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Daisy to the Rescue: True Stories of Daring Dogs, Paramedic Parrots, and Other Animal Heroes by Jeff Campbell
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Part of the Pride: My Life Among the Big Cats of Africa
Kevin Richardson - 2009
The film showed Richardson in his day-to-day work, looking some of the world's most dangerous animals directly in the eye, crouching down at their level, playing with them and, sometimes, even kissing them on the nose - all without ever being attacked, or injured. The film's popularity skyrocketed, and Richardson became an international sensation. In Part of the Pride Kevin Richardson tells the story of his life and work, how he grew from a young boy who cared for so many animals that he was called 'The Bird Man of Orange Grove', to an adolescent who ran wild and, finally, to a man who is able to cross the divide between humans and predators.As a self-taught animal behaviorist, Richardson has broken every safety rule known to humans when working with these wild animals. Flouting common misconceptions that breaking an animal's spirit with sticks and chains is the best way to subdue them, he uses love, understanding and trust to develop personal bonds with them. His unique method of getting to know their individual personalities, what makes each of them angry, happy, upset, or irritated - just like a mother understands a child - has caused them to accept him like one of their own into their fold.Like anyone else who truly loves animals, Richardson allows their own stories to share center stage as he tells readers about Napoleon and Tau, the two male lions he calls his 'brothers'; the amazing Meg, a lioness Richardson taught to swim; the fierce Tsavo who savagely attacked him; and the heartbreaking little hyena called Homer who didn't live to see his first birthday.Richardson also chronicles his work on the feature film The White Lion, and has a lot to say about the state of lion farming and hunting in South Africa today. In Part of the Pride Richardson, with novelist Tony Park, delves into the mind of the big cats and their world to show readers a different way of understanding the dangerous big cats of Africa.
Animal Wise: The Thoughts and Emotions of Our Fellow Creatures
Virginia Morell - 2013
Morell probes the moral and ethical dilemmas of recognizing that even “lesser animals” have cognitive abilities such as memory, feelings, personality, and self-awareness--traits that many in the twentieth century felt were unique to human beings.By standing behaviorism on its head, Morell brings the world of nature brilliantly alive in a nuanced, deeply felt appreciation of the human-animal bond, and she shares her admiration for the men and women who have simultaneously chipped away at what we think makes us distinctive while offering a glimpse of where our own abilities come from.
Trooper: The Bobcat Who Came in from the Wild
Forrest Bryant Johnson - 2018
Readers who enjoy . . . Irene Pepperberg’s Alex and Me, will find much to love here” (Library Journal). When desert tour guide Forrest Bryant Johnson went on his daily walks into the Mojave, all was usually peaceful and serene. But one beautiful summer day in 1987, Forrest heard a cry of distress. Following the cries, he came upon a small bobcat kitten who was injured, orphaned, and desperately in need of help. Forrest took his new feline friend home—just for a night. But the little “trooper” clearly needed more time to recoup, and that single night turned into a week, and eventually nineteen years. Trooper became a part of the Johnson family. Over the years, Trooper lived his nine lives to the fullest. He explored desert flora and fauna, befriending kit foxes, jackrabbits, and desert tortoises while getting into plenty of mischief along the way. Trooper became a “big brother” to a stray tabby named Little Brother, as the pair embarked on adventures and misadventures. He became a beloved patient at his local vet, and cherished housemate of Forrest’s wife, Chi. And Trooper even managed to melt the icy heart of a tough guy neighbor. But most of all, Trooper became Forrest’s best friend, as the two shared each other’s worries, musings, joys and laughter. “Heartbreaking, warm, beautiful, and emotional, this story didn’t just tug on my heart; it stole it. A must-read for any cat, or indeed animal, lover.” —Rachel Wells, author of A Cat Called Alfie
The Puma Years: A Memoir of Love and Transformation in the Bolivian Jungle
Laura Coleman - 2021
Fate landed her at a wildlife sanctuary on the edge of the Amazon jungle where she was assigned to a beautiful and complex puma named Wayra. Wide-eyed, inexperienced, and comically terrified, Laura made the scrappy, make-do camp her home. And in Wayra, she made a friend for life.They weren’t alone, not with over a hundred quirky animals to care for, each lost and hurt in its own way: a pair of suicidal, bra-stealing monkeys, a frustrated parrot desperate to fly, and a pig with a wicked sense of humor. The humans, too, were cause for laughter and tears. There were animal whisperers, committed staff, wildly devoted volunteers, handsome heartbreakers, and a machete-wielding prom queen who carried Laura through. Most of all, there were the jungle—lyrical and alive—and Wayra, who would ultimately teach Laura so much about love, healing, and the person she was capable of becoming.Set against a turbulent and poignant backdrop of deforestation, the illegal pet trade, and forest fires, The Puma Years explores what happens when two desperate creatures in need of rescue find one another.
Last Dog on the Hill: The Extraordinary Life of Lou
Steve Duno - 2010
On the winter day that the ailing, tick-infested feral pup was rescued by Steve Duno, neither dog nor man had a clue as to what they were getting into, or where the relationship would lead.Last Dog on the Hill tells the story of an indigent young Rottweiler mix who, after abandoning his pack and the hills of his birth, went on to change the lives of hundreds of people and dogs, including the author's, whose career as a behaviorist and writer was made possible through Lou's extraordinary intelligence and heart. Lou won the respect of gang members, foiled an armed robbery, caught a rapist, fought coyotes and kidnappers, comforted elderly war veterans and Alzheimer patients in their final days, taught ASL to kids, learned scores of unique behaviors and tricks, amassed a vocabulary of nearly 200 words, helped rehabilitate hundreds of aggressive dogs and saved them from euthanasia. He was also a clown, consummate performer and Steve's best friend for sixteen years. His story will make readers laugh and cry in equal measures.
The Little Book of Bob: Everyday wisdom from Street Cat Bob
James Bowen - 2018
In the decade since we met he's grown even wiser in my eyes. This book is a collection of the insights I've gained during my years with Bob.' In the spring of 2007, busker James Bowen came across an injured ginger tom cat in the hallway of his shelter in north London. What he didn't know was that this would be the start of a friendship that would turn both their lives around, and lead to A Street Cat Named Bob, the international bestseller that tells the story of their friendship. The Little Book of Bob is a collection of the wisdom James has learnt from Bob throughout the years, as they go through thick and thin together. From the power of friendship to staying calm and finding the joys in a simple life, let Bob be your guide on how to navigate the ins and outs of life like a wise street cat.
Anna & Samia: The True Story of Saving a Black Rhino
Paul Meisel - 2019
Little by little, she helps Samia feel warm and at home, snuggling with the black rhino in her bed, deciphering every snort and eek, and giving Samia baths to keep her clean.Each step Anna takes is meant to help Samia get closer to becoming independent. But the bond between Samia and Anna is so strong that Samia may not want to leave, even when she's ready. Can Samia learn to explore the sanctuary on her own?Here is a heartfelt true story about love, growing up, and letting go.