Alligators and Crocodiles

Steve Pitt is a Toronto-based freelance writer and an award-winning journalist. He has written many young adult and children's books, including Day of the Flying Fox: The True Story of World War II Pilot Charley Fox.

Does a whale poop in the ocean? If you read Blue Whales, you will not
only discover the answer to that question, but you will even learn how
to tell what the big fella’s been eating just by seeing the colorful
results. Are female crocodilians really bad parents? According to
Alligators and Crocodiles, these reptiles have been given a bad rap. Is
the eagle really king of the birds? Read Bald Eagles and learn that
while the eagle has been venerated for centuries in some countries, in
other places it gets treated like an oversized seagull.

Like previous volumes in Weigl’s Untamed World series, these six
books feature dozens of striking photos, informative but easy-to-read
text, full-color maps, a glossary, and special charts designed to help
the reader understand each subject’s unique characteristics. Each book
outlines the animal’s specific habitat, evolution, place in the
ecosystem, interaction with humanity, and chances for survival as an
endangered species.

Of all the animals profiled, only the great white shark is not yet
close to extinction. Conservation issues are thoughtfully presented and
often framed in a provocative dialogue. Is it ethical, for example, for
African game wardens to dehorn black rhinos in an effort to protect them
from poachers?

These are some of the best young-reader reference materials on the
market. Highly recommended.