Synopses & Reviews
If you are a morani (warrior
), you have your spear at the readyandmdash;you could be the hero, but you will have to wait until the morning light before you can go out and prove yourself. If it is a lion, you want to be the first to spear itandmdash;and if the lion turns on you, make sure it mauls you on your chest or stomach, on your face, shins, or throat. Any place where you can show your scars with pride, show the incontrovertible evidence of courage. A scar on your back would be a permanent reminder of cowardice, an ineradicable trace of shame. and#160;
Monsters take many forms: from man-eating lions to the people who hunt them, from armed robbers to that midnight knock at the door of a cheap hotel room in Dar es Salaam. And celebrated biologist Craig Packer has faced them all. Head on.
With Lions in the Balance, Packer takes us back into the complex, tooth-and-claw world of the African lion, offering revealing insights into both the lives of one of the most iconic and dangerous animals on earth and the very real risks of protecting them. A sequel to his prize-winning Into Africaandmdash;which gave many readers their first experience of fieldwork in Africa, of cooperative lions on dusty savannas, and political kidnappings on the shores of Lake Tanganyikaandmdash;this new diary-based chronicle of cutting-edge research and heartbreaking corruption will both alarm and entertain. Packerandrsquo;s story offers a look into the future of the lion, one in which the politics of conservation will require survival strategies far more creative and powerful than those practiced anywhere in the world today.
Packer is sure to infuriate millionaires, politicians, aid agencies, and conservationists alike as he minces no words about the problems he encounters. But with a narrative stretching from far flung parts of Africa to the corridors of power in Washington, DC, and marked by Packerandrsquo;s signature humor and incredible candor, Lions in the Balance is a tale of courage against impossible odds, a masterly blend of science, adventure, and storytelling, and an urgent call to action that will captivate a new generation of readers.
Review
andldquo;There is only one Craig Packer; he ploughs his own furrow. Packerandrsquo;s work on lions and the Serengeti ecosystem . . . and his confrontations with officialdom will be familiar to most who have worked with (or read of) wildlife and conservation in Africa, but the Savannas Forever program was uniquely ambitious. Packer tells its story with unusual candor, laying out the facts, pulling no punches, revealing the corruption he observed in his dealings with the hunting fraternity in Tanzaniaandmdash;both among the operators themselves, and at all levels of government. Specific incidences are cited; the names of those involved are given. . . . The writing is highly commendable (even enviable!), the science and personal experience episodes beautifully done. I know of no other book likeandnbsp;Lions in the Balance.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;The King of Beasts is in trouble throughout Africa as this hard-headed, clear-eyed book makes unmistakable.andnbsp;Explosive human population growth in the lionandrsquo;s habitat, conversion of wild lands into fields, corrupt government officials, unscrupulous overharvest by trophy hunters, illegal killing with gun, poison, and spear, lion bones smuggled to Asiaandmdash;the litany of woe goes on and on. Craig Packer and his coworkers studied lions in the Serengeti region and other parts of Tanzania, adding immeasurably to our knowledge of this magnificent cat.andnbsp;But they also took on the moral task of protecting lions and helping them endure. This stirring book, written with candor and wry humor, should be read by everyone interested in wildlife, as well as concerned about the impact of politics on conservation and the future of our natural treasures.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;As he exposes corruption in Tanzaniaandrsquo;s hunting industry and tries to get his plan adopted, diary entries show Packer and his colleagues taking on locals, hunters and megalomaniac politicians in a struggle to balance human needs, a lucrative hunting trade and true Serengeti science. His brave accounts of blackmail and death threats are alarming. . . . The book makes compelling reading as we journey through pioneering science, dodging the influential government fat cats on the way. Packer is completely candid about the andlsquo;ethicsandrsquo; of those instrumental in the future of the King of the Beasts. Letandrsquo;s hope someone will listen.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;A fast-paced, detailed inside look at the politics of lion conservation, the often corrupt big-game hunting fraternity, and Tanzanian government.andrdquo;
Synopsis
The Serengeti is one of the worldand#8217;s most renowned ecosystems, and at its apex prowls the Serengeti Lion.and#160; These majestic mammals are iconic, and integral, and also in constant danger from encroaching humans.and#160; Craig Packer is among the unique species that has spent a lifetime ensuring the study and perpetuity of these dark maned cats.and#160; He has dedicated countless research hours and dollars to the coexistence of humans and wildlife in the Serengeti.and#160; He has even proposed ways of using lion hunting to ensure their value, and hence their protection.and#160;
Lions in the Balance takes us into the red-in-tooth-and-claw world of lion conservation.and#160; It is an incredibly candid, entertaining, and at points alarming look at what the future of the Serengeti lions entails, and how the politics of conservation require survival strategies far more creative and powerful than what animals (humans included) on the savannas must possess.
A sequel to Mr. Packerand#8217;s Into Africa, this diary based chronicle of the past decade draws readers along the dusty trails and into the spectacular sunsets of the Serengeti. Through his experiences we learn that female lions prefer their male manes dark and long, that lion attacks on humans most commonly occur during the full moon cycles, and that citizen science is shaping the worldand#151;Packerand#8217;s initiative Snapshot Serengeti hasand#160; helped engage globally, and locally, and has identified thousands of images of the Serengeti.and#160; The narrative moves from Arusha to the Serengeti to Washington DC, and with some temporal hopping, as often the stories are as rich and multilayered as the Serengeti ecosystem. And Mr. Packer demonstrates that he possesses himself a bit of cat, having needed nearly nine lives to persist in the ever dynamic and vexed world of conservation in Africa.
Synopsis
From flat-topped acacia trees to great migrations of wildebeest across an edgeless expanse of grass, the Serengeti is one of the worldandrsquo;s most renowned ecosystems. And at the apex of this incredible landscape prowls its seemingly indomitable ruler: the Serengeti lion. These majestic mammals are skillful hunters, iconic, and integral to Serengeti health. But they also commit infanticide, eat local people and destroy local livelihoods, are a source of profit for those who make money shooting or conserving them (and sometimes both), and are in constant danger from the encroachments of another species: humans.
With Lions in the Balance, celebrated lion researcher and conservationist Craig Packer takes us back into the complex, tooth-and-claw worlds of lion conservation and behavior. A sequel to Packerandrsquo;s Into Africaandmdash;which gave many readers their first experience of field work in Africa, of Tanzanian roads, of long hours spent identifying lions by their ear marks and scars, and of the joys of bootlegged Grateful Dead tapes beneath savannah moonsandmdash;this diary-based chronicle of adventure, real-life danger, and corruption will both alarm and entertain. Packerandrsquo;s story offers a look into the future of the lion, one in which the politics of conservation will require survival strategies far more creative and powerful than any now possessed by the citizens of the savannahandmdash;humans included.
Packer is sure to infuriate poachers, politicians, and conservationists alike as he minces no words about the problems he sees. But with a narrative stretching from Arusha to Washington, DC, and marked by Packerandrsquo;s signature humor and incredible candor, Lions in the Balance is a tale of courage against impossible odds, a masterly blend of science and storytelling, and an urgent call to action that will captivate a pride of readers.
About the Author
Craig Packer is professor of ecology, evolution, and behavior and director of the Lion Research Center at the University of Minnesota. He lives in Minneapolis, MN.
Table of Contents
Undertow
1 Fools Rush In
2 Savannas Forever
3 Luke Sidewalker
4 Limbo
5 Milk Stains on White Trousers
6 Fences
7 Fade Out
8 Zombies
9 Uptow
10 Object Permanence