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Reefs and Rain Forests
The Natural Heritage of Malaysian Borneo
Reefs and Rain Forests
is Murray Kaufman’s powerful essay about the two most important,
primal, and endangered ecosystems on Earth, places Murray describes
as "the last living Eden." For more than seven years,
he photographed the beauty and fragility "of a part of the
world little known and rarely visited by Westerners." He shows
us the remarkable contrasts and similarities of these two unique
environments in an intimate, cohesive, and unprecedented way. And
through his photographs, which graphically depict the vital and
essential concept of biodiversity, Murray opens the way for a new
understanding and a new commitment to conservation of these coral
reefs and tropical rain forests.
The book’s three main chapters combine Murray’s stunning
images with texts by leading Malaysian experts in the field, to
depict a phenomenal array of flora and fauna, including some newly
discovered and never-before-seen species.
"Reefs" illustrates the astounding beauty and
diverse life of an ecosystem surpassing all other marine ecosystems
of the world. From huge shoals of barracudas and jacks, down
to shrimp and crabs no bigger than a fingernail, the colors,
textures, patterns, and behaviors of the creatures depicted
will amaze and delight you. |
Shoaling barracudas
Sipadan Island |
Female orangutan and infant
Sepilok Rehabilitation Center |
"Rain Forests" reveals the intense richness
of plant and animal life in one of the world’s largest
rain forests, where average rainfall may exceed 200 inches per
year. The images will bring you eye to eye with many elusive
and rarely seen creatures such as the orangutan, Asian elephant,
tarsier and slow loris. |
| "Regarding
Conservation" explores the problems of we face today
in protecting, conserving and restoring the beauty and biodiversity
of these ancient and endangered ecosystems. Seeing images of
many wondrous creatures, like sea turtles, orangutans, Rafflesia
flowers and Asian two-horned rhinos brings a clear message of
the importance and urgency we face in protecting their endangered
habitats. |
Rafflesia pricei
Crocker Range |
Murray has included a lengthy annotation, "Photographer’s
Notes" which includes full-color thumbnail photographs
of every image, locations, scientific information and his fascinating
personal commentaries. A brief description of his equipment and
techniques is given in the "Technical
Notes."
 Also,
Murray acknowleges the essential work of the World Wildlife Fund
(WWF Malaysia) in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. He writes: "In support
of their diverse and wide-ranging efforts to protect, conserve,
and in some cases restore the beauty and natural biodiversity of
the rain forests and reefs for future generations, a portion of
the profits from sales of this book will be donated to WWF Malaysia."
Reefs and Rain Forests has already received much critical
acclaim in Asia. As author of the foreword for the book, the Prime
Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad writes,
"This book is a certain catalyst for that process (e.g., discovery),
for discovering and appreciating nature is among the finest aspects
of human learning." Reefs and Rain
Forests has been selected as an official Gift of State for
Malaysia.
Murray writes from the heart, "It is my hope that this book
will inspire and entice you to visit and learn more about Malaysian
Borneo. It is truly one of the most exuberantly alive, and essential,
places on Earth."
 Reefs
and Rain Forests
The Natural Heritage of Malaysian Borneo
10 X 12 inches
276 pages
230 images, full color
Stochastic, six-color printing, spot varnish
$49.95, plus shipping and handling
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