Cheetah [Hardcover]

Luke Hunter (Author), Dave Hamman (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 11, 2007

Esteemed for its speed and athleticism, admired for its grace and beauty, coveted for its hunting prowess, the cheetah has nonetheless been harassed and hounded to the point of extinction. Author Luke Hunter looks into the history, evolution, behavior and day-to-day survival of one of the most fascinating of the big cats. He discusses the ancestry of the cheetah, its hunting strategies, reproduction, social behavior and status throughout Africa and Iran - the last remaining pocket of the species in Asia. Hunter also focuses on the tenuous future of the cheetah, its decreasing habitat and declining numbers, and deals with the immediate and long-term conservation issues facing the species. His authoritative text highlights the latest research on cheetahs, dispelling the myths and providing a comprehensive overview of the cheetah in the wild. Throughout the book, his first-hand field observations supplement data on the latest ecological discoveries from cheetah researchers across Africa. Powerful, full-color photographs by Dave Hamman make this book a visual feast and reveal a world that is both intensely private and highly dramatic. Hamman's portrayal of the many modes and activities of this elusive animal presents a sumptuous gallery of photographs, while at the same time serving to broaden our knowledge - and help ensure the survival - of this remarkable and beautiful cat.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dave Hamman has been a photojournalist and wildlife photographer for the past 10 years. His photographs have been published around the world in magazines such as National Geographic, Smithsonian, GEO and Africa: Environment and Wildlife. He has also collaborated on a photographic book entitled Running Wild: Dispelling the Myths of the African Wild Dog. Luke Hunter is a conservation biologist with the New York based Wildlife Conservation Society where he heads their Global Carnivore Program. Hunter has conducted fieldwork on large cats in Africa since 1992, focusing on efforts to restore species to areas of their former range.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Struik Publishers (January 11, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 186872719X
• ISBN-13: 978-1868727193
• Product Dimensions: 12.7 x 9.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,301,155 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Luke Hunter is an Australian biologist and is the President of Panthera (www.panthera.org), a New York-based conservation nonprofit he helped to create in 2006, which is dedicated to the range-wide conservation of the world's wild cat species. Before joining Panthera, Hunter headed the Wildlife Conservation Society's Great Cats Program and taught wildlife ecology at several universities in Australia and South Africa.

Hunter has worked on the ecology and conservation of carnivores since 1992. His doctorate and post-doctoral research developed methods to re-establish populations of large cats in areas where they had been extirpated from Southern Africa. His current projects include developing conservation strategies for lions across their African range, assessing the effects of sport hunting on leopards and lions, working with teams in the Brazilian Pantanal to reduce the conflict between ranchers and jaguars, and the first intensive study of Persian leopards and the last surviving Asiatic cheetahs in Iran. Hunter supervises graduate students working on carnivores around the world including the first comprehensive studies on some little-known species such as African golden cats and Sunda clouded leopards.

Luke Hunter has contributed to over 100 scientific papers and popular articles, and has published six books that are available on Amazon, including Cats of Africa: Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation, Cheetah, Watching Wildlife: Southern Africa, Cheetahs, and Watching Wildlife: Central America. His sixth and current book, A Field Guide to Carnivores of the World, was released in 2011. He lives in New York state with his wife Sophie and a menagerie of rescued domestic carnivores.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have if you love cheetahs!, January 15, 2008

By 

Stephanie "Steph" (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cheetah (Hardcover)

This book is the best book I've seen on Cheetahs and conservation. Dr. Luke Hunter knows his stuff and I highly recommend this for anyone who is interested in learning more about cheetahs or just for the beautiful photography. Excellent!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for fans of the cheetah, October 16, 2005

By 

Maryanne L. Delf (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cheetah (Hardcover)

This is such a beautifully presented book and takes pride of place in my collection. I've never come across such a comprehensive book on the cheetah and the photographs are extraordinary.

I give both thumbs up to the author and all his work, as the resultant book is my favourite.