Royal BC Museum Handbook

A full-colour, fully updated field guide to identifying British Columbia's bats, with new material on acoustic identification. Bats live on every continent except Antarctica and in virtually every type of habitat, from desert to forest. With more than 1,400 species worldwide, bats fill important ecological roles around the globe by controlling insect populations, pollinating plants, dispersing seeds and even providing humans with medicines-the saliva of the famous vampire bat can be used to treat strokes! Yet despite their importance to the planet's ecosystems, there remains more misinformation than fact and more fear than respect for these diminutive guardians of the night. Since 1993, when the first edition of Bats of British Columbia was published, an explosion in field studies of the province's bat fauna has produced a wealth of new knowledge, applying modern tools such as genetic techniques and acoustic bat detectors. This fully updated second edition includes new colour photographs throughout, with new material on acoustic identification. With in-depth information on biology, conservation, ecology and identification of the 18 bat species found in the province, the new Bats of British Columbia will help create an appreciation of this fascinating group of mammals.

Sharks! The very mention of the word conjures up images of dangerous creatures with a voracious appetite. This public image couldn't be farther from the truth for a vast majority of shark species: most are cautious and placid, and many inhabit waters that exclude them from human contact. Much fear of sharks is driven by media reports or films that sensationalize shark attacks, despite the rarity of such occurrences. So much about sharks, and their relatives, makes them fascinating, and we still have much to learn. This book is for everyone interested in learning more about sharks and their relatives. It provides the most accurate and up-to-date information on chondrichthyans in British Columbia waters, including detailed species descriptions and identification information. Sharks, Skates, Rays and Chimeras of British Columbia presents sharks and their relatives as valuable members of our coastal fish community, worthy of respect, study, admiration and protection.

With more species of fungi than any other region in Canada, British Columbia is a rich playground for mushroom hunters. Now there's Mushrooms of British Columbia, the newest handbook from the Royal BC Museum. It's perfect for anyone wanting to know more about BC mushrooms-whether for study, harvest, photography or appreciation. Authors and mushroom experts Andy MacKinnon and Kem Luther bring a practical and playful approach to helping people quickly and confidently identify the mushrooms of British Columbia. Common names trump technical terminology, fungi are grouped by overall shape, and written descriptions of more than 350 common species are reinforced with carefully curated diagnostic images. This is the go-to guidebook for anyone, amateur or expert, who loves to study, draw, photograph and eat BC mushrooms.