AUTHOR: Gabi Martínez, Jordi Serrallonga
PUBLISHER: Nórdica Libros, Captain Swing Libros
GENRE: Literatura (Nature writing)
READER’S NAME: James Lyons
DATE: May 30, 2022

Animales Invisibles Mito Vida y Extinción [Invisible Animals Myths Life and Extinction] is a book about animal and human life on our planet. It is at the same time a cautionary tale as well as a story of hope as we see species clinging to life and humans of good will helping them to survive. It is a great read for anyone who is interested in the natural world. As the title suggests, it is about animals that are invisible because they no longer exist, are endangered and/or hidden or are mythical creatures. The book is divided into four sections which include 51 entries. The first part is about animal life that has gone extinct, the second about shy and endangered animals in remote corners of the globe, the third about mythical beasts conjured up in the human imagination such as the yeti or mermaids and the last section presents more examples of hard to find animal life.

This book is exquisitely illustrated by Joana Santamans. The beautiful illustrations present half of the subject on one page and the other half on the next, reflecting what the title suggests that these creatures are hidden or rare and may be seen only furtively.

The entries are reminiscent of encyclopedia entries and are each one page long. Each page includes exceptionally engaging, intriguing and interesting anecdotes. The stories vary with each entry and include the story of the demise or endangerment of the animal, native people or researchers that have interacted with them, success stories of recoveries of populations and interesting descriptions of their habits and lives. One example is the extinct Moa of New Zealand that the elder Maori disdainfully considered nothing more than large chickens but have been adopted by the younger generations as a symbol of pride.

There is also the story of the wolf in North America, which is one of tragedy but also hope. In this entry the authors tell of the successful reintroduction of wolves in Yellowstone, which made a very significant contribution to the restoration of balance among the flora and fauna. In East Fork Alaska, by contrast, the wolf was virtually eliminated when the governor of the state approved wolf hunting, even in helicopters because it provided jobs. It leads one to wonder where these jobs are today if there are no wolves left.

While many of the mythical creatures that are commonly known around the world for centuries such as the yeti, unicorn or Loch Ness monster are discussed, the authors also include the newest member of this club, the chupacabras, which was admitted in 1985 following tales of unexplained attacks against sheep. They also include lesser known but very interesting creatures from around the world such as the mimi, which appear in aboriginal cave paintings in Australia. According to Aboriginal legend, the mimi transmitted their knowledge to the ancient natives of Australia. The arrival of the Europeans caused the mimi to retreat and become invisible as the arrival of invasive species did the same for the native fauna of the island continent.

The topic presented in Animales Invisibles is of universal concern to all human beings. This book is suitable for readers in the United States and across the world. It can and should be translated to English. The theme of extinction and destruction of the natural world through human intervention and abuse is well-known and documented. The theme as presented here appeals to the intellect as well as the emotions. The anecdotes chosen are compelling and make the reader want to know more about the topic.

Gabi Martínez is the representative of Travel Writing from Spain. He has written non fiction as well as novels. In addition to being an author, Jordi serrallonga is an arqueologist, naturalist and explorer. 

One book that this one brings to mind is Juicio a los Humanos by José Antonio Jauregui, where a human being, representing humanity, is on trial for the harm done to the planet and other species. The judge, jury, attorneys and audience in this satire are all different kinds of animals. The verdict, as one can imagine, is guilty.