Natural Beings - Animals (Mammals)

Author: Jiang Tao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Natural creatures—animals exhibit a myriad of diverse appearances. Some are majestic and agile, while others are petite and delicate; some are endearingly clumsy, and others are clever and intelligent; some are graceful and slender, while others are sturdy and robust. It is precisely because of the existence of natural creatures—animals that our planet is vibrant and colorful, thriving in their respective ecological environments. However, due to the intensification and expansion of human development activities, forests are being cleared, rivers are being blocked, wetlands are being drained, and grasslands are being cultivated. This destructive human intervention has led to abrupt environmental changes, causing many animals that depend on each other to lose their habitats—ecological environments. Additionally, many animals fall victim to human exploitation for their "leather, fur, meat, and medicinal organs," facing severe threats to their survival. The primary purpose of compiling the China Rare Animals Series is to call upon people to show compassion toward natural creatures—animals, to collectively protect the Earth, nature, and our friends—animals, ensuring that every natural creature thrives and multiplies endlessly on this planet.
Mammals are animals that nurse their young with milk. They represent the most highly evolved and physiologically perfect group in the animal kingdom. Most mammals have fur on their bodies, which helps them maintain body temperature under any environmental conditions. Therefore, they are also classified as homeothermic animals.
The China Rare Animals Series introduces China's first- and second-class protected animals to young readers in a vivid, (text and illustration) format. This book covers a wide range of topics, contains rich and accurate information, and is easy for readers to understand the distribution, characteristics, habits, and endangered reasons of these animals. These animals are all nationally endangered or critically endangered species. Some have rare wild populations, with declining survival and reproductive abilities and severe population degradation; others are on the brink of extinction. Regardless of what measures humans take to save them, it may be too late, and they will ultimately bid farewell to this planet they have inhabited for hundreds of thousands of years— ( means "" in Chinese, which should be translated as "" or ""). At that time, the only way for humans to encounter them will be to search for their appearance and posture in pictures.
Scientific research confirms that the extinction of wild species poses a greater threat to humans than any other disaster. Yet, wild animal resources are still disappearing at an alarming rate on Earth. Shouldn’t "the wisest of all creatures" humans reflect on our actions of conquering nature and altering ecological environments? The primary purpose of compiling the China Rare Animals Series is to call upon people to show compassion toward natural creatures—animals, to collectively protect the Earth, nature, and our friends—animals, ensuring that every natural creature thrives and multiplies endlessly on this planet.
This book is part of the series and covers various animals, including reptiles, amphibians, and fish.