New book provides wildlife primer

Wildlife observers in the Northwest have a new source of information. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, in conjunction with the University of Washington Press, has just published “Living with Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest” (2004) by Russell Link. This is Link’s second book on the subject of Northwest wildlife. His popular “Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest” was published in 1999 and is the definitive book on how to plan a landscape with wildlife in mind. In “Living with Wildlife,” he describes 68 mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians in terms of their habits, habitats, legal status, management and much more. The nearly 400 pages of text are accompanied by more than 200 line drawings that illustrate tracks, types of habitat and other characteristics. The book is available on Amazon.com and should be in local bookstores shortly. It can also be purchased at the WDFW’s office at 8702 N. Division St. in Spokane.