The Complete Fauna of Iran

Book excerpt: Iran is host to some of Asia's most diverse animal wildlife. Its lush Caspian coastline, arid central deserts and fertile plains are the habitat for a vast range of creatures. Eskander Firouz's prize-winning book is the most comprehensive work to date on the fauna of Iran. Indeed it is the only book to cover all of Iran's vertebrate fauna, comprising mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish. Despite the emergence of a conservation movement in the 1960s and '70s, the last quarter century has witnessed continuing environmental degradation and the destruction of natural habitats in Iran. The position of a number of species unique to Iran, such as the Asiatic cheetah, is critical. More than an invaluable source of scientific knowledge, Eskander Firouz's book also alerts the public to an environmental situation in Iran which is becoming increasingly imperilled.