Animal / editors-in-chief, David Burnie & Don E. Wilson.

David Burnie studied zoology at the University of Bristol. After graduating, he worked as a nature reserve ranger and biologist, and in 1979 began a career writing and editing books on natural sciences. He has written, or contributed to, over 75 books and multimedia titles. He has also acted as a consultant and scriptwriter for a number of natural history television programs. Don E. Wilson is Senior Scientist at the National Museum of Natural History. He is on the scientific Board of Directors of Bat Conservation International, The Biodiversity Foundation for Africa, Integrated Conservation Research and The Ecotourism Society. Dr. Wilson is past-president of the American Society of Mammalogists and the Association for Tropical Biology. Editor of the Journal of Mammology for five years and of the Mammalian Species and Special Publications for three years, Dr. Wilson is the author of over 180 scientific publications.

This book is a celebration of the richness of the animal kingdom, produced at a critical moment in its history. Compiled by an internaitonal team of over 70 zoologists, biologists, and naturalists, it forms a complete survey of the animal world, from familiar species that are encountered almost every day, to extreme rarities that only a few scientists have ever seen and fewer still have had the chance to study. It includes not only vertebrates, but also a broad selection of invertebrate life - creatures that form the immense but often overlooked majority of animal species on earth. Over 2,000 species are profiled in this work. Almost all are illustrated with either a color photograph or artwork. Knowledge and awareness are essential first steps: this book aims to provide both in a way that conveys the variety, beauty, and richness of animal life as a whole.