Overview
Popular television host Jeff Corwin takes readers on a gripping journey around the world to meet the animals threatened by extinction
It’s no secret that our planet is in crisis. Environmental threats such as climate change, pollution, habitat loss, and land degradation threaten the survival of thousands of plant and animal species. In 100 Heartbeats, Jeff Corwin provides an urgent portrait of the wildlife teetering on the brink.
From the forests slipping away beneath the stealthy paws of the Florida panther, to the giant panda’s plight to climb ever higher in the mountains of China, Corwin takes you on a global tour to witness firsthand the critical state of our natural world. Along the way, he shares inspiring stories of battles being waged and won by the conservationists on the front lines of defense. The race to save the planet’s most endangered wildlife is under way. Every heartbeat matters.
Synopsis
It’s no secret that our planet—and the delicate web of ecosystems that comprise it—is in crisis. Environmental threats such as climate change, pollution, habitat loss, and land degradation threaten the survival of thousands of plant and animal species each day. In 100 Heartbeats, conservationist and television host Jeff Corwin provides an urgent, palpable portrait of the wildlife that is suffering in silence and teetering on the brink of extinction. From the forests slipping away beneath the stealthy paws of the Florida panther, to the giant panda’s plight to climb ever higher in the mountains of China in search of sustenance, to the brutal poaching tactics that have devastated Africa’s rhinoceros and elephant populations, Corwin takes readers on a global tour to witness firsthand the critical state of our natural world. Along the way, he shares inspiring stories of battles being waged and won in defense of the earth’s most threatened creatures by the conservationists on the front lines. These stories of hope and progress underscore an important message: Our own survival, as well as that of the world’s wildlife, is in our hands. The race to save the planet’s most endangered wildlife is under way. Every heartbeat matters.
Publishers Weekly
Biologist, Emmy Award-winning producer and TV host Corwin discusses polar and panda bears, Florida panthers and Bengal tigers, and other creatures in this valuable, far-reaching look at endangered species and global efforts to save them (published in conjunction with an MSNBC documentary). He begins with recollections of a trip to "the ice-locked village of Kaktovik, 300 miles north of the Arctic Circle," where Corwin joins scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey studying polar bears, the first animals listed as endangered "due to climate change and the resulting shrinking of sea ice." Determined but far from didactic, Corwin hops the globe discussing a range of land and sea animals in immediate danger, but also the people who live among them and work for their preservation. He also highlights success stories: the California condor, for example, "teetered precariously at an estimated 22 birds in 1987," but intensive captive-breeding efforts have helped bring the population to more than 300. Proving that smart, concerted conservation can and does work, Corwin manages to dull the hopelessness and build a strong case for continuing efforts now and in the future. 16 pages of color photos.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Editorials
From Barnes & Noble
He pets muddy elephants, hugs baby bears, and glad-hands lizards: Animal Planet host Jeff Corwin lives as television's ambassador/advocate for other species. In 100 Heartbeats, this Emmy Awardwinning conservationist once again takes his show on the road, journeying to regions where the negative effects of climate change are already being felt. Even a quick browse of the book's 16-page color photo insert shows that the animals endangered by global warming live far from the melting polar icecaps so frequently featured in the news. Corwin emphasizes that tigers, alligators, monkeys, and other wild animals we all love could be only a few heartbeats from extinction. This 300-plus-page information trove is a boon for animal lovers and environmentalists.From the Publisher
“A compelling portrait of several endangered species…[100 Heartbeats is] equal-part adventure story, travelogue, history lesson, environmental textbook, and investigative journalism. Perhaps most importantly, it also serves as a call to action.”
--The Scientific American
“[A] valuable, far-reaching look at endangered species and global efforts to save them. Determined but far from didactic…Corwin manages to dull the hopelessness and build a strong case for continuing efforts now and in the future.”
-- Publishers Weekly
“[A] forceful plea for humanity to stop the so-called “Sixth Extinction,” [100 Heartbeats] stress[es] that humans are responsible for the extinction crisis, and only they have the power to stop it.”
-- Columbia Journalism Review
“Corwin’s conversational, upbeat style makes readers care about the species in peril.”
-- Booklist “Corwin advances the important message that every heartbeat matters.”
-- Kirkus Reviews "The importance of this absorbing and exciting book is that it bears witness to Earth’s vanishing wildlife by an expert who has actually visited the species, one by one. Corwin reports their status and prognosis, their case histories, and humanity’s chances to save each one—if we awaken in time." —E. O. Wilson, research professor, Harvard University, and Pulitzer Prize–winning author of On Human Nature and The Ants "On a warming world, conservation and wildlife protection is an increasingly desperate battle. Here are the stories of some real heroes, who should move us all to real action."—Bill McKibben, author of Deep Economy
"A wonderful read filled with great outdoor adventure stories and fresh, interesting science. Jeff Corwin’s love of animals shines through these narratives." —Bruce Babb itt , former US Secretary of the Interior, and chairman, World Wildlife Fund "Drawing from his travels to the front lines of the extinction crisis, Jeff Corwin paints a compelling portrait of the many threats facing our planet’s wildlife. Alternately frightening and inspiring, 100 Heartbeats holds important lessons about the impacts we have on endangered animals and what we can do to save them." —Rodger Schlickeisen, president and CEO, Defenders of Wildlife
"A riveting firsthand account of the lives of endangered animals and the stalwart efforts to secure their future. 100 Heartbeats makes the case clearly: Those present on the planet now have the responsibility, potential, and the opportunity for heroic rescue." —Thomas E. Lovejoy, PhD, biodiversity chair and former president of the Heinz Center for Science, Economics, and the Environment
"Jeff Corwin is the best nature guide I know. In his gripping new book he pulls us into the life-and-death struggle to save the world's most endangered species. Rather than a collection of obituaries for endangered species, 100 Heartbeats illustrates how committed individuals and conservation organizations can prevent extinctions. This engaging mix of adventure, compassion for nature, and solid natural history is a perfect introduction to a world we are about to lose unless we act now."
—Dr. Eric Dinerstein, Chief Scientist, World Wildlife Fund
Publishers Weekly
Biologist, Emmy Award-winning producer and TV host Corwin discusses polar and panda bears, Florida panthers and Bengal tigers, and other creatures in this valuable, far-reaching look at endangered species and global efforts to save them (published in conjunction with an MSNBC documentary). He begins with recollections of a trip to "the ice-locked village of Kaktovik, 300 miles north of the Arctic Circle," where Corwin joins scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey studying polar bears, the first animals listed as endangered "due to climate change and the resulting shrinking of sea ice." Determined but far from didactic, Corwin hops the globe discussing a range of land and sea animals in immediate danger, but also the people who live among them and work for their preservation. He also highlights success stories: the California condor, for example, "teetered precariously at an estimated 22 birds in 1987," but intensive captive-breeding efforts have helped bring the population to more than 300. Proving that smart, concerted conservation can and does work, Corwin manages to dull the hopelessness and build a strong case for continuing efforts now and in the future. 16 pages of color photos.Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.