Choice Review

Gaskill's book presents 26 animal species that are commonly sought out by wildlife tourists, with advice on how to view them responsibly. The selections are the author's choice, but each species included is at some level of risk, provides some opportunity of meaningful viewing in a natural setting, and benefits directly from responsible tourism. For each, Gaskill provides information on agencies or outfits that provide tours meeting this standard. Each species account is 5 to 10 pages and includes a brief description of physical and behavioral traits, the nature and extent of the threat to their survival, and how and where to see them in the wild. Organization is by continent, with coverage limited to four to six species per continent. Contact information (phone numbers and websites) for the agencies and outfits is provided, which may make the book particularly vulnerable to obsolescence. While the book does not meaningfully contribute to academic discussion of the pros and cons of wildlife tourism, it functions well as a guidebook and would be more appropriate for public libraries. Summing Up: Recommended. General readers. --Jonathan Nabe, Southern Illinois University Carbondale