Singing the Turtles to Sea – The Comcaac (Seri) Art & Science of Reptiles: The Comcáac (Seri) Art and Science of Reptiles: 3 (Organisms and Environments)

The Comcaac, or Seri Indians, are a native people living in the starkly beautiful and biologically rich desert of Sonora, Mexico. Reptiles of all kinds - lizards, crocodiles, snakes, and turtles - play a large role in Seri culture. Unfortunately, the long-term survival of the Comcaac and the future of many of these animals are uncertain. This book, written with Gary Nabhan's characteristic combination of lyricism and scientific insight, describes and preserves the richness of Seri knowledge about reptiles. Through stories, songs, photographs, illustrations of Seri arts, and discussions of Sonoran ecology, Nabhan demonstrates the irreplaceable value of this knowledge for us today. "Singing the Turtles to Sea" vividly describes the desert, its phantasmagoric landforms, and its equally fantastic animals. This book contains important new information on the origins, biogeography, and conservation status of marine and desert reptiles in this region. Nabhan also discusses the significance of reptiles in Seri folklore, natural history, language, medicine, and art. Winner of a MacArthur 'genius' grant and the Burroughs Medal for nature writing, Gary Nabhan has had a long collaboration with the Comcaac and is uniquely placed to bring together the many voices that tell this story.