The Big Cat Diary: Year in the Masai Mara - Hardcover

Jackman, Brian; Scott, Jonathan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0563387521 ISBN 13: 9780563387527

Publisher: BBC Books, 1996

Synopsis

Presenting the animals as characters, this is a study of a year in the lives of lions, cheetahs and leopards, and their relations with other animals of the Masai Mara. The book features personalities such as Half-Tail the leopard and her cubs, and Scruffy and Blondmane, the lone hunters.

About this title

Review

Praise for Big Cat Diary Lion:

'This book offers great insight into lions' lives: their everyday behaviour, their social organisation and their development from cub to adult' Geographical

'The king of beasts inspires a multitude of emotions…this book captures their magic and the day-to-day reality of their lives' Traveller Magazine

Praise for Big Cat Diary Leopard:

'everything you'll ever need to know about the top of the spots' BBC Wildlife

Praise for Big Cat Diary: Cheetah

'Beautifully illustrated with the Scotts' superb photography … a detailed and insightful introduction to these slinky speed machines … the Scotts' anecdotes and reflections give the book a warmth and personality missing from so many of its ilk.' Geographical, Jan 2005

'Unmissable' Wanderlust, Feb 05

'The ultimate armchair-safari insight into one of the fastest creatures on the planet.' ABTA Travelspirit, Feb 05

'Wildlife book of the month' BBC Wildlife

From the Back Cover

Perhaps the most beautiful and adaptable of all predators, leopards are also the most numerous of the world’s big cats. Through the lives of the famous Big Cat Diary leopards, Half-Tail and Shadow, we gain a greater insight into the lives and behviour of these enigmatic creatures. Big Cat Diary: Leopard looks at all aspects of leopard biology, highlights the plight of big cats in general and examines ways in which we can help to conserve them, ensuring they maintain viable breeding populations, have sufficient space to hunt and enough natural prey to survive.

The second in the series of three books accompanying the major BBC television series, Big Cat Diary: Leopard features the leopards of the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. Going beyond the day-to-day footabe, it explores the bigger picture of how leopards survive outside the 1,510 sq. km (60 sp. mile) Reserve.

Jonathan and Angie Scott examine the findings of scientists working elsewhere in Africa such as in the neighbouring Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, the Kalahari desert in Namibia and South Africa’s parks and reserves. Leopards are still found in many coutnries outside Africa, and the authors take the reader on a journey of exploration to discover how leopards are faring in places as far afield as Oman, Sri Lanka, India, and along the snow-clad border separating Russian and China.

The first Big Cat Diary was filmed in 1996, and every two years since the authors have returned to watch the progress of the Mara’s big cat families. Jonathan Scott has written about the Mara leopards for nearly 30 years, and freely admits that they are his favourite animal. Packed with breath-taking photography and first-hand accounts of the leopards featured in the TV series, this companion book is a must-have for all Big Cat fans.

Edition details

• Publisher: BBC Books
• Publication date: 1996
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0563387521
• ISBN 13: 9780563387527
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 192