The fascinating biology and evolutionary history of these odd, flightless birds.

Flightless, iconic birds made even more famous by the 2005 film March of the Penguins, penguins conjure up images of caring parents, devoted couples, and tough survivors. In Penguins: The Animal Answer Guide, Gerald L. Kooyman and Wayne Lynch inform readers about all seventeen species, including the emperor penguin featured in the film.

Do you know why penguins live only in the Southern Hemisphere? Or that they can be ferocious predators? Why are penguins black and white? Do they play? This book answers these questions and many more, illuminating the fascinating biology and evolutionary history of these odd birds. Kooyman has studied penguins for decades, and Lynch’s photographs of penguins in the wild are the best ever captured. The result of their combined effort is a book that answers every penguin question you've ever had.

Whether you hope to travel to the Southern Hemisphere or simply want to learn more about wildlife, Penguins: The Animal Answer Guide deserves a spot on your bookshelf.

Gerald L. Kooyman's profile page

Wayne Lynch
Recognized and respected as one of North America's leading wildlife and natural history photographers, Wayne Lynch has spent the last forty-two years capturing images of wildlife in wild places the world over. His impressive photo credits include hundreds of magazine covers, thousands of calendar shots, and tens of thousands of images published in over sixty countries. Lynch is also an award-winning science writer, a popular guest lecturer, and a veteran photo safari leader. His practical and entertaining approach to natural history, whether it be through the written or spoken word, has attracted the admiration of audiences worldwide. He has photographed both common and unusual creatures in their native habitat in more than fifty countries, travelling extensively for long periods of time and often undergoing considerable physical hardship to get the "perfect shot."

With an exceptional ability to write for both adults and children, Lynch has authored more than fifth highly acclaimed natural history books, including The Great Northern Kingdom: Life in the Boreal Forest, Wild Birds Across the Prairies, Penguins of the World,Mountain Bears, Bear: Monarchs of the Northern Wilderness, A is for Arctic: Natural Wonders of a Polar World, The Nature Babies Series and the wildly popular children's book The Scoop on Poop: The Fascinating Science of How Animals Use Poop.

Lynch is a Fellow of the internationally recognized Explorers Club and Fellow of the Arctic Institute of North America. Lynch lives in Calgary with his wife of forty-five years, Aubrey Lang.

Wayne Lynch's profile page

"The writing is crisp and often witty and entertaining. These characteristics make it appealing to professional ornithologists as well as enthusiastic children—it would be great bedtime reading for any penguin lover... Highly recommended."

"In an easy-reading question-and-answer format, Kooyman and Lynch pack a huge amount of information into this volume, which covers a wide array of topics... As a penguin biologist, I was surprised how much I learned reading Penguins that I had not already known. For penguin enthusiasts, Penguins: The Animal Answer Guide is a must read that will, thanks to Lynch's spectacular photographs, be thoroughly thumbed through by the whole family. Likewise, this book should be required reading for those doing penguin outreach or informal education."

Quarterly Review of Biology