Bears of the World

Bears—including the panda, the polar bear, the American brown bear, and others—are fascinating in many respects of their biology. They are also considered symbolic of the natural world. Based on recent research, Bears of the World presents an engrossing and accurate depiction of the species—their science, natural history, and the deeper, emotional meaning attributed to them by humankind. þ þBears of the World explains why bears have meant so much to humans, from early in evolutionary history to the present. It looks at how bears were depicted in ancient mythology and religion. The book also describes the unique position of bears among carnivores. The primary focus is on introducing the living species; charting their evolutionary history; and showing how they live, what they eat, how they behave, and how they cope with their habitats. The inter-relationship bears have with humans—their suffering at human hands and attempts at their conservation—is also explored. þ þThe authors convincingly introduce new thoughts about the species and put bears under the spotlight of sympathetic and caring scrutiny. Enlivening the text are many color and black-and-white photographs, maps, and line drawings.þWard, Paul is the author of 'Bears of the World' with ISBN 9780816052080 and ISBN 0816052085.