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Product Description
Ireland is a land replete with amazing natural wonders, but we live in an age when our native wildlife is under threat like never before. Centuries of hunting and habitat loss have wiped out some of Ireland’s most iconic creatures, from the once-feared grey wolf to the flightless great auk – Ireland’s very own ‘penguin’.
In The Living and the Dead, bestselling wildlife writer Conor W. O’Brien journeys across the island in the footsteps of some of our extinct species, from the enormous right whale to the minuscule mountain ringlet butterfly. He reveals the remarkable stories behind their loss and the vital lessons they impart for today’s conservationists. We also learn how, across the country, passionate people are fighting to protect critically endangered species and reintroduce those once lost. Ireland’s conservation triumphs, including the return of the common crane and the great spotted woodpecker, are celebrated in these pages. Such comebacks offer a vision of a return to a wilder Ireland, where magnificent white-tailed eagles soar once more.
Contents
Introduction
Part I: Where Wolves Once Walked
Great Auk
Sturgeon
Capercaillie
Corn Bunting
Right Whale
Mountain Ringlet
Grey Wolf
Part II: Where Eagles Fly Again
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Crane
Lesser Horseshoe Bat
Grey Partridge
Natterjack Toad
Pine Marten
White-Tailed Eagle
Praise for The Living and the Dead:
‘Conor O’Brien brings a number of Irish ‘Dead Zoo’ specimens vividly to life in his imaginative reconstructions of wildlife loss and return. Widely researched, the book puts in context the regretful historical effects of habitat and species loss and the urgency to be aware of their ongoing vulnerability.’ – Gordon D’Arcy, author of Ireland’s Lost Birds
‘A remarkable dive into the world of Ireland’s lost animals and the stunning return of some of them. An evocatively written exploration into the tragic loss of some of Ireland’s natural wonders.’ – Pádraic Fogarty, ecologist and author of Whittled Away
‘At once a lament for creatures we have lost and a celebration of the power of nature to recover and regenerate, The Living and the Dead is an essential read for anyone with even a passing interest in Ireland’s natural heritage.’ – Niall Hatch, Birdwatch Ireland
‘A timely and well-researched reminder that humans have caused the extinction of many species from this island but have the ability to bring others back from the brink. A personal and persuasive book.’ – Richard Nairn, ecologist and author
About the Author
Conor W. O’Brien is a writer and photographer with a lifelong interest in the natural world. His work has been published in Ireland’s Own, Irish Wildlife magazine and Wings, the official publication of Birdwatch Ireland. Conor’s first book, Ireland Through Birds: Journeys in Search of a Wild Nation, was shortlisted for Best Irish-Published Book at the 2019 An Post Irish Book Awards. His second book, Life in Ireland: A Short History of a Long Time, was published in 2021. Conor is a board member at Birdwatch Ireland.
