The cat, or Family Felidae, has been with us for about 30 million years, having evolved into one of the most magnificent hunters and carnivores ever. This amazing book lists each of the 38 wild members of this modern family, with in-depth detail, photography, and illustrations.

While we're all sort of familiar with some of the more charismatic animals (such as the lion, and tiger), there's an amazing variety of cats, in all shapes and sizes, in all climatic zones of the planet. There's the tiny Sand Cat of Africa and the Jungle Cat from the Indian peninsula. Then there's the elusive Snow Leopard of the Himalaya and the Jaguar of South America. Did you know that the Amur tigers of the Far East can take down bears?

There are the more than 400 dynamic, and beautifully printed images in this book, from some of the top wildlife photographers in the world, including Frans Lanting and Thomas Mangelson. This is a true encyclopedia of wild cats, and a stunning accomplishment by Dr. Hunter. Each of these 38 animals is presented in an organized and descriptive manner, with range maps, skull illustrations, and physical specifications. The origin of each species is laid out in the taxonomy and phylogeny subsections, followed by its description, distribution and habitat, feeding ecology, social and spatial behavior, and reproduction and demography (including mortality and lifespan).

The final section describes the threats to the species, and its status. The 39th species (not included in this book), is the only one, "...that does not require dedicated conservation action to ensure its survival for the next century." That would be the common housecat, of which half-a-billion are kept as pets worldwide. The animals in this book are all perfectly adapted for the kill, primarily solitary hunters.

Dr. Hunter is definitely the "Cat Man;" he has previously authored books on Cheetahs, Cats of Africa, and Carnivores of the World, and now he comes to us with Wild Cats of the World. And, he describes the challenges these magnificent animals face in the future for survival, their perilous status, and what people can do to help save them.

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.