Koala: A Natural History and an Uncertain Future
by Danielle Clode 
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"A biologist takes us into the still mysterious world of koalas, from their marsupial ancestors to current threats to their existence. Koalas are one of the most beloved animals, but despite their celebrity, we are just learning much about their nature and history. Blending evolutionary biology, natural history, and ecology, biologist Danielle Clode tells us the story of these amazing marsupials. She looks at fossils of ancestral giant koalas three times modern koalas' size and explains why show more they are the lone survivor of a once diverse family tree. Clode investigates their nature-often affectionate but can also be belligerent-and their physiology-from their pouches to their gut bacteria, which can only digest leaves of the species of gum tree they were raised on. She also warns about the danger koalas have been in as humans have impinged on their habitats through land clearance and urban development. Now, Australia's explosive wildfires threaten them each summer, killing and harming them as never before. Clode takes us close to these extraordinary creatures and speaks to why and how we need to save them"-- show lessTags
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Member Reviews
In this fascinating, easily readable microhistory, biologist Danielle Clode takes us through the anatomy, physiology, behavior (including some myth-busting), history and current concerns of Australia's arguably most adorable creature, the koala. I squeed just imagining living in a place where koalas are seen roaming the neighborhood like squirrels or raccoons. Great for fans of natural history and marsupials.
Excerpted from a longer article:
Animal-Human Relationships
From turtles and koalas to animal babies, explore several new books that examine the lives of animals and their relationships with humans around the world.
...
Koala: A Natural History and an Uncertain Future
Danielle Clode, 2023, W.W. Norton & Company
Themes: Nature, Animals, Mammals
Clode investigates the history, physiology and personalities of koalas. Along the way, she reflects on the need to protect these unique Australian marsupials.
Take-aways: Bring life science alive with information about these adorable animals.
...
Whether helping educators keep up-to-date in their subject-areas, promoting student reading in the content-areas, or simply encouraging nonfiction leisure reading, show more teacher librarians need to be aware of the best new titles across the curriculum and how to activate life-long learning. - Annette Lamb show less
Animal-Human Relationships
From turtles and koalas to animal babies, explore several new books that examine the lives of animals and their relationships with humans around the world.
...
Koala: A Natural History and an Uncertain Future
Danielle Clode, 2023, W.W. Norton & Company
Themes: Nature, Animals, Mammals
Clode investigates the history, physiology and personalities of koalas. Along the way, she reflects on the need to protect these unique Australian marsupials.
Take-aways: Bring life science alive with information about these adorable animals.
...
Whether helping educators keep up-to-date in their subject-areas, promoting student reading in the content-areas, or simply encouraging nonfiction leisure reading, show more teacher librarians need to be aware of the best new titles across the curriculum and how to activate life-long learning. - Annette Lamb show less
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Science: Zoology
107 works; 1 member
Author Information
14 Works 252 Members
Danielle Clode lives on a bush block in the fire-prone foothills of the Kinglake Ranges. She is a researcher at the University of Melbourne who has held a number of prestigious fellowships, and is an award-winning author of Australian natural history.
Danielle Clode is a LibraryThing Author, an author who lists their personal library on LibraryThing.
Awards and Honors
Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 2023-01-17
- Important places
- Australia
- Dedication
- For all the environmentalists, carers, conservationists, researchers, rangers and nature lovers who work so hard to protect the future of our wildlife
- First words
- A cool breeze ruffled the koala's fur, causing her to stir in her sleep.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)That its hollows and crevices will be filled with life, and that high up in the canopy a resilient female koala, a young joey growing in her pouch, is safe in the sheltering, nurturing branches of her new home.
- Blurbers
- Haskell, David George; Bekoff, Marc; Menkhorst, Peter; Wohlleben, Peter
- Original language
- English
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 63
- Popularity
- 492,816
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (4.00)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 9
- ASINs
- 1
