Meerkat Sentiment: Six Years in the Kalahari Desert

Author: Alain Degrey
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-06-01
Features: As "Femme d'Argent" magazine introduced the book "The Meerkat's Embrace," it said: "When one sees meerkats, it's a difficult and winding journey, the process is astonishing." Meerkats live in the Kalahari Desert of central southern Africa. It is a vast expanse of sandstone stretching over two million square kilometers, with no surface water, harsh climate, and rarely visited by humans. In this human-free zone, not only can living there for a few years be a challenge, but even staying for a couple of days is difficult. The photographer had to overcome not only the hardships of nature but also the threat of predators to human life. To get close to meerkats, Alain neglected to eat or sleep, lying quietly on the sand and patiently waiting: sometimes willingly allowing the meerkats to guide him, following their tracks, or chasing after their burrows, running around. Meerkats aren't fools; to accept these giants that have hunted them since ancient times and threatened their survival would naturally test them. Although the initial months of adjustment were not easy, Alain didn't 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 adorable little creatures, the magical works of the extraordinary photographer. The renowned French wildlife photographer Alain Degrey came to the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa in 1983 to seek out a fascinating little creature—the meerkat, which was then little known to outsiders. In the first nine months, he took no photos. Only after the meerkats grew accustomed to him, became familiar with him, and dared to climb onto his head to keep watch did he pick up his camera. Over the following 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 adorable little creatures spread far and wide, attracting some college students and professionals to seek advice from Alain.