The Big Cats and Their Fossil Relatives

By Alan Turner
Illustrations by Mauricio Anton
Harcover : 233 Pages
April 15, 1997

The Big Cats and Their Fossil Relatives is a book in a very similar vein to Dogs: Their Fossil Relatives and Evolutionary History, and it even includes illustrations by the same artist, Mauricio Anton. In this text Turner looks only at the big cats- Lions, Tigers, Leopards, etc.- and explains where they came from, who their now-extinct ancestors were, and how and why they have the specific adaptations that they possess. It gives a clear picture of the evolution of Big Cats, and explains nearly every function of their anatomy and how it corresponds to their social, mating, and hunting behaviors.

This book is not "light reading" but if you have an interest in feline evolution and physiology, definitely take a look. It also has some exceptionally beautiful illustrations and plates by Anton that help to visualize these creatures of the past.

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