Tropical Mexico: The Ecotravellers' Wildlife Guide

This book has disucssions and beautiful color illustrations of not just birds, but frogs, snakes, fish, mammals and even some plants. There are discussions of different ecosystmes and what one might expect to encounter in each of them. There are notes on local bird lore. I took this on a guided boat tour run by one of the local people. It was extremely helpful to have the names of the birds in English AND Spanish, as the other people in the boat spoke only Spanish and the guide used mostly Spanish. The book is written from the standpoint of the Eco-Tourist. The author discusses some of the important conservation efforts in progress to preserve these beautiful and unique ecosystems. Of course the book is not exhaustive, but fortunate is the traveller who sees all the species discussed here. In addition the book is actually quite readable and while in Yucatan, this was the guide that I frequently picked to review what I had seen or what I might be seeing on my next excursion. There are many different habitats in this part of Mexico, each with its own inhabitants. The book contains a wealth of information presented in an entertaining manner. I checked in several local bookstores, and could find nothing comperable, in English or Spanish. Although it may not satisfy the ardent birder, the book helps one feel at home when he is encountering so many new species.

Simply, a terrific wildlife guide and the best of its kind for Mexico. Chapters provided detailed information (with photos!) of amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals found in southern Mexico. Recommeneded for any serious student of biology or dedicated eco traveler.