Description

British Columbia has the greatest diversity of insectivores (shrews and moles) of any Canadian province: 12 species in all. In some habitats, insectivores are the dominant mammals; but humans rarely notice them, except when the family cat brings in a shrew or when molehills appear in our gardens or golf courses. Even naturalists are largely unfamiliar with these mammals. Our only marsupial, the North American Opossum, is native to eastern North America and was only recently introduced to British Columbia. In Opossums, Shrews and Moles of British Columbia, David Ngorsen presents a comprehensive summary of the most up-to-date information on these intriguing mammals. He provides general information on their biology, including ecology, diet, anatomy, relations with humans and conservation. He also describes each species, including their identifying characteristics, and discusses their natural history and taxonomy. Each account is accompanied by illustrations and a provincial range map. This is the second in a series of six handbooks on the mammals of British Columbia.