Follow the epic journey of wildlife conservationist and bear ecologist Chris Morgan as he travels by motorcycle across Alaska while filming the PBS Nature documentary Bears of the Last Frontier (Stewart, Tabori & Chang; April 2011; U.S. $35.00/Can. $42.00; ISBN: 978-1-58479-931-3). From the shorelines of the Alaska Peninsula to the icy arctic, his immersion into the bears’ world reveals, as never witnessed before, an astonishingly intimate portrait of North America’s three bear species: brown bears, black bears, and polar bears. Morgan treks deep into the wild and magical habitat of brown bears on the Alaskan Peninsula, the black bears in urban Anchorage, grizzly bears in Denali National Park, polar bears on the Arctic sea ice, and resilient grizzly bears of the mighty Brooks Range and Western Arctic. He also uncovers the mystery and beauty of these awe-inspiring animals and gets to know the native people who live in the same landscape.
The book also follows the PBS TV crew as they travel more than 3,000 miles around Alaska, and it details the hardships and challenges that come with filming a nature documentary. Packed with gorgeous color photographs of bears in their natural habitats, Bears of the Last Frontier is a must-have for anyone interested in wildlife and the outdoors.
Produced by WNET for PBS, Nature’s three-part special “Bears of the Last Frontier” premieres on three consecutive Sundays, beginning May 8 at 8 p.m. on PBS (check local listings). Nature has won nearly 600 honors from the television industry, including 10 Emmys, three Peabodys, and the first award ever given to a television program by the Sierra Club.
About the Author
Chris Morgan is a conservation ecologist specializing in international bear research and conservation. He is the co-founder of Wildlife Media (www.wildlifemedia.org), and the co-director of the North Cascades Grizzly Bear Outreach Project (www.bearinfo.org). Chris is the host, narrator, and co-creator of Bears of the Last Frontier, the 3 hour series for PBS Nature (to be broadcast May 8th, 15th, and 22nd).
