100 Animals to See Before They Die is inspired by the Zoological Society of London's recently launched conservation project EDGE - Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered. EDGE targets some of the world's most bizarre and unusual creatures, animals which are extremely distinct in the way they look, live and behave. They have few or no close relatives and require immediate action to save them from extinction. If they disappear there will be nothing like them left on the planet. Amazingly, many of these species are ignored by existing conservation plans. 100 Animals fights this ignorance by highlighting the danger these species are in and will encourage greater involvement in the fight to save them. Some EDGE species, such as tigers, elephants and pandas are well known, but 100 Animals features dozens of lesser known and extraordinary animals such as the Yangtze River Dolphin (the world's rarest cetacean), the Bumblebee Bat (the smallest mammal on earth) and the egg-laying Long-beaked Echidna.
Organised by world regions (Eurasia, Australasia, Africa, New World, South East Asia, the Oceans) and with a whole section devoted to Madagascar, 100 Animals is inspirational and packed with information about each animal and where to find it. Each animal is illustrated in colour and accompanied by a distribution map and information about its key characteristics and the specific threats it faces, plus details about any conservation work taking place.