"Islands in the Sky" by Bruce Means and James Valentine chronicles "lost kingdoms" in the skies of South America, known as tepuis.

Renowned Florida biologist D. Bruce Means, of Tallahassee, has seen landscapes only a handful of humans have laid eyes on. "Lost kingdoms" in the skies of South America, known as tepuis, have attracted Means for a lifetime.

"Every biologist worth his/her salt should have experience in the tropics," Means says it's where most of earth's biodiversity resides and has resided even during glacial times.

The latest book by the noted explorer, biologist and educator is “Islands in the Sky: Journey to the Lost Worlds of South America,”(D. Bruce Means & James Valentine, ECO Publishing, 2024 144 full-color pages, $29.99) It is his most intimate and captivating to date. The book features more than 100 breathtaking images of the towering tepuis concentrated in this fascinating geographic region.

“I learned more about nature by trekking through the jungle with Bruce than I have from any other trip that I’ve taken,” Honnold said.

“Islands in the Sky” was printed by ECO Publishing, a boutique scientific press in New Mexico’s Bootheel region. ECO Publishing also published his last title, “Basecamp in the Tropics.” The book is available for purchase at brucemeans.com. Autographed copies are also available on the site.

D. Bruce Means, of Tallahassee, visited "lost kingdoms" in the skies of South America, known as tepuis.

The large-format book is filled with stunning photographs of the tepuis and their flora and fauna.

Dr. Bruce Means is President Emeritus of the Coastal Plains Institute and Land Conservancy, a nonprofit organization he and others founded in 1984 that is dedicated to conserving the rich biodiversity — and elevating public awareness and appreciation — of the vast Coastal Plain of the southeastern United States.

"Islands in the Sky" is filled with stunning photographs of the tepuis and their flora and fauna.

He is an Adjunct Professor of Biological Science at Florida State University where he has taught courses on the ecology of upland, wetland, and coastal environments of the southeastern U. S. and courses on vertebrate biology, ichthyology, mammalogy, herpetology, general biology, tropical ecology, and conservation biology.

National Geographic Explorer's documentary on Bruce and Alex's trip to the South American tepuis has inspired countless explorers and stoked the imagination; this book is an even closer look at a land very few people get to see.

"Early naturalists enjoyed the thrills of discovery at every turn," Means says. "Every new place was an explorer's paradise. Few are left, but I've found mine among the remote tepuis of South America."