In Animal Architecture, nature photographer Ingo Arndt documents the remarkable structures that animals and insects construct for shelter, reproduction, protection and survival. Featuring around 120 examples from habitats around the world, the book combines carefully composed studio photographs with images taken in the field. Nests, webs, mounds, shelters and other animal-built structures are presented in detail, revealing their intricate forms, materials and functional design. The photographs include the elaborate courtship structures built by bowerbirds in West Papua, nests and mounds constructed by ants in Africa, and other examples of natural engineering. Jürgen Tautz's accompanying text explains the biological principles behind these structures, connecting their design to animal behaviour, evolution, mating strategies, genetic adaptations and survival. A foreword by wildlife photographer Jim Brandenburg introduces this richly illustrated exploration of the relationship between nature, function and design. (AI-generated content description)