The Man Who Saved Sea Turtles: Archie Carr and the Origins of Conservation Biology

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Oxford University Press, USA, Jul 2, 2007 - Biography & Autobiography - 312 pages
Archie Carr, one of the greatest biologists of the twentieth century, played a leading part in finding a new and critical role for natural history and systematics in a post-1950s world dominated by the glamorous science of molecular biology. With the rise of molecular biology came a growing popular awareness of species extinction. Carr championed endangered sea turtles, and his work reflects major shifts in the study of ecology and evolution. A gifted nature writer, his books on the natural history of sea turtles and their habitats in Florida, the Caribbean, and Africa entertained and educated a wide audience. Carr's conservation ethic grew from his field work as well as his friendships with the fishermen who supplied him with many of the stories he retold so engagingly. With Archie Carr as the focus, The Man Who Saved Sea Turtles explores the evolution of the naturalist tradition, biology, and conservation during the twentieth century.
 

Contents

1 Introduction
1
2 Parallel Paths in Nature
11
3 Dear Dr Barbour
32
4 Exploring Tropical Ecology in Honduras
63
5 Study and Conservation of Sea Turtles
87
6 The Ecology and Migrations of Sea Turtles
118
7 In Africa on Ulendo
146
International Conservation Efforts
163
9 Further Results of Sea Turtle Research and Conservation Biology
197
10 Home to Florida
229
11 Conclusion
249
Appendix
268
Notes
270
Bibliography
299
Index
305
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About the author (2007)

An avid and lifelong naturalist, Frederick Rowe Davis studied the history of science at Harvard, the University of Florida, and Yale, where he completed his doctorate. Currently, he is Assistant Professor of History at Florida State University.