Turns Out the East Coast Has Its Own Wild, Unsung Comeback Story

When you picture American wilderness, your brain probably conjures grizzlies in Yellowstone or redwoods in California. Fair enough. But a new book, Beasts of the East: The Fall and Rise of America’s Eastern Wilderness by Andrew Moore, makes a compelling case for the East Coast having its own, equally incredible, and largely unheralded wildlife comeback.

Moore argues that thanks to a potent cocktail of science, sheer human grit, and some genuinely smart policy, the eastern U.S. is quietly experiencing a resurgence of both wildlife and wildlands. Which, if you think about it, is both impressive and slightly terrifying given the population density.

Before European settlers decided the eastern landscape needed a bit of 'tidying up,' it was a vastly different place. Imagine: whooping cranes, sandhill cranes, black bears, and deer roaming free. Not just a few, but in numbers that would make modern-day traffic jams look quaint. There were also massive, noisy flocks of Carolina parakeets (yes, America had its own tropical birds, once) and passenger pigeons, alongside bison and elk grazing in sprawling meadows and tallgrass prairies.

Now, if you’re thinking, 'Wait, bison in, like, New Jersey?' you're not alone. But Moore’s book isn't just a historical account; it's a celebration of how much has been recovered, often right under our urbanized noses. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the wild things find a way back, especially when we decide to give them a fighting chance.