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A review by davidr
A Window on Eternity: A Biologist's Walk Through Gorongosa National Park [With DVD] by Edward O. Wilson
5.0
This is a stunningly beautiful book about the Gorongosa National Park, located in Mozambique. It is a short book, published just last year. The color photographs of landscapes, flora and fauna are wonderful. Edward O. Wilson is a biologist, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, and a great author. His areas of expertise include biodiversity and sociobiology, and he is a world-class expert in entomology (study of insects), especially the social insects like ants, bees, and termites.
Gorongosa National Park is a troubled region. It was established in the mid-60's, but decades of civil war devastated the wildlife there. Slowly, with the help of philanthropists, the park was re-established and stabilized. Wildlife has been coming back, despite poachers who are killing off large animals. The park is making inroads by giving conservationist jobs to ex-poachers. But, some of the older elephants remember the days when they were hunted down, and are easily spooked by humans.
The book comes with a DVD; the video is titled "The Guide", a fine documentary that centers on the lifelong ambition of a Mozambiquan teenager to be a tourist guide at the park. He meets and works with Wilson when he visits. Wilson shows his exceptional knowledge of natural history, as he rapidly identifies the small critters that kids bring to him during a bio-blitz.
The book is not a comprehensive survey; rather, most chapters are brief descriptions of some type of animal. Naturally, Wilson's background leads him to emphasize the social insects. Wilson writes eloquently about the need for biodiversity, and of maintaining the complex ecology in a unique nature preserve. I highly recommend this book.
Gorongosa National Park is a troubled region. It was established in the mid-60's, but decades of civil war devastated the wildlife there. Slowly, with the help of philanthropists, the park was re-established and stabilized. Wildlife has been coming back, despite poachers who are killing off large animals. The park is making inroads by giving conservationist jobs to ex-poachers. But, some of the older elephants remember the days when they were hunted down, and are easily spooked by humans.
The book comes with a DVD; the video is titled "The Guide", a fine documentary that centers on the lifelong ambition of a Mozambiquan teenager to be a tourist guide at the park. He meets and works with Wilson when he visits. Wilson shows his exceptional knowledge of natural history, as he rapidly identifies the small critters that kids bring to him during a bio-blitz.
The book is not a comprehensive survey; rather, most chapters are brief descriptions of some type of animal. Naturally, Wilson's background leads him to emphasize the social insects. Wilson writes eloquently about the need for biodiversity, and of maintaining the complex ecology in a unique nature preserve. I highly recommend this book.