A king vulture drawn by Wirt Robinson, c. 1895.

A king vulture drawn by Wirt Robinson, c. 1895.

Animal friends on Georgia's southernmost barrier island.

Cumberland Island is 14 miles of beaches, forests and marshes. Ecologist Carol Ruckdeschel has lived among the plants and animals there for 45 years. Her observations are presented in a recently published book: “A Natural History of Cumberland Island Georgia.”

Ruckdeschel also helped organize the sea turtle stranding network. But the turtles aren’t the only creatures on Cumberland Island to capture her attention, or her affections. We learn about her unlikely favorite animal.

An adolescent black stallion nibbles on the dunes at Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia.

An adolescent black stallion nibbles on the dunes at Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia.

A marsh on Cumberland Island.

A marsh on Cumberland Island.

Over 40 years of Carol Ruckdeschel's observations are in a new book.

Over 40 years of Carol Ruckdeschel's observations are in a new book.

Tags: natural history  coastal georgia  Cumberland Island  ecology