The Nature of Great Apes: Our Next of Kin [Hardcover]

Michelle A. Gilders (Author)

Book Description

Series: Greystone Nature | Publication Date: October 2000

The most complex creatures in the animal kingdom, great apes communicate through an extensive system of hoots and calls; empathize with and console each other; and create tools for hunting and grooming. Through an engaging text and stunning full-color photography you'll quickly appreciate the intelligence, vulnerability, and charisma of every member of this fascinating family: the outrageous orangutan, grazing gorilla, chatty chimpanzee, and boisterous bonobo. Each member has adapted its lifestyle in various ways to ensure its survival, from traveling large distances through dense rainforest in order to mate (orangutans) to cleansing their bodies of toxins by eating certain leaves (chimps). 50 remarkable pictures from the world's top photographers include touching close-ups of an orangutan mother and her new baby; the hair-raising charge of a huge silverback gorilla; and playful images of chimpanzees fishing. You'll understand why it is so important to keep the great apes safe, even as logging destroys their habitat and hunters endanger their existence.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Reviewed with Harry Parson's The Nature of Frogs.

Gr. 6-12. Stunning color photographs on every other page introduce the animals in these well-designed natural histories. Close-ups of a charging silverback gorilla and an amazing photograph of a Colombian poison dart frog will invite readers to learn more about the subjects. The photographs alone would make these great, but there's also plenty of information. Each volume focuses on a particular species, exploring its habitat, members, behavior, and mating habits. And along with descriptions of various aspects of the particular animal families are anecdotes of the animals' depiction in literature, myths about members of the species, and interesting tales of famous animals. These will be fine additions to both public and school libraries--for general circulation as well as reference, for adults as well as younger readers. Heather Hepler
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Hardcover: 112 pages
• Publisher: Douglas & McIntyre (October 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1550547623
• ISBN-13: 978-1550547627
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 9.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,617,459 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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