Meerkat Sentiment (Six Years in the Kalahari Desert)

Author: Alain Degreese, Catherine Besins, and Arnaud Assouline
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-06-01
Features: As "Vogue" magazine described in its introduction to the book "Meerkat Feelings," "To see meerkats, one faces difficulties and twists, a process that is truly remarkable." Meerkats live in the Kalahari Desert, a vast expanse of sandstone stretching over two million square kilometers in the central highlands of southern Africa. The surface is devoid of water, the climate is harsh, and the area is rarely visited by humans. In this human-free zone, not only can living there for several years be a challenge, but even staying for a day or two is difficult. The photographer had to overcome not only the hardships of the natural environment but also the threat to human life posed by predators. To get close to meerkats, Alain neglected to eat or sleep, lying quietly on the sand and patiently waiting. Sometimes, he willingly let the meerkats guide him, following their tracks or chasing after their burrows, running around aimlessly. Meerkats are not fools. To accept these giants that have hunted them since ancient times and threatened their survival would not be a test? Although the initial months of adjustment were not easy, Alain did not give up. He firmly believed that with patience, one day he would get close to the meerkats.
The Library of Human and Nature, the charming demeanor of the enchanting little creatures, and the magical works of the extraordinary photographer. In 1983, the renowned French wildlife photographer Alain Degreese came to the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa in search of a fascinating little creature that was little known to outsiders at the time—the meerkat. In the first nine months, he took not a single photograph. It wasn’t until the meerkats were no longer afraid of him, had become familiar with him, and dared to climb onto his head to keep watch that he finally raised his camera. Over the next six years, the series of poetic and picturesque images of meerkats he captured made this book another magical work by the extraordinary photographer, and the charming demeanor of the enchanting little creatures spread far and wide. As a result, some college students and professionals even came to seek advice from Alain.