Untamed

Carol Ruckdeschel is awesome. So is Will Harlan, for doing his research and telling Carol’s story so well. Her last name only appears a few times in the book, so I want to state it up front to help remember this remarkable person. Before I started the book, my first thought was “what a badass!” – in the good way. She chose a lifestyle that isn’t exactly in line with the American Dream, but is, I think, commendable and worthy of consideration, given our place in the greater ecosystem of this planet. Worth considering that while it’s not for everyone, those that choose it shouldn’t be neglected or denied support simply because they’re different. What made Carol different? Everything. Where to begin?

We first see how she got to be so close to animals, and how this in turn was largely responsible for how she came to accept the reality of death and of life. She named her pets – of all species – after other animals, and honored the life of each, so that when they died, they would live on in other organisms, including Carol herself. Yes, that means she ate plenty of road kill, but this book actually made it sound kind of tasty. Provided it’s not too mangled, the meat is cleaner by not having antibiotics or other chemicals, and the animal’s ability to pass on its genes is already removed; there is no waste. The carcasses also provided a top-class opportunity in learning the inner structure and workings of the critters. For over forty years – longer than any of the other outstanding women pioneers of wildlife conservation – she researched the sea turtles on Cumberland Island. She dissected each dead turtle she came across, and built a scientific collection eyed by the Smithsonian for its quality and completeness.

With all of her animal expertise, she also longed to fit in with other humans, and yet still live by her own rules and provide for herself. Carol was not the only long-time islander interested in the nature there, and she was only the latest in a long line of influential women. Certain moneyed families, with undeniably elitist, racist, and eugenic histories, claimed patches of the island, and used their long presence there to argue for their continued authority. A mansion was built for every heir that wanted one, and while almost no one lived on the island year-round, some of the most powerful among them knew the island’s natural history almost as well as Carol did. They had that in common. Dirty politics crept in, further complicating things. To be fair, Carol had Jimmy Carter on her side, and convinced him as Governor to protect river habitat. The National Park Service, part of what Ken Burns might call “America’s best idea,” is far from perfect, and for all the good it does there is another trail of corruption. Will Harlan’s fair treatment of all the conflicting interests is excellent. Even Carol is far from one-sided, but she was friendly with her neighbors despite some strong disagreements – and worse.

For romantic relationships, it’s almost as if she were cursed her whole life. She even endured domestic violence, and reading Harlan’s account, she was justified in every act of her self-defense.  (This is a tragedy I don’t feel qualified enough to write much about.) The additional slander and prejudice held against Carol made everything that much more challenging for her mission of protecting Cumberland. Other books were written about her, some hiding behind fiction that is too close to not be based on her and other islanders. In spite of all that, her iron will and constitution, and the power of scientific data, won out many cases, an outstanding grassroots success story.

Millions of years of evolution made Cumberland the rich biodiverse island it is today, and Carol has done more than anyone, it seems, to slow its deterioration. Knowing the animals and plants, and waters and land, of the habitat is essential for its conservation. Sea turtles helped convince me to move towards conservation, and I want to thank Carol for her extraordinary efforts. Will Harlan tells a comprehensive yet very readable history of the island’s stakeholders, and does the same for other relevant topics. It is beautiful writing about a place that must be beautiful, and of a life that has been equal in its troubles and beauty.