An unprecedented, close-up view of predators and their prey in life-or-death conflict, from the grasslands of East Africa to the icy Arctic

Nothing in nature is more dramatic than the exertion of a hunter in pursuit and the maneuvers of its intended prey. This breathtaking volume, spectacularly illustrated with over 250 of the most gripping and colorful nature images ever taken, reveals the dynamic relationship between predator and prey. Alastair Fothergill, Huw Cordey, and their unmatched photography team have explored the world filming killer whales, harpy eagles, Darwin's bark spiders in Madagascar, Arctic wolves, polar bears, octopuses, and dozens of other species-all engaged in potentially lethal contests between hungry pursuer and desperate quarry.

The Hunt, developed and written during the filming of the television series-which the Wall Street Journal called "[E]xtraordinary"-dispels the myth of predator as ruthless killer. The wealth of new information uncovered during the creation of the project shows that predators are the hardest-working animals in nature, failing more often than succeeding in their attempts to capture dinner. This book focuses on the amazing diversity of predator strategies and the equally various escape techniques of their prey, highlighting the life-and-death moments when the skills of hunter and hunted are stretched to the extreme and the outcome is never certain.