OMAHA, Neb., May 7, 2008 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Wondrous and enchanting yet
fragile and at risk, "The Natural World" (ISBN: 978-189031042-4), as seen
through the eyes of celebrated nature photographer Thomas D. Mangelsen,
chronicles ten distinct ecosystems that serve as islands of refuge not only
for Earth's diversity of life but for the human spirit as well. The man
American Photo magazine calls "One of the 100 Most Important People in
Photography," Mangelsen takes the viewer on a visual odyssey, from the
wildebeest migration on the plains of the Serengeti to the penguins of
Antarctica, from the grizzlies of Alaska to the frozen landscape of the polar
bears on Hudson Bay.

In striking panoramic photographs, Mangelsen documents his subjects within the
context of their varied environments. Excerpts from his journals detail his
experiences in the field, and his words provide a window into the man behind
the camera. Tom shares his love for and fascination with the magical places
that have changed his life and his perspective on our shrinking wild places.

In her foreword, Dr. Jane Goodall weighs in on the state of the natural world,
focusing on the impact of Mangelsen's work in helping others better understand
and protect our wild places. "It seems to me that he has the same kind of
reverence for the spiritual essence of the wilderness as the Native American
who believes that life on Earth is sacred, a gift from the Creator," Goodall
writes. "It is this, I think, which enables

Tom to capture, again and again,
something of the soul of the landscapes he portrays, something beyond the mere
physical shape of the land, the mountains and the sky. In addition, Tom has
the sharp, observant eye of a keen naturalist. He understands as well as loves
animals, knows about their behavior, knows what to look for, what to expect.
And there is another element: Tom sees the world around him with the
perceptions of an artist, composing his pictures as a painter might."

In the introduction Thomas Mangelsen describes what the book means to him.
"The Natural World represents only a tiny fraction of the Earth's
extraordinary landscapes and amazing diversity. This book is a personal
selection of images from those places and species that have touched me deeply
and changed my life," Tom writes. "I have been to places like the Serengeti

Denali many times; however, places like Iceland and Sossusvlei I have
experienced only once. Few of the places are the same as when I first visited
them. Hudson Bay's polar bears were thought to be thriving when I first went
there twenty years ago; today some scientists predict that because of global
warming, polar bears will be gone from Hudson Bay and possibly elsewhere as
soon as twenty years from now."

The Natural World is a quiet call to action. An inventory of our planet as it
battles climate change. A celebration of the wild and it's value to the human
psyche. A record of the Earth's last great places, one that will inspire
present and future generations with the message that what we have, can and
must be saved.

Thomas D. Mangelsen is among the most distinguished natural history
photographers in the world. In 1994 Tom was honored by the BBC as Wildlife
Photographer of the Year. He was named the North American Nature Photographer
Association's Outstanding Nature Photographer of the Year in 2000. He received
an honorary fellowship from The Royal Photographic Society in 2002. In 2005
was honored with Nikon's Legend Behind the Lens recognition as well as being
recognized as "One of the 100 Most Important People in Photography" by
American Photo Magazine. In 2007 he was named winner of American Photo
Magazine's Image of the Year 2007 - Nature category.

Mangelsen's work has been widely published, including in Audubon, National
Geographic, Life, Wildlife Art, American Photo and National Wildlife. He has
been featured on television programs such as "The Today Show" and CNN's "World
News." Most recently he was chosen as one of "Jane Goodall's Heroes" on Animal

His images have been exhibited in museums around the United States, Canada and Europe, and are available in sixteen Images of Nature(R) galleries across the United States. Driven to express the beauty and intricacy of the wilderness, Mangelsen spends up to seven months a year in the field documenting the lands and creatures he so cares about.

In 2000 he co-founded The Cougar Fund, a nonprofit created to raise awareness for and to protect America's greatest cat. All of Tom's images are made in the wild, not in captive game farms, and are presented in their true form without computer manipulation.

Dr. Jane Goodall is the most recognizable figure in conservation today. She
began her landmark study of chimpanzees in Tanzania in June 1960 under the
mentorship of anthropologist and paleontologist Dr. Louis Leakey. Her work at
what was then called the Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Reserve would become the
foundation of future primatological research, redefining the relationship
between humans and animals.

In 1977, she established the Jane Goodall Institute, which continues the Gombe
research and is a global leader in empowering people to make a difference for
all living things. The institute also is widely recognized for establishing
innovative, community-centered conservation and development programs in
Africa, and the

In 2006, Dr. Goodall received the UNESCO Gold Medal Award and the French
Legion of Honor. In 2004 Prince Charles invested her as a Dame of the British
Empire, the female equivalent of knighthood. Her scores of honors include the
Medal of Tanzania, the National Geographic Society's Hubbard Medal and Japan's
prestigious Kyoto Prize. In April 2002, Secretary General Kofi Annan named her
a United Nations Messenger of Peace.

Dr. Goodall's latest book is "Harvest for Hope: A Guide to Mindful Eating."
She also has authored In the Shadow of Man, Through a Window, the best-selling
autobiography Reason for Hope and many children's books. The Chimpanzees of

Patterns of Behavior is the definitive scientific work on chimpanzees. She has been the subject of numerous television documentaries and is featured in the large-screen-format film Jane Goodall's Wild Chimpanzees.