Jeff Corwin Counts the Heartbeats

Jeff Corwin’s crusade to save animals from extinction began with a comment by his daughter.

In a previous interview, Corwin described the moment he as a humbling one.
According to Scientific American, Corwin’s daughter asked him if she could see a Panamanian golden frog after watching him edit a documentary clip about it: “I said, 'I can't. That was the last wild frog ever seen. They no longer exist in the wild.' She looked at me and said, 'Dad, you failed,'" Corwin said.

“100 Heartbeats: The Race to save Earth's Most Endangered Species” is Corwin's new book, which is accompanied by an MSNBC documentary. Scientific American describes it as, “… a compelling portrait of several endangered species we are about to lose—many of which have fewer than 100 living individuals, hence the "100 Heartbeats" of the title. It is equal-part adventure story, travelogue, history lesson, environmental textbook and investigative journalism as well as a portrait of some of the people trying to save endangered species. Perhaps most importantly, it also serves as a call to action."

(http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=in-100-heartbeats-jeff-corwin-tackl-2009-12-19)

At 336 pages, publishers Rodale promote the book with this blurb:

“It’s no secret that our planet—and the delicate web of ecosystems that comprise it—is in crisis. Environmental threats such as climate change, pollution, habitat loss, and land degradation threaten the survival of thousands of plant and animal species each day. In 100 Heartbeats, conservationist and television host Jeff Corwin provides an urgent, palpable portrait of the wildlife that is suffering in silence and teetering on the brink of extinction. From the forests slipping away beneath the stealthy paws of the Florida panther, to the giant panda’s plight to climb ever higher in the mountains of China in search of sustenance, to the brutal poaching tactics that have devastated Africa’s rhinoceros and elephant populations, Corwin takes readers on a global tour to witness firsthand the critical state of our natural world. Along the way, he shares inspiring stories of battles being waged and won in defense of the earth’s most threatened creatures by the conservationists on the front lines. These stories of hope and progress underscore an important message: Our own survival, as well as that of the world’s wildlife, is in our hands. The race to save the planet’s most endangered wildlife is under way. Every heartbeat matters.”