Though the prairies and marshes of Louisiana's Outback appear peaceful and tranquil, this ever-shifting realm of land and water - both salt and fresh -is home, habitat and haven to a wondrous web of life.

The "locals" include 28 mammal species, more than 300 bird species, millions of monarch butterflies, 39 species of mosquitoes (yes, there are that many different mosquitoes!), 35 species of amphibians and reptiles, 7 commercial species of mollusks, and 132 species of fish.