Dangerous Wildlife in the Southeast: A Guide to Safe Encounters At Home and in the Wild
"All of us, at one time or another, have been inhibited by fear of the natural world," says the practical, seemingly fearless and compassionate Bachleda (Blue Mountain). Luckily, "fear derives primarily from a lack of information," and once we learn the raisons d'ˆtre of scary things, our fear usually dwindles. Introducing the new Dangerous Wildlife series, this compendious guide does much to dispel the feelings of powerlessness and panic often provoked by sensationalized media coverage of, say, the recent spate of shark attacks along the eastern seaboard. Wasps, poisonous frogs, fire ants, tree-hole mosquitoes, scabies, tiger sharks, moth caterpillars, pit vipers and hundreds of others make cameos here and receive the appropriate respect and understanding. Readers learn where and when (to the time of day) they might encounter these creatures; the likelihood of a meeting; their physical and "personality" traits; their diet, habitat, reproductive practices, range and population size; whether or not it's necessary to visit the doctor when bitten or stung. It's true that familiarity can bring comfort, and Bachleda's calm approach to what many dread will inspire much confidence. A bibliography, a list of U.S. poison control centers and hundreds of color photographs round out this resource.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.