This edition draws liberally upon the subject's rich history, in law and culture. Without that history there can be no firm understanding of the subject. Animals are living entities, organized into shifting, complex ecological systems; from the first page, biology plays a critical role in our story. Moral sentiments and ethical values have expanded to attend to the plight of particular animals, to species, and to the healthy functioning of communities. Ethical concerns, too, appear in this edition as a key issue.

The authors have, in effect, combined several wildlife law books into one, to give instructors freedom to tailor their courses as they see fit. Adopters of this edition need not endeavor to use the book in its entirety, nor is there reason to do so. Many of the chapters standalone and can be used in various combinations.