The Elephant's Secret Sense: The Hidden Life of the Wild Herds of Africa

Book Description

While observing a family group of elephants in the wild, Caitlin O'Connell, a young field scientist, noticed a peculiar listening behavior. A matriarch she had been watching for months turned her massive head and lifted her foot off the ground. As she scanned the horizon, the other elephants followed suit, all facing the same direction. O'Connell soon made a groundbreaking discovery: the elephants were "listening through limbs," feeling the ripples of the earth's surface for approaching friends and enemies. Through their feet, toenails, trunks, and other, subtler modes of communication, these enormous animals were communicating to one another, demonstrating the vital importance of social relationships in their lives.

Yet this grand revelation about the intelligence of wild animals is also a story of the relationship between humans and elephants as neighbors, vying for the same resources of an increasingly crowded continent. For when O'Connell was first contracted by the Namibian government to develop new methods to deter elephants from raiding villagers' crops, she was unprepared for what she would encounter -- political upheaval, tribal disputes, inhumane poachers, and a fundamentally ineffective approach to wildlife conservation. Despite these setbacks, she came to know and love each of the fascinating, unique elephants under her watchful eye, while at the same time witnessing a change in attitude and policy, providing hope for the elephant's future.

An unforgettable journey of scientific discovery, The Elephant's Secret Sense takes you deep into the wilds of Namibia, from the tops of isolated, desert observation towers to the jaws and claws of ravenous lions to aerial expeditions and dusty highways, where the naturalists do their difficult work in a troubled land threatened by expanding human populations and unstable politics. Resonant with the powerful calls of the mysterious elephant, this is a story about the resilience of nature and the inspiring, astonishing, and often heartbreaking places where humans and wild animals come together.

Customer Reviews:

Not Animals in Translation..........2007-05-20

I was expecting a book similar to Temple Grandin's Animals in Translation. Unfortunately, this book is very much unlike that book. I expected the bulk of this book to focus specifically on elephant communication, but that is not the case. Much time is spent on African conservation in general and the history of certain African areas where she was stationed. When I bought the book, it was not to read about local tribes or their politics, it was to read about elephant communication. Not saying the other topics aren't interesting, but if I wanted to read about those, I would have bought a book specifically on that. Making things worse, her style of writing is very disjointed and skips around.

There are not many books that I don't finish reading, but this was one of them. I was very much looking forward to reading this book based on the reviews. Not sure why there was such a disconnect. Maybe it's expectations. If you are expecting a more in-depth book specifically on elephant communication, with lots of scientific detail, this isn't it.

Who Knew Elephants Hear With Their Toes!.......2007-05-13

Anyone who is interested in African elephants and their rich and amazing lives will find this an interesting read. Caitlin has added hugely to the body of knowledge about Elephant communication. It is part adventure story, as most intrepid young scientists who venture into Africa for their PHD theses discover. It tells of the beauty and terror and difficulties of this most diverse land and her rich wildlife.

Caitlin's book tells of her discoveries, elephant communication research, years of working with people in the Caprivi region to combat Elephant/Human conflict as well as her memorable times in hides stalked by lion and all the other adventures.

The book is well written for the most part, does lose some momentum toward the end of the book but this would appraer to be editing rather than Caitlin's writing. I thoroughly reccomend it.

A must for animal lovers, host of Animal Tails.......2007-04-28

An intricate balance exists between humans and nature that undergirds even the most basic experiences. Ecological researcher, Caitlin O'Connell has spent her professional life exploring the lesser-known aspects of this relationship through her study of elephant behavior in sub-Saharan Africa, shedding light on their value within society and promoting the need for continued conservation and outreach. In THE ELEPHANT'S SECRET SENSE: The Hidden Life of the Wild Herds of Africa , O'Connell uncovers the fascinating and complex communication system of elephants, and conveys the deeper importance of this astounding discovery on modern African society.

An absolute page-turner.......2007-04-06

This book is a fascinating look into the world of elephants and the scientists who study them. I was humbled by Caitlin O'Connell's courageous, intelligent, and compassionate approach to working with these complex animals and the people who must learn to share the land with them.

An astounding achievement and truly riveting story.......2007-03-16

I read this whole book from start to finish on a series of flights that I took recently and I was totally taken with the story and the science behind it. I couldn't put it down and I haven't read a book in 10yrs! From a phenomenal underlying technological journey merges the principles of many scientific disciplines ranging from zoology, biology, acoustics, geophysics, chemistry, mechanics, electronics, mathematics, not to mention anthropology.

As a physicist, I loved the explanation of acoustic coupling and aliasing, a very impressive bridge, making connections between fundamental processes that are essential in tying together a very complex phenomenon.

There were tragic elements to the story that were horrific and left me in tears, but at the same time, a remarkable account of caring and human bonding. Congratulations to the author. I can't wait for her next book!

Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest

Average customer rating:

A great book to give away to friends and relatives!
more than just the Pacific Northwest
The Best Landscaping for Wildlife Book

Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest
Russell Link
Manufacturer: University of Washington Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Landscape | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Garden Design | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Landscape | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Environmental Science | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

Conservation | Environment | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

General | Conservation | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0295978201

Book Description

Whether you are planting a yard from scratch or modifying an existing area, LANDSCAPING FOR WILDLIFE IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST will help you select, arrange, and maintain plants and other landscape elements that fulfill wildlife needs. Homeowners, property owners, professional wildlife managers, landscape architects, and garden designers will all find it invaluable

Nearly 100 illustrations of common Pacific Northwest wildlife enhance the text which includes a wealth of information on the following topics:

Wildlife habitat and landscaping basics
Birds, mamals, reptiles, amphibians, and insects likely to be attracted to your property
Specialty gardens for butterflies and hummingbirds
How to plant and maintain woodlands, grasslands, wetlands, and waterways
Feeders and nest boxes
Ponds and birdbaths
Potential problems
Wildlife viewing tips
Extensive plant lists

Customer Reviews:

A great book to give away to friends and relatives!.......2006-09-02

This is my 4th or 5th purchase of this wonderful book. I have given all my copies away and need another for myself. It has great resources on the plants birds, insects and animals use for food, cover, etc. We made our voilet green swallow nest boxes from the plans in the book. We've watched new swallows peek out and take their first flight every year since we put them up.

We live in the foothills of Mt. Hood and it took me a few months after moving here to realize I shouldn't bring the invasive plants I used in town to the mountains. And I realized I could have turned my city home into a wildlife haven. The book is a great resources for all city, suburb or rural locales in the PNW.

It's just a wonderful book!

more than just the Pacific Northwest.......2000-08-31

We live in Southern California so I was a bit dubious how useful this book would be. Happily, it still has much to offer for anyone wishing to wildscape. There's plenty of general advice re. food/water/nesting sites etc. and good plans for bird houses and bat houses. There's a nice chapter on attracting hummingbirds and butterflies, and plenty about creating and maintaining water features (a huge attraction for wildlife in hot areas like ours).

You will need to cross reference the plant lists against what's native for your area, and find your own local native plant nurseries, but there's still lots of great advice here for wildlife gardeners that can be adapted to almost any region.

Trish

The Best Landscaping for Wildlife Book.......2000-03-23

Link, Russell, Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest, University of Washington Press, Seattle, 1999, 320p.

Soft cover, perfect binding, acid free paper, 8.5 X 11.

The book is divided into 5 parts 1) Wildlife Habitat Design and Maintenance 2) Pacific Northwest Wildlife in the Landscape 3) Special Features for Wildlife Landscapes 4) Coexisting with Wildlife 5) Appendices

Volume has good index , bibliographic references and is clearly printed.

Over one third of the book is in the Appendices, they are excellent, perhaps its best `part'.

A) Pacific Northwest Habitats B) Wildlife Plants Lists, Tables, and Maps C) Landscape and Wildlife Information for Specific Plants D) Construction Plans for Nest Boxes and Bird Feeders E) Resources (in my opinion, very important)

Content:

Well written, educationally enhanced by wonderful illustrations, good examples and step-by-step procedures. Quality, abet small, section of color photos of wildlife identification and descriptions. Includes description of habitat construction from apartment balcony to acreage. Also discusses ponds, dust paths, nest boxes and nest structures, feeders with detailed tables, brush piles, snags, hedgerows, bird watching, problems with wildlife and responsible pet ownership.

Book Description

Now in paperback– the ten things we must do to ensure a safe and peaceful world, from legendary environmentalist Jane Goodall and brilliant animal behaviorist, Marc Bekoff.

Combining her life's work living among the chimpanzees with her spiritual perspective on the relationship between humans and animals, legendary behavioral scientist Jane Goodall sets forth ten trusts that we as humans have as custodians of the planet:

1. Respect all life

2. Live as part of the Animal Kingdom

3. Educate our children to respect animals

4. Treat animals as you would like to be treated

5. Be a steward

6. Value the sounds of nature and help preserve them

7. Do not harm life in order to learn about it

8. Have the courage of your convictions

9. Act knowing that your actions make a difference

10. Act knowing that you are not alone.

Filled with inspirational stories, The Ten Trusts provides lessons Jane Goodall has learned from a lifetime of experience, with the warmth and emotion her readers have come to expect from her. Marc Bekoff, cofounder of the Roots and Shoots program with Jane, also contributes his profound insights and research, which Jane has come to rely on. Together, they share their hope and vision for humanity and all the earth's creatures, distilled into ten eloquent spiritual lessons. Within these ten trusts, Goodall reveals how we can gain true enlightenment by living in harmony with the animal kingdom and honoring the interconnection between all species.

Customer Reviews:

Respect for all species.......2007-06-15

It's nice to see and qualify the feelings many of us have had since childhood about loving animals. It seems to get faded as we grow older and integrate in a society that has put a lesser value on them for some reason. But here is a book that helps us accept those good emotions of the past and perpetuates the feeling that one day all life will be regarded having equal value. What Jane has done in the world is amazing and rocked the boat of science and for that reason alone one should experience her writing. Animals certainly can teach us a lot about ourselves..and this can only make our lives better. If you are ready, read this light hearted, easy to read book.

Speaking Out For Those That Can't.......2007-05-27

One additional trust are the author's themselves; who better to speak for the animals than Jane Goodall and Marc Bekoff? The formatting of conversational style writing with each author's commentary separately noted, gives an insight and understanding of their personal experience, and individual dedication relating to their life passions. The stories, facts, and touching emotions that come through in the author's words, should make anyone stand up and want to do something, no matter how big or small, to make a difference in helping to save our natural environment. The world needs more great people like Goodall and Bekoff, to speak out for those that cannot, before it is too late.

A Global Essential.......2004-05-29

Of the many books I have read dealing with environmental issues, this has had a major impact. The authors have tremendous credibility and scientific knowledge. If ever there was a canary in the mine, it is this book. We have plundered our planet, ignored the quality of life for other sentient beings, and have failed to see the need for a balance in nature and our own lives.
There are messages here that all should heed. But, most of all, there is hope if we pay attention.
Our current U.S. and world leadership has failed our planet. Hopefully, there are those who can steer the world back on course.
Thank you Jane and Marc.
Jay Pierson
Georgetown, Texas

Together we can make a difference.......2004-03-02

This book lay for months on my bedside table before I found the strength to read it. I could not bear to touch it because I knew it would contain suffering. The book makes powerful painful reading. Once I started reading it I just could not put it down. In order to be able to make a difference I really needed to know what is going between humans and animals. How we abuse them. The book is not all gloom, it also tells about many persons who have come forward in their defence of animals. Sometimes even at great persnal loss.
The ten trusts are gives you a way to know!

Rebuilding Our Ethics Through Trust.......2002-11-09

Dr. Jane Goodall and Dr. Marc Bekoff have compiled ideas, stories, experience and much more about living a humane and ethical life into a book accessible to all. As the animal protection community has done for 50 years, this book shows that humans must respect the environment and all life if we, as a species, expect to survive. It is a very simple premise yet humanity has yet to catch on. The Ten Trusts not only gives us a path to follow, but it shows how others have acted before in trying to alter destructive patterns. Caring for others (animals, humans and nature) is not something radical, it is - humane! It is something everyone must do.

Goodall and Bekoff share their experiences from living a life of compassion and a boundless ethic. Few people are as well known and respected as Jane Goodall, but she has never rested on her fame. Instead, she stepped away from her field research and beloved friends in Gombe National Park, not to build monetary wealth, but to share her wealth of knowledge with young and old alike through lectures and programs such as Roots and Shoots. While Bekoff has spent years educating a more humane youth at the University of Colorado, all while helping us to better understand and appreciate animal behavior.

Over the last two years the Bush administration has systematically deconstructed even basic protections for the environment in order to please corporate greed. The Ten Trusts talks about many issues, one of which will certainly reappear following recent elections, is the drilling for oil in Alaska's ANWR. Even though the American public is opposed to destroying the last pristine environment, the Administration hopes to lull us into a belief that it is needed.

Book Description

A majestic symbol of the great outdoors, elk are widely admired nationwide. They inhabit some of the most rugged and beautiful areas of North America, lending spectacular backdrops to the award-winning photography that illustrates this volume.

Like no other book before, Elk offers a complete introduction to the world of the North American elk. From habits to habitats, Erwin Bauer provides extensive coverage including the elk's ancestors and evolution, range, diet, behavior and instincts, physical characteristics, predators, and conservation issues.

The Bauers capture elk in every season and in many environments from Yellowstone National Park to the Canadian wilderness. They chronicle the creation of such organizations as the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the National Elk Refuge, and present readers with more than 100 gorgeous color photos, historical black-and-white images, and a range map. Elk is the source for complete details on this regal wild creature.

Also recommended: Majestic Elk, Whitetails: Behavior, Ecology, Conservation, Majestic Whitetails, Big Game of North America, Antlers: Nature's Majestic Crown, Mule Deer: Behavior, Ecology, Conservation, Majestic Mule Deer.

Book Description

Offers a multi-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary perspective. this anthology offers a collection of 33 readings on primate behavior, ecology, and conservation — originally published in Natural History Magazine.

Customer Reviews:

Perfect for undergrads and beginners in primatology.......2000-05-28

This book is a wonderful introduction to primate behavior, ecology and conservation. A collection of articles originally published in Natural History magazine, this book provides a perfect balance of the above topics in primatology. If you are just getting started in the field or you are simply curious about our primate cousins this book is great. If you are a seasoned primatologist, this is a fun weekend read!

An excellent collection of skillfully introduced papers........1998-02-19

Natural History magazine has published a wealth of information about primates, written by leading experts in field research. Students of primatology, and anyone interested in animal behavior and ecology, will find this anthology relevant and informative. These studies demonstrate the diversity of our closest animal relatives and the intricacies of their lives and relationships amongst themselves and with other species.

The writings of field scientists such asChristophe Boesch, Robert Harding, Dawn Starin, Thomas Struhsaker and Patricia Wright cover wide taxonomic and geographic ranges. The editors' glue that effectively binds these essays together is the excellent prefacing overview accompanying each section (Behavior, Community Ecology, Diet, Reproduction and Conservation). These writings demonstrate the skills of biologists in translating field observations into literate and eminently readable images of their primate subjects.

This anthology provides valuable testimony tothe contributions of field studies in understanding our primate kin-- their context in nature, and the strategies they employ for coping with daily life and the encroachments of mankind.

Phillip T. Robinson - Society for the Renewal of Nature Conservation in Liberia, West Africa

Book Description

The true tale of an edenic Rocky Mountain town and what transpired when a predatory species returned to its ancestral home.

When, in the late 1980s, residents of Boulder, Colorado, suddenly began to see mountain lions in their yards, it became clear that the cats had repopulated the land after decades of persecution. Here, in a riveting environmental fable that recalls Peter Benchley's thriller Jaws, journalist David Baron traces the history of the mountain lion and chronicles Boulder's effort to coexist with its new neighbors. A parable for our times, The Beast in the Garden is a scientific detective story and a real-life drama, a tragic tale of the struggle between two highly evolved predators: man and beast. 3 illustrations, 2 maps.

Customer Reviews:

Beast in the Garden Review.......2007-09-19

Extremely well written. I've recommended this book to all my friends and family.. not only is it intriguing and interesting, but its also incredibly informative. It opens your eyes to issues that you probably have not ever thought of. I'd give this book 10 stars if I could.

Beast in the Garden.......2007-06-27

I read this book because a friend at work had it.
I bought two copies from Amazon after reading it: one for me, and one for a friend researching/photographing mountain lions in South Dakota. I've already loaned out my copy to another friend who lives in Colorado and Nebraska and he said he remembers when the Idaho Springs incident happened.
This book is well written and does read like a detective story - but the reality is chilling. I couldn't stop reading it. I can't wait to read it again.
Thanks to Mr. Baron for such excellent work.
Tim Reigert

I loved this book........2007-03-08

"Beast in the Garden" was an extremely interesting book. It was full of facts and entertaining, although although a bit disturbing, at the same time. I live in an area where there are bears in many back yards and this book really takes a very informed look into the suburban/wildlife dynamic. I would definitely recommend it. My daughter is reading it now.

The Beast is Brilliant.......2007-01-09

This is a simply brilliant exposition of the Boulder that I grew up in. Baron examines the situation well and pays attention to the wildlife issues that were relevant at the time and are still relevant now. A few historical problems do come up, but they are merely anecdotal and hardly detract from the story.

Two things really make this a great book:
-if you're from Boulder or the Front Range, you'll be saying "Oh, I've been there" or "Hey, I know that guy" throughout the whole book.
-this book is action-packed. If they could make a movie out of it, they should.

Most of all, Baron pays attention to the characters and really goes in depth with who they are. I'm mostly interested in wildlife, however I found his portrayal of the people the most exciting.

A Cautionary Tale for Garden Dwellers.......2006-11-03

A fitness freak teenager, Scott Lancaster, skips his lunch period to run - his track a mountain trail just upslope from his Idaho Springs, Colorado, high school. The track lies within a few hundred yards of I-70, not far from Colorado's gambling towns, Central City and Black Hawk, about 40 miles west of Denver. Not unusual behavior for a youngster who often cut classes to go running.

But Scott Lancaster did not come back to school or to home. Two days later, a search team including many of Scott's fellow students, about ready to give up looking, found his brutally assaulted body in heavy underbrush, just off his trail.

A Beast in the Garden killed Scott.

The book tells the tale in a readable way. How the Garden came to be. How the wilderness areas at the edge of human development along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains were set aside as nature preserves in which the Beasts could live undisturbed. How the Beasts' natural predators were driven off. How the Beasts adapted to co-existence with the humans at the edges of the Garden. How the Beasts were seen moving further and further into developed areas like Boulder and Idaho Springs. How the Beasts showed their killer instinct with dogs and cats and sheep and other smaller animals. How the Beasts changed their ways, hunting in broad daylight, killing animals people said it feared. How the Beasts repeatedly attacked humans, even though it was said they would not. How a Beast treed Lynda Walters. How Andy Peterson saved himself by gouging out another Beast's eye. How a Beast killed Scott.

The Beasts in the Garden were mountain lions.

The book is the story of a killing and the hunt for the killer. It is also a story of a young naturalist, Michael Sanders, then of the Boulder County Parks and Open Space District, helping humans learn to live with the raccoons and other small invaders from the Garden. Mountain lion sightings piqued Sanders' fascination for big animals. Sanders and others began to build a systematic knowledge base of verified mountain lion sightings. They showed how the population of mountain lions appeared to be growing. How the sightings were of behaviors that proved more and more dangerous to domestic animals, even to humans. How Sanders warned that mountain lions posed significant danger - and was often ignored.

Finally, the book is a study in eco-sociology. Of the forces that created and still maintain the Garden as a preserve for wilderness creatures. Of the conflicting values of those living on the edge of the Garden, those who would remove mountain lions from the Garden, those whose saw humans as the intruders onto the mountain lions' natural home. It is a story that pits neighbor against neighbor. More instructively, it pits Sanders and his friends against the State and Federal park and wilderness managers. It pits emerging reality against common wisdom.

David Baron is a reporter on science and the environment for National Public Radio who first became interested in the behavior of mountain lions in developed areas while doing a 1996 story on a hiker who was killed by a mountain lion near Auburn, CA. His interest took him to the Garden that is the wilderness near Boulder and to Scott Lancaster's and Michael Sanders' stories. Beast in the Garden is a very good read, a well-written mystery that would be thoroughly satisfying were it not for the macabre reality.

The reality is not unique to Colorado's Front Range. My local newspaper has reported many sightings in the town north of my community, sightings and attacks on sheep, goats, and other small animals. A cashier at the local supermarket lost her dog to a mountain lion that is a frequent visitor in the community 15 miles south of mine. A nearby vineyard owner reports a female that has given birth to twin kits annually for several years. The regional paper has reported mountain lion sightings in urban areas, one just a few blocks from the county's community college. On a recent ten-day swing through the Pacific Northwest, there were reports of mountain lion sightings in developed areas in the Tacoma News Tribune, the Vancouver Sun, the Lewiston, Idaho, Tribune, and the Portland Oregonian.

So reality reminds us that my community, a former sheep ranch of about 3000 acres that has been developed with 2300 properties and more than 1500 acres of common land - forests and meadows - is a Garden, too. We, too, are seeing mountain lions. Not just in the forests, but in our meadows, close to the trails along the ocean bluff. Deer kills are reported routinely. We, too, have lost some of the sheep we keep to reduce fire risk, and there are musings about pets that have gone missing. No attacks on humans - yet.

The lessons in Beast in the Garden do not stop at the Front Range; they are applicable in my community - and maybe yours.

Average customer rating:

Fantastic!
Fascinating look at a fascinating creature
A scientific journey of discovery

Moose: Behavior, Ecology, Conservation
Valerius Geist
Manufacturer: Voyageur Press (MN)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Conservation | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0896584224

Amazon.com

The moose, the largest living member of the family that includes deer and elk, is the beneficiary of a rare change of environmental fortune that has worked out to nature's advantage. Thanks to careful conservation policies, the moose has expanded its range significantly in the last century, growing in numbers and spreading beyond its native range throughout subarctic North America and Eurasia to new homes in the southern Rocky Mountains and southern Scandinavia.

Russian-born scientist Valerius Geist, a longtime contributor to National Geographic and other popular publications, here offers a highly readable, affectionate, and entertaining natural history of the moose. In text accompanied by Michael Francis's color photographs, Geist explains why moose are small in some places and large in others (the more mature the plant environment in which it lives, the smaller the moose); discusses migratory patterns, mating habits, social organization, and other aspects of ecology; and honors the moose's highly developed intelligence ("moose," he writes, "are programmed for learning"). With continued conservation efforts and continued goodwill on the part of humans, Geist foresees a healthy future for the moose, even in the face of global climate change that threatens the creature's favored habitats. --Gregory McNamee

Book Description

In outstanding photos and authoritative text, Moose covers the natural history of moose around the world, including range, diet, personality traits, breeding, social structure, and their interaction with humans both today and in history. Geist, a zoologist and professor, details the threats they face, and he passionately pleads for their preservation. Moose also includes sidebars and appendices, plus a list of organizations involved in moose issues. For moose hunters, naturalists, & wildlife photographers.

Valerius Geist of Port Alberni, British Columbia is the author of Voyageur Press' Buffalo Nation: History and Legend of the North American Bison and Mountain Sheep, for which he won the 1972 Book of the Year Award from The Wildlife Society. He has also been a consultant to the National Geographic Society on several books and television specials.

Michael H. Francis of Billings, Montana is an internationally recognized wildlife photographer whose work has appeared in dozens of books and magazines. His images appeared in Voyageur Press' A Wilderness Called Grand Canyon, Black Bear: Seasons in the Wild, Buffalo Nation, Grizzly Bears, Eagles: Masters of the Sky, Majestic Whitetails, Majestic Elk, and many others.

Also recommended: Bears: Behavior, Ecology, Conservation; Elk: Behavior, Ecology, Conservation; Mule Deer: Behavior, Ecology, Conservation; Big Game of North America; Antlers.

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic!.......2006-12-18

This book is Great! I enjoyed every word of it. The information that Valerius Geist shares with us is very interesting! I haven't been so excited while reading a book in a while. He provides all kinds of great information on evolution, habits, habitats, diet, survival tactics, the rut, and the raising of a new generation and some information on the moose's future and relationship with man, as well as some interesting stories from his own personal experiences! The photos are amazing as well! This book, I felt walked the line of being very informative, but not to complicated. It is definitely a book that appeals to a broad audience. If you are interested in moose, pick up this book!

Fascinating look at a fascinating creature.......2001-02-04

Since a child, moose have always amazed me. Turning to popular wildlife texts, however, I found that very few such books ever mentioned these magnificent deer. Finally a book has come along to fill this void.

Dr. Geist is a renown expert in cervid biology and conservation. His expertise regarding moose ecology in North America and Eurasia shines through every page of this book. He has the rare ability to combine personal experiences with potentially dry biology information to produce very readable prose. I truly enjoyed this text! The accompanying photos were also spectacular. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the moose.

A scientific journey of discovery.......1999-12-14

Val Geist is world renown as the dean of behavioral ecologists (ethologists) of the hooved mammals (ungulates) of the northern hemisphere. Fritz Walther, an extraordinary ungulate ethologist in his own right, once described Geist as having a mind that combines the vastness of the Russian Steppe (Geist's natal homeland), with the meticulousness of Germany (where he spent his youth) and the audacity of North America (where he has spent his adulthood). Bull's eye.

I know of no wildlife biologist with greater depth of knowledge and creative insight, or greater courage and dedication in applying his knowledge to the challenge of real world conservation.

Coming full circle, Geist has finally writen an entire book devoted to the moose, an animal whose behavior he (like I) studied extensively during his youth.

We who have had the pleasure of reading his numerous other books and scientific papers know that each leads the reader on a rare and delightful intellectual journey of discovery. His insights are always fresh and vibrant, built on an extraordinarily wide knowledge of the literature combined with in depth firsthand knowledge. This book is no exception.

Book Description

Featuring 200 dramatic color photographs, The Vanishing Tiger documents the history and lifestyle of this magnificent and endangered creature.

Customer Reviews:

With over 200 color, specially commissioned photos.......2004-03-10

This comprehensive history and guide to the lifestyle of the tiger blends folklore and myths with over 200 color, specially commissioned photos of the Bengal Tiger, plus images of its co-predators and prey. Perhaps the most valuable sections of the book lie in its details on the habitat and range of all tigers in the world. Highly recommended as the definitive tiger guide.

Excellent book for nature lovers.......2003-12-24

Its an excellent book for all nature lovers. The pictures are just awesome. Must buy for all wildlife fans.

Second Nature: Environmental Enrichment for Captive Animals (Zoo and Aquarium Biology and Conservation Series)

Average customer rating:

Excellent book, a must have for zoologists
Excellent book!
A nice surprise
excelente review of environmental enrichment

Second Nature: Environmental Enrichment for Captive Animals (Zoo and Aquarium Biology and Conservation Series)

Manufacturer: Smithsonian Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Animal Rights | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

Animal Husbandry | Agricultural Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Veterinary Medicine | Medicine | Subjects | Books

General | Conservation | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

General | Field Guides | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1560987456

Customer Reviews:

Excellent book, a must have for zoologists.......2006-06-03

I am a zookeeper in an accredited zoological institution and this book is a must read as we care for captive animals. A comprehensive enrichment program is critical for wild animals in captive environments as these programs provide the animals with choices, complexities, and change. The guiding principle for enrichment is based on the animal's natural history. This book very appropriately emphasizes the requirement of enrichment for the animal's well being. Read this book and it will give you hope.

Excellent book!.......2004-07-19

This is my must have book (bible) for my research on environmental enrichment. If you work with animals in a captive situation, you need to read this book. The book also deals with stereotypy. A lot of excellent information on enrichment and its implications for captive animals. If you are at all interested in environmental enrichment or currently implement an enrichment program for your animals, do yourself a favor and read this book.

A nice surprise.......2004-04-15

I bought "Ethics on the Ark" at the same time as this book, and was disappointed with that book. This book, however, was a very nice surprise. I felt it gave a unbiased view of captive animal enrichment, and the ethics behind keeping animals in captivity. I appreciated the completeness of this book, starting from a historical perspective, straight through to modern reasoning. I would say this is a must have for anyone working with animals in a captive environment.

excelente review of environmental enrichment.......1999-03-21

A book that had to be written. This book is a good and basic guide for people working or interested in environmental enrichment. Several aspects are covered by the book, from theoretical bases to the implications to use enrichment for the conservation and welfare of wild animals. However, although it gives a lots of examples on mammals and some on reptiles, it forgets birds.

Coexisting with Large Carnivores: Lessons From Greater Yellowstone

Average customer rating:

Good on the biological background, weaker on the human side of the story

Coexisting with Large Carnivores: Lessons From Greater Yellowstone

Manufacturer: Island Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1597260053

Book Description

As in the rest of the United States, grizzly bears, wolves, and mountain lions in and around Yellowstone National Park were eliminated or reduced decades ago to very low numbers. In recent years, however, populations have begun to recover, leading to encounters between animals and people and, more significantly, to conflicts among people about what to do with these often controversial neighbors.

Coexisting with Large Carnivores presents a close-up look at the socio-political context of large carnivores and their management in western Wyoming south of Yellowstone National Park, including the southern part of what is commonly recognized as the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The book brings together researchers and others who have studied and worked in the region to help untangle some of the highly charged issues associated with large carnivores, their interactions with humans, and the politics that arise from those interactions.

This volume argues that coexistence will be achieved only by a thorough understanding of the human populations involved, their values, attitudes, beliefs, and the institutions through which carnivores and humans are managed. Coexisting with Large Carnivores offers important insights into this complex, dynamic issue and provides a unique overview of issues and strategies for managers, researchers, government officials, ranchers, and everyone else concerned about the management and conservation of large carnivores and the people who live nearby.

Customer Reviews:

Good on the biological background, weaker on the human side of the story.......2007-09-14

This book looks at how wolves, grizzly bears and mountain lions can coexist with the people who live around Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks. The books is divided into three parts: the social context, case studies of the three species, and lessons for management. Overall, the contributors argue against the typical top-down plans of state and federal agencies, which draw up a management plan and then impose it on the community. Instead, they argue for more community participation in decisions and for practice-based management, with people trying a variety of strategies and then sharing those that work.

The contributors to this volume clearly know the material, and they present it well. The chapters on social context provide valuable background information, and the case studies were also very interesting. The management chapters were much less successful, however. The authors are mostly biologists, and to their credit they realize that they don't really know much social science. That's a handicap when discussing psychology, symbolism, group processes, and agency behavior. The authors are game enough, but it wouldn't have hurt to include a few chapters by people who study such things.

It's hard to argue against people participating in the decisions that shape their lives. But what if people are ill-informed or have demonstrably false beliefs? Many locals are convinced that wolves are going to eat their children, but no non-rabid North American wolf has ever killed a person. (I've encountered a wolf in the backcountry with a child beside me, so I'm not asking ranchers to do anything that I haven't done before.) The potential conflict between democratic processes and scientific knowledge is mentioned but not wrestled with as seriously as it should be.

In the end, the scientists in this book want their own views to triumph. All the authors argue for community dialogue so that locals who disagree with them will change their minds. None of the authors entertain the possibility that they might change their own minds after engaging in dialogue with ranchers. Given this asymmetry, why should ranchers play along?

The authors are also critical of federal and state agencies who use their power resources to try to impose their views on the community. At the same time, the biologists who wrote most of these chapters seem not to have thought critically about their own power resources - - knowledge, logical reasoning skills, and the like - - and how they are trying to impose their views on locals.

The contributors know (or suspect) these limitations of what they are doing. Without addressing them more deeply, however, the management section ends up being a lot of platitudes about dialogue and participation. In contrast, the sections on social context and the three large carnivore species were interesting and convincing.

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