Elephant Memories: Thirteen Years in the Life of an Elephant Family

Book Description

Cynthia Moss has studied the elephants in Kenya's Amboseli National Park for over twenty-seven years. Her long-term research has revealed much of what we now know about these complex and intelligent animals. Here she chronicles the lives of the members of the T families led by matriarchs Teresia, Slit Ear, Torn Ear, Tania, and Tuskless. With a new afterword catching up on the families and covering current conservation issues, Moss's story will continue to fascinate animal lovers.

"One is soon swept away by this 'Babar' for adults. By the end, one even begins to feel an aversion for people. One wants to curse human civilization and cry out, 'Now God stand up for the elephants!'"—Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, New York Times

"Moss speaks to the general reader, with charm as well as scientific authority. . . . [An] elegantly written and ingeniously structured account." —Raymond Sokolov, Wall Street Journal

"Moss tells the story in a style so conversational . . . that I felt like a privileged visitor riding beside her in her rickety Land-Rover as she showed me around the park." —Sarah Blaffer Hrdy, New York Times Book Review

"A prose-poem celebrating a species from which we could learn some moral as well as zoological lessons." —Chicago Tribune

Customer Reviews:

Captivating Elephant Saga.......2006-12-21

Moss takes you on an incredible journey into the lives of African elephants and allows you to take a bird's eye view of the research she has done. The book, while captivating, can seem a little discombobulated to some, however. The book divides itself into the different years Moss is writing about, each chapter being a different year. This set up, however, is a bit confusing as the chapters do not limit themselves to that particular year, but instead discussed a myriad of years all while focusing on a particular topic. That said, you do see progression in the timeline as the book reads on.

The only downside I saw to this book was the fictional retelling of circumstances that she was not witness to. She describes the deaths of a few elephants as well as some mishaps involving the elephants in near poetic detail, though she never actually saw what happened, or she only witnessed the very end of the circumstance. She does not note where the fictionalization begins, and you only understand what parts are ficionalized after reading on and seeing where she says "I don't know what happened." These are merely assumptions made on the part of the author and though they could have very real merit, it can hurt the integrity of the book when read by someone who is looking for a purely factual account of African elephants. While Moss does warn that she does make assumptions, it would have been better if she noted right before each fictionalized story that it was an assumption. That said, the stories do involve true elephant behavior and shows the audience how elephants may react in certain situations.

There is an incredible amount of insight in this book. You become attached to certain elephants, feel joy over new births, celebrate victory over hardship, and mourn the deaths of these creatures. It teaches the reader about their behaviors, environment, and most of all, the conservation of these majestic animals.

HOW WONDERFUL ELEPHANTS ARE.......2006-07-05

IT IS AMAZING TO ME THAT MAN DOESNT KNOW OR CHOOSES NOT TO ACKNOWLEDGE HOW INTELLEGENT AND WONDERFUL THESE BEAUTIFUL CREATURES OF GOD ARE AND THIS BOOK MAKES IT REAL CLEAR.

The lives of elephants revealed.......2002-01-18

This is a wonderful book. Cynthia Moss takes the reader deep into the intricate social lives of Africa elephans in Amboseli National Park (Kenya), and leaves a profound impression. How very sensitive these animals are, and how endearing. It is entirely clear how these creatures have suffered at the hands of humans, but also nobody can read this book and not feel the urge to conserve this fantastic species. Also it may inspire some to travel to Amboseli to see the elephants 'in person' - an experience that you will never forget!

Intriguing.......2002-01-05

This is an excellent book. At first, the book seems confusing as the author continuously refers to the individual elephants on a first name basis when one has no idea of who these "people" are. As the names become more familiar and the individual stories develop, the strange names develop into a wonderful, although at times anthropomorphic story on the natural history of these gentle animals. As she warns us, the author takes the liberty of adding unwitnessed, fictional pieces to most stories, which can be confusing and at times blur the objective observations that she makes with subjective, although probably real, assumptions.
But this book is not a hard core technical text, despite glimpses of it being so in the beginning. The book is about remembering the wonderful social and behavioral characteristics of individuals that make up a population. From matriarchs to lonely males, from birth to death during periods of drought or at the hands of Masai warriors, this book gives a comprehensive insight into relevant issues affecting the survival of the African elephant. The author comes across as a human being, with emotions that go beyond the hard-core science. Although her prose is dry at times, this book is very enjoyable and opens a magnificent window into the world of the Amboseli elephants.

Thorough and moving study of elephants!.......2001-01-11

This book covers thirteen years of Cynthia Moss' research on elephants at Amboseli National Park in Kenya. Several of the elephant families residing at Amboseli are featured in this book. Cynthia Moss learned to distinguish each individual elephant by such characteristics as the shape of their ears, ear markings or the size and shape of the tusks. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of elephant life like mating, draught etc. Together with fellow researcher Joyce Poole Cynthia Moss discovered that the bulls like their Asian cousins go into musth too (the period they are the most attractive to the cows). Thus a longstanding mystery was solved. But through it all shines Cynthia Moss' deep love for the elephants, she found with them so much to recommend. Learning from them. She certainly succeeds in sharing the joy of studying and living with elephants. I warmly recommend Ian and Oria Douglas-Hamilton and Joyce Poole's books too. Indeed Cynthia Moss has found new insights but this is still the book to read on elephants in the first place.

Letters From Eden: A Year at Home, in the Woods

Average customer rating:

Letters From Eden
What a wonderful book, full of everyday wonders
It's like conversing with a friend.
It's a truly lovely book
A Natural Gift

Letters From Eden: A Year at Home, in the Woods
Julie Zickefoose
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Natural History | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

Nature Writing | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

All Things Reconsidered: My Birding Adventures
The Art of Pishing: How to Attract Birds by Mimicking Their Calls (Book & Audio CD)
Out of the Woods: A Bird Watcher's Year
Return to Wild America: A Yearlong Search for the Continent's Natural Soul
Songbird Journeys: Four Seasons In the Lives of Migratory Birds

ASIN: 0618573089

Book Description

A frequent commentator for NPR's All Things Considered, Julie Zickefoose has painted nature virtually all her life. She knew at the age of seven that she wanted to paint birds for a living, and her lifelong dedication shows in her paintings, which are meticulously accurate as well as beautiful. The paintings used here, of scenes from her beloved southern Ohio home, illuminate well-crafted essays based on her daily walks and observations. Wild turkeys, coyotes, box turtles, and a bird-eating bullfrog flap, lope, and leap through her prose. She excels at describing and exploring the interactions between people and animals, bringing her subjects to life in just a few lines. Her husband and young children make appearances, presenting their own challenges and pleasures. Starting with winter, the essays are arranged by season, providing a sense of movement through the year.

Customer Reviews:

Letters From Eden.......2007-08-07

This is a wonderful little book. Julie Zickefoose is a writer, illustrator, and contributor to NPR. In this book, organized by the seasons of the year, she shares her experiences living on her 80-acre farm in southern Ohio. She brings a sense of wonder to seemingly mundane things such as squabbling starlings and the wreck of her vegetable garden.There are sad points, such as euthanising a little opossum caught in a steel trap, but most of the book is devoted to happier topics. I really enjoyed reading it.

What a wonderful book, full of everyday wonders.......2007-05-16

Experience the seasons with Julie and her family on their wildlife sanctuary in the Appalachian foothills in southern Ohio. A gem of a book, if you love birds and other animals... very real and full of the wonder of everyday happenings - if you keep your eyes open.

It's like conversing with a friend........2007-04-11

I loved Ms. Zickefoose's little book. It's a publication one reads in small doses, enjoying her comments and her art. The style is like having a really good conversation with an interesting, accomplished naturalist. I would recommend it for anyone who enjoys nature.

It's a truly lovely book .......2007-02-03

Author Julie Zikefoose is a frequent commentator on NPR's 'All Things Considered', and has painted nature all her life - so her book reflects not only an avid nature writer's appreciation for the wild, but a set of seasonal essays accompanied by black and white and color drawings that provide lovely first-person reflections. It's a truly lovely book highly recommended for either coffee table display at home or a public library acquisition.

A Natural Gift.......2007-01-29

Emile Zola wrote, "The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work." In Julie Zickefoose?s book "Letters From Eden," you will find both. The gift shines from every page, in her glowing watercolors, in her lyrical prose, and in her obvious passion for the natural world around her. The work is evident in her field notes and pencil sketches, and in the tales she tells. The effort she exerts when protecting nesting piping plovers on a busy beach along the Connecticut coastline, climbing ladders to replace baby birds in their nests, or rehabilitating box turtles is demanding. If you would ask Julie however, she would not call this work, but a way of life, her life in the little piece of Ohio she calls Eden.

Come along with her as she shares her discoveries during a walk in the woods, or celebrates spring with tree swallows playing with feathers, or grieves for an opossum found dying in a trap. From the hilarious to the tragic, with the drama of a poisonous snake thrown in, "Letters From Eden" strikes just the right chord. Anyone with an interest in nature will feel right at home with this book. I know I did.

Greenpeace Witness: Twenty-Five Years on the Environmental Front Line

Average customer rating:

Beautiful, sometimes disturbing, photos, educational text

Greenpeace Witness: Twenty-Five Years on the Environmental Front Line

Manufacturer: Andre Deutsch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Sustainable Development | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Environmental Science | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

Greenpeace: How a Group of Ecologists, Journalists, and Visionaries Changed the World

ASIN: 0233990240

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful, sometimes disturbing, photos, educational text.......1998-06-17

I though it was an exquisite and informative history of the organization and documentary of the state of the world's environment. My only complaint was that the typeface was too small. But I highly recommend this for anyone who wants to know more about Greenpeace or the environmental movement.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year: Portfolio 16 (Wildlife Photographer of the Year)

Average customer rating:

They just keep getting better

Wildlife Photographer of the Year: Portfolio 16 (Wildlife Photographer of the Year)
BBC Books
Manufacturer: BBC Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Collections, Catalogues & Exhibitions | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Nature & Wildlife | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Outdoors & Nature Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

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Similar Items:

Wildlife Photographer of the Year: Portfolio 15 (Wildlife Photographer of the Year)
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Wildlife Photographer of the Year: Portfolio 11 (Wildlife Photographer of the Year)
Wildlife Photographer of the Year: Portfolio 13 (Wildlife Photographer of the Year)

ASIN: 0563493844
Release Date: 2007-03-27

Book Description

Showcasing the work of the world’s top nature photographers, this lavish, large-format volume presents the 100 best images submitted to Wildlife Photographer of the Year, the largest, most prestigious wildlife photography competition in the world. Selected from 20,000 images and representing 60 countries, the pictures range from plants to endangered animals, underwater life to landscapes—all dramatically displaying the beauty and variety of the natural world. Featuring behind-the-scenes information and photographic details for each image, this is a magnificent volume for all lovers of wildlife and fine photography.

Customer Reviews:

They just keep getting better.......2007-01-24

I own all sixteen of this series. I have been sold on them since I found Portfolio 7 while browsing a bookstore some years ago and was inspired to buy all the older copies and every one since. Amazon (UK) has been especially helpful in helping me source the early publications.
The Photography is magnificent, the production and presentation first class. There is no other Wildlife Photography publication that comes close to being as satisfying as this one.
I recommend it highly.

Average customer rating:

Wonderful for Tiger lovers
Excellent

Year of the Tiger (National Geographic)
Michael Nichols , and Geoffrey Ward
Manufacturer: National Geographic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Collections, Catalogues & Exhibitions | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Nature & Wildlife | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Photo Essays | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 079227377X
Release Date: 1998-11-01

Book Description

Sleek, stealthy, powerful, and beautiful, the tiger has always evoked awe, fear, and utter fascination. Once undisputed lord of vast stretches of Asia, India, and Indonesia, the tiger now stalks a sadly diminished realm, despite the best efforts of dedicated conservationists all over the world. Some strains are extinct; all are threatened. But, as this dramatic volume demonstrates, the species has lost none of its mesmerizing appeal.

Glorying in more than 100 stunning full-color photographs, The Year of the Tiger combines the talents of two gifted, knowledgeable men: National Geographic veteran Michael "Nick" Nichols, who has been described as the Indiana Jones of photography, and writer Geoffrey Ward, a tiger admirer ever since his youth in India. Together, they have created an engrossing, unforgettable portrait of this magnificent creature, featuring many images of tigers in the wild never before captured on film.

Here are arresting visions from Southeast Asia and Siberia, along with remarkable and unprecedented photographs that reveal the hidden life of an Indian tigress, named Sita, and her cubs. Over a period of two years, Nichols visited the tigers, documenting Sita's unflagging efforts to feed and safeguard her young. To obtain his extraordinary shots, Nichols tracked the tigers on elephant-back through rough terrain and more than once risked his life to bring back a unique record of their lives.

Here too is a gallery of tigers in captivity, heartbreaking in its juxtaposition with their wild brethren. For whether they're entertaining Las Vegas crowds or living in the relative security of a first-rate zoo, these are animals who have lost -- or never learned -- the skills that would allow them to survive in the wild. And yet they too have inherited all the majesty and wonder that mark their breed -- and may perhaps be the last, best hope for the most endangered of today's great cats.

Stunning in its visual appeal, sobering in its message, The Year of the Tiger is at once a vivid celebration and a vital call to arms on behalf of a creature whose very existence is menaced by mankind's encroachment on its delicately-balanced environment. It's a book for anyone who cares about preserving our world's astonishing diversity, and for anyone who's fallen under the tiger's spell -- and that, it's safe to say, is everyone.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful for Tiger lovers.......2000-05-03

This is a wonderful book for anyone who loves tigers. It is packed with spectacular photos of tigers, most in their natural environment. There are also some pictures of other wildlife & of native peoples.

There are pictures of tigers with their cubs, ready to pounce & many close-ups. Sadly, there are others of tigers in captivity. I loved the pictures of the white tigers especially a rare one with orange stripes instead of black.

If you can tear yourself away from the pictures the text is equally impressive. The author tells of his adventures in national parks throughout Asia.

He also discusses the plight of tigers & other animals of the area being killed for there furs or horns and what is being done to protect them. There is a list of conservationists in the back if you want to help.

Excellent.......2000-04-01

I thought that this book was remarkable in the explanation of the year of the tiger and with what cultures that it pertains to.

Average customer rating:

Sarah's opinion
Panda O.A.T
My Book, The Year of the Panada
A review by 6 Fifth-Graders (TDL, SYZ, KL, RL, JH, BL)
Doing the Right Thing for Animals

The Year of the Panda
Miriam Schlein
Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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My Mexico / México mío
Turtle Bay
A Symphony of Whales
Amazon Fever (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))
From Far and Wide: A Canadian Citizenship Scrapbook

ASIN: 0064403661

Book Description

Daxiong mao is rare and mysterious, like a god, living in the midst of the mountains.

Strange things are happening on Lu Yi's farm. First, some men from the Chinese government ask Lu Yi's father to sell the property that has belonged to the family for generations. Then a giant panda appears in a neighbor's field, A rare occurrence, given the farm's distance from the high-mountain bamboo forests that pandas inhabit.Lu Yi has a feeling that the two mysteries are somehow connected. And before long, an orphaned baby panda he finds in the' woods provides an answer. As the boy nurses the helpless animal back to health, he begins an adventure that may, well change his entire future.

Customer Reviews:

Sarah's opinion.......2005-04-11

Let me tell you about The Year of the Panda by Miriam Schlein. Lu Yi, the main character in this book, lives with his family. The family farm, in rural China, where Lu Yi lives seems like quite a scary place because bearcats come down to steal honey from the people. I have never really been to a place like this, but reading this story, I feel like that I am really spending the summer there. Miriam Schlein, a skilled author who wrote nearly one hundred books, makes this whole place quite real.

This story is about a young boy named Lu Yi who finds a panda and names it Su Lin. Everybody else wants Su Lin because the person who finds him will get a lot of money. Lu Yi then takes Su Lin to a place where he can be kept safe from harm. Dr.Di, the doctor who takes care of all kinds of bearcats, lets Lu Yi stay over. Lu Yi really wants to help the panda but also wants his family to have the money. He wants to help Su Lin by finding him a good place to stay, and wants to help his parents by helping out with the garden and household chores. I also thought that the story is much more interesting because of Lu Yi's friend, Ho Yen. He does not take either side. For example, he does not want to say goodbye to Su Lin because he is his friend, but he also wants money for his family to keep them well. So he does not know which side to take. He should either tell everybody that Lu Yi has the panda or not say anything about it and keep quiet.
The reason I liked this book is because there is a very cute panda, named Su Lin. The panda is very cute in some ways, but also a little boring in other ways. For example, the panda does not say anything and just moves, so that is a little bit boring, but is very cute when it sleeps inside its basket.
The author makes up many characters such as the people in town and the main characters and the animals. The characters make the story interesting because they are all quite different. For example, Lu Yi wants to keep the panda, but the people in town do not.

If you like realistic stories and animals, you will like this story because it is very realistic with many animals in it. Even though this story is a little sad, it is quite enjoyable. Reading this book, you learn how important your family is to you.

If you want to know what happened with Lu Yi and Su Lin, you will just have to read the book!

Panda O.A.T.......2004-06-04

I am a kid in Kendall Elementary 6th who loves to read books. My Nina {godmother} and I really like the year of the panda it was os interesting I read it again. I learned alot of new things like for incense the differnt types of bambo like thet some bambo is twisted, or some is purple.... I'd like to give a shot out to my friends MCN, HB, DA, AL, BL, MA, CA

My Book, The Year of the Panada.......2003-03-28

This book was a realy great book. I really liked it. It was about a little boy named Lu Yi who found a very rare Panda bear (and he named it Su Lin) in china called a Daxiong Mao. So he took it home and took care of it. But since that type of Panda was so rare these scientists in another counrtry were offering 300 yao(chinese money) for a Daxiong Mao.
So Lu Yi's father told him to give the bear to the scientists. So he decided to give it up. When they were going to take the bear , Lu Yi decided to go with them, only for a few days though. So the people there showed him the enviornment that he was going to live in. But Lu YI was going to miss him. so the scientist who was going to take care of Su Lin asked Lu Yi to stay but he refused.
I chose this book because it seemed like a good book to read. And plus it looked like an easy book to read. And when i read the back of the book and i liked it. It also looked very interesting.
I had a lot of favorite parts. One of them was when Lu Yi found the panda. That was my favorite part. I liked that part because that is were he found his pet Panda.

A review by 6 Fifth-Graders (TDL, SYZ, KL, RL, JH, BL).......2003-01-22

We are six fifth graders that read a book called The Year of the Panda by Miriam Schlein. This book is mostly about a boy named Lu Yi and his panda. One day, the Chinese goverment sent two men to tell Lu Yi's parents to move, so it can use their lands to save the pandas. But Lu Yi's parents said "no". Later, Lu Yi and his father went to to the mountain to chop wood. Then they found a baby panda, brought him home, and gave it milk. Lu Yi named the panda, Su Lin. Then messengers came and said "Whoever finds a panda must bring it to the Rescue Center and you will get 300 yuan." Lu Yi didn't talk about the panda because he didn't want anyone to find out about Su Lin, but his father wants the reward of 300 yuan. So Lu Yi's father tells the messengers about Su Lin. The Chinese goverment were planning to drop food for the pandas because their bamboo was dying out. The Chinese goverment ask the villagers if it could use their lands for the Chinese government's plan. What would happen if the bamboo died out forever? Would Su Lin die if the bamboo dried out forever? Would the panda become extinct?

This story is very nice because we learned new information about pandas. For example, we learned that there are a lot of different colored bamboo. Also, pandas in Chinese are called daxiong mao. We enjoyed this book because it taught us a lesson. The lesson we learned is to take care of the endangered animals before they become extinct. We liked this book because the Chinese government cared about the animals. Some of us think Lu Yi did the right thing to keep Su Lin because he could save the panda for now. But some of us think Lu Yi did the wrong thing because it might have been dangerous to give the panda other milk. It might have killed Su Lin. We think Lu Yi is taking good care of the panda. We liked the part when Su Lin urinated on the bed because it was very humorous. We didn't like the part when Lu Yi had to give the panda to the Rescue Center because we felt sad that they would never see each other again.

We recommend this book to all ages of people but especially those interested in science. We think this book would be an appropniate book for people who enjoy pandas.

Doing the Right Thing for Animals.......2000-09-23

The Year of the Panda by Miriam Schlein is a very good story. Inever knew what was going to happen to the panda. I loved this storybecause it's so happy and suspenseful. It tells a story of a boy whofinds a baby panda in the forest beside his mother who had died. Heasked his mom and dad if he could keep the baby panda. They sayyes. The boy's name is Lu Yi. He takes care of the baby panda for along time. [...] I recommend this story for kids 8-10 years old. Ithas big letters. Younger people wouldn't understand the story. It's agreat story. If you love animals, you have to read this story.

Light on the Earth: Two Decades of Winning Images (Wildlife Photographer of the Year)

Average customer rating:

Great
exquisite images

Light on the Earth: Two Decades of Winning Images (Wildlife Photographer of the Year)

Manufacturer: BBC Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Collections, Catalogues & Exhibitions | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Nature & Wildlife | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Photo Essays | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Wildlife Photographer of the Year: Portfolio 15 (Wildlife Photographer of the Year)
Wildlife Photographer of the Year: Portfolio 16 (Wildlife Photographer of the Year)
Wildlife Photographer of the Year: Portfolio 14 (Wildlife Photographer of the Year)
Wildlife: The World's Top Photographers and the stories behind their greatest images (World's Top Photographers)
Vanishing Act

ASIN: 0563522607

Book Description

Light on the Earth is the finest collection of nature photographs ever published. Featuring 180 images by some of the world’s top photographers, it represents the winning and commended entries from 20 years of the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition. Selected from thousands of images and representing many countries, the pictures range from plants to endangered animals, underwater life to landscapes—all dramatically displaying the beauty and variety of the natural world. Featuring background information and photographic details for each image, this is a magnificent, best-of-the-best collection for lovers of wildlife and fine photography.

Customer Reviews:

Great.......2007-04-05

Obviously, with a collection of the top photos from the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, it's got to be good. Many photographers who have been published in the BBC series are lesser-known, and sometimes one-hit-wonders. These images show why it takes more than a camera and a sponsor to create a stunning image. Gone are the static portraits and cluttered landscapes. These images are some of the best efforts from some of the best talents - not just showing nature, but conveying it with feeling.

exquisite images.......2006-12-17

The images in LIght on Earth are the best of the best from the BBC's annual wildlife photography competition. Anyone can enter the contest, and the images that come out of it are amazing. The editorial staff have a knack for picking emotionally powerful, visually stunning images that weave together like a complex tapestry- to have the best of the images is one place is priceless.
I would also recommend checking out the actual competition, which can be viewed online, to see some of the ones that got away.

King Of Fish: The Thousand-Year Run Of Salmon

Average customer rating:

Say Goodbye to Salmon
Capitalism can't protect the Salmon
How to Save Salmon - Lessons from History

King Of Fish: The Thousand-Year Run Of Salmon
David R. Montgomery
Manufacturer: Westview Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Conservation | Environment | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

General | Conservation | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Endangered Species | Conservation | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
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Salmon Without Rivers: A History Of The Pacific Salmon Crisis
The Behavior And Ecology Of Pacific Salmon And Trout
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The Philosopher Fish: Sturgeon, Caviar, and The Geography of Desire
Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations

ASIN: 0813342996
Release Date: 2004-12-28

Book Description

A passionate recounting of the natural history of the rise and fall of salmon in England, New England, and the Pacific Northwest-with recommendations for bringing the salmon back.

The salmon that symbolize the Pacific Northwest's natural splendor are now threatened with extinction across much of their ancestral range. In studying the natural and human forces that shape the rivers and mountains of that region, geologist David Montgomery has learned to see the evolution and near-extinction of the salmon as a story of changing landscapes. Montgomery shows how a succession of historical experiences -first in the United Kingdom, then in New England, and now in the Pacific Northwest -repeat a disheartening story in which overfishing and sweeping changes to rivers and seas render the world inhospitable to salmon. In King of Fish, Montgomery traces the human impacts on salmon over the last thousand years and examines the implications both for salmon recovery efforts and for the more general problem of human impacts on the natural world. What does it say for the long-term prospects of the world's many endangered species if one of the most prosperous regions of the richest country on earth cannot accommodate its icon species? All too aware of the possible bleak outcome for the salmon, King of Fish concludes with provocative recommendations for reinventing the ways in which we make environmental decisions about land, water, and fish.

Customer Reviews:

Say Goodbye to Salmon.......2005-09-13

I read this book with great interest and I am saddened by what I learned. I was raised in a town on the Columbia River and as a young fisherman, heard stories of large historic Salmon runs described in near myth-like terms. Back then I was taught to blame the tribes, gill netters and other commercial fisherman for the diminished runs. If only the problem were that simple. As Montgomery clearly describes, through an interesting comparative analsis, Salmon runs have historically been driven into extinction, first in Europe, then England, then New England, and now the Pacific Northwest in more or less the same fashion. As the areas around native salmon waters became populated and developed, our society has made certain choices, economic v. environmental, which not surpisingly have nearly always favored the economic. As a result, salmon runs were decimated by the construction of dams, overfishing, pollution, misguided hatchery programs, the clearing and diking of streams, destruction of wetlands, logging practices, and simply by population growth and development, which Montgomery describes as a death by a thousand cuts. Presently, salmon runs in the Pacific Northwest are at just 6-7% of their historical numbers. As the region's population is expected to double within this generation, conditions will likely only get worse. While Montgomery identifies steps than can be taken to revive these runs, it seems doubtful there is enough public sentiment or political will to effect these changes. If anything, this books is a sad commentary on our society's ability to manage its resources. Salmon, which are a symbol of the great Pacific Northwest, will soon be gone for good.

Capitalism can't protect the Salmon.......2004-05-22

Dr. Montgomery shows that if the toxic and human waste poured into the rivers of the industrial revolution did not poison Salmon, the incipient capitalist institution of commercial fishing would swallow most of them.. Montgomery quotes records from the holder of fishing rights on a specific part of the Thames river. The records of this particular holder shows he caught 66 salmon in 1801, 18 in 1812 and only 2 in 1821....by the 1960's, the annual salmon catch of England and Wales was a quarter of that a century earlier. He quotes an account of MP Robert Wallace about parliament blocking effective salmon protection laws at the behest of the commercial fishing industry, dam operators, etc.

He quotes accounts from the early 19th century including from Henry David Thoreau about the severe depletion of salmon stocks in Northeast U.S. rivers caused by the disruption of salmon spawning beds by the transportion of boats and logs down the river, dams, factory poisons and so on.

Salmon stocks continued to decline to near extinction in Eastern U.S. waters. The Danish government agreed to ban its fisherman from engaging in their highly destructive open ocean fishing off the coast of Greenland, where salmon from Britain, the U.S, and Canada often converge for their sojourns in the Ocean, in 1972. However Danes continued to fish heavily near the Greenland shore, and used vessels under other nation's flags to circumvent their salmon catch quota under the 1972 agreement.

Montgomery shows how salmon have been sacrificed since the Great Depression in favor of the dams which have provided water and electricity in the Eastern Pacific Northwest from the Snake and Colombia Rivers. In 1937, U.S. fisheries commissioner Franklin Bell let it be known that he wasn't going to strain himself too much on behalf of the Salmon. "Aside from blind restriction" of commercial fishing, he explained, "the protection of individual runs menaced by virtual extinction must be left to chance."

Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest thrived on salmon for subsistence, and to preserve the run, would commonly allow half of the run to pass through its nets. But with the coming of commercial fishing dominated by whites, Indian livelihood was wiped out. They could not compete in commercial fishing, lacking the wealth to purchase the sophisticated boats and nets increasingly becoming common. Indians became a racist scapegoat for the depletion of salmon stocks. He notes He notes though that state records that the entire Indian fishing catch from 1935 to 1950 was less than the total commercial catch during a typical year.

Washington State had always claimed that on traditional Indian fishing grounds based on treaties made regarding Colombian basin rivers in the 1850's, Indians merely had the same rights as whites to exploit salmon. But in 1970, federal district court judge George Boldt ruled that the treaties actually reserved for Indians half of the annual salmon supply. In 1975, the Supreme Court upheld Boldt's decision. In 1980, Federal Judge William Orrick declared that under the old treaties, maintaining decent habitat for salmon spawning fell to Washington state. Shortly thereafter a three-judge panel of the 9th circuit overturned the decision. The issue of maintaining the habitat has not been resolved. He points out that native Americans have not been given "special rights" in fishing, as white fisherman and the demagogues inflaming them have claimed but the treaties, signed as they were under pressure, were grants by the Indians to the White man on the Indian's land. Not grants by the white man to the Indian.

, Hatcheries were promoted as the catchall solution to salmon shortages. Huge investments were made in this new technology by Washington and Oregon governments beginning the late 19th century. However, writes Montgomery, in the long term, hatcheries have clearly failed. Salmon cannot simply adapt to any stream or river. They seem genetically programmed to operate in limited regions. Hatcheries salmon are selected from a very limited gene pool i.e. lack of genetic diversity and can produce defective offspring with their wild brethren. The hatchery salmon are found to be much more aggressive than their wild counterparts in eating up the food supply, thus making the wild ones lose out in the survival of the fittest. In particular hatchery fish, can introduce deadly diseases to their wild brethren. In the mid-70's a parasite from hatchery fish wiped out restored wild salmon stocks in Norwegian rivers.
By the early 1990's, while the Colombia river held an estimated 11 to 16 million salmon before the arrival of Europeans, by then it had dwindled to around 2 million wild fish. Yet the number of hatchery fish in the river was estimated at the time to be around a hundred million.

Likewise, on the East coast, salmon produced in "farms" i.e. maintained in cages at sea, sometimes accounted for the majority of spawning salmon in a river. An estimate of the National Research Council declares that 180,000 fish a year escape from their farms in Maine. They spread disease to wild salmon and mate with them, creating large numbers of genetically limited salmon. According to Montgomery, those 180,000 fish are ten times the number of wild salmon left in New England. In Europe, he notes, the amount of farm salmon being produced was 100 times the catch of wild salmon.

He advocates strictly enforced moratoriums on fishing, increased preservations of wetlands to allow for the creation of flood produced salmon-friendly side-channels, strictly enforced regulations on placing passageways for salmon in dams, regulations to prevent salmon waterways from being polluted and to make sure that salmon do not end up as carcasses on farmland after being swallowed through irrigation pumps. The economic actors involved continue to block serious efforts to protect the salmon as they always have. He notes how the Bush administration has blocked efforts to address over-fishing.

How to Save Salmon - Lessons from History.......2004-03-20

Montgomery's book is centered on the notion that we are failing to learn from history when it comes to the Pacific salmon crisis. In England, eastern North America, and now the Pacific Northwest, human actions that inevitably destroy the "king of fish" have been repeated. Overfishing, blocking salmon from their spawning habitat, and causing the deterioration of habitat quality through pollution, land clearing, and simplification of the river are the culprits. Montgomery also tells why hatcheries are not the solution and never have been. He closes with a clear and, to me, indisputable analysis of what we must do to preserve and recover this most amazing of creatures. The book is quite accessible to a layperson; you don't need a scientific background, or even any knowledge of the problems facing Pacific salmon, in order to enjoy and learn from the book.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year: Portfolio 15 (Wildlife Photographer of the Year)

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Wildlife Photographer of the Year: Portfolio 15 (Wildlife Photographer of the Year)
BBC Books
Manufacturer: BBC Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 056352278X
Release Date: 2007-03-27

Book Description

Three Among the Wolves: A Couple and Their Dog Live a Year with Wolves in the Wild

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A Fantastic Read
Wolves are beautiful creatures; this is a beautiful book.
Remarkable----Page Turner
A Fascinating Read

Three Among the Wolves: A Couple and Their Dog Live a Year with Wolves in the Wild
Helen Thayer
Manufacturer: Sasquatch Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Similar Items:

Polar Dream: The First Solo Expedition by a Woman and Her Dog to the Magnetic North Pole
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Arctic Wild: The Remarkable True Story of One Couple's Adventures Living Among Wolves
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ASIN: 1570613982

Book Description

Three Among the Wolves is a highly readable true-life adventure tale combined with a fascinating natural history of the wolf. Helen and Bill Thayer, accompanied by their part-wolf, mostly Husky dog, Charlie, set out on foot to live among wild wolf packs — first in the Canadian Yukon and then in the Arctic. They eventually set up camp within 100 feet of a wolf den, and are greeted with apprehension at first. They establish trust over time, because the wolves accept Charlie as the alpha male of the newly arrived "pack."

The Thayers discover the complexities of wolf family structure, including how pups are reared and how the injured are tenderly cared for. They view the intricacies of the hunt firsthand — how ravens direct wolves to prey in exchange for carrion — as well as the wolves' finely honed survival skills and engaging playfulness. Readers observe the ways Helen and Bill model pack behavior and how they address an unforeseen event: the Arctic wolves attempt to lure Charlie to join them.

Customer Reviews:

A Fantastic Read.......2007-07-16

This book was incredible, and is definantly my favorite non-fiction book. This book is great for anyone who has a slight intrest in nature. It helps if you think wolves are awesome as I do.

Wolves are beautiful creatures; this is a beautiful book........2006-02-28

This book is my second literary experience with Helen Thayer and her dog Charlie following her 2002 book "Polar Dream," in which the pair join together as Ms. Thayer became the first woman (and oldest person at 50) to walk and ski solo (not counting Charlie) to the Magnetic North Pole. In this adventure her husband Bill joins the pair as they spend a year living with wolves in the wild above the Arctic Circle. It's easy to see why the National Geographic Society/National Public Radio has named Ms. Thayer one of the great explorers of the 20th Century. Her stamina and perseverance are phenomenal. The trio infiltrates the Richardson Mountains in Canada's Yukon Territory in search of the greatest villains in all of children's literature. After struggling through most difficult terrains, they come upon a family of wolves and spend months living in a tent within the animals' sight studying the social interplay of these beasts. Completing this phase of their adventure, they sadly leave this family and trek further north into the shifting and dangerous ice of Beaufort Sea to discover the wintertime interplay between wolves and polar bears, considered by many to be the most dangerous of all wild animals. After this near-death adventure, they ski back to the Mackenzie Delta and set up housekeeping next to another group of wolves. The hardships and danger the three faces on a daily basis are amazing to contemplate. The payoff from this book is two-fold. First, the scientific data discovered for the first time. But maybe more importantly is the realization that these creatures are truly magnificent and caring individuals, and anyone who reads this book with an open mind will forever despise hunters who slaughter entire packs by shooting them from low flying airplanes. Ms. Thayer makes it crystal clear that wolves deserve to be part of the world community. There is a bit of repetition in the book. I only need to be told once that the northern lights are called aurora borealis or that animals burrow under the snow were it is a few degrees warmer than above. But that's nit picking. There is also repetition in the telling of their studies, but that captures the flavor of their scientific existence, so is acceptable. To enhance this telling, dozens of pictures taken during this adventure are sprinkled throughout. All outdoorsmen, naturalists, and animal lovers will treasure this book.

Remarkable----Page Turner.......2004-06-03

A true story of two people, their wolf-dog and their amazing adventures with wild wolves in Canada's far north tundra and frozen ocean.
Helen Thayer, a recipient of many awards and honored by the White House, is a veteran world wide explorer over many years. She and her husband explore the world's remote places seeking material to add to their highly successful educational programs which I and fellow educators nationwide use in classrooms.
Her writing and lectures have inspired people of all ages in many countries. I had the pleasure of meeting this dynamic 66 year old, five feet two inch woman after she spoke at a national corporate convention in Florida.
This is a true life experience of living among wild wolf packs in which Charlie, her Inuit dog who once saved her life from a polar bear attack, is the story's star. Just as POLAR DREAM was, this new book is well written with vivid description that takes you on this remarkable journey. This very different approach to wolf study is a welcome addition to our knowledge of these animals. We see the close relationship of many species of animals sharing wild wolf habitat, and at times depending on each other.
Her first book, POLAR DREAM, tells of her adventure with Charlie when she became the first woman to walk alone pulling her own sled without dog teams or snowmobiles to the Magnetic North Pole.
This exciting story and THREE AMONG THE WOLVES are on the same informative, page turning level. The observation of wild wolf family life, their ability to adjust their survival skills, the raising of the pups and even the concern over an injured family member show close observation and remarkable intuitive understanding of wolf behavior. Of course beloved part-wolf Charlie is the reason for the success of the year long project as the author readily acknowledges.
The story is fast moving and flows smoothly from one chapter to the next. Also beautifully descriptive, compassionate and in places humerous. The numerous photos add to the account. A valuable addition to the story are the descriptions of the various animals the Thayers' encountered who share wolf habitat. An excellent addition to anyones book shelf.

A Fascinating Read.......2004-05-12

I collect books about wolves. This book is different with a new perspective both fascinating and informative.The author, explorer Helen Thayer,her explorer husband, and their Inuit dog Charlie of the best selling book, "Polar Dream" fame,(the author's book about her first ever by a woman to walk alone to the magnetic North Pole)lived a year with wild wolves above the Arctic Circle summer and winter. The author tells us "it would have been impossible without Charlie.He was the bridge we needed to cross the gap that allowed us to live alongside wolves and share their lives."
Charlie, part wolf, was quickly accepted. His human pack was accepted shortly afterward. The affectionate nature of wolves, their interaction with other animal species, even polar bears, that's not well documented elsewhere, is truly enlightening. The escapades of the mishievious pups are adorable as is their care and teaching by the adults.
The amusing episodes, the highly emotional times and the valuable information makes this book a winner. Beautifully written, vivid description, allows the reader to share this amazing and unique experience.
The reader soon knows each wolf, its personality, and its role in family life as if the reader were right there with the author.
A true winner in wolf literature.

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