Eastern U.S. Wildlife Restoration Highlighted in New Book
Andrew Moore's new book, Beasts of the East: The Fall and Rise of America’s Eastern Wilderness, sheds light on the successful restoration of wildlife across the U.S. East Coast. The book, published by Mariner Books on June 2, 2026, highlights efforts to reintroduce species such as bison and elk, and restore habitats previously impacted by human activity.
Moore details the reintroduction of American bison to Illinois' tallgrass prairies, a project that took approximately 40 years to establish. Today, bison roam the 3,800-acre Nachusa Grasslands, managed by The Nature Conservancy. In Kentucky, the elk population has grown to about 10,000, spanning a 16-county area, following reintroduction efforts that began in the late 1990s.
The book also discusses the restoration of red wolves in North Carolina, where the species remains one of the world's rarest and faces ongoing challenges. Additionally, Moore notes the historic high population of sandhill cranes, underscoring the broader success of these conservation efforts.