This guide provides an introduction to the astounding variety of mammals in southern California and the eastern and southern Sierra Nevada, from 500-kilogram elk to 5-gram shrews, from flying bats to subterranean moles, and from montane pikas to desert kangaroo rats.

The mammals presented in this guide provide the researcher and recreationalist with an unlimited resource for study and enjoyment.

This guide provides a needed resource for the mammals occurring in southern California and portions of the eastern and southern Sierra Nevada in one volume. The 150 species accounts provide a brief discussion of each species' taxonomy, distribution, and ecology. Like no other recent book on the mammals of this area, this guide provides a breakdown of each species by subspecies and their distribution on a colored map that accompanies each species account. This guide provides a summary of the laws and regulations pertaining to mammals and in each species account the laws and regulations pertaining to that species are provided. The introductory chapters include descriptions of vegetation communities and their dominant plant species, which should be useful in determining the occurrence of a species at any particular site. This book fills a gap in our knowledge of mammals in the guide area and is meant to be used by interested amateur naturalists, recreationalists, and professionals. Toward that goal this book has used language that is not so technical as to be lost on the non-scientist, but technical enough to be of use to scientists, and professional biologists. Lastly, this book is meant to stimulate further research into mammals in the guide area.

Brad R. Blood, PhD is a senior biologist and environmental scientist who has dedicated his life to studying the mammals of Southern California and Eastern and Southern Sierra Nevada. He has published articles on the mammals of Los Angeles County, southern California, Namibia, southeast Asia, and the fish-eating myotis (Myotis vivesi). Prior to consulting he studied the convergent evolution of morphological adaptations for fish-catching in bats. Dr. Blood has been interested in the natural world since he was very young, which has developed into an interest in understanding species, their geographic variation, and morphologies. With its up-to-date range maps and natural-history accounts, this exciting new book will be an essential resource for students interested in the mammals of the region, as well as for professionals working in environmental fields (Dr. P. Stapp, Prof. of Biology, CSU Fullerton).