"Construction of the book entailed two distinct duties," explains author Chris Scott. "The first was research and the actual writing of the text, which required hundreds of hours in front of the computer trying to avoid carpal tunnel syndrome while still trying to complete my self-imposed quota for the week. The second was photographing the fascinating assemblage of creatures discussed in the text, which often required trips of two or three days to some of the country's most unusual and beautiful locations."

Scott provides detailed descriptions of the more than two dozen Florida ecosystems, from the Florida Scrub to the Coral Reefs, on which these species -- and many others -- depend upon for their continued existence. He discusses the impact of human activities upon the environment, including pollution, habitat destruction and introduced species, and the efforts being made to conserve and restore native plants and animals.
 

Florida Mastiff Bat (Eumops glaucinus floridanus)

Endangered Bats of the Panhandle

Gray Bat (Myotis grisescens)

Indiana Bat (Myotis sodalis)

Florida Panther (Puma concolor coryi)

Florida Black Bear (Ursus americanus floridanus)

Everglades Mink (Mustela vison evergladensis)

Key Deer (Odocoileus virginianus clavium)

Lower Keys Marsh Rabbit (Sylvilagus palustris hefueri)

Big Cypress Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger avicennia)

Key Largo Wood Rat (Neotoma floridana smalli)

Key Largo Cotton Mouse (Peromyscus gossypinus allapaticola)

Beach Mice (Peromyscus polionotus)

Silver Rice Rat (Oryzomys argentatus)

Florida Salt Marsh Vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus dukecampbelli)

Florida Manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris)

• Least Tern (Sterna antillarum antillarum)
• Caribbean Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii dougallii)
• Southeastern Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus tenuirostris)
• Wood Stork (Mycteria americana)
• Whooping Crane (Grus americana)
• Florida Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis pratensis)
• Everglades Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus)
• Southern Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus leucocephalus)
• Audubon's Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway audubonii)
• Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
• Southeastern American Kestrel (Falco sparverius paulus)
• White-crowned Pigeon (Columba leucocephala) 
• Ivory-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis principalis)
• Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides borealis)
• Florida Scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens)
• Kirtland's Warbler (Dendroica kirtlandii)
• Bachman's Warbler (Vermivora bachmanii)
• Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus mirabilis)
• Florida Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum floridanus)

Reptiles

• American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus)
• American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)
• Sea Turtles
• Atlantic Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas mydas)
• Atlantic Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata imbricata)
• Atlantic Ridley Turtle (Lepidochelys kempi)
• Atlantic Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta caretta)
• Atlantic Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea coriacea)
• Bluetail Mole Skink (Eumeces egregius lividus)
• Sand Skink (Neoseps reynoldsi)
• Atlantic Salt Marsh Snake (Nerodia clarki taeniata)
• Key Ring-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus acricus)
• Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon corais couperi)
• Short-tailed Snake (Stilosoma extenuatum)
• Rimrock Crowned Snake (Tantilla oolitica)
• Lower Keys Reptiles
• Peninsula Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis sauritus sackeni)
• Florida Brown Snake (Storeria dekayi victa)
• Striped Mud Turtle (Kinosternon bauri)

Fishes

• Shortnose Sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum)
• Gulf Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi) and Atlantic Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus)
• Crystal Darter (Crystallaria asprella)
• Okaloosa Darter (Etheostoma okaloosae)
• Blackmouth Shiner (Notropis melanostomus)
• Key Silverside (Menidia conchorum)

• Squirrel Chimney Cave Shrimp (Palaemonetes cummingi)

• Schaus' Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio aristodemus ponceanus)

• Pillar Coral (Dendrogyra cylindrus)

• Stock Island Tree Snail (Orthalicus reses reses).