Against Extinction

by William M. Adams

'Conservation in the 21st century needs to be different and this book is a good indicator of why' Bulletin of British Ecological Society. Against Extinction tells the history of wildlife conservation from its roots in the 19th century, through the foundation of the Society for the Preservation of the Wild Fauna of the Empire in London in 1903 to the huge and diverse international movement of the present day. It vividly portrays conservation's legacy of big game hunting, the battles for the establishment of national parks, the global importance of species conservation and debates over the sustainable use of and trade in wildlife. Bill Adams addresses the big questions and ideas that have driven conservation for the last 100 How can the diversity of life be maintained as human demands on the Earth expand seemingly without limit? How can preservation be reconciled with human rights and the development needs of the poor? Is conservation something that can be imposed by a knowledgeable elite, or is it something that should emerge naturally from people's free choices? These have never been easy questions, and they are as important in the 21st century as at any time in the past. The author takes us on a lively historical journey in search of the answers.

Genres: Nature

328 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Dhruti Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most interesting books I have ever read. I work in the conservation sector, but I think anyone with a passing interest in wildlife, conservation or even social justice and movements would find it enlightening.

The book is a potted history of the development of conservation, from the founders and the philosophy of those founders right up to the current day.

It details protected area conservation both domestically and internationally, species conservation, trade and sustainable development.

The species conservation section listed many species that were on the brink of extinction when this book was written in 2003, and looking up the fate of these species today that had dedicated intervention programmes - they are still with us! Some are still critically endangered but they are nonetheless here and their populations have slowly risen over the last 20 years.

Never has a book given me such hope (and despair) but this book shows that what we value we can and will protect. We have so much power as a species and it’s up to us to decide what we want to use it for.

The road to where we are now has not been easy but I see how things are changing (too slowly,
definitely) but heading in the right direction. So many mistakes have been made, yet lessons have been learned. It gives me hope for the planet and for us as a species, which is something I had a lot less of before I read this book.