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The book itself is fine, but I will be reluctant to purchase used books in the future. I was somewhat disappointed in the condition of the book that was listed as "very good condition". It was a library book with stickers all over it and worn cover.
I also brought along "Wildlife of East Africa," published by Princeton Pocket Guides, which is a more glossy, pictorial treatment, and does fit in your pocket. Not a bad book to have around the house to remember the journey either. I brought this book along for a Safari in Tanzania and was very glad I brought it. I found that the two books went together nicely: one to give you the glossy color picture and a thumbnail description, and the other to offer a non-glossy, more thorough description.Anyway, Estes seems like a terrific authority, and I would definitely recommend bringing this book on Safari. The book might be a tad bigger and thicker than one would want to travel with, but it paid dividends in offering much more interesting and complete descriptions of the animals and their behavior. It is very easy to look them up while viewing the animals from the back of a bumpy jeep ride.
I am plowing thru it though, prior to a trip to Botswana, Africa in May 2010. this book is definitely informative but a bit too dry for my taste.
I learned to appreciate Thompsons Gazelles and Oryx a whole lot more after reading this book. Richard Estes' The Safari Companion: A Guide to Watching African Mammals Including Hoofed Mammals, Carnivores, and Primates is a great remedy to this. While other guidebooks might cover the information on elephants and giraffes, Estes' passion is antelopes and it shows in this book. Each chapter follows a set, easy-to-follow pattern with key information.
Taking pictures of the Big 5 is great fun on a safari. In fact, the section on antelopes alone is worth the price of the book.Estes' book is heavy - as befitting a book so packed with information - so you should probably take a smaller, more traditional wildlife checklist on your safari (I recommend Wildlife of East Africa (Princeton Illustrated Checklists), which I used in Uganda and Kenya). Many other guidebooks and safari guides consider antelopes the "junk" game animals, but Estes shows that they are a fascinating and successful group of animals. However, too many safari-goers simply take pictures without understanding the animals they're observing.
They also include a pictorial guide to each animal's behaviors (with images of how, for example, hyenas behave when they're submissive). However, Estes' book is necessary if you want to go beyond simply a photography expedition and actually learn about African mammals. A lot of guidebooks give you information on how to identify a species, but don't really tell you much about the animals themselves (and unfortunately most guides and drivers aren't much help either). Estes treats the major African mammals with the detail of a graduate biology textbook, explaining their evolutionary history, diet, and behavior.
So pleased to take it on Safari in Botswana, extremely helpful in identifying animals and to read beforehand.
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