Book Description
Information regarding population status and abundance of rare species plays a key role in resource management decisions. Ideally, data should be collected using statistically sound sampling methods, but by their very nature, rare or elusive species pose a difficult sampling challenge.
Sampling Rare or Elusive Species describes the latest sampling designs and survey methods for reliably estimating occupancy, abundance, and other population parameters of rare, elusive, or otherwise hard-to-detect plants and animals. It offers a mixture of theory and application, with actual examples from terrestrial, aquatic, and marine habitats around the world.
Sampling Rare or Elusive Species is the first volume devoted entirely to this topic and provides natural resource professionals with a suite of innovative approaches to gathering population status and trend data. It represents an invaluable reference for natural resource professionals around the world, including fish and wildlife biologists, ecologists, biometricians, natural resource managers, and all others whose work or research involves rare or elusive species.
Customer Reviews:
Very useful and illustrative!.......2007-01-19
I usually work with very elusive animals like wild big cats, that's why I consider this book very useful and ilustrative if you are planning to work with rare species; in special the experimental desing section. Also the cited bibliography is a great tool to expand knowledge in this subjet. I really recomend it!!
Christian Estrada
Wildlife Biologist
Book Description
The Destruction of the Bison explains the decline of the North American bison population from an estimated 30 million in 1800 to fewer than 1000 a century later. In this wide-ranging, interdisciplinary study, Andrew C. Isenberg argues that the cultural and ecological encounter between Native Americans and Euroamericans in the Great Plains was the central cause of the near extinction of the bison. Drought and the incursion of domestic livestock and exotic species such as horses into the Great Plains all threatened the Western ecosystem, which was further destabilized as interactions between Native Americans and Euroamericans created new types of hunters in both cultures: mounted Indian nomads and white commercial hide hunters. In the early twentieth century, nostalgia about the very cultural strife that first threatened the bison became, ironically, an important impetus to its preservation.
Download Description
The Destruction of the Bison explains the decline of the North American bison population from an estimated 30 million in 1800 to fewer than 1000 a century later. In this wide-ranging, interdisciplinary study, Andrew C. Isenberg argues that the cultural and ecological encounter between Native Americans and Euroamericans in the Great Plains was the central cause of the near extinction of the bison. Drought and the incursion of domestic livestock and exotic species such as horses into the Great Plains all threatened the Western ecosystem, which was further destabilized as interactions between Native Americans and Euroamericans created new types of hunters in both cultures: mounted Indian nomads and white commercial hide hunters. In the early twentieth century, nostalgia about the very cultural strife that first threatened the bison became, ironically, an important impetus to its preservation.
Customer Reviews:
Serving the Interests of the Dominant Culture; A critical perspective.......2006-07-22
As all the other reviews are positive, I will add a much needed critical perspective.
The central argument of this book is that:
"The combination of Indian predation and environmental change decimated the bison" (Isenberg, p.3).
As such, this book contradicts massive amounts of primary historical sources that show, un-arguably, that the destruction and near extinction of the Bison herds was a direct result of Anglo predation in a direct attempt to destroy the resource base of the Plains Tribes in order to force them onto reservations.
As the other reviewers have pointed out, it is true that the Plains Tribes were not nomadic hunters for all of their history. It is true that the Tribes adopted nomadic hunting as a primary subsistence strategy only after being forced to do so by Anglo aggression and encroachment.
But from that truth, Isenberg moves on to a series of unproven theories based on questionable ecological assumptions that are rooted in the "new ecology" - an ecological theory that describes nature as a disordered, chaotic and individualistic struggle for survival (For info on the "new ecology" see my review of "Discordant Harmonies: A new ecology for the 21st century).
For example, Isenberg bases one of his arguments on the un-proven theory that early Tribal Peoples, thousands of years ago, hunted to extinction many species of large land mammals.
But the story of the Bison is not a pre-historic story. It is a story of modern history and Isenberg presents no historical proof that the Tribes were responsible for the near extinction of the Bison.
Rather, he makes subjective philosophical arguments against "romanticizing" wilderness and Native American cultures.
From there Iverson uses these arguments as a backdrop to a series of environmental statistical analyses.
Basically, Iverson lays out an exponential statistical model where by he argues that, given the estimated number of Bison deaths necessary to sustain the Plains Tribes, eventually the Bison would have been rendered extinct by the Tribes at some point in the future.
The problem is that this can never be proven because it never happened!
What happened, and it is documented in massive amounts of printed primary historical sources, was that the Bison were deliberately slaughtered by greedy Anglo hunters for their skins and tongues.
The United States Army was in on it as well, as is documented by many sources showing that the Bison herds were decimated in a deliberate attempt to make it impossible for the Tribes to remain living free on the Plains.
Isenberg's book is one that must be extremely comforting to those forces that continue to destroy what wild animals and lands we have left here in North America.
A new view on the bison's demise.......2003-10-17
Andrew Isenberg, professor of History at Princeton University, has produced a brilliant monograph documenting the relationship between the Plains Indians, whites and the bison that once thrived on the Great Plains.
Isenberg carefully presents the ecology of the Great Plaines, demonstrating how tenuous the environment is to begin with: drought and fires can easily destroy the short grass that the bison depend on, causing sudden fluctuations in the herds. Given the already sensitive nature of the bison population, Isenberg then discusses the effect of human hunting.
Many readers, accostomed to thinking of the Plains Indians as ancient cultures, practicing a lifestyle as old as time, will be surprised to learn that the tribes of the great plains were largly recent developments. The introduction of the horse in the late 17th century dramatically altered the lifesyles of the plains tribes. Now that horses could be used to follow the bison herds year round, many groups abandoned agriculture and became full time bison hunters.
Isenberg documents the rise of trade networks, and the material wealth that Indians were able to accumulate in the beaver and bison pelt trade. Isenberg argues that Indians increasingly exploited the bison in a non-substainable fashion, thus dramatically weakening the bison population by the mid 19th century. Thus white hunting, which escalated in the 1870s to fill the demand for bison leather machine belts, was merely a coup de grace for the already decimated herds.
Isenberg's thesis rather explodes the old myth that Indians were always ecologically sensitive people who cared meticulously for their rescources. Yet in the end, his message is one of environmental responsibility, as he narrates a tragic case study of unsubstainable environmental exploitation. The book is well crafted and highly readable, and recommended for all interested in the American West.
Important contribution to the field of environmental history.......2002-03-16
Andrew Isenberg's "The Destruction of the Bison" shows that the interaction between ecology, culture and economy contributes the the destruction of bison. Unlike most historians who contributes the environmental degradation to Euro-Americans, Isenberg shows that Native Americans also play a role in modifying the ecology. He is able to show how introduction of horses, made Native Americans became more mobile and therefore were able to hunt the bison while riding their horses.
Initially, the Natives hunted for subsistence but later were drawn into the market-oriented economic system and were trading the bison's skin for other European products. Gradually, bison became nearly decimated.
This is an incredible book in this survey of the history of the North American bison population and is very well-written. He organizes this book well and is very readable. Even if readers who do not have prior knowledge of bison or is unfamiliar with the field of environmental history, this book will not pose any difficulty for understanding the complex relationship between human and the environment around them.
The Big Picture.......2001-08-19
So often, we tend to think of the near-extinction of the Bison as having been solely caused by overhunting by the fur trade. This book shows the intensely interwoven cause and effect relationships that led to massive changes, not only for the Bison, but for the Native Americans as well. The scope of this book is so much larger than just the destruction of the Bison - it addresses the full range of effects that Westward Expansion had on the plains. To gain a better understanding of the ecological dynamics at play between the Bison, the indigenous tribes, the settlers and the environment - this book is a must.
a pleasure to read.......2001-03-21
You don't have to be a Princeton professor to enjoy this book. Isenberg, who is in fact a professor of history at Princeton, is erudite without being arcane. I am looking forward to his next book, on the social and environmental consequencs of the California Gold Rush. Meanwhile, do read Destruction of the Bison. Here is a book in which everything is interconnected, just as it is in real life. Everything the Indians do affects the settlers, and the Indians lives are shaped by economic developments far from the great plains. If you enjoy, Isenberg's style, you might also want to read, Diana Muir's Bullough's Pond, a book that interweaves complex and disparate events in a satisfying narrative.
Amazon.com
Zoos are places where animals are protected, kept safe from the ravages of the outside world and sheltered from extinction, right? Not necessarily, writes investigative reporter Alan Green, who takes his readers behind the bars in Animal Underworld to tell an unsettling tale of deception and cruelty.
That story opens at a zoo in northern Virginia, one of many such places around the United States in which black bears, once an exotic sight, have become a too-common commodity. Baby bears bring crowds, Green writes; unruly juveniles and listless adults do not. What happens to the bears who cannot contribute to the zoo's overhead? Animal sanctuaries are already overfull; individuals are not allowed to keep bears as pets without hard-to-obtain licenses; and bears raised in cages do not know how to fend for themselves in the wild. There is simply no place for them, Green writes, and the bears have economic worth only for their parts--the claws for jewelry, the flesh for restaurants, the paws for Asian apothecaries.
The nefarious means by which supposedly protected animals--many in danger of disappearing in the wild--are brought to market forms the heart of Green's disturbing report. Some of the country's most important zoos and museums turn up as villains in his pages, and readers will likely never visit such places again without wondering at the fate of the creatures that look out at them from the other side of the cage. --Gregory McNamee
Book Description
A vast and previously undisclosed underground economy exists in the United States. The products bought and sold: animals. In Animal Underworld, veteran investigative journalist Alan Green exposes the sleazy, sometimes illegal web of those who trade in rare and exotic creatures. Green and The Center for Public Integrity reveal which American zoos and amusement parks dump their "surplus" animals on the middlemen adept at secretly redirecting them into the private pet trade. We're taken to exotic-animal auctions, where the anonymous high bidders are often notorious dealers, hunting-ranch proprietors, and profit-minded charlatans masquerading as conservationists. We visit some of the nation's most prestigious universities and research laboratories, whose diseased monkeys are "laundered" through this same network of breeders and dealers until they finally reach the homes of unsuspecting pet owners. And we meet the men and women who make their living by skirting through loopholes in the law, or by ignoring the law altogether. For anyone who cares about animals; for pet owners, zoo-goers, wildlife conservationists, and animal welfare advocates, Animal Underworld is gripping, shocking reading.
Customer Reviews:
Disturbing, but solution is not practical.......2007-01-31
I have read most of this book. I volunteer at the same zoo.
I say I've only read most of the book because I found some parts so disturbing that I had to stop reading. The conditions of animals or the fact that some animals came from big animal parks only to be killed in canned hunts or the fact that some animals were trained to give a paw through a cage only to have the paw cut off and the animal bleed to death was too much for me to take.
So I've read most of the book and took away the horrifying message that not all zoos are telling you the truth. So I started asking detailed questions at the zoo I volunteer at (same one in the book that Mr. Green volunteered for and coincidentally the house right next to the one he volunteered in). When I started in 2000, I brought up my concerns about the animals that were being shipped all over the place and being taken in to the house. Since that time and since this book was published the Species Survival Plan and AZA management has been revitalized. There are distinct destinations for zoo animals. If someone says Lowry Park Zoo is getting a tiger, Lowry Park gets that tiger. Volunteers can even ask to accompany the animals to ensure they get to where they are supposed to be.
The message Mr. Green sends is that zoos should care for thier animals from cradle to grave. That isn't necessarily probable or beneficial for the animals. If you have a male elephant born at a zoo and it does not have a large enough enclosure for a male elephant, the zoo must transfer the animal to another place that has enough space. However, Mr. Green brings up an excellent point that AZA zoos should manage their animals closely from cradle to grave. There is no point in AZA accreditation if you don't have a way to manage animals that works.
Also, the U.S. Government must pay attention to this illegal trade. It makes close to the same amount of money as illegal drugs and there is still no legislation that funds APHIS enough to investigate this trade and shut it down. There is no legislation to stop the killing of wild animals in cages. There is no legislation barring the public from owning exotic animals without the education to care for the exotics. It is 2007 and still no one wants to look at the big elephant in the room.
I recommend this book for the information it has, but not for the solution it gives. Change can happen but by working with zoos, not by protesting them.
Wake up.......2007-01-30
I'm writing this review more as a response to the negative reviews posted here by proponents of the wild animal trade. Some have accused Green of poor research, or making blanket statements about zoos and the wildlife trade, which leads me to wonder if they've even read the book. In fact, one such reviewer admitted not reading it - talk about poor research.
The fact is, the author was a volunteer in one of our nation's most prestigious zoos, and simply became concerned about the animals that were continually being sent to other facilities. He began to research their whereabouts, and was horrified at what he found, prompting him to undertake further investigation.
The book specifically outlines the research and how it was conducted; Green followed paper trails, and that so many papers are forged and so many animals are simply traded illegally without proper paperwork made it a difficult task. Where the author was unable to follow up, he says so quite clearly. That so many of our nation's zoos are directly involved in furthering an animal welfare crisis should be a poor reflection on the zoos, not on the author who points it out.
As to the accusation that Green is trying to convince people that the wildlife trade is illegal, read the book again. He is very clear about what the laws are, and that lack of legislation, vague legislation, and under-staffed and under-funded government agencies are part of the problem. In fact, much of the difficulty in tracking down animals was a result of the incompetence of government agencies.
As an animal welfare professional, I frequently use this book as a reference, but I also do my own research (directly, not "3rd and 4th hand"), and it's very clear that the wild animal trade is out of control in this country, creating an animal welfare disaster and a very real threat to public health. Of course the exotic animal breeders, including those who have left reviews here, don't want you to read this book - it threatens their livelihood. If their real concern was animal welfare or conservation, they wouldn't be breeding animals and selling them for profit. Pay close attention to what they say - when they start talking about their rights as animal owners, it's clear whose welfare they're really concerned with. My personal opinion is that simply being human does not endow us with the natural right to possess wild animals, and there are plenty of ethical ways to enjoy them and even profit from them without exploiting or abusing them.
I also must question the integrity of a person who would read a book cover to cover in a book store rather than paying for it. Would you want people to abuse your exotic animals without paying for them first? Try the library next time.
No book is perfect, but this one is worth your time. Don't just take what it says at face value - do your own research; check out the facilities Green mentions; try to follow some of the paper trails yourself; go to an accredited wildlife sanctuary and ask where the animals came from. Then draw your own conclusions, and decide what role you'll play.
A tragic and shocking truth.......2007-01-14
To those of us who don't always hear the truth about what happens to exotic animals in the "pet" trade, in zoos, at hunting parks, or other places, this book is a wonderfully enlightening read. Meticulously researched, the author uncovers what really happens to the thousands of animals that end up as surplus from zoos and other breeders. You might think twice before visiting an exotic game park or zoo after reading this book. Other readers who breed exotic animals for profit as pets overlook the point that the author is trying to make: wild animals are not domesticated animals, nor should they be ripped out of the wild, bred, sold and bought for a profit. The horrible lives in small cages that many of these animals endure is not worth the "fun" one might have viewing them at a zoo or keeping them as a pet. Exotic animals do not make good pets and would be better off in the wild with their own kind, rather than behind our cage bars for our viewing pleasure.
please contact me reasearch re- this book.......2006-05-29
I have read all your reviews with great interest i am a student in the u.k studying BSc (Hons) Animal Behaviour i will be starting my final year in sept 06 and during the summer holiday i will carrying out research for my final dissertation project and i would like to hear from anyone who has experience of owning an exotic species or who knows someone that has.I would like to hear from the vet teche in florida regarding state laws there but no email address on your amazon profile. I can be contacted on imartra@hotmail.com or on MSN messenger. thanks Catherine
The Only Good Pet Monkey is a Pet Sea Monkey.......2004-01-17
There is no doubt that there is a huge, lucrative, underground trade in exotics, and that many of the people involved in it are unethical scumbags. Of course, not ALL individuals who own exotic pets are nasty: some of them are conscientious and care enough to be well-informed about the species they choose to own.
But the author of this book provides an important service to the public. Green sheds light into the dark corners of the exotics business, part of which involves shuffling zoo and research animals to canned hunt facilities or roadside petting zoos. It all works through middlemen who assure legitimate keepers that their surplus animals are going to qualified handlers, when in fact they are often laundered through pet auctions or given to animal collectors who abandon them at the first sign of difficult behavior or ill health.
Take monkeys and apes. They're cute and smart, but mishandling can create a strong, deranged primate that will pose very real risks to anyone not familiar with their needs. Also, they harbor all kinds of diseases that are a direct threat to public health, and some that haven't jumped the species barrier yet but, in the future, may do so. Hardly any sanctuaries exist that can care for them once they are no longer needed for research or public display. What should we, as a society that frowns on animal cruelty, do for them?
Anyone who is interested in exotics, animal-based research, or even visiting the zoo should read this book. Yes, Green almost exclusively discusses the creepy side of the issue. But he also describes some very ethically-run sancutaries and some individuals in the zoo and research sectors who truly care for their charges' welfare.
As for owning exotic pets, I personally think there are some people who actually are qualified to do so. Who decides those qualifications? That's another issue. Also, "exotics" include everything from hedgehogs and sugar gliders to tigers and the great apes. I've owned the former two, and found them to be sweet little companion animals. (But if someone offered me a giraffe, I'm afraid I would have to decline.) Not all exotics are totally inappropriate for all people. But some exotics are totally inappropriate for most people.
I do think that certain surplus zoo animals should be euthanized rather than forced to live out their remaining years in misery. I also think that the surplus itself should be examined: why aren't certain species more aggressively sterilized? And, I think all zoo and research animals should be microchipped so that they can be tracked once they leave their original home.
Green isn't afraid to name names and cite specific examples of cruelty. I know there are readers who are angry about what he wrote, and dispute his findings, but they haven't countered with any specifics that undermine this book. If any of his critics can prove that the incidents Green discusses didn't happen, then I'd like to hear about it.
Book Description
A gripping account of the dramatic race to preserve one of America's most imperiled birds.
Customer Reviews:
A riveting, readable story of a bird's rescue and offers inspiration to any who read about human-influenced extinctions........2007-02-08
The California condor is the continent's largest birds, lives 50 years or more, often mates for life, and can fly some 150 miles in a day. Despite all these talents, the condor has trembled on the brink of extinction and only extraordinary measures have brought it back from its low of 22 individuals in the 1980s. The efforts to save the condor are chronicled in RETURN OF THE CONDOR: THE RACE TO SAVE OUR LARGEST BIRD FROM EXTINCTION, from the biologist who decided to capture the last remaining living wild condor to the controversial development of a captive breeding program and beyond. Both general-interest collections and those strong in natural history must have RETURN OF THE CONDOR: it's a riveting, readable story of a bird's rescue and offers inspiration to any who read about human-influenced extinctions.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Wonderful story, beautifully written.......2006-10-26
I've never written a book review before, but I just read John Moir's Return of the Condor in much less time than it ordinarily takes me to read a book. I've had some interest in condors for some time, but the style in which this book is written will make it enjoyable for anyone. John's insightful and informative tale made me feel as though I was right in the middle of the evolving story of this magnificent bird. He has crafted a beautiful and compelling narrative infused with all the elation and discouragement enountered in the condor's dramatic recovery.
Try it, you'll like it!
What a story and I am not a nature book reader!.......2006-10-16
I should preface this by saying that I read voraciously but nearly all my books are international intrigue, mystery and sci fi. Occasionally I will branch out and read something different and usually it is non-fiction. I happened upon a copy of Return of the Condor and was struck by the cover. Having never seen one live and not even really knowing anything about condors, I flipped through the pages and looked at the magnificent color photos. Went back and read the first chapter and I was hooked. Although it is a true story it reads more like a novel with both intrigue and tenderness. I read it in one sitting and found myself wishing it had continued on past its ending. This is an excellent read even for someone who has little or no interest in birds or nature. It is fascinating, extremely well-written and engrossing.
Informative and Entertaining.......2006-10-13
Condors are North America's largest birds, with wingspans of nearly 10 feet. They are also highly intelligent-and extremely rare. John Moir's passionate writing shows how a team of dedicated scientists pulled this fascinating creature back from the brink of extinction (in 1982 there were only 22 CA condors left in the world). But it wasn't easy, and the process was fraught with bitter controversy between those who wanted to leave the birds alone and let them live "free" versus those who argued in favor of collecting data by radio tagging some birds and capturing others.
Moir has done an amazing job of researching this story, and his background as a birder and science writer shine through on every page. He also doesn't pull any punches that the condor is not yet saved, and that solving the problem of the birds being poisoned from consuming lead bullet fragments from hunter-shot game must be solved for the recovery program to succeed.
You don't have to be a "birder" to thoroughly enjoy this engrossing story. I highly recommend it.
A great read.......2006-10-13
This book is not only a remarkable tribute to the condor and the scientists who have worked to save it, but a captivating story as well.
When the book arrived, I thought I'd take a few minutes to glance through it. Two hours later, I was still reading. Moir immerses you in the world of the condor with his eloquent writing and keen sense of story. Some of the most interesting sections are his first-person accounts of his adventures with recovery team biologists.
Moir also links the condor's plight to the Sixth Extinction--the planet-wide loss of species that threatens our environment--and argues that saving the condor offers hope in saving other endangered species.
"Return of the Condor" is a beautifully written book... a page turner that anyone can enjoy.
Average customer rating:
- durrell continues
- Aye-aye!
- Durrell has gotten old and it shows
- loquacious lemurs make good
- Aye-ayes are wonderful!
|
The Aye-Aye and I: A Rescue Journey to Save One of the World's Most Intriguing Creatures from Extinction
Gerald Durrell
Manufacturer: Touchstone
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ASIN: 0671884395 |
Book Description
Here is the riveting tale of Gerald Durrell's adventures and misadventures in the enchanted forests of Madagascar, in search of the elusive Aye-aye.
Once thought to be extinct, the Aye-aye, the beast with the magic finger, still lurks, though in fast dwindling numbers, in the forests of Madagascar. Durrell's mission to help save this strange creature turns into a madcap journey in which you will meet not only the enigmatic Aye-aye, but the catlike Fosa, the Flat-tailed tortoise, the Gentle lemurs of Lac Alaotra, and the Malagasy chameleons, among others. Truly nothing escapes Durrell's sharp eye, whether he is describing the great zoma (market), the village dances, the treacherous bridges and river crossings, the strange foods and stranger music, or the vagaries of local officialdom.
As the San Francisco Chronicle noted, "It is impossible for Gerald Durrell to write anything that is less than exuberant, eccentric, and amusing." And in his account of this "rescue mission", Durrell is, quite simply, at his superb best.
Customer Reviews:
durrell continues.......2006-10-29
This book is another interesting as well as entertaining product from Gerald Durrell, drawing on his lifetime as a collector and conservator of endangered and unusual wildlife. Well worth reading - several times!
Aye-aye!.......2003-12-08
With a career spanning decades and continents, and with a gift for writing witty and articulate accounts of his animal-catching adventures in so many different times & places, it seems predictable that the originality and enthusiasm which Gerald Durrell offers should vary from story to story or from book to book. And they do; some volumes are ecstatically joyous and quite fast-paced, while a few stories drag a bit or feature rather sarcastic caricatures of certain persons. Overall, however, I find Durrell's writing some of the most amusing and informative stuff that I've encountered in the last year. Therefore I have bought a copy of every Gerald Durrell title that I've located. It's quality stuff that I intend to keep long-term and reccomend to friends. "The AyeAye and I" is no exception, and I am pleased to have a hardcover edition. Thanks, Amazon!
Durrell has gotten old and it shows.......2003-11-20
I have always admired Gerald Durrell as a writer; his zoological/ecological achievements, while very noteworthy, have not been so important to me when reading his books.
From this standpoint, 'Aye-aye and I' was a great disappointment; the sparkling humor of 'Three Tickets to Adventure' and especially 'My Family and Other Animals' has all but disappeared. The author has gotten old and bitter and it really shows throughout the book. He keeps complaining about the degrading ecological state of Madagascar, his own health and other issues, and while his environmental concerns are undoubtedly valid, it makes the book a somewhat depressing read.
Now if you have actual interest in lemurs, Madagascar or Durrell's scientific work, by all means go ahead and by this book. However, if you are looking for something entertaining, skip it and get some of his older works instead.
loquacious lemurs make good.......2002-08-24
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, being already more than sold on the value proposition presented by lemurs of all shapes and sizes. I'm convinced that the lemur is destined to become the most popular primate of the millenium, and this book should be at the top of the charts for those wishing to catch the rising tide of lemur fanatics. The San Francisco Zoo's new Lipman Family Lemur Forest exhibit presents two of only twelve Aye-ayes in the United States, and having visited it recently I now plan to return next weekend to apply the newfound in-depth Aye-aye background I've gleaned from my reading of this book. Moreover, lemurs are but the tip of the iceberg here! Rife with hilarious descriptions of Giant Jumping rats, tortoises, and grubs of all shapes and sizes, Durrell's personal tone, dry wit, and entertaining presentation kept me amused and reading until the wee hours of the morn. I'll be seeking out more of his works, and would happily recommend this to anyone with an interest in lemurs, obscure regions of the world, travel, conservation, the Aye-aye, and furry or reptilian critters, period.
Aye-ayes are wonderful!.......2001-01-09
This book was absolutely fabulous. As a college student interested in someday studying aye-ayes in the forests of Madagascar, reading this book was sheer pleasure. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested at all in lemurs, Madagascar, or simply in animal anecdotes or conservation.
Book Description
A beautifully illustrated book on endangered species and the opportunities to save them.
Earth has seen at least five great extinction periods, each wiping out up to 95 percent of all living species. They involved massive volcanic eruptions, disastrous meteor strikes and rapid climatic changes. The main point of
Endangered is that the sixth great extinction will be the result of humankind's abuse of the environment.
Featuring more than 400 photographs, this book details the plant and animal species that are either endangered or so severely threatened that they soon will be. The authors offer a thoughtful celebration of nature's diversity not scaremongering -- and a plea to rein in current behaviors that negatively affect the planet. Their proposals form a reasoned and hopeful guide to a future world that will be safe for all species. Creatures profiled include marsupials, monkeys, sea turtles, birds of prey, and butterflies and moths.
The extraordinary imagery and the compelling and objectively presented information make
Endangered essential reading for anyone interested in natural history.
Customer Reviews:
ENDANGERED is more than a simple rehash of extinction theory .......2007-02-03
ENDANGERED: WILDLIFE ON THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION by George C. McGaven is the kind of book which has dual appeal: to public libraries seeking an eye-catching overview for general-interest patrons, and to high school and college-level libraries interested in debating the progress and effects of extinction. McGavin is the Acting Curator of Entomology at Oxford University's Museum of Natural History and has researched the world on the topic - so drawing upon his considerable expertise, ENDANGERED is more than a simple rehash of extinction theory as he deftly examines the different types and scales of extinctions and their consequences.
Book Description
What is the minimum viable population (MVP) of a particular species? Besides the obvious implications for conservation, especially of endangered species, this question raises important issues in population biology. MVP obviously varies with demographic, life history and environmental factors, but also depends upon genetic load and genetic variability. This book addresses the most recent research in the rapidly developing integration of conservation biology with population biology. Chapters consider the roles of demographic and environmental variability; the effects of latitude, body size, patchiness and metapopulation structure; the implications of catastrophes; and the relevance of effective population size on inbreeding and natural selection. Other topics addressed include the role of decision theory in clarifying management alternatives for endangered species, and the opportunities for improved co-operation between agencies responsible for management. The book concludes with a forward-looking and plain-speaking summary on future research and its application for conservation practice.
Book Description
The recent arrival of the two giant pandas Tian Tian and Mei Xiang at the Smithsonian's National Zoo has created an enormous outpouring of public support for the conservation of this endangered species. The first step in attempting to ensure a future for giant pandas is understanding both their history and their current relationship with people. Susan Lumpkin and John Seidensticker present a beautifully photographed, resonant natural history, sharing their personal experiences of working with giant pandas in the United States and China.
Customer Reviews:
awsome book.......2007-01-05
If you love Pandas , this is the book to get. It is very detailed and well worth you time. You won't regret it!
Excellent Panda Resource Book.......2005-10-22
What I really liked about this book is how it's completely accessible for all ages. It's not dumbed down for younger readers, yet it doesn't pander to more mature readers, either. It presents facts, figures and other related information in such a way that anybody could learn from this read.
This book is also one heck of a coffee table book, the perfect gift for anyone you might know who loves panda bears. The photographs are breath-taking, showcasing this beautiful creature in its natural habitat as well as in zoos. There are also some telling photos of pandas in their youngest form. All exquisite and mind-blowing in their individual beauty.
Status of Wildlife Conservation fieldwork in China.......2003-03-09
A beautiful cocktail table book full of beautiful photos of China and Pandas. The book's strengths lies in its accurate portrayal of giant panda conservation work in China, i.e. "muddy boots" conservationist work. The book surprisingly covers very little about the giant panda research at zoos and focuses mainly on conservation field work in China. The book also goes at length to describe the giant pandas genetic classification (genus) with respect to carnivora ( especially wrt raccoons and bears , see page 33-54 ). Most notable about the book is its assertion that there were originally two types of giant panda (a) tropical/warm climate giant panda ( Ailuropoda microta , extinct smaller version of the giant panda whose fossilized remains were found in caves at Lang Trang, Vietnam - see pages 51-54 ) and (b) a mountain/cold climate giant panda ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca, the modern giant panda ). The authors describes the giant panda as an ecological umbrella which is shared by people, other animals, and fauna. (p.93--153). While extensively referenced and researched, the book is not footnoted and lacks the rigorous presentation of data and analysis to be defined as a scientific work. Micheal Kiefer, Chris Catton and Schaller have provided better historical outline man's interaction with the giant pandas. The freshest part of this book is the coverage on the introduction of environmentally-sustainable/friendly human economies like the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR, see p. 153) and the conservation effort in China to gain the local support in China to protect wildlife and the environment.
The Ideal Panda Book for Library or Coffee Table.......2002-09-04
Finally, an up-to-date, photo-studded book on giant pandas by experts who know the subject inside and out. There's plenty of media attention on this unique endangered species but this book gives background, context, and depth lacking in most magazine and newspaper articles. If you want to settle in and take an armchair trip into the world of the elusive giant panda, get this book.
Average customer rating:
- An excellent read
- Iconic hardback
- The World's Loneliest Bachelor Gets His Time To Shine
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Lonesome George: The Life and Loves of a Conservation Icon
Henry Nicholls
Manufacturer: Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1403945764
Release Date: 2006-03-30 |
Book Description
Lonesome George is a five-foot long, 900 pound tortoise aged somewhere between 60 and 200 years. The last of his kind, he was discovered in 1971 on the remote island of Pinta in the Galapagos Islands, from which tortoises had supposedly been extinct for years. Since then, he has lived in the Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS) on Santa Cruz on the off chance that there is a Pinta female somewhere, or that science will come up with a way of reproducing him, and resurrecting his species and the Pinta population. Today, Lonesome George has come to embody the challenges of conservation. His story captures the mystery, complexity, and fragility of the worlds most biologically diverse placethe Galapagos Islandsa place where sexual dysfunction, Charles Darwin, kidnapping, cloning, DNA fingerprinting, and ecotourism have left a complex web of influences. In the end, Georges story echoes the experience of conservationists world wide.
Customer Reviews:
An excellent read.......2006-11-21
This is a truly wonderful book with a great blend of humor and scientific story-telling. Current issues and historical anecdotes interwine seemlessly as the saga of Lonesome George unfolds. A must for Galapagos travelers past and future.
Iconic hardback.......2006-04-27
If anyone has been to the Galapagos (or is intending to) this is a must-have. In fact, anyone with an interest in Darwinism and environmentalism should also make sure they have a read. Henry Nicholls has done a great job of adding humour and fascinating anecdotes to some very serious topics, notably the human impact on this sensitive archipelago, and our role in protecting endangered species.
But what really makes this such a special read is the insight it gives to the life of poor Lonesome George. If I had to criticise, it would be that the book fails to consider the pressure that a myriad of scentific observers and visitors is piling on to the poor fellow. Its no surprise he feels shy about reproducing when constantly being reminded that he is an 'icon' and 'last of his species' (although the pretty swiss volunteer clearly tried her best to make him relax).
The World's Loneliest Bachelor Gets His Time To Shine.......2006-03-15
Lonesome George is not just the last of his sub-species of Galapagos giant tortoise, he is also an icon for animal conservation. In Henry Nicholls' new book, the very first full book on Lonesome George since his chance discovery 1n 1972, we get a crystal clear picture on what it will take to preserve George's race: the Pinta race of giant Galapagos tortoise. And though, the chances for survival seem slim, Nicholls digs up every conceivable speck of hope and lays it out for us in his own quirky style.
When I'd finished reading the book I was left with a feeling that I knew George intimately and that I understood the hurdles biologists, zoologists, conservationists and tortoise lovers are up against in trying to save the Pinta race.
Not to be missed is the part about George's Swedish human 'girlfriend' and their steamy escapades. The book also features extensive examples of other animals in peril and how they've been saved or lost. A joy of a read packed with hard facts, moving passages and important lessons. Go George!
Book Description
In Last Animals at theZoo, Colin Tudge argues that zoos have become an essential part of modernconservation strategy, and that the only real hope for saving many endangeredspecies is through creative use of zoos in combination with restoration ofnatural habitats. From the genetics of captive breeding to techniques ofbehavioral enrichment, Tudge examines all aspects of zoo conservation programs and explains how the precarious existence of so many animals can best be protected.
Customer Reviews:
Thought-provoking.......2002-06-18
In addition to providing an excellent overview of the role of modern zoos and of captive breeding programs, Tudge also begins the book with an overview of the ethics of conservation. Unfortunately, I did not find in that discussion an ethos that really worked for me, but the presentation did give me much food for thought - which after all is what I look for in a good book.
Conservation Makes Sense.......2000-11-21
This book showed amazing depth in its amount of pages. The author's ideas simply made sense. Conservation is presented from every angle, never simply glossed over. The topic is made interesting and easy to understand, with explanations simple yet in-depth. All perspectives are shown. While the author makes his views known, he gives you enough room to let you form your own opinion. This book is great!
Filled with great information on conservation breeding.......1996-12-11
If you ever wanted to know more about efforts to save endangered animals, this is the book to start with. It is easy to read, but does not shy away from discussing relevant aspects of genetics. Chapter 4, "The Theory of Conservation Breeding," is especially good in detailing the practical goals conservation breeders hope to achieve and also the many problems they face
Books:
- Sharon and My Mother-in-Law: Ramallah Diaries
- Sierra Nevada: The John Muir Trail Deluxe Edition
- Stormwater Collection Systems Design Handbook
- The Angry Earth: Disaster in Anthropological Perspective
- The Battle of the Wilderness May 5-6, 1864
- The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest
- The End of the Line: How Overfishing Is Changing the World and What We Eat
- The End of the Line: How Overfishing Is Changing the World and What We Eat
- The Findhorn Book of Practical Spirituality: A Down-to-Earth Guide to a Miraculous Life (The Findhorn Book Of series)
- The Amphibians and Reptiles of New York State: Identification, Natural History, and Conservation
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