Interesting. It's a little choppy - twelve segments, each about visiting a different area (eleven nature reserves and Moscow's pet market and zoo). Almost every segment begins with complaints about the trip to get there, comments about where they'd be sleeping, and a description of a fabulous meal they were given, before going on to discuss the various animals they'd come to see. He really likes his similes, too - every paragraph had two or three, and some had dozens in five or ten sentences. But, as always, Durrell's descriptions of settings and animals draw you in. The photographs are gorgeous, too. Fascinating animals, and interesting information about the work that's been done and is being done to bring back endangered and extinct in the wild populations. I really enjoyed reading this. I don't think I'll love it like some of his "bring 'em back alive" books, which are regular rereads, but it was worth reading. ( )

rare species and habitants in USSR