|
| Black Bears: A Natural History | 
| Author: Dave Taylor
Publisher: Fitzhenry and Whiteside
Category: Book
List Price: $29.95
Buy New: $20.99
You Save: $8.96 (30%)
New (11) from $20.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  4 reviews
Sales Rank: 680266
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 256
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2
Dimensions (in): 10.9 x 8.5 x 0.5
ISBN: 1550418491
Dewey Decimal Number: 599.785
EAN: 9781550418491
ASIN: 1550418491
Publication Date: July 28, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
In 1990 author, naturalist and photographer Dave Taylor set out to research and photograph black bears in North America - a quest that took him from the high arctic to the swamps of Florida, and from the East Coast to the shores of the Pacific. Of the three species native to this part of the world - the grizzly or brown bear, the polar bear, and the black bear - Taylor devotes this beautifully embellished volume exclusively to the black bear, the most numerous of North America's three bear species. Lavishly illustrated throughout with more than 100 full-colour photographs, maps and charts, Black Bears introduces the reader to this shy, reclusive and largely misunderstood animal with an encyclopedic examination of the black bear's world by state, province and territory. The diet, dens, mating habits, habitat, and hibernation are examined in Taylor's lively text, as is the bear's adaptation to the encroachment of civilization into its territory. A special section of the book dealing with bears and people, offers valuable advice on camping in bear country, and what to do when encountering bears in the wilderness.
|
| Customer Reviews:
 Good biology, poor understanding of bear politics July 10, 2007
4 out of 7 found this review helpful
I live in remote bear country. I recently bought this book and enjoyed the photography and fascinating details of the bear's lifestyle.
Where it falls down is on conservation. From acceptance of official bear population figures (which are highly controversial in some areas) to naive support for bear hunters, to lack of understanding about the continued logging of bear habitat here on the BC coast, I was disappointed. The hunting lobby in Ontario has done everything possible to manufacture a bad image for the bear (in hope of increased hunting opportunities), employed disgraceful measures to lure bears out of parks to be killed, and used dodgy politics to undermine conservation of species like eastern wolves. They are not the conservationist's friend.
So, two stars. While I don't doubt Mr Taylor's skills at observing bears I think he needs more appreciation of what truly threatens them today.
 so good it hurts April 16, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Honestly,I have to say miss M. Krishnaratne (see previous review) is right on. Everything you need to know about this wonderful creature is here. I couldn't believe it.
Recommended April 10, 2007
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
Everything you needed to know about black bears, where they came from, where they live, how they hibernate, what they eat, scatology, what to do if you meet one. And full of amazing photographs of bears in the wild that don't look like they've been taken by a fashion photographer - the real stuff.
Neglects to address current environmental/ecological issues January 29, 2007
3 out of 7 found this review helpful
Let's get aesthetics out of the way first. Bad exposure has this looking and feeling like it was published in the early 80's. I don't see any photo credits, which probably means they are stock or that they are by the author. The book's content may cover 3+ decades, but it doesn't have to look like it! (According to the Acknowledgements, "Most of this book was photographed using Kodachrome.") Lack of sufficient attention to aesthetic makes the book feel like it was previously published decades ago under its original title and is being published now under a new title.
Obvious captions and somewhat Mickey Mouse text make a reader think that perhaps this is geared toward young adults in the classroom, opposed to adult non-fiction.
But the biggest offense here is the author's lack of attention to current environmental/ecological issues. How could one write a book, spanning decades, on an animal that lives in the forests of North America, and not present at least one fully-researched and conclusive chapter devoted to mass logging and clearcutting and its effect on the natural living environment for bears?? Taylor only briefly mentions conservationists v. developers in one chapter. In another chapter, the author makes this unbelievably ignorant statement : "As an enlightened lumber industry created smaller, wildlife-friendly cutting methods, the bears benefitted..."
This is only appropriate if your child needs an additional reference for a book report, as there is enough information in the book on how bears live. But any eco-concerned individual will find it lacking and irresponsible.
|
|
|
Wildlife, nature and the Environment
Sponsored Links
Learn how to get your own Amazon Book shop | |
