EDGE (Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered) species are evolutionarily unique, which means if they don’t survive, there will be no similar species left on Earth. But all hope is not lost. EDGE researchers are working hard to locate, create awareness of, and ensure a safe future for these special creatures. In Animals at the EDGE, readers will meet some of these intrepid scientists and follow them on expeditions that take them to the limits of the Earth — from the heights of the Cyclops Mountains in Papua, New Guinea to the depths of China’s Yangtze River, to the forests of Haiti, and across the vast stretches of the Gobi Desert. These extraordinary creatures include the long-beaked echidna, a rare spine-covered mammal with relatives that date back to dinosaur times; the long-eared jerboa, a big-eared mouse-sized creature that hops like a kangaroo; and the tiny bumblebee bat, so small it can fit on a fingertip. The animals are part of the Zoological Society of London’s EDGE of Existence project, a global conservation program started to highlight these unique creatures so they do not silently disappear from our world forever.
