Did you know that a groundhog is really a type of squirrel? That squirrels control their body temperature with their tails? That most squirrels have yellow-tinted eye lenses that work like sunglasses to reduce glare? That tree squirrels can turn their hind feet completely around when climbing down a tree head-first? In Squirrels: The Animal Answer Guide, Richard W. Thorington Jr. and Katie Ferrell unveil the fascinating world of one of the "most watched" mammals on the planet. The diversity of squirrels is astounding. There are 278 species that inhabit all continents except Antarctica and Australia-varying in size from the lumbering 18-pound gray marmot to the graceful pygmy flying squirrel that is smaller than most mice. In many parts of the world they readily share human habitats, joining us for lunch in a city park, raiding our bird feeders, and sneaking into college dorm rooms through open windows. Reviled as pests or loved as an endearing amusement, squirrels have played important roles in trade, literature, and mythology. Thorington and Ferrell cover every aspect of this diverse animal family, from the first squirrels of 36 million years ago to the present day. With over one hundred photographs and an intuitive question-and-answer format, this authoritative and engaging guide sheds light on a common mammal that is anything but commonplace.

Mammals are the so-called "pinnacle" group of vertebrates, successfully colonising virtually all terrestrial environments as well as the air (bats) and sea (especially pinnipeds and cetaceans). How mammals function and survive in these diverse environments has long fascinated mammologists, comparative physiologists and ecologists. Ecological and Environmental Physiology of Mammals explores the physiological mechanisms and evolutionary necessities that have made the spectacular adaptation of mammals possible. It summarises our current knowledge of the complex and sophisticated physiological approaches that mammals have for survival in a wide variety of ecological and environmental contexts: terrestrial, aerial, and aquatic. The authors have a strong comparative and quantitative focus in their broad approach to exploring mammal ecophysiology. As with other books in the Ecological and Environmental Physiology Series, the emphasis is on the unique physiological characteristics of mammals, their adaptations to extreme environments, and current experimental techniques and future research directions are also considered. This accessible text is suitable for graduate level students and researchers in the fields of mammalian comparative physiology and physiological ecology, including specialist courses in mammal ecology. It will also be of value and use to the many professional mammologists requiring a concise overview of the topic.

Orcas are the most profitable and controversial display animal in history, and since the release of the documentary Blackfish in 2013, millions around the world have focused on their plight. Yet no historical account has explored how we came to care about killer whales in the first place. In Orca, Jason Colby tells the exhilarating and often heartbreaking story of how people came to love the ocean's greatest predator. Historically reviled as dangerous pests, killer whales were dying by the hundreds, even thousands, by the 1950s-the victims of whalers, fishermen, and even the US military. In the Pacific Northwest, fishermen shot them, scientists harpooned them, and the Canadian government mounted a machine gun to eliminate them. But that all changed in 1965, when a Seattle entrepreneur named Ted Griffin became the first person to swim and perform with a captive killer whale. The show was a hit, and he began capturing and selling others, including Sea World's first "Shamu." Over the following decade, live display transformed popular and scientific views of Orcinus orca. The public embraced killer whales as charismatic and friendly while scientists enjoyed their first access to live orcas. In the Pacific Northwest, these captive encounters reshaped regional values and helped drive environmental activism, including Greenpeace's anti-whaling campaigns. Yet even as Northwesterners taught the world to love whales, they came to oppose their captivity. So when Sea World attempted to catch its own killer whales, Northwesterners would fight for the freedom of a marine predator that had become a regional icon. With access to previously unavailable documents and interviews, Colby offers the definitive history of how the feared and despised "killer" became the beloved "orca" and what that means for our relationship with the ocean and its creatures.

"Mammoths, Sabertooths, and Hominids" takes us on a journey through 65 million years, from the aftermath of the extinction of the dinosaurs to the glacial climax of the Pleistocene epoch; from the rain forests of the Paleocene and the Eocene, with their lemur-like primates, to the harsh landscape of the Pleistocene Steppes, home to the woolly mammoth. It is also a journey through space, following the migrations of mammal species that evolved on other continents and eventually met to compete or coexist in Cenozoic Europe. Finally, it is a journey through the complexity of mammalian evolution, a review of the changes and adaptations that have allowed mammals to flourish and become the dominant land vertebrates on Earth.

With the benefit of recent advances in geological and geophysical techniques, Jordi Agust? and Mauricio Ant?n are able to trace the processes of mammalian evolution as never before; events that hitherto appeared synchronous or at least closely related can now be distinguished on a scale of hundreds or even dozens of thousands of years, revealing the dramatic importance of climactic changes both major and minor. Evolutionary developments are rendered in magnificent illustrations of the many extraordinary species that once inhabited Europe, detailing their osteology, functional anatomy, and inferred patterns of locomotion and behavior. Based on the latest research and field work, "Mammoths, Sabertooths, and Hominids" transforms our understanding of how mammals evolved and changed the face of the planet.

Horses were first domesticated about 6,000 years ago on the vast Eurasian steppe extending from Mongolia to the Carpathian Mountains. Yet only in the last two decades have scientists begun to explore the specific mental capacities of these animals. Responding to a surge of interest in fields from ethology to comparative psychology and evolutionary biology, Michel-Antoine Leblanc presents an encyclopedic synthesis of scientific knowledge about equine behavior and cognition. The Mind of the Horse provides experts and enthusiasts alike with an up-to-date understanding of how horses perceive, think about, and adapt to their physical and social worlds. Much of what we know--or think we know--about "the intelligence of the horse" derives from fragmentary reports and anecdotal evidence. Putting this accumulated wisdom to the test, Leblanc introduces readers to rigorous experimental investigations into how horses make sense of their world under varying conditions. He describes the anatomical and neurophysiological characteristics of the horse's brain, and offers an evolutionary perspective by comparing these features with those of other species. A horseman himself, Leblanc also considers the opinions of renowned riding masters, as well as controversies surrounding the extraordinary powers of the horse's mind that have stirred in equestrian and scientific circles. Although scientists understand more today about how horses think than at any time in our species' long acquaintance with these animals, much remains in the dark. The Mind of the Horse brings together the current state of equine research and will likely stimulate surprising new discoveries.

Written by experts in different areas, this book presents an up-to-date account of the behavioral biology of dogs. Split in three parts, the book addresses the specific aspects of behavioral biology. The first part deals with the evolution and development of the dog, whereas the next part deals with basic aspects of dog behavior. The final part emphasizes on the behavioral problems, their prevention and cure.

The widespread use of mouse models in developmental, behavioural and genetic studies has sparked wider interest in rodent biology as a whole. This book brings together the latest research on rodents to better understand the evolution of both living and extinct members of this fascinating group. Topics analysed include the role of molecular techniques in the determination of robust phylogenetic frameworks; how geometric morphometric methods help quantify and analyse variation in shape; and the role of developmental biology in elucidating the origins of skeletal elements and the teeth. The editors unite these disciplines to present the current state of knowledge in rodent biology, whilst setting the landscape for future research. This book highlights interdisciplinary links across palaeontology, developmental biology, functional morphology, phylogenetics and biomechanics, making it a valuable resource for evolutionary biologists in all fields.

This is the first book to collate and synthesize the recent burgeoning primary research literature on dog behaviour, evolution, and cognition. The author presents a new ecological approach to the understanding of dog behaviour, demonstrating how dogs can be the subject of rigorous and productive scientific study without the need to confine them to a laboratory environment. This second, fully updated edition of Dog Behaviour, Evolution and Cognition starts with an overview of the conceptual and methodological issues associated with the study of the dog, followed by a brief description of their role in human society. An evolutionary perspective is then introduced with a summary of current research into the process of domestication. The central part of the book is devoted to issues relating to the cognitive aspects of behaviour which have received particular attention in recent years from both psychologists and ethologists. The book's final chapters introduce the reader to many novel approaches to dog behaviour, set in the context of behavioural development and genetics. This second edition recognises and discusses the fact that dogs are increasingly being used as model organisms for studying aspects of human biology, such as genetic diseases and ageing. Specific attention is also given in this edition to attachment behaviour which emerges between humans and dogs, the importance of inter-specific communication in the success of dogs in human communities and the broad aspects of social cognition and how this may contribute to human-dog cooperation Directions for future research are highlighted throughout the text which also incorporates links to human and primate research by drawing on homologies and analogies in both evolution and behaviour. The book will therefore be of relevance and use to anyone with an interest in behavioural ecology including graduate students of animal behaviour and cognition, as well as a more general audience of dog enthusiasts, biologists, psychologists, veterinarians, and sociologists.

The Safari Companion has become a Chelsea Green best seller and paved the way for the company's entry into the exciting world of eco-travel. Here's a new edition, revised and expanded, of the definitive guide to watching the behavior or African mammals.

New chapters include:
-- Social and Mating Systems of African Mammals. This chapter defines and explains the various forms by which researchers have described animal social organization. Contains concise and orderly tables that help with the understanding of most basic behaviors.
-- An Animal Behavior Primer. This section describes behaviors in categories and sub-categories, making for quick field reference.

The Safari Companion is an indispensible tool for safari travelers to Africa or zoo-lovers anywhere. It will help expert and neophyte better understand the lives and interactions of the animals they observe.

Richared D. Estes has led wildlife-viewing safaris in Africa for many years, and is one of the world's foremost experts on the social ecology of African mammals. Dr. Estes is an Associate Professor of Mammalogy at the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University and the chairman of the World Conservation Union's Antelope Specialists' Group. He lives in Peterborough, New Hampshire.

The chromosome complement (karyotype) often differs between related mammalian species (including humans vs chimpanzees), such that evolutionary biologists muse whether chromosomal difference is a cause or a consequence of speciation. The common shrew is an excellent model to investigate this problem because of its many geographical races (potential species) differing chromosomally, and its several sibling species (recently speciated forms) that are also chromosomally different. This system is an exceptional opportunity to investigate the role of chromosomes in speciation and this volume reflects detailed research following these approaches. Highlights include the demonstration that chromosomal re-arrangements can be associated with complete loss of gene flow and thus speciation and that selection within species hybrid zones may lead to de-speciation rather than speciation. This book represents an extraordinarily detailed consideration of the role of chromosomes in speciation in one astonishing species, providing insights to those interested in mammalian diversity, chromosomal evolution and speciation.

Sexual compatibility between male and female partners is in dispensable to normal and successful fertilization in mammals. Thus, the genes from males and females whose sexual behavior is characterized by awkwardness, ineptness, and miscues are elimi nated from the gene pool of the species. In human societies, this compatibility is not always evident; and the behavior that precedes and accompanies copulation and fertilization is exceed ingly complex and affected by many variables. As in most other species of animals, the entire repertoire of reproductive behavior of man is not well understood by man. When viewed, discussed, or reported, the topic is too often and most unfortunately regarded as an amalgam of emotion, mysticism, and biology. In the past, such emotion-charged approaches to the biologi cal fact of reproduction did much to obfuscate the subject; and as a result, much of the array of hormonal, neural, psychological, and social variables that control and insure the successful repro duction of the human species remains even now in Victorian ignor ance. But with the recent rash of books and scientific treatises on the subject, some progress has been made in elucidating human reproduction and associated sexual behavior. However, so entrench ed are some of our social taboos that the danger still lurks of equating social acceptance of the words with an understandin- all too lacking--of the process to which they refer."

Denis Noble Nearly a decade after completion of the first draft of the entire Human Genome sequence we are in a better position to assess the nature and the consequences of that heroic achievement, which can be seen as the culmination of the molecular biological revolution of the second half of the twentieth century. The achievement itself was celebrated at the highest levels (President and Prime Minister) on both sides of the Atlantic, and rightly so. DNA sequencing has become sufficiently c- mon now, even to the extent of being used in law courts, that it is easy to forget how technically difficult it was and how cleverly the sequencing teams solved those problems in the exciting race to finish by the turn of the century [1, 2]. The fanfares were misplaced, however, in an important respect. The metaphors used to describe the project and its biological significance gave the impression to the public at large, and to many scientists themselves, that this sequence would reveal the secrets of life. DNA had already been likened to a computer program [3]. The "genetic program" for life was therefore to be found in those sequences: A kind of map that had simply to be unfolded during development. The even more colo- ful "book of life" metaphor gave the promise that reading that book would lead to a veritable outpouring of new cures for diseases, hundreds of new drug targets, and a brave new world of medicine.

Beginning in 1984, Eric Dinerstein led a team directly responsible for the recovery of the greater one-horned rhinoceros in the Royal Chitwan National Park in Nepal, where the population had once declined to as few as 100 rhinos. The Return of the Unicorns is an account of what it takes to save endangered large mammals. In its pages, Dinerstein outlines the multifaceted recovery program-structured around targeted fieldwork and scientific research, effective protective measures, habitat planning and management, public-awareness campaigns, economic incentives to promote local guardianship, and bold, uncompromising leadership-that brought these extraordinary animals back from the brink of extinction. In an age when scientists must also become politicians, educators, fund-raisers, and activists to safeguard the subjects that they study, Dinerstein's inspiring story offers a successful model for large-mammal conservation that can be applied throughout Asia and across the globe.

The careful explanation of each step of the dissection, helpful diagrams and illustrations, and detailed discussion of the structure and function of each system in "Anatomy and Dissection of the Fetal Pig, Fifth Edition, " optimize the educational value of the dissection process. These laboratory exercises are sold separately or as a bound set. This popular series, which includes "Anatomy and Dissection of the Rat" and "Anatomy and Dissection of the Frog" is geared toward introductory courses in biology and comparative anatomy.
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A marvelously illustrated look at the most deadly predators on the planet Tooth and Claw presents the world's top predators as you have never seen them before, from big cats and wild dogs to sharks, reptiles, and killer whales. Blending gorgeous photos and illustrations with spellbinding storytelling, this book is packed with the latest facts about these fearsome but often misunderstood animals. It covers apex and other top predators in each major vertebrate family, discussing where and how they live, how they are faring in the modern world, and why they matter. Along the way, the authors share informative and entertaining anecdotes from their decades in the field learning about predators and reveal hard truths about the role humans continue to play in their fate. Tooth and Claw also describes conservation successes and lays out some simple but crucial steps each of us can take to protect these magnificent beasts. Are humans top predators, too? Read this amazing book and find out. Offers an unparalleled look at a side of nature rarely witnessed up close Stunningly illustrated throughout and brimming with fun facts Describes ultimate vertebrate predators ranging from sharks and reptiles to raptors, cats, dogs, bears, and marine mammals Provides rare insights into the biology, ecology, and conservation of top predators Draws on the latest findings from habitats around the world Conveys the wonders of the natural world with engaging storytelling and lively personal anecdotes

Field naturalists have observed the activities of weasels for centuries. Their descriptions were often accurate but sometimes misinterpreted the animals' behaviors and underlying explanations for those behaviors. "Organized natural history" became one of the roots of the science of ecology in the 1920s and by the 1960s scientists had begun to study the biology of weasels with all the critical, objective advantages of modern theory and equipment. Until the first edition of this book appeared in 1989 no one had attempted to explain these results to non-specialist naturalists. Now thoroughly revised, this book will continue to be the main one-stop reference for professionals. But both kinds of knowledge are brought together here-- observations for the traditional naturalist and rigorous measurements and interpretations for modern scientists, integrated into a single, readable account.
This new edition provides a comprehensive summary of the extensive advances over the last 15 years in our knowledge of these fascinating animals. A new U.S.-based co-author reshapes the content to be more U.S.-centric. Stories about North America trappers and backwoodsmen interacting with weasels replace some (not all) of the previous stories about English gamekeepers. These changes permeate the book, so readers familiar with the first edition will recognize some material, but will find a lot that is new. Much less reliable European information quoted in the first edition was there at the time when no better information was available. Now a new NZ chapter focuses on predation problems of the species introduced to that country. This edition, much more than a simple update, is now truly an internationaltreatment and a more valuable resource.

'ENCHANTING' MAIL ON SUNDAY They care for their elderly, play with their kids, and always put family first. Can we all learn something from the wisdom of wolves? In this unforgettable book, wolf expert and naturalist Elli Radinger draws on her 25 years of first-hand experience among the wolves of Yellowstone National Park to tell us their remarkable stories. __________ Wolves are more human than we ever knew . . . In fact, they can teach us how to be better humans. They play, love, care for others, show compassion, die of broken hearts, pine for home, work in teams, are endlessly patient and leaders know when to defer to followers. In The Wisdom of Wolves naturalist Elli Radinger takes us on a journey into the heart of the wolf pack, revealing what they can teach us about family, cooperation, survival, leadership, commitment and how to enjoy what life gives us. No other book will bring you closer to discovering the truth about wolves - and ourselves. 'This book is the result of her two decades of close observation; part impassioned memoir, part natural history study, and part photo gallery. Her access to her subjects is extraordinary' SUNDAY TIMES 'Elli's bestselling book suggests that in a high-tech age, when so many of us have become alienated from nature, wolves have much to teach us about the art of living well' DAILY MAIL 'Through The Wisdom of Wolves, we get to feel that little bit closer to the pack and discover what we may have in common' BBC WILDLIFE

Mammals are the dominant large animals of today, occurring in virtually every environment. This book is an account of the remarkable 320 million year long fossil record that documents their origin, their long spell as no more than small, nocturnal creatures, and their explosive radiation since the extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. Tom Kemp also unveils the exciting molecular evidence, which, coupled with important new fossils, is presently challenging current thinking on the interrelationships and historical biogeography of mammals. The Origin and Evolution of Mammals will be of interest to advanced undergraduate and graduate students as well as researchers in vertebrate palaeontology, biogeography, mammalian systematics and molecular taxonomy. It will also be welcomed by vertebrate fossil enthusiasts and evolutionary biologists of all levels with an interest in macroevolutionary problems.

This is a definitive book on the dog family, dealing with many aspects of the biology and conservation of wolves, dogs, jackals and foxes. It covers many topics relevant to modern conservation science, and features detailed case studies of many canid species across the globe. A must-have book for all scientists studying carnivores, predators, cooperative breeding, and social systems. A useful text for both undergraduate and graduate courses in behavioural ecology and conservation biology. Wild canids are the ancestors of the domestic dog and there are a large number of wolf and domestic dog enthusiasts who will be engaged by the contents of this book.

Atlas of Terrestrial Mammal Limbs is the first comprehensive and detailed anatomy book on a broad phylogenetic and ecological range of mammals. This extraordinary new work features more than 400 photographs and illustrations visualizing the limb musculature of 28 different species. Standardized views of the dissected bodies and concise text descriptions make it easy to compare the anatomy across different taxa. It provides tables of nomenclature and comparative muscle maps (schematic drawings on the origins and insertions of the muscles onto bones) in a diversity of animals. Atlas of Terrestrial Mammal Limbs is a reliable reference and an indispensable volume for all students and professional researchers in biology, paleontology, and veterinary medicine. Key Features: Provides an overview of the anatomy of the mammalian limb Includes osteological correlates of the limb muscles Illustrates anatomy in 2D Guides dissection Documents anatomical diversity in mammalian limbs Related Titles: D. L. France. Human and Nonhuman Bone Identification: A Color Atlas. (ISBN 978-1-4200-6286-1) S. N. Byers. Forensic Anthropology Laboratory Manual, 4th Edition (ISBN 978-1-1386-9073-8) S. N. Byers. Introduction to Forensic Anthropology, 5th Edition (ISBN 978-1-1381-8884-6) R. Diogo, et al. Muscles of Chordates: Development, Homologies, and Evolution (ISBN 978-1-1385-7116-7)