Jumbo: The Greatest Elephant in the World

Paul Chambers

ISBN 10: 0233002693 / ISBN 13: 9780233002699

Edité par Andr Deutsch, 2009

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Synopsis :

A magical blend of true story and popular science, "Jumbo" is the wonderful, colourful biography of the greatest elephant ever known. Born in Africa in 1863, Jumbo was orphaned by ivory-hunters, 'rescued' and taken to France. Mistaken for a runt, he was sold to London Zoo, where he became the favourite of the British populace, from Queen Victoria to the young Winston Churchill - until, talent-spotted by the American circus-owner P.T. Barnum, and despite public outcry and Royal protestations, he was taken across the Atlantic to New York. There, having once more conquered public hearts and now a beast of giant proportions, he 'befriended' a smaller elephant, Tom Thumb - in saving whose life he was to meet a tragic end.This book not only unravels the story, but also looks at Jumbo from a zoologist's point of view. Why was he thought to be a runt? What helped or hindered him in adapting to unfamiliar surroundings from one hemisphere to the other? How was he likely to have reacted to the overwhelming public attention - and to isolation from his natural habitat? The author draws illuminatingly on modern knowledge of elephant behaviour and biology to shed light on the mysteries surrounding Jumbo's life.

À propos de l'auteur: Paul Chambers is a writer and TV producer, whose previous titles include A Sheltered Life, a history of the giant tortoise, Bones of Contention and The Cock Lane Ghost. He lives in Hertfordshire.

Détails bibliographiques

Titre : Jumbo: The Greatest Elephant in the World
Éditeur : Andr Deutsch
Date d'édition : 2009
Reliure : paperback
Etat : Very Good