Review by Booklist Review
Drumming up interest about a fake alligator farm set up by wildlife agents to catch poachers might seem like a tough sell, but this true-crime story, written by science journalist Renner and set deep in the Everglades, reads like a good mystery yarn. Renner is a natural storyteller, and deftly weaves in ecological facts and financial realities as she creates nuanced profiles of the major players, including undercover agent Jeff Babauta, legendary alligator hunter Peg Brown, and area locals Wayne and Robert. With family roots going back to Spanish and French settlers, Renner considers herself a true Floridian, and includes regular mention of her own adventures while conducting research. There's background history on early conservation efforts, current legislation regarding hunting and harvesting limits, and descriptions of various markets for alligator-related products, both legal and black market. By the time readers learn of a serendipitous opportunity that results in a breakthrough for the wildlife agents, many will have developed understanding and empathy for the hapless poachers. This is an interesting take on wildlife conservation in the face of climate change.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Mixing stranger-than-fiction true crime with regional history and flashes of memoir, this fascinating debut from science journalist and Florida native Renner follows two men on opposite sides of the law. Jeff Babauta was a clean-cut and conscientious Florida Fish and Wildlife officer nearing retirement when he was recruited to investigate poaching in the mid-2010s. Under a new identity--the long-haired, freewheeling Curtis Blackledge--he began running an alligator farm in Arcadia, Fla., to gather information about poachers and curb their operations. On a parallel track, Renner tells the story of 20th-century alligator poaching legend Peg Brown and his exploits on the Ten Thousand Islands of Everglades National Park, "a many-faceted archipelago of tangled mangroves... with evocative names like Lostmans River." In an attempt to separate man from myth, Renner visited the islands herself and researched how outsiders, from Spanish conquistadors to oil drillers, have negatively impacted them. As she and Babauta eventually learned, the official establishment of Everglades Park in the 1940s "pushed whole communities into crime" by reclassifying multigenerational families of hunters as poachers. Renner teases out the moral ambiguities with a grace and rigor reminiscent of Susan Orlean's The Orchid Thief. Beautifully evoking the "sawgrass plains and wild strands of jungle" of its author's home state, this tale of power, politics, and tradition is a triumph. Agent: Julia Eagleton, Janklow & Nesbit. (Nov.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Readers of this book are in for an adventure. It reads like a true-crime caper, with good people trying to catch the bad ones. However, as is often the case, the line between these two becomes blurred and complicated when more is learned about their characters and their surroundings. National Geographic contributor and debut author Renner brings together the details of a recent true story about crime and several South Floridians who were trying to make a living in their state's wetlands--by illegally poaching alligators. Their opposition was Jeff Babauta, a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer who set out to infiltrate the poachers. Throughout this carefully crafted book, Renner interweaves details about the fascinating world of alligators and the formidable habitats where they live. She also gives insight into the people of the Everglades and the conflicts that occur in the lives of its inhabitants. Renner's writing skills shine in this story. VERDICT Audiences of all types will appreciate this easy-to-read narrative as well as Renner's knowledge of the area, her academic ability, her candor, and her insights into human nature. Recommended for all libraries, especially academic ones and those in and around South Florida.--Steve Dixon
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
An examination of the underground world of alligator poaching in Florida. In her debut, National Geographic contributor Renner takes us into the Everglades in an attempt to challenge preconceptions about the area. Growing up in central Florida, "one of the most biodiverse places in the country," she was only 7 when she saw her first wild alligator. However, to her friends outside the South, her fascination with these majestic creatures and the landscape in which they live seemed unusual. "Outsiders only see the death, the decay, the unruly rawness of this wild country," writes the author, "without seeing the beauty in it, much to our harm and the detriment of this world." Combining her skills for investigative reporting, nature writing, and personal anecdotes, Renner explores local folklore and legends, shares her personal experiences and observations, and details Operation Alligator Thief, which fights poaching. "I wanted to understand what it was like to be a poacher in the glades. I wanted to live the lives of rangers and wildlife officers, too," writes Renner. "I wanted to tell a story of people. No heroes, no villains, just the desperate choices that make us who we are." The primary character is Jeff Babauta, a wildlife officer who assumed the identity of Curtis Blackledge and built Sunshine Alligator Farm in order to infiltrate the poaching community. Throughout, Renner chronicles the constant physical and mental strain that Babauta was under during his operation to save the alligators, as well as his biggest fear: "that nobody would care." The author also relates the internal conflict that Babauta felt when he faced a man who was poaching in order to feed his family. Renner's passion for her home state, compassion for those less fortunate, and gift of storytelling make this book difficult to put down. Enlightening and full of suspense. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
