New Book: GATORS, GOURDHEADS, AND PUFFLINGS

GATORS, GOURDHEADS, AND PUFFLINGS: A BIOLOGIST SLOGS, CLIMBS, AND WINGS HER
WAY TO SAVE WILDLIFE

by Susan D. Jewell

GATORS, GOURDHEADS, AND PUFFLINGS is the true tale of the everyday life of a wildlife
biologist—but it’s far from mundane. With humor and drama, Susan Jewell weaves
vignettes of her work in the wilds from Maine to Florida, studying American Alligators,
Wood Storks (gourdheads), Puffins (babies are pufflings), and more. As a petite gal in a
traditionally male occupation, the author deals with situations in a resourceful and
captivating way. She brings the wild animals and the places they live to life and describes
why biologists feel compelled to protect them.

Ms. Jewell’s tales span the faunal classes of mammals, birds, reptiles, turtles, crocodilians,
amphibians, and fish. In the chapter “Male Gators Like it Hot,” she chronicles her
experiences monitoring American Alligator nests in Everglades National Park and explains
environmental sex determination for the amateur naturalist. In “Of Gopher Tortoises and
Biostitutes,” the author recounts working for a consulting company in South Florida that
helped developers with Gopher Tortoise-laden land; the chapter ties in the Gopher
Tortoise’s role as a keystone species. Through the chapter “Sleeping with Rattlesnakes,”
Jewell touts the virtues of snakes while telling how she force-fed a rattlesnake under her
care.

Ms. Jewell has studied wildlife from Maine to Florida by motorboat, airboat, canoe,
airplane, helicopter, tree-climbing, scuba, and muddy feet. She previously worked for the
National Audubon Society and National Park Service and is now a biologist with the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service (since 1992). Her previous books include Exploring Wild South
Florida and Exploring Wild Central Florida.

Books may be ordered toll free at 877-289-2665 or from

http://www.buybooksontheweb.com

and at

http://www.amazon.com

$14.95 (paperback)
ISBN: 0-7414-4961-7
Published 2008