Dr. Pierre-Yves Daoust contributes to award-winning book

The first-ever comprehensive guide published about mammals on Prince Edward Island has won a 2020 PEI Book Award for non-fiction.

Mammals of Prince Edward Island and Adjacent Marine Waters is co-authored by Rosemary Curley, retired wildlife biologist and Nature PEI president; Dr. Pierre-Yves Daoust, professor emeritus of anatomic and wildlife pathology, Atlantic Veterinary College; Dr. Donald F. McAlpine, head of the Department of Natural History, New Brunswick Museum; Kimberly Riehl, a resource management officer with Parks Canada; and J. Dan McAskill, a retired forest manager and wildlife biologist. 

“This publication is an important addition to our knowledge base about the fauna on and around Prince Edward Island, said Dr. Greg Keefe, dean of AVC. “Congratulations to Dr. Daoust and the other authors on their excellent work!” 

Published by Island Studies Press, Mammals of Prince Edward Island and Adjacent Marine Waters highlights 67 terrestrial and marine mammals that live on the Island or in the waters surrounding it—from the pygmy shrew, the second-smallest mammal in the world, to the blue whale, the largest mammal to inhabit the planet. 

The book includes scientific information and local history, as well as photos, illustrations, range maps of where the species are found, and animal tracks. The account of each species features a detailed description, along with information about diet, behaviour, reproduction, history, and status in the province 

The award was announced during the PEI Book Awards ceremony, which was held online on June 6 on the Island Literary Awards Facebook page. Earlier this year, the book won a 2020 Culture and Heritage Award from the City of Summerside.

For more information about the book, please contact Bren Simmers at ispstaff@upei.ca or call (902) 566-0386.