Ice Age History of Southwestern National Parks

Author Elias is an expert in Ice Age ecology, and has published several books on the subject. This is one of the best. Beginning with a four-chapter section on why it is important to study ecological systems of the past, the book takes its reader through the various Ice Age fossils of the Southwest, the types of material in which they are found, how they are dated, and nicely sums up this data with a chapter on how this data is pieced together to provide a tableau of past ecologies in an area. Attention then turns to various national park localities in the Southwest, including Canyondlands, Grand Canyon, Big Bend, and various Anasazi ruin parks. Each chapter discuss the various extinct animal finds in and around the named park area, and also includes information on past climates, flora, and effect of human cultures. Among the vanished animals expertly discussed are the short-faced bear, shrub ox, American lion, American camel, and two varieties of ground sloth. Locations of finds for each of these creatures are described and shown on generalized maps. I was impressed by the depth of research and the excellent writing style. The maps are somewhat vague, however, and I was disappointed in a lack of color photography. These are small detractions from the overall quality of the book, and I would heartily commend the book to anyone with an interest in the Ice Age, paleontology or ecology, or in the Southwest. If this describes you, then I especially recommend that you buy the book before you go to any of the named parks on a trip.