Wolves of the World (Worldlife Discovery Guide)

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Summary: Wolves for a new generation.
Review: Ever since the very successful Yellowstone Wolf re-introduction progamme in 1995/96 many books have been written about Wolves, but whilst most of these focus mainly on research, technical biology and the individuals personal wolf experiences, very few have concentrated on the animal that facinates and intrigues us, the Wolf itself.

Now, the ever reliable Voyageur press, that has been responsible for so many wonderful books on Wolves and other wildlife, have presented us with a long overdue popular book of text and photographs that updates what a long time enthusiast of Wolves already knows and loves. This attractive volume is also a great first book for a new generation of Wolf admirers.

Author Todd K Fuller, with a supportive forward from Italian "wolfman" Luigi Boitani (Professor, University of Rome "La Sapienza), has used his own knowledge and expertise to write an extensive and complete natural history of this, the world most misunderstood creature. Fuller has wisely drawn on the facts and research information from the worlds top Wolf biologists (Mech and Boitani et al), and his easy to read text is both informative and enlightning. The text is divided into eleven chapters detailing all aspects of the Wolf- Taxonomy, Morphology, Distribution, Communications, Land Use, Social Behaviour, Populations, Food, Species Interactions, Humans and Conservation. This book is supported in its 132 pages ,with 66 beautiful photographs by well known Wolf photographers Jim Brandenburg, Art wolfe, Tim Fitzharris and others. Perhaps one disappointment about the photographs is the familiarity, not to a new generation, but to old Wolf enthusiasts, of all of the Brandenburg and Art Wolfe images which will be well known and recalled from their individual books. On the plus side is a whole new series of images from some newer photographers to the wildlife scene. In fact the cautious gaze of the Wolf in Lisa & Mike Husar's photograph on page 80 is worth the price of this book alone. It is one of the most mesmerizing images of a wolf I have seen for a very long time.

Anyone interested in Wolves will be very pleased with this fine publication, and hopfully it will find a whole new generation of people who will learn to love the Wolf as much as I do. Congratulations to Todd K Fuller for writing this book, and many thanks to Voyageur Press for another (as always) outstanding publication.

Rating:
Summary: Informative essays revealing the wolf's life and issues
Review: Part of the impressive "Worldlife Discovery Guide" series from Voyageur Press, the text and photos deftly blend in Todd K. Fuller's study Wolves Of The World, an excellent celebration which covers the natural history and conservation of the world's wolves. Individual chapters on land use cover how the wolves use their environment, while others on social behavior, natural history, and human/wolf interactions survey the foundations of wolf habitat and survival issues. While there's plenty of color photography throughout, Wolves Of The World's principle value lies in these fine and informative essays revealing the wolf's life and issues.