Walker's Carnivores of the World

by Ronald M. Nowak

Although they are highly intelligent, ruthless predators, carnivores are increasingly rare. From the dwarf mongoose to the polar bear, carnivores are at once respected and misunderstood, invoking both fear and curiosity in the humans with whom they share their world. Ronald M. Nowak celebrates these fascinating mammals in Walker's Carnivores of the World. This comprehensive guide, featuring 225 illustrations, covers the world's eight terrestrial families of carnivores. Each generic account comprises scientific and common names, number and distribution of species, physical attributes, measurements, hunting and social activity, reproduction, habitat, population dynamics, longevity, and status of threatened species. A thought-provoking overview by David W. Macdonald and Roland W. Kays is packed with results of the latest field and laboratory research on topics ranging from evolutionary history to the adaptive value of fur patterns. Emphasizing the interplay of social life, morphology, and predatory behavior, it provides an up-to-date panorama of the world's carnivores.

Genres: Animals, Biology

313 pages, Paperback

First published December 17, 2004

Reviews

[PoachingFacts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Walker's Carnivores of the World by Ronald M. Nowak is an excellent single-volume primer for individuals interested in the development, characteristics, behavior, distribution, and habitat of species in the groups: Candae, Ursidae, Procyonidae, Mustelidae, Viverridae, Herpestidae, Hyaenidae, and Felidae. Researchers, students, and academics should be aware that the two-volume reference Walker's Mammals of the World has substantially more information and much of the information contained in Carnivores stems from that resource by the same author.

Carnivores begins with an intelligent, informative introduction covering carnivore adaptations, diet, range and territorial behaviors, social systems, reproduction, communication, and conservation status. The black and white photos along with detailed characteristics for both sexes provide a satisfactory starting point for further research into specific species. The primary strength of Carnivores is the concise, informative arrangement of information for each species in an encyclopedic format that does not omit data on species vulnerability, conservation status, or the species’ presence in the legal and illegal wildlife trades. However, having been published in 2005 it should be noted that some of the taxonomic information may be outdated or the conservation statuses changed. Carnivores concludes with several useful pages in the appendix suitable for students or researchers in the field. There are also 25 pages dedicated to citations for further reading and reference.