The Man Who Saved Sea Turtles

Archie Carr was a biologist who played a major role in the development of conservation biology. He was particularly interested in the conservation of endangered sea turtles. Carr's work reflected major shifts in the study of ecology and evolution, and his conservation ethic grew from his field work and his friendships with the fishermen who supplied him with many of the stories he retold so engagingly. The Man Who Saved Sea Turtles is a book about Carr's life and work, and it explores the evolution of the naturalist tradition, biology, and conservation during the twentieth century.

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.