Publisher Description

Get the perfect kids' introduction to Minnesota's mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians.Put nature in the hands of children! Critters of Minnesota is your wildlife pocket guide that's informative, concise, and easy to use. Written by wildlife biologist and debut author Alex Troutman, this handy book presents 63 critters from the Land of 10,000 Lakes-if an animal is in this book, it's found in Minnesota.Each species is showcased in a professional-quality photograph that's paired with such neat-to-know details as habitat, range, and preferred food sources. Illustrations of the critter's tracks complement the information, and a "Did You Know?" paragraph provides fascinating trivia worth sharing with family, friends, and teachers. Critters of Minnesota includes important-to-know mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians.Book Features:
63 critters-only Minnesota animalsFull-color photos of every speciesConcise descriptions and interesting "Did You Know?" factsAttractive layout with kid appealA portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book benefits Wildlife Forever to support their conservation efforts.

Author Biography

Alex Troutman is a wildlife biologist, birder, nature enthusiast, and science communicator from Austell, Georgia. He has a passion for sharing the wonders of nature and introducing the younger generation to the outdoors. He holds both a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in biology from Georgia Southern University (the Real GSU), with a focus in conservation. Because he knows what it feels like to not see individuals who look like you, or come from a similar background, doing the things you enjoy or working in the career that you aspire to be in, Alex makes a point not only to be that representation for the younger generation but also to make sure that kids have exposure to the careers they are interested in and the diverse scientists working in those careers.Alex is the co-organizer of several Black in X weeks, including Black Birders Week, Black Mammologists Week, and Black in Marine Science Week. This movement encourages diversity in nature, the celebration of Black individual scientists, awareness of Black nature enthusiasts, and diversity in STEAM fields.

Table of Contents

About Wildlife ForeverAcknowledgmentsDedicationIntroductionMinnesota: The Land of 10,000 LakesHow to Use This GuideSafety NoteNotes About IconsMammalsBirdsReptiles and AmphibiansGlossaryChecklistThe Art of ConservationPhoto CreditsAbout the Author

Review

"Each species is showcased with a photo that's paired with details such as habitat, range, and preferred food sources, as well as illustrations of the animal's tracks."
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Pioneer Press

Long Description

Get the perfect kids' introduction to Minnesota's mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Put nature in the hands of children! Critters of Minnesota is your wildlife pocket guide that's informative, concise, and easy to use. Written by wildlife biologist and debut author Alex Troutman, this handy book presents 63 critters from the Land of 10,000 Lakes--if an animal is in this book, it's found in Minnesota. Each species is showcased in a professional-quality photograph that's paired with such neat-to-know details as habitat, range, and preferred food sources. Illustrations of the critter's tracks complement the information, and a "Did You Know?" paragraph provides fascinating trivia worth sharing with family, friends, and teachers. Critters of Minnesota includes important-to-know mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Book Features: 63 critters--only Minnesota animals Full-color photos of every species Concise descriptions and interesting "Did You Know?" facts Attractive layout with kid appeal A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book benefits Wildlife Forever to support their conservation efforts.

Excerpt from Book

American Black Bear Ursus americanus Size: 5-6 feet in length (nose to tail); 200-600 pounds in weight; males are usually larger than females. Habitat: Forests, lowland areas, swamps with plenty of fruit, nuts, and water. Can also be found in suburban areas that border forest. Range: Only found on the continent of North America; can be found as far north as Alaska and as far south as northern Mexico. Food: Black bears are omnivorous, meaning they eat both meat and plant material. Diet consists of berries, fish, seeded crops, small mammals, wild grapes, tree shoots, ants, bees, beavers, and even deer fawns. Den: Denning usually starts in December, with bears emerging in late March or April. Dens can be either dug (out of a hillside, for example) or constructed with materials such as leaves, grass, and moss. Young: Two cubs are usually born at one time (a litter) from August to November. Cubs are born furless and blind, with pink skin. They are often born in January and weigh between 8 and 16 ounces. Predators: Black bears may become prey to wolves, coyotes, bobcats, grizzly bears, humans, or other black bears. Cubs are especially vulnerable to these animals. Human-wildlife conflict is a problem for black bears. This conflict sometimes takes place in the form of bear collisions with cars. One way to prevent these accidents is to avoid throwing food scraps or leaving trash near the road edge. Tracks: Front print is usually 4-6 inches long and 3.5-5 inches wide with the hind foot being 6-7 inches long and 3.5-5 inches wide. Both feet have 5 toes. Description: Black bears are usually black in color, but they can be many different variations of black and brown in color. Some even have a grayish, reddish, or blonde color. Did You Know...? Black bears are born weighing less than a pound, and they can gain 30 pounds in the first few months of their lives. Black bears are the smallest bear species in North America. Females weigh between 90 and 180 pounds and many are smaller than average human males. But don't let their small size fool you. These bears are powerful!

Description for Sales People

Popular, proven format: More than 7,000 copies of the first edition (9781885061874) sold Kids' introduction to 63 of Minnesota's mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians Not intimidating: colorful, appealing design with information geared toward children, ages 7-12 New edition with a selection of different species, updated photographs and ranges, revised information, and more expert insights Concise descriptions and interesting "Did You Know?" facts about each animal Debut author is a noted wildlife biologist All-in-one source of information, facts, photos, and gee-whiz tidbits in a concise guide Extreme value: massive information for under $10 A portion of the proceeds benefits Wildlife Forever to support their conservation efforts

Details