Fifteen thousand years ago, Britain was a very different place - instead of a home for humans, domesticated pets and small songbirds, it was instead a breeding ground for lions, bears, lynx, wolves and many more megafauna. However, thanks to climate change and the expansion of human population, most of early Britain's largest mammals were made extinct.

Within this book, author and palaeontologist Ross Barnett utilises case studies, new fossil discoveries and biomolecular evidence to paint a picture of the species that were lost through the years and he explores the ecological significance of their disappearance. He also discusses how the Britons who lived along side these animals may have viewed them and investigates why some species survived while others did not.