Feldhamer, George A.

PERSONAL: Male. Education: Idaho State University, M.S., 1971; Oregon State University, Ph.D., 1977.

ADDRESSES: Office—Southern Illinois University, Department of Zoology, Carbondale, IL 62901-6501; fax: 618-453-2806. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER: Writer, zoologist, and educator. Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, professor of zoology, director of graduate studies, 1988–94, coordinator of environmental studies program, 1994–.

MEMBER: American Society of Mammalogists, National Association of Environmental Professionals, North American Association of Environmental Educators, Association Southeastern Biologists, Illinois State Academy of Science, Wildlife Society (president, Illinois chapter, 2000–01), Sigma Xi.

AWARDS, HONORS: Professional Achievement Award, Southern Illinois University, 2005.

WRITINGS:

(Editor, with Joseph A. Chapman) Wild Mammals of North America: Biology, Management, and Economics, Johns Hopkins University Press (Baltimore, MD), 1982, 2nd edition, edited with Bruce C. Thompson and Joseph A. Chapman, published as Wild Mammals of North America: Biology, Management, and Conservation, 2003.

(Editor, with others) Mammalogy: Adaptation, Diversity, and Ecology, WCB/McGraw-Hill (Boston, MA), 1999, 2nd edition, 2004.

(With John H. Burde) Mammals of the National Parks, Johns Hopkins University Press (Baltimore, MD), 2005.

Contributor to periodicals and professional journals such as Canadian Field-Naturalist, Southeastern Naturalist, American Midland Naturalist, Biochemical Systematics and Evolution, Southern Illinois Journal of Mammalogy, and Acta Theriologica. Member of editorial board, Journal of Forest Research, for Japanese Forestry Society; associate editor, Wildlife Society Bulletin, 1993–95.

SIDELIGHTS: Author and zoologist George A. Feldhamer is a professor of zoology and an expert on mammalogy and related studies of the world's mammalian species. Feldhamer's areas of research include rare and endangered species; mammalian population ecology and management; and the introduction of new species into established environments. He has conducted studies on species ranging from mice, shrews, and bats to white-tailed deer, bison, and elk.

In Mammals of the National Parks, Feldhamer and coauthor John H. Burde offer information on fifty-six national parks throughout the United States. Entries include brief information on the history of each park, along with a description of location, terrain, attractions, and other features. Feldhamer and Burde also discuss a variety of conservation issues relevant to each park.

The book's foremost focus, however, is on the diverse forms of mammalian wildlife that can be found in each of the country's national parks. The authors outline the various types of mammals that inhabit the specific parks profiled in the book. They also provide additional information, such as the animals' physical characteristics, habitat, feeding and reproductive behavior, and conservation issues. Full-color photographs illustrate each park's landscape and the physical appearance of each animal listed. A species distribution chart helps readers determine which mammal species are present, are expected to return, or are no longer present in the various parks. Library Journal contributor Deborah Emerson noted that the book will appeal to "outdoor enthusiasts and wildlife aficionados alike." A reviewer in SciTech Book News observed that the book's field guide will be useful to "visitors to the national parks as well as armchair animal trackers."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Library Journal, July 1, 2005, Deborah Emerson, review of Mammals of the National Parks, p. 116.

SciTech Book News, June, 2005, review of Mammals of the National Parks, p. 57.

ONLINE

Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Department of Zoology Web site, http://www.science.siu.edu/zoology/ (November 16, 2005), curriculum vitae of George A. Feldhamer.