What do you think?
Rate this book
An Indomitable Beast: The Remarkable Journey of the Jaguar
The jaguar is one of the most mysterious and least-known big cats of the world. The largest cat in the Americas, it has survived an onslaught of environmental and human threats partly because of an evolutionary history unique among wild felines, but also because of a power and indomitable spirit so strong, the jaguar has shaped indigenous cultures and the beliefs of early civilizations on two continents.
In An Indomitable The Remarkable Journey of the Jaguar , big-cat expert Alan Rabinowitz shares his own personal journey to conserve a species that, despite its past resilience, is now on a slide toward extinction if something is not done to preserve the pathways it prowls through an ever-changing, ever-shifting landscape dominated by humans. Rabinowitz reveals how he learned from newly available genetic data that the jaguar was a single species connected genetically throughout its entire range from Mexico to Argentina, making it unique among all other large carnivores in the world. In a mix of personal discovery and scientific inquiry, he sweeps his readers deep into the realm of the jaguar, offering fascinating accounts from the field. Enhanced with maps, tables, and color plates, An Indomitable Beast brings important new research to life for scientists, anthropologists, and animal lovers alike.
This book is not only about jaguars, but also about tenacity and survival. From the jaguar we can learn better strategies for saving other species and also how to save ourselves when faced with immediate and long-term catastrophic changes to our environment.
In An Indomitable The Remarkable Journey of the Jaguar , big-cat expert Alan Rabinowitz shares his own personal journey to conserve a species that, despite its past resilience, is now on a slide toward extinction if something is not done to preserve the pathways it prowls through an ever-changing, ever-shifting landscape dominated by humans. Rabinowitz reveals how he learned from newly available genetic data that the jaguar was a single species connected genetically throughout its entire range from Mexico to Argentina, making it unique among all other large carnivores in the world. In a mix of personal discovery and scientific inquiry, he sweeps his readers deep into the realm of the jaguar, offering fascinating accounts from the field. Enhanced with maps, tables, and color plates, An Indomitable Beast brings important new research to life for scientists, anthropologists, and animal lovers alike.
This book is not only about jaguars, but also about tenacity and survival. From the jaguar we can learn better strategies for saving other species and also how to save ourselves when faced with immediate and long-term catastrophic changes to our environment.
264 pages, Hardcover
First published August 5, 2014
17 people are currently reading
246 people want to read
About the author
Alan Rabinowitz
35 books54 followersAlan Robert Rabinowitz was an American zoologist, conservationist, field biologist and the CEO of Panthera, a nonprofit conservation organization devoted to protecting the world's 37 wild cat species. Called the "Indiana Jones of Wildlife Protection" by Time, Rabinowitz has studied jaguars, clouded leopards, Asiatic leopards, tigers, Sumatran rhinos, bears, leopard cats, raccoons, and civets. Today, Rabinowitz’s work focused on conserving the world’s largest, most imperiled cats—tigers, lions, jaguars, and snow leopards—and their habitats.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
February 2, 2016
An enjoyable and informative read into the ecology, evolution, history, genetics and conservation of the jaguar, from a well written and well respected voice. It is quite technical in parts; but I personally found it extremely readable, and in a tone that should appeal to those with an interest in science, but without requiring you to be an expert. I enjoyed the personal comments and stories, and found the book compelling. I am a big fan of wild cats; and of animals and conservation in general, and I found this book interesting and fascinating. I would consider myself fairly experienced in genetics, as I work with the breeding of exotic animals (although in my case, primarily reptiles), and I especially enjoyed the section covering DNA testing. Conservation books often end on a rather depressing note, because the fate of the world and the animals in it, is a little doom and gloom, but this book had a positive spin on things, and left me feeling hopeful.
This is a book that I'd highly recommend to anyone interested in conservation, science, and animal history, or those with a passion for the jaguar or wild cats.
This is a book that I'd highly recommend to anyone interested in conservation, science, and animal history, or those with a passion for the jaguar or wild cats.
January 18, 2023
Prior to obtaining this book, I had done some quick google searches on books about Jaguars. Being one of my favorite animals, (second favorite, to be exact; just behind Saltwater Crocodiles) I wanted to learn more about them. This was one of the first books that popped up and seemed to be more reviewed than others, so I decided to try it out.
Unfortunately, this isn't quite what I expected. Much of the first half of the book is spent talking about evolution, spiritual ties to the animal with the tribes and indigenous people, and hookworms.
Not anything I particularly cared that much about. The narrative also felt a bit unfocused and inconclusive.
Fortunately, we did get details of Rabinowitz's conservation efforts and details of the behaviors and characteristics of the Jaguar - within the last 50 or so pages. That's what I came to this book for, and it was here, but it was too little and too late.
All in all, this book isn't exactly what I was looking for - but it isn't entirely without merit, either. I admire Rabinowitz for his hard work and dedication into aiding in the preservation of this beautiful species of big cat.
Unfortunately, this isn't quite what I expected. Much of the first half of the book is spent talking about evolution, spiritual ties to the animal with the tribes and indigenous people, and hookworms.
Not anything I particularly cared that much about. The narrative also felt a bit unfocused and inconclusive.
Fortunately, we did get details of Rabinowitz's conservation efforts and details of the behaviors and characteristics of the Jaguar - within the last 50 or so pages. That's what I came to this book for, and it was here, but it was too little and too late.
All in all, this book isn't exactly what I was looking for - but it isn't entirely without merit, either. I admire Rabinowitz for his hard work and dedication into aiding in the preservation of this beautiful species of big cat.
May 31, 2018
Non fiction is definitely not something I enjoy but I needed to read a non fiction book to complete a challenge so I found one that was about big cats. Big cats have always fascinated me. My frequent rips to the zoo always started and ended with the big cats...especially the jaguars and leopards. Who knew that jaguars actually started life out in the frozen wastes of Siberia millions of years ago? I always thought they were tropical kitties. You learn something new everyday.
This is an educational look at more than just the jaguar. It takes you on a historical tour of the creation of earth including the early mammals and how man was the biggest threat to the big cats and every other animal. (well that certainly hasn't changed.)
Not something I'd read again but interesting enough to keep me turning pages.
This is an educational look at more than just the jaguar. It takes you on a historical tour of the creation of earth including the early mammals and how man was the biggest threat to the big cats and every other animal. (well that certainly hasn't changed.)
Not something I'd read again but interesting enough to keep me turning pages.
April 24, 2019
In mostly workmanlike prose Alan Rabinowitz traces the life of the jaguar from its early appearances to today. His efforts at understanding and conserving this creature, in the field and with the help of other people and organizations, is good to read about, and the creation of the Jaguar Cultural Corridor, leading from south america through central america to mexico, is a major feat. The book could have benefitted from a bit more editing and a much more comprehensive index, but aside from those things and the prose, this is well worth reading. It made a long airplane flight shorter.
October 6, 2018
A really insightful and inspiring introduction to jaguar conservation. As someone who has been working in this field for over a year I found it incredibly relevant to the work we are doing, and I also believe it would be a great introduction to someone without a background in the field.
It covers both jaguar behavior and the thought-process behind the jaguar corridor initiative put in place by Panthera, a pan-international model for conserving the biggest cat in the Americas.
I also feel the author uses simple terminology and language that resonates, and it is this as much as the content that make it worth reading.
It covers both jaguar behavior and the thought-process behind the jaguar corridor initiative put in place by Panthera, a pan-international model for conserving the biggest cat in the Americas.
I also feel the author uses simple terminology and language that resonates, and it is this as much as the content that make it worth reading.
December 31, 2015
Alan Rabinowitz begins his compelling story of the jaguar with two experiences of meeting one. The first was in the zoo, as a child. The second, more than two decades later, is set in Belize, a key part of the ‘Jaguar Corridor’ that Rabinowitz has fought to preserve through Mesoamerica and into the northern parts of South America. Tracking a large animal but deciding it was a lost cause, he turns on the path only to find the jaguar he thought he was following has been tracking him. The huge cat sits down to watch him, and Rabinowitz does likewise. Eventually, they both go peacefully on their separate ways.
Rabinowitz recalls his boyhood visits to see the jaguar in the local zoo as a crucial influence on his career: when he left university, he went to work on a jaguar research project and then went on to set up the first-ever jaguar reserve, in Belize. He then moved away from work on jaguars only to return to them later and become the mover behind Latin American governments' formal recognition of the Jaguar Corridor, El Paseo Panthera. To achieve this he has of course become an expert on the animal, and especially of what he calls its 'jaguarness' – what makes it different from other big cats in temperament and behaviour, and specifically what characteristics allow it to survive or even prosper in close proximity to man. To do this he goes back to the origins of the jaguar in the Pleistocene when, millennia before man would make the same journey, the jaguar's ancestors crossed what is now the Bering Strait and was then a land bridge, eventually reaching and crossing another (more recent) land bridge, the one joining the two American continents at Panama. In doing so the big cats adapted to the extremes of climate from Siberian tundra to tropical forests – and did so better than other big cat species.
It was the American branch of the originally much more widely distributed jaguar family that survived as the others died off. Today its range, though much reduced, is still extensive, and still bridges two continents. Furthermore, DNA testing has shown that jaguars in Mexico are still the same species as those in – say – Paraguay, testifying to the fact that fertile males must still travel long distances up and down the corridor. An important reason why they have been able to do this is that they have been less threatened by man than other big cats. Many of the Pre-Colombian civilisations such as the Aztecs, Maya and Inca regarded jaguars with great respect or even as deities. Soon after the conquistadores arrived, there was in any case a huge fall in population numbers as disease, enslavement and conquest killed a high proportion of the indigenous peoples: as a result, jaguars prospered in areas that were much more sparsely inhabited. In modern times, while there is conflict between ranchers and the big cats, it is not on the scale of such problems in say Africa or India (in respect of lions and tigers). Nor are jaguar body-parts sought for their supposed medicinal benefits. Most importantly, as Rabinowitz shows, jaguars generally avoid contact with humans rather than threatening them: they are perfectly capable of picking their way quietly around cultivated areas at night time to move from one area of forest to another, without the inhabitants even being aware they are doing so.
For all these reasons, combined with his own political work in persuading governments to adopt a common project of protecting the jaguar, Rabinowitz is optimistic about its future. I sincerely hope he's right. As a resident of Nicaragua, part of the Jaguar Corridor which has one of the fastest rates of deforestation in Latin America, I would love to share his optimism and his faith in the jaguar's ability to survive.
Rabinowitz recalls his boyhood visits to see the jaguar in the local zoo as a crucial influence on his career: when he left university, he went to work on a jaguar research project and then went on to set up the first-ever jaguar reserve, in Belize. He then moved away from work on jaguars only to return to them later and become the mover behind Latin American governments' formal recognition of the Jaguar Corridor, El Paseo Panthera. To achieve this he has of course become an expert on the animal, and especially of what he calls its 'jaguarness' – what makes it different from other big cats in temperament and behaviour, and specifically what characteristics allow it to survive or even prosper in close proximity to man. To do this he goes back to the origins of the jaguar in the Pleistocene when, millennia before man would make the same journey, the jaguar's ancestors crossed what is now the Bering Strait and was then a land bridge, eventually reaching and crossing another (more recent) land bridge, the one joining the two American continents at Panama. In doing so the big cats adapted to the extremes of climate from Siberian tundra to tropical forests – and did so better than other big cat species.
It was the American branch of the originally much more widely distributed jaguar family that survived as the others died off. Today its range, though much reduced, is still extensive, and still bridges two continents. Furthermore, DNA testing has shown that jaguars in Mexico are still the same species as those in – say – Paraguay, testifying to the fact that fertile males must still travel long distances up and down the corridor. An important reason why they have been able to do this is that they have been less threatened by man than other big cats. Many of the Pre-Colombian civilisations such as the Aztecs, Maya and Inca regarded jaguars with great respect or even as deities. Soon after the conquistadores arrived, there was in any case a huge fall in population numbers as disease, enslavement and conquest killed a high proportion of the indigenous peoples: as a result, jaguars prospered in areas that were much more sparsely inhabited. In modern times, while there is conflict between ranchers and the big cats, it is not on the scale of such problems in say Africa or India (in respect of lions and tigers). Nor are jaguar body-parts sought for their supposed medicinal benefits. Most importantly, as Rabinowitz shows, jaguars generally avoid contact with humans rather than threatening them: they are perfectly capable of picking their way quietly around cultivated areas at night time to move from one area of forest to another, without the inhabitants even being aware they are doing so.
For all these reasons, combined with his own political work in persuading governments to adopt a common project of protecting the jaguar, Rabinowitz is optimistic about its future. I sincerely hope he's right. As a resident of Nicaragua, part of the Jaguar Corridor which has one of the fastest rates of deforestation in Latin America, I would love to share his optimism and his faith in the jaguar's ability to survive.
June 9, 2021
During the first few chapters, I was thinking, "meh". Not about Alan's work mind you. His contributions and dedication to the field of conservation are deserving of the highest praise. No, I was thinking that about the composition of the text itself. I picked up this book wondering if I could utilize it as a required text in an upper division undergraduate environmental science course. The early parts are rather repetitive. With editing those chapters could easily be condensed. Early on the cultural context of the jaguar is discussed, not too much the scienctific aspects. So, I found myself thinking, this would be more fitting for a freshman level course perhaps, but I also developed a degree program in Human Ecology for my institution. Toward the end, Alan starts making the case that his scientific studies did not entirely prepare him for all of the politics he had to surmount to save the jaguar. The scientific aspects ramp up latter half, and now I'm sold. I didn't get the environmental science text I had hoped, but I did get a great Human Ecology text.
November 6, 2015
This book was spectacular from start to finish. It was a perfect blend of ecology, evolution, and history about the jaguar. Add to that some really interesting data about the current state of jaguar preservation and the history of jaguar conservation. The writing style was clear and concise also, without getting bogged down like some science-centric books can get.
There were several times that I bookmarked something, and then ran to find my fiance because I wanted to share some new fact I just read.
I received a copy of this book for free from netgallery in exchange for an honest review.
There were several times that I bookmarked something, and then ran to find my fiance because I wanted to share some new fact I just read.
I received a copy of this book for free from netgallery in exchange for an honest review.
November 21, 2014
Sometimes too technical to hold my interest, but on the whole quite a good description of the species, the only one of the big cats that has no subspecies. The author was fascinated with the jaguar from a very early age and has spent a large part of his life trying to discover the essence of "jaguarness."
May 16, 2016
An informative read, but I could have used some more information about the actual animals habits and less about the author. But I guess that is the trouble for researchers who study secretive animals their habits remain secrets. :)
March 1, 2015
Some interesting stuff about the jaguar, somewhat overshadowed by the author's high self-regard.
April 22, 2022
Probably the most personal of the four books that I have read from the late Dr Rabinowitz, and I believe his last as well. Unfortunate for the conservation cause as he could write well and communicate scientific ideas to the general audience. The jaguar was the author's favorite animal since he was a young boy staring obsessively at a captive one at the Bronx Zoo. He would grow up to be a voice and champion for all big cats, and I daresay no one else has done as much for them as this one man, a larger than life character.
Rabinowitz was a classic Type A personality whose intensity and energy drove him ever forwards through some of the harshest terrain for a field biologist, in the days before lighter and more powerful electronics made collecting field data less of a physical chore. A protege of the legendary George Schaller, who saw the potential in a young freshly minted PhD and sent him on a one man mission to study jaguars in Belize in the early 1980s. With the benefit of perspective gained in the decades since he published a book about that experience, Rabinowitz collated all the knowledge of jaguars he had garnered over the years, and detailed not just the biology but the cultural and historical context of their world in central and south America. With the benefit of a generous source of funding with the formation of the NGO Panthera, he could execute his dream of creating an extensive network of conservation areas called the Jaguar Corridor that hopes to ensure continued gene flow among the entire metapopulation in Latin America. What he saw and experienced in Asia with the seemingly hopeless plight of tigers jolted him to attempt what I would call a pre-emptive action to prevent the same thing happening to his favorite cat in the neotropics.
This book was the author's ode to the jaguar, but arguably the least threatened of the five cats in the genus Panthera (lion, tiger, leopard and snow leopard). With a stronghold population numbering over 50,000 in the Amazon basin, I wonder if conservation funds could be better allocated to the other congeneric cats, even though I can see the logic of enacting preventive measures in the Americas.
RIP Alan Rabinowitz, may your conservation legacy last and continue to inspire others, and thank you for sharing your experiences.
Rabinowitz was a classic Type A personality whose intensity and energy drove him ever forwards through some of the harshest terrain for a field biologist, in the days before lighter and more powerful electronics made collecting field data less of a physical chore. A protege of the legendary George Schaller, who saw the potential in a young freshly minted PhD and sent him on a one man mission to study jaguars in Belize in the early 1980s. With the benefit of perspective gained in the decades since he published a book about that experience, Rabinowitz collated all the knowledge of jaguars he had garnered over the years, and detailed not just the biology but the cultural and historical context of their world in central and south America. With the benefit of a generous source of funding with the formation of the NGO Panthera, he could execute his dream of creating an extensive network of conservation areas called the Jaguar Corridor that hopes to ensure continued gene flow among the entire metapopulation in Latin America. What he saw and experienced in Asia with the seemingly hopeless plight of tigers jolted him to attempt what I would call a pre-emptive action to prevent the same thing happening to his favorite cat in the neotropics.
This book was the author's ode to the jaguar, but arguably the least threatened of the five cats in the genus Panthera (lion, tiger, leopard and snow leopard). With a stronghold population numbering over 50,000 in the Amazon basin, I wonder if conservation funds could be better allocated to the other congeneric cats, even though I can see the logic of enacting preventive measures in the Americas.
RIP Alan Rabinowitz, may your conservation legacy last and continue to inspire others, and thank you for sharing your experiences.
July 12, 2023
Leading wild cat conservationist talks about his experience coming up doing fieldwork with jaguars and the logistics of implementing a continental scale system of corridors between populations. Also goes into a (not too sloppy) history of the cultural place of jaguars across the precolumbian Americas. Probably the highlight of the book is that he combines this cultural history, chats he's had with people who live in jaguar country, zookeeper testimonials, evolutionary history, and biogeography to produce a sketch of the *kind of being* a jaguar is, and how that relates to the humans who coexist with them.
Jaguars are apparently a lot more risk-averse and deliberate than lions or tigers, and there have been very few documented cases of physical aggression towards humans in the wild. The author even describes halting a charging jaguar in its tracks just by yelling at it, after which the animal reluctantly walked away, rage seemingly contained at will. This was one of the most interesting suggestions to me - jaguars seem to have a calculative intelligence that surpasses that of lions or tigers, which are more used to just throwing their weight around. The Neotropics are in general a very dangerous place to be injured in (risk of infection etc), and unlike lions and tigers jaguars didn't co-evolve with humans through the Pleistocene. Pretty compelling case.
Most conflict comes in the form of livestock predation, and even that seems to be exacerbated greatly by human aggression - most 'problem individuals' are found to have healed shotgun wounds, and in most ranches mortality by jaguar is a small issue compared to e.g. disease or infection. The generalized hostility that ranchers display towards them contrasts with the various attitudes that (even thoroughly modernized) indigenous communities have. There are many ways of coexisting with them and there is a palpable pride and strength that comes from knowing they're around and that the stories you hear from your grandparents aren't about a lost world.
I really did appreciate the uniqueness of this book and this man's experience, but there was always a suggestion of an Indiana Jones-type colonial adventurism behind the genuine concerns and curiosity. A more complete picture might also have said something more about the coordinated global interests actually responsible for the threats to the ecosystems jaguars live in instead of just promoting the NGO he founded, even if the stories about heroically petitioning various national governments are pretty entertaining.
Jaguars are apparently a lot more risk-averse and deliberate than lions or tigers, and there have been very few documented cases of physical aggression towards humans in the wild. The author even describes halting a charging jaguar in its tracks just by yelling at it, after which the animal reluctantly walked away, rage seemingly contained at will. This was one of the most interesting suggestions to me - jaguars seem to have a calculative intelligence that surpasses that of lions or tigers, which are more used to just throwing their weight around. The Neotropics are in general a very dangerous place to be injured in (risk of infection etc), and unlike lions and tigers jaguars didn't co-evolve with humans through the Pleistocene. Pretty compelling case.
Most conflict comes in the form of livestock predation, and even that seems to be exacerbated greatly by human aggression - most 'problem individuals' are found to have healed shotgun wounds, and in most ranches mortality by jaguar is a small issue compared to e.g. disease or infection. The generalized hostility that ranchers display towards them contrasts with the various attitudes that (even thoroughly modernized) indigenous communities have. There are many ways of coexisting with them and there is a palpable pride and strength that comes from knowing they're around and that the stories you hear from your grandparents aren't about a lost world.
I really did appreciate the uniqueness of this book and this man's experience, but there was always a suggestion of an Indiana Jones-type colonial adventurism behind the genuine concerns and curiosity. A more complete picture might also have said something more about the coordinated global interests actually responsible for the threats to the ecosystems jaguars live in instead of just promoting the NGO he founded, even if the stories about heroically petitioning various national governments are pretty entertaining.
March 25, 2024
There are aspects of this book that can only be described as racist and uncomfortable. I will not spend too much time on this, as it does not negate the genuine conservation value of this book, but nor does that conservation value absolve it of its problems, so they must be named.
Rabinowitz works to weave a personal narrative into this book to guide the reader through the story, provide relatability, and build suspense. He also calls back to his earlier books at several points. However, Rabinowitz seems to have been a scientist before he was an author, and the narrative aspect is not achieved well. It comes across as distracting and, for some, self-centered; for others, it is just annoying because it’s several chapters that have almost nothing to do with the jaguars themselves. There are also sections that feel like they should be crafted with more care— such as when he describes the death of a worker— which, while the text itself does not directly call back to his previous book, the instructors who assigned my peers and I this book dismissed our critique by saying we should just read his other book where he discussed it more. I find this weak. This book is not one of a series. This is a stand alone book and does not stand strong on its own. The suspense it builds does not pay off well.
However, this is one of the only conservation stories that has a positive ending, and that is invaluable. The genuinely incredible work it describes is deeply meaningful to read about and gain a better understanding of. This is a conservation book that anyone with an interest in popular science can read; so much scientific literature is wildly inaccessible, but this requires no prior knowledge. It is best listened to as opposed to traditionally read, in my experience (I used Speechify), but if you want to better understand the importance of wildlife corridors (which are all the rage in conservation now, but weren’t well known at the time), and read some positive news about conservation, I’d recommend this book.
Rabinowitz works to weave a personal narrative into this book to guide the reader through the story, provide relatability, and build suspense. He also calls back to his earlier books at several points. However, Rabinowitz seems to have been a scientist before he was an author, and the narrative aspect is not achieved well. It comes across as distracting and, for some, self-centered; for others, it is just annoying because it’s several chapters that have almost nothing to do with the jaguars themselves. There are also sections that feel like they should be crafted with more care— such as when he describes the death of a worker— which, while the text itself does not directly call back to his previous book, the instructors who assigned my peers and I this book dismissed our critique by saying we should just read his other book where he discussed it more. I find this weak. This book is not one of a series. This is a stand alone book and does not stand strong on its own. The suspense it builds does not pay off well.
However, this is one of the only conservation stories that has a positive ending, and that is invaluable. The genuinely incredible work it describes is deeply meaningful to read about and gain a better understanding of. This is a conservation book that anyone with an interest in popular science can read; so much scientific literature is wildly inaccessible, but this requires no prior knowledge. It is best listened to as opposed to traditionally read, in my experience (I used Speechify), but if you want to better understand the importance of wildlife corridors (which are all the rage in conservation now, but weren’t well known at the time), and read some positive news about conservation, I’d recommend this book.
December 10, 2020
Can you imagine setting the entire course of your professional life when you are just five years old? A significant speech challenge early in life could have silenced the author, Alan Rabinowitz, but his empathy and compassion for the big cats gave him the courage to push forward. Rabinowitz would travel the world, persuade politicians to establish protections for the jaguar and he would challenge convention in pursuit of scientific accuracy. In doing so, Rabinowitz established the Jaguar Corridor Initiative.
But the story doesn’t end there.
To read the rest of my review and find more resources about owls, come on over to: http://comfortmewithnature.com
And thanks for reading!
But the story doesn’t end there.
To read the rest of my review and find more resources about owls, come on over to: http://comfortmewithnature.com
And thanks for reading!
February 1, 2017
Not nearly as entertaining or absorbing as the author's other books, especially his first. This one was about half filled with tales of big cats, while the other half was on research techniques and charitable initiatives. All are important, but not thrilling reading material.
September 3, 2018
Great work Rabinowitz was a brilliant researcher.
April 2, 2023
Another fantastic read from Alan, although much different from his other works. Was really interesting and informative to read a first-hand account of a global meeting of some of the most prominent big cat and jaguar-specific wildlife biologists in the world. The methodology used to establish and ground-truth the jaguar corridor was awesome to learn about. The perseverance of Alan to undertake more field work despite his declining health and struggling marriage was admirable to say the least. Wish he was still around to see this project's growth and add to it, and his, legacy. RIP to a pioneer in wildlife conservation.
September 2, 2014
An Indomitable Beast
Alan Rabinowitz' new book showcases not only his lifetime of work, but the magnificent animal that inspired it. As a boy, Rabinowitz stuttered terribly in the presence of humans, but could speak his heart to animals. One day, struck by the mystery of wilderness and otherness in the eyes of a young jaguar, he vowed to speak for the voiceless animals when he grew older. He has spent his lifetime helping to study and conserve wild animals and their habitat and now concentrates on the big cats through the organization Panthera. The jaguar remains close to his heart not only as the embodied voice of the wild, but as a potential success in survival.
An Indomitable Beast tells the story of the jaguar as we know it, from its beginning as a species, its presence around the world, to its precarious success in the face of human expansion across the globe and into its territory. In telling Rabinowitz' story, too, from that life-changing moment, through years of schooling, the thrill of a young man's success, the humbling of life and work, the book gives us a glimpse at the growth of the conservation and ecology movements. In the cascade of habitat loss and extinction, it's hard to remember sometimes that we haven't been trying to undo the consequences of humanity for very long compared to how long we've been around.
The jaguar is the epitome of adaptation in the big cat world, changing its diet to match the available food sources, sticking to the shadows and byways, always choosing to avoid humans rather than confront them, a reluctant and wounded warrior. Perhaps it is the perfect animal to help us realize that when we destroy other top predators, our competition, our environment, we destroy ourselves. Although pictures were not included in the e-galley provided to this reviewer, one could imagine a picture book for adults made from the impassioned last section of the book, which is both a paean to the jaguar's beauty and tenacity, and a plea for its future, twined with our own. Recommended.
Alan Rabinowitz' new book showcases not only his lifetime of work, but the magnificent animal that inspired it. As a boy, Rabinowitz stuttered terribly in the presence of humans, but could speak his heart to animals. One day, struck by the mystery of wilderness and otherness in the eyes of a young jaguar, he vowed to speak for the voiceless animals when he grew older. He has spent his lifetime helping to study and conserve wild animals and their habitat and now concentrates on the big cats through the organization Panthera. The jaguar remains close to his heart not only as the embodied voice of the wild, but as a potential success in survival.
An Indomitable Beast tells the story of the jaguar as we know it, from its beginning as a species, its presence around the world, to its precarious success in the face of human expansion across the globe and into its territory. In telling Rabinowitz' story, too, from that life-changing moment, through years of schooling, the thrill of a young man's success, the humbling of life and work, the book gives us a glimpse at the growth of the conservation and ecology movements. In the cascade of habitat loss and extinction, it's hard to remember sometimes that we haven't been trying to undo the consequences of humanity for very long compared to how long we've been around.
The jaguar is the epitome of adaptation in the big cat world, changing its diet to match the available food sources, sticking to the shadows and byways, always choosing to avoid humans rather than confront them, a reluctant and wounded warrior. Perhaps it is the perfect animal to help us realize that when we destroy other top predators, our competition, our environment, we destroy ourselves. Although pictures were not included in the e-galley provided to this reviewer, one could imagine a picture book for adults made from the impassioned last section of the book, which is both a paean to the jaguar's beauty and tenacity, and a plea for its future, twined with our own. Recommended.
August 8, 2017
This is the second book by Rabinowitz that I have read, the first being "Life in the Valley of Death," about the author's tiger conservation efforts in Myanmar. This book was more interesting to me, as it focused more on the on-the-ground mechanics of conservation projects in progress. There were plenty of cultural, historical, and political elements, too, since these represent the realities of conservation work, but the increased focus on setting up reserves and corridors really catered to my interests.
The creation of these corridors is the central idea of this book. The outlook for these areas linking jaguar populations, happily, seems optimistic. The state of conservation in Central and South America seems altogether different than what Rabinowitz encountered elsewhere in the world, especially in Asia.
That said, I would like to see even more specific details. Rabinowitz mentions that the life of "at least one" jaguar was lost during his early trapping efforts. I would be interested to read about these failures or difficulties he encountered, as well as the successes that are featured in the book already (though to be fair, some of this may be in his earlier book about jaguars, which I have not read). Additionally, I would not mind seeing more technical information: there is a brief mention of an aurochs DNA restoration project and its potential impact upon jaguars. While understandably outside the book's scope, this passing mention comes across as far-fetched without further explanation.
Thanks to the publisher, Island Press, for providing a review copy of this book via NetGalley.com. I did encounter some formatting issues in the ebook version of this title, including some paragraph and line spacing issues, as well as some missing plates and maps. This may be because of the .pdf format in which the title was provided and may not be present in the retail version.
The creation of these corridors is the central idea of this book. The outlook for these areas linking jaguar populations, happily, seems optimistic. The state of conservation in Central and South America seems altogether different than what Rabinowitz encountered elsewhere in the world, especially in Asia.
That said, I would like to see even more specific details. Rabinowitz mentions that the life of "at least one" jaguar was lost during his early trapping efforts. I would be interested to read about these failures or difficulties he encountered, as well as the successes that are featured in the book already (though to be fair, some of this may be in his earlier book about jaguars, which I have not read). Additionally, I would not mind seeing more technical information: there is a brief mention of an aurochs DNA restoration project and its potential impact upon jaguars. While understandably outside the book's scope, this passing mention comes across as far-fetched without further explanation.
Thanks to the publisher, Island Press, for providing a review copy of this book via NetGalley.com. I did encounter some formatting issues in the ebook version of this title, including some paragraph and line spacing issues, as well as some missing plates and maps. This may be because of the .pdf format in which the title was provided and may not be present in the retail version.
September 6, 2014
I love reading Alan Rabinowitz's books, you can feel his passion for the big cats that he tries to save, through the pages of his books. In his newest book, Alan writes a more historical book than his usual in the field studying big cats. In this book, Alan describes the origins of the first jaguars to come from the old world to the new world. The timing takes place during the ice age all the way to the jaguars that Alan and his team, at Panthera, are trying to save today.
This could have easily been a very boring read. But, thanks to Alan's great story telling, this book is a page turning great read. I learned so much about Jaguars will reading this book. Its amazing how much this cat has gone through in its species' history and survived to be around today.
This could have easily been a very boring read. But, thanks to Alan's great story telling, this book is a page turning great read. I learned so much about Jaguars will reading this book. Its amazing how much this cat has gone through in its species' history and survived to be around today.
March 23, 2015
Discovered this book from a review, "The Jaguar Whisperer", in 'New Scientist'. What riveted me was this: "When Alan Rabinowitz was a child he had a problem: he had a stutter so severe it left him unable to utter a complete sentence to another person. Like many who stutter, however, Rabinowitz could talk freely to animals."
This is about not only a personal plight to study and conserve a species, but a personal journey to understand himself and all other species. "He promised the animals he would find his voice, and then speak for the creatures that couldn't." The book exemplary reviews the natural history of the jaguar and a man that kept his promise.
This is about not only a personal plight to study and conserve a species, but a personal journey to understand himself and all other species. "He promised the animals he would find his voice, and then speak for the creatures that couldn't." The book exemplary reviews the natural history of the jaguar and a man that kept his promise.
July 4, 2015
An Indomitable Beast: The Remarkable Journey of the Jaguar by Alan Rabinowitz (Island Press 2014) (599.755). This is an overview of the state of the jaguar in the wild as of 2014. Author Alan Rabinowitz is one of the leading researchers and experts of the species; he defines what must happen in order to keep this big cat safe from extinction. NOTE: Alan Rabinowitz received his initial training at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville by studying black bears in the Great Smokies. My rating: 7/10, finished 7/4/15.
December 28, 2016
NF Science
230 pages
The Jaguar has been around for millions of years. Alan Rabinowitz takes us on the Jaguar journey from then to now and hopefully its future. An amazing animal! Thankfully the Jaguar has amazing people to protect it.
Went to a talk he gave at the AMNH.
He is an interesting man with an amazing job.
He is from the Bronx (I think) . As a young boy he spent a lot of time at the Bronx Zoo.
230 pages
The Jaguar has been around for millions of years. Alan Rabinowitz takes us on the Jaguar journey from then to now and hopefully its future. An amazing animal! Thankfully the Jaguar has amazing people to protect it.
Went to a talk he gave at the AMNH.
He is an interesting man with an amazing job.
He is from the Bronx (I think) . As a young boy he spent a lot of time at the Bronx Zoo.
October 26, 2014
I have always been a big fan of big cats. Great read for someone who is a leading voice for big cats. The Jaguar's fate seems to be better than the Siberian Tigers because of cultural and biological differences which make for a great read not just about big cats but about science, evolution, and culture. Big thumbs up and going to make it a point to read all. His other books.
March 5, 2015
This book is amazing! It has changed me in some deep way. I now have a greater passion for Conservationism and for this cat. Alan is a talented writer and I'm adding his books to my list of must read.
While I got lost in the Prehistory bit, the story of Alan's fight for the jaguar and his search for a solution to endangerment touched me.
Read this book. That is all I can say.
While I got lost in the Prehistory bit, the story of Alan's fight for the jaguar and his search for a solution to endangerment touched me.
Read this book. That is all I can say.
July 10, 2016
This book concentrates on the role of the jaguar in native cultures and on conservation of the cat. Interesting material on the evolution of the jaguar. I preferred his earlier book, "Jaguar", which described his field work.
November 25, 2025
First hand stories of the fight for the jaguar corridor throughout south and Central America. One star off due to some outdated views.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews