Black Ops & Beaver Bombing

by Fiona Mathews, Tim Kendall

Adventures with Britain's wild mammals.

Britain is teeming with wildlife, often in the most unexpected places. There are quarries where rare bats hang out with pot-smoking teens. In Glasgow’s urban parks water voles are thriving – without water. Our coastlines are bustling with grey and harbour seals.

That’s the good news. The bad news is that a quarter of British mammals are at imminent risk of extinction.

Tim Kendall and Fiona Mathews take us on a safari unlike any other. Armed with binoculars, a Thermos and, regrettably, an inexhaustible supply of puns, they travel from Scotland to the Isles of Scilly in search of their elusive subjects.

Paperback

Reviews

[Louisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book. It's informative, but the so-called dad jokes are laid on too thick and the repeated references to poo are childish. And I really did not want to know the authors' tasteless mnemonic for biological classification - I'll stick to "Kids Play Catch Over Farmer George's Shed", thank you very much. Overall, it left me feeling depressed at what a sorry state British wildlife is in, with not much in the way of obvious solutions.

[Drew Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative and nuanced overview on conservation efforts in the UK and the importance of regional context when assessing animal populations.