I can’t praise this guide enough. While its focus is on mammals in the Rocky Mountains, many of the mammals in the book can be found in other places as well, and so it serves as a good overall guide to mammals.

It begins by talking about Rocky Mountain geology and the life zones one encounters in the area. It also includes an annotated guide to “The Rockies’ Top Mammal-Watching Sites.”

Details about the mammals are organized into chapters by biological orders: hoofed mammals, carnivores, rodents, hares and pikas, insectivores, and marsupials. Each order is further subdivided into families, grouping together the more closely related species.

The true value of the guide emerges in the spreads dedicated to each mammal. You’ll find a map of its habitat, basic stats on the mammal, what they eat, where, when, and how they reproduce, a drawing and beautiful photos, a guide to hoof or paw prints so you can identify them, and a guide to similar species.

A helpful index completes the book.

I have other mammal guides, but this one is far and away the most helpful, and has the most stunning pictures included. ( )