World Atlas of Great Apes and their Conservation / Edition 1

by Julian Caldecott, Lera Miles, Kofi A. Annan

Overview

Despite the dedicated efforts of many individuals and organizations, the great apes—our closest living relatives—are on the very edge of extinction. This sweeping atlas provides a comprehensive overview of what is currently known about all six species of great apes—chimpanzee, bonobo, Sumatran orangutan, Bornean orangutan, eastern gorilla, and western lowland gorilla. Created in association with The Great Apes Survival Project (GRASP), this book gives a thorough background on ape behavior and ecology for each species, including detailed habitat requirements, the apes' ecological role, and the possible consequences of their decline. World Atlas of Great Apes also offers a full description of the threats, current conservation efforts, and additional protection needed for each species across its entire range. Many full-color maps and illustrations make the abundance of information accessible to a broad readership, from specialists and policymakers to general readers concerned about the survival of these charismatic primates.

This book represents the work of a dynamic alliance of many of the world's leading great ape research and conservation organizations. Bringing together United Nations agencies, governments, foundations, and private-sector interests, the project aims to raise the international profile of great ape conservation and to build the political will for further action. Readers learn about work being done by specific organizations in support of great ape conservation, and where conservation is most needed and most likely to be effective.

*Covers all six species of great apes

* Provides the most up-to-date and comprehensive data available

* More than 150 full-color photos

* More than 50 full-color maps and diagrams

Copub: UNEP-WCMC (Royalties from the sale of this book will support the efforts of the conservation of the Great Apes Survival Project)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780520246331
Publisher:	University of California Press
Publication date:	11/01/2005
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	456
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 1.26(d)

About the Author

Julian Caldecott is an ecologist and primatologist by training, doing his doctoral research on macaques in Malaysian rain forests. He has worked on wildlife management and biodiversity conservation throughout the global tropics, including projects to conserve Bornean and Sumatran orangutans, western and Nigerian chimpanzees, and Cross River gorillas. Lera Miles is a biologist with the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre who analyzes threats to biodiversity ranging from global to local scales. Her specialities include species mapping and modeling, vulnerability assessment, and priority-setting.

Table of Contents

CONTRIBUTORS:

Christophe Boesch
Jane Goodall
Alexander Harcourt
Martin Jenkins
William Karesh
Edmund McManus
Ian Redmond
Gemma Smith
Craig Stanford
Nigel Varty
Andrew Whiten
And others

Editorial Reviews

This book, created in association with The Great Ape Survival Project (GRASP), has a mission: to raise awareness of the need for great ape conservation efforts and build the political will for further action (royalties from the sale of the book will support these efforts). In Section 1, editors Caldecott, an ecologist and primatologist, and Miles, a biologist with the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Center, introduce the six species of great apes and provide details on distribution, habitat, diet, social and reproductive behavior, population, threats, conservation efforts, and ongoing research. Section 2 discusses the challenges of great ape conservation, conservation measures already in place, and lessons learned so far. And Section 3 takes a close look at each country with a native great ape population. A study of the country's background and economy, distribution of great ape populations, current legislative and conservation actions, and future conservation strategies gives the reader an understanding of the true scope of the problem. More than 200 full-color photographs and detailed maps provide a visual description of the great apes and their habitats. Essays on relevant issues are displayed in boxes throughout the book, offering a forum for the contributors to state their opinions while the editors stick to the research-supported facts of the text. Bottom Line The Great Ape Project, edited by Paula Cavalieri and Peter Singer, focuses more on animal rights, and another comparative work, Birute Galdikas's Great Ape Odyssey, primarily discusses each great ape type and the threats to its respective population. The unique feature of the World Atlas is that it compiles both of these aspects and more into one well-organized and comprehensively researched work. While its intent is to raise awareness and promote conservation efforts, it is neither "preachy" nor one-sided. Recommended for academic collections and other libraries where interest warrants.-Debby Emerson, Rochester Regional Lib. Council, Fairport, NY Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

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