Marvellous Mammals: A Wild A to Z of Southeast Asia
About the book
We know that dogs bark, cats meow, and cows moo. But do you know dholes whistle “whee-whee”, wild boars grunt “grrt-grrt”, and siamangs call out “ooh-wow-wow”?
The Southeast Asian forests are full of incredible wildlife waiting to be discovered. In the humid nature reserves of Singapore, high up the mountain forests of Papua, and in the tropical waters of the Irrawaddy, a multitude of mammals live their unseen lives. They await a bold explorer to learn their secrets. Could that explorer be you?
In this beautifully illustrated alphabet book, wildlife ecologist Debby Ng and illustrator Darel Seow part the leaves to showcase lesser-known animals of Southeast Asia! Readers will learn about these unique mammals’ habitat, behaviour, food choices, and their relationship with humans.
Why read this book?
• Discover the lesser known native mammals of Singapore and Southeast Asia with this beautifully illustrated alphabet book!
• Quirky facts that will enthral children and adults alike – perfect for the animal nerd in you!
• Researched and written by expert wildlife ecologist Debby Ng with art by well-known local illustrator Darel Seow
Praise for Marvellous Mammals
“Marvellous Mammals is a beautiful compendium on Southeast Asia’s remarkable animals, many endangered, little known, an perhaps never before captured in a children’s book! Darel and Debby’s book could not have come at a better time when more than ever before, we need to take better care of all these wonderful species and their disappearing rainforest homes here in Southeast Asia.”
— Dr. Yong Ding Li, BirdLife International, and author of The 125 Best Birdwatching Sites in Southeast Asia
“Every single page of this book is such a delightful surprise! It was a real joy to keep flipping to the next one, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The lush artwork combined with the enticing, intriguing facts make this the absolute perfect introduction to get kids and adults alike hooked on Southeast Asian mammals. As a wildlife researcher, I even learned a lot of new facts myself!”
— Dr. Sheema Abdul Aziz, Conservation Ecologist and Co-founder & President of Rimba
“It is not an easy task to select 26 mammals from the vast diversity in Southeast Asia, and Debby has done a marvellous job highlighting some of these animals, including Annamite striped rabbit of Laos and Vietnam, Hawili cloud rat of the Philippines, Kouprey ox of Cambodia, and Raffles’ banded langur of Singapore and Malaysia. The bite-sized tidbits of each of the animals, coupled with the captivating illustrations by Darel will be sure to enthral the readers and generate a greater appreciation of the biodiversity around us.”
— Dr. Andie Ang, Primate Researcher, Raffles’ Banded Langur Working Group
“I read this book in one sitting, fascinated that we too have our own honey bear and a mammal that lays an egg into her pouch. I’ll also bet you didn’t know about the “Asian Unicorn”, only discovered in 1993 by scientists who have only sighted them all of four times since then.”
— Hwee Goh, Author of The Earth Experiment (Change Makers series)
Debby Ng
Writer
Debby Ng is a biologist, photojournalist, and National Geographic Explorer. She has begun exploring jungles since she was five years old, before she realised she was an explorer, and has been reaching out to audiences about climate change and wildlife conservation since she was 14. She is the founder of pulauhantu.sg, a marine conservation organisation based in Singapore, and co-founder of himalayanmuttproject.org, which mobilises local communities to protect wildlife health in Nepal’s Annapurna Conservation Area. She is a Duke University Global Fellow in Conservation Biology and Policy, and studied geography and zoology at the University of Tasmania. She is currently pursuing her PhD at the NUS Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions.
Darel Seow
Illustrator
Darel is an illustrator and educator who loves creating stories about the marvellous flora and fauna that we share this planet with. Inspired by a childhood filled with pets of every shape and form, he has been bringing nature to life on paper ever since he could hold a pencil! An illustration graduate from Central Saint Martins in the UK, he believes that storytelling and play are the best way to connect with others. He especially enjoys working with museums and cultural institutions worldwide, and has illustrated three picture books detailing Singaporean stories. He continually endeavours to make learning a fun adventure through stories, and hopes this book invites others to share in his wonder for nature. Discover more of his work at darelseow.com!
