Life in the Cape York Rainforest

About this book

This title is suitable for biologists and environmentalists with an interest in the Top End and New Guinea, tourists to Cape York, conservationists and policy makers and amateur naturalists, especially ornithologists and herpetologists.

The remote, beautiful and poorly known rainforests of Cape York Peninsula tell a special story about Australia's historic and present-day connections to New Guinea. This book highlights the connections by examining the fascinating biology of some of the most spectacular birds and other animals shared between the two regions.The author recounts his own ground-breaking research on 'cross-dressing' eclectus parrots, musical palm cockatoos and multi-coloured pythons, together with the exotic lifestyles of other animals, while painting the bigger picture of the past when Australia and New Guinea were joined by extensive landbridges.

Australia's disconnection from New Guinea is probably only temporary, and even today many bird species continue to fly the short distance between the two landmasses. The book uses the beautiful photographs of Michael Cermak and others to draw the reader in, and lively informative text to describe the remarkable behaviour of many of the rainforest creatures, and to emphasise the shallow and transient nature of Torres Strait as a barrier between Cape York and New Guinea. The book is aimed at anyone interested in the wildlife of northern Australia.Whether just browsing the beautiful photos and informative captions, or reading it in its entirety, this book will provide a useful guide for a greater understanding of the unique attributes of our Cape York rainforests.This book features: stunning photographs; unrivalled and authoritative coverage of an area of great biological interest; and, accessible writing style. It is the first book solely about Cape York rainforests.

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Biography

Associate Professor Rob Heinsohn is a conservation biologist with a special interest in the behaviour and social systems of Australian animals. For the last 10 years he has been studying the behaviour and ecology of large parrots and snakes on Cape York Peninsula.

Michael Cermak is a professional zoologist and wildlife photographer with 25 years' experience photographing rainforest wildlife.