Description
Book SynopsisSince the early days of traveling menageries and staged attractions that included animal acts, balloon ascents, and pyrotechnic displays, zoos have come a long way. This book presents the evolution of zoos and the expectations of their visitors. It reveals the hazards and rewards of running a modern zoo.
Trade ReviewThe author entertains while educating the reader...an excellent introduction to the zoo world...the best single book to give teens who want to work in a zoo. -- Nancy Bent Booklist A thorough tour of zoos...His professional concern for animal care qualifies him to present fairly a comprehensive look. Library Journal Robinson's wry tone, coupled with his intimate knowledge of zoo animals and melancholic love for them, makes Life at the Zoo eerily compelling. -- Kate Callen San Diego Union-Tribune People not involved in the zoo field will probably enjoy this behind the scenes look into what happens at the zoo. It is also a good addition to any zookeeper's personal collection if you enjoy reading zoo related books. -- Nannette Driver Animal Keepers' Forum: The Journal of the American Association of Zoo Keepers Life at the Zoo is more than a personal memoir of an illustrious career, it is a wise and witty reflection on all aspects of zoo life. -- John Bonner New Scientist His plain-spoken descriptions of these close encounters make for the most vivid reading. -- Julia M. Klein Washington Post The book is compelling and ought to appeal to zoo lovers of all stripes. American Scientist Many lessons and much entertainment for all in this fascinating, frank and fair-minded book. -- Sally Walker Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society The reader will come away with a better appreciation for zoo evolution and the difficulties faced as zoos cope with mounting political and fiscal pressures while trying to conserve dwindling wild animal populations. -- Kirk Suedmeyer Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine Robinson's wildly entertaining tales of illuminate the hazards and rewards of a world in which the "natural" and "unnatural" can collide, insightfully tracing the evolution of zoos from banal menageries to important conservation institutions. Animal Keepers' Forum
Table of ContentsPreface Introduction 1. Intern at the Zoo: An Eclectic Orientation 2. Too Early for the Autopsy: Fitting in at the Zoo 3. Growing Pains: Educating the Menagerie Makers 4. The Keepers: Nurturing the Health of Animals 5. Zoo Babies: Promoting Motherhood 6. Exhibit Making: Creating Zoo Ecosystems 7. Creature Comfort: The Power of Microenvironments 8. What's This Thing? Searching for the Normal 9. Holding the Tiger: Zoos Say Yes to Drugs 10. Finding the Sick in the Zoo: Seeking Out Disease and Discomfort 11. Feeding the Ark: The Nutritional Wisdom of Animals 12. Getting Closer to Animals: Judas Goats and Alpaca Coats 13. So, You Work at the Zoo? Employees, Visitors, and Fence Jumpers 14. Animal Cases and Chases: And Some Things Better Kept to Myself 15. Zoo Regulars: Coworkers Without Titles 16. Ethical Captivity: Animal Well-Being in Zoos 17. What a Zoo Should Be: And Ought Not Be Annotated Bibliography of Selected Works on Zoos Index Photo Credits and Attributions
