by Susan Lumpkin
Smithsonian’s National Zoo staff and associates have been especially prolific in 2002, with six new titles on subjects from birds and lion tamarins to oak forests and conservation genetics.
Birds
of the Mid-Atlantic Region and Where to Find Them
John H. Rappole. Johns Hopkins
University Press, Baltimore, Maryland. 288 pp. clothbound,
$49.95; paperback, $21.95
With its dramatic range of habitats, from beaches to wetlands and alpine forests, the Mid-Atlantic region is home to 346 species of birds. This new book is the only comprehensive field guide to bird life in the area that also directs readers to public sites where each species can be found. It includes extensive information about every species: description, identification details, habitat preference, vocalization, and Mid-Atlantic seasonal occurrence, abundance, and distribution. Each entry is accompanied by a color photograph and range maps, making identification easy for bird watchers. This helpful guide lists the best places to spot specific birds, from common species to rarities, and how to reach the sites by car.
John H. Rappole is a research scientist at the Zoo’s Conservation and Research Center.
Great
Apes and Humans: The Ethics of Coexistence.
2001. Benjamin B. Beck, Tara
S. Stoinski, Michael Hutchins, Terry L. Maple, Bryan
Norton, Andrew Rowan, Elizabeth F. Stevens, and Arnold
Arluke, Eds. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington,
D.C. 384 pp. clothbound, $34.95.
The great apes closest living relatives. The close relation of apes to humans raises important ethical questions. Great Apes and Humans is the first book to present a spectrum of viewpoints on human responsibilities toward great apes. Although this provocative book contains many different opinions, the uniting concern of the contributors is the safety and well-being of great apes.
Benjamin Beck is the Zoo’s Associate Director
for
Animal Programs.
Introduction
to Conservation Genetics.
2002. Richard Frankham, Jonathan
Ballou, and David Briscoe. Cambridge University Press,
Cambridge, England. 640 pp. clothbound, $130; paperback;
$50.
The biological diversity of the planet is being rapidly depleted due to the direct and indirect consequences of human activity. As the size of animal and plant populations decreases, loss of genetic diversity reduces their ability to adapt to changes in the environment, with inbreeding and reduced fitness inevitable consequences for many species. This textbook for advanced undergraduates and graduate students provides a clear and comprehensive introduction to genetic principles and practices involved in conservation.
Jon Ballou is population manager and research scientist at the National Zoo.
Komodo
Dragon: Biology and Conservation
James B. Murphy, Claudio Ciofi,
Colomba de La Panouse, and Trooper Walsh. Smithsonian
Institution Press, Washington, D.C. 324 pp. clothbound,
$45.
In the last 20 years, the populations of Komodo dragons—native only to a handful of islands in southeast Indonesia—have dwindled, sparking conservation efforts. Over the same time, new information about these formidable predators has emerged. The most important findings are clearly presented here, with the latest information on Komodo dragon biology, ecology, population distribution, and behavior. The second part of the book is dedicated to step-by-step management and conservation techniques, both for wild and zoo dragons.
James B. Murphy is a research associate at the National Zoo. Trooper Walsh recently retired from the Zoo’s Department of Herpetology.
Lion
Tamarins: Biology and Conservation
Devra G. Kleiman and Anthony
B. Rylands, Eds. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington,
D.C. 384 pp. clothbound, $45.
Without the extraordinary efforts of the editors and authors of this book, three of the four lion tamarin species and black program, for example, set international standards and became the model for the conservation of other endangered species. Much remains to be done, and this comprehensive assessment of research findings and conservation efforts leads the way. The book covers the history of research and conservation for the four species, the principal research that has contributed to the management of the species in zoos and the wild, and the direct interventions necessary to conserve wild populations and their habitats.
Devra G. Kleiman is a research associate at the National Zoo.
Oak
Forest Ecosystems: Ecology and Management for Wildlife.
2002. William J. McShea and
William M. Healy, Eds. Johns Hopkins University Press,
Baltimore, Maryland. 400 pp. clothbound, $60.
Oaks are vital in the delicate web of relationships that sustains North American wildlife and form the foundation of many North American ecosystems. Acorns are an important part of the diets of more than 100 species of birds and mammals. This volume focuses on the relationship between an oak forest’s acorn yield and the wildlife that depend on it.
William McShea is a research biologist based at the Zoo’s Conservation and Research Center.
Smithsonian
Book of Giant Pandas.
2002. Susan Lumpkin and John
Seidensticker. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington,
D.C. 224 pp. clothbound, $39.95; paperback, $19.95
(Paperbacks are available only through the National
Zoo Store at the Zoo or at the Onlinze
Zoo Store)
The recent arrival of the Zoo’s giant pandas—Tian Tian and Mei Xiang—created an enormous outpouring of public support for the conservation of this endangered species. The first step toward ensuring a future for giant pandas is to understanding both their history and their current relationship with people. This book explores these subjects and presents a resonant natural history. Many of the stunning photographs are by Zoo photographer Jessie Cohen, and the foreword is by Zoo Director Lucy Spelman.
Susan Lumpkin is FONZ Director of Communications and editor of ZooGoer. John Seidensticker is the Zoo’s Senior Curator.
Correction: The price of A Road Through
Mali-Kuli was incorrect in the July/August “Books,
Naturally.” The correct price from www.1st books.com
is $17.50.
ZooGoer 31(5) 2002. Copyright
2002 Friends of the National Zoo.
All rights reserved.
