| Synopsis: |
This is the full story of the very successful B.B.C.-London Zoo expedition to British Guiana, that went to film exotic creatures and bring back alive, "some of the strangest, some of the loveliest, and some of the most horrifying animals in the world". David Attenborough, who went with three companions, tells of their experiences in a country where they explored the broad flat savannahs, the creeks and swamps of the Rupununi, the remote forest reserve of the Amerindians, and the marshy coastal district. They searched for and found sloths and anteaters, manatees and macaws, hoatzins and humming-birds, snakes and spiders, capybara and caiman. They attended the exorcising of a spirit by a medicine man. They photographed ancient Indian rock paintings which few Europeans have ever seen. And they have met many unforgettable characters: Tiny McTurk, the tough rancher; King George, thei impassive Akawaio guide; Mr. King, the mermaid fisherman; and the shanty singers Lord Lucifer and The Great Smasher, to mention only a few. David Attenborough brings to this book his instinctive understanding of animals, his power of vivd description, and his lively sense of humour.Everybody will enjoy Zoo Quest to Guiana, for it is rich in delightful stories about animals collected, frioends made, and the farcical situations in which the author and his companions frequently found themselves. |