Luke Hunter is President of Panthera, the world's leading organisation dedicated to the conservation of wild cats. Before that, he headed the Great Cats Programme of the Wildlife Conservation Society, and held positions in universities in Australia and South Africa. Luke Hunter has contributed to more than 100 scientific papers and popular articles. A Field Guide to the Carnivores of the World is his sixth book.

Priscilla Barrett painted all of the colour plates in the book, and drew the vignettes illustrating the behaviour of many species. She has painted mammals for field guides to numerous areas, including southern Africa, Latin America, Britain and Europe, and New Zealand. She is a long standing member of the Society of Wildlife Artists.

Ranging from the largest terrestrial carnivore, the Polar Bear, to the tiny Least Weasel that can squeeze through a wedding ring, the true carnivores - order Carnivora - include some of the world's most charismatic, admired, feared and spectacular creatures.

The first comprehensive guide to the Carnivora, A Field Guide to the Carnivores of the World, profiles all of the world's 245 terrestrial carnivore species. A detailed account for each species describes key identification characteristics, distribution and habitat, behaviour, feeding ecology, social patterns, life history statistics, conservation and the latest on classification, including some unexpected discoveries.

Eighty-six magnificent specially commissioned colour plates by top wildlife artist Priscilla Barrett depict each species, with subspecies, colour variations and behavioural vignettes for many. There are also detailed line drawings of more than 230 skulls and 110 footprints.