Minnesota is not only home to the largest population of wolves in the lower 48 states, it is also the only state in the region in which the wolf was never exterminated. Minnesota's extensive wilderness areas, combined with its contiguous border with Canada, preserved the wolf in the face of the pressures that wiped them out everywhere else. Wolves have been scientifically studied in Minnesota since the 1930s, and Mech (probably the best-known and most-respected wolf researcher in the world) has brought together a series of essays examining this species in its last stronghold. This is the first book specifically covering the wolves of Minnesota, and it is fitting that it is written for a general audience--it is the people who live with wolves as neighbors that will ultimately decide their fate. Besides general discussions about wolves, the essays cover wolf extermination attempts prior to research, as well as what we know today about the 2,600 wolves inhabiting the state and some of the controversies surrounding them. An excellent work that is highly recommended for all libraries. --Nancy Bent

Minnesota's wolves are an outstanding conservation success story. Careful wildlife management and a sensitive public relations campaign have allowed the Minnesota wolf population to remain viable and even grow while other states debate the reintroduction of endangered wolves into their wilderness areas. Editor and wolf specialist Mech (The Way of the Wolf, The Arctic Wolf) here tells the story of the Minnesota wolf, using beautiful color photographs and a well-written, authoritative, and informative text. A compilation of his research and that of several other expert researchers, the book examines the biology of the wolf, its interactions with its prey, wolf-human interactions, and the past and present ranges of the wolf in Minnesota. Of particular interest is the section discussing the attitudes of Minnesota residents toward wolves. A worthwhile addition to public library collections.DDeborah Emerson, Rochester Regional Lib. Council, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.