Birds, Beasts, and Bedlam: Turning My Farm into an Ark for Lost Species

by Derek Gow Narrated by Calum Beaton

Overview

Birds, Beasts and Bedlam recounts the adventures of farmer-turned-rewilder Derek Gow, who is saving Britain's much-loved but dangerously threatened species, from the water vole to beaver, wildcat to white stork, and tree frog to glow worm. Derek tells us all about the realities of rewilding: how he reared delicate roe deer and a sofa-loving wild boar piglet, moved a raging bison bull across the country, got bitten by a Scottish wildcat, returned honking skeins of graylag geese to the land and water that was once theirs, and restored the white stork to the Knepp Estate with Charlie Burrell and Isabella Tree. Derek's first book, Bringing Back the Beaver, was a riotously funny and subversive account of his single-handed reintroduction of the beaver in Britain. Birds, Beasts and Bedlam, a natural successor to Gerald Durrell's A Zoo in My Luggage, tells the story of Derek's rewilding journey and his work to save many more species by transforming his Devon farm into a wildlife breeding center. He now houses beavers, white storks, water voles, lynx, wildcats, and harvest mice, with the aim of releasing them into the wild one day. Tearing down fences literally and metaphorically, Derek Gow is the one person with the character and strength of will to defy authority, bend the rules, and save our wildlife.

Editorial Reviews

Library Journal - Audio

12/01/2022

Gow is a freelance ecologist who has devoted his talents and his Devon farm to save a variety of threatened species through a process called "rewilding." A reformed farmer, Gow's focus is restoring a biodiverse habitat that is closer to Mother Nature's original vision. Nature takes over and manages the ecosystem, keeping things in balance. Each piece is necessary to create the full picture, and thus his focus is on restoring missing elements. His work with beavers, water voles, wildcats, and tree frogs has been successful. This story is strewn with bites and scratches, as some interactions with wild animals are less than charming. He also recounts many similarly aggressive run-ins with bureaucratic agencies, which he deals with by mainly ignoring them. Narrator Calum Beaton is convincing in this role, reading about an unassuming, likable guy out to save the earth. He has the right amount of cheeky attitude that helps keep listeners fully engaged. VERDICT This entertaining listen will appeal to patrons hungry to learn more about science, environment, ecology, animal husbandry, and how one person can make a real difference.—Christa Van Herreweghe

JULY 2022 - AudioFile

Before being cleared for agriculture, the British landscape was full of wild animals, ranging from large cats to badgers, small voles, and birds of prey. All of them relied on smaller critters for food. Calum Beaton channels author Derek Gow with a slightly gruff voice and a lovely Scottish accent. Beaton matches the author’s energy and tone to each vignette. There is the drama of a bison maelstrom hurling himself at the walls of a cattle trailer that Gow is driving. A note of amusement is clear for the languid pig living on the sofa and for the water vole with five legs, which cause him to swim in circles. The ending is serious as Gow makes a fervent pitch for less red tape and more action in efforts to rewild Great Britain. A.B. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940174852082
Publisher:	Dreamscape Media
Publication date:	06/16/2022
Edition description:	Unabridged

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