Research Catalog

Title

A sheltered life : the unexpected history of the giant tortoise / Paul Chambers.

Author

Chambers, Paul, 1968-

Publication

London : John Murray, ©2004.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Description

xiv, 306 pages : illustrations, maps; 22 cm

Summary

"For millenia the mighty giant tortoises lived in isolation on remote oceanic islands such as the Galapagos, Seychelles and Mauritius. Then in the sixteenth century sailors discovered they were good to eat, and their strategic location led to a wholesale plunder of their population by passing ships." "Later, many Victorian scientists became fascinated with these creatures, directly inspiring the first understanding of ecology and biogeography and Darwin's theory of natural selection. The giant tortoise was also the subject of the world's first conservation fight in the 1870s. Indeed many people's lives have been touched by these gentle giants. The French were happy to surrender the island of Mauritius in 1810, but baulked at handing over their mascot tortoise, and the British and American governments were forced to concede to the tortoises in a major Cold War incident. The twentieth century saw the establishment of wildlife reserves in the Galapagos and elsewhere, but it has been too late for many species. However, modern genetics has been able to track down members of what were once believed to be extinct populations."--Jacket

Alternative Title

Unexpected history of the giant tortoise

Subject

• Testudinidae

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (p. 295-300) and index.

Contents

I: Discovery -- A sheltered life -- The worthless islands -- Here be giants -- II: Inspiration -- Just one species? -- A tortoise for each island -- Revelation -- Ironies -- III: Decimation -- The Indian Ocean tortoises -- The safe haven -- The arrival of the whaling fleet -- Settlers -- IV: Obsession -- La Mare aux songes -- A champion for the tortoises -- Understanding the tortoises -- Save the tortoises! -- The final showdown -- Galápagos or bust -- The errant playboy -- V: Pets -- The well-travelled tortoises -- Darwin's missing tortoise -- Digging into Harriet's past -- The fate of the Beagle tortoises -- Marion's tortoise -- VI: Recovery -- In the name of science -- Aldabra's legacy -- The Charles Darwin foundation -- VII: In the blood -- Lumpers and splitters -- The tortoises' origins.

ISBN

• 0719565286
• 9780719565281
• 0719565294
• 9780719565298

LCCN

2005360739

OCLC

• ocm56084087
• 56084087
• SCSB-1345767

Owning Institutions

Princeton University Library