A thoughtful analysis of how to accommodate animal rights in an era of unprecedented environmental change.
A British ecologist wrestles with the ethical conundrums inherent in controlling invasive animals.
The introduction of invasive species is almost always caused by human actions. For example, the arrival of shipborne rats to a small Australian island led to “the extinction of 5 endemic bird, 13 invertebrate and 2 plant species,” while in the U.S. “already well-fed domestic cats” account for the deaths of 2.3 billion birds annually. Warwick, a champion of hedgehogs in his native England and the author of A Prickly Affair and Linescapes, allows that there are all sorts of philosophical problems with controlling alien predators in ecosystems—even those cute hedgehogs, which feast on juicy skinks on one specimen island in New Zealand. Killing is one option; however, the author asks, “What had the hedgehogs done to deserve that sort of treatment?” The solution has proved somewhat easier on a Scottish island where invasive hedgehogs can be returned to the mainland, where they are part of the ecosystem. It turns out to be more difficult in the enclosed dynamics of island ecologies, where, when one predator has started to cause damage, the tendency has been to introduce another predator to control it—e.g., masked owls on that rat-infested Australian island, which, once the rats were reduced, turned to feeding on native birds and lizards. Warwick’s narrative is sometimes repetitive, but his central point remains: Given that we know that animals are capable of suffering, is it right to take the utilitarian view that the pain of a few is worth the salvation of the many? It’s a problem that we’re likely to confront ever more frequently as climate change forces animal species to relocate to new places—becoming invaders, in other words, and thus both predator and prey.
A thoughtful analysis of how to accommodate animal rights in an era of unprecedented environmental change.Pub Date: June 11, 2024
ISBN: 9781399403740
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Bloomsbury Wildlife
Review Posted Online: March 29, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
An ebullient nature lover’s paean to birds.
A charming bird journey with the bestselling author.
In his introduction to Tan’s “nature journal,” David Allen Sibley, the acclaimed ornithologist, nails the spirit of this book: a “collection of delightfully quirky, thoughtful, and personal observations of birds in sketches and words.” For years, Tan has looked out on her California backyard “paradise”—oaks, periwinkle vines, birch, Japanese maple, fuchsia shrubs—observing more than 60 species of birds, and she fashions her findings into delightful and approachable journal excerpts, accompanied by her gorgeous color sketches. As the entries—“a record of my life”—move along, the author becomes more adept at identifying and capturing them with words and pencils. Her first entry is September 16, 2017: Shortly after putting up hummingbird feeders, one of the tiny, delicate creatures landed on her hand and fed. “We have a relationship,” she writes. “I am in love.” By August 2018, her backyard “has become a menagerie of fledglings…all learning to fly.” Day by day, she has continued to learn more about the birds, their activities, and how she should relate to them; she also admits mistakes when they occur. In December 2018, she was excited to observe a Townsend’s Warbler—“Omigod! It’s looking at me. Displeased expression.” Battling pesky squirrels, Tan deployed Hot Pepper Suet to keep them away, and she deterred crows by hanging a fake one upside down. The author also declared war on outdoor cats when she learned they kill more than 1 billion birds per year. In May 2019, she notes that she spends $250 per month on beetle larvae. In June 2019, she confesses “spending more hours a day staring at birds than writing. How can I not?” Her last entry, on December 15, 2022, celebrates when an eating bird pauses, “looks and acknowledges I am there.”
An ebullient nature lover’s paean to birds.Pub Date: April 23, 2024
ISBN: 9780593536131
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
A heartwarming and inspiring story for animal lovers.
The third volume in the Elephant Whisperer series.
In this follow-up to An Elephant in My Kitchen, Malby-Anthony continues her loving portrait of the Thula Thula wildlife reserve, which she co-founded in 1998 with her late husband, South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony, who published the first book in the series, The Elephant Whisperer, in 2009. Following his death in 2012, Malby-Anthony sought to honor his legacy by continuing his vision “to create a massive conservancy in Zululand, incorporating our land and other small farms and community land into one great big game park.” At the same time, the elephants gave her “a sense of purpose and direction.” In the Zulu language, thula means quiet, and though the author consistently seeks to provide that calm to her charges, peace and tranquility are not always easy to come by at Thula Thula. In this installment, Malby-Anthony discusses many of the challenges faced by her and her staff, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. These included an aggressive, 2-ton rhino named Thabo; the profound loss felt by all upon the death of their elephant matriarch, Frankie; difficulty obtaining permits and the related risk of having to relocate or cull some of their animals; the fear of looting and fire due to civil unrest in the region; and the ongoing and potentially deadly struggles with poachers. Throughout, the author also shares many warm, lighthearted moments, demonstrating the deep bond felt among the humans and animals at the reserve and the powerful effects of the kindness of strangers. “We are all working in unity for the greater good, for the betterment of Thula Thula and all our wildlife….We are humbled by the generosity and love, both from our guests and friends, and from strangers all around the world,” writes the author. “People’s open-hearted support kept us alive in the darkest times.”
A heartwarming and inspiring story for animal lovers.Pub Date: April 25, 2023
ISBN: 9781250284259
Page Count: 320
Publisher: St. Martin's
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
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