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

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.

Table of Contents:
Introduction Parallel Paths in Nature Dear Dr. Barbour Exploring Tropical Ecology in Honduras Study and Conservation of Sea Turtles The Ecology and Migrations of Sea Turtles In Africa on Ulendo "And for the turtles!" International Conservation Efforts Further Results of Sea Turtle Research and Conservation Biology Home to Florida Conclusion

About the Author :
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 associate professor of history at Florida State University. He teaches the history of science and environmental history.

Review :
"Davis is successful in capturing what Archie Carr meant to people like me and I think anyone else similarly touched by Carr will enjoy this book. There are messages in his life for everyone interested in biology or conservation." -- The Quarterly Review of Biology, Vol. 83 "In this book, you will come to know, as I did during the exciting years when I was his student and friend, a unique and inspiring scientist. Frederick Davis has beautifully captured the intertwined personal, public, and scientific lives of the extraordinary person who -- if anyone deserves the title -- really was the man who saved sea turtles." --David Ehrenfeld, Professor of Biology at Rutgers University and founding editor of Conservation Biology "Archie Carr aficionados will be perpetually grateful that their hero left such a rich heritage of both published writings and fifty years of correspondence with many of the leading naturalists of the 20th century. His fans will now be equally grateful to Fritz Davis for distilling this monumental wealth of data and anecdote, much of it little known, into what will surely be recognized as the definitive biography of the man."--Peter C. H. Pritchard, Director, Chelonian Research Institute "Archie Carr was a pioneering conservation biologist, an inspiring educator, a gifted nature writer, and a passionate advocate for endangered wildlife. No one has done more to unravel the mysteries of sea turtles or more to rescue these beleaguered creatures from the brink of extinction. This deeply researched biography brings to life the enduring legacies of an important but now largely forgotten figure who not only made fundamental scientific discoveries but also conveyed a sense of nature's wonder to a broader public."--Mark V. Barrow, Jr., Associate Professor of History, Virginia Tech "Faculty and advanced students in both herpetology and conservation biology will greatly appreciate this book's thoroughness."CHOICE "Davis gives us a picture of what it meant to be a naturalist in the twentieth century, and he ties Carr to the long tradition of naturalists going back to Linnaeus. But he does a lot more. He ties natural history to ecology, environmental science, and conservation biology. Carr is a perfect subject for doing this, and the book gives a wonderful picture of how closely these subjects are interrelated."-- Paul Farber, Professor of History of Science, Oregon State University