by Ghillean Prance (Author)

Rainforests of the World presents a rare and intimate view of the rainforests and its inhabitants--the plants, animals, and indigenous peoples that make their homes in the most beautiful and endangered places on earth. Home to 50 percent of all living species in the world, the tropical rainforest is a precious resource found in only three areas of the world: Central and South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. World-renowned photographer Art Wolfe has captured the very essence of these precious places and the animals and plants that inhabit them. From breathtaking landscapes, to a minute poison dart frog hiding in a tropical flower, to portraits of the forests' indigenous peoples, to a jaguar contemplating its next move, the tremendous beauty and power of nature are magnificently showcased. The strength of Wolfe's images lies not only in his true understanding and love for the natural world, but also in his artistic ability to capture his subject so intimately and emotionally on film. No one can photograph an animal in its true habitat as Art Wolfe can, and this time he's outdone himself. Each page is a testament to the resplendence, timelessness, and unfortunate fragility of the rainforest as it struggles to survive into the twenty-first century. Divided into four sections--"Water," "Fire," "Earth," and "Air"--Rainforests of the World explores the different ecological workings of the rainforests. Sir Ghillean Prance, a highly acclaimed naturalist, writes compellingly of them--their biodiversity and biology and the need to place a spiritual value on caring for the natural world. Rainforests of the World is a rare book--one in which photographs and text work together to evoke the very essence of a place as bountiful and precious as our rainforests.