Snow Leopard Uncia (Panthera) uncia Photo Essay

In the autumn of 1973, the writer Peter Matthiessen set out in the company of zoologist George Schaller on a hike that would take them 250 miles into the heart of the Himalayan region of Dolpo, "the last enclave of pure Tibetan culture on earth." Their voyage was in quest of one of the world's most elusive big cats, the snow leopard of high Asia, a creature so rarely spotted as to be nearly mythical; Schaller was one of only two Westerners known to have seen a snow leopard in the wild since 1950.

Published in 1978, The Snow Leopard is rightly regarded as a classic of modern nature writing. Guiding his readers through steep-walled canyons and over tall mountains, Matthiessen offers a narrative that is shot through with metaphor and mysticism, and his arduous search for the snow leopard becomes a vehicle for reflections on all manner of matters of life and death. In the process, The Snow Leopard evolves from an already exquisite book of natural history and travel into a grand, Buddhist-tinged parable of our search for meaning. By the end of their expedition, having seen wolves, foxes, rare mountain sheep, and other denizens of the Himalayas, and having seen many signs of the snow leopard but not the cat itself, Schaller muses, "We've seen so much, maybe it's better if there are some things that we don't see."

Did you know that European royalty once used cheetahs to hunt deer, or that caracals can capture birds by leaping six and a half feet straight up into the air from a standing start? Have you ever wondered whether domestic cats really do land on their feet when they fall, or how Canada lynx can stalk their prey in the winter without falling through the deep snow? "Wild Cats of the World" is a treasure trove of answers to questions like these for anyone who's interested in learning more about the world's felids, including the ones with whom we share our homes. Mel and Fiona Sunquist have spent more than a decade gathering information about cats from every available source, many of them quite difficult to find, including scientific papers, descriptions of hunts, archaeological findings, observations by naturalists and travellers, reports from government agencies, and newsletters from a wide variety of organizations. Weaving information from these sources together with their own experiences observing wild cats around the world, the Sunquists have created the most comprehensive reference on felids available. Each of their accounts of the 36 species of cat contains a description of the cat, including human interactions with it, as well as detailed data on its distribution, ecology and behaviour, status in the wild, and efforts to conserve it. Numerous photographs, including more than 40 in full colour, illustrate these accounts. Ranging from the two-pound black-footed cat to the five-hundred-pound tiger, and from the African serval with its satellite-dish ears to the web-footed fishing cats of Asia, "Wild Cats of the World" should fascinate and educate felid fans of any stripe (or spot).

The Natural History of the Wild Cats

by Andrew Kitchener

Paperbound reprint of a 1991 work providing information about the 37 or so species of the world's cats. The author is curator of mammals and birds at the Royal Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. Book News, Inc.®, Portland, OR

Everyone is familiar with the big cats--the lion, tiger, leopard, and jaguar--members of the genus Panthera. The smaller cats--members of the genus Felis--are less familiar. This absorbing book, considered "a comprehensive survey" by David Quammen, writing in the New York Times Book Review, presents what is known about the thirty-seven or so species of the world's cats, including abundant information on the much-neglected smaller members of the cat family.

"Dr. Kitchener . . . has made a readable, up-to-date synthesis of what we know about cats, his account always strengthened by the comparative point of view."--Scientific American "The numerous tables and comprehensive bibliography will appeal to the scientist, while the breadth of topics discussed, summary of numerous studies published in hard-to-find journals, numerous graphs and line drawings, and emphasis on the smaller cats and their behaviour, will make it of wider interest."--John Deag, Times Higher Education Supplement

Color photographs of wild cats in their native habitats are accompanied by unusually informative captions. Covered are the big cats of Africa and Asia (lions, leopards, cheetahs, tigers, snow leopards, and their variants) and of the Americas (cougars, jaguars, and their variants). The text is captivating, blending the authors' personal experiences tracking and photographing these beautiful beasts with well- researched information about their behavior and conservation. 9.5x12.Book News, Inc.®, Portland, OR

Erwin A. Bauer has been photographing wild cats since the 1950s and, with Peggy, is widely known as one of the most famous nature photographers in the world. The Bauer credit line has appeared in virtually every periodical that features nature photography. Their photographs have often been used in advertising programs, and the Bauers have written and produced 51 books on wildlife, natural history, and wilderness adventure-winning awards for a number of them. Most recently Erwin and Peggy Bauer were awarded the 2000 Lifetime Achievement Award, the top honor of the North American Nature Photographers' Association.

Big cats are threatened as never before and are the subject of intense interest among nature fans and conservationists alike.

"The Last Big Cats," which highlights all of the major cat species, includes Erwin A. Bauer's "trademark" engaging personal tone and strong first-person narrative that presents the story of the big cats' natural history, as well as personal anecdotes from major researchers. The text has a strong focus on the status of the endangered or threatened big cats, current efforts to save them, and the hopes and chances for their survival.

The accompanying photographs by Erwin and his wife Peggy are remarkable and comprehensive, showcasing five decades' worth of their best big cat photos-most of which have not been published in book form. Range maps and cat tracks round out the combination.

From the lion, tiger, leopard, cheetah, and snow leopard of Africa and Asia to the cougar and jaguar of North and South America, "The Last Big Cats," provides complete coverage of these remarkable creatures.

The Big Cats and Their Fossil Relatives

by Mauricio Anton (Illustrator), Alan Turner, F. Clark Howell

Here's a book for cat lovers, but those who prefer good hard science to the warm and fuzzy feline tomes. While very readable, not to mention beautifully and lavishly illustrated, The Big Cats and Their Fossil Relatives is a serious and intelligent look at how today's lions, tigers, and other cat species are linked to their ancient and extinct ancestors. The way cats have evolved over 25 million years, and the descriptions of feline behavior, both ancient and present, will intrigue animal lovers in general, and not just cat people.

Voted Best Book on Prehistoric Animals of 1997 by the readers of Prehistoric Times In this beautifully illustrated natural history that links extinct larger feline species with those still in existence, collaborators Alan Turner and Mauricio Antón weave together the evidence of modern feline behavior with that of the fossil record.