A fabulous account of hunting, trapping and recording mammal species in the Pacific Islands.

Twenty-five years ago, a zoologist from the Australian Museum in Sydney set off to research the mammals of the Pacific Islands. Starting with a survey of one of the most inaccessible islands in Melanesia—Woodlark in the Trobriands Group—that young scientist found himself ghost-whispering, snake wrestling, quadoi hunting and plunging waist-deep into a sludge of maggot-infested faeces in search of a small bat that turned out not to be earth-shatteringly interesting.

Now one of Australia's greatest scientists, Tim Flannery looks back on his ground-breaking fieldwork. With accounts of discovering, naming and sometimes eating animal species new to science, and stories of historic expeditions and colourful local customs, he takes us on an enthralling journey through some of the most diverse and spectacular environments on Earth.

'A rollicking adventure story...surprisingly funny.' Bookseller & Publisher

'Think Indiana Jones crossed with Charles Darwin.' Financial Times