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| Life at the Zoo: Behind the Scenes with the Animal Doctors | 
| Author: Phillip T. Robinson
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Category: Book
List Price: $29.95
Buy Used: $3.59
You Save: $26.36 (88%)
New (21) Collectible (1) from $13.84
Avg. Customer Rating:  5 reviews
Sales Rank: 561473
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 8.5 x 6.9 x 1
ISBN: 0231132484
Dewey Decimal Number: 590.73
EAN: 9780231132480
ASIN: 0231132484
Publication Date: August 18, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Withdrawn Library copy with customary markings; No writing within text.Ships within hours from Charleston, SC. Established seller with nearly 10 years of online history.
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Product Description
Seasoned veterinarian Phillip T. Robinson shares his remarkable stories of working at the world-famous San Diego Zoo. In vivid detail he describes encounters with foulmouthed parrots, gum-chewing chimps, and stinky flamingoes, and the sometimes dangerous consequences of both human and animal interactions. He relates insider stories such as escaping the affections of a leopard who wanted to be a lap cat, training a gorilla to hold her newborn baby gently (instead of scrubbing the floor with it), operating on a semi-anesthetized elephant, and figuring out how to feed koalas in captivity, as well as why the zoo's polar bears were turning green. Robinson's wildly entertaining tales illuminate the hazards and rewards of a world in which the "natural" and "unnatural" can collide, insightfully tracing the evolution of zoos from banal menageries to important conservation institutions.
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| Customer Reviews:
 Great real-life account of zoo life - past and present March 8, 2008
The author is very clear in his introduction to his book by saying that it is not a "how-to" book. It is instead a very insightful and anecdotal account of what it's like to be a veterinarian/zookeeper/curator in a zoo. His stories about his own experiences and historical accounts of advancements in the industry do well to remind us how far we have come and how far we have yet to go in caring for our animal charges. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the zoo industry and wants a better understanding of what it's like behind the scenes.
 Great general view of complexity of zoos October 18, 2007
This was an easy to read, very well described, first-hand account of the complexity of working in a first class zoo.
Of beasts and bureacracies December 5, 2004
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
This is a delightful book. From the dust jacket to the illustrations and index, it is beautifully produced. The author, standing on the left in the dust jacket photo, provides an important inside look at life in the zoo. Robinson's career as a field biologist and zoo veterinarian at the world famous Zoological Society of San Diego provide him great insights into the minds of beasts and bureaucracies. Much of this book is will be great interest to historians of animal collections and veterinary medicine for exotics. However, any dedicated zoo patron will find this account rich and the book will reach a very broad audience among students of animal behavior, aspiring veterinarians, animal lovers and zoo keepers. The anecdotes are lively and poignant, and will resonant with those who have worked behind the scenes in similar facilities. I especially liked the tale of the infamous Ken Allen, an orangutan Houdini!
This is a book that needed writing and Phillip Robinson was the one to do it. A leading authority on zoo medicine, the author also proves himself a skillful writer and storyteller. Life at the Zoo should be at the top of your shopping list for any animal lovers or aspiring ethologists.
Witty, Funny and Infomed Look at Zoos November 21, 2004
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
"Life at the Zoo" opened up the zoo world for me and provided a long and candid glimpse into how zoos function. Before reading this book I couldn't imagine how anyone could begin to provide medical care for such a diverse population of animals. I got the feeling that I was looking over the fence, peeking through the cracks and peering over the shoulder of veterinarians, animal keepers and visitors. The author writes authoritatively about what animals experience in zoos and the grave responsibility that zoo personnel have in nurturing and protecting them from both people and themselves. I appreciated the parts that discussed wildlife conservation and ethics, and others about the construction of zoo exhibits and some of the nuts, including employees, who frequent zoos. This book made me a better informed zoo visitor. I now have more of a sense of purpose and understanding when I go to my zoo. One of the high points was the author's dry sense of humor and unassuming way of sharing his experiences. Anyone who likes animals and who is curious about the role of zoos in wildlife conservation will find this valuable.
 Bibliography's the highpoint November 14, 2004
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
As a zoo docent, I've read better books on related topics such as Hancocks' A Different Nature, and would give this 3 stars personally but maybe a 4 for the general public. In fact, Hancocks' book though published two years earlier has more current info on a couple specifics but it's also more academic in style.
Early chapters seem to feature quite a few zoo deaths of animals and keepers to grab your attention. Middle chapters feature vet-specific topics such as drugs and nutrition but not in any great depth. Lots of anecdotes make up most of the book, some amusing, many of which could have been left out with no loss.
I got the sense the book was written in bits and pieces. There are repetitions such as the nearly identical descriptions of elephant teeth on pages 157 and 222. Quite a few typos involving grammar and missing words, especially annoying in a book from a university press.
I'd call him a middle of the roader on animal issues--he now finds hunting of deer and rabbits distasteful, but still hunts ducks; he criticizes the extreme folks in both animal rights and animal experimentation. He's stronger on environmental issues and thinks zoos should become involved in local environmental issues such as the area's wildlife habitat and pollution.
The bibliography features description/comments on 22 zoo-related books on a variety of topics. Very good leads for people interested in further reading.
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Wildlife, nature and the Environment
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