Nature's Wonderlands: National Parks of the World - Hardcover

For Nature's Wonderlands: Natinal Parks of the World, teams of writers and photographers traveled to six continents to explore some of the world's finest national parks. Here they present the vivid diversity of roles played by today's parklands. At a livng laboratory in the remote Manu Biosphere reserve, scientists work to discover biological secrets of the Peruvian rain forest. In the Soviet Union scientists at state nature reserves supervise the breeding of once-rare bison for release int he wild, and study plant species several million years old. As autumn becomes winter int he Canadian mountain parks of Banff, Jasper, Yoho, and Kootenay, els and bighorn sheep prepare to face the season head-on, while park visitors go skiing, sledding, and ice climbing. Survival of some park inhabitants is threatened. At ranthambhore in India the founding director risks his life to defend tigers against poachers. In Botswana, Africa, the wildlife that migrates outside of Chobe National Park is forced to complete with cattle for precious water and food. Still, parks rejuvenate the human spirit. Hikers follow Wordsworth's footsteps across England's Lake District and slosh through the rainy mountains of Fiordland in New Zealand. In the world's largest undersea sanctuary, divers feed giant codfish in Australia's Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Scenic beauth, adventure, and natural history are portrayed her is 304 pages with 233 color photographs. Essays, picture portfolios, maps, fact boxes, and a detailed index enhance Nature's Wonderlands.