Critical Critters

Ralph Steadman is a world-renowned cartoonist and caricaturist. Originally labelled a 'gonzo' artist, he burst into the national consciousness by providing the illustrations for Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and later his Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72. Since then, Ralph has provided illustrations for collections of poetry by Ted Hughes, Alice in Wonderland and Animal Farm, and has even designed a set of British stamps. Alongside a host of illustration credits, Steadman's previous books include Gonzo - The Art, Doodaaa: The Balletic Art of Gavin Tivinge and The Joke's Over. For No Good Reason, a documentary about his life and work, was released in 2014.Ceri Levy is a renowned filmmaker whose works include Bananaz, a documentary about the inner machinations of the group Gorillaz. Ceri has immersed himself within the world of nature since he started filming his documentary The Bird Effect several years ago. The natural world affected him so much that he upped and left the city to live in the wilds of the Rutland countryside where he now writes, sits under trees and marvels at the landscape he has become a part of. This is the third book he has written with Ralph Steadman, following on from Extinct Boids and Nextinction.

[Steadman's] wonderfully idiosyncratic style captures the animals in a way no camera could, his paintings positively fizzing off the page.

• Gin Martini CallsHow to Value a Species and Why We Should CareCreating a SynopsisWoolly MammothRalph emails: Anyway – starting is necessary…ForewordHumphead WrasseSingapore Freshwater CrabGrunting Spiked TurtAmur LeopardInvasion of the GonzovationistsGroglickRed WowletJamaican IguanaSumatran RhinocerosMountain GorillaHawksbill TurtleBornean OrangutanSumatran OrangutanChinese PangolinSunda PangolinPygmy TarsierManed Three-toed SlothThe VisitationHector's DolphinHippopotamusIrrawaddy DolphinAfrican ElephantAsian ElephantBonoboSaiga AntelopeNorthern Hairy-nosed WombatAngelsharkPygmy Three-toed SlothTarzan's ChameleonBlack-footed FerretPrzewalski's HorseStriped Spirit WineCuban CrocodileKanab AmbersnailPool-strutting MonkeychickPhilippine CrocodileSeychelles Sheath-tailed BatDigg SoilerDratsabWhite RhinocerosAtlantic Bluefin TunaSouthern Bluefin TunaPacific Bluefin TunaGolden-rumped SengiLord Howe Island Stick InsectLuristan NewtRat-arsed SkunkAye-ayeBaad GutteringGnat FlutterbyLittle Mother MothRed WolfTigerGrevy's ZebraGiant PandaBorneo Pygmy ElephantSnow LeopardChimpanzeeTerry Cotter – the Island's PotterFin WhaleGalápagos Sea LionBlack RhinocerosBlue WhaleGolden Bamboo LemurLong-nosed GwylimBlack Spider MonkeySuicide PalmAddax or White AntelopeAfrican Wild DogAmazonian ManateeAmerican Manatee or West Indian ManateeAfrican ManateeGrey Nurse SharkGarden BumblebeePolar BearArticulated BumliceGreek Red DamselLionHula Painted FrogIndriDelhi Sands Flower-loving FlyWestern Long-beaked EchidnaEastern Long-beaked EchidnaSir David's Long-beaked EchidnaVisiting the Steadman UncontinuumMongolian BeaverVolcano RabbitAfrican Wild AssDylis VorydPeacock Parachute SpiderSaint Lucia RacerIndian PythonHorrid Ground-weaver SpiderWhy-me?SkimleachFrigate Island Giant Tenebrionid BeetleChinese Giant SalamanderVaquitaLeatherback Sea TurtleRed SquirrelSaolaMonarch ButterflyLargetooth SawfishWalrusWhite-headed LangurMasai GiraffeReticulated GiraffeSouthern GiraffeNorthern GiraffeBactrian CamelLemur Leaf FrogDugongWestern European HedgehogAcknowledgements