WITH THESE PHENOMENAL PHOTOGRAPHS of the five great predators of the African bush-lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, and crocodiles-Mark C. Ross takes the reader on a wild safari, an adventure in book form well worth taking and far less expensive than the real thing. Having spent more than thirty years in both East and southern Africa leading safaris and studying predators, Ross shares his prodigious knowledge and insight about the complexities of life at the top of the food chain. Predator: Life and Death in the African Bush overflows with information that both enlightens the reader (or safari traveler) and dispels many popular misconceptions, such as the idea that hyenas are nothing more than scavengers (false) or that lions are the kings of beasts (they exhibit behavior that is decidedly not kingly).

Sometimes violent, sometimes downright gruesome, but always spectacular, Ross's images illustrate not only common but also rarely or never seen behaviors, such as leopards mating in daylight, a pair of young bachelor cheetahs successfully bringing down a healthy adult male wildebeest, or a baboon meeting his untimely end in the jaws of a crocodile. Ross's engaging text is full of anecdotes from his vast experience in the field as well as tips specifically geared to the needs of safari goers, offering suggestions as to, what to look for, how to track the animals, and exercises to do that will help safari goers become more involved with the animals they seek. Ross offers even more tips: how to photograph the animals, what equipment to use, and what to bring with you on a game drive.

Packaged inside the book is a removable, foldout guide containing a "cheat sheet" that lists and compares a wide variety of traits and statistics for each of the five carnivores. Photographs of many of their favorite prey are also shown to help safari goers identify them and track the Big Five-where there is prey, you re sure to find predators.

Available at Amazon.com

Available at Amazon