The Atlas of Endangered Species

The polar bear could be driven to extinction by global warming melting the Arctic ice within a century. West Africa’s gorillas and chimpanzees could soon be on the brink of extinction because of hunters and an epidemic of Ebola virus. Interesting and depressing news items but if you want to get a world perspective on threatened plants and animals, you should buy this attractive and informative book.

The author is environmental officer at the University of Cambridge and has packed a lot into this short atlas. Each two page opening shows a map and supporting text. This is enriched by...