Florida is widely known for its alligators, panthers, pythons and pesky mosquitoes. Did you know it also has crocodiles, bears, scarlet-striped snakes, and more species of fireflies than any other state?

Kirsten Hines aims to inspire nature appreciation and conservation action through wildlife photography and writing. Florida-based and globally travelled, she lectures, leads photography workshops, and guides wildlife experiences, sharing insights from her years as a biologist and environmental educator.

She will be at the Coral Gables Books & Books store, 265 Aragon Ave., on Dec. 6, at 7 p.m., to talk about and sign copies of her latest book, Wild Florida: An Animal Odyssey.

Weaving over 200 striking, intimate photos with her personal stories of discovery and fascinating natural history insights, Hines covers over 100 Florida animals, many found nowhere else in the world, as well as ecological concepts such as the “why” behind Florida’s animal diversity — its climate gradient from temperate north to Caribbean-like south, its habitats from Appalachian ravines, to ancient sand hills to the Everglades, and its blending of animals from the tropics with those from North America.

Florida and its animals are like no other. And, as Hines makes clear, that very uniqueness makes Florida’s wildlife amazing, and vulnerable.

“With a little foresight and strategic planning, people can continue flocking to Florida to walk its beaches, snorkel its reefs, fish its waters, kayak its springs, and view its unique array of animals for many generations to come,” Hines said.

Hines makes clear that her line of work requires both an adventurous spirit and a patient temperament. She recounts tales of her adventures crisscrossing Florida from Pensacola to the Dry Tortugas to experience its animals in their natural habitats, sharing such stories as how after two years of being evaded by bears she found herself watching a pair mate, how she photographed a gray fox up a tree in Miami’s historic cemetery, and how a large python totally disappeared under water.

The goal, of course, is to ensure the survival of the state’s most vulnerable species and to educate the public about the steps everyday Floridians can take to help protect their state’s animals.

Filled with revelations into the myriad animals that inhabit the Sunshine State, Wild Florida is both a celebration of the natural world and a call to cherish and save it.

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