About this item
The amazing story of one man's obsession with an enigmatic and deadly reptile.Raymond Ditmars (1876-1942) , the first curator of reptiles at New York's famous Bronx Zoo, brought cold-blooded animals to public attention as never before. Through wildly successful books and movies, he inspired a generation of zoologists with his fascination for snakes, insects, and other misunderstood creatures.Ditmars was among the most celebrated naturalists in America. His reptile-collecting trips for the zoo spawned newspaper headlines across the world. Although a serpent lover, he was all too aware of the devastating effects of snakebites and was instrumental in the development of antivenom. His films and writings brought him fame, but he remained a devoted zoo employee, doing what he loved most: caring for animals.
About the Author
Dan Eatherley is a naturalist, writer and environmental consultant. His latest book - Invasive Aliens - has been named a Book of the Year by The Sunday Times and The Daily Telegraph.Way back in 1995, with a first class zoology degree from Oxford University under his belt, Dan headed for Bristol, UK, the centre for natural history TV production with fantasies of filming on tropical islands.Dan went on to make a variety of documentaries for the BBC, National Geographic and the Discovery Channel, rising to the heady heights of assistant producer on two series hosted by Sir David Attenborough, Life of Mammals and Planet Earth. Along the way he worked in swamps, deserts and jungles around the world. He was almost been blown up by Krakatau volcano. He encouraged a dead salmon to spawn in ice-cold water. He (twice) provided moral support to ducklings as they leapt forty feet to the ground from a tree hole. Dan has also found time to write more than 100 articles on science and environmental issues for New Scientist, Scientific American, BBC Wildlife, Guardian and New York Post.Dan's first book, Bushmaster: Raymond Ditmars and the Hunt for the World's Largest Viper, (2015, Arcade: New York City) was described by Desmond Morris as "a fascinating book about a fascinating man" and by Steve Backshall as "an intriguing read".When not searching for giant venomous reptiles and invasive species and plotting his next book, Dan conducts technical and market research projects on environmental sustainability issues for the UK government, the European Commission and the UN Environment Programme. He is currently a senior research fellow at the University of Exeter Business School.
