First published 2000
Peter Matthiessen ventures into one of Earth's last true wilderness areas, where the Siberian tiger fights for survival. Only a few thousand of these magnificent predators remain, threatened by advancing logging operations, mining expansion, and relentless poaching. As Matthiessen journeys through the Siberian landscape, he discovers how local populations both fear and revere the tiger as a mythical figure. The author traces the tiger's significance across Asian cultures throughout history and mythology. Environmental organizations work to save the remaining tigers, but Matthiessen delivers harsh criticism of their efforts. His account burns with dual emotions: fury at the destruction of one of the planet's final wild territories, and sorrow for the fate of its last wild inhabitant, the Siberian tiger.
Genres: nature, animals, 20th-century, adventure, environment, non-fiction
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: environmental-activism, nature-vs-humanity
Setting: Siberia
Period: 20th-century
158 pages · Paperback · Uitgeverij Contact