Facing Extinction: The World’s rarest birds and the race to save them

Rare animals engender a strange fascination among wildlife enthusiasts, the nearer to extinction the more fascinating a species seems to become. Perhaps it is the air of mystery, or the tiny chance of ever actually encountering the species for yourself, or the fear that it may already be too late. Whatever the reason, this book feeds our fascination, but at the same time does a wonderful job of educating us, inspiring us and also reminding us of just what a huge task conserving rare species can be. The first chapters examine the nature of rarity, how it can be measured and what are the main causes of rarity among birds. Subsequent chapters focus on specific issues, such as mechanisms for saving the world’s rarest birds, but the majority of the book looks at the stories of individual species, each with a different and totally absorbing story. From truly iconic species such as Kakapo and Eskimo Curlew (for which it could very well be too late), these and numerous other stories are chosen and each is as good as the last. Read this book, enjoy, but be reminded of the fact that if it wasn’t for humans, these species, without exception, wouldn’t be in their current precarious positions.

Book reviewed by Su Gough