From Library Journal
A contract photographer for National Geographic magazine and author of The Great Apes (LJ 6/15/94), Nichols is no stranger to the world of animal photography. Every one of the photos in this new volume is of the highest quality, documenting the sweeping changes that have taken place in American zoos (no longer the animal jails of the past) and illustrating six essays by noted zoo officials. William Conway, president and director of the Wildlife Conservation Society, discusses the role zoos play in the conservation of endangered species. Michael Robinson, director of the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., continues Conway's theme, while Edward Maruska, executive director of the Cincinnati Zoo, focuses his efforts on the educational aspects of zoos, noting that zoos are one of the few places where people can come into direct contact with wildlife. Wild and wacky Jack Hanna, director emeritus of the Columbus Zoo and a frequent guest on Good Morning America, stresses the need for zoos to generate public enthusiasm for conservation causes and for zoos to network and work cooperatively with scientists, veterinarians, and animal behaviorists. The message is delivered in clear, understandable terms, and the photography is breathtaking. Highly recommended.?Edell Marie Schaefer, Brookfield P.L., Wis.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
This collection of beautiful images, the result of photographer Michael Nichols' two-year quest to document shifts in how American zoos present animals to their visitors, represents both where zoos are today and where they want to be tomorrow. Essays from a number of well-known names in the zoo profession discuss exciting new exhibits, the breeding of endangered species in captivity, and the methods the best modern zoos use to educate visitors about nature and conservation. The essays are aimed at general audiences and provide excellent discussions of the challenges. A good bibliography leads to some of the best literature about zoos (though there could have been mention of the journals in the field). Minor errors in the photo captions (e.g., misspelling of some scientific names and misidentification of African and Asian elephants) should have been caught before publication. A list of the nation's trend-setting zoos completes a very nice book, which will be useful for all libraries. Nancy Bent
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
