Reviews (1)

Our preschooler loves this
Our preschooler loves this book and has pretty much memorized every "creature" in it. The drawings are exciting without being frightening and the text is short. The authors have selected creatures with great appeal for children and she loves to say their names: Black-eyed goby! Moorish Idol! Sockeye salmon! ... Read more

Book Description

Detailed, specially drawn full-color illustrations of 230 species of mammals, 300 reptiles, and 200 amphibians in natural, realistic settings. At-a-glance identification capsules pinpoint behavior patterns, field characteristics, coloring, habitat, and more. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The best facts and pictures of any Wildlife book published.
This book has the best fact-filled text and color portraits of any I have read. It includes over 2,000 plants and animals of all types. It is easy to read and research because each section is color tabed. If you wont to exolore Wildlife you need this Book!!

Excellent book on wildlife, wildflowers, plants and trees.
This is the best resource book I have found on the subject matter. All illustrations are done beautifully in color. The following are a few of the specific identification aids used: check marks for physical feature identifiers, symbols identifing habitat, maps displaying geographic location. The book is indexed by common and scientific names, is compact, easy to handle, an excellent reference tool and is good for leisure reading

Covers a lot of plants and animals that other books don't.
We own a lot of field guides, but this recently purchased book covers a great many species that we couldn't identify in those guides, and also gives little tidbits of interesting facts about each one. Great illustrations as well ... Read more

Book Description

Whales, dolphins, and porpoises have fascinated humankind for centuries. Amazingly diverse, they have evolved specializations that allow them, despite being air-breathing mammals, to exploit habitats ranging from surface waters to ocean depths. Whales and Dolphins of the World is a celebration of the variety (more than 80 species), behavior, and natural history of these remarkable animals. Stunningly illustrated by 180 color photographs, it describes what we know of their lives, including feeding, reproduction, communication, and social structures, and surveys the factors that affect them, from hunting to pollution. The book explores the strong relationship between our species and theirs, with a look at dolphin therapy and the pros and cons of whale-watching. It details the forces that threaten whales, dolphins, and porpoises, including hunting, whaling, fisheries, pollution, and habitat destruction, and also describes the conservation actions that must take place in the twenty-first century to save them. A color map of the world highlights the waters in which whales and dolphins are found.

Worldwide interest in these unique creatures is growing, as evidenced by the increasing number of people who go whale- and dolphin-watching each year. This book, with its informative, lively text and spectacular images, provides an illuminating look at the lives of whales and dolphins in a changing world. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

unusual animals
Ever heard of an Aardwolf? Father-daughter duo Madeline Moser (author) and Barry Moser (illustrator) not only know the Aardwolf, but 19 other unknown mysterious creatures, including a babirusa, an emperor tamarin and a zorilla. Which are all creatively captured in this amazing book. Each animal has its own written description and pronunciation, that are easy enough for any child to read and detailed enough for any adult to enjoy. The famous illustrator, Barry Moser, highlights these descriptions with his rich dark wood engravings. Hand-colored with translucent watercolors they are perfectly suited for these interesting animals. An added detail is included in the back, were more history on every animal is featured. These over looked animals are treat for anyone childlike who enjoys nature's dark imagination. ... Read more

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. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Status of Wildlife Conservation fieldwork in China
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
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. ... Read more

Book Description

The seemingly solitary life of the tiger, and the ferocious intensity of its attacks, are legendary. But sadly, the existence of this massive cat is threatened by human encroachment.

"The Way of the Tiger," written by India's foremost tiger specialist, presents scientific insights and information on the world's tiger species in a readable text that will appeal to a popular audience. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Biggest of all Cats
Of the making of coffee-table books about tigers there seems to be no end. Text traditionally hasn't mattered much; tigers are so alluring that most book buyers are content just to gaze at pictures of them.

The Way of the Tigers is different. Author K.Ullas Karanth is a Wildlife Conservation Society biologist and perhaps India's leading authority on tigers. Karanth explains what is- and is not true about these secretive big cats to which he has devoted the past 21 years. He outlines as well what will be asked of all of us if tigers are not to disappear from the wild.

The latest information is here, from tiger genetics to the little understood but indispensable role basic biology must play in the future if the success or failure of tiger management is to be assessed. The author has little patience with romantics who insist that tigers and a growing human population can harmoniously share the same shrinking forests. If tigers are to survive, he believes, the course is clear: "establishing protected reserves and buffering them with compatible land use; delinking tiger habitats from the forces of market-driven commerce; (and) enlisting sufficient public support for tigers both locally and globally to ensure these goals are met". Everyone, everywhere, he writes, can find a part to play in that effort.

Meanwhile he urges us to resist the pessimism that can be fatal to the cause. Things looked bad for the tiger in the 1970s, too, Karanth reminds us. But in India, at least, thanks to political will, private resolve, and the commitment of a handful of forest officials, the tiger's slide toward extinction was halted-even reversed for a time. "If wild tigers do not survive the twenty-first century", the author concludes, "it will largely be because we, the current crop of tiger conservationists, have lost this sense of purpose, clarity of thinking, and sense of hope. By failing to inspire the next generation....the present day doomsayers may be making self fulfilling prophesies".

The Way of the Tiger
"Is the tiger a lost cause, or is there some reason of hope?" K.Ullas Karanth, one of India's best known tiger specialists asks and then goes on to convincingly make a case for tiger conservation and why he believes that wild tigers can survive. A conservation Zoologist with the Wildlife Conservation Society, the author has studied wild tiger for over 15 years.

In The Way of the Tigers, the author emphasizes why scientific studies are essential for the process of tiger conservation. The book is informative and takes the reader into the world of tigers. Karanth discusses the rationale behind saving tigers and why the primary challenge before us today is to channel the human fascination for the tiger to positive conservation action.

Karanth looks at the methods and results of scientific work such as radio-tracking and other methods used to count wild tigers. He also explains the evolution of tigers, their distribution and how humans have interacted with tigers since prehistoric times. He gives you an overview of the natural habitats, prey species, and behavior and biological needs of tigers and also delves into how modern science has helped replace traditional myths on tigers. The book also discusses the reasons why tiger populations are in decline-the main socio-economic threats to the tiger - habitat destruction for agriculture, development projects, exploitation of forest produce and hunting and poaching.

He summarizes conservation movement in India and efforts made so far to save the tiger providing a compelling and optimistic raison d'etre on why he believes that the tiger can be saved. He states that "wild tigers can survive the 21st century if we can temper our compassion for the animal with knowledge and pragmatism". An interesting and enlightening book on the crucial issue of tiger conservation.

Well written but a shame about a lot of the photographs.
Some of my photographs of wild tigers were used to illustrate this book and while there are a few other fantastic pictures of wild tigers most of them(including the cover shot)are images of captive tigers photographed in natural enclosures in the USA. This form of wildlife photography undermines the work of people who spend days and even weeks searching for tigers in their natural habitat and also presents to the reader a rather distorted view of tigers as a species.

This, I think, is a tremendous shame as the book is exceptionally well written by the great tiger biologist Ullas Karanth and includes everything you will ever need to know about wild tigers, presented in a readable, informative way.

Aside from the "false" pictures, I would still encourage anyone with even the slightest interest in panthera tigris to buy this book. It will enhance your appreciation of this splendid cat, the most magnificent of all life on earth.

The Way of the Tiger
Review of "The Way of the Tiger" by Ullas Karanth

This is a highly informative book that makes the science of tiger biology accessible to a wider audience. The book communicates complex ideas with exceptional clarity and simplicity. An added bonus is the profusion of wonderful photographs. The author addresses the biological, economic and political problems that haunt tigers. The methods and results of decades of scientific work are distilled and summarized in a manner that makes complex scientific issues seem remarkably obvious and simple.

For instance, scientific research tells us that tigers can survive only if there is sufficient prey available in the habitat. So what happens if there is a shortage of prey? Will tigers consume all the available prey? Karanth's work suggests not. Tigers have evolved in a way that ensures that they only consume the surplus prey. Hence they will never deplete their prey base through overconsumption. Karanth compares this is to a person living off the interest on their investment, rather than the capital. The observant reader might note the irony - humans often do live off their capital in unsustainable and ultimately destructive ways (e.g. depletion of soils, forests, fish stocks).

Having summarized the biological issues Karanth then turns to the key socio-economic threats to the tiger. Tiger populations are in decline, but because insufficient resources are allocated to accommodate their biological needs in the wild. The two main threats to the tiger are: habitat destruction and poaching of tigers and their prey. Tigers when killed provide income to poachers and their habitats when converted to agriculture, timber or mines generate money and jobs for some. As Asia's human population expands, the conflict between the insatiable desire to generate wealth and the ecological needs of the tiger intensifies.

To some commentators the answer lies in the notion of sustainable development - a concept which has been elevated to the status of a self-evident doctrine. The book convincingly argues that in practice, sustainable development in India has failed to deliver on its conservation promises.

To others the key to the tiger's survival lies in "..making live tigers worth more than dead ones.." Karanth supports this notion as far as it goes, but notes its limitations.

Karanth provides the most compelling and commonsense case for conservation, that I have encountered. Less than 5 per cent of the land mass in the tiger range countries is reserved for conservation. Sacrificing these areas to the alter of economic development will not deliver solutions that have eluded mankind on the remaining 95% of the land.

The author of this book is measured in his criticisms of the prevailing situation. As a final observation, this reviewer would like to note yet another reason why the tiger remains high on the list of endangered species. Conservation is an expensive business - both in terms of funds to pay for protection and in terms of foregone opportunities (e.g. timber and minerals left unexploited in the tiger habitats). These costs fall disproportionately on the poor in often the poorest of countries. On the other hand, tigers are a global public good. People in the developed world want tigers to exist (economists call this the "preservation value"). Yet, the developed world contributes only a fraction of the costs of sustaining and protecting tigers. The developed world thus "free-rides" on the conservation efforts in the tiger range countries. Since tigers and their habitats confer global benefits, economic reasoning calls for a more substantial contribution from the global community. In short concerned people from all over the world have a moral and economic responsibility to contribute to efforts to protect tigers. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

A worthwhile addition to any wild cat reference library...
One of the few recent books that has dared to take up the challenge of producing a good single volume (452 pages) on *all* cat species, there is an inevitability that this volume will be compared with the likes of Guggisberg's "Wild Cats of the World" (1975).

In approach, the Sunquists' have chosen to create a more "scientific" presentation than Guggisberg; focusing less upon anecdotes and narrative, and including much summary information from previously published researches, many of which are indeed difficult to obtain first-hand.
In many areas, of course, this shows how *little* we actually know about many felid species: the entry for the flat-headed cat, for example, is brief and contains little new information from the last 27 years.

For each species, we are given a color image (bound in two signatures), one or more black and white pictures as a chapter heading, followed by a more-or-less detailed species account which has a core format (description, distribution, ecology, behavior and status in the wild) to which is added various other information, as is available.
Given the number of sources available in many cases, these accounts are well written and fully referenced within each species' chapter; a major plus for further researches.

Further chapters on study and conservation, the introduction ("What is a Cat"?) and appendices on communication, reproduction, trade and status (IUCN/CITES) seem to be somewhat "tagged on".
The first and last of these would be ably complemented by the IUCN's "Wild Cats: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan" (also available free-of-charge, on-line), whilst Andrew Kitchener's "The Natural History of the Wild Cats" and Paul Leyhausen's "Cat Behavior" would be of considerable interest with regards the other aspects; albeit there is, as yet, no single-volume reference work covering all felid-related topics in detail.

On the down side, the Sunquist's book appears to show a wilful and selective neglect of work carried out on a "non-scientific" basis. This is perhaps most obvious to the layperson in the section on translocation and reintroduction which totally fails to mention the Adamson's ("Born Free"), Billy Singh ("Tiger Haven"), and others. Given that issues surrounding the reintroduction of human-socialised big cats are of importance, it is surprising that such discussions are totally avoided, here.

Other worries include careless interpretation (such as the family tree of wild cats on page 14, suggesting that many felid lineages diverged from the same common ancestor at a single instant in time) and the avoidance of scientific works not published in Western sources. The dustwrapper inscription suggests that the authors "have spent more than a decade gathering information about cats from every available source", yet on tigers alone they totally miss key books and papers in the Indian literature on man-eating (Chakrabarti), white and other color variations (Desai, L.A.K. Singh), olfactory communication and social behavior (Choudhury, Sankhala, etc.) and ethnographic impact/human interaction (Chakrabarti, Niyogi, A. Singh, etc.). The same absence of references to primary Russian sources (for the Amur tiger) is also noted, and similarly for other species (such as the only worthwhile book on the Asiatic lion, Srivastav's "Asiatic Lion: On the brink").

It is also unclear what the authors have to benefit from the assertion (in the Introduction) that 25 years ago, "the biology of even easily recognizable species... was virtually unknown, and nothing was known about what they needed in terms of space and food". Despite the fact that our knowledge has increased greatly in recent years, a review of the available literature from the 1960s through mid-1970s proves this statement to be largely false: indeed, references to these "non-existent" sources are made throughout the Sunquists' book....

On balance, then, good reading and a most worthwhile addition to any wild cat reference library, albeit our understanding of these intriguing and fascinating animals is in a continual state of flux and it can be dangerous to place *too* much credence in any single volume written at a given date. ... Read more

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. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Aye-aye!
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
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
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!
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.

A beautifully worded anthology of life in Madagascar.
Durrell's writing brings the reader behind the scenes in this awesome and mystical country. Travel to unexplored villages and rainforests and expirence life in the cities. Awe inspiring indeed. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Measuring Mammals, the difinitive work.
I am a mammalogist new to the field. I designed my first investigation, a mammalian bioinventory of a park in Costa Rica in 1999. The Wilson book was extremely helpful, and I cited it no less than 10 times in my permit application. I reccommend this publication to any persons hoping to work with mammals or currently employed sampling mammal diversity. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Elephants are just gentle giants
This is just one beatifuly illistrated and well written book. It is definitely the elephant lovers 'guide to everything you ever wanted to know about elephants.' I've turned my 22 month old grand daughter into a elephant lover. Such screams of delight when she saw this wonderful new book grandma brought home! Such pictures and so much information! We love it.
Michele and Krislyn Rhoads
Anaheim, California

Essential buy for elephant lovers
This is a magnificent book. I first saw it at my local library. I fell in love with it and ordered a copy for my home library. It is a magnificently produced compendium about elephant knowledge and lore that is probably unique for being contained in one volume. And--you can't beat the price for such a beautiful book. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Allen's Basic Anatomy Manual
I have used this book for years.It seems to be one of a dying breed of simple, no glitz science texts.Illustrations are accurate and informative.A few, minor errors have been corrected, actually editing problems.I have never found factual errors.I don't find the large number of unlabelled human skeletal drawings all that helpful.I would prefer a more detailed listing of the cat skeleton. ... Read more

Book Description

Applauded for its outstanding art program and engaging writing style, this text is praised by instructors and students alike, and continues to set the standard for a market-leading physical anthropology textbook. It provides a current and accessible synthesis of the core concepts and latest developments in the field of physical anthropology. It presents a balanced and thorough introduction to field using helpful tables, charts, boxed inserts, photo essays, multimedia, and an engaging writing style to bring the study of physical anthropology to life for today's students. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

I was FASCINATED, and I am not even in Anthropology
This book, despite the other student's words, was fantastic!I read it night after night FOR FUN!It was so interesting, with good pictures too, that I just picked it up off the shelf even though it had nothing to do with my major.I even gave it to my family to read too, especially since they are fundamentalist Christians who have difficulty even conceiving of the idea of human change and development over time.I was not disappointed with this book in the least....in fact, there were many nights I stayed up reading just as long as my eyes would stay open. Fascinting, comprehensive, thorough, and excellently written. BRAVO!

This book is a real pleasure...
...if you're an academic masochist.I myself had the pleasure of sitting through this entire book for my Anthropology class (yes, I read the entire thing) and it wasn't the most pleasurable experience I've ever had.This book is dry and without even the occasional quasi-sense of humor found in other school text.Speaking as a student, it took a while to absorb all the information, if only because it was so boring.I have to agree with the other reviewers that this book sucks.

Boring but comprehensive
This is probably THE most boring physical textbook on the market, but it is also the most comprehensive. As an undergrad, I couldn't stay awake through more than a couple of paragraphs at a time. As an anthropologist, I can't think of a better text
to assign to my students. For the serious student, there simply is no way to avoid this book. It set the standard.

So unlucky that I have to use this book
It is the most boring textbook I've ever seen. Too dull that I nearly fall asleep. Luckily my teacher has excellent lecture notes so I can understand the concepts of physical anthropology.
If you are so unlucky that you have to use this book, I can only wish you have a good teacher. God bless you.

Acceptable (Yawn)
An acceptable intro text for physical anthropology. It's overall scope iswide, and it covers the relevant topic, but it's just so . . . dull. Ittakes a rare person to fall in love with physical anthroplogy after gettingthrough this book. Jurmain et al are in fine anthropological literary form,which means half-asleep and probably on a fiber-reduced diet. This book isso stilted and formulaic that getting through each chapter is a herculeanlabour. It's also fairly childish in its format, with irritating extra" Try This!" questions at the end of each chapter; the sort youdoubtless remember from high school and junior high textbooks and the oneswhich no one - not even the teacher's pet-ever did. The price is alsoridiculously high considering its a non-specialist text for beginners. Comeon guys, gimme a break, the right-wing government where I live alreadybelieves students are made of money. ... Read more

Book Description

This is an essential guide for anyone with an interest in wildlife who visits Africa--from the tourist on safari to the more experienced naturalist. Compact and beautifully illustrated, it is ideal for use in the field, while its coverage is the most comprehensive for any book of its size.

• First pocket guide to cover every species of terrestrial African mammal
• Adapted from the highly acclaimed Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals
• Fully illustrated with the author's superb color artwork
• Easy-to-read distribution maps
• Concise text and clear layout for quick, easy reference
• Practical format makes it ideal for use in the field

Reviews (3)

Not that useful
Very general, very technical, poor photographs in many cases, this book appears to have been written for a specific class at the univeristy where the authors teach. It is hard to identify many specific skulls with this - unless you are a wildlife biology person it won't be helpful to the average curious naturalist.

Fine taxonomy key down to GENERA, only, of N.A. mammals.
This work can be utilized by experienced field personnel. Lacks definitions of many terms and techniques for identifications, referred to in the dichotomous key. Common names for the family and genus are rarely used. However, the photos and illustrations provided are of very good quality. The guide provides the necessary detail required for general field use of mammal skulls.

An excellant diagnostic book
This is an outstanding book for field identification of mammal skulls. I highly reccommend this book for any student of mammology or any one interested in Zoology ... Read more

Book Description

The Springer Handbook of Auditory Research presents a series of comprehensive and synthetic reviews of the fundamental topics in modern auditory research. It is aimed at all individuals with interests in hearing research including advanced graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, and clinical investigators. The volumes will introduce new investigators to important aspects of hearing science and help established investigators to better understand the fundamental theories and data in fields of hearing that they may not normally follow closely. Each volume is intended to present a particular topic comprehensively, and each chapter will serve as a synthetic overview and guide to the literature. As such, the chapters present neither exhaustive data reviews nor original research that has not appeared in peer-reviewed journals. The series focuses on topics that have developed a solid data and conceptual foundation rather than on those for which a literature is only beginning to develop. New research areas will be covered on a timely basis in the series as they begin to mature. Each volume in the series consists of five to eight substantial chapters on a particular topic. In some cases the topics will be ones of traditional interest for which there is a solid body of data and theory, such as auditory neuroanatomy (Vol. 1) and neurophysiology (Vol. 2). ... Read more

Book Description

Since its publication in 1988, America's Neighborhood Bats has changed the way we look at bats by underscoring their harmless and beneficial nature. In this revised edition, Merlin D. Tuttle, founder and science director of Bat Conservation International in Austin, Texas, offers bat aficionados the most up-to-date bat facts, including a wealth of new information on attracting bats and building bat houses and a totally revamped key to the identification of common North American species. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Wonderful book!
I bought this book just because I was curious about bats. I had always thought they were "bad", until I visited a conservatory in Wyoming that had a bat house and explained how important they are. That was a surprise to me.
This book opened my eyes to how beneficial bats really are. It talks about the facts, myths and misconceptions about bats... what's true, what's not. It tells what to do if a bat comes into your house, and how to evict them if they have taken up residence in your attic or somewhere else you don't want them to be.
The book is well-written and an "easy" read. It has lots of good photos, and tells about some of the different species of bats and where they live. I recommend it for older children (maybe 10 and up) and adults. Well worth the money.

Merlin Tuttle: America's Neighborhood Bats
This is a very informative, well wriiten and beautifully photographed book on bats. The book includes beautiful color photographs of the most commonly seen bats in America. One of the most appreciated sections is the "Beginners' Key To American Bats", a well written, easy to comprehend section on identifying common bats of the region and placing them in their proper groups. Very important if you intend to build bat houses and hope to attract occupants and just general knowledge.
The book includes several other interesting chapters besides identification. It shows how bats navigate with radar. It addresses the many negative myths of bats, it explains how beneficial bats are in nature. If you want or need to know anything at all about these interesting creatures, THIS is the book and Merlin Tuttle is the expert to seek out. And even if you only need to know enough about bats to humanely evict them from your belfry, this book comes with even that information!
The author has dedicated his life to these interesting mammals. Even without knowing that fact, you can see from the entertaining way Mr Tuttle writes, how much he cares. All of his books are excellent. Check them all out!

A great, informative book
Dr. Tuttle has set out to redeem the reputation of the bat clan and if people would just read this book I believe he would succeed. This book is packed with information that will help dispel the fear and misunderstanding with which people view bats, but at the same time it is by no means too technical to be readily understood (I first read it when I was about fourteen iirc and enjoyed it as much then as I do now.) I would recommend this book to anyone anywhere who is the least bit interested in nature and also to anyone who is fearful or concerned about bats in their nieghborhood. ... Read more

Book Description

From the plains of Africa to her very own backyard, noted author and anthropologist Elizabeth Marshall Thomas explores the world of cats, both large and small in this classic bestseller. Inspired by her own feline's instinct to hunt and supported by her studies abroad, Thomas examines the life actions, as well as the similarities and differences of these majestic creatures. Lions, tigers, pumas and housecats: Her observations shed light on their social lives, thought processes, eating habits, and communication techniques, and reveal how they survive and coexist with each other and with humans. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

The finest Natural History book I¿ve ever read
This is a book that anyone interested in natural history and/or animal behavior ought to read. The author has an almost poetic command of the English language combined with a thorough understanding of the methodologies of the social and natural sciences. Her (radical?) contention that animals, particularly cats, have culture - a series of learned and transmissible behaviors - is demonstrated to the point where it should at least be taken seriously by the scientific community, and perhaps to the point of being as proven as possible outside the established boundaries of scientific methodology. Her observations of the interactions of the Serengeti populations over time, both lions and people, have certainly convinced me that animals have culture. And at the same time they've broken my heart just a little bit more at what we humans are doing to one another and to the other species that share this world.

I have read this book at least four times, cover to cover, and smiled and wept a little and been further enlightened during each read. I've bought it as a gift for several friends and have two or three copies of my own at home. A reviewer said of this work: "Wonderful book. Formidable woman.", and that pretty well sums it up - her voice is quiet, but I believe you will find it resonating with you for a very long time indeed.

In its own small way, "The Tribe of Tiger" is every bit as much of a classic as "Origin of the Species" or "Silent Spring" (or "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats"!).

Insights into human/cat interactions, beautifully written
This is without doubt one of the best books on animal behavior I have ever read. What Thomas does that others do not (and often cannot) is three-fold:

First, using her long experience with animals both domestic and wild, she INTERPRETS their behavior from her observations. Most of us do that, but scientists in general do not. They cannot because such interpretations, unless established scientifically, would be labeled "anthropomorphic," and prove dangerous to their careers. You and I interpret the behavior of our animals, but most of us have only a small fraction of the experience that Elizabeth Thomas has. She has spent decades in the wild, especially in Africa, studying animals and their interactions with humans.

This interaction between humans and their way of seeing the world and that of cats and their way of seeing the world--our differing "cultures" as Thomas rightly uses the term--is the second thing she does so very well. Her stories about how the Ju/wasi people, for example, treat lions and how the lions treat them--with mutual respect--and how that differs from the way non-indigenous people treat lions is just fascinating to read. She describes the Ju/wasi talking to a couple of lions, telling them firmly and politely that a certain fallen wildebeest was theirs and that the lions should leave. After listening, the lions left. (p.118) And how the Ju/wasi behaved if by chance they should come upon a lion in the wild: the person would take an oblique angle away from the lion and walk with purpose, keeping the lion in sight but not staring. Thomas discovered that a lion meeting people sometimes would do the same!

The third thing that Thomas does extraordinary well is to use her novelist's sense of description and IMAGINE how the cat is feeling. She writes beautifully with love and understanding, but without mawkish intent or any phony sentimentality. Here's an example:

"Even people with very inconspicuous disabilities are quickly zeroed in on by cats...the entering tigers stopped...to stare...at someone they had spotted deep in the [amphitheater] crowd. Following their gaze I finally found what they had noticed immediately: a child with Down's syndrome sitting quietly and (to me) inconspicuously amid his family." (p. 123)

If you limp by a caged carnivore, a wolf or a leopard, say, your limping will excite the animal because an injured or disabled animal is its best prey. As Thomas explains, carnivores want to obtain their meals with as little risk of injury to themselves as possible because any injury in the wild can prove fatal.

Here's Thomas on the roaring of lions: "At about ten o'clock that night a lioness suddenly appeared between the two camps and began to roar. The loudness of lions cannot be described or imagined but must be experienced. My body was so filled with the sound that I couldn't think or breathe, and in the brief silences between the roars my ears rang." (p. 135)

She goes on to speculate later in the book that lions may use their roars to frighten and flush out their prey.

On page 161 Thomas describes exchanging yawns with a lioness lying by a water hole. Thomas yawned and then, "To my amazement, without taking her eyes off me she also yawned. Was it coincidence...Was it empathy? Fascinated I deliberately yawned again. She yawned again!"

I've had similar experiences with cats. A yawn is a signal that they are comfortable with your presence. Domestic cats in the yard will also turn their back on you as they lie on their side to signal that they are comfortable with your presence.

I always wondered about water holes on the savannas in Africa. How could the various animals come to drink in safety, and how did they manage to avoid one another? Thomas gives a convincing explanation. The lions, who are most active at night, come in the night to drink. During the heat of the day prey animals come when the lions are resting. And of course the humans wait until the sun is fully up before approaching. When the elephants come, the lions leave. Interestingly enough, Thomas claims that lions will not spoil the water hole with their scat.

Thomas's skill as a novelist shows in this passage. She is describing her friend Katharine Payne's experience with a lion that she had spotted just a few feet away as she lay in her sleeping bag: "He looked and looked at Katy. She looked and looked at him, hearing the wet noises of him swallowing his saliva and settling his tongue. He was thinking of eating. Cats are famous for their patience--the big lion watched Katy while the moon slowly rose behind him...The lion continued to think of eating. Eventually, he drooled." (p. 162)

One of the points that Thomas makes in this book is that all cats, from four hundred pound lions to our house cats, have much in common. Our domestic little kitties are more social than we think, and their hunting instincts are just as savage as those of a leopard. And yes lions purr.

She also claims that tigers are better off in circuses than in zoos mainly because they engage in regular activity that stimulates them, and that they enjoy their interactions with their trainers. She makes a convincing argument, and yet we must have zoos because without them most of us could not see these magnificent creatures; and indeed someday sadly zoos will be their only home. Maybe what is needed are zookeepers who know the culture of their animals well enough to provide them with something more than meat and boredom.

It is wonderful how Thomas becomes, for the purpose of this book, the animals she describes. Here she describes a lioness observing cattle: "One whiff of that dizzying, grassy scent would have set a lion's mouth watering." (pp. 181-182)

The Circus culture
I spend a lot of time in India and am very knowledgeable about tigers. I was absolutely amazed to read that Ms Thomas thought it perfectly acceptable for tigers to be kept in tiny cages, and dragged around America only to emerge in a circus ring and then be put back in a cage. Ms Thomas seems to think this a wonderful life guaranteed to keep tigers alert and happy, and reccomends the practice continue. She even sings the praises of John Cuneo who breeds tigers for circuses in the US and is currently being prosecuted for animal cruelty.
On the tiger in a circus: Ôthe owners live in small trailers and tigers live in travellin cages on wheels, each cage about twice the length of the tiger who inhabits it. Sometimes nothing beteter than a large tarp or the edge of a circus tent shelters these little groups of people and tigers just barely protecting them from wind sun & rainÕ

The tiger is a top predator, it is extremely intelligent and built to hunt. That is its raison d'etre.

Even when not hunting a tiger will prowl may be 15 miles a night.
They spend 2 years teaching their cubs to hunt.
If Ms Thomas seriously think that learning a few miserable tricks to perform in a ring, keep an animal such as this stimulated and happy, she clearly has no knowledge of tigers at all and frankly makes one wonder what if anything else she writes about in the book has any validity.

If you are interested in tigers, don't buy this ridiculous book buy anything by Valmik Thapar, a man who really does know about this majestic predator.

Skip it
I think her dog book was good cuz she's a dog person. She's not a cat person, and it shows.

Mislead by Cover Photo...
I generally liked her other book, the Social Lives of Dogs, and in fact read it twice over the course of the previous year. I felt as though I learned a lot about canine behavior and their social organization. This book however was a terrible disappointment for me. I checked it out of the library after giving one as a gift to a friend, only to find that there was very little written about house cats (my primary interest), and all the talk of big cats and anecdotes from the author's many years in Africa seemed indulgent and not even terribly insightful for those interested in these topics.

I'd urge you to look for a copy in your local library or bookstore and scan through it before commitment to the cover price. ... Read more