Colorful photographs and text discuss the alligator and its relationship to the Everglades ecosystem.

David Grann meets Susan Orlean in this page-turning true story of an underground operation into the mysterious world of alligator poaching and its larger than life Floridian characters To catch a Florida Man, you have to become one, and that’s what Officer Jeff Babauta did. As his ponytailed, whiskey-soaked alter ego, he established Sunshine Alligator Farm. His goal? Infiltrate the shady world of illegal poachers in the Florida Everglades in order to protect the natural world. A head-spinning adventure soon unfolds. Jeff deals with glow-in-the-dark alligators and high-speed airboat rides, but quickly learns that not all poachers are villains. They’re simply people trying to survive, fighting against the poverty and greed holding them down. Jeff wants to solve the mystery of alligator poachers, and in doing so he must venture deeper into a strange ecosystem where right is wrong, and justice comes at the cost of those who’ve welcomed him into their world. Gator Country is the twisting true story of the impossible choices individuals must make to stay afloat in this world. Through its wholly unique blend of reporting, nature writing, and personal narrative, this book transports readers to vibrant and dangerous Florida landscapes and offers intimate portraits of those who call the region home. Broad in scope and vivid in detail, Gator Country is a fast paced tale of the risks people will take to survive in one of the world's most beautiful yet formidable landscapes and the undercover investigation that threatens to topple the whole scheme.

In 2011, 25-year corporate veteran Sandy Van Soye had a dream to travel with a purpose. Out of this vision came the Trekking the Planet expedition. Sandy and her husband Darren left their jobs and traveled 14 months to 53 countries on six continents, bringing the subject of geography to life through stories, pictures, and videos from the road. Following their travels were 55,000 students in 20 countries. Darren and Sandy traveled to such places as the Phongsali province of Laos, the countries of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, the Tigray region of Ethiopia, and the Amazon Rainforest of Brazil. An integral part of their journey was a goal to complete 500 miles of demanding trekking in 12 of the most remote locations on the planet. More than just about their expedition, Trekking the Planet is the story of Sandy's perseverance in making her dream come true. This was put to the test while trekking in difficult conditions, narrowly missing a plane crash in Nepal, and being bitten by a vampire bat in Brazil. This book not only details these challenges, but how the dream of traveling with a purpose ended up giving back in its own special way, changing her life forever.

Discover the Everglades--a mysterious, exciting, and exotic natural landform.

Alligator hunters, mangroves, and the (mis)adventures of the Ashley Gang in the Florida Everglades.