Birds, Beasts and Bedlam

“Courageous, visionary, funny.”—Isabella Tree

“One of the most remarkable figures in British conservation.”—Observer

“Gow reinvents what it means to be a guardian of the countryside.”—Guardian

Birds, Beasts and Bedlam recounts the adventures of Britain’s favorite maverick rewilder, Derek Gow, and his single-minded mission to save our rarest wildlife—one species at a time.

Author of Bringing Back the Beaver and Hunt for the Shadow Wolf, Derek shares his personal, courageous, and highly entertaining tales in Birds, Beasts and Bedlam, including how he raised a sofa-loving wild boar piglet, transported a raging bison bull across the UK, got bitten by a Scottish wildcat, and, together with Isabella Tree and Charlie Burrell, restored the ancient white stork to the pioneering Knepp Estate.

After a Shetland ewe captured his heart as a boy, Derek grew up to become a farmer with a passion for ancient breeds. When he realized how many of our species were close to extinction—even on his own land—Derek tore down fences literally and metaphorically, transforming his traditional Devon farm into a 300-acre rewilding haven for beavers, water voles, lynx, wildcats, harvest mice, wild boar, and more. A project that is still ongoing today.

Birds, Beasts and Bedlam continues the rich tradition of great British nature writing. Passionate, subversive, and unforgettable, it will leave you inspired to support rewilding efforts around the world, in your community, and even in your backyard.

“A do-er, not a dreamer, Gow has become one of our most outspoken rewilders.”—Countryfile Magazine

“In this warm and funny autobiography, [Gow] writes with a whimsical fluency about the moments of humour and pathos in an unusual life.”—Country Life

“Gow has a fire in his belly. We need more like him.”―BBC Wildlife magazine

“[Gow’s] stories can be bawdy, laugh-out-loud funny, poignant, or even depressing, but they’re never dull.”―Booklist