Wild Pride is a vividly illustrated celebration of queer behavior in the animal kingdom, where male gray whales flirt with frenzied flourishes of fins and flukes, and female hedgehogs "do it" after sharing a spiky little snuggle.
Across species big and small, scientists have documented a wide range of same-sex interactions that push back against the myth that heterosexuality is the default in nature.
Written and illustrated by award-winning wildlife biologist, professor, and artist Dr. Rebecca Calisi-Rodríguez, Wild Pride presents peer-reviewed science in a bold, accessible format. Each animal featured is backed by citations from scientific journals, yet the descriptions remain short, punchy, and often hilarious. With vibrant, family-friendly illustrations on every page, the book brings animal behavior to life in a way that is both educational and joyful.
Although the text may be simple, the science behind it is anything but. With over 180 pages of richly illustrated content, Wild Pride is more than just a fun read. It is a celebration of biodiversity, a challenge to outdated norms, and a resource for classrooms, coffee tables, and bedtime reading alike. Complete with full citations and suggestions for further exploration, Wild Pride offers readers of all ages a chance to discover just how wild and wonderfully diverse the natural world really is.
Dr. Rebecca Calisi-Rodríguez is a wildlife biologist who specializes in decoding the hidden rhythms of animal behavior, and in reminding us that science, like nature, is rarely neat, always surprising, and often delightfully queer. A proud Mexican-American scientist raised in the heart of Texas, she grew up surrounded by cousins, cattle, and the kind of curiosity that doesn't stop asking "why."She earned her Ph.D. in Integrative Biology from UC Berkeley, where her fascination with hormones, reproduction, and the brain's role in behavior took flight. Now an Associate Professor at the University of California, Davis, Calisi-Rodríguez teaches one of the campus's most beloved courses: Animal Behavior, a subject she lives as much as she teaches. Her research spans reproductive neuroendocrinology, human-animal interactions, and the biology of stress, often unfolding not just in a lab but on a working ranch filled with rescue animals and students in muddy boots.An award-winning scientist and science communicator, Calisi-Rodríguez has authored over 70 publications and was named a National Geographic Explorer for her work translating complex biology into stories that stick. She hosted Nat Geo's digital series I Can Science, and her voice has reached audiences via The New York Times, LA Times, CBS, KQED, The Guardian, Nature, Science, and more.When she's not decoding mating rituals or wrangling inquisitive students, she can be found salsa dancing, listening to audiobooks while painting, and tending to her lively household of kids and creatures. Like her writing, her life is wild in the best possible way.
