Product Description

At a time when animal species are becoming extinct on every continent and we are confronted with bad news about the environment nearly every day, Jane Goodall, one of the world's most renowned scientists, brings us inspiring news about the future of the animal kingdom. With the insatiable curiosity and conversational prose that have made her a bestselling author, Goodall-along with Cincinnati Zoo Director Thane Maynard-shares fascinating survival stories about the American Crocodile, the California Condor, the Black-Footed Ferret, and more; all formerly endangered species and species once on the verge of extinction whose populations are now being regenerated.

Interweaving her own first-hand experiences in the field with the compelling research of premier scientists, Goodall illuminates the heroic efforts of dedicated environmentalists and the truly critical need to protect the habitats of these beloved species. At once a celebration of the animal kingdom and a passionate call to arms, HOPE FOR ANIMALS THEIR WORLD presents an uplifting, hopeful message for the future of animal-human coexistence.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15095 in Books
• Published on: 2009-09-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 416 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780446581776
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
With the resurgence of red wolves and California condors, there is good news on the species front, as chronicled in this collection of success stories by renowned chimp researcher Goodall. Section one recounts the revival of six mammal and bird species, including Mongolian miniature horses and Australian wallabies, that became extinct in the wild but are being reintroduced to their natural habitat through captive breeding. Section two describes efforts to bring species back from near extinction, among them Brazil's golden lion tamarin and the North American whooping crane. Section three details continuing efforts to preserve 11 species, including the giant pandas of China, whose bamboo diet is disappearing, and the Asian vultures of India, whose disastrous population drop—from a reported 87 million birds to 27 breeding pairs in 2006—has led to a dramatic rise in disease incubated by putrefying cattle carcasses once scavenged by the carrion-loving birds. Goodall is no Pollyanna about species reclamation—she acknowledges that there have been more losses than gains—but these accounts of conservation success are inspirational. (Sept. 2)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From The Washington Post
From The Washington Post's Book World/washingtonpost.com Reviewed by Kathryn Shevelow Two hundred years ago, as Jane Goodall and her co-authors remind us in this survey of efforts to save endangered species, golden lion tamarins by the thousands scampered through the trees of Brazil's coastal forest. The lion tamarin is a beautiful little monkey, with a solemn, big-eyed face wreathed by a mane of burnished hair. Unfortunately, not only has their cuteness made them prime commodities in the international exotic pet market, but their former habitat has been decimated by agriculture and cattle grazing: Only 7 percent of their forest remains today. The golden lion tamarin would be extinct if not for Adelmar Coimbra-Filho, known as the father of Brazilian primatology, and his colleague Alceo Magnanini, who worked for decades to protect them. Now, hope for the tamarins' survival depends on the biological reserve created for them, and on captive breeding programs in Brazil and elsewhere, including the National Zoo. The vultures of the Indian subcontinent also owe their continued existence to a small group of activists. In the 1990s, widespread use of the cheap veterinary drug diclofenac killed up to 97 percent of the South Asian vultures who fed on the drug-laden carcasses of cows and other animals. The vultures' fate underscores one consequence of extinction: its immediate impact on humans. Dead animals that once would have been quickly devoured by vultures were left to putrefy, breeding anthrax and other lethal pathogens. Human deaths from rabies increased as rats multiplied because they no longer had to compete with vultures for carrion -- which now included thousands of vulture carcasses as well. Even the traditional funeral rites of the Parsee of India, who expose their dead for vultures to strip the bones, were threatened. After a study by the Peregrine Fund and the Ornithological Society of Pakistan identified diclofenac as the culprit, Mike Pandey's documentary film "Broken Wings" publicized the crisis, and community outreach groups began educating local citizens. The vultures' environment remains deadly, for although the manufacture of diclofenac has been banned in South Asian countries, it is still legal to use, import and sell the drug. But the establishment of safe feeding stations, captive breeding programs (controversial though these may be) and education efforts give hope for the birds' survival. In "Hope for Animals and Their World," Goodall, Cincinnati zoo director Thane Maynard and health writer Gail Hudson write of these and many other animals on the brink of extinction and the successful efforts to save them, often against opposition by governmental and corporate interests as well as public indifference or hostility. Other tales of preservation in this book feature the black-footed ferret of North America, nearly lost to development and poisoning by ranchers; the milu deer of China's Yangtze River Basin, decimated by habitat loss and hunting; the peregrine falcon, devastated by DDT and other pesticides; and perhaps most remarkable of all, the black robin of New Zealand's Little Mangere Island, whose numbers had fallen to seven, only one of which was a productive breeding female. "Hope for Animals" recounts many such stories: species brought back from the verge of extinction, those thought to be extinct and rediscovered, those newly discovered, and those that survive only in captivity. Goodall has devoted her life to animals, not only with her legendary decades of research on the chimpanzees of Tanzania, but also with her tireless campaigning, both as a writer of books for children and adults and as an activist. "Hope For Animals," she says, grew out of her belief that, although we are now experiencing "the sixth great extinction," the conservation work of "heroes" gives us reason to hope. At a time when we are overwhelmed by environmental disasters, individuals can still make a difference. Goodall recounts many inspiring stories of heroes worldwide. However, the book's heartening scale is also its weakness. Each account is brief, even perfunctory, lacking the scope to narrate dramatic sagas that lasted for years. Although acknowledging the institutional support these heroes received, "Hope for Animals" emphasizes individual efforts to combat a global crisis that can be systematically addressed only by governmental action. Yet within the environmental devastation surrounding us, it is not amiss for Goodall to remind us that, after all the evils had flown from Pandora's box, there at the bottom remained hope. bookworld@washpost.com
Copyright 2009, The Washington Post. All Rights Reserved.

About the Author
Jane Goodall is the world's foremost authority on chimpanzees. An internationally renowned conservationist, she is the founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and has received many distinguished awards in science. Dr. Goodall is also the author of many acclaimed books, including the bestseller Reason for Hope.
Thane Maynard is the director of the Cincinnati Zoo.

Customer Reviews

Well researched book!
I have been a fan of Jane Goodall for a long time. This book demonstrates how involved she is with conservation and her quest for knowledge regarding the various species of animals, plants, fish, and insects on our planet.

This text highlights just some of the animals that are or were:
- extinct in nature
- almost extinct in nature
- those making a comeback in nature
- those that were thought extinct (the Lazarus Syndrome) but have since been rediscovered
- etc., etc.

Some of the animals (and other rarities) you will become acquainted with are the Pere David's deer, Sumatran Rhino, some Asian Vultures, Panamanian Golden Frog, Crimson Spider Orchid (flower--picture only, no story), Coelacanth (fish), Lord Howe's Island phasmid (stick insect), the Tahina Palm (plant), etc., etc.

The latest conservation efforts are presented in short book report form for each of the many extinct or almost extinct animals, plants, fish, and insects. The only reason I rated the book four stars is because you feel you are reading individual book reports instead of an engaging flowing narrative. However, I am not sure this book could have been written any other way.

A website was mentioned as an extension to this book but no website address was given. As of today I could not find such a site during a Google search.

"Hope for Animals and their World..." is definitely an enducational read for someone interested in the natural world.

The Book that will Awaken my Children
I read this book through the eyes of an elementary school teacher of the gifted.
This school year, because of the book, my students will not focus on endangered animals but will celebrate the lives of those animals "rescued from the brink".
I want to thank the authors for all the new knowledge that has allowed me to teach with understanding and has given me the tools necessary to awaken my children.

Offering a survey of environmentalists' efforts to protect the habitats of species
Hope for Animals and Their World: How Endangered Species Are Being Rescued from the Brink blends Jane Goodall's firsthand experiences with research from some of the world's foremost scientists, offering a survey of environmentalists' efforts to protect the habitats of species. A centerfold of color photos adds to a history of environmental efforts and threats to specific species as well as the animal kingdom as a whole.