Gorilla Doctors: Saving Endangered Great Apes by Pamela S. Turner

From the Publisher

Mountain gorillas are playful, curious, and protective of their families. They are also one of the most endangered species in the world. For years, mountain gorillas have faced the threat of death by poachers. Funds raised by “gorilla tourism”—bringing people into the forest to see gorillas—have helped protect them. This tourism is vital, but contact between gorillas and people brought a new threat to the gorillas: human disease. The Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project is a group of scientists working to save the mountain gorilla population in Rwanda and Uganda. The gorilla doctors study the effects of human exposure, provide emergency care, and act as foster parents to an orphaned gorilla.

Jennifer Terry - Children's Literature

Through the interesting text and beautiful photographs, Turner delivers a story of science, nature, and the conservation of life, as she follows the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project (MGVP). MGVP is a group working to save the gorilla populations of Rwanda and Uganda. As mountain gorillas come into increasing contact with humans because of tourism and shrinking forests, they have become exposed to human illnesses. The book describes how researchers observe gorillas in their natural habitat, study the effects of human diseases, and provide emergency care. Throughout the book are stories of individual gorillas, including a wonderful story about the fostering of a baby gorilla named "Fearless." This amazing story is filled with interesting facts and history about Mountain Gorillas. The pictures in this book are amazing and at the same time very touching. The pictures really make the book come to life. While the book offers a rich body of information about these endangered primates, the book's vocabulary will certainly challenge most middle grade readers. 2005, Houghton Mifflin Company, $ 17.00. Ages 9 to 12.

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8-Turner introduces the work of the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project (MGVP) as a group of scientists attempts to save endangered animals in Rwanda and Uganda. The readable text records their efforts to treat the great apes in the field as they encounter poachers, meet with loss of habitat, and face their newest threat: human diseases that can cross species lines. The author follows the team as its members go about their demanding work, foster an orphaned baby gorilla, and visit local schools and villages to explain the creatures' endangered status, and to promote positive reactions to their needs. The whole is accompanied by striking, full-color photographs and includes a list of other resources, a postscript, and an index.-Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

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