Complement to the original work which evaluates new conceptual ideas and empirical data which have been compiled in the eight years since the original volume - a time in which conservation has emerged as a thematic imperative. The study of carnivores has become even more important in raising and resolving crucial biological problems. Differential rates of mortality in the giant panda and other endangered carnivores are now known to influence dispersal and life history basic to these species' survival. Reintroduction efforts for the black-footed ferret and the red wolf are establishing essential guidelines for preservation and management of endangered species. Studies of the African lion and the dwarf mongoose illustrate the power of new genetic techniques of DNA fingerprinting for understanding the evolution of social behaviour. Such is the coverage in this volume, it has become a standard text.