Gator Country by Rebecca Renner

David Grann meets Susan Orlean in this page-turning true story of an
underground operation into the mysterious world of alligator poaching
and its larger than life Floridian characters
To catch a Florida Man, you have to become one, and thata's what Officer Jeff
Babauta did. As his ponytailed, whiskey-soaked alter ego, he established
Sunshine Alligator Farm. His goal? Infiltrate the shady world of illegal
poachers in the Florida Everglades in order to protect the natural world.
A head-spinning adventure soon unfolds. Jeff deals with glow-in-the-dark
alligators and high-speed airboat rides, but quickly learns that not all poachers
are villains. Theya're simply people trying to survive, fighting against the
poverty and greed holding them down. Jeff wants to solve the mystery of
alligator poachers, and in doing so he must venture deeper into a strange
ecosystem where right is wrong, and justice comes at the cost of those
whoa've welcomed him into their world.
Gator Country is the twisting true story of the impossible choices individuals
must make to stay afloat in this world. Through its wholly unique blend of
reporting, nature writing, and personal narrative, this book transports readers
to vibrant and dangerous Florida landscapes and offers intimate portraits of
those who call the region home. Broad in scope and vivid in detail, Gator
Country is a fast paced tale of the risks people will take to survive in one of
the world's most beautiful yet formidable landscapes and the undercover
investigation that threatens to topple the whole scheme.

Rebecca Renner is a contributor to National Geographic, and her writing has
appeared The New York Times, Outside Magazine, Tin House, The Paris
Review, The Guardian, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and other
publications . She holds an MFA from Stetson University.Gator Country is her
debut.

Flatiron Books
On Sale: Nov 14/23
6.12 x 9.25 • 272 pages
Plus one 8-page color photographic insert. Includes
one front matter map.
9781250842572 • $39.99 • CL - With dust jacket
Nature / Environmental Conservation & Protection