Unforgettable Behavior

Kidman Cox, a BBC Wildlife Magazine editor, presents a wonderful anthology of spectacular wildlife photos that focuses on behaviors rarely captured on film and shares stories about how the images were created and about the behaviors they showcase. Kidman Cox’s text is thoughtful and insightful, providing a fascinating glimpse into what it takes to get a winning shot. Some of the astounding images included show a house cat chasing off a red fox, dolphins using a cooperative technique to catch fish, hundreds of rays swimming together, a crocodile killing a turtle, and a lone penguin protecting a crèche from a petrel. Kidman Cox’s text highlights the mysterious complexities of the natural world, exemplified by the surprising act of lions looking after young prey, reflected in the image “When The Lion Lies Down With The Foal”. It’s humbling and inspiring to read about photographers willing to wait, risk their safety, and suffer to capture remarkable images and behavior, including Eric Pierre, who, braving the Arctic cold, purposely positioned himself ahead of a stampede of musk oxen to get the shot he wanted. This book will appeal to photography fans, nature lovers, and science geeks alike. (Sept.)