BOOK REVIEW: 'ZooBorns'
Beyond Cuteness to Connection Between Accredited Zoos, Aquariums and Preservation of Endangered Species
Reviewed By David M. Kinchen
C'mon now: Is there anything cuter than the newborn fennec fox pictured on the jacket of "ZooBorns: The Newest, Cutest Animals from the World's Zoos and Aquariums" (Simon & Schuster, 160 pages, $9.99)? If you're a fan of felines, as I am, the baby wildcats on pages 44-45 of this book by Andrew Bleiman and Chris Eastland, will show you graphically why wildcats are the most probable ancestors of the domestic cat.
"ZooBorns" showcases the newest and cutest animal babies from accredited zoos and aquariums around the world. With interesting animal facts and background stories on the featured babies, "ZooBorns" illustrates the connections between zoo births and conservation initiatives in the wild.
Like many animal lovers, I'm conflicted by zoos. On the one hand, I don't like to see wild animals penned up in cages, something the best zoos in the world, like those in San Diego and Milwaukee, to name two examples I'm familiar with, avoid with moats and natural barriers. On the other hand, as the authors demonstrate in "ZooBorns", ethical zoos and aquariums are the last, best hope for extinct or endangered species.
If there's an animal lover on your holiday gift list, "ZooBorns" is a perfect gift that will educate and entertain. It's suitable for all ages and the animal facts included in the text accompanying the photos will enlighten, entertain and educate. There's even a website -- www.zooborns.com -- with even more information and photos of more "ZooBorns."
About the Authors
Andrew Bleiman is a lifelong animal nerd who serves on the Auxiliary Boards of the Lincoln Park Zoo and Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. He also runs Zooillogix.com, a bizarre zoology news blog on the ScienceBlogs Network (a division of Seed Media). In his day job he develops new media strategy for the Bradford Group.
Chris Eastland is a classically trained artist and photographer, who studied and taught at the Charles H. Cecil Studios in Florence, Italy, and now lives in Brooklyn. Chris was formerly the Photography Editor for Quest Magazine.
Publisher's website: www.simonandschuster.com