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On the Backs of Tortoises

Darwin, the Galapagos, and the Fate of an Evolutionary Eden

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On the Backs of Tortoises

Written by: Elizabeth Hennessy
Narrated by: Donna Postel
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About this listen

An insightful exploration of the iconic Galápagos tortoises, and how their fate is inextricably linked to our own in a rapidly changing world.

The Galápagos archipelago is often viewed as a last foothold of pristine nature. For 60 years, conservationists have worked to restore this evolutionary Eden after centuries of exploitation at the hands of pirates, whalers, and island settlers. This book tells the story of the islands' namesakes - the giant tortoises - as coveted food sources, objects of natural history, and famous icons of conservation and tourism. By doing so, it brings into stark relief the paradoxical, and impossible, goal of conserving species by trying to restore a past state of prehistoric evolution. The tortoises, Elizabeth Hennessy demonstrates, are not prehistoric, but rather microcosms whose stories show how deeply human and nonhuman life are entangled. In a world where evolution is thoroughly shaped by global history, Hennessy puts forward a vision for conservation based on reckoning with the past, rather than trying to erase it.

©2019 Elizabeth Hennessey (P)2020 Tantor Biological Sciences Nature & Ecology Science South America Conservation Island Endangered Animals Ecosystem Evolutionary Biology
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Profile Image for Laura

very informative

I really enjoyed listening to the history, present and potential for the future of the Galapagos and the interwoven fabric of human and animal residents on the islands. As I'm planning an upcoming trip, I listened to most of the book twice to make sure I'm absorbing as much as possible.

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