After the success of his first book ‘Monkey Moments’ (Xlibris, 2021) reaching wide readership worldwide, Ghazally Ismail felt he succeeded in spreading the message about the plight of tropical rainforests that needs immediate action. This inspired him to further spread the words about the urgent situation of another tropical ecosystem, the mangroves.
Written in simple nontechnical language, ‘Mangrove Magic: Game of Clones’ (published by Xlibris NZ) highlights the existence of plant and animal species in the mangrove habitat. Each of them holds a unique and interconnected role in sustaining the mangrove ecosystem. The mangroves, in turn, play an integral part in the sequestration of carbon from escaping into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide causing global warming and havoc throughout the world. It is the author’s hope that this book will raise awareness and drive people to focus more on the conservation of this unique ecosystem.
“Not many, including scientists, are aware that mangroves are crucial to humankind with respect to averting climate change,” the author states. “Readers will be duly thrilled to know how truly special these species are. For millions of years, they have evolved and adapted so that each and every individual species here is able to survive in such harsh inhospitable environment. It would be unthinkably inhumane for us humans to wipe them off from the surface of this planet and let them become extinct forever. Just like the dinosaurs, our future generations would be deprived of seeing them alive and thriving.”
An excerpt from the book reads:
Mangrove is a marvel of nature that is so awe-inspiring in more ways than one. I summarily mulled over what I have experienced in all my years of exploring this unique ecosystem. I reflected on what a mangrove forest meant to different people; in all its many aspects of ecological functions, natural resources and services, education, wonderments and tranquillity. I pondered over its future survival and continuation as the sea continued to eternally caress the sandy shores and muddy river banks. For this had been its only way of breathing and nourishing itself.
Mangrove Magic: Game of Clones
By Ghazally Ismail
Hardcover | 6 x 9in | 218 pages | ISBN 9781664108257
Softcover | 6 x 9in | 218 pages | ISBN 9781664108240
E-Book | 218 pages | ISBN 9781664108233
Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble
About the Author
Ghazally Ismail grew up in a small Malaysian village, Jelawat. Selected to attend a premier boarding school, the Malay College Kuala Kangsar, Perak, 400 km away from home, he missed his childhood environment amidst lush pristine rainforests, mangroves and sandy beaches. He earned his doctorate from the Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, USA, in immunology and microbiology in 1976. For more than 40 years, he spent his working life in Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo. As a professor, his research and teaching took him to exploring numerous rainforests and coral reefs of immense biodiversity. He published extensively not only in immunology and microbiology but also environmental issues pertaining to biodiversity and conservation. He currently lives in Invercargill, New Zealand. After retiring from the academia, he delved into creative activities including writing, drawing, photography and making film documentaries.
