Library Journal
06/01/2021
Wildlife biologist, conservationist, and adventurer Galante was born in California but grew up in Zimbabwe until the age of 13. After his family moved back to California, he continued to be fascinated with nature; he became a wildlife biologist, marking rattlesnakes and counting ants. Shortly after a successful stint on the TV show Naked and Afraid, wanting to travel and share information about rare animals Galante and two partners created the TV show Extinct or Alive, selling the concept to Animal Planet. His memoir chronicles his early life followed by his adventures filming the show and traveling to remote places in search of missing animals or species believed to be extinct. Crocodiles, venomous snakes, miserable weather, and illness hamper the team's efforts, but their advanced research, technology, and perseverance, as well as luck, lead to amazing discoveries. VERDICT Galante is an enthusiastic narrator whose excitement for discovery and passion for conservation will immerse readers in his journeys to a variety of places and habitats. Science lovers and armchair travelers who enjoy science memoirs or books on conservation will relish this story.—Sue O'Brien, Downers Grove, IL
Kirkus Reviews
2021-03-31
A wildlife biologist and conservationist chronicles his quest to rediscover animals previously classified as extinct.
Galante grew up on his family’s 200-acre farm outside of Harare, Zimbabwe. His mother worked as a safari guide, offering him the opportunity to spend his days exploring the African bush, where his passion for animals and adventure began. During a political uprising, his family was forced to flee, moving from the beautiful countryside to a “one-bedroom, public-housing apartment in downtown Oakland, California.” Although assimilating to life in the U.S. was challenging, Galante found comfort exploring the oceans. After earning a biology degree from UC Santa Barbara, he and his girlfriend (now wife) went on a 14-month backpacking trip through 28 countries to see animals on the verge of extinction. Upon his return, armed with firsthand knowledge of the “atrocities that were taking place: the habitat destruction, the loss of species,” he decided he wanted to do something to make a difference on a global scale. Following a successful appearance on the Discovery Channel show Naked and Afraid, he was offered the opportunity to create a pilot for Animal Planet, which became the series Extinct or Alive. With a compassionate tone that only occasionally tilts toward arrogance, Galante takes readers along on his incredible, often dangerous adventures. In the Amazon, the author recounts receiving a blessing from a village elder before searching for the Rio Apaporis caiman, a near-spiritual moment that had “an undeniable psychological effect.” On Denmark’s Faroe Islands, Galante witnessed a gruesome whaling practice that dates back centuries and which brought him to tears. While exploring the Galápagos, he participated in a controversial expedition that led to the discovery of a Fernandina Island tortoise, last seen in 1906. In all, Galante and his team have rediscovered eight animals that had been labeled extinct or missing by scientists.
A powerful reflection on the abundant possibilities that conservation efforts can offer for the future.
