When international crime cartels discovered a lucrative trade in the swim bladders of totoaba, illegal gillnetting went rampant, and now the lives of the few remaining vaquitas hang in the balance. Author Brooke Bessesen takes us on a journey to Mexico’s Upper Gulf region to uncover the story. She interviewed townspeople, fishermen, scientists, and activists, teasing apart a complex story filled with villains and heroes, a story whose outcome is unclear. When diplomatic and political efforts to save the little porpoise failed, Bessesen followed a team of veterinary experts in a binational effort to capture the last remaining vaquitas and breed them in captivity—the best hope for their survival. In this fast-paced, soul-searing tale, she learned that there are no easy answers when extinction is profitable. Whether the rescue attempt succeeds or fails, the world must ask itself hard questions. When vaquita and the totoaba are gone, the black market will turn to the next vulnerable species. What will we do then?

    Illustrates outdoor sculptures created with a range of natural materials, including snow, ice, leaves, rock, clay, stones, feathers, and twigs.

    With the style and wit that have made Capstick the acclaimed heir to Hemingway and Ruark, he again delivers a masterpiece of true adventure that is scarier and more suspenseful than any fiction--because it is true!

    Prosek travels the globe to tell the story of the eel--from New York to New Zealand; from Europe to Japan and the small island of Pohnpei in Micronesia, where freshwater eels are worshipped by members of the eel clan.

    Now scientists have documented mass migrations over the Gulf of Mexico, identified the voices of migrants in the night sky, and showed how songbirds navigate using stars, polarized light, and magnetic fields. Miyoko Chu explores the intricacies underlying the ebb and flow of migration, the cycle of seasons, and the interconnectedness between distant places. Songbird Journeys pays homage to the wonder and beauty of songbirds while revealing the remarkable lives of migratory birds and the scientific quest to answer age-old questions about where songbirds go, how they get there, and what they do in the far-flung places they inhabit throughout the year.

    And rightly so. The marriage of LaChapelle’s vivid, high-octane images with graphic artist, Tadanori Yokoo’s supersaturated designs make for an astonishing physical object. The reissue of this now classic, long out-of-print volume showcases all the lollipop giddiness of the original now lavishly reproduced in a larger format. “There’s a tradition of celebrity portraiture that attempts to uncover the ‘real person’ behind the trappings of their celebrity. I am more interested in those trappings,” says LaChapelle. Indeed, he exaggerates the artificiality of fame and Hollywood culture in a head on collision of color, plastic, and whimsy. His photographs confront our visual taste and challenge our ideas of celebrity, all the while taking us on a roller coaster ride through his hyper-sensationalized galaxy. Lil’ Kim becomes the ultimate status symbol, tattooed in the Louis Vuitton pattern. Madonna rises from pink waters as a mystical dragon princess. Pamela Anderson hatches out of an egg; and Alexander McQueen burns down the castle dressed as the Queen of Hearts. David LaChapelle’s uncompromising originality is legendary in the worlds of fashion, film, and advertising. His images, both bizarre and gorgeous, have appeared on and in between the covers of Vogue, Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, Vibe and more. La Chapelle Land is fun park America gone surrealistically wrong — but in such an attractive way.

    With the intellectual rigor of a scientist and the heart of a poet, Saulitis gives voice to these vital yet vanishing survivors and the place they are so loyal to. Both an elegy for one orca family and a celebration of the entire species, Into Great Silence is a moving portrait of the interconnectedness of humans with animals and place—and of the responsibility we have to protect them.

    A quotation for every picture is also included taken from Virgil, Shakespeare, Herman Melville, D.H. Lawrence, Eugene Delacroix and others.

    The pages take the reader on a wild narrative ride through the world of squid science and adventure, along the way addressing some riddles about what intelligence is, and what monsters lie in the deep. In addition to squid, both giant and otherwise, Kraken examines other equally enthralling cephalopods, including the octopus and the cuttlefish, and explores their otherworldly abilities, such as camouflage and bioluminescence. Accessible and entertaining, Kraken is also the first substantial volume on the subject in more than a decade and a must for fans of popular science.

    Pure Sea Glass surveys the history of glass manufacturing, explains the weathering process that creates frosted gems from fragile shards of old glass and tableware, and offers tips on how and where to find the best pieces. More than 200 exquisite photographs bring to light the luminous beauty of authentic sea glass.

    Featuring 50 common North American birds, such as the White-Breasted Butt Nugget and the Goddamned Canada Goose (or White-Breasted Nuthatch and Canada Goose for the layperson), Matt Kracht identifies all the idiots in your backyard and details exactly why they suck with ink drawings. Each entry is accompanied by facts about a bird's (annoying) call, its (dumb) migratory pattern, its (downright tacky) markings, and more.The essential guide to all things wings with migratory maps, tips for birding, musings on the avian population, and the ethics of birdwatching.

    In Nocturne: Creatures of the Night, celebrated animal photographer Traer Scott takes the viewer on a journey through nighttime in the animal kingdom, revealing some of nature's most elusive creatures. Bats, big cats, flying squirrels, tarantula, owls, kangaroo mice, giant moths, sloth, several species of snakes, and a Madagascar hissing cockroach are only a few of the animals illuminated in these lushly detailed portraits. Seventy-five full-color photographs of forty different species are accompanied by informed but accessible descriptions of each animal's habits and habitats, and an introduction provides personal insight into how Scott captures her astonishing images. Nocturne is a compelling view of the rarely seen darkness dwellers who populate the night.

    Open 365 days a year and unrestricted by the constraints of physical space, each title in this series is organized into galleries that display more than 200 full-color specimens accompanied by lively, informative text. Offering hours of learning, this first title within the series "Animalium" presents the animal kingdom in glorious detail with illustrations from Katie Scott, an unparalleled new talent.

    Winter survived, but eventually her tail fell off. Then Winter received a prosthetic tail. It was very challenging but now Winter is thriving and using her new tail with great command. Every year, thousands of visitors travel to visit Winter who has become an inspiration to adults and children alike, especially to children who are amputees themselves. And now Winter's story is soon to be a major motion picture starring Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, and Harry Connick Jr.!

    GREEN PORNO‚ the colorful‚ indescribable‚ wonderfully odd shorts became a sensation on the internet‚ receiving over 1.3 million views and major national publicity including CNN‚ David Letterman‚ The New York Times Magazine‚ Wired and the Wall Street Journal. The overwhelming success of the shorts led Sundance to commission a second GREEN PORNO series which is to focus on marine animals: shrimp‚ squid seals etc. (The first series focused primarily on insects) Co−director Jody Shapiro has taken 125 arresting film stills of Isabella dressed in animal costumes which are the centerpiece of the book‚ along with narrative text describing the "love making" process of each animal. Each chapter will also include a quirky‚ freakonomics style one−sheet that includes surprising facts about each species. GREEN PORNO also includes a DVD of both GREEN PORNO series which are not available for sale elsewhere. Provocative‚ hilarious‚ and truly one of a kind‚ GREEN PORNO is a great gift−−for readers of Michael Pollan and fans of independent film alike. Isabella has committed to promoting the book at the time of publication. Praise for GREEN PORNO FILMS "Shocking‚ whimsical‚ entertaining"−Shine "[Rossellini] plays the male of each species in splendidly kitschy home−made costumes‚ while explaining the procedures in a humorous running commentary"− Telegraph "Bright colors‚ goofy leotard−based costumes‚ undulating foam rubber−it′s hot stuff."−Playboy "Magical" − The Flog "Rossellini′s subjects carry the weight of a fierce‚ natural morality."− Border Crossings"A funny and insightful study of the curious ways various bugs "make love." − Hot Docs 2008"Rossellini has really done the unexpected"− The Auteurs