The Hidden Nations of Animals:
A Grand Tour of Earth’s Wild Civilizations
A transformative exploration of the animal kingdom that will fill you with wonder
“There’s no shortage of books about human maps, but Ryan Huling has finally paid equal attention to the geographies of ants, bats, and African mole-rats. It’s about time!”
In The Hidden Nations of Animals, Ryan Huling takes us on an odyssey to places most people don’t even know exist. From far-flung forest settlements in Canada’s “beaver belt” and disputed territories of clashing Argentine ant armies to the secluded margins of the Korean DMZ—which, despite its reputation as a desolate no-man’s-land, teems with life—Huling’s journey unveils a radically reimagined world, brimming with abundance.
Along the way, we meet internationally renowned wildlife researchers, geographers, anthropologists, and historians whose work has uncovered animal metropolises nestled within the urban sprawl of the American Southwest, vast sub-Saharan tunnel complexes mere inches beneath our feet, and ancient Silk Road-style migration routes that traverse the Eurasian Steppe.
When humans settle in an area, it is deemed, by definition, populated. By contrast, the millions of other species we share this planet with have long been viewed as fleeting ephemera, living brief and transitory lives in “uninhabited” wilderness.
Over the course of a year, Huling investigates how technology is rapidly changing that perception by deepening humanity’s understanding of our fellow animals and their unique relationships with the land, air, and sea. His immersive account fuses with vivid full-color maps and hand-drawn sketches by award-winning cartographer Oliver Uberti, adding new layers to our landscapes and illuminating their true contours for the first time.
An instant classic of nature writing, The Hidden Nations of Animals is a breathtaking blueprint for a more expansive view of animalkind, inspired by the profound sense of awe that accompanies an expedition into unknown lands.
Available on: 2 June 2026
“The Hidden Nations of Animals shatters the notion that humanity holds a monopoly on civilization.”
ADVANCE PRAISE
“By revealing the secret abundance that surrounds us, The Hidden Nations of Animals invites readers to see life through a richer, more vibrant lens. This is transformative travel writing at its finest.”
—Dan Buettner, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Blue Zones, National Geographic Fellow, and Emmy Award-winning producer of Live to 100
“Deeply reported, gracefully written, and brightly flecked with humor and humanity, this book will leave you feeling like a vital member of the broader world of animals—a cosmopolitan citizen of the zoopolis.”
—Robert Moor, New York Times bestselling author of On Trails: An Exploration
“Dazzling, wise, and full of surprise, The Hidden Nations of Animals brings us face to face with the extraordinary societies of our fellow creatures. Reading it feels less like learning than remembering something essential we’ve always known.”
—Lara Prescott, New York Times bestselling author of The Secrets We Kept
“An eye-opening read about the remarkable lives and complex societies of the nonhuman beings with whom we share our planet.”
—Peter Singer, author of Animal Liberation and Emeritus Professor of Bioethics, Princeton University
“A fascinating story of intrepid, far-flung travels and amazing, well-organized animal worlds you previously knew nothing about.”
—Ian Frazier, bestselling author of Travels in Siberia and staff writer at The New Yorker
“Enthralling, revelatory, and sweeping in ambition, this is a rare find—a journey story that takes readers somewhere truly new. With striking originality, Huling makes a compelling case for radically reimagining how we engage with our animal neighbors.”
—Ruth Otte, first president of the Discovery Channel
“Profound . . . This book powerfully illustrates the integral role animal societies play in shaping the world we inhabit.”
—Greg Moyer, architect of Animal Planet
“A startling revelation for those of us who love to gaze at maps: The blank spots between human towns and roads are threaded with hidden highways, way stations, and other navigational features tracked by the rest of the animal kingdom. This book is the map key to a wondrous reality you never knew existed.”
—Peter Stark, New York Times bestselling author of Astoria and The Last Empty Places