Cape Cod Wildlife: a History of Untamed Forests, Seas and Shores (Ma) (The History Press)

It's hard to imagine the abundant environment that faced the first Europeans when they arrived on Cape Cod, but the New World was ripe with flora and fauna. Ages before, the melting glaciers had left behind moraines--huge piles of sand and gravel that had been pushed up in front of them. Some of these piles now have names like Martha's Vineyard and Cape Cod. Author Theresa Mitchell Barbo explores our relationship to Cape Cod's wildlife, examining the varied environs--from the windswept coast to intertidal salt marshes--found here. Over the centuries there have been extinctions, such as the mighty Atlantic population of the gray whale, and invasive species, such as gypsy moths and coyotes. Today, there is better awareness in our attempts to balance a sustainable local economy weighed against conservation of Cape Cod's priceless wildlife.