Many years ago, in the days before Fiona & Lucy, I had Clara & Louie. We lived in a little green house in NE Portland with a woodsy backyard. As they aged, they often had to potty through the night, so I would open the back door for them and go back to bed. One night I did so, and as I was almost back to sleep i heard the great alarm sound of basset hounds following their prey. I got up quickly and went out to find that they’d cornered a possum. In typical possum fashion, it didn’t move. I had to drag the gigs back in. The next morning my very kind neighbors wondered what kind of party we’d had. They laughed when I told them about the possum.
My sister lives on a rural road outside a small town in Canada. they frequently get deer, but have also seen a black bear in their yard. And this brings me to a new book.
Wild Animal Neighbors: Sharing Our Urban World by Ann Downer addresses the issue of human and animal interactions as we move into their habitat. We often hear about these stories in the news, and them seem sensational. Downer explains situations, what caused them and what people are trying to do to help the situation. Not all the endings are happy.
Each of the 7 chapters features a particular animal in a particular setting.
Each situation has impressive photos of the animal in the urban setting she is describing, and a sidebar with facts about the animal. The animals footprints dot the pages as you read. This book is very well laid out, pleasing to the eye and full of great information. Backmatter includes source notes, a bibliography,resources for further information and, an index.
Animal lovers will gravitate to this book. It would be a wonderful addition to discussions about habitats, nature, the environment, and animals in general.
booksandbassets 