The major focus of their work has been the elephants and lions of Botswana, but the book is a good overall view of the wildlife of the Savuti area. Fans of the videos will enjoy the memories they share, such as their agonizing but ultimately correct decision to let Tau the cub fend for himself and the day they gave Ntchwaidumela his name.
It is not always an easy read. Their subjects have not always fared well - in particular they painfully inform us that all but one of the adult male lions in their study group, including the five who starred in their two lion movies, have since been killed by hunters. Their annotated field notes, "The African Diaries", also in print, is largely about how this situation has forced them to take time away from behind the camera to be active in politics.
But this work is largely about happier days and the making of some classic videos. The still photographs within make this book worthy of becoming a classic itself.
Dereck and Beverly Joubert have lived among lions for most of their adult lives. Few people anywhere are on such intimate terms with these awe-inspiring creatures, and fewer still are the naturalists who can claim to have seen, let alone shared, their nocturnal forays. For unlike their East African cousins, the great cats of Savuti, a remarkable natural enclave just north of Botswana's Okavango Delta, do almost all of their stalking and killing at night when the moon is just a sliver in the sky.
Over a hundred breathtaking full-color images captured by Beverly Joubert's ever-watchful camera represent not just superb wildlife photography but a priceless record of a little-known natural phenomenon. They create a portrait of the Savuti lions at rest, at play, and on the shadowy hunts that end in a sudden, explosive kill, offering a rare glimpse of the lithe power and ruthless beauty that have mesmerized humans for millennia. Dereck Joubert's detailed and engaging text documents years of observation, providing invaluable insight into the biology, behavior, and social structure of an elusive species; at the same time he brings to life the individual animals the Jouberts came to know so well: Maome, the matriarch whose clan played together every evening; Ntchwaidumela, the bold and unflappable male who defied a charging elephant; Sequela, the old exile who returned to spend his last days with his pride, and many more.
Last but by no means least, Hunting With the Moon is a chronicle of human dedication, a deeply personal account of a couple who have devoted their lives to understanding and protecting the magnificent beasts who prowl these pages in all their majestic grace. It's an extraordinary book, filled with stunning images, fascinating facts, and vivid anecdotes -- a once-in-a-lifetime chance to enter the enthralling, unforgettable world of lions in the wild.