Iran is host to some of Asia's most diverse animal wildlife. Its 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 1960's and '70's, the last quarter of a 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, this book also alerts the public to an environmental situation in Iran which is becoming increasingly imperilled.
Eskander Firouz, the distinguished Iranian conservationist, is a former Director of the Department of the Environment in Iran. He has been Vice President of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.