I hope you see more than one or two orangs on your trip. The NTFP sounds interesting, and it is better than bulldozers and fires, but I wonder how long these practices can be maintained?

s.

Hi Stephen,

I have just finished reading ‘Thinkers of the Jungle’, the new book by Gerd Schuster. He is very critical of the Orangutan Foundation and its conservation methods in the book and says he believes 80% of Tanjung Puting has disappeared. I’m sceptcal, because he seems to be critical of everyone in his book except another orangutan conservation charity, and he does come across as one of those arm chair know alls that thinks they know everything. I was wondering whether you had read the book and would be able to respond to the criticism. As someone who financially supports the OF, it is a bit worrying when you read things like that.

Cheers

Chris

Interesting. Right after your review on Amazon.com, Chris, is a very positive review by Michelle Desilets (who’s commented in my blog a time or two). No surprise there.

There are three authors listed: Gerd Schuster, Willie Smits, and Jay Ullal.

This isn’t the first time I’ve read about, or read, scathing criticism of an NGO that I wholeheartedly support. There’s a pseudo-journalist out there named Georgianne Nienaber who has a serious vendetta against the ICCN rangers protecting the mountain gorillas. Most of the people working at WD in Congo at the time knew of her writing, but no one addressed it in the blog. It seems to me there is some egotistical competition, unfortunately, between some conservation groups, just as their is egotistical competition among scientists (whom I work with every day). The question I have is does Mr. Schuster et al., back up their criticisms with verifiable facts? If not, as in the case of Ms. Nienaber, then it’s sour grapes.

s.

Hi sheryl,

I have heard of Georgianne Nienaber. She wrote a book about Dian Fossey a couple of years ago, and she is very, very critical of anyone that has critisisms of Fossey.

I agree with your comments about scientists and ego’s, and that is why I am sceptical of this book, as it does seem to be very much driven by a desire to solicit funds, and paint one conservation charity as better than another.

The photo’s by Ullal and the chapters by Smits are terrific, but the chapters by Schuster are very scathing. It does seem to be more his opinion that anything, and him relatin stories he has heard throughout his travels.

I have heard criticism of Galdikas before, but I was at a conservation lecture a few years ago and heard a well known orangutan conservationist lamenting the amount of press covergae Galdikas got, despte the fact that he worked ahrder than her. It was all very childish, which is why I always try and take these things with a pinch of salt and try to find out the facts.

By the way, what blog do you have? Could you please post the address?

Thanks

Chris

And yet, she criticizes the DFGFI quite frequently, accusing them of using funds to purchase weapons and such. Nienanber is a loony. I have Farley Mowat’s biography of Fossey sitting on my desk, but I’ve yet to read it.

My blog URL is always linked to my name, in case you forget to bookmark it. http://nothoney.wordpress.com - lately it’s all about the pandas at Wolong, because bears are my first loves.

s.

Thanks Sheryl. I’ll check out your blog.

I have spoken to Ashley at the Orangutan Foundation office and this seems to be the case of two different organisations with two different approaches, and one journalist favouring one over the other and resorting to personal insults and half-truths to get his point across.

That’s unfortunate, and unprofessional, but not out of the ordinary (I resisted the urge to write “unusual”). Thanks for talking to Ashley and getting the straight scoop.

s.