The Aye-Aye And I: A Rescue Journey To Save One Of The World's Most Intriguing Creatures From Extinction Download Free (EPUB, PDF)

                
              
The Aye-Aye And I: A Rescue Journey To Save One Of The World's Most Intriguing Creatures From Extinction Download Free (EPUB, PDF)
Here is the riveting tale of Gerald Durrell's adventures and misadventures in the enchanted forests of Madagascar, in search of the elusive Aye-aye. Once thought to be extinct, the Aye-aye, the beast with the magic finger, still lurks, though in fast dwindling numbers, in the forests of Madagascar. Durrell's mission to help save this strange creature turns into a madcap journey in which you will meet not only the enigmatic Aye-aye, but the catlike Fosa, the Flat-tailed tortoise, the Gentle lemurs of Lac Alaotra, and the Malagasy chameleons, among others. Truly nothing escapes Durrell's sharp eye, whether he is describing the great zoma (market), the village dances, the treacherous bridges and river crossings, the strange foods and stranger music, or the vagaries of local officialdom. As the San Francisco Chronicle noted, "It is impossible for Gerald Durrell to write anything that is less than exuberant, eccentric, and amusing." And in his account of this "rescue mission", Durrell is, quite simply, at his superb best.
Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Touchstone (July 12, 1994)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0671884395
ISBN-13: 978-0671884390
Product Dimensions:  5.5 x 0.5 x 8.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
Average Customer Review:  4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #1,541,376 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)   #56 in Books > Science & Math > Nature & Ecology > Field Guides > Mammals   #1502 in Books > Science & Math > Biological Sciences > Animals > Mammals   #4391 in Books > Science & Math > Environment > Environmentalism
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, being already more than sold on the value proposition presented by lemurs of all shapes and sizes. I'm convinced that the lemur is destined to become the most popular primate of the millenium, and this book should be at the top of the charts for those wishing to catch the rising tide of lemur fanatics. The San Francisco Zoo's new Lipman Family Lemur Forest exhibit presents two of only twelve Aye-ayes in the United States, and having visited it recently I now plan to return next weekend to apply the newfound in-depth Aye-aye background I've gleaned from my reading of this book. Moreover, lemurs are but the tip of the iceberg here! Rife with hilarious descriptions of Giant Jumping rats, tortoises, and grubs of all shapes and sizes, Durrell's personal tone, dry wit, and entertaining presentation kept me amused and reading until the wee hours of the morn. I'll be seeking out more of his works, and would happily recommend this to anyone with an interest in lemurs, obscure regions of the world, travel, conservation, the Aye-aye, and furry or reptilian critters, period.
With a career spanning decades and continents, and with a gift for writing witty and articulate accounts of his animal-catching adventures in so many different times & places, it seems predictable that the originality and enthusiasm which Gerald Durrell offers should vary from story to story or from book to book. And they do; some volumes are ecstatically joyous and quite fast-paced, while a few stories drag a bit or feature rather sarcastic caricatures of certain persons. Overall, however, I find Durrell's writing some of the most amusing and informative stuff that I've encountered in the last year. Therefore I have bought a copy of every Gerald Durrell title that I've located. It's quality stuff that I intend to keep long-term and reccomend to friends. "The AyeAye and I" is no exception, and I am pleased to have a hardcover edition. Thanks, !
I came to this book ignorant to the stellar reputation of author Gerald Durrell and his equally stellar rescue efforts for endangered species across the world. All I cared about was learning more about the elusive and, according to some, mystical lemuroid known as the Aye Aye. The Creature with the Magic Finger.In this, the late Gerald Durrell chronicled his departure from Jersey in order to investigate Madagascar for not only the mythical Aye Aye, but also mouse lemurs of Lac Alaotra, the Fosa, golden brown river snakes and flat tailed tortoises. The problem I had with the book that knocked the book down to three wasn't an issue with the author's penchant for verbose language that sometimes veers into the hazardous territory of becoming bloviating. He was English, after all, and at least he was fortunate enough to suffer a vast vocabulary. No, my only significant trial with the book was waiting for the damned Aye Aye to show up, not at all unlike Gerald and his traveling band of biologists, zoologists and hunters.Want to hazard a guess as to how long it takes for the Aye Aye to finally take center stage? If you guessed one hundred and thirty pages, you'd be correct. This is a problem considering the book, at least in paperback, is a mere one hundred and sixty seven pages. So, it's one of those tales that's more about the journey than the destination. I did feel that Durrell could have truncated some of his experiences in the villages and areas of Antanambaobe and Tamatave in order to establish a clearer path to the animal whose namesake graces the front cover.Still, this is not a story for the express sake of telling a story. There is much wisdom in these pages that were meant as a call to arms to do something about the beautiful animals being ravaged and disappearing due to deforestation and illegal poaching. Durrell made animals his life's work. He was lucky enough to be able to write about that work. Bless him wherever the next journey carried him.
Gerald Durrell has written many books on nature including "The Overloaded Ark", "My Family and Other Animals", and "A Zoo in My Luggage". I've greatly enjoyed reading some of these and have found his writing entertaining, informative and very humorous. This book seemed to be a step down compared to his previous writings, not to say this is a bad book, but it's not quite as funny or engaging as his others.Most of this book is an account of an expedition to collect some of the rare lemurs of the island of Madagascar including the rare and fabled Aye-Aye a creature with a strangely elongated finger used for hunting its insect prey. Durrell and crew travel across the country and relate both a travel journey and a biological description of the land. The Jersey Wildlife Perservation Trust is the organization behind this effort and Durrell shows us the difficulties and almost insurmountable obstacles that must be overcome to collect these rare animals and bring them back to the facilities in England where they can be breed , studied and kept safe until reintroduction into their home habitat once that is protected. Also included is a short section on the Islands of Mauritius and projects there.Although this may not be as entertaining as his previous books it is still and important read for those that care about the fate of threatened species and the people that work so hard for their protection.
Long time favorite author. There is no one like Gerald Durrell for those who love nature. One of the all time best authors about those animals that we seldom read about. His books may have been written some time ago and mostly out of print, but never out of date. I am glad he wrote so many, so that there is always one more to read.
Had never gotten hold of a copy before, so was all new to me. Well acquainted with the author and his life story. Loved it--nice low-cost reading copy, all pages intact. Excellent addition to my home library, delightful story.
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