From reviews of previous editions: “This is the standard reference about Texas mammals.” —Wildlife Activist “A must for anyone seriously interested in the wildlife of Texas.” —Texas Outdoor Writers Association News “[This book] easily fills the role of both a field guide and a desk reference, and is written in a style that appeals to the professional biologist and amateur naturalist alike. . . . [It] should prove useful to anyone with an interest in the mammal fauna of Texas or the southern Great Plains.” —Prairie Naturalist The Mammals of Texas has been the standard reference since the first edition was coauthored by William B. Davis and Walter P. Taylor in 1947. Revised several times over the succeeding decades, it remains the most authoritative source of information on the mammalian wildlife of Texas, with physical descriptions and life histories for 202 species, abundant photographs and drawings, and distribution maps. In this new edition, David J. Schmidly is joined by one of the most active researchers on Texas mammals, Robert D. Bradley, to provide a thorough update of the taxonomy, distribution, and natural history of all species of wild mammals that inhabit Texas today. Using the most recent advances in molecular biology and in wildlife ecology and management, the authors include the most current information about the scientific nomenclature, taxonomy, and identification of species, while also covering significant advances in natural history and conservation.

One hundred and five species of mammals are native to the Trans-Pecos region of Texas. The greatly varied terrain, climate, and vegetation make its mammalian life exceptionally varied, ranging from tiny shrews to great elks, from bats to aquatic beavers and muskrats, from desert-dwelling kangaroo rats to forest-loving chipmunks, and from an assortment of mice and rats to predatory cougars and coyotes. This fully revised and updated edition of The Mammals of Trans-Pecos Texas provides a guide to the identification of these animals and summarizes important facts about their lives. With nearly every species illustrated with accurate, detailed pen-and-ink drawings by artist Chester O. Martin and color plates of some of the most iconic mammals that live in the Trans-Pecos region, it exemplifies how biologists integrate art with science to develop a wider appreciation for nature. The account of each species is arranged to contain a brief description of the animal, the geographic distribution of the species, and a discussion of the natural history of the mammal. This authoritative work brings together an appreciation for and understanding of the diversity of fauna, life histories, and ecologies within a unique and fascinating landscape.