La vida del gorila

by George B. Schaller

"A sensitive and articulate observer, [Schaller] is at his best when he is describing the forest itself . . . . This is an exciting book. Although Schaller feels that this is 'not an adventure book,' few readers will be able to agree."—Irven DeVore, Science

Genres: Animals, Nonfiction, Science, Africa, Nature, Wildlife, Natural History

326 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1964

About the author

George Beals Schaller (born 1933) is an American mammalogist, biologist, conservationist and author. Schaller is recognized by many as the world's preeminent field biologist, studying wildlife throughout Africa, Asia and South America. Born in Berlin, Schaller grew up in Germany, but moved to Missouri as a teen. He is vice president of Panthera Corporation and serves as chairman of their Cat Advisory Council along with renowned conservationist and Panthera CEO Alan Rabinowitz. Schaller is also a senior conservationist at the Bronx Zoo-based Wildlife Conservation Society.

Schaller's work in conservation has resulted in the protection of large stretches of area in the Amazon, Brazil, the Hindu Kush in Pakistan, and forests in Southeast Asia. Due in part to Schaller's work, over 20 parks or preserves worldwide have been established, including Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), the Shey-Phoksundo National Park in Nepal, and the Changtang Nature Reserve in Tibet, one of the world's most significant wildlife refuges. At over 200,000 miles (320,000 km), the Chang Tang Nature Reserve was called "One of the most ambitious attempts to arrest the shrinkage of natural ecosystems," by The New York Times.

Reviews

[earthshattering · Rating 4 out of 5]

The positives of this book are that it really picks up towards the end to an impassioned and educated plea to preserve wildlife habitats in the face of human caused turmoil. My favorite parts are when the stoic scientist gets very descriptive and emotional about the gorillas and the volcanoes. I have admired George Schaller since he appeared as a character in Peter Matthiessen's The Snow Leopard, where his aloofness and dedication to observation of sheep appealed to me. He is indeed a hard-working scientist, and this can be seen in his obsessive dedication to observing the gorillas in the Congo, Ruanda, and Uganda. I really admire the guy.
I was put off by his descriptions of "the Africans", which smacked of intellectual condescension and arrogance. This was released in 1964, when racial tensions were high, and his lofty attitude towards his guards and helpers is clear. He seems so compassionate towards gorillas and mountain flowers, but is quite judgmental when it comes to his own intellectual and behavioral standards for his fellow human being. As he says, "But then man has never learned to treat his own kind with compassion."
I learned many interesting things about gorillas in this book, and have added the Virunga Volcanoes to my places-to-visit bucket list, but the most interesting part was getting a glimpse into the inner workings of a great researcher.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating well-written book by one of the first scientists to study the gorillas of Congo and Rwanda. Schaller and his wife spent two years traveling in East Africa and living among the gorillas as he studied them.

[Vikas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have come to trust in the fate of tide that in times bring curious books to me.

I was skimming through the books shop, in the old books section, under a dusty pile of books with the readers intuition tingling I pulled out this diamond in the ruff, and what a book it was and that too from the 1965 first edition print!!

Welcome to the world of George B scheller a pioneer in field biology, a lifetime conservator a keen observer and an amazing poet with a string of protected wildlife parks all over the world from Arctic park in US to Tibet, Africa, china, India and many more owe there existence to him and the awareness he generated while studying there

This book is about his two year study of congo's mountain gorillas in the virunga volcanos, his description of their behavior, the lush equatorial forest nothing escapes his keen eyes he came to individually identify all the members of all the 10 groups he studied, each gorilla was named like the big daddy, kicker, the outsider, mis September, junior, olive twist , split nose, the list goes on and you come to know each of them individually, combined with the life of Africans , different tribes, their folk tales of the wild, different traveller accounts of the gorillas, and his comparison and Extrapolation of his studies to bigger picture of human behavior and society.

And i truly admire this guy and his dedication to conservation, this is one rich book most important of all it gives a glimpse into the life of conservators and field biologists.
I have added virunga volcanos in my bucket list to trek in the ancient Buffalo tracks where he did and to look at big daddy's descendants! and i can't wait to read all his other books :)

[Anu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Covers an ethologist’s experience in the Virunga region before Dian Fossey arrived and changed the face of gorilla conservation in the region. The author’s obvious love of the mountains and the gorillas kept me going through the 300 odd pages. The research notes on the gorillas daily behaviour was very well written with detailed maps and tables.
His commentary on the natives though, was exceedingly patronising and condescending. Even if we discount the times in which this was written (1960s), the author sounds like a shill espousing colonialism’s greatness in saving the African land from native Africans who are portrayed as simplistic boors. Barf.
At least, it’s better than this book >> https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in anticipation of our upcoming trip to Uganda and gorilla hike at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. What a wonderfully written classic account of Schaller’s experiences studying the mountain gorillas mostly in the Congo starting back in the early 60s. I loved this book both for his descriptions of the gorillas and the account of his and his wife’s everyday life at a primitive cabin near the gorilla’s forest home.

[Joseph C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book defined the gorilla and its environment including all the dangers the gorilla faces with humans. Dian Fossey researched a few years later in the same area.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Schaller describes the full experience of his research on gorillas in the Congo during the 1960s by introducing his work in context. He records his initial study and summary of the year he spent in the Congo. He includes the social, cultural, and political context along with details of what his wife did in support of the research and of her daily, household chores. At times, Schaller is quite lyrical in the portrayal of his experience and what it meant to him. The book demonstrates Schaller's fullness as a human being and his skill as an observer and scientist. Very enjoyable. Recommended for those interested in behavioral ecology, gorillas, natural history travelogues, and the history of conservation.

[Velta Gūtmane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorilas - miermīlīgi veģitārieši, kuru radītais agresīvais tēls tika radīts mākslīgi. Gorilas, kuru padziļināta pētīšana tik veikta ne tik senā pagātnē. Liek aizdomāties, kā sprosta dzīvnieki atšķiras no brīvē dzīvojošiem dzīviekiem. Par cietsidīgiem veidiem kā tika iegūti dzīvnieki muzejiem un zooloģiskajiem dārziem. Par melumednieku draudiem, kas apdraudēja dzivniekus, un krasi samazināja to populāciju. Iepazīt Āfrikas meža biezokņu no jauna. Kenja - kalna gorilas valstība. Brīnumaini stāsti dodoties ar vilcienu ceļā uz Rīgu.

[Antonio Rossano Mendes Pontes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Basically, this book - which I first read back in 1987 when I was still an undergraduate student (an earlier version belonging to my University library), was one of George's books (I bought this version) that shaped my professional life. I learned that I could spend the rest of my life doing what I most loved.

[Hammonrs · Rating 5 out of 5]

These publish dates confuse me, as I read most of my older books before this website says they were published. When I read this book it was refreshing, breakthrough, reporting on a scientific study, written for the layman. Still a good read.

[Valerie]

This is not the edition I saw. If it's the same book, it contains the only reliably documented story of a human being attacked by a gorilla--but, to be fair, in similar circumstances, a human would've killed him. Misunderstanding, of course, but a stupid misunderstanding on Schaller's part.

[E. Slots · Rating 4 out of 5]

In preparation of my gorilla tracking in Virunga (Congo) and Bwindi (Uganda) I read this classic book. It's an unmissable companion on a trip like this. Although written almost 60 years, it still brings the area and of course the behaviour of the gorillas to life.

[Mr. Pe Mr. Pe]

this book is great i recommend this to everyone

[Jeanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

What should have been lovely and interesting was plain and dull.

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up this book while on vacation. One of the first close observations of gorilla behavior.