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3.75 stars. ‘Beloved Beasts�� presents a thought-provoking exploration of the challenges faced by our earth’s extinct and vanishing animals. While I had hoped fr a more pronounced emphasis on the animals themselves, the book’s attention is largely on the individuals who advocated fr their conservation, and this occasionally overshadowed a deeper look at the histories of the “beloved beasts�� I wanted to learn more about. Still, the book shines in its historical insights and its compelling call to protect our planet’s dwindling life forms. Likewise, Nijhuis masterfully underscores the urgency of comprehending and addressing the declining biodiversity caused by human interference.

A small section of the book’s focus I appreciated was on the darker facets of conservation, historically controlled by systemic forces such as racism, patriarchy, capitalism, and colonialism. As Nijhuis explains, throughout history, conservation initiatives have not only exhibited biases in the selection of species deemed worthy of protection but have also perpetuated unequal power dynamics between different ethnicities, communities, and regions. This aspect of the book was enlightening, shedding light on the uncomfortable truths that have shaped conservation agendas.

However, i’m saying that, I would’ve appreciated far more of a focus on the complex ethical questions raised by spotlighting these conservationists. It’s undeniable that these early conservationists were influenced by, as mentioned, racism, patriarchy, capitalism, and colonialism. These historical biases deeply tainted their actions and choices, whether it was advocating fr eugenics or supporting the displacement of Indigenous communities and violence done towards them in the name of it. While the book does acknowledge these issues, I feel that it also falls short in fully critiquing them at length, in ways I feel are needed when spotlighting the lives of historical white men and women. I believe that this would’ve provided us readers w a better and more balanced understanding of these conservationists�� lives and work, allowing us to engage w the complexities and contradictions that shaped their endeavors.

In a different vein, as the destruction of numerous species persists and the consequences of climate change become increasingly evident, ‘Beloved Beasts�� effectively portrays the evolution of conservation into a broader movement. Nijhuis discusses how it eventually transcended the notion of preserving charismatic animals and became a movement that highlighted the interconnectedness of all species, including humans. This shift in perspective acknowledges that our survival is intricately linked w the health of the ecosystems we inhabit and the biodiversity that keeps it running. Through ‘Beloved Beasts��, Nijhuis effectively illustrates how conservation evolved frm being primarily focused on safeguarding individual species to becoming a collective effort to preserve the delicate balance of life on this planet.

So, despite my unmet expectations and my misunderstandings of what the book’s content was largely going to be about, ‘Beloved Beasts�� remains a valuable read for anyone concerned with the future of live on this earth, and of the history that preceded - and heralded - its destruction.