Catherine’s book Dublin Zoo Elephants is included in the Irish Independents roundup of best books for Christmas, 2013
A nature lesson that will appeal to all young readers is the beautiful new book for children titled Dublin Zoo Elephants by Catherine de Courcy with illustrations by Cathy Callan. And parents may learn a thing or two.
Did you know, for example, that the gestation period for elephants is two years?
This is on the minds of the keepers in Dublin Zoo right now because they believe that all four female elephants in the herd of five (yes, there is one very lucky male) are pregnant. So all going well, there will be an elephant baby boom in the Zoo in a couple of years.
Lots of books for children fall into the Dumbo fantasy genre but this one explains how elephants really are and how they live happily in the Zoo. The book is now on sale at the Zoo and online at www.dublinzoo.ie, at €7.95. All proceeds go towards the care of the animals.
Other articles or reviews about zoos
“In 2009 the celebrated author Catherine de Courcy wrote a fairly weighty (356) history of the Dublin Zoo, a book I reviewed in a Zoo Grapevine of the same year. At the time, therefore, the zoo was only three years into its 2006 masterplan. …
The Irish Independent includes Catherine’s Dubin Zoo Elephants in their list of best books for Christmas. Read John Spain’s full review.
“…This book will prove extremely helpful to those interested in animal studies and the history of zoos in particular as it provides access to material which has not previously been published….”
Grainne Cunningham reviews Catherine’s book Dublin Zoo - An Illustrated History. Read the full review from September 2009.
It's an iconic image known to movie fans across the globe, and the lion that roars at the start of all Metro Goldwyn Meyer (MGM) films is probably from Dublin….Paul Melia reviews Catherine’s book for the Irish Independent, October 27 2012
The Zoo began as a place of genteel recreation, with many titled members, and once nearly shut forever, writes CATHERINE DE COURCY in the Irish Times 26 September 2009. Read the full article.
What happened to the zoo in the Famine years? … Read Noeleen Dowlings review of Dublin Zoo: An Illustrated History for the Irish Times