A book written by naturalist, wildlife biologist and rehabilitator Judy Hoy of Stevensville released this week titled “Changing Faces” chronicles in detail more than 20 years of work to document birth defects in wild animals as well as humans in the face of increasing pesticide use in the local area and elsewhere in the United States and calls for action to deal with the problem “before it is too late.”
With her new book, Hoy says she wants to bring attention to the high prevalence of multiple, often inhumane birth defects in animal young, including humans, and serious damage being done to native plants. “Many of the conditions which began in 1994-95 have continued to be extremely high in prevalence,” Hoy said. “Hopefully, with everyone’s help, newborns in the future, including human babies, can be saved from being born with the now common developmental malformations and predisposition to adverse health symptoms often causing cancer and/or mortality.”
A haiku written by Hoy adorns the back cover of the book. It states, succinctly the theme of her book: “High Rates of Defects/In Newborns is Another/Inconvenient Truth.”
Issued through Amazon Press and distributed locally by Stoneydale Press of Stevensville, her book is titled “Changing Faces” with the title coming from her observation of many facial malformations in a variety of wildlife species over the years. A picture of a young elk with facial malformation adorns the cover of the book. The book’s subtitle is “The Consequences of Exposure to Gene and Thyroid Disrupting Toxins.” Issued in 6×9-inch softcover format, the book contains 314 pages of discussion of the issues involved.
In addition to her 20 years of hands-on research and data collection on the subject, Hoy has co-authored four published studies on these issues and sees her book as a vehicle to take what she considers a serious issue to a broader public. With the help of her husband, Bob, a retired Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologist and game warden, she began documenting and reporting new birth defects and other adverse health issues on mammals, birds and amphibians many years ago..
“The changes in faces due to underdeveloped facial bones in the most common of the birth defects on multiple vertebrate species, prompting the book’s title,” Hoy said. “Changing Faces chronicles over 20 years of observations regarding the changes in the faces, as well as serious changes in the vital organs on examined individuals. Included in the book is a discussion on how animals, plants, and the entire biodiversity of the planet are being adversely affected by a combination of factors, particularly the recent massive increase in the use of certain pesticides, fungicides and insecticides. What we can do to mitigate these devastating changes is addressed in the sincere hope that positive action will be taken before it is too late.”
“Changing Faces: The Consequences of Exposure to Gene and Thyroid Disrupting Toxins” retails for $12.00 and will distributed locally by Stoneydale Press, 523 Main Street, Stevensville, Montana 59870 – phone 406-777-2729 or via its website at www.stoneydale.com.
The book is also available on-line through Amazon Books and Hoy noted that all profits from Amazon online sales of Changing Faces will go to help pay for food and medical expenses for injured and orphaned wildlife in western Montana. She said that when someone orders the book from Amazon, all profits over printing and mailing costs will go into the Bitterroot Audubon Wildlife Rehabilitation Fund at the Rocky Mountain Bank in Stevensville.