Atlas Obscura: Wild Life: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Living Wonders

by Cara Giaimo, Cara Giaimo, Atlas Obscura

From the bestselling authors of Atlas Obscura and Gastro Obscura, comes Wild Life, an over the top, dazzling collection of the world's most fascinating, most unusual, and least-understood natural wonders. It's more than a field guide--it's an adventure.  From the curious minds of Atlas Obscura, authors of #1 New York Times bestselling Atlas Obscura and Gastro Obscura, comes unputdownable tour through the world's most extraordinary natural wonders and curiosities. Learn how dung beetles navigate by the stars and trees communicate through their roots. Meet one of the strongest animals in the the puny peacock mantis shrimp. Visit a 44,000 year old shrub, float along flying rivers, and explore a garbage dump teeming with endangered storks. There are first person hear from a honey hunter and his avian partners, a scientist working to understand the hidden language of prairie dogs, an offshore radio DJ who is at the heart of the local fishing community. Examine old examples of bird song notation written on sheet music. Featuring over 500 extraordinary plants, animals, and natural phenomena with illustrations and photos on every page, first person interviews, and engaging infographics, the book takes readers around the globe, with stops in every continent---from Arctic deserts to lush jungles, to the deepest fathoms of the ocean, and into the heart of our densest cities.  In a time where the world that feels more knowable than ever, where can access anything with the click of a mouse or a swipe of a finger, and where nature documentaries are a dime a dozen, Wild Life finds a way to reinvigorate our send of wonder about the natural world. 

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Nature, Animals, Travel, Reference, Environment

464 pages, Hardcover

Published September 17, 2024

About the author

Cara Giaimo is a science journalist and alum of the MIT graduate program in science writing. Cara writes about the amazing lives of animals. You can find Cara's work in the New York Times, Atlas Obscura, NOVA, and other outlets. Cara lives in the Boston area.

Reviews

[Phillip Fuller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book shows the diversity of species that have found ways to survive and thrive in the wild. A frog has developed a way of getting through the winter by putting itself through suspended animation. There are others that have learned to adapt to living in cities and the frozen northern tundra with shorter time windows for breeding. The photos in the book were great and the authors succeed in wowing the reader with the text. If you don't believe in climate change then you should not read this book because it is presented as a fact. I will not go into more detail since it would spoil the enjoyment of this fine book.

[David Crumm · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Terrific Gift for the Family

Because of my work as a journalist covering cultural diversity, Workman sent me an early copy of its latest Atlas Obscura volume for an honest review—but I have to admit that Workman marketing folks probably knew from past coverage that our family loves these books! I'm reviewing it now so that some Goodreads friends might think of it as an autumn gift—perhaps a "back to school" gift? Or, you could order a copy and have it to wrap for year-end holidays?

I'm reflecting my whole family's affection for this series. In fact, we love the whole Atlas Obscura community, which is bigger than books. I'm never quite clear on what links are allowed in Goodreads reviews, but I can tell you that the main online "mother ship" is easy to find. If you are curious, I would urge you to start with the Wikipedia page that explains how this whole multi-media project was founded in 2009 to promote a global conversation about travel—and the world's rich array of wonders. Then, after you know that history, you can easily find the main Atlas Obscura website, which—for my tastes—is a little overly "busy" these days. Ads pop up. It's a little difficult, at least for me, to find stuff I'm looking for on that jam-packed website.

What I really love, now, are the books! Our family already has the the first "big book," published in 2016, titled Atlas Obscura: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Hidden Wonders. After that, we simply had to get a copy of the sequel Gastro Obscura: A Food Adventurer's Guide. There are other books and products under this company's banner, but those are the two volumes we already had in our home and can attest to 5-star enjoyment.

Now we've got this third volume and I'm also giving it 5 stars.

Mainly, I consider these "grandparent" books because my wife and I have very adventurous and inquisitive preschool grandkids who, for example, love exploring each issue of National Geographic with us, who own their own DK-published books about nature and, quite naturally, who are attracted to the stories we like to read in the Atlas Obscura series.

Now, let me be clear about this: These books are  not  "children's books." They're geared for adults—but we like to think, they're also perfect for parents and grandparents who enjoy exploring such books with the young adventurers in our families.

These books, including this new one about animal life (with some plant life thrown into the mix here and there), are packed with "short true stories." As a grandparent with a long, long experience in reading to young ones, they're stories—if carefully chosen from these big collections—that will delight the whole family. One of my favorites in this new volume is about "Krill"—no kidding—because even preschoolers learn to love whales and kids are astonished that creatures so gigantic can rely on food that is as tiny as krill.

Another one guaranteed to amaze your friends is a section on "literary bats." I had never heard of this idea before, but apparently at least a few historic libraries in the world welcome bats to come into the library and track down bugs that might damage the books. This sounds nuts to me—but apparently it is an archival and traditional practice associated with historic buildings in Portugal! Who knew?

And there are literally hundreds of other stories in this book, some as short as a paragraph or as concise as a color photo with caption.

Fun for the whole family!

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know,I know ; we have smartphones and tablets and all kinds of digital
stuff: the world at our fingertips. In color. In hi-def. In a matter of seconds.
Super lightweight, superbly portable, customizable cases & covers.

But I found this book. This incredibly readable, amazingly well designed
and organized compendium of plant and animal life. It's a treasure trove
of information in full color. Photos and drawings. A large staff contributed
to its creation and obviously loved what they were doing. It shows.

No chapters; there are 7 community groupings such as Forest/ Rainforest ,
Cities, Islands. Paragraphs or pages feature a living inhabitant. Many end
with interviews with guides or scientists or local natives. All entries end
with where you can travel to observe or interact with them ( if it's possible.)

I have ATLAS OBSCURA - WILDLIFE. I too have the world at my fingertips.
In beautiful color.
Amazon. 20 bucks (free shipping etc.,etc.)
No internet connection required. No dinky eye-watering screen.
No monthly fee. Commercial free.

Yeah, so "neener neener......"

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

My thanks to NetGalley and Workman Publishing Company for an eARC of this book to read and review.

I think the editors needed ONE more go-around with this book before it should have hit the printers. On page 368, someone's agenda and personal beliefs came out that honestly had no place where it was. That made page 369 glaring and annoying and honestly, either page 369 should have leaned hard into it or not gone there at all. It was wishy-washy and seemed tacked on and out of place. I rather it be the focus or not in there at all and honestly, I think it SHOULD have been in there and leaned into, why briefly mention it and then not go into more detail? It's like you are trying to hide it. If there is a valid connection, MAKE that connection. If not, leave it out.

Because of those two pages of needless agenda, the stars dropped from five to three.

Now, for the rest of this book? HOLY. CATS. A MILLION stars for how INTERESTING it is. It took me FOREVER to read, because I kept pausing reading to look something up online, leading to the YT Rabbit Hole, spending hours looking up videos, pictures, and more stories about what was being discussed.

I seriously loved this book and how it was so HOPEful. Usually non-fiction nature books are all "At one time there were millions of these amazing animals, and now there are only 10 in captivity, because humans suck and only know how to kill everything". This one was different. Oh, it still had the "humans really did a number on this animal/habitat", BUT it ALSO had "and here is how the local people are trying to save the endangered animal/habitat and some of these had interviews with the boots on the ground people who were leading the charge to save their native flora and fauna.

All in all, this book was hopeful and incredibly interesting, though I wish it had more pictures instead of drawings. Yes, I know nature drawings are super important and a work of art in and of themselves, but I prefer seeing pictures of what is being discussed. That's a personal preference though and there were more pictures than drawings, but I would have preferred even more pictures so I wouldn't have had to go online and spend hours in the YTRH.

If you can ignore agenda or it doesn't bother you in what you read, then you will 100% LOVE this book. It's only the two pages. However, for me, that really killed the vibe for me.

3, keep you agenda out from where it doesn't belong, stars.

[₊˚ ⁀➴ kenzie ⠀❦ jacks’ version]

dnf pg 177 ~ might get back to this later

[Terra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gorgeous book. One might be tempted to devour it, but I recommend taking the time to savor each of the fascinating pieces.

I read this as a digital advanced copy, but this is a book best read in print. I'm looking forward to many cozy mornings re-reading this book once it's out in print.

This title would make an excellent gift for the nature lovers and travelers in your life.

This review refers to the ARC provided by netgalley.

[Sierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Atlas Obscura and I love animals, so my reaction to this book is not surprising. I loved it, read it cover to cover, et cetera. Whoever you are, there is something in this book for you.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Jakki (BizzyBookNook) · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are a huge Atlas Obscura household so when I saw this new wild life book I knew that I needed to read it asap. I am obsessed with animals and nature and am always looking for more things to learn. This book delivered in only the way that they can. I loved that this wasn't just a book about animals and included invertebrates plant life, and marine life as well. Some of my fave parts were section on Chernobyl, sphagnum moss, the rainbow eucalyptus, and the section on fluorescent animals. This book has something for absolutely everyone and I have a few more animals added to my bucket list of things to see.

[Michelle Graf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Workman Publishing for the ARC.

I remember getting the first book from Atlas Obscura during college, bringing it to a DnD session for our group to geek out over. They followed that up with a book dedicated to food, my favorite subject. Now they're focusing on the natural world, my second favorite subject if my watch history is any judge. Maybe because I've been rewatching the same nature documentaries when I have nothing better to do, but many of the subjects here I was already familiar with. No matter, because the writers at Atlas Obscura cover them so well. You get the beauty and wonder of the world, how humankind and climate change have been affecting many of them, and interviews with people intimately familiar with the creatures, plants, and locations. The last one is especially important to me because it reminds me how there can still be a shot at recovering from the damage done, that there are still good people still fighting, and that we can be those people. This book reminds us to be aware of our surroundings because there is some awesome stuff out there, and I can't recommend it enough.

[Kam Yung Soh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A marvellous compendium of the wonderful lifeforms that can be found around the world. You can choose to read the book from cover or cover, dip into it randomly or by section, or search through the index for specific details. Either way, you'll discover fascinating facts and stories that will entertain you.

The book is divided into several sections, each covering a specific environment: forest, grasslands, mountains, deserts, water, cities and island. Each section contains descriptions and stories about many organisms, each one taking up about a page. Areas with interesting environments are also presented. In Atlas Obscura style, each description ends with brief information on how to see the organism or visit the area, if possible. The book also features many wonderful images, and occasional drawings, of the organisms and areas visited.

Definitely a wonderful, and concise, guide to some of the natural wonders that can be found in the world.

[Ashley Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magnificent!

[Kerry Pickens · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is part of a series that covers anomalies and interesting facts about the world. I would recommend it to anyone that enjoys learning new information about the natural world such as why some species are fluorescent for example.

[sofia bessette · Rating 5 out of 5]

i'm beyond obsessed with this

[Jandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books are always a hoot. I can’t wait to see what’s coming next.

[Lynn Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

A keeper. Sending to my great nephew for a family read-out-loud.

[barillium · Rating 5 out of 5]

After flipping through this book in the book store, I knew I had to read it (disclaimer: I didn’t read the whole thing just certain sections).

Beautiful pictures and well written stories! Information is supported by the latest science. Some discoveries are so recent, I’m curious to know how this will change the writing in later editions. (I’m specifically thinking about the mother tree hypothesis on pg. 30 & 31, because the scientist still isn’t clear the extent to which these relationships play out.)

I did find a typo in the Sea Wolves story on pg. 420 🫣 where it says “wSea wolves”.

Other than that, this is a great book to skim. Scan through the pages until a title catches your eye, and you’ll walk away with a new appreciation for wild life (and so many fun facts)

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Een aantal jaar geleden heb ik het basisboek van Atlas Obscura gelezen, goedgekeurd en gekocht. Dit boek gaat daarentegen enkel en alleen over natuurfenomenen en sprak me dan ook wel aan.

Het is thematisch onderverdeeld, dus in hoofdstukken over bergen, eilanden, zeeën enzovoorts. Daarin komen dan telkens korte stukken tekst - ruwweg één bladzijde - die dieper ingaan op een of ander wezen in de natuur: dieren, planten, schimmels, soms nog iets anders. Er wordt dus extra aandacht besteed aan wat ze bijzonder maakt, waarom ze opmerkelijk zijn. Die verdeling is heel goed, ik ben blij dat het niet alleen over dieren ging.

Maar jammer genoeg heb ik toch de indruk dat ik al wat te veel natuurdocumentaires met David Attenborough en co. heb gezien om echt van dit boek te genieten. Heel veel ervan - bijna de helft, denk ik - wist ik al wel, en aangezien het een atlas obscura betreft, had ik verwacht om veel vaker te lezen over dingen die ik nog totaal niet wist en die me sterk zouden verrassen. Dat kwam dus veel minder voor, ook al gebeurde het natuurlijk wel. Maar de keren dat ik écht grote ogen trok, waren tamelijk zeldzaam. Mensen die minder aandacht besteden aan boeken of tv-programma's over de natuur zullen dit boek allicht een goudmijn vinden, maar ik niet.

Bovendien wordt elk hoofdstuk ook onderverdeeld in stukken per continent, en ik vond dat er altijd bovengemiddeld veel aandacht uitging naar Noord-Amerika. Dit boek is duidelijk geschreven en samengesteld met het oog op Amerikaanse lezers en heel veel minder een internationaal standpunt. Dat merkte je niet alleen aan de verhouding tussen de verschillende continenten, maar ook inhoudelijk in de uitleg zelf. Dus als niet-Amerikaan kom je nog niet per se van een kouwe maar wel een lauwe kermis thuis...

De teksten zijn meestal wel goed geschreven, al had ik het idee dat de klassieke Atlas Obscura een aangenamere stijl had. Nu is het niet altijd, maar wel redelijk dikwijls, een wat drogere stijl, en net in een boek als dit verwacht ik wat meer leven. Maar goed, dat is al meer muggenzifterij. Er stond in elk geval wat er moest staan: de nodige informatie.

Helaas was ook de vertaling eigenlijk ondermaats. Ze is van Textcase - dat zal dus een of ander vertaalbureau zijn, of wel een of andere introverte, verlegen vertaler die liever z'n naam niet ergens ziet staan. Wie weet wisten ze zelf al wel dat ze er een soepje van gingen maken...
Ik heb er op verschillende vlakken problemen mee. Ten eerste: soms is het gewoon slecht Nederlands omdat bepaalde uitdrukkingen te letterlijk vertaald zijn en haal je er zo het Engels uit. En soms kan dat wel eens, maar hier viel dat echt veel te hard en veel te dikwijls op, het was geen normaal taalgebruik meer. Ook bij de interviews die in het boek verspreid staan, had er gerust wat losser met de tekst omgesprongen mogen worden, want nu klonk het daar helemaal niet als een normaal gesprek. Soms slaat de tekst zelfs helemaal nergens meer op, zoals wanneer er staat dat de naam 'slechtvalk' van het Latijnse woord 'peregrinus' komt, van 'pelgrim'. In het Engelse peregrine falcon ja, dan wel, maar wat heeft 'slechtvalk' daarmee van doen? Dat kun je niet zonder meer vertalen, dan moet je andere ingrepen doen.
Ten tweede staan er nogal vaak vergelijkingen in met Noord-Amerika, als het om groottes gaat bijvoorbeeld - 'Dit dier leeft in een gebied ter grootte van Wyoming' of zoiets. Maar als Europeaan zegt me dat helemaal niks. Als vertaler hoor je hier de tekst aan te passen naar een plaats met een vergelijkbare grootte waar een Vlaming of Nederlander zich al wat meer bij kan voorstellen. Ook op dat vlak is er dus feitelijk te letterlijk, te strak vertaald.
En er stonden ook gewoon fouten in. Iemand die een 'schot' doet, dat is met een geweer, maar in het Nederlands niet met een camera. En elanden op de Serengeti? Nee toch. Het zijn elandantilopes, zoals vlak ernaast wel juist staat. Daaraan merkte je ook dat de lopende tekst en de teksten bij de foto's apart vertaald waren, want die sloot niet altijd op elkaar aan.
In één woord is deze vertaling op z'n minst 'slordig' te noemen, maar het is eigenlijk nog erger dan dat, want hij staat echt boordevol fouten, barstensvol zelfs - en je weet wat ze zeggen: de kruik gaat zolang te water tot ze... barst, ja. Maximaal elke paar bladzijdes stond er wel een fout, en soms zelfs meer dan één fout per bladzijde. Dat is gewoonweg veel te veel, hoe je het ook draait of keert. Een boek als dit vertalen is intensief, dat begrijp ik, maar dit is wat mij betreft niet meer acceptabel.

6/10

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Workman Publishing Company for an advance copy of this book that highlights in essays the amazing variety of odd, animals, plants and environments we share the planet with, the risks the face in our modern world, and just how nature keeps surprising us with new, amazing things.

When I was young I was able to persuade my parents to buy these nature cards I saw advertised on various Saturday morning cartoon blocks. Well the introductory cards, I don't think I ever had the full set. However I loved them. On the front was a big picture of an animal or an environment, on the back was information where to find it, what they ate, all sorts of things. I loved those cards, and my brother did also. One doesn't need cards anymore in our time of just asking the air around us a question, and having an AI device answer us, sometimes right sometimes wrong. The problem is especially about nature are we asking the right questions. ECHO, do ants explode, and why?. Can birds find honey? Why are there seal corpses so far from shoreline? Can spiders fly? None of these questions I would have thought of, and my life would be the poorer for it. And that's why I loved this book. Atlas Obscura: Wild Life:An Explorer's Guide to the World's Living Wonders by Cara Giaimo and Joshua Foer is a nature book I would have loved as a child, a huge guide to all the strange, different and beautiful creatures, animal and natural, that share the world with us. And make the natural world so wonderful.

The book is broken down into environments, deserts, jungles, urban areas, islands and more. Readers are given an idea what life is like in these places, with looks at weather conditions, and possible extremes. From there is is a guide to animals and plants that Ranger Rick might not have covered, if anyone remembers that nature magazine, that I had a subscription to. The entries are about a page in length, with information about where the animals are located, stories of discovery, oddities, and how one can see them. The book also has interviews with various people from conservation groups, scientists, even cultural representatives who discuss certain animals, their meaning to the community, particular threats and the like. Along with lots and lots of wonder photos, or drawings. One learns about birds that move traffic cones, exploding ants, or even better ants that live in deserts and can almost fly, and have body armor to deflect heat. Owls that winter in Acapulco. Ghost Dogs, wild looking cats, and camels that live in nuclear testing zones.

I loved this book, far more than I thought I would. Each page has wonder, animals presumed to be extinct living their best lives deep in the outback. Stories about tool using mammals and birds, rock walls covered in parrots. Mice immune to scorpion poison. The interviews I found to especially thought provoking. As I said, they are a varied group of people, animal lovers, scientists, and people trying to keep their ancient knowledge alive, or working to stop extinctions. The writing is very good, informative and entertaining, even as they are succinct. What I enjoyed most is that it can be read by people of all ages. I know I am buying this for my nephew. He calls himself a friend of the animals and he will devour this. My nephew is 11, and I am much older, but I had a hard time putting it down. Readable, fascinating, and one of those books you can't help but share bits with others. I have liked most of the books in the Atlas Obscura series, this might be my favorite.

A wonderful gift for oneself, or for others. Burgeoning naturalists will get a kick out of the menagerie of oddness. Older people will enjoy the writing, and the animals. Also this would be a great book for role gamers as there are great ideas for interesting new creatures, and cryptid fans, as a lot of these real animals might explain a lot of encounters.

[Thompson McLeod · Rating 5 out of 5]

Atlas Obscura Wild Life is chock full of factoids, trivia, photos and full color illustrations of curious species of plants and animals from every corner of the world. Painstakingly indexed for ease of use and divided into seven catagories, this book is a treasure for the curious reader. From forests to grasslands to shallows and deeps to deserts, the authors have covered little known species most of us will only encounter in these pages.

Interesting animals fill the pages: the platypus, for example is probably the silliest looking animal and is indeed a strange creature. It lays eggs but nurses its offspring. It has fur yet swims underwater. It can pull in the webbing on its feet allowing it to walk on its claws on land. They are shy and only spotted in Australia and Tasmania. Another strange creature is the great Indian bustard, a giant of the bird which can reach up to four feet tall and weigh up to thirty-three pounds, it can actually fly. Fewer than one hundred bustards remain and are found near the border of India and Pakistan.

The ocean boasts its own array of different creatures: the peacock mantis shrimp lives in the Indian Ocean and can be found in the southwestern Pacific. The authors describe its appearance as, "...a jumbo prawn crossed with a birthday cake. "This shrimp has eyes with twelve color receptors that allow it to see up to 100,000 colors. Scientists are still studying this unique ability. A bird who likes to fly (literally) is the airpot snowy owl which can be spotted at many airports in all kinds of weather and even in the day time. They are quite at home where there are flat runways and air fields which mimics their native tundra.

This book would make a great gift for anyone who loves animals or adventure. Reluctant readers will find this book easy to devour as facts in bold type are set off to show the species range and species scientific name. Color photos of every plant and animal make it a great book for visual learners.

Highly, highly recommended grades 5 and up.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Atlas Obscura: Wild Life: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Living Wonders is a 464 page book filled with colorful photographs and written information celebrating the world's most extraordinary natural wonders and curiosities. The following chapters are included in the book.

Forests & Rainforests

Grasslands & Tundras

Mountains

Deserts

Shallows & Deeps

Cities

Islands

As a reviewer my only complaint is the fact that every page is adorned with the publisher's watermark. This greatly interferes with the overall enjoyment of viewing the book. My initial reaction was that I did not want to even begin my review.

The Carnivorous Plant Cookbook was very fascinating.

Wood Frogsicles? These unassuming frogs survive each winter by freezing solid.

Chernobyl Exclusion Zone: A giant accidental experiment.

Exploding Ants: Some treetop ants protect their colonies by blowing themselves up.

Firehawks: Some birds just want to watch the world burn.

Glacier Mice: These mysterious moss balls travel together — but why?

Potentially Immortal Bristlecone Pines: These scrappy and squat high-elevation trees can live for thousands of years without seeming to age.

Himalayan Birches: These trees have helped record sacred text for millenia.

Fog-Harvesting Beetles: These bugs wring water from the very air using engineering and acrobatics.

An Unusual Annelid: A worm with 1,000 annuses.

Money Cowries: A snail's slow journey into currency.

King's Holly: The world's oldest living thing continually remakes itself.

This is just a very small list of the amazing and incredible wonders that you will find within the pages of Atlas Obscura.

[Book Club of One · Rating 4 out of 5]

Atlas Obscura has been a recurrent joy in my life, with their podcasts, daily emails and wormhole of a website, I always look forward to seeing what they feature or explore next! Their latest book, Wild Life, expands from prior books to focus on natural wonders. Across the 450+ page book we move from through different biomes continent by continent learning about rare or unique animals, plants and natural features.

The book is divided into 7 chapters, separated by biomes (Forests & rain forests, Mountains, deserts, islands, etc..). After a brief 1 page introduction, the chapter features mostly 1 page entries about the different wildlife in the biomes. Each write up usually features at least 1 image, but often there are two or three. To break up the potential encyclopedic feel of the book, these entries are frequently interspersed with translated interviews with experts, guides, traditional practitioners or activists. Another feature is a full sensory description of a particular city, island or biomes detailing what you might see, hear or even smell.

Like everything Atlas Obscura produces, this book invites exploration and wonder. Great to pick up and browse or help plan your next trip.

Recommended to all readers, especially ones who enjoy travel in person or of the armchair variety.

I received a free digital version of this book via NetGalley thanks to the publisher.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Atlas Obscura: Wild Life by Cara Giaimo and Joshua Foer contains riveting information on 500 of the most enthralling living things one could hope to learn about. The photography is lushly detailed, rich in colour and mesmerizing.

Though the tallest living organism is fascinating, the second tallest grabs my attention even more. Tent-making bats, strangler figs, "stinkbirds", clever decoy spiders (this amazes me to no end), the world's largest freshwater fish with nearly indestructible scales, leaf engineering crickets' special ability to amplify sound, rainbow eucalyptus, the caterpillar which retains its old heads, shimmering "golden grass" in Brazil, living green "furniture", bull kelp, slime mold, split-gill fungi and fishing cats are just some of the remarkable organisms and creatures described. The "arboreal superlatives" table is brilliant! I feel smarter and more knowledgeable than I did before reading this magnificent book. What a happy find!

As a nature nut I absorbed information contained therein like a sponge and as it is so beautifully presented, I won't forget it. If you are curious and excited about the weird and wonderful oddities of our world, do not miss this.

My sincere thank you Workman Publishing Company and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this captivating book.

[Cherryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Atlas Obscura: Wild Life" is a captivating and beautifully illustrated guide to the strange and wondrous creatures that inhabit our planet. Author Cara Giaimo takes readers on an unforgettable journey through the natural world, introducing us to 100 extraordinary animals, insects, and plants.

Each entry is accompanied by stunning illustrations, detailed descriptions, and intriguing facts that shed light on the fascinating adaptations and behaviors of these creatures. From the otherworldly axolotl to the elusive Amur leopard, this guide offers a glimpse into the astonishing diversity of life on Earth.

While the book may not be for everyone, particularly those with a strong aversion to insects or creepy-crawly things, it is an absolute treasure trove for anyone interested in the natural world and its most unusual inhabitants. The author's passion for these creatures and their importance in our ecosystem shines through on every page, making this book a must-have for nature enthusiasts, biologists, and curious minds alike.

Overall, "Atlas Obscura: Wild Life" is a visually stunning and captivating guide that celebrates the extraordinary creatures that share our planet. This book is a perfect gift for anyone who loves exploring the wonders of the natural world and appreciates the beauty and diversity of life on Earth.

[Theediscerning · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a side of me that just wants to review this through the medium of the remarkable details it's garnered from the world of animals – the scorpion that can lose its rear end, and therefore have to live constipated for the last year of its life; the fact giant anteaters don't have any stomach acid of their own, as they don't need it when ants come packed with their own formic acid and therefore digest themselves; and the nanochameleon with a penis 19% as long as his whole body. But the thing is this is so adult, mature, wide-ranging and authoritative, it's quite daft to want to present it that way. Yes, it is just a selection of the bonkers, unlikely and superlative of the natural world, but it's much too encyclopaedic to be thought of as trivia-containing. Photographs are well-captioned, interviews with experts and conservators are cited, and we're told how to join in with looking at these critters, events and plants in real life. It's a mammoth undertaking, a cause of hours' browsing in the smallest room, perhaps – and also a provoker of even more respect for Mother Nature's output. And much less still for the result of humans', as a great proportion of entries show species dallying with extinction. Anyone thinking of bettering this has a mammoth task on their hands.

[Bob H · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very well-illustrated and pleasant in layout and color schemes. The wildlife write-ups are thoughtful and intriguing. The book is at its best for casual browsing -- just open it and read what catches your eye. There is a simple index in the back, and the book is divided into seven chapters, sorted by habitat: deserts, islands, cities, mountains and so forth. Beyond that, the entries are not so much in a pattern as grouped by chapter. Young readers will find this a welcoming format for casual reading, and readers generally will find it a pleasant sampler.

The wildlife entries -- usually a page or two, with pictures -- can be fascinating: the viper with a fake spider, a decoy, on its tail; the starlings' "murmurations", or great clouds of birds in rolling formations and patterns; the "library bats" in the university library at Coimbra, Portugal (a library I have visited and learned the bats' story there); the Death Valley pupfish, isolated and evolving in their niche environment. In all, a fascinating book, deserving of a place on your coffee table or your family library. Highly recommend.

(Review copy from Amazon Vine).

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This isn't so much a book to read all the way through. It would make a great coffee table book, or I could see a person reading a section (the book is divided into biomes, so alpine, desert, etc.), or all the chapters for a region (each biome section is divided into continent/area, so you could read the Asia chapters within each section, for example). The articles are only 1-2 pages at most, so this isn't an exhaustive reference resource for adults but it could definitely be a starting place or initial resource on any of the topics.

The writing was all over the place as far as writing level/accessible audience. Each section is credited to a different team. On the whole, the book can likely be read by tweens and up, but some articles had an even lower reading level. It felt like an editing oversight.

The book is very photo-heavy, but also includes a number of sketches instead of photos. There didn't seem to be a consistency to which items get only a sketch, and I don't think they added anything that a photo wouldn't have.

eARC from NetGalley.

[Diane Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nature has created some wild things and Atlas Obscura: Wild Life describes them all!

From heavy metal vultures called lammergeiers to the Himalayas’ Noble Rhubarbs, these living beings are fascinating to read about. The lammergeier wears “KISS-worthy eye masks”, eats skeletons and loves to dye themselves blood red. The Nobel Rhubarb grows six feet tall on a mountainside that is more than 16,000 feet above sea level. The climate is both frigid and extremely windy. The plant is shaped like a spaceship with an outer protective shell for its flowers that bloom only once every 33 years. Talk about having a hard life! These are just two intriguing wild things from a book filled with them.

There are plenty of color photos and ideas on where to find these extraordinarily unusual plants and animals. If you or your children love nature, Atlas Obscura: Wild Life is a great choice. I’m sure you will find many new creatures that you have never even heard of before. 4 stars!

Thanks to NetGalley and Workman Publishing Company for providing me with an advanced review copy.

[Elisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a long time to finish this book but only because I was enjoying it so much that I didn’t want it to end. I wish I could memorize it from the introduction to the very end. Every page is full of fascinating and entertaining details about life on Earth. Unusual creatures of all species, as well as plants, fungi and even microscopic beings. Divided by ecosystems and into continents and regions, all the photographs are of the highest quality, and there are illustrations, diagrams and interviews with experts or regular people who deal with the subject in question. Combining science, trivia and behavioral issues, it is easy for readers of all ages to understand, and it taught me so much. There is a big emphasis on how we humans are affecting our home, and these parts were heartbreaking. It does make me optimistic about the future, considering that more and more humans are starting to value all creatures.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Workman Publishing Company.

[Randal White · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible, fascinating, astounding book! Hundreds of pages of obscure animals, with crazy facts about each of them. And beautifully photographed also. This is the kind of book you just leave out on your coffee table and let visitors check it out. Young or old, they will be mesmerized! And you don't have to read it straight through, you can just pick it up when you have a minute, open it at random, and start enjoying facts about animals that are hard to imagine! Thank you to NetGalley for an advance reading copy. I am definitely buying a hard copy for myself, and for my parents and children.

[Macaela · Rating 4 out of 5]

An encyclopedia type book that starts with South America. Gives us examples of insects, animals, and the nature all around. I’ve learned that there are river dolphins. We get a page about the Arctic Tree Line, which grows about 1,500 feet per year, but really needs to grow 10,000 to 16,000 feet per year, but the rapid climate change is making it difficult. Chapter 3 is all about the animal life in the mountain ranges around the world; from Mountain goats in North America to Bar-Headed Geese in Asia. A fascinating look at the world and everything that lives on it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Workman Publishing.