Bats are highly charismatic and popular animals that are not only fascinating in their own right, but illustrate most of the topical and important concepts and issues in mammalian biology. This book covers the key aspects of bat biology, including evolution, flight, echolocation, hibernation, reproduction, feeding and roosting ecology, social behaviour, migration, population and community ecology, biogeography, and conservation.
This new edition is fully updated and greatly expanded throughout, maintaining the depth and scientific rigour of the first edition. It is written with infectious enthusiasm, and beautifully illustrated with drawings and colour photographs.

The Centre for Fortean Zoology CFZ] is the only professional, scientific and full-time organisation in the world dedicated to cryptozoology - the study of unknown animals. Since 1992, the CFZ has carried out an unparalleled programme of research and investigation all over the world. In June 2008, a five-person team Russia in search of the almasty or wild man. It was a gruelling journey and expedition leader Richard Freeman nearly died twice. Here, for the first time, is their story...With an introduction by Jonathan Downes and forward by Dr. Karl Shuker

A young woman follows her fiance to war-torn Congo to study extremely endangered bonobo apes-who teach her a new truth about love.
In 2005 Vanessa Woods accepted a marriage proposal from a man she barely knew and agreed to join him on a research trip to the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo. Settling in at a bonobo sanctuary in Congo's capital, Vanessa and her fiance entered the world of a rare ape with whom we share 98.7 percent of our DNA and who live in a peaceful society in which females are in charge, war is nonexistent, and sex is as common and friendly as a handshake.
A fascinating memoir of hope and adventure, "Bonobo Handshake" traces Vanessa's self-discovery as she finds herself falling deeply in love with her husband, the apes, and her new surroundings in this true story of revelation and transformation in a fragile corner of Africa.

Do giant primates larger than gorillas, taller than Sasquatch and Yetis, still exist in the remotest corners of the globe? Famed cryptozoologists Mark A. Hall and Loren Coleman join forces to share their knowledge of this unexplored and neglected topic in cryptozoology. Bigfoot researchers have long been mystified, even embarrassed, by reports of giant hairy apes larger than Bigfoot, and as a result eyewitness reports of what Hall and Coleman call True Giants have never been fully considered in the broader zoological context. Reviewing the evidence found in traditions and footprints, folklore and sightings, the authors of this groundbreaking volume present for the first time in one place the wide-ranging argument for the possible survival of a giant species of primate that we know lived on Earth for millions of years. TRUE GIANTS breaks a cryptozoological taboo.

Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing many of these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

State of the knowledge overview of identifying wolf tracks and reading the stories left by their trails. Explains how to recognize and identify tracks, correctly measure footprints, and use measurements to judge gender aand. Signs of wolves covered include scat, scent marking, and carcasses are covered. Detailed information covers gait trails and interpreting patterns on the ground. One section compares wolf signs to the signs of coyote, bears, bocats, and cougars which is wrapped up with guidelines for differentiation of wolf signs from coyotes and domestics dogs.

This ground-breaking work of evolutionary morphology, with its dozens of detailed and beautiful anatomical drawings, will make fascinating reading for students of evolutionary biology and panda enthusiasts everywhere.

Understanding the chimpanzee mind is akin to opening a window onto human consciousness. Many of our complex cognitive processes have origins that can be seen in the way that chimpanzees think, learn, and behave. "The Mind of the Chimpanzee" brings together scores of prominent scientists from around the world to share the most recent research into what goes on inside the mind of our closest living relative.

Intertwining a range of topics--including imitation, tool use, face recognition, culture, cooperation, and reconciliation--with critical commentaries on conservation and welfare, the collection aims to understand how chimpanzees learn, think, and feel, so that researchers can not only gain insight into the origins of human cognition, but also crystallize collective efforts to protect wild chimpanzee populations and ensure appropriate care in captive settings. With a breadth of material on cognition and culture from the lab and the field, "The Mind of the Chimpanzee "is a first-rate synthesis of contemporary studies of these fascinating mammals that will appeal to all those interested in animal minds and what we can learn from them.

A comprehensive book intended for anyone maintaining bats in captivity. Bats in Captivity is the only book of its kind, detailing the captive care of bats worldwide. This volume comprises 38 papers by 41 contributing authors. It contains a user-friendly guide to bat identification, subjects on reproductive patterns and parental care, social organization and communication, capturing and handling, releasing bats into the wild, marking bats for individual identification, torpor and hibernation, lactation and postnatal growth, simulating mother's milk and hand rearing pups of all bat groups, plus much more.

Marine mammals command a high level of public attention, reflected in specific legislation for their protection and management in many countries. They also present particular challenges to ecologists and conservation biologists. They are mostly difficult to observe, they occupy an environment that is vast in its three dimensional extent, there are often perceived conflicts between marine mammals and people, and furthermore several species are now close to extinction.
Marine mammals have some intriguing features in their biology - the ability to dive to crushing depths, to perform breath-hold dives that defy our current understanding of mammalian physiology, and many have an ability to hunt down prey using sophisticated sonar that we are only just beginning to understand. Many species also have complex social structures. We still have much to learn about these extraordinary animals so a comprehensive and authoritative overview of current methodology is now timely. The intention of this book is both to summarize the state-of-the-art and to encourage innovation and further progress in this research field.

The Australian bush holds many secrets, and one of its biggest is about to be revealed... It's one of Australia's greatest mysteries. For decades there has been talk of big cats roaming the Australian bush. These large cats - predominantly black - have only afforded their witnesses fleeting glimpses, and left behind tantalising clues: scraps of fur, a paw print or three, unusually large scats, and livestock carcasses surgically dismembered and picked clean of flesh. In their wake, they leave carnage and bewilderment: What are they? How did they get here? We don't just ask the questions, we seek the answers, and what we have found will intrigue the sceptic and the believer alike. Big cat sightings have been occurring with greater frequency across the country in the past 20 years, leading to speculation there may be a breeding colony of large cats in Australia. Australia isn't the only antipodean country touched by the black cat mystery. Our book also dedicates a chapter to the profusion of sightings and speculation in neighbouring New Zealand, documenting reports right up until 2009 and sharing for the first time highlights from the unpublished manuscript of New Zealand's first big cat hunter. Flesh-and-blood or flight of fancy? Exotic pest, mutant feral or 'extinct' marsupial lion? Join us as we explore one of Australia's greatest mysteries.

A comprehensive book intended for anyone maintaining bats in captivity. It comprises 44 papers by 22 contributing authors. Bats in Captivity is the only book of its kind, detailing the care of captive bats worldwide. This volume, Biological and Medical Aspects, includes a drug formulary, information on public health, anatomy and physiology, controlling reproduction, parasitology, and veterinary medicine and surgery, plus many other related subjects.

With heart-shaped face, buff back and wings, and pure white underparts, the barn owl is a distinctive and much-loved bird which has fascinated people from many cultures throughout history. How did the barn owl colonise the world? What adaptations have made this bird so successful? How is the increasing impact of human disturbance affecting these animals? Answering these questions and more, Roulin brings together the main global perspectives on the evolution, ecology and behaviour of the barn owl and its relatives, discussing topics such as the high reproductive potential, physiology, social and family interaction, pronounced colour variation and global distribution. Accessible and beautifully illustrated, this definitive volume on the barn owl is for researchers, professionals and graduate students in ornithology, animal behaviour, ecology, conservation biology and evolutionary biology, and will also appeal to amateur ornithologists and nature lovers.

The Centre For Fortean Zoology Yearbook is a collection of papers and essays too long and detailed for publication in the CFZ Journal Animals & Men. With contributions from both well-known researchers, and relative newcomers to the field, the Yearbook provides a forum where new theories can be expounded, and work on little-known cryptids discussed.

"Night-attack of wolves in Mongolia." "Nearly fatal combat with a kangaroo." "Comic scenes with the Elephant." "Captain Herriman examines a supposed Sea-serpent." This charming book, published by British naturalist PHILIP HENRY GOSSE (1810-1888) in 1860, was a best seller in its day, and no wonder: this is a passionate around-the-world journey through nature both wild and serene... and mysterious. "In the annals of cryptozoology," says cryptozoologist Loren Coleman in his new introduction, "Gosse is credited as one of the grandfathers of the discipline... In this book, one finds his records of the sea serpent, giant snakes, African unicorn, South America ape, and Ceylonese devil-bird, reflecting this early interest in romantic zoology, the precursor of cryptozoology." This new edition, complete with the original elegant illustrations, is part of Cosimo's Loren Colemen Presents series. LOREN COLEMAN is author of numerous books of cryptozoology, including BIGFOOT : The True Story of Apes in America, and Mothman and Other Curious Encounters.

Ever since humankiind first ventured out onto the oceans, sailors came back with stories of sea monsters. For two hundred years, scientists have been attempting to classify these 'creatures' within an acceptable zoological frame of reference. The most important of these was produced by Professor Bernard Heuvelmans half a century ago. Michael Woodley, takes a look at Heuvelmans' classification model, re-examines it in the light of new discoveries in palaeontology and ichthyology over the past fifty years, and reaches some astounding conclusions.

The information in this volume relates to the country's three prevalent wild pig types: the introduced Eurasian wild boar, the feral (once domestic, now wild) hog, and hybrids of the two. The first section of the book presents a history of wild pigs in this country-their origins; when, where, and by whom they were first introduced; and their subsequent dispersal. John J. Mayer and I. Lehr Brisbin, Jr. then develop specific criteria, based on taxonomic principles, for differentiating between the wild pig types. Employing numerous illustrations, graphs, and tables, they analyze and compare morphometric and discrete characters of the skull, external body dimensions and proportions, coat colorations patterns, and hair structure and form. A report on the status of wild pig populations in the United States (as of 1991) completes the volume. Aided by the book's wealth of current data, biologists and wildlife managers can make informed decisions about such issues as state versus private ownership of wild pig populations and the status of wild pigs as pests or game animals. In addition, hunters and sportsmen, zoologists, and even specialized historians and archaeologists will find Wild Pigs in the United States useful and informative. John J. Mayer is a senior research scientist at Westinghouse Savannah River Company. I. Lehr Brisbin, Jr. is a senior research scientist at the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. "It is evident that Mayer and Brisbin have meticulously researched the populations described in this book. . . . This book is a notably objective work and is one of the best references available on wild pigs. It represents an ordered, concise history that is easily followed. . . . Anyone needing information on wild pigs should find it a useful reference."-Journal of Wildlife Management, Vol. 57, No. 2, 1993 "An important book that will likely become the definitive text on the status and history of wild pigs in the United States . . . Moreover, it stands as one of the finest studies of the invasion of an exotic species and of the interplay between a domestic animal and its feral relatives."-Conservation Biology, Vol. 6, No. 4, 1992 "Thorough, well written . . . It should serve as an important reference for professional mammalogists and those employed by federal and state wildlife agencies."-ASB Bulletin, Vol. 39, No. 3, 1992

This atlas presents a series of photographic illustrations and line drawings that summarize the major developmental events that occur during organogenesis in the opossum (Didelphis virginiana).It will be of interest to General Biologists, Zoologists, Wildlife Biologists, Embryologists and Medical Scientists.

With contributions from both well-known researchers and relative newcomers, this collection of papers and essays that are too long and detailed for publication in the CFZ Journal "Animals & Men" provides a forum where work on little-known cryptids can be discussed.

Many Japanese once revered the wolf as Oguchi no Magami, or Large-Mouthed Pure God, but as Japan began its modern transformation wolves lost their otherworldly status and became noxious animals that needed to be killed. By 1905 they had disappeared from the country. In this spirited and absorbing narrative, Brett Walker takes a deep look at the scientific, cultural, and environmental dimensions of wolf extinction in Japan and tracks changing attitudes toward nature through Japan's long history. Grain farmers once worshiped wolves at shrines and left food offerings near their dens, beseeching the elusive canine to protect their crops from the sharp hooves and voracious appetites of wild boars and deer. Talismans and charms adorned with images of wolves protected against fire, disease, and other calamities and brought fertility to agrarian communities and to couples hoping to have children. The Ainu people believed that they were born from the union of a wolflike creature and a goddess. In the eighteenth century, wolves were seen as rabid man-killers in many parts of Japan. Highly ritualized wolf hunts were instigated to cleanse the landscape of what many considered as demons. By the nineteenth century, however, the destruction of wolves had become decidedly unceremonious, as seen on the island of Hokkaido. Through poisoning, hired hunters, and a bounty system, one of the archipelago's largest carnivores was systematically erased. The story of wolf extinction exposes the underside of Japan's modernization. Certain wolf scientists still camp out in Japan to listen for any trace of the elusive canines. The quiet they experience reminds us of the profound silence that awaits all humanity when, as the Japanese priest Kenko taught almost seven centuries ago, we "look on fellow sentient creatures without feeling compassion."

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 aninternational treatment and a more valuable resource.

The endangered Leadbeater's Possum, once considered to be extinct, is the Victorian State faunal emblem. Shortly after its rediscovery in 1960, naturalist Des Hackett began his successful quest to breed the animal in captivity.
Bred To Be Wild documents the work of Des Hackett, including his struggle with wildlife authorities after handing over thriving colonies of Leadbeater's Possum to zoos throughout Australia.
While initially, breeding programs were a great success and Leadbeater's Possum were sent to other zoos throughout the world, they were never released into the wild. Breeding programs have since stopped and only two individuals remain alive in captivity today.
"With just two Leadbeater's Possum left in captivity in Australia, the publication of this book is very timely. It will provoke public debate about the future management of this endangered species while at the same time provide a fascinating insight to the behaviour of the Leadbeater's Possum. It is a good read too."
Sera Blair
President - Friends of the Leadbeater's Possum Inc.
"Des Hackett worked tirelessly to provide zoos throughout the world with thriving colonies of Leadbeater's Possum. His dream, documented by this book, was to see his captive-bred Leadbeater's released into the wild. Unfortunately, the wild population is still on the decline as logging continues throughout much of their natural range and the species has become virtually extinct in captivity. We may have missed our opportunity to turn the tide of extinction for Victoria's State emblem."
David Swinson
Secretary - Upper Yarra Conservation Society
"This book questions the function of zoos in terms of conservationand exposes Australia's wildlife authorities as incompetent in terms of protecting our wildlife heritage. Would we allow this to happen to the panda or gorillas? When will we learn to truly appreciate our native wildlife?"
Maryland Wilson
President - Australian Wildlife Protection Council