Animals & Nature


Hornsby Shire Library & Information Service
Linking Lives to Learning and Leisure


Preparing for your assignment – Questions to ask

MonkeyWhen is the deadline for the assignment?

How long does your assignment need to be?

What type of animals are you researching?
For example, mammals, reptiles, birds or insects

Do you need to focus on one particular animal, bird or insect?

What country does the animal, bird or insect live in?

What do you know about the environment where the animal lives?
For example, desert, river, forest, mountain

How many different ways can you present the information?
For example, are you designing a poster, making a model, or preparing a report?

How much material can you use from the Internet?
The sites listed below sites will give you useful information


Ebooks and Searchable Online Information

To use the Library’s specially chosen online ebooks and information:

  • Go to the Library Homepage
  • Click on Online Resources from Home or Online Resources @ the Library
  • If working from home, enter your library card and PIN.
  • If you do not know your PIN, contact Hornsby Library on (02)9847 6614
  • Click on Animals from the subject list
  • Click on the title you want to search

Endangered Species
Click on the link and search by the name of the animal (e.g. tiger)

Eyewitness Animals
Contains ebooks on amphibians, birds, butterflies, dinosaurs, fish, horses, insects, mammals, reptiles and sharks. To find the book you need:

  • RhinoClick on Eyewitness Animals
  • Click on Science from the list on the search page
  • Click on the title you want (e.g. Insect)
  • Key in the words you want to find (e.g. bees)
Grzimek’s Animal Life Encyclopedia
Click on the title and enter the name of the animal.


Websites

Animals of the World
Animal Info
Contains information on a large range of animals. You can search by species or by group (e.g. cats, kangaroos). Includes pictures, and details of the countries where the animal lives, how many of each animal remain and pictures. Also contains a list of the world’s rarest animals, with links to each animal.

The Animal Kingdom
This site is an introduction to different types of animal such as mammals, marsupials, primates, rodents, fish, birds etc

Farm Animals
All about Farm Animals
Introduces a number of farm animals : ducks, sheep, turkeys, cows and chickens. Information on horses, geese and pigs will be available soon.

Australian Animals
Australian Mammal Photographs

Australian Native Animals
Contains fact sheets on a range of Australian native animals and birds.

OzAnimals.com
Contains photos and information about Australian animals, birds and insects.

Australia Zoo
Managed by Steve Irwin’s family. Includes Australian native animals as well as cheetahs, elephants, tigers and exotic parrots. Colour pictures are included.

Feral Animals in Australia
This information is provided by the Australian Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. There are links to other invasive pests including insects and marine life.

Insects
About Insects
Contains pictures of common insects

Australian Museum – Insect Links
Contains links to information on insects in Australia and other countries

OzAnimals.com
Contains photos and information about Australian animals, birds and insects.

DuckBirds
Australian Bird Photographs

Australian Native Birds Photographs

OzAnimals.com
Contains photos and information about Australian animals, birds and insects.


Using the Online Library Catalogue


  • Click on Library Catalogue
  • For general information about animals click on Subject Exact and in the Search box key in animals
  • For specific information such as kangaroos click on Subject Keyword and in the Search box type in kangaroos

Searching the Library Shelves

Animals J591 to 599
Animal habits and behaviour J591.51
Endangered animals J591.68
Farm animals and pets J636
Introduced animals J577.18 or J577.2
Threats to animals J577.27
Rare and endangered animals J578.68
Animal rights J179.3
Birds J 598.2
Insects J595.7

Books to read and photocopy in the Library

Amazing Animals of the World   JR 590/Ama (10 vol. set)
The Atlas of Australian Birds  R 598.299 /Bla
The Encyclopedia of Birds  R 509.2/Enc (6 vol. set)
Encyclopedia of Mammals  RQ 599.03/Bro (17 vol. set)
Encyclopedia of the Aquatic World  R 578.76/Enc
Endangered Species  R 591.68/Ben (3 vol. set)
Endangered Wildlife of the World   R 591.68/End (11 vol. set)
Endangered Wildlife and Plants of the World  RQ 578.68/End (9 vol. set)
Habitats of the World  JR 577.03/Mav (11 vol. set)
The Macmillan Encyclopedia of Australian Plants and Animals  JR 580.994/Pry (9 vol. set)
Reptiles & Amphibians of Australia  R 597.9/Cog
What Bird Is That?  RQ 598.299/Cay

Need more help? Ask at the Information Desk, and remember to bring your assignment sheet with you.