Orangutans: Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation [Hardcover]

Junaidi Payne (Author), Cede Prudente (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 8, 2008

With lively text and more than 150 striking color photographs, this look at orangutan life examines topics ranging from habitat and behavior to the complex intricacies of orangutan society.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

This abundantly illustrated look at orangutan life tells the story of one of the most fascinating members of the great ape family. In Orangutans, conservation biologist Junaidi Payne presents an informative and compelling description of the lives of orangutans, from their habitat and behavior to the complex intricacies of orangutan society, with discussions of such topics as the differences between wild and captive creatures and characteristics of age and sex. He provides information on orangutan conservation and rehabilitation as well, discussing threats to orangutan welfare and strategies for safeguarding orangutans in the future. Extraordinary color photographs by award-winning photographer Cede Prudente reveal little-seen aspects of orangutan life in the rainforest and showcase the breathtaking landscapes of Borneo and Sumatra. Orangutans also includes a map of orangutan distribution and information on where to see orangutans in the wild. Orangutan tours attract thousands of visitors each year. This stunning book offers a souvenir or a preview. Animal lovers, natural history students, fans of wildlife photography, and those interested in ecology and conservation will also find a place for Orangutans on their bookshelves or coffee tables.Junaidi Payne, a conservation biologist with World Wildlife Fund for Nature--Malaysia, is the author of Wild Malaysia and This is Borneo. Cede Prudente is a professional conservationist and photographer. His photograph of a swinging orangutan won the Best Still Photography Award at the 2007 Wildlife Asian Film Festival.

Cede Prudente is a professional conservationist and photographer. His photograph of a swinging orangutan won the Best Still Photography Award at the 2007 Wildlife Asian Film Festival.

Robert Wilson was born in Waco, Texas, and educated at the University of Texasand Brooklyn's Pratt Institute. He studied painting with George McNeil in Paris andlater worked with the architect Paolo Solari in Arizona. He founded The Byrd HoffmanSchool of Byrds in 1968, based in Lower Manhattan. In 1970, Wilson receivedinternational acclaim for Deafman Glance, a silent "opera" created in collaborationwith Raymond Andrews, a talented deaf-mute boy whom Wilson had adopted. A recipientof two Rockefeller and two Guggenheim fellowships, he worked closely with thelate German playwright Heiner Mu¨ller on the CIVIL warS (1984), Hamletmachine(1986), and Quartet (1987). He spends each summer at hisWatermill Center, a multidisciplinaryarts laboratory located in eastern Long Island, bringing together an internationalgroup of artists to develop new theatre work.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: The MIT Press (February 8, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0262162539
• ISBN-13: 978-0262162531
• Product Dimensions: 12.9 x 10 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #323,967 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #56 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Animals > Apes & Monkeys

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Wimps out where it counts the most, June 20, 2008

By 

Dawn Forsythe (Silver Spring, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Orangutans: Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation (Hardcover)

This book has gorgeous photos that will make you fall in love with orangutans - the people of the forest. It also has very good explanations about the animal and forest characteristics. HOWEVER, the authors have missed a huge opportunity to move people to protect this endangered great ape. The book's conclusion is very disappointing, in that it pretty much lets the oil palm companies off the hook for their wanton destruction of the orangutan's rainforest. (Since this book promotes the WWF perspective, one has to wonder if some corporate "partnership" is involved here.)

If someone wants an accurate portrayal of this spectacular animal -- and the spectacular annihilation of its habitat -- I strongly recommend "Thinkers of the Jungle: The Orangutan Report" by Gerd Schuster, Willie Smits, and Jay Ullal. Be warned: "Thinkers" has some disturbing pictures of the cruelty being inflicted, to this day, on our close relatives. There is no corporate greenwash in this book.Thinkers of the Jungle

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book and great buy!, August 27, 2009

By 

Rose Jones (Alabama, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Orangutans: Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation (Hardcover)

I bought this book for my grad. student daughter who spent 9 months in Indonesia studying orangutans. It's a great book and a great bargain. Many of the book's wonderful photographs are similar to photos she emailed home. This book helped us "experience" her great adventure.