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| Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals (Natural World) | 
| Author: Jonathan Kingdon
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Category: Book
List Price: $45.00
Buy Used: $8.98
You Save: $36.02 (80%)
Avg. Customer Rating:  10 reviews
Sales Rank: 1241321
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 464
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.9
ISBN: 0124083552
Dewey Decimal Number: 599
EAN: 9780124083554
ASIN: 0124083552
Publication Date: March 1, 1997
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Jonathan Kingdon, one of the foremost authorities on African mammals, has written and illustrated this new field guide which sets new standards in African mammalogy. The author covers all the known species of African land mammal in a concise text providing full information on identification, distribution, ecology, evolutionary relationships, and conservation status. The focus is always on the mammals as seen in the field and on their ecology and evolutionary interrelationships. Introductory profiles summarize the characteristics of the various mammal groups, and the author simplifies many of the more complex groups of mammals by referencing genera. Twelve newly recognized species of bushbaby, fourteen newly named baboons, guenons, and mangabeys and nine newly described colobus monkeys contribute to a modern treatment of the monkeys. New species of bats, rodents, and fox as well as a fully revised listing of the duikers, squirrels and genets are included. Kingdon combines his long personal experience of life in Africa and his artistic talent with the best that modern natural history and biological science can offer. With over 480 color pictures and 280 maps covering some 1,100 mammal species, this book is an essential companion to all visiting Africa or with an interest in the mammals of the continent. Key Features:
* Employs the most up-to-date classification and lists all 1,150 known species
* Focuses on mammals as seen in the field and in their evolutionary interrelationships
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| Customer Reviews: Read 5 more reviews...
 Best Guide for African Mammals November 25, 2007
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Well worth carrying along, would not opt for the pocket guide. We have used this book on several trips to Africa (East, South and Central) and have always found it useful. It is a great guide to have and pass around with others as you discuss what you have seen. It is also useful to have to make notes so you remember what you took pictures of when you get home. Between Kingdon and Estes, would recommend Kingdon if you can only take one guide book with you.
An excellent book for wildlife study June 8, 2007
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book is beautifully illustrated and the text explains clearly the animals life style, habitat and diet. Brilliant.
A must for African Animal lovers April 11, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Having seen a dilapidated old copy of this book in the hands of our safari guide,in Tanzania whose knowledge was unbelievable, we just had to have one when we got home.The information contained is unsurpassed.Kingdon's research into the genetic background and the locations of the animals is amazing.Illustrations,diagrams etc. very reader friendly. A great book.
 About the Best Currently, but Could Be Improved June 17, 2004
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
First let me say that in general I find this book excellent, and highly recommend it to anyone interested in the mammalian fauna of Africa.
It is very comprehensive, covering every single species of African mammals with the exception of bats, rodents, insectivores, elephant-shrews and hyrraxes, which are usually represented by one species for each genus. But every single genus is represented, and of rodents, every species of squirrel is dealt with separately.
The information accompanying each species is very detailed and appears up to date.
Now for the shortcomings:
1) The illustrations are next to the description of each species. Given how detailed/long the texts are, this means that usually there are just 1 or 2 species shown on each page, so to compare all antelopes you must look through a hundred pages or so - not very practical in a field guide!
2) Maps are often pages away from the text and illustration, with no reference to their whereabouts. I often thought there was no map for a species/genus, only to find it pages away, combined with the map for another taxon.
3) While illustrations are identified by the species' English name, the maps are confusingly id'ed by Latin names only. If you aren't familiar with the latter, it takes some cross-reference to find out which species' range you are looking at.
4) The illustrations vary so much in standard that it is hard to believe they were drawn by one person... While most are quite good, even excellent and life-like, others are quite awful, either showing animals with stiff, straight limbs/bodies as if drawn with a ruler (like the Crowned Monkey) or in highly unnatural positions (like the Potto with the limbs twisted out, or the Cheetah standing up like a circus horse).
Note that a cheaper, condensed version of this guide, without the first 3 shortcomings listed above and more practical for field use is now available: The Kingdon Pocket Guide to African Mammals. It is probably the book you would want to take to Africa while keeping this one at home for reference.
Outstanding Guide April 27, 2004
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This guide book is simply one of the best regional mammal guide books in existance. As well as providing good descriptions of the mammals, it looks at them in the context of their evolutionary history. It does contain a few errors, as is to be expected in a book of this scope. For example, servals are reported from Egypt, where, as far as I am aware, they have not been recorded in historic times. Overall, however, the book is outstanding.I used it throughout a 14-month trip to Africa and it never let me down.
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