Recommended Reading
In association with
The Animal Dealers
The Animal Dealers is sub-titled Evidence of Abuse of Animals in
the Commercial Trade 1952-97 is published by the Animal Welfare Institute
(AWI). The book's 300+ pages are filled with information on the world traffic in animals domestic
and wild. There are chapters on Class B animal dealers, dealers supplying
cats for dissection, primate dealers, the bird dealers, and "the shelf life of reptiles." The Animal Dealers
is available for $8 from the Animal Welfare Institute, POB 3650, Washington
DC 20007, USA.
Primates - the Amazing World of Lemurs, Monkeys, and Apes Primates
was written by Barbara Sleeper and is illustrated with beautiful color
photos by Art Wolfe. The publisher is Chronicle Books. In her introduction
Sleeper states:
While not inclusive, the following photographic collection of 102 primate
species from around the world has been selected for this book to show the
phenomenal diversity in size, coloration, habitat preference and social
structure of the Order Primates. While the beautiful photographs let the
subjects speak for themselves - of their innate curiosity, intelligence
and dignity - the accompanying natural history text is meant to give
an overview of the fascinating social behavior, ecology, and critical habitat
requirements that characterize our closest living nonhuman relatives -
the primates.
The list price of Primates is $24.95. Amazon
Books (www.amazon.com) offers the book for $19.96.
Next of Kin
Next Of Kin, subtitled What the Chimpanzees Have Taught Me About Who
We Are was written by Roger Fouts and Stephen Tukel Mills is published
by William Morrow.
Jane Goodall wrote the introduction. Roger and his wife Debbie started
teaching American sign language to chimpanzees 30 years ago. They first
worked with Alan and the late Beatrice Gardner at the University of Nevada
and there Roger met Washoe.
From Nevada Roger moved to the Institute for Primate Research at the
University of Oklahoma and he gives a description of the appalling cruelty
with which Bill Lemmon treated not just the chimpanzees but also gibbons
and siamangs in his care.
Washoe and four chimpanzee friends now live with Roger at the Central
Washington State University in Ellensburg, Washington. Besides teaching
chimpanzees sign language, Roger developed great affection not just for his study chimpanzees, but for the entire species and has become a crusader for chimpanzees.
The book is suitable for readers of all ages. Amazon (www.amazon.com) offers Next of Kin for $17.50.
(Also available on audio cassette and paperback)
Bonobo: The Forgotten Ape
Bonobo is written by Frans de Waal and illustrated with photos by the
superb nature photographer Frans Lanting. It is published by the University
of California Press.
Frans de Waal is a very different man from Roger Fouts, author of Next
of Kin. Roger Fouts finds experimentation on chimpanzees totally unacceptable
and fights for the protection of all chimpanzees. De Waal, who is employed
by the Yerkes Regional Primate Center, which has infected chimpanzees with
the AIDS virus, appears to co-exist comfortably with invasive experimentation.
Nonetheless Bonobo provides a fascinating introduction to the animal formerly known as the Pygmy chimpanzee although IPPL would consider gibbons and siamangs to fit the description of "forgotten apes" better. Bonobo is listed at $39.95 and is available for $29.97 from Amazon Books (www.amazon.com).
(also available in paperback)
I've been gone far too long
This delightful book is subtitled Field Trip Fiascoes and Expedition
Disasters. It is essential reading for anyone hoping to be a field researcher
studying primates or any other animals, and thinks this would be a glamorous
life! The book consists of 21 chapters written by field workers in a variety
of disciplines.
Kelly Stewart describes Dian Fossey talking her into carrying a gun
to catch poachers - and how the late Dian Fossey carried a pistol in
a fruitcake into Rwanda.
Phyllis Lee, who studied vervet monkeys in Africa, describes her experiences with a dilapidated Land Rover with a personality of its own! Liza Halko and Mark Hauser describe the experience of wending their way through a labyrinth of Uganda bureaucracy to locate lost travel documents and get their permits to study chimpanzees. Elizabeth Bennett, who studied banded leaf monkeys in Malaysia, describes a 3-day trek to visit a remote
Orang Asli community, a trip which was complicated by the food supplies
getting left behind! Andrew Johns, studying Amazonian monkeys, observed
other Amazonian researchers barbecuing endangered species. Margaret Symington
tells of a supply trip to Cuzco, Peru, 5 days away by boat from her remote
study site and how, on the return trip, the boat sank and all the supplies
were lost. Robin Dunbar tells of the problems with loss of equipment in
Ethiopia where he studied the gelada baboons who live in the Simen Mountains.
Besides thieves, visiting Western hitchhikers looking for a novel experience
and without any money became a headache!
The Canadian distributor of I've
been gone far too long is Orca Book Publishers, 1030 North Park, Victoria
BC Canada V8T 1C6 (phone 250-380-1229). In the United Kingdom contact
Airlift Book Company, 8 the Arena, Mollison Avenue, Enfield, Middlesex,
UK EN3 7NJ (phone 81-804-0400). In the US or other parts of the
world, contact RDR Books, 4456 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland CA 94611, phone
510-595-0595, fax 510-595-0598. The price of the book is
$14.95 plus $3.50 shipping and handling in the US. The company takes Visa
and Mastercard. A cheaper way to buy the book is using Amazon Books (www.amazon.com), which sells it for $11.96.
Gator Aide - Not about primates but interesting!
Jessica Speart's first thriller introduces US Fish and Wildlife Service
agent Rachel Porter. Porter is assigned to the Service's New Orleans, Louisiana USA office, and is assigned to investigate the death of an alligator found chained near the body of a murdered prostitute. The action takes place in the corrupt bustling city of New Orleans and the swamps in the surrounding area.
Gator Aide is published by Avon Books and is available in bookstores. The list price is $5.99 but you can order it from the Internet bookstore (www.amazon.com) for $4.79.
