Synopses & Reviews
People call it and#147;The Ghost of the Mountain,and#8221; for those who live among snow leopards almost never see one. Beautiful spotted coats conceal these elusive cats in their rocky, high-altitude habitatand#151;a place where temperatures are often cold enough to freeze human tears. A thick, long tail for balance helps snow leopards spring at their prey from great distancesand#151;prey that is often three times its own size. Slinking along the Mongolian mountain ridges, the snow leopards are invisibleand#151;and almost impossible to study.
But that doesnand#8217;t deter scientist Tom McCarthy, Conservation Director of the Seattle-based Snow Leopard Trust, or his many colleagues from dedicating their livesand#8217; work to the study and protection of this seldom-seen creature. And it doesnand#8217;t stop Sy Montgomery and Nic Bishop from packing their bags in order to join Tom on a trek to Mongolia, where they hope to learn more about this magical cat, a cat who doesnand#8217;t give up its secrets easily.
It will take endurance and persistence to climb the dusty mountain trails, hope of a snow leopard sighting rising and falling with each new summit. It will take practice and experience to lay humane leghold snares, collect scat samples, and set up motion-triggered cameras. It will take patience, focusand#151;and yes, loveand#151;to dedicate a lifetime learning more about this little-understood creature. But thatand#8217;s the only way the Snow Leopard Trust can protect their charges, before the snow leopard truly becomes nothing but a ghost of the mountain.
With a dazzling, as-it-happens narrative and spectacular photographs, Sy Montgomery and Nic Bishop bring Mongolia up close for readers everywhere.
Review
"[The] latest title in the consistently interesting Scientists in the Field series . . . A science title with wide potential appeal."—
KirkusReview
"[The] latest title in the consistently interesting Scientists in the Field series . . . A science title with wide potential appeal."
and#8212;Kirkus
"Well researched, clearly written, and quite informative, this handsome book offers close-up views of scientists at work and why their work matters."
and#8212;Booklist, starred review
"The informationand#8212;a combination of lab and field science details and personal observationand#8212;is accessible and engaging."
and#8212;Horn Book
"As with other titles in this series, the photography is outstanding, and the images of horses going about their daily business in all kinds of conditions put them front and center. . . . A worth complement to most collections."
and#8212;School Library Journal, starred review
Review
"This intriguing volume from the Scientists in the Field series will interest readers." --
Booklist "The many color photographs, predominantly from the Namibian field sites, capture the majestic elder elephants, their always-appealing offspring, and the dusty, rugged landscapes in which the scientists and research assistants camp and work."--
Horn Bookand#160; "This amazing presentation is a must-have for all collections." --
School Library Journal, starred review
and#160;
Review
andquot;Gorgeously written, richly photographed and passionately argued, WILD AT HEART will ignite the hearts of every horse lover. Thank you, Teri Farley and Melissa Farlow, for bringing us the truth about Americaand#39;s wild mustangs and burros--and for giving us the courage to rise up in defense of these native animals, to allow them to once again thrive in their rightful home.andquot;--Sy Montgomery, author of Kakapo Rescue, a Sibert Award winner
Review
andquot;Well researched and clearly writtenandhellip;a solid addition so science collections.andquot;
andmdash;Booklist
andquot;The pages are filled with current and historical photographs...Patent introduces readers to field and laboratory research conducted by scientists.andquot;
andmdash;Horn Book Magazine
and#160;
Synopsis
SITFand#160;sheds light on wild horse population control, a largely ignored area of equine animal science.
Synopsis
Meet scientists Dr. Ron Keiper and Dr. Jay Kirkpatrick, who have devoted their professional careers to unraveling the mysteries of wild horses DNA and developing a way to vaccinate the Assateague Island, VA herds with the birth control hormone PZP. Follow Dr. Kirkpatrick as he braves extreme island weather, clouds of biting parasites, and endures thousands of watchful hours, as he fights to maintain the precarious balance of Assateagues ecosystem. The result of his hard work and unwavering dedication is the first comprehensive research on an American wild horse populations mating habits and life span. Learn how Dr. Kirkpatricks meticulous handwritten notes chart not only the life cycle of his equine subjects, like Voodoo, Comma and Niacin, but how they are also contracts of deep mutual respect, affection and the tenuous bond between people and horses. Descriptive prose meets solid science as author Kay Frydenborg sheds light on a largely ignored field of study in the world of equine animal science. Revealing, never-before-seen photography offers a rare glimpse into the wild herds of Assateague, as well as the fierce but delicate beauty of their island home.
Synopsis
Dr. Ron Keiper and Dr. Jay Kirkpatrick are on a mission to study--and save--the wild horses of Assateague Island, Virginia. Braving extreme weather, biting parasites, and many watchful hours, they fight to balance a delicate ecosystem. Read Dr. Kirkpatrick's handwritten notes that are both a diary and a scientific log, charting the lives of his equine subjects while documenting his affection and respect for some of nature's greatest survivors. And follow Dr. Keiper as he works tirelessly to find a way to manage the horse population with a birth control vaccine. Descriptive prose meets solid science as author Kay Frydenborg shares never-before-seen photography of the reclusive Assateague herds, andreveals the fierce beauty of their island home.
Synopsis
Wild horses have roamed the shores of Assateague Island for centuries. As their population increases, however, they risk damaging the delicate area's ecosystem and beingand#160;taken off the island. Dr. Ron Keiper and Dr. Jay Kirkpatrick have each made these wild horses their lives' work.
Descriptive prose,and#160;solid science, and never-before-seenand#160;images of the reclusive Assateague herds reveal their fierce and untamedand#160;beauty.
Synopsis
Dr. Ron Keiper and Dr. Jay Kirkpatrick have both, in their own unique way, made the wild horses of Assateague Island, Maryland their livesand#8217; work. Experience Dr. Keiper's handwritten notesand#8212;taken over countless watchful hours in the fieldand#8212;which are both a diary and a scientific log that chart the lives of his equine subjects, some of nature's greatest survivors. And follow Dr. Kirkpatrick from the lab to the field as he works tirelessly to find a way to manage the horse population with a birth control vaccine, and helps keep the precarious balance of Assateagueand#8217;s ecosystem intact. Descriptive prose meets solid science as author Kay Frydenborg offers a rare glimpse into the wild herds of Assateague, sharing beautiful photos of the Assateague herds in their island home and of both of the scientists at workand#8212;some of them never seen before.
Synopsis
Scientistsand#160;race to control the wild pony population ofand#160;Assateague Island, Virginia.and#160; The horses' remarkable survival story is photographed and described in illustrious and rare detail in this marvelous addition to the successful series.
Synopsis
*"The photography is outstanding, and the images of horses going about their daily business put them front and center. . . . A worthy complement to most collections."—
School Library Journal, starred review
Wild horses have roamed the shores of Assateague Island for centuries. As their population increases, however, they risk damaging the delicate area's ecosystem and being taken off the island. Dr. Ron Keiper and Dr. Jay Kirkpatrick have each made these wild horses their lives' work.
Descriptive prose, solid science, and never-before-seen images of the reclusive Assateague herds reveal their fierce and untamed beauty.
Synopsis
The tale of one scientist's search for the illusive snow leopard of Mongolia, presented with spectacular photography by the Sibert Medal-winning team of Sy Montgomery and Nic Bishop.
Synopsis
A stunning addition to the Scientists in the Field series that explores mercury pollution found in the rivers and streams of Western Montanaand#160;that might cause harm to humans--and the extinction ofand#160;the entireand#160;ospreyand#160;species.
Synopsis
This meticulously researched and photographed account follows three University of Montana scientists and their interdisciplinary work with osprey: fish-catching birds with gigantic nests and a family that functions with teamwork and cooperation. Today the osprey is studied to monitor the effects of mercury on living things. The osprey hunts in a very small area around its large nest and so scientists can pinpoint where mercury is coming from. In Missoula, Montana, the scientists have been following ospreys for six years, collecting data on the amount of contaminants found on their feathers and in their blood. The rivers and streams in Western Montana are still suffering effects from inappropriate mining activities performed more than a hundred years ago. This man-made pollution is still dangerous to people and to wildlife.
Synopsis
Mustangs have thrived for thousands of generations. But now they are under attack from people who see them as pests. The lucky ones are adopted. Some are sent to long-term holding pens; more and more are sold for slaughter. But courageous young people are trying to stop the round-ups and the senseless killings. They are standing up to the government and big business to save these American icons. With eye witness accounts, cutting-edge science, and full-color photographs, Terri Farley and Melissa Farlow invite readers into the world of mustangs in all its beauty, and profile the young people leading the charge to keep horses wild and free. Includes notes and sources, index, and glossary.
Synopsis
In the sprawling African scrub desert of Etosha National Park in Namibia, they call her "the mother of all elephants." Holding binoculars closely to her eyes, American scientist Caitlin Oand#8217;Connell could not believe what she was seeing from these African elephants: as the mighty matriarch scanned the horizon, the other elephants followed suit, stopped midstride, and stood as still as statues.
This observation would guide the scientist to a groundbreaking discovery about elephant communication: elephants actually listen with their limbs.
The Elephant Scientist was named a 2012 Robert F. Sibert Honor Book.
About the Author
The photographers Caitlin Oand#8217;Connell, Ph.D., and Timothy Rodwell, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., are scientists and professional photographers that have blended art and science to help make science more accessible and engaging. Their photography has appeared in National Geographic, National Wildlife Magazine, Discover, Science News, Africa Geographic, and many other international magazines, scientific journals, and newspapers. More of their elephant photography will appear in their forthcoming photography book An Elephant's Life, which will feature every aspect of an elephant's life in rich detail. Caitlin is on the faculty in the Stanford School of Medicine and Timothy is an assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.