A Life in the Wild: George Schaller’s Struggle to Save the Last Great Beasts

by Pamela S. Turner

Published by Melanie Kroupa Books / Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2008
103 pages
ISBN: 978-0-374-34578-5

Age 10 and older

A boxed summary of George Schaller’s career by the numbers that appears near the end of this fascinating look at the work (to-date) of this wildlife scientist and conservationist is mind-boggling: 54,700 photographs taken; 36,600 notebook pages of data and observations recorded; 195 scientific and popular articles and 16 books written. He’s conducted original research on a dazzling variety of animals, including gorillas, tigers, lions, snow leopards, pandas, antelopes and more in 25 countries around the world over nearly five decades. This man who has lived and worked among wild animals most of his adult life has never been injured on the job. Schaller was among the first scientists who understood the importance of living with and among the animals he was studying, respecting them as wild creatures, approaching them without assumptions, and drawing conclusions based on what he observed. He’s contributed new ideas and understanding about the animals he’s studied and about ways of studying them, and he has extended that work into a lifelong commitment to protecting and preserving world ecology. Pamela Turner’s account of Schaller’s life and career (including a doctorate from UW-Madison) includes numerous photographs of Schaller, his family (who often lived with him in remote locations) and his research subjects and the environments in which they live. Ample sources for further exploration round out this inspiring volume. (MS) © Cooperative Children's Book Center

	Hours \| Contact Us \| Site Index

	CCBC Bibliographies & Booklists Charlotte Zolotow Award Book of the Week CCBC Specialized Information CCBC Book Discussions CCBC - Net Awards & Best-of-the-Year Lists Review Journals A Life in the Wild: George Schaller’s Struggle to Save the Last Great Beasts by Pamela S. Turner Published by Melanie Kroupa Books / Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2008 103 pages ISBN: 978-0-374-34578-5 Age 10 and older A boxed summary of George Schaller’s career by the numbers that appears near the end of this fascinating look at the work (to-date) of this wildlife scientist and conservationist is mind-boggling: 54,700 photographs taken; 36,600 notebook pages of data and observations recorded; 195 scientific and popular articles and 16 books written. He’s conducted original research on a dazzling variety of animals, including gorillas, tigers, lions, snow leopards, pandas, antelopes and more in 25 countries around the world over nearly five decades. This man who has lived and worked among wild animals most of his adult life has never been injured on the job. Schaller was among the first scientists who understood the importance of living with and among the animals he was studying, respecting them as wild creatures, approaching them without assumptions, and drawing conclusions based on what he observed. He’s contributed new ideas and understanding about the animals he’s studied and about ways of studying them, and he has extended that work into a lifelong commitment to protecting and preserving world ecology. Pamela Turner’s account of Schaller’s life and career (including a doctorate from UW-Madison) includes numerous photographs of Schaller, his family (who often lived with him in remote locations) and his research subjects and the environments in which they live. Ample sources for further exploration round out this inspiring volume. (MS) © Cooperative Children's Book Center