interview with the Wiesbaden-based science writer Ernst Probst, author of the paperback "The Cave"
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Question: Mr. Probst, how did you the idea of a paperback book about the cave bear (Ursus spelaeus) write them from the ice age?
answer: 2008 I have begun to to write a few animals from prehistoric times small paperbacks. At first I was dealing with the cave lion, then with the saber-toothed cat, and most recently with the cave bears. It happened to me always the same: I wanted to actually produce only a thin ribbon, with not more than 100 pages, but there were always some 300 pages with many illustrations.
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question: Did you write the pocket book, "The Cave" something particularly fascinating?
Answer: The research on the cave bear is to me more and more become aware of how little the science of this "plant-eating predator" really know. In the literature there are very different statements about the first time occurrence, about the geographical occurrence and the way of life. It is said in part, the cave was only herbivores, but also that he had eaten more or less often small mammals. Some authors speak of a winter rest, others from a winter sleep. Even the figures for the size and weight, there are great differences. The alleged cave bear cult of prehistoric man is now zqwar unlikely, but who knows whether or not the change sometime again.
* Question: Please mention in your sites of cave bears and Paperback?
Answer: The main sites of cave bears in Germany, Austria and Switzerland are listed in a separate chapter. Especially many localities are known from Bavaria, Baden-Wuerttemberg and North Rhine-Westphalia.
* Question: What cave bear habitat in Germany do you find more important?
Answer: The Zoolithenhöhle of Burggaillenreuth at Muggendorf Swiss franc rises among the localities out particularly because there were to finds of the cave bear, cave lion and cave hyenas first described scientifically.
* Question: Which cave bear habitat has surprised you most?
Answer: The Conturines Cave in South fascinates me most, because this is about 2,800 meters cave and as the highest altitude habitat is the remains of cave bears. There are also cave lions have ventured.
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question: Will you write more pocket books on animals from the prehistoric times?
Answer: After the mammoth cave bear was supposed to have their turn. But after that I've bitten into a completely different issue on which it comes to biographies of famous women. This manuscript takes a lot of work and time and is certainly in the course of 2010.
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Question: Where can I buy your pocket books on cave bears, cave lions, and saber-toothed cats?
Answer: The website of "GRIN for academic texts" http://www.grin.de - there are also inexpensive e-books in PDF format - about 1,000 in online book stores and in every good bookstore.
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orders of the pocket book, "The Cave" at:
http://www.grin.com/e-book/137524/der-hoehlenbaer
