Mountain Lion [Paperback]

Rebecca L. Grambo (Author), Daniel J. Cox (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1999

Also known as panthers, cougars, and pumas, mountain lions call a vast region home: western Canada, the 12 western US states and Florida, Mexico, and Central and South America. Beautiful and dangerous, these magnificent cats are elusive and notoriously difficult to photograph. Nature photographer Daniel J. Cox takes us deep into the mountain lion's world with this fascinating collection of intimate photographs. Over 100 color photos document these graceful creatures surveying their ranges, nuzzling their cubs, and stalking prey. Writer Rebecca L. Grambo contributes an informative text, offering insight into the mountain lion's behavior, troubled relationship with humans, and struggle for habitat and survival. With more photographs than any other book on the mountain lion, and including rare images of the endangered Florida panther, Mountain Lion presents a unique, up close look at a breathtaking branch of the big cat family.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The Aztecs called them mitzli. The Apache called them yutin. Others call them cougars, Florida panthers, or puma. Call them what you will, North America's largest cats are celebrated in this beautiful book, simply entitled Mountain Lion. Rebecca L. Grambo has written a highly readable guide to these felines, with information on their habits, their habitats, and their interactions with humans. What make this book special, however, are the pages of stunning photographs. Nature photographer Daniel J. Cox spent more than 10 years observing mountain lions and snapped these remarkable images of the animals in their native habitats. The fact that most of the pictures are of "captive-bred mountain lions under controlled conditions" (sort of a feline fashion shoot?) doesn't detract from their beauty. Cox presents amazing photos of newborn cubs taking their first breaths and older cubs, fluffy and spotted, at play. Even more impressive are the gorgeous, clear shots of mature cats roaming their territory, hunting prey, and simply resting. Cox has certainly managed to capture what he calls the "elegant fluidity" of these magnificent animals. Any nature lover would be thrilled with this beautiful and informative book. --C.B. Delaney

From Library Journal

The cougar, puma, mountain lion (or any number of other names) is considered extirpated from the eastern United States. An endangered population of a (debatable) subspecies, the Florida panther, numbers about 50 individuals. However, in the West, cougars are encountering humans more often, and their numbers are estimated to be strong. Unfortunately, as a result of increased contact, more humans (nine) have died from cougar attacks in the last 25 years than in the previous 100. Hence the timely publication of these two titles and others (e.g., Karen McCalls Cougar: Ghost of the Rockies, LJ 11/15/92). In Mountain Lion, wildlife photographer Coxs collection of outstanding color photos features cougars in action, in repose, at play, with their young, on the hunt, and more, as well as views of the rugged terrain that supports the great cats. Grambos text offers a concise natural history, comments on human encounters and future concerns, and a brief bibliography. Shadow Cat is an anthology of 20 essays on the American mountain lion by such noted writers as Rick Bass, David Quammen, and Terry Tempest Williams covering natural history, human encounters, hunting issues, and predator politics. This nicely balanced collection covers the issues from more than one perspective. Both titles are recommended for public libraries and natural history collections.Nancy J. Moeckel, Miami Univ. Libs, Oxford, OH
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 120 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books; 1st edition (January 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811819302
• ISBN-13: 978-0811819305
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 10.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #337,489 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

For nearly 30 years, Daniel J. Cox has been pursuing his life-long dream of photographing nature in all its elements. He has traveled to all seven continents in search of the images that inspire his art and inform his audience. Dan's work has been recognized and awarded in competitions including the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year and Nature's Best. He has been featured in galleries such as Nikon House, NY, the Natural History Museum in London and thee National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, Wyoming. Dan is a regular contributor to natural history publications worldwide. He works with Hewlett Packard as a consultant for their fine art printers, has been honored as a "Nikon "Legend" and is a mentor for American Photo's "Mentor Series" photography workshops. His most personally satisfying accomplishments, however, include his two cover stories for National Geographic Magazine as well as his current volunteer work as a communications specialist and advisory board member for Polar Bears International. He is sole photographer for thirteen books. including Whitetail Country that sold over 150,000 copies.

To learn more about Daniel visit www.naturalexposures.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Pretty pictures, but ...., May 25, 2001

By 

C. Ryan (Winthrop, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mountain Lion (Paperback)

I spent two months last winter in a mountain cabin far up a back road in Washington's Methow Valley, just below the Canadian border and just east of the North Cascade National Park, where there are many cougars. One broke into my nearest neighbor's house and I found fresh tracks one morning beside the road into town. So with all the cougar excitement in the Valley, I decided to learn more about them. This recently published softcover book is one place to start if you want to know more about the big cats that are becoming a more common part of life throughout the West.

Mountain Lion (Cox and Grambo) is a medium format photo essay of 99 spectacular color photographs of cougars running, jumping, caring for their young, attacking deer and so forth. These remarkable pictures, mostly taken in southwestern red rock country, give a real feel for how the animals move through their territory. However, after initially being stunned by the images, I was disappointed to read that they were taken "mainly with captive-bred mountain lions under controlled conditions". Well, the cougars LOOK wild and at least none of them are wearing sunglasses or have their kitty litter boxes visible. The brief text is a well-written essay about the cougar's natural history and human interaction, and there is a bibliography, but, for me, the book loses stars for being so heavily reliant on photographs of semi-captive cougars.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book you will be proud to own., March 7, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Mountain Lion (Paperback)

A wonderful book. A joy to read. Rebecca L. Grambo writes well with a sympathetic eye. She discusses these beauties and their plight for survival. The accompanying magestic photos by Daniel J. Cox perfectly match the content from the Author. Since the Nature of Mountain Lions are so shy, I appreciate the wonderful photographs of them in nature which would otherwise be very difficult to photograph. I recommend this book to any cat and animal lovers out there. I hope this book stirrs up the public's interest in saving the Mountian Lion from extinction.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful & Informative, March 19, 2000

By 

Tina Wilson - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mountain Lion (Paperback)

You can judge a book by it's cover. It's just as beautiful inside as it is outside. Very informative and a joy to read. If you love wildlife or any of the big cats, you'll definitely want to add this book to your collection!