The Nature of the Great Apes - Tapa dura

Examines the habitats and behavior of orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos, and discusses how they have adapted their lifestyles to ensure survival.

The most complex creatures in the animal kingdom, great apes communicate through an extensive system of hoots and calls; empathize with and console each other; and create tools for hunting and grooming. Through an engaging text and stunning full-color photography you'll quickly appreciate the intelligence, vulnerability, and charisma of every member of this fascinating family: the outrageous orangutan, grazing gorilla, chatty chimpanzee, and boisterous bonobo. Each member has adapted its lifestyle in various ways to ensure its survival, from traveling large distances through dense rainforest in order to mate (orangutans) to cleansing their bodies of toxins by eating certain leaves (chimps). 50 remarkable pictures from the world's top photographers include touching close-ups of an orangutan mother and her new baby; the hair-raising charge of a huge silverback gorilla; and playful images of chimpanzees fishing. You'll understand why it is so important to keep the great apes safe, even as logging destroys their habitat and hunters endanger their existence.