Craig Stanford is a biologist and anthropologist at the University of Southern California. He is known for his long-term field research on wild chimpanzees in East Africa, and for his many field studies of highly endangered turtles and tortoises in Asia and Latin America. He has published nearly twenty books and hundreds of articles about animal behavior, human origins, and environmental issues. Stanford is a long-time resident of the Pasadena area in Southern California.

Praise for Unnatural Habitat:"A worthy and illuminating entry in the tradition of works exploring urbanization's effect on the environment. [...] Stanford's fundamental message is clear and simple (and oft-repeated): To preserve a Los Angeles in which humans and nature benefit from one another, we must increase our understanding of our city’s fragile wildlife mosaic." —Daniel Vitale, Los Angeles Times"Unnatural Habitat puts an important spotlight on how L.A. is uniquely positioned to support unique and diverse flora and fauna. The fun and vivid descriptions of the ecological interactions and fascinating history behind L.A.'s biodiversity will inspire local residents to consider even the most human dominated neighborhoods as places to explore nature." —Miguel Ordeñana, Wildlife Biologist at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles CountyPraise for The New Chimpanzee by Craig B. Stanford (Harvard, 2018):"Stanford is a talented and fluent writer as well as an accomplished researcher." —The Wall Street JournalPraise for Planet Without Apes by Craig B. Stanford (Belknap, 2014):"Craig Stanford's book makes compelling reading. [The great apes] have helped us better understand our own behavior. Now it is our turn to help them, and when you read this book, you will realize that we MUST." —Jane Goodall"Stanford reveals a complex web of cultural, social, economic and biological issues that explain why this problem is so exceedingly difficult to solve." ―The Washington Post"In his wide-ranging call for action, Stanford lays out the critical threats, arguing that humanity’s closest cousins are viewed as savage ‘others’ and subjected to a genocidal urge last seen in the colonial era." —Nature"This is a timely call for effective action." ―Publishers Weekly

• Introduction: The Hollow EcosystemI Stars of Suburbia1. Palms Up, and Down2. Winged Gemstones3. Painted Beauties among the Flowers4. Peacocks Rule This Roost5. Cats Great and Small6. The SpectacleII Dangerous, or Misunderstood?7. Wily and Wildly Successful8. Beloved Cuddly Killers9. Little Chewers10. Don’t Let the Green Grass Fool You11. All That Rattles and Slithers12. ArachnophiliaIII Their Last Stand13. The (Once) Mighty Oak14. Silent Suburbia15. Live Forever . . . to Be Poached16. Pollinators on Life SupportIV Backyard Visitors17. Aerial Hunters in the Backyard18. Not Even the Squirrels Belong19. Not Your Average Bear20. Love ’Em or Hate ’Em21. Dumpster Divers and Backyard StinkersV Remarkable Neighbors22. The Smart Ones23. Sage Advice24. Lounge Lizards25. The Family Tortoise26. Worms, Snails, and Other Creepy-CrawliesConclusionAcknowledgmentsFurther ReadingAbout the Author

Craig Stanford is a biologist and anthropologist at the University of Southern California. He is known for his long-term field research on wild chimpanzees in East Africa, and for his many field studies of highly endangered turtles and tortoises in Asia and Latin America. He has published nearly twenty books and hundreds of articles about animal behavior, human origins, and environmental issues. Stanford is a long-time resident of the Pasadena area in Southern California.

Praise for Unnatural Habitat:"A worthy and illuminating entry in the tradition of works exploring urbanization's effect on the environment. [...] Stanford's fundamental message is clear and simple (and oft-repeated): To preserve a Los Angeles in which humans and nature benefit from one another, we must increase our understanding of our city’s fragile wildlife mosaic." —Daniel Vitale, Los Angeles Times"Unnatural Habitat puts an important spotlight on how L.A. is uniquely positioned to support unique and diverse flora and fauna. The fun and vivid descriptions of the ecological interactions and fascinating history behind L.A.'s biodiversity will inspire local residents to consider even the most human dominated neighborhoods as places to explore nature." —Miguel Ordeñana, Wildlife Biologist at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles CountyPraise for The New Chimpanzee by Craig B. Stanford (Harvard, 2018):"Stanford is a talented and fluent writer as well as an accomplished researcher." —The Wall Street JournalPraise for Planet Without Apes by Craig B. Stanford (Belknap, 2014):"Craig Stanford's book makes compelling reading. [The great apes] have helped us better understand our own behavior. Now it is our turn to help them, and when you read this book, you will realize that we MUST." —Jane Goodall"Stanford reveals a complex web of cultural, social, economic and biological issues that explain why this problem is so exceedingly difficult to solve." ―The Washington Post"In his wide-ranging call for action, Stanford lays out the critical threats, arguing that humanity’s closest cousins are viewed as savage ‘others’ and subjected to a genocidal urge last seen in the colonial era." —Nature"This is a timely call for effective action." ―Publishers Weekly

• Introduction: The Hollow EcosystemI Stars of Suburbia1. Palms Up, and Down2. Winged Gemstones3. Painted Beauties among the Flowers4. Peacocks Rule This Roost5. Cats Great and Small6. The SpectacleII Dangerous, or Misunderstood?7. Wily and Wildly Successful8. Beloved Cuddly Killers9. Little Chewers10. Don’t Let the Green Grass Fool You11. All That Rattles and Slithers12. ArachnophiliaIII Their Last Stand13. The (Once) Mighty Oak14. Silent Suburbia15. Live Forever . . . to Be Poached16. Pollinators on Life SupportIV Backyard Visitors17. Aerial Hunters in the Backyard18. Not Even the Squirrels Belong19. Not Your Average Bear20. Love ’Em or Hate ’Em21. Dumpster Divers and Backyard StinkersV Remarkable Neighbors22. The Smart Ones23. Sage Advice24. Lounge Lizards25. The Family Tortoise26. Worms, Snails, and Other Creepy-CrawliesConclusionAcknowledgmentsFurther ReadingAbout the Author