Last Chance to See Book Summary

Join Douglas Adams and wildlife expert Mark Carwardine on an extraordinary journey across the globe as they seek out some of the world's most endangered species. This captivating travelogue blends humor, adventure, and poignant reflections on conservation and the fragility of life. As Adams' wit shines through, readers encounter dazzling creatures like the kakapo parrot and the rare vaquita whale, making it a race against time to witness them before they vanish forever. With each chapter, the urgency of protecting our planet’s biodiversity becomes strikingly clear. 'Last Chance to See' is not just a quest for rare animals, but a call to action to preserve our natural world.

By Douglas Adams, Mark Carwardine

Published: 1992

"We are all living on this planet together, and we are all in this wonderful mess together. It is our responsibility to appreciate it, to protect it and to ensure we leave it for the next generation."

Book Review of Last Chance to See

New York Times bestselling author Douglas Adams and zoologist Mark Carwardine take off around the world in search of exotic, endangered creatures. Join them as they encounter the animal kingdom in its stunning beauty, astonishing variety, and imminent peril: the giant Komodo dragon of Indonesia, the helpless but loveable Kakapo of New Zealand, the blind river dolphins of China, the white rhinos of Zaire, the rare birds of Mauritius island in the Indian Ocean. Hilarious and poignant—as only Douglas Adams can be—Last Chance to See is an entertaining and arresting odyssey through the Earth’s magnificent wildlife galaxy. Praise for Last Chance to See “Lively, sharply satirical, brilliantly written . . . shows how human care can undo what human carelessness has wrought.”—The Atlantic “These authors don’t hesitate to present the alarming facts: More than 1,000 species of animals (and plants) become extinct every year. . . . Perhaps Adams and Carwardine, with their witty science, will help prevent such misadventures in the future.”—Boston Sunday Herald “Very funny and moving . . . The glimpses of rare fauna seem to have enlarged [Adams’s] thinking, enlivened his world; and so might the animals do for us all, if we were to help them live.”—The Washington Post Book World “[Adams] invites us to enter into a conspiracy of laughter and caring.”—Los Angeles Times “Amusing . . . thought-provoking . . . Its details on the heroic efforts being made to save these animals are inspirational.”—The New York Times Book Review

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We are all living on this planet together, and we are all in this wonderful mess together. It is our responsibility to appreciate it, to protect it and to ensure we leave it for the next generation.

Last Chance to See

By Douglas Adams, Mark Carwardine