A Naturalist and Other Beasts is a collection chosen from among the dozens of articles and books written by George B. Schaller over half a century. It includes studies of the daily lives of such exotic beasts as jaguars in Brazil; tigers in central India; lions, wildebeest and cheetahs in Tanzania's Serengeti Plain; giant pandas in China; snow leopards in Pakistan, and chiru (antelope) in the uplands of the Tibetan Plateau.
Tales of a Life in the Field Overview
A Naturalist and Other Beasts combines descriptions of animals with the story of Schaller's own life in the field journey to remote places, to camps established in tents and huts, and about the hours perched in trees and unlikely places. The result is a book that reflects the author as an outspoken advocate for wild animals and their habitats.
Wildlife Studies and Tales
A Naturalist and Other Beasts is based on Schaller's life as a field biologist. In the book, he looks back over his career. Because of his background, he writes with a sense of wonder about what he describes as nature's beauties. The tales are written with a sense of adventure as he writes about the unforgettable experiences in the Americas, Africa, South Asia, China, Mongolia and the Tibetan plateau and accompanied by 75 black and white photographs. Among the studies are those of a barking deer and mice, a heron named Siegfried and prairie dogs in Tibet as well as mountain gorillas, tigers, and the discovery of new species.
Schaller takes the reader with him as he stalks tigers in India and jaguars in Brazil's Pantanal swamps, studies mountain gorillas in Rwanda and predator-prey in the Serengeti, tracking new species on the wild border of Vietnam and Laos, the search for snow leopards in the Hindu Kush, and the giant pandas in Sichuan.
As he looks back on his long journey, Schaller's intention is to inspire readers to learn more about what he calls, "these precious creatures. His wish is that, "At least once in a lifetime, everyone should make a pilgrimage into the wilderness.."
About the author:
George B. Schaller is vice president and science director of the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York. He is an ethologist, conservationist, and award-winning author. He is renowned for his pioneering studies of the behavior of charismatic fauna and is considered one of the last of the great literary naturalists. He continues to travel widely for field research and to meet with government and organizations on conservation projects. He is the author of many popular and scientific articles and books including The Last Panda, The Year of the Gorilla, and National Book Award Winner, The Serengetti Lion. Dr. Schaller lives in Connecticut.
Schaller, George B. A Naturalist and Other Beasts: Tales from Life in the Field. San Francisco: Sierra Books, 2007
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