Condors In Canyon Country

Ten thousand years ago, the California condor's shadowraced across the rock faces of canyon walls throughout theSouthwest, but, over time, the majestic condor disappearedfrom this land--seemingly forever. Last seen in northernArizona in 1924, the California condor was on the brink ofextinction. In the early 1980s, scientists documented onlytwenty-two condors remaining in the wild, all in California.Thanks to a successful captive-breeding program, theirnumbers have increased dramatically, and dozens now flyfree over northern Arizona and southern Utah. Sophie A. H. Osborn's groundbreaking book, Condors inCanyon Country, tells the tragic but ultimately triumphantstory of the condors of the Grand Canyon region. A naturalstoryteller, Osborn has written an in-depth, highly personalnarrative that brings you along as the author and othercondor biologists struggle to ensure the survival of thespecies. The book's kaleidoscopic photographs of thesehuge birds flying free over the Southwest are nearly asbreathtaking as seeing California condors live. The onlybook of its kind, Condors in Canyon Country is a must-readfor anyone passionate about endangered species and whathumankind can do to save them.

The story of one woman’s remarkable work with a trio of charismatic, endangered bird species—and her discoveries about the devastating threats that imperil them. In Feather Trails, wildlife biologist and birder Sophie A. H. Osborn reveals how the harmful environmental choices we’ve made—including pesticide use, the introduction of invasive species, lead poisoning, and habitat destruction—have decimated Peregrine Falcons, Hawaiian Crows, and California Condors. In the Rocky Mountains, the cloud forests of Hawai’i, and the Grand Canyon, Sophie and her colleagues work day-to-day to try to reintroduce these birds to the wild, even when it seems that the odds are steeply stacked against their survival. With humor and suspense, Feather Trails introduces us to the fascinating behaviors and unique personalities of Sophie’s avian charges and shows that what endangers them ultimately threatens all life on our planet. More than a deeply researched environmental investigation, Feather Trails is also a personal journey and human story, in which Sophie overcomes her own obstacles—among them heat exhaustion, poachers, rattlesnakes, and chauvinism. Ultimately, Feather Trails is an inspiring, poignant narrative about endangered birds and how our choices can help to ensure a future not only for the rarest species, but for us too. "An intimate look at the wonder and effort needed for working with endangered species in the wild. [Osborn's] matter-of-fact writing style and wry humor make the reader part of the action."—Booklist (starred review)

"A virtual tour of Grand Canyon National Park, with chapters devoted to the history of this region, history of the park, plant and animal life, environmental problems facing the park, and activities in the area"--Provided by publisher.

Dear Diary, I’m in a very unusual place: the bottom of the Grand Canyon. But it feels like we are at the bottom of the world . . . The Parkers, an intrepid family of four, are back for another exciting adventure in Grand Canyon National Park: Tail of the Scorpion. Amid the magnificent beauty of the park, ten-year-old twins James and Morgan and their father brave a steep twenty-one-mile hike from rim to rim. As they face heatstroke, exhaustion, and even a run-in with scorpions, they wonder, “Can we make the grueling climb to the top?” Each book in the exciting Adventures with the Parkers series for kids 8–13 explores a popular national park and is packed with adventure as well as engaging and educational facts about nature, outdoor safety, and much more. Vacation has never been this fun! Books in the Adventures with the Parkers Series: Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks: Danger in the Narrows Glacier National Park: Going to the Sun Grand Canyon National Park: Tail of the Scorpion Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Ridge Runner Rescue Mount Rushmore, Badlands, Wind Cave: Going Underground Olympic National Park: Touch of the Tide Pool, Crack of the Glacier Rocky Mountain National Park: Peril on Longs Peak Yellowstone National Park: Eye of the Grizzly Yosemite National Park: Harrowing Ascent of Half Dome