Costa Rica: The Ecotraveller's Wildlife Guide (Ecotravellers Wildlife Guides) |  | Author: Les Beletsky
Publisher: Academic Press
Category: Book
List Price: $33.95
Buy Used: $4.76
as of 9/6/2010 17:51 CDT details
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New (5) Used (18) from $4.76
Seller: goodwillofwct
Rating:  11 reviews
Sales Rank: 959593
Media: Paperback
Pages: 426
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.7
Dimensions (in): 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.9
ISBN: 0120848104
Dewey Decimal Number: 591.97286
EAN: 9780120848102
ASIN: 0120848104
Publication Date: September 15, 1998
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com Review
As ecotourism booms, it's only natural that eco-themed guidebooks would boom alongside it. The Ecotravellers' Wildlife Guides series, endorsed by the Wildlife Conservation Society and researched by professional biologists, is one of the more credible brands to have surfaced in the swelling ecotravel ranks. The series provides an encyclopedic introduction to Central America's flora and fauna, as well as a friendly primer on the principles of ecotourism. These rich ecological contexts are accompanied by hundreds of pictures and photographs. Miraculously, the guides deliver solid science without growing stilted or boring--as evinced by sections with such titles as "Avian Mating Systems and Birds That Cheat" and "Frugivory: Animals That Eat Fruit and the Trees That Want Them To." The one element in surprisingly short supply is ecologically sound travel tips, from general do's and don'ts to a list of ecologically responsible tour operators and other eco-friendly establishments in Costa Rica. This is somewhat discouraging--learning how to travel responsibly is as important as knowing what you're going to see. Though the book isn't quite a one-stop information source for the ecologically minded, it's an excellent guide to the natural wonders that make Costa Rica such a rewarding destination. --Andrew Nieland
Product Description
With Costa Rica: The Ecotravelers Wildlife Guide, Les Beletsky provides the tourist to Central America with an invaluable handbook to natural history, ecology, and wildlife habitats. The readable, informative text along with photos and drawings will help the ecotourist to identify animals encountered on their visit. Also included are lists of wildlife reserves and other ecologically significant sites with up-to-date conservation techniques in Costa Rica. It is the only book that gives the reader a mix of natural history, ecology, conservation, species identification and site guide all in one volume.
Key Features
* The only guide to Costa Rica to combine general ecological information with basic species identification
* Readable, informative text
* Plates of species with photos of typical habitats and drawings of common plants
* Lists of Reserves and sites to visit
* Up-to-date text on conservation in Costa Rica
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 11
 As Goldilocks would say "just right' March 15, 2000
Georgina M Schrock (Spokane, Washington)
31 out of 32 found this review helpful
Not too big, not too small. Just the right amount of information. This book is exceptionally easy to read. It's well organized, funny and full of good science and interesting lore. Two other qualities makes this book outstanding. First, it describes and illustrates only the birds that you are most likely to see. Other books gave me too many choices. This was my first try at birding and of the 55 different birds I saw, all but one were in this book. Second, this book also covers all the other wildlife that you may be lucky enough to see. Monkeys, lizards, coatis, and red poison- dart frogs - they're all in there. However, if you like being a loner don't buy this book. It's a friend maker - everyone wanted to borrow it. Wherever we went it was "Can I see your book for a minute please? You may want to bring or read more books but...this is the one you'll always carry in your backpack and bring to the breakfast table. Enjoy!
Excellent Resource February 11, 2002
M. Kirshenbaum (Marblemount, WA USA)
16 out of 16 found this review helpful
This book provides a fascinating, well-written and often humorous overview of Costa Rican natural history as well as a detailed description of the most often seen wildlife. I cannot overstate how much this book enhanced my trip to Costa Rica and gave me a greater understanding of what I was seeing. It is not exhaustive, but unless you want to carry multiple, subject-specific books with you, this is the one to bring. It had information on virtually every bird and creature I saw there.
A must-carry reference for the ecotourist in Costa Rica! January 4, 1999
15 out of 16 found this review helpful
This is the first really comprehensive, backback-suitable wildlife guide for ecotouring in Costa Rica that I've come across. It combines information from the best possible sources and includes much of what you are likely to encounter in various regions of the country. Well-organized and easy to use, this is a must-carry reference guide! My thanks and congratulations to the author!
excellent nature guide February 17, 2003
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
This guide has got three sections: an introduction to the neotropical ecosystems, a description of families of animal, and a section with pictures, for purposes of identification.
The second section is for people who are willing to dig deeper into this stuff, the first section gives a good introduction into Casta Rica and it's ecology.
To shallow for professionals, to deep for absolute beginners (only the last section will appeal to them), but very good stuff for the informed layman!
Beautiful naturalist's handbook December 24, 1998
Ron Mader (Mexico)
15 out of 18 found this review helpful
From El Planeta Platica: An impressive first edition, not as much a tourist's guidebook as a naturalist's handbook. Color illustrations document 350 of Costa Rica's most common species as well as endangered animals.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 11
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