Meerkat Sentiment -- Six Years in the Kalahari Desert【Nature and Humanity Collection】

Author: Alain Degret, France; Raoul Assouline; Catherine Besse Illustrations; Huang Tianyuan Translation
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-06-01
Features: As "Fигаро" magazine introduced the book "Meerkat Affection," "Seeing meerkats is difficult and winding, the process is amazing." Meerkats live in the central highlands of southern Africa's Kalahari Desert. It is a vast area of sand and stone stretching over two million kilometers, with no water on the surface, harsh climate, and rarely visited by humans. In this human-free zone, not only living for a few years is a challenge, but even staying for a day or two is difficult. The photographer had to overcome not only the difficulties 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, patiently waiting: sometimes willingly letting the meerkats guide him, following their tracks or their burrows, running around. 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 few 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.
Famous French wildlife photographer Alain Degret came to the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa in 1983 to find a charming little creature—meerkats—that was little known to outsiders at the time. In the first nine months, he took no photos until the meerkats were no longer afraid of him, had become familiar with him, and dared to climb onto his head to keep watch. Over the next six years, he captured a series of poetic and picturesque images of meerkats, making this book another magical masterpiece by the extraordinary photographer. As a result, the charming demeanor of the adorable little creatures spread far and wide, attracting some college students and professionals to seek advice from Alain.
Under the magical lens of the talented photographer Alain Degret, the unique meerkats of the Kalahari Desert, whether male or female, young or old, as individuals or in groups, each possess a distinct personality and a touch of spirit. They are small in stature, agile and quick, playful yet full of love and humanity. They have society, families, organization, elders and young, the strong and the weak, and they always stand united against external enemies.
As soon as they wake up early in the morning, their class is to greet the sun and recharge their energy. When standing, they use their tails as a third leg, with their paws tucked close to their chests, looking adorable. During hunts, they coordinate perfectly, working in unison like a well-trained team. Alain knows these beloved little creatures so well that he can call them by name, understand their personalities, and detail their stories: "Little White" is frail; the old "Scar" is loving; Charlo pretends to be dead; and Gomina even knows how to pout.
As for the professional guards in every group, they are tireless and never slack. These clever, lovable, and endearing creatures form an indispensable and beautiful sight in the vast desert.
Glimpses of the Spirit:
☆ It's time for a warm moment. The meerkats hug each other, gently bite one another, and emit affectionate calls, as if saying, "It's so good to be together."
☆ After a kiss, Charlo's black little eyes suddenly sparkle with joy. It turns out that this mischievous clown is pretending to be dead, using this method to earn more affection. And affection, like morning sunlight, fills meerkats with vitality.
☆ The professional guards are the sentinels of the desert. They stand firmly on branches, only their heads moving, as precise as radar, standing for hours.
☆ Meerkats are skilled climbers, but they struggle to come down. They either tumble, somersault, slide, or fall straight down, leaving their faces and noses scarred.
☆ Since losing her child, "Scar" has become the most loving mother, sometimes even to the point of obsession. She takes her daughter to the burrow, entrusting her to a guard before going to forage.
☆ Little White suddenly climbed onto Alain's head! It chose this vantage point—definitely time for it to stand guard.