Wild City: Nature Wonders Next Door

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Wild City: Nature Wonders Next Door is a celebration of nature—the animals, birds and insects that we share our living spaces with. With the thoroughness of someone truly concerned, Ranjit Lal peeks into the boles of old trees and the corners of buildings to check on the living conditions of owls and other birds who call these places home.At street crossings he watches the devout feed large congregations of birds and comments on the table manners of different species at these feeding frenzies. Spiders, wasps and other insects, birds and animals are some of the protagonists of the essays in this collection. Ranjit finds, in their lives, new worlds waiting to bediscovered.While most of the action is set in and around his home in Delhi, there are delightful profiles of places he has travelled in, one the most engaging of which is the well meaning but surreally artificial Jurong Bird Park of Singapore.In his inimitable style Ranjit Lal gives voice to those essential members of urban society whom we leave behind or ignore. He makes the vital point that for us to remain healthy and human, it is important to ensure the health and well being of the creatures we live with.