Local Language Field Guides
111 Titles and Counting ...

January 29, 2007—If you're curious about wildlife in your country and how to protect it, there might just be a book out there for you, written by another young conservationist like yourself.

The World Bank's Local Language Field Guides are written by and for young people who are interested in nature. There are 111 books so far, covering topics such as: the birds of China, India, Nepal, Indonesia, South Africa and Vietnam; the snails of Sri Lanka; the trees of Thailand; the bamboos of Indonesia; and the tortoises and turtles of South East Asia.

Since the guides are written in local languages, they are accessible to a much wider group of readers. So, they have contributed toward environmental management in many countries, and have been especially valuable in encouraging and empowering young professionals to take up careers in conservation. Here are a few inside stories:

Zeng Lijin, China

"I first became interested in birding nearly three years ago, in my sophomore year. I was then almost blank in this area, although I was studying biology. I took part in a birding trip organized by a teacher, and became completely immersed in this kingdom.

At that time I noticed every teacher and amateur in the group had a copy of a book, A Field Guide to the Birds of China, which they affectionately called the 'bird book.' It seemed equivalent to the bible in their world! With the book, the birding fans pointed out the species we saw through our binoculars, guided us to identify them by their unique traits, and told us of their behaviors as described in the book, along with stories from their experiences. We were so excited to see wild birds, and the bird book sort of proved their existence.

My zoology teacher, Mr. Zhang Yanyun, eventually gave me a copy of the book as a gift. In sending me the book as a gift, Mr. Zhang encouraged me to study the treasured winged creatures around us, and gradually as I've learned more about birds, I've now determined to continue my graduate study in avian ecology.

I can't say all this can be attributed to the field guide book, but having been through so much with it, the book is now an intimate friend of mine, and I believe it's also an inseparable part of other "bird" friends' lives. I can tell you confidently that this field guide is definitely more than a splendid NGO profile for display; it has helped the Chinese to know their own wild birds better, and will keep on attracting young and old into the army of natural conservation in the future."

Mike Hedemark, Wildlife Conservation Society, Lao PDR

"I have noted that Government of Laos officials look with amazement at the color plates in the Birds of Laos field guide and ask repeatedly if all these birds are really found here. Some have said that they did not know there were some many beautiful birds in Laos, and a few have said that they should be conserved.

"One translator of the book is reported to have said that they will stop eating wild birds."

Margaret Kinnaird, Wildlife Conservation Society Indonesia Program

The best story I can conjure up regards the Mammals of Borneo book. A young village boy, Pedhet, approached us for work when we first started building the field station at Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park. He was 14 at the time and I sent him home, telling him to go back to school. But he was persistent and by the time he turned 15, we broke down and let him help cut trails. He discovered the Indonesian mammal and birds guides and started pouring over them every night. We ended up hiring him as a technician and he fell in love with his job.

Before we knew it, he was the best field tech around—he knew all birds and all mammals by sight, sound and track. He could name everything in Indonesian or Latin. I think the confidence he gained from learning from these guides allowed him to confront his overall lack of education. He started studying at night and asked if we would help cover the fees for his high school equivalency test. He passed with flying colors but didn't stop there. Next, he was pestering me about going to university! This year, he will be graduating from Pakuan University with a degree in biology.

He has kept up with his bird work, conducting various sorts of research at the station. He is now applying for (and receiving!) grants that he has written on his own. And best of all, he is training other young Indonesians in mammal and bird identification. All because of the guides? Maybe not, but those books are certainly what stimulated him to start thinking about the world around him and giving him the confidence that he could learn and achieve.

We've Just Heard …

January 30, 2007—The newest addition to the guides comes from a country that is not famous these days for its wildlife. The Field Guide to the Birds of Iraq is the first fully-illustrated field guide for the nation; in fact for any Arabic-speaking country. Covering the 387 bird species that have been recorded in Iraq, the guide will provide a significant boost to wildlife conservation in the country.

"These are some of the most wildlife-rich sites in the Middle East, but often all we hear about is the conflict," says Richard Porter, co-author of the book.

Read the Bird Life International story about this new field guide

^ top