Orangutans are critically endangered. This habituated orangutan grew up with Dr Birute Mary Galdikas, the leading primatologist on orangutans.
Worldwide Endangered Species Day this Friday, May 19
— Rozanne Weissman, Wildlife Children’s Book Author
WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, May 16, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ — Wildlife Children’s Book Author Rozanne Weissman
Witnesses Plight of Endangered Species
From the oppressive heat and humidity of the rainforests of Borneo to see critically endangered orangutans to the frigid, fierce winds on the edge of the Arctic to see polar bears that hadn’t eaten in 145 days, wildlife children’s book author Rozanne Weissman witnessed the plight of endangered species on her four wildlife journeys. Her travels also include seven countries in Africa.
As Endangered Species Day worldwide approaches this Friday, May 19, when we take stock of what’s happening, Weissman thinks back nine years ago lamenting, “I can NEVER forget some of the faces of 300 infant orphaned orangutans or the blatant clear cutting habitat destruction in the rainforest for palm oil.”
“Do we really NEED crappy palm oil snacks so much that they are worth the lives of thousands of sentient orangutans—one of humankind’s closest primate relatives?” questions the children’s book author.
Red-haired orangutans originally captured Weissman’s heart years before that at the Smithsonian National Zoo when she was a guest of client Discovery Communications for the opening of Think Tank in the mid-‘90s. That’s where orangutan memory and decision-making are measured. “I was so excited to see a smart orangutan construct a tool out of a tree branch to capture and eat fruit loops,” observes Weissman.
Nine years ago, Weissman finally traveled in Borneo to see her beloved orangutans with the world’s leading primatologist on orangutans, Dr Birute Mary Galdikas. “It’s like traveling with Jane Goodall to see chimpanzees or the late Dian Fossey to see gorillas,” compares Weissman.
During the pandemic Weissman was concerned about teachers and children. She pondered: How might I help anxious, scared children positively tap into their vivid imaginations and “transport” them with me to wildlife worlds?
The author went into pre-K and K-3 classrooms in six states virtually to “transport” children with her to wildlife worlds through reading and storytelling of three wildlife journeys from her book, ‘Rozanne Travels to Africa to Kiss a Giraffe’ (30+ 5-star reviews on Amazon).
Weissman also went beyond the book and behind the scenes, developing Imaginary Journey to Borneo rainforests to see orangutans with a slideshow of orangutans they would see, a photo of an orangutan hanging onto the primatologist, video of orangutans traversing the O-line at the Smithsonian National Zoo— including beloved Redd scared when he was only 3+—to demo how orangutans move at treetop heights.
There are geographical and other questions/answers and learning opportunities, and a section for older children 7-9.
The author describes extraordinary habituated orangutan wildlife encounters in Borneo that never could have happened without the primatologist there: “Close up, I witnessed a habituated female orangutan, Siswi, the diva of Camp Leakey, who was jealous of other females—both orangutans and humans. She sat next to me. We looked like “two gals talking UNTIL she stood up face to face and eye to eye with me. Then she sat down. I think she determined I was no threat to her greater beauty!“
The unimaginable, disabled author with NO computer created a new genre in the children’s book category:
* REAL story vs. fantastical
* REAL photos vs. illustrations
* YOUTUBE channel to accompany book
* CREATED book on iPhone—DISABLED author with NO computer with voice activated software anymore
* EMOJIs—children kept asking for more
* TESTED with children and teachers
There are photos in the book of infant and adult orangutans, giraffes, infant orphaned elephant drinking from elephant-sized baby bottle, elephant herds, penguins, closeups of elusive adult leopards and two leopard cubs, and videos on the related YouTube channel. Subscribe: that also include a pride of 10 lions, a newly born giraffe, and a giraffe kissing Rozanne repeatedly.
Weissman’s next wildlife children’s book on tracking polar bears on the edge of the Arctic will also follow this format. Videos of dogsledding, helicoptering to a polar bear den, and polar bear videos and shorts are already on Rozanne’s Wildlife Travels YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@RozannesWildlifeTravels)
“We are inexcusably leaving our natural world—that which nourishes us—significantly worse than what we inherited for the children who follow us,” observes the author. “History will judge us poorly for this. We know what needs to be done BUT chose not to do it.”
Contact:
Rozanne Weissman
Rozanne Weissman & Associates
rozanneweissman.com/
[email protected]
Rozanne Weissman
Wildlife Children’s Book Author
[email protected]
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Originally published at https://www.einpresswire.com/article/633937421/wildlife-children-s-book-author-witnesses-plight-of-endangered-species