This dictionary is intended as a guide to the terminology used in a wide range of animal-related programmes of study including agriculture, animal care, animal management, animal production, animal welfare, veterinary nursing, wildlife conservation and zoo biology. In total it contains over 5,300 entries. It contains a wide range of terms used in the fields of veterinary science, physiology and zoology, as students whose primary interests are animal welfare or zoo biology also need to have some understanding of disease, how animal bodies function and how animals are classified. It also contains some legal terms, and reference to some legal cases, to help students understand how the protection, use and conservation of animals is regulated by the law. Some people, famous animals, literature and films have influenced the way we think about, and behave towards, animals. For this reason, the book includes references to important books about animals, famous animals who have starred in films or been the subject of scientific studies, along with short biographies of famous scientists and others who have studied animals or established conservation or animal welfare organisations.

There is currently no basic text in wildlife law suitable for the wide range of courses in wildlife conservation and animal welfare at both bachelors and masters level, or for the large number of people who work in conservation and animal welfare; The Laws Protecting Animals and Ecosystems fills the gap in this significant market for a basic law text applicable to students and professionals whose primary training is in biology but who require a basic understanding of the laws relating to the protection of animals and ecosystems. The text is applicable to a wide range of subjects, including wildlife conservation, animal handling, animal welfare, animal husbandry, and veterinary science. This foundational text supports those studying animal and ecosystem law by providing an overview of the basic legal principles, national and international laws, terminology, the legal mechanisms used to protect animals and ecosystems, and a compendium of the major animal welfare and conservation laws in major English speaking countries. Dr. Rees has been teaching wildlife law for 20 years and ecology for over 35 years and is ideally placed to write this book.