Table of Contents

FORWORD 7 1. A WINNING DESIGN 11 2. THE INSECT HUNTERS 38 3. CHISELLERS 61 4. PLANT PREDATORS 87 5. MEAT EATERS 124 6. THE OPPORTUNISTS 156 7. RETURN TO THE WATER 184 8. LIFE IN THE TREES 213 9. THE SOCIAL CLIMBERS 247 10. FOOD FOR THOUGHT 283 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 310 INDEX 316

About the Author

David Attenborough was born in 1926 and educated at Cambridge. He started making television documentaries in the 1950s, produced the series "Zoo Quest", and made some of television's first black-and-white nature films before being promoted to senior management at the BBC. In the 1970s, Attenborough returned to filmmaking and has subsequently produced some of the most famous wildlife documentaries ever made, most notably his "Life" series. He was knighted in 1985 and now lives near London. He is the author of "The Life of Birds", "The Private Life of Plants", and "Life on Air" (all Princeton).

Reviews

"Heavily illustrated with beautiful photographs and enlivened by Attenborough's friendly, informative writing style, this is a terrific introduction to the wonders of our hairy, milk-producing relatives."--Booklist "Attenborough brings a distinctive and zippy intelligence to everything he does... [His] curiosity is boundless and infectious, and one is repeatedly reminded that once teeming and scheming humanity is left behind, the Earth can still be a magically amazing place."--Tom Shales, The Washington Post "Vintage Attenbrough text is illustrated with more than 200 color photos to provide us with a beautiful and interesting window into the lives of these diverse and fascinating animals. An excellent addition to any family or natural history library."--Wildlife Activist