Book Review

Predators at Risk in the Pacific Northwest
Dan A. Nelson
The Mountaineers Books

Dan A. Nelson draws from his own experience and that of known experts in the field to educate us about the life, current status and what the future may hold for the predators that live or once lived in the Pacific Northwest and in some cases throughout the entire country. His first-hand accounts of sightings and living with wilderness are heart-warming and moving. His stories of the eradication of our great predators and their habitat are heart wrenching. This book brings a new understanding of what must happen to assure a future with a balanced ecosystem that includes these wonderful beasts. While Nelson focuses on the state of Washington (where he lives), the valuable information applies to California, Oregon and many other states as well. There are chapters on: cougars ("The Ghost Cats"); lynxes and bobcats ("Close Cousins Who Live Worlds Apart"); coyotes ("Masters of Adaptation"); American black bears ("The Country’s Most Common Bruins"), grizzly bears ("Monarchs of the North Woods"); wolves ("The Social Predators"); and "The Interaction of Predators" and "The Future of the Predators." Published on recycled paper and sold for only $14.95, this is a book that everyone should read.