PAMELA S. TURNER
 
Fearless's Family
Fearless (9-10 months old) with Jean-Paul
Fearless at five, with caretaker Jean-Paul
There now about 720 mountain gorillas in the wild...
...but habitat loss, human disease, and snares still threaten the few remaining members of the species.
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GORILLA DOCTORS: SAVING ENDANGERED GREAT APESHere's a peek at some of the new orphans cared for by the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project:More orphan stories:
Harback ISBN 978-0618445554; paperback ISBN 978-0547014333
*Starred reviews from Kirkus, Horn Book, School Library Journal *Flora Stiglitz Straus Nonfiction Award *ASPCA Henry Bergh Award *American Library Association Notable Book *A Junior Library Guild Selection *A Kirkus Best Book of the Year *NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book Kirkus Reviews: "This is a fascinating look into the work of the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project. Illustrated with stunning photographs, it is a stellar example of children's nonfiction..." 
At left: Lynne Gaffikin (epidemiologist), Felicia Nutter (veterinarian), Jean-Bosco Bizumuremyi (head of anti-poaching efforts in Rwanda for Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International), me, and Chris Whittier (veterinarian) at the Oakland Zoo lecture. Chris is also a talented photographer, and contributed many of the photos in GORILLA DOCTORS. Visit the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project website Half of all royalties from GORILLA DOCTORS go directly to MGVP. The project provides veterinary care to gorillas with any human-induced or life-threatening illnesses or injuries, conducts research on the links between gorilla and human health, and helps care for orphaned gorillas with the hope that these young gorillas will one day be returned to the wild. 
An outstanding science nature title." --Starred review, Kirkus Reviews "Turner introduces the work of the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project...the readable text records their efforts to treat the great apes in the field as they encounter poachers, meet with the loss of habitat, and face their newest threat: disease that can cross species lines." --Starred review, School Library Journal "Excellent photographs prominently feature the scientists at work (predominantly women and people of color in scientific roles) as well as the photogenic gorillas..." --Starred review, The Horn Book "This new addition to the Scientists in the Field series represents the best in science writing. Clearly Turner is committed to telling an important story with accuracy, and she has the literary prowess for the job." --Susan Faust, the San Francisco Chronicle 
The good news on Fearless, the orphan gorilla featured in GORILLA DOCTORS: he is now living with a family of gorillas. The bad news: his "family" consists of TEN other orphaned gorillas. A recent spate of poaching for the pet trade has brought all these young gorillas under the care of MGVP and other gorilla conservation organizations. The orphans are living together in a large enclosure in Rwanda. Eventually, it is hoped that most or all of these gorillas can be returned to the wild--where they belong. In the meantime, these young gorillas live together in a special sanctuary to ensure that when they can be rehabilitated into the forest, they will have the necessary gorilla social skills they will need to survive. |
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