Forbidden Creatures by Peter Laufer

I think every animal lover has at one time or another wondered what it would be like to own an exotic pet – I know I have. But do we ever stop to think of the consequences to the animal? Do we truly believe that we can love it enough to make up for placing it out of its natural element?

Forbidden Creatures by Investigative Journalist Peter Laufer is a hard look at the underworld of international animal smuggling. In this book Laufer exposes the dangerous world of exotics living in domesticated environments, not only to the animal, but to the owner as well – Travis the chimp made headlines when he brutally attacked his owner.

Laufer also addresses the issues of why people are drawn to exotic animal ownership. Is it ego? Money (10 to 20 billion annually, second only to illegal drug trafficking) or purely out of love? Forbidden Creatures - Inside the World of Animal Smuggling and Exotic Pets uncovers what is being smuggled, from where and why, who is doing the smuggling, and who is doing the buying? As well as what is being done to stop the illegal trading? And what does the future holds for these endangered animals?

Forbidden Creatures is a fascinating look not only at animal behaviour, but also of the people who own them. Check it out at your local book store or on Amazon.com

All Things Furry and Feathered Week

To kick off, "All Things Furry and Feathered" week, I have my review of, Bones of the Tiger.

Check it out!

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Bones of the Tiger
by Hemanta Mishra

2010 is the Year of the Tiger. The next one is 2022. Will there be any tigers left to celebrate?

These majestic beasts once roamed in numbers up to 100,000 in 1939. Today, there are a mere 3,000 left in the wild and this number is declining. Poaching and habitat destruction are the main cause of this animals demise. Efforts must be put in place in order to stop the tiger from complete extinction.

Bones of the Tiger – Protecting the Man-Eaters of Nepal, depicts one mans efforts to save the tiger from disappearing from earth forever. Hemanta Mishra is this man and the author of this thought provoking and sometimes disturbing book. Mishra covers the plight of the tiger; poaching for the sale of its parts, and how tigers can turn into man-eaters, and discusses viable protection efforts that need to be executed.

Bones of the Tiger was a real eye-opener for me. I didn’t realize that these wonderful cats were so endangered, with a real (and terrifying) chance of disappearing forever. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves nature and wants to help preserve it.

I’m not the only one who loved this book. Check out what Jane Goodall said:

“For anyone concerned about the plight of the tiger, the most magnificent of the big cats, this book is a must.”
Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace

Bones of the Tiger is available on Amazon.com or check out your local book retailers.

About the Author:

Hemanta Mishra, a well-respected biologist and conservationist, began his field career in 1967 with the Nepalese government and has worked with the Smithsonian Institution, the World Wildlife Fund, and the World Bank. He was awarded the J. Paul Getty Wildlife Conservation Prize and is credited with halting the extinction of the rhino and tiger populations in Nepal by merging Eastern philosophy with Western science. Mishra has been called a "gutsy, committed man and a charming writer" by National Geographic