David Hancock has certainly opened my eyes when it come to the history and future of zoos. I am a animal care student and a volunteer in my local zoo and therefore thought I had a pretty good idea on conservation and where the future of zoos lies. How wrong can I be, this book not only tells of the importance of conserving the species of the world but also the forgotten ecosystem in that it lives. The book also tells of the importance conservation and the importance of the zoo community working together, this is the future and not fighting for visitor and species numbers. The history of zoos is also extensivly documented and for an eighteen year old I found this a slight let down. In my view the history of zoos could have been addressed in less depth to produce a similar outcome. This time and effort could have been aimed at the more important issue of the future. The book in my view improves once the history is left behind and the importance of enclosure design and the future of zoos are addressed.
Even though David Hancock has been a zoo director for many years he still has the ability to criticize individuals and the overall zoo community when needs must. The book certainly lives up to its title when it comes to the promise of addresing the world of zoos. The book looks at all corners of the globe from Australia to the UK and the US to Europe and Asia. The author should be especialy commended on its in depth knowlage on the UK and US zoo industry.
Overall the book is a 'must read' for anyone who has an intrest in zoos and conservation. Iam not a great reader of books but this has certainly encouraged me to look at books as a way of great learning and research and i will certainly be turning to books more frequently in the future. If you have plenty of time to read 'A Different Nature' this book is for you as its main disadvantage is that from the moment you read the preface the book will hardly leave your hands.
