high in the Andes Mountains to Lake Titicaca in southern Peru and to the Iquitos area of Amazonian northeastern Peru, ecotravellers want to experience tropical forests and other stunning habitats and catch glimpses of exotic wildlife: toucans and parrots, monkeys and anteaters, frogs and toads, crocodiles and snakes. This book is all the information you need to find, identify, and learn about Peru's magnificent animal and plant life. The authors, professional biologists, selected color illustrations of more than 500 of Peru's most common insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals - the species you are most likely to see. In one easy-to-carry, entertainingly written, beautifully illustrated book, you will have a constant companion on your journey. Peru's biodiversity is considered to be among the greatest on Earth. In southeastern Peru, on the east slope of the Andes and descending into the Amazonian lowlands, biodiversity has been studied extensively during the past 20 years. More than 300,000 people visit Peru each year, and the number of ecotourists who visit specifically for bird watching, etc., is steadily rising due to the abundant offering of wildlife that Peru has to offer. Key Features * Identifying and location information on the most frequently seen animals * Up-to-date information on the ecology, behavior, and conservation of the animals * Information on Peru's habitats and on the most common plants you will encounter * Brief descriptions of Peru's most frequently visited parks and reserves

Author Biography

David L. Pearson is a Research Professor in the Department of Biology at Arizona State University. Les Beletsky is a professional wildlife biologist and university zoology teacher.

Table of Contents

Foreword	ix
Preface	xiii
Ecotourism: Travel for the Environmentally Concerned	1	(9)
What Ecotourism Is and Why It's Important	1	(1)
How Ecotourism Helps; Ecotravel Ethics	2	(2)
Peru: Environmental Threats and Conservation	4	(6)
Peru: Geography and Habitats	10	(26)
Geography and Climate	10	(3)
Vegetation Patterns	13	(4)
Major Habitats and Common Plant Species	17	(15)
Environmental Close-up 1: Why is Farming so Difficult in the Tropics?	32	(4)
Parks and Reserves: Brief Descriptions	36	(8)
Peru's Parks and Reserves	36	(2)
Tropical Dry Forest (TDF)	38	(1)
Coastal Desert Lowlands (CDL)	38	(1)
West Slope Vertiente and Lomas (WSV)	39	(1)
Highlands and Puna (HAP)	39	(2)
Eastern Slope of the Andes (ESA)	41	(1)
Amazon Lowlands (AMA)	42	(2)
How to Use This Book: Ecology and Natural History	44	(9)
What is Natural History?	44	(1)
What is Ecology and What Are Ecological Interactions?	44	(2)
How to Use This Book	46	(7)
Information in the Family Profiles	46	(4)
Information in the Color Plate Sections	50	(3)
Amphibians	53	(19)
Introduction	53	(1)
General Characteristics and Classification of Amphibians	54	(2)
Seeing Amphibians in Peru	56	(1)
Family Profiles	56	(13)
Toads	56	(3)
Rainfrogs	59	(3)
Treefrogs	62	(3)
Poison-dart Frogs	65	(2)
Other Frogs	67	(2)
Environmental Close-up 2: Frog Population Declines	69	(3)
Reptiles	72	(23)
Introduction	72	(1)
General Characteristics and Classification of Reptiles	72	(3)
Seeing Reptiles in Peru	75	(1)
Family Profiles	75	(17)
Crocodilians	75	(2)
Turtles	77	(3)
Colubrids: Your Regular, Everyday Snakes	80	(2)
Dangerous Snakes and Boas	82	(4)
Geckos	86	(1)
Iguanas and Relatives	87	(2)
Other Lizards	89	(3)
Environmental Close-up 3: Endemism and High Species Diversity: Why Peru	92	(3)
Birds	95	(88)
Introduction	96	(1)
General Characteristics and Classification of Birds	97	(1)
Features of Tropical Birds	98	(1)
Seeing Birds in Peru	99	(1)
Family Profiles	100	(77)
Penguin	100	(2)
Tubenose Birds	102	(2)
Pelican Allies and Flamingos	104	(2)
Gulls and Terns	106	(2)
Herons and Egrets	108	(2)
Marsh and Stream Birds	110	(3)
Ducks	113	(1)
Shorebirds	114	(3)
Tinamous and Rhea	117	(2)
Guans and Trumpeter	119	(2)
Vultures	121	(2)
Hawks, Eagles, and Kites	123	(1)
Falcons and Osprey	124	(2)
Pigeons and Doves	126	(2)
Parrots	128	(3)
Cuckoos and Anis	131	(2)
Owls and Oilbird	133	(2)
Nightjars and Potoo	135	(2)
Swifts and Swallows	137	(2)
Hummingbirds	139	(4)
Trogons	143	(1)
Kingfishers	144	(2)
Jacamars and Puffbirds	146	(1)
Motmots	147	(2)
Toucans and Barbets	149	(1)
Woodpeckers	150	(2)
Woodcreepers	152	(1)
Ovenbirds	153	(1)
Antbirds	154	(2)
Manakins	156	(2)
Cotingas	158	(2)
American Flycatchers	160	(2)
Jays	162	(1)
Wrens and Dipper	163	(3)
Thrushes and Mockingbirds	166	(1)
Wood Warblers	167	(2)
Flower-piercers, Conebills, and Honeycreepers	169	(1)
Tanagers	170	(3)
American Orioles and Blackbirds	173	(2)
Sparrows and Finches	175	(2)
Environmental Close-up 4: Frugivory: Animals That Eat Fruit and the Trees That Want Them To	177	(6)
Mammals	183	(47)
Introduction	183	(1)
General Characteristics and Classification of Mammals	184	(1)
Features of Tropical Mammals	185	(1)
Seeing Mammals in Peru	186	(1)
Family Profiles	187	(40)
Opossums	187	(2)
Anteaters, Sloths, and Armadillos	189	(4)
Bats	193	(5)
Primates	198	(7)
Carnivores	205	(5)
Peccaries, Deer, and Llama Relatives	210	(4)
Rodents and Rabbit	214	(5)
Manatee and Tapirs	219	(2)
Seals	221	(1)
Whales and Dolphins	222	(5)
Environmental Close-up 5: Of Kingfishers and Competition: Big Bills and Little Bills and How They Got That Way	227	(3)
Insects and Other Arthropods	230	(19)
Introduction	230	(2)
General Characteristics and Classification of Arthropods	232	(1)
Features of Tropical Arthropods	232	(1)
Seeing Arthropods in Peru	233	(1)
Order and Family Profiles	234	(15)
Dragonflies and Damselflies	234	(1)
Grasshoppers, Crickets, and Cockroaches	235	(1)
Termites	236	(1)
Cicadas and Relatives	237	(1)
Antlions	238	(1)
Beetles	238	(2)
Butterflies and Moths	240	(3)
Flies	243	(1)
Ants, Wasps, and Bees	243	(3)
Spiders	246	(1)
Crustaceans	247	(2)
References and Additional Reading	249	(2)
Habitat Photos	251	(10)
Identification Plates	261	(200)
WCS Conservation Work in Latin America	461	(8)
WCS Membership Information	469	(2)
Species Index	471	(16)
General Index	487