Library Program, Books Highlight Wolves in February
By Chris Wright
We’ve had the Elephant Parade in Dana Point and now the wolves are coming.
Well, not real wolves but a program all about them for children on Thursday, February 6 at 4 p.m., at the Dana Point Library located at 33841 Niguel Road. Skie Bender from Wolf Haven International, a nonprofit sanctuary for captive-born wolves, will tell us all about wolf behavior, biology and social pack structure.
We also have some new and some not so new books about wolves and other endangered animals. Here are some titles you might want to check out.
The Secret World of Red Wolves: The Fight to Save North America’s Other Wolf by T. DeLene Beeland—Published in June 2013, this book is in the “new section” of the library. Find out about the other wolf that is red. And you thought they were only gray.
The Philosopher and the Wolf: Lessons from the Wild on Love, Death, and Happiness by Mark Rowlands—First published in 2008, this fascinating book needs more attention. It’s written by a professor about his wolf companion and man’s relationship with animals. It’s Deep Thoughts 101 and a very insightful book into the human animal, as well showing one can learn a lot from a wolf.
Modoc: The True Story of the Greatest Elephant That Ever Lived by Ralph Helfer—Published in 1997. Move over Lassie and Rin Tin Tin, this is an absolutely incredible story that will stay with you forever. This is one of those books that will leave you wondering why it hasn’t been made into a movie.
A Shadow Falls by Nick Brandt—Published in 2009, A Shadow Falls is a stunning assembly of black and white photos of the endangered elephants of East Africa. The author is a photographer who has set up the Big Life Foundation to collaborate with the communities and governments of the region to preserve one of the greatest populations of elephants left in eastern Africa.
Tigers Forever: Saving the World’s Most Endangered Big Cat by Steve Winter and Sharon Guynup—Published in November 2013 by National Geographic, Tigers Forever is an absolutely beautiful book with unbelievable shots of tigers in the wild throughout the world. It’s more than a coffee table book as it has stories about the efforts of people throughout the world focused on saving and preserving this species- men like Alan Rabinowitz. The library is still obtaining this title.
Life in the Valley of Death: The Fight to Save Tigers in a Land of Guns, Gold, and Greed by Alan Rabinowitz—Published in 2007, this book tells about efforts to save tigers in Burma. It’s an intriguing tale of getting it done in an austere environment with cultural and bureaucratic hurdles at every turn.
Chris Wright is not sure if he lives to read or if he reads to live. He has been a public librarian with the OC Public Libraries since 2006.
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