Zooland : the institution of captivity /

As the author of Planted Flags: Trees, Land, and Law in Israel/Palestine (2009), Braverman (Univ. at Buffalo) is no stranger to controversial topics. In this book, part of "The Cultural Lives of Law" series, Braverman approaches the subject of zoos by seeking balance between those who support the multifaceted mission of zoos--entertainment, education, conservation, and care--and those critical of that mission, or the ability of zoos to fulfill it. She builds a thorough depiction of the history and contemporary work and goals of zoos and explores the nature of wildness, care, and power by interviewing zoo professionals, animal rights activists, and others, as well as diving into a wide range of legal and scholarly literature from fields as diverse as geography, sociology, animal sciences, and philosophy. The book opens with the story of an individual gorilla named Timmy, from his capture in Cameroon as a juvenile through his long and prolific life in several US zoos. Timmy's story anchors the rest of the book, which is structured around the broad categories of the naturalization, classification, display, naming, registration, regulation, and breeding of zoo animals. Summing Up: Recommended. General readers, lower-division undergraduates through graduate students, and faculty in various disciplines. J. R. Page Ohio State University Libraries

Braverman, a law and geography professor, neither supports nor condemns zoos. Rather, she provides a detailed examination of how zoos work. Basing her discussion on French philosopher Michel Foucault's concept of pastoral power (i.e, the shepherd's power of care for his sheep), she focuses on the management of zoo animals through care. Beginning with the design of zoo exhibits and the continued emphasis on naturalistic enclosures that immerse the viewer in the animals' world, Braverman moves on to the various ways zoo animals are classified (endangered, in a breeding program, etc.) and how zoo animals are seen and perceived by their visitors. The naming of zoo animals involves both the politics of giving names to individual animals and codification, as each animal is assigned a number. The author's accounts of record keeping, a fairly new practice, and the laws regulating the keeping of zoo animals as well as the complexity of deciding which animals will be allowed to reproduce will be eye opening for most readers.--Bent, Nancy Copyright 2010 Booklist

Using more than 60 interviews with zoo administrators and managers as well as animal activists, Braverman (law, SUNY Buffalo; Planted Flags: Trees, Land, and Law in Israel/Palestine) provides a close-up view of the complex nature of zoos. He starts and ends with the story of Timmy, who was the oldest male gorilla in North America when he died in 2011, to document how zoos have changed since the 1970s. He examines how they have evolved from holding pens to world-class exhibits for the preservation of species. Education is an important component of zoos, as is fostering species reproduction, including decisions about which species will be encouraged and which will not. And, ultimately, the book discusses the relationships and connections between humans and other animals, including the charge of stewardship. VERDICT This is a provocative book on a relatively unexamined topic. Braverman provides a thorough look at the transition of zoos and their care of animals from the 1970s to the present. Useful for anyone interested in our relationships with other species and in institutional guardianship.-Gloria Maxwell, Metropolitan Community Coll.-Penn Valley Lib., Kansas City, MO (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.