amphibian

Cane Toad Wars

Cane Toad Wars cover

When it comes to the history of ecological f… well, “fornication”-ups, few can rival that of the 1935 importation of 101 individual Central and South American Cane Toads (Rhinella marina) into Australia. The idea seemed reasonable enough at the time and was done with the best of intentions – bring in the toads to control the insects that ate the sugar-cane being grown there. However, like many species introductions done with the best of intentions, this one truly paved the proverbial road to you know where.

Rarities Within Reach

Few and Far Between cover

After my initial sorting of the natural history books I regularly receive to be considered for review in The Well-read Naturalist, I find that – aside from field and reference guides – there are essentially three groups into which those I end up reading for the purpose may be classed. The first are those in […]

Few and Far Between

Few and Far Between cover

One of the things I like best about Birdfair is the opportunity it gives me to discover new natural history books that might not otherwise have come to my attention on the North American side of the Atlantic. And of the many fascinating books I took note of at this year’s event, Charlie Elder’s Few and Far Between; On The Trail of Britain’s Rarest Animals is the one I looked most forward to reading.

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