Still Alive: A Wild Life of Rediscovery

by Forrest Galante

Overview

Experience the thrilling adventures in wildlife conservation from "the Indiana Jones of Biology" (Entrepreneur) in this action-packed and educational memoir filled with danger and intrigue.

Very few individuals can truthfully say that their work impacts every person on earth.  Forrest Galante is one of them. As a wildlife biologist and conservationist, Galante devotes his life to studying, rediscovering, and protecting our planet’s amazing lifeforms. Part memoir, part biological adventure, Still Alive celebrates the beauty and determined resiliency of our world, as well as the brave conservationists fighting to save it. 
 
In his debut book, Galante takes readers on an exhilarating journey to the most remote and dangerous corners of the world. He recounts miraculous rediscoveries of species that were thought to be extinct and invites readers into his wild life: from his upbringing amidst civil unrest in Zimbabwe to his many globetrotting adventures, including suspenseful run-ins with drug cartels, witch doctors, and vengeful government officials.  He shares all of the life-threatening bites, fights, falls, and jungle illnesses. He also investigates the connection between wildlife mistreatment and human safety, particularly in relation to COVID-19. 
 
Still Alive is much more than just a can’t-put-down adventure story bursting with man-eating crocodiles, long-forgotten species rediscovered, and near-death experiences. It is an impassioned, informative, and undeniably inspiring examination of the importance of wildlife conservation today and how every individual can make a difference.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780306924255
Publisher:	Hachette Books
Publication date:	12/06/2022
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	617,524
Product dimensions:	8.90(w) x 5.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Forrest Galante graduated in 2009 from UC Santa Barbara with a degree in biology. His hands-on approach to wildlife and passion for nature led to the development of his own television show, Extinct or Alive, on Animal Planet. The show follows Galante as he uses science to track and photograph animals that have wrongfully been deemed extinct. Since 2018, Galante has captured evidence of the existence of eight animals once lost to science. He continues to conduct field expeditions and surveys, working not just with believed-extinct animals but also with a wide range of other wildlife. His mission is to inspire and educate people about animals and adventure through the media, including hosting programs on Discovery Channel, on-camera expert interviews, and production of his own wildlife and natural history shows.

Table of Contents

Preface xi

Introduction 1

1 Life In Zimbabwe 7

2 California Dreaming 23

3 Finding My Path As A Wildlife Biologist 41

4 A Monster Week 63

5 Rewriting Natural History (The First Time) 77

6 Face the Beast 93

7 Reality Check 117

8 Cartels, Jungle Powder, and Caiman 135

9 The New Poster Child of Conservation 157

10 Sharks for Weeks 179

11 The Croc 197

Epilogue 217

Taking Action 233

Acknowledgments 235

Editorial Reviews

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

Library Journal

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.

Kirkus Reviews