Amidst the tragedy of wild species extinction lies a hidden world of survival and wonder. Conservationists are locked in a high-stakes battle with the ghost of a drug lord and his herd of hippos. Scientists are fighting to save a flightless bird that romances rocks. Unconventional animals are upending 21st century beauty standards, and financiers are betting on whale poo to make its debut on Wall Street.
This is a story of survival and extinction, of life and death, of curiosity and perversion, of unimaginable joy and harrowing sorrow.
Set against the backdrop of a rapidly unfolding mass extinction event, Nature’s Last Dance takes readers across hunting grounds, through jungles and oceans, inside communities, through courtrooms, and into the heart of battles to survive against all odds.
Award-winning environmentalist Natalie Kyriacou confronts the extinction crisis with courage and curiosity, charting a new course for nature and showing us why it is so worth fighting for.
By:
Natalie Kyriacou
Imprint: Affirm Press
Country of Publication: Australia
Dimensions:
Height: 234mm,
Width: 153mm,
ISBN: 9781923293618
ISBN 10: 1923293613
Pages: 320
Publication Date: 01 September 2025
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Introduction: Welcome to the Anthropocene: ""The Vanishing Act"" PART 1: A High Stakes Game of Extinction, Seduction, and Survival Chapter 1: Courtship & Seduction in the Wild: ""A twinkle in the eye of a kakapo"" Chapter 2: A Legacy of Extinction: ""The Sound of Silence"" Chapter 3: A Spectacle of Survival: ""Your Booby, My Booby"" Chapter 4: Unravelling Ecosystems: ""The Butterfly Effect"" Chapter 5: The Greatest Show on Earth: ""The Hunter and the Hunted"" Chapter 6: The Ones we Lost: ""The Loneliest Rhino in the World"" PART 2: The Tangled Fates of Us and Them Chapter 7: The Miracle Makers: ""A Whale's Poo"" Chapter 8: The Anatomy of Extinction: ""Unmasking the Architects of Crisis"" Chapter 9: The Rights of Nature: ""The River that is a Person"" Chapter 10: Twisted Fates: ""Bonds that Bind and Destroy us"" Chapter 11: Invisible Creatures: ""The Curse of Ugly"" PART 3: Heroes, Villains and Birdwatchers Chapter 12: Nature and Capitalism: ""Wolves on Wall Street"" Chapter 13: Curiosities and Perversions: ""Broken Cures"" Chapter 14: The Delight and Mystery of the Birdwatcher: ""Falling in Love"" Chapter 15: Tales of Deceit and Cunning: ""The Propaganda Playbook"" Chapter 16: Giants Among Us: ""The Greatest Fight of our Lives"" FINALE: Coup De Grace Chapter 17: Part 1: Into the Abyss: ""Swan Song"" Chapter 18: Part 2: Against all Odds: ""Rebirth"" Chapter 19: End Game: ""A Dazzling or Devastating Finale""
Natalie Kyriacou OAM is an award-winning environmentalist, writer, professional public speaker, and company director with a passion for harnessing curiosity to solve nature crises. Natalie was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia and the Forbes 30 Under 30 honour for her services to wildlife and environmental conservation in 2018 and was recognised as one of The Australian's 'Top Innovators' in 2022. She was the United Nations Environment Programme's 'Young Champion of the Earth' Finalist for her innovation in wildlife and environmental conservation and is LinkedIn's Top Green Voice. She is a Board Director at the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife, a Board Committee Member at CARE Australia, the Founder and Chair of My Green World, a UNESCO Green Citizens Pathfinder, a member of the XPrize Brain Trust for Biodiversity and Conservation, and an Australian Delegate and Climate Justice Lead at the W20 (the official engagement group of the G20).
