The Velvet Claw: A Natural History of the Carnivores

Their teeth--specifically, a set of scissor-like back teeth, the carnassials--define the carnivores, all descended from one common ancestor. Today there are 236 species in eight families: cat, dog, bear, weasel, civet, raccoon, hyena and mongoose. Macdonald ( The Encyclopedia of Mammals ) escorts us through 60 million years of evolution to show how feeding habits and ecological circumstances have shaped the social behavior and adaptation of these animals. He treats each family separately, from the fossil records to the present, complete with family tree. The material is smoothly written and holds one's interest. A final chapter notes the vulnerability of the top predators due to shrinking habitat, loss of genetic variability and bad luck (fires, earthquakes). Macdonald believes that 17% of the carnivores are at risk of extinction. (May)