Wild La - by Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County & Lila M Higgins & Gregory B Pauly (Paperback)

About the Book

A dynamic, fact-filled guide to the natural world of Los Angeles from the experts at the Natural History Museum.

Book Synopsis

"Put on your hiking shoes, pack your binoculars, and rediscover the City of Angels." --Westways Magazine

Los Angeles may have a reputation as a concrete jungle, but in reality, it's full of amazing wildlife. You just need to know where to find it! Equal parts natural history, field guide, and trip planner, Wild LA has something for everyone. It looks at the factors that shape local nature--including fire, floods, and climate--and profiles over 100 local species, from easy-to-spot squirrels and praying mantids to more elusive green sea turtles, bighorn sheep, and mountain lions. Also included are descriptions of day trips that help you explore natural wonders on hiking trails, in public parks, and in your own backyard.

From the Back Cover

Get ready for the field trip of a lifetime, led by the experts from the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County. Discover mammoths underneath Wilshire Boulevard, glimpse bobcats in Griffith Park, and stalk red-eared slider turtles in a Franklin Canyon pond. Meet dozens of local residents, mostly of the animal and plant kind. Equal parts nature guide and trip planner, Wild LA unveils the hidden nature in every park and canyon--and even your own neighborhood.

Review Quotes

​"You would be hard-pressed to find a group of people whose enthusiasm for nature is as infectious as the four authors of Wild LA." --Los Angeles Times

"Whether you're new to nature or an experienced hiker, just visiting or a lifelong Angeleno, I can almost guarantee you'll learn something new and fascinating about the world around you after thumbing through Wild LA. And you'll never look at the city the same way again." --Casey Schreiner, Modern Hiker

"This travel companion will shed new light on all that flourishes and flowers, or creeps and crawls in the vast urban-yet-still-wild sprawl of the city and surrounding area." --Publishers Weekly

"Equal parts natural history, field guide, and trip planner, Wild LAlooks at the factors that shape local nature." KCRW

"Full of resources to help you get outside and experience L.A.'s local wildlife." --Redlands Daily Facts

"Unbelievable...with ideas for day trips, field trips... LA is often called a concrete jungle, but it's teeming with wild animals, insects, and plants." --Press Play with Madeleine Brand

"Engagingly written and beautifully photographed... Ideal for introducing Angelenos and tourists to the remarkable nature often overlooked when considering our city and region. . . the wonder and diversity of wild Los Angeles awaits you." --LA Parent

"[Wild LA] does a great job telling the story of nature in and around Los Angeles in a way that is interesting and easy to understand... Not only is the text reader-friendly, the book is also visually stunning... I highly recommend Wild LA to anyone interested in learning more about nature in Los Angeles." --Clement Lau, UrbDeZine

About the Author

The Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County include the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park (NHM), the La Brea Tar Pits in mid-Wilshire/Hancock Park, and the William S. Hart Museum in Newhall. They operate under the collective vision to inspire wonder, discovery, and responsibility for our natural and cultural worlds. The museums hold one of the world's most extensive and valuable collections of natural and cultural history--more than 35 million objects. Using these collections for groundbreaking scientific and historic research, the museums also incorporate them into on- and offsite nature and culture exploration in L.A. neighborhoods, and in a slate of community science programs. This creates a new natural history museum experience that explores the past, but increasingly addresses the present and the future.