How the Tiger Lost Its Stripes: An Exploration Into the Endangerment of a Species

by Cory J. Meacham

Drawing on firsthand interviews and investigations, a journalist offers a balanced analysis of the endangerment of the world's pure species of tigers and the role of zoos, scientists, and politics in... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0151002797
• ISBN13: 9780151002795
• Release Date: January 1997
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
• Length: 271 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.2" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

I can only echo Elizabeth Marshall Thomas' praise

Mr. Meacham offers a pragmatic, fact-filled presentation and I have to agree with everything he writes. Having read everything on tigers from Barnes to Zwaenepoel, were I to read "Tiger-Wallahs" again by Geoffrey Ward, in the next edition I would add Mr. Meacham on that list. He interviews tiger conservationists and discusses would-be healers and gurus and their medicine (Aryuveda, e.g.), poachers and sellers of tiger parts in traditional eastern medicine. His book compelling journey into the workings of tiger farms for slaughter, its cooperation with the tiger part trade, and surprisingly he reveals that an inadvertent degree of coziness is involved between the Save the Tiger Fund and the practice of tiger farming! Meacham makes no pretense to be a zoologist but does inspire one to want to BE one. And no, as he begins his book, the tiger is not endangered--zoo and captive tigers, that is. The wild tiger in his glory is endanagered. He goes into more detail about CITES and the validity of the tiger-saving organizations. This guy is "not ready to make nice" and he's telling it like it is.

Articulate, insightful read

Meacham's book presents the issues of tiger conservation articulately and objectively. He does not rely on sentimentality or easy answers. He asks the questions that may be unsavory to some, but in an effort to examine options for the tragic and dire situation of wild tigers. Meacham's writing style flows and each sentence is packed with information. Highly recommend.

Excellent book albeit disturbing

A book that doesn't give us any easy answers. Because there aren't any. Conservation unfortunately is against the rising tide of our population, given that Meacham tries to detail the options, some of which aren't so romantic but they are options none the less.If you have your heart set on rhetoric don't buy this book. If you are more open an objective view of the reality of conservation, buy this book.

Excellent view of the problems of animal conservation

Meacham has presented a wonderfully clear picture of a complicated issue without resorting to sentimentality or hype. He describes the international efforts and the machinations of the organizations involved in tiger conservation. In his dissection of the issues and roadblocks of saving a species, Meacham also gives us a portrait of the tiger: its value and role in both society and the environment. Meacham's writing style, with its informal and sometimes humorous twists, makes for fascinating reading. I'd insist this is a must not only for those interested in tigers, but also for anyone trying to understand the complexities of global conservation activities.