The Islands of Trinidad & Tobago were once part of the South America continent, and are still only seven miles from the mainland at their nearest point. Ecologically, the country has one foot in the Caribbean islands to the north, and the other in the vast continent to the south. The result is an extraordinary mixture of island and continental forms, and a rich diversity of plant and animal life.
In this book, zoologist, Julian Kenny sums up a lifetime's research into Trinidad & Tobago's ecosystems. He describes the origins and the structure of the islands, their animals and plants, the patterns of species distribution, the ecology of both land and water environments, and the impact of human development. He describes the challenges of nature photography, and adds a passionate plea for quality management of Caribbean environments in the interest of resource conservation and sustainable development.
Julian Kenny is a professional zoologist and one of the Caribbean's best known natural scientists. He was a professor of zoology at the Trinidad campus of the University of the West Indies, and an independent senator in the parliament of Trinidad and Tobago. His nature photography constitutes one of the most important collections in the Caribbean. He has written extensively about the natural history of Trinidad and Tobago, for both academic and popular audiences. His books include Native Orchids of the Eastern Caribbean and Flowers of Trinidad & Tobago.