Meet Penny, one of IPPL's
Sanctuary Gibbons
The Animal Dealers
The Animal Dealers is subtitled Evidence of Abuse of Animals in the Commercial Trade 195297 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.
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 coexist 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).
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 3day 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 2503801229). In the United Kingdom contact Airlift Book Company, 8 the Arena, Mollison Avenue, Enfield, Middlesex, UK EN3 7NJ (phone 818040400). In the US or other parts of the world, contact RDR Books, 4456 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland CA 94611, phone 5105950595, fax 5105950598. 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.
Meet Penny, one of IPPL's
Sanctuary Gibbons