Large carnivores -- such as the gray wolf and grizzly bear -- are in danger of extinction; saving them is one of the most difficult challenges facing conservation biologists worldwide. Other carnivores -- such as the mountain lion, wolverine, and lynx -- are in need of special management. This valuable book examines the current status, management, and conservation of carnivores in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, where these animals have not only been researched for almost forty years but have also been affected by pressures from growing human uses.Written by leading authorities in the field, the book begins by considering Yellowstone as a "model" system that has international significance. It goes on to survey the history of changing attitudes toward Greater Yellowstone carnivores and to discuss specific animals and their prey (including bears, cougars, wolves, coyotes, elk, bison, mule deer, bighorn sheep, moose, and small mammals).The book also assesses the current status of conservation genetics and ecosystem dynamics. It closes with a look at the history and theory of carnivore ecology and a survey of research and conservation approaches.