At its current tally of 212 species, California's mammal list is the
largest of all the United States'. This new guidebook joins its sister
titles A Californian's Guide to the Birds among Us and A
Californian's Guide to the Trees among Us in introducing naturalists of
all levels to over forty varieties of the Golden State's fascinating
warm-blooded wildlife. Full-color images and evocative descriptions make
identification fun and intuitive: a bobcat, for example, has "a Civil
War look, with old-fashioned sideburns framing the face in black and
white," while a blue whale is named for its coloration of not "old jeans
or dull paint, but a luminous, 'how can water catch on fire?' kind of
blue." Author Charles Hood supplements essential information with
strange but true facts like voles' predilection for deer antlers as a
source of calcium, and Mexican free-tailed bats' ability to live in
gaseous environments that would kill most other animals. With
refreshingly pragmatic commentary ("the fact is, even for experienced
naturalists, most chipmunks look pretty much alike") and sound advice
for where to see mammals in urban and wilderness settings alike, this
lively and even quotable guide will inspire people to connect with their
environments wherever they are.
