Tiger! - Hardcover

Barnes, a writer on conservation and wildlife issues for the Guardian, has produced an exceptionally balanced account of a species that inspires both awe and fear. His book, a companion to a BBC/PBS television special and illustrated with color and black-and-white photos, covers a variety of topics, starting with the predatory lifestyle and the tiger's adaptations to it. Barnes stresses that, contrary to popular belief, the tiger is not an unsociable animal. It merely needs to lead a solitary existence to survive. The chapters discussing the relationship between humans and tigers are particularly perceptive. Barnes offers new insight into that relationshp and clearly explains why the Eastern and Western countries differ in their attitude toward this beast. Eastern cultures-those in direct contact with tigers-learned to live with the animal. The West needed to establish control over the tiger as a mark of civilization. (One minor quibble: Why does the brief but accessible bibliography include George Schaller's The Serengeti Lion instead of his classic work The Deer and the Tiger?) Nature writer Montgomery (Walking with the Great Apes, LJ 2/1/91) singles out the little-known Bengal tiger of the Sundarbans, along the coast of India, for this study. Intrigued by the unique relationship between the people of the Sundarbans and the tiger, Montgomery is determined to discover why the tiger is a man-eater only in this area of the world and why there is no campaign to eradicate the species for its predations. To accomplish her task, the author traveled extensively through the area and collected stories, tales, and eyewitness accounts. This book is the result of her field experience. As such, it is an exciting, readable account that is packed with emotion and feeling for both the people and the tigers. If one had to criticize the publication, it would be for lack of photos. There is no need to choose between these two books-buy them both! Barnes's work is an insightful overview of the tiger's behavior, ecology, folklore, and current status while Montgomery's will appeal to the adventurous reader.
Edell Marie Schaefer, Brookfield P.L., Wis.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Lavishly illustrated with 150 photos, half of them in color, this book is a companion to a BBC-PBS television special to be aired in February. Barnes, a conservation and wildlife reporter for the Guardian, gives a well-rounded view of the creature he calls the champion of all carnivores, the most effective ambush predator on the planet. He describes the tiger's killing technique, noting that every adult must kill to eat. Tigers are solitary animals, and Barnes emphasizes repeatedly that their young learn survival only from their mothers. He examines the cat family, Felidae, both ancient and modern, and the distribution of tigers today. One chapter is devoted to the tiger in folklore and literature. Since 1969, tigers have been listed as an endangered species, yet their numbers continue to decline because of habitat loss and poaching for the lucrative Asian medical trade. Barnes offers fresh insight into the life?and future?of this magnificent animal.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.