Homage to African Wildlife Goes Beyond the Printed Page

WASHINGTON, DC--The African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) is pleased to announce the publication of Endangered Liaisons, a 320-page coffee-table book of African Wildlife photography and personal memoirs by longtime AWF supporter Don Shay.

The vision behind Endangered Liaisons began to take shape more than 20 years ago, after Shay returned from his first transformative trip to Africa -- a photographic safari to Kenya in 1987. Stricken with what he calls "safari fever," he has since returned to the continent 14 times, visiting dozens of wildlife parks and reserves in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and other countries.

Shay's affiliation with AWF is similarly purposeful and long-lasting. "Joining AWF seemed like a meaningful way to maintain some sort of connection with a place and an experience I was certain would live with me forever," says Shay, who will donate a portion of the book's proceeds to AWF.

Endangered Liaisons features 238 of Shay's stunning photos presented over seven chapters, each of which focuses on a particular destination and, in most cases, a particular species of animal. A final chapter addresses wildlife conservation issues and the connection between wildlife and people. Insightful accounts of life on safari are seamlessly interwoven with well-researched information on the locations visited and the wildlife observed.

This beautiful volume about life on safari is published just in time for the holidays. Endangered Liaisons is described by the Midwest Book Review as "the perfect giftbook for wildlife lovers, a welcome addition to photography shelves, and truly an amazing sight to behold from cover to cover."

AWF CEO Patrick Bergin states, "Don Shay has been a loyal and exceptional supporter of the African Wildlife Foundation for several decades. In Endangered Liaisons, he captures the true essence of being on safari. Don's personal narrative and stunning images exude a knowledge of and commitment for the continent that are derived from many remarkable forays 'into the bush' and an unrelenting devotion to conserving the unparalleled wildlife splendor he has seen."

For more information about Endangered Liaisons, visit the book's web site at www.africagraphica.com/awf. For every book you purchase there, AWF will receive $25. AWF supporters will also receive a free copy of the Endangered Liaisons 2009 wall calendar, a dramatic photo-journal of Shay's encounters with many of Africa's most magnificent wildlife.