Wild Cats of the World

by Luke Hunter

From the rabbit-sized Black-footed Cat of southern Africa to bear-killing Amur tigers of the Russian Far East, the 38 members of the Cat Family include some of the world's most fascinating and magnificent species on earth. Supremely adapted for the kill, all cats are obligate carnivores; they survive only by preying upon other animals, and they have become one of evolution's most successful predatory lineages of mammals. Wild Cats of the World explores the spectacular Cat Family in unprecedented depth. Drawing on thousands of scientific papers and direct observations in the field, each species is profiled at length, covering all aspects of felid behaviour and ecology. The book is profusely illustrated with colour plates, black-and-white sketches showing important aspects of cat life, and accurate images of every species' skull. Over 400 spectacular photographs are included, many of them showing extremely rare and little-known cats published here for the first time. Each profile includes an up-to-date range map and explains the most current science on how cats are classified and related to each other, including some very recent, surprising discoveries. Despite their great evolutionary success, the challenges facing felids in the modern world are profound. Only one, the ubiquitous domestic cat, does not require dedicated conservation action to ensure survival for the next century. The book also explores the current conservation issues facing wild cats, the increasingly perilous status of many species, and how they can be saved.

Genres: Animals, Nonfiction, Nature, Biology

240 pages, Hardcover

First published October 13, 2015

Reviews

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

While by no means a scientific treatise on each wild felid species, this latest publication authored by one of the top experts in the field contains much pertinent and up to date information on recent research relating to each. The many color photos mainly taken in the field, along with terrific hand drawn illustrations at times depicting cat behaviour add tremendously to enjoyment of the book for the avid cat fan.

This book falls somewhere in between the basic color field guide and hefty reference works containing full technical information. What seems missing is a more detailed introduction to cat biology one would usually find in such focused works, the very short first chapter on their evolutionary history is useful but all too brief.

[Craine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I guess I'm just a sucker for cats. Very beautiful illustrations throughout I have to say and very easy to read for any layman as it is not a rigorous scientific treatment in any shape or form.

[E Rachelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent reference full of great pictures and information. All the wild cats you love, and all the cats you didn't know existed slink through these pages. The author provides as much detail as he could find on physical description, range, habitats, and behavior of each feline.

[Lone Wolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘Wild Cats of the World’ is essentially an encyclopaedia of felids. Each species in the family is covered, with information given on habitat, diet, reproduction and so on. This is presented in a clear if rather bland fashion. Photos and artwork accompany the text, but this not a “coffee table” book of the kind you buy to admire the pictures – it’s info-heavy and there are no full-page images. Some species have only one photo representing them.

There were a few minor errors and inconsistencies – the author does not acknowledge the subfamily Pantherinae, and some of the information is a little outdated (the book was published in 2015). He uses the word “poisonous” when he means venomous, and refers to female and male caribou as “does and stags” when the correct terms are cows and bulls (there is actually no species that uses does and stags – it’s either does and bucks or hinds and stags). He also incorrectly capitalises certain words, such as taxonomic ranks and various common names.

[Kylie90 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una guida molto ben fatta, con foto illustrazioni stupende! L’ho trovata molto completa e tecnica, dopo un po’ può risultare noiosa, ma a piccole dosi risulta sempre molto interessante, già solo sfogliarla è un piacere. È un’edizione un po’ datata e informazioni e dati si basano su numeri ormai abbastanza vecchi, ma la realtà cambia poco, la consiglio agli amanti dei felini e degli animali in generale!

[Rachel Shields Ebersole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of great pictures. The writing itself was informative but fairly dry.

[Alessandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bellissime illustrazioni e molte informazioni utili

[Rowan W · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-researched book with accurate and pleasant art of the cats. Fed my autistic fact-seeking brain quite nicely!

[Meghan Bohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly informative!