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Books > Science & Mathematics > Biology, life sciences > Zoology & animal sciences > Vertebrates > Mammals
In this book, the authors present topical research in the study of the classification, evolution and behaviour of primates. Topics discussed in this compilation include the analysis of the attachments, relative weights, and innervation of the lower limb muscles of various apes and modern humans; Alzheimer pathology in non-human primates and its pathophysiological implications; the evolutionary transformations and adaptations related to the different locomotor modes developed by hylobatids, orang-utans, gorillas, chimpanzees and modern humans; neurobiological correlates of behavioural and cognitive performance in non-human primates; and assessing the cognitive capacities of various non-human primate species.
Early reports in British Columbia were the first to call attention to the possible existence of sasquatch, and such reports have persisted for over two hundred years. This work covers the earliest history of the province to the present day, and draws upon the findings of all major sasquatch researchers in British Columbia and information reported in the press and other media. It also includes important sasquatch-related events that involved BC researchers and their quest to resolve the phenomenon. Several of the great pioneers in the field of sasquatch studies have now passed away. Who they were and their legacy have been provided as both a tribute and a historical reference. This work is intended to be a major reference for the history of the sasquatch in British Columbia. However, it is also a fascinating read for those simply interested in the subject.
Insects are more similar in structure and physiology to mammals than plants or fungi. Consequently, insecticides are often of greater toxicity to mammals than herbicides. This is particularly the case with neurotoxins. However, some insecticides are targeted at structures or hormonal systems specific to insects (insect growth regulators/chitin synthesis inhibitors) so are less harmful but can still be mildly haematotoxic. There are, therefore, issues specific to insecticides, which do not occur with other pesticides - hence the need for a book specifically on insecticide toxicology in mammals. The book starts with general issues relating to the mammalian toxicity of insecticides, including target/non-target specificity, nomenclature and metabolism of insecticides. It then goes on to discuss specific types of insecticides including: organochlorines; anticholinesterases; pyrethrum and synthetic pyrethroids; nicotine and the neonicotinoids; insect growth regulators/ecdysone agonists/chitin synthesis inhibitors; insecticides of natural origin; biological insecticides; and insecticides used in veterinary medicine.
A compilation of highly sought-after research focusing on wolf management and recovery programs in North America. Reviews the status of wolves in Canada, the United States, Greenland, and the Trans-Himalayan region. Specific chapters address several themes: historical perspectives and the evolution of wolf-human relationships; the status, biology, and management of wolves; restoration, reintroduction, and control programs; wolf-prey dynamics and implications of conservation practices; behavior and social interactions; taxonomy; diseases and physiology; and, research and management techniques. Proceedings of the Second North American Symposium on Wolves, 1992. Papers by: L. Boitani; F.F. Gilbert; R.D. Hayes and J.R. Gunson; F.L. Miller; R.O. Stephenson, W.B. Ballard, C.A. Smith, and K. Richardson; U. Marquard-Peterson; R.P. Thiel and R.R. Ream; P. Schullery and L. Whittlesey; C.E. Kay; D. Dekker, W. Bradford, and J.R. Gunson; J.L. Fox and R.S. Chundawat; S.H. Fritts, D.R. Harms, J.A. Fontaine and M.D. Jimenez; D.K. Boyd, P.C. Pacquet, S. Donelon, R.R. Ream, D.H. Pletscher, and C.C. White; D.R. Parsons and J.E. Nicholopoulos; A.P. Wydeven, R.N. Schultz, and R.P. Thiel; M.K. Phillips, R. Smith, V.G. Henry, and C. Lucash; R.P. Thiel and T. Valen; D.R. Seip; F. Messier; M.S. Boyce; D.J. Vales and J.M. Peek; B.W. Dale, L.G. Adams, and R.T. Bowyer; L.D. Mech, T.J. Meier, J.W. Burch, and L.G. Adams; L.G. Adams, B.W. Dale, and L.D. Mech; D.C. Thomas; D.R. Klein; C.S. Asa; C.S. Asa and L.D. Mech; T.J. Meier, J.W. Burch, L.D. Mech, and L.G. Adams; G.J. Forbes and J.B. Theberge; R.O. Peterson; T.K. Fuller; S.G. Fancy and W.B. Ballard; C. Vila, V. Urios, and J. Castroviejo; R.E. Anderson, B.L.C. Hill, J. Ryon, and J.C. Fentress; W.G. Brewster and S.H. Fritts; R.M. Nowak; R.K. Wayne, N. Lehman, and T.K. Fuller; R.M. Nowak, M.K. Phillips, V.G. Henry, W.C. Hunter, and R. Smith; C.J. Brand, M.J. Pybus, W.B. Ballard, and R.O. Peterson; M.R. Johnson, T.N. Bailey, E.E. Bangs, and R.O. Peterson; M.D. Drag, W.B. Ballard, G.M. Matson, and P.R. Krausman. W.B. Ballard, D.J. Reed, S.G. Fancy, and P.R. Krausman; W.B. Ballard, M.E. McNay, C.L. Gardner, and D.J. Reed; D.A. Haggstrom, A.k. Ruggles, C.M. Harms, and R.O. Stephenson; H.D. Cluff and D.L. Murray; R.D. Boertje, D.G. Kelleyhouse, and R.D. Hayes; R. Reid and D. Janz; R. Coppinger and L. Coppinger; P.L. Clarkson; L.D. Mech; Epilogue by M. Hummel
"An important and timely message about the biological roots of
human kindness." "From the Hardcover edition."
Primates use four major modes of communication (i.e., visual, olfactory, tactile and vocal), and the ways they communicate depend on restrictions imposed by their habits and habitats. This book discusses past, current and potential future research in the wild and captivity, addressing some of the key questions in primate bioacoustics, identifying gaps in our knowledge, and also describing basic methods and equipment used in the study of primate bioacoustics. Also investigated are the changes of circadian rhythm of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity in non-human primates under stress and during ageing. This book presents data collected from gibbons in a sanctuary, a rehabilitation centre and also the wild highlighting the development of social skills and cognitive abilities. In addition, one of the dominant research areas in behavioural primatology pertains to assessments of the cognitive capacities of various non-human primate species. This book outlines studies that compare different methodologies and how those methodologies might contribute to differential learning and cognitive performance. Other chapters in this book examine the cognitive differences between humans and apes, review a powerful experimental methodology to determine the most likely acquisition modes responsible for primate "cultural" patterns, estimate home range use, activity patterns, and diet in woolly monkeys, and discuss the researchers role in preventing disease transmission between humans and apes.
Apes and dolphins: primates and cetaceans. Could any creatures appear to be more different? Yet both are large-brained intelligent mammals with complex communication and social interaction. In the first book to study apes and dolphins side by side, Maddalena Bearzi and Craig B. Stanford, a dolphin biologist and a primatologist who have spent their careers studying these animals in the wild, combine their insights with compelling results. "Beautiful Minds" explains how and why apes and dolphins are so distantly related yet so cognitively alike and what this teaches us about another large-brained mammal: Homo sapiens. Noting that apes and dolphins have had no common ancestor in nearly 100 million years, Bearzi and Stanford describe the parallel evolution that gave rise to their intelligence. And they closely observe that intelligence in action, in the territorial grassland and rainforest communities of chimpanzees and other apes, and in groups of dolphins moving freely through open coastal waters. The authors detail their subjects ability to develop family bonds, form alliances, and care for their young. They offer an understanding of their culture, politics, social structure, personality, and capacity for emotion. The resulting dual portrait with striking overlaps in behavior is key to understanding the nature of beautiful minds.
This comprehensive handbook presents for the first time all 51 bat species that occur across Europe and Northwest Africa, taking in to account recent taxonomic advances and new species descriptions from over the last few years. Extensive introductory chapters reveal the remarkable biology of bats and explore the latest findings in bat evolution and echolocation. The in-depth species accounts cover life history, conservation status and identification. Distribution maps accompany illustrations comprise of beautifully detailed diagrams and over 400 breathtaking colour photographs. This unique reference is an authoritative guide suitable for all bat enthusiasts, whether they are beginners, students, professionals or conservationists.
This book represents the results of a comprehensive study of the
ecological processes of the central Yellowstone ecosystem carried
out over the past 15 years by an integrated team of scientists and
graduate students. It provides an authoritative work on the
mechanisms underlying the spatial and temporal dynamics of large
mammal predator-prey systems in natural ecosystems, and is directed
to the scientific community, resource managers, policy makers and
the interested public alike.
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."
From the raucous mantled howler monkeys and the charismatic white-nosed coatis to the elusive jaguar, The Mammals of Costa Rica offers authoritative accounts of the fascinating creatures of the neotropics. With more than four hundred spectacular illustrations and a wealth of detailed information drawn from firsthand observation, new research, and synthesis of the scientific literature, this book describes all of Costa Rica's readily identifiable terrestrial and freshwater mammals. The clear and entertaining text is perfectly suited to meet the needs of naturalists, students, and researchers, as well as both experienced and first-time visitors to Costa Rica and the American tropics. The mammal descriptions include key identification features, range maps, vocalizations, local folklore and mythology, and comprehensive information about natural history and conservation. The color illustrations show not only the mammals themselves but also their tracks, foods, and skulls. Also included are illustrations of numerous other animals and plants with which the mammals have close ecological links. By presenting mammals in a broader context, The Mammals of Costa Rica provides an entry point into a general study of tropical ecology and conservation.
A provocative history of wolves in America and of the humans who first destroyed them and now offer them protection "A shocking cultural study of our long, sadistic crusade against wolves. Moving brilliantly through history, economics, and biology, Coleman...explains America's fevered obsession with these animals."-Ron Charles, Washington Post Book Club Over a continent and three centuries, American livestock owners destroyed wolves to protect the beasts that supplied them with food, clothing, mobility, and wealth. The brutality of the campaign soon exceeded wolves' misdeeds. Wolves menaced property, not people, but storytellers often depicted the animals as ravenous threats to human safety. Subjects of nightmares and legends, wolves fell prey not only to Americans' thirst for land and resources but also to their deeper anxieties about the untamed frontier. Now Americans study and protect wolves and jail hunters who shoot them without authorization. Wolves have become the poster beasts of the great American wilderness, and the federal government has paid millions of dollars to reintroduce them to scenic habitats like Yellowstone National Park. Why did Americans hate wolves for centuries? And, given the ferocity of this loathing, why are Americans now so protective of the animals? In this ambitious history of wolves in America-and of the humans who have hated and then loved them-Jon Coleman investigates a fraught relationship between two species and uncovers striking similarities, deadly differences, and, all too frequently, tragic misunderstanding.
Wilson and Reeder's Mammal Species of the World is the classic reference book on the taxonomic classification and distribution of the more than 5400 species of mammals that exist today. The third edition includes detailed information on nomenclature and, for the first time, common names. Each concise entry covers type locality, distribution, synonyms, and major reference sources. The systematic arrangement of information indicates evolutionary relationships at both the ordinal and the family level. This indispensable reference work belongs in public and academic libraries throughout the world and on the shelf of every biologist who works with mammals.
Intrigued by a slide showing a woman breast-feeding a monkey, anthropologist Loretta A. Cormier spent fifteen months living among the Guaj?, a foraging people in a remote area of Brazil. The result is this ethnographic study of the extraordinary relationship between the Guaj? Indians and monkeys. While monkeys are a key food source for the Guaj?, certain pet monkeys have a quasi-human status. Some infant monkeys are adopted and nurtured as human children while others are consumed in accordance with the "symbolic cannibalism" of their belief system. The apparent contradiction of this predator/protector relationship became the central theme of Cormier's research: How can monkeys be both eaten as food and nurtured as children? Her research reveals that monkeys play a vital role in Guaj? society, ecology, economy, and religion. In Guaj? animistic beliefs, all forms of plant and animal life -- especially monkeys -- have souls and are woven into a comprehensive kinship system. Therefore, all consumption can be considered a form of cannibalism. Cormier sets the stage for this enlightening study by examining the history of the Guaj? and the ecological relationships between human and nonhuman primates in Amazonia. She also addresses the importance of monkeys in Guaj? ecological adaptation as well as their role in the Guaj? kinship system. Cormier then looks at animism and life classification among the Guaj? and the role of pets, which provide a context for understanding "symbolic cannibalism" and how the Guaj? relate to various forms of life in their natural and supernatural world. The book concludes with a discussion of the implications of ethnoprimatology beyond Amazonia, including Western perceptions of primates.
An identification guide and general reference to marine mammal biology, conservation, and governmental protective regulations in Florida. Written by two scientists and pioneers in marine mammal research and conservation, it seeks to inform people how their activities affect marine mammals and what they can do to help safeguard the environment of Florida. John Reynolds and Randall Wells present scientific information, conservation principles, and wildlife protection laws in a way that should be easy for the general reader to follow and understand. The basic species descriptions and natural history include all of Florida's marine mammals and the occasional visitor to Florida's waters, including: Florida manatee; bottlenose dolphin; Atlantic spotted dolphin; pygmy and dwarf sperm whales; northern right whale; clymene or short-snouted spinner dolphin; spinner dolphin; rough-toothed dolphin; Risso's dolphin; short-finned pilot whale; false killer whale; pygmy killer whale; beaked whales; goosebeak whale; sperm whale; humpback whale; and pinnipeds.
In a remote valley near the BC-Alaska border lives a remarkable group of grizzly bears who have never learned to fear humans. When logging threatened this valley, people from all over the world joined a battle to save the bears. In 1994, their efforts paid off with the establishment of the Khutzymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary, one of the world's most important protected wildlife areas. Dan Wakeman, a core member of the Save the Khutzymateen campaign, was one of only two guides licensed to take visitors into the heart of this ecological reserve. Photographer Wendy Shymanski, who worked with Dan for many years, amassed a folio of exquisite colour photographs of the bears in this special part of the world. In "Fortress of the Grizzlies," these avid naturalists share what they have learned and seen during years of respectful interaction with this community of grizzlies.
How did we become the linguistic, cultured, and hugely successful apes that we are? Our closest relatives--the other mentally complex and socially skilled primates--offer tantalizing clues. In "Tree of Origin" nine of the world's top primate experts read these clues and compose the most extensive picture to date of what the behavior of monkeys and apes can tell us about our own evolution as a species. It has been nearly fifteen years since a single volume addressed the issue of human evolution from a primate perspective, and in that time we have witnessed explosive growth in research on the subject. "Tree of Origin" gives us the latest news about bonobos, the "make love not war" apes who behave so dramatically unlike chimpanzees. We learn about the tool traditions and social customs that set each ape community apart. We see how DNA analysis is revolutionizing our understanding of paternity, intergroup migration, and reproductive success. And we confront intriguing discoveries about primate hunting behavior, politics, cognition, diet, and the evolution of language and intelligence that challenge claims of human uniqueness in new and subtle ways. "Tree of Origin" provides the clearest glimpse yet of the apelike ancestor who left the forest and began the long journey toward modern humanity.
This study of dog ecology (and behaviour) and of human ecology (and behaviour) discusses the facets of the phenomenon of the urban free-roaming dog. It provides information for students who wish to embark on studies of wild canines.
The Chang Tang, the vast, remote Tibetan steppe, is home to a
unique assemblage of large mammals, including Tibetan antelope,
gazelle, argali sheep, wild ass, wild yak, wolves, snow leopards,
and others. Since 1985, George B. Schaller and his Chinese and
Tibetan co-workers have surveyed the flora and fauna of the Chang
Tang. Their research provides the first detailed look at the
natural history of one of the world's least known ecosystems.
"This book will have long-lasting effects on conservation of the okapi and preservation of the forest: the authors' research will heighten awareness of the plight of the okapi, and their royalties will go directly to helping...the Ituri Forest conservation program. You will be helping if you buy this book and encourage your friends to do the same. Okapis have a special place in the natural world, and it is up to us to ensure that they and their forests survive." -- Jane Goodall Congo-Zaire contains Africa's largest remaining tracts of intact rain forest, making it one of the most important regions for biodiversity conservation. Its Ituri Forest is home to plants and animals native to nowhere else on earth, including the elusive and little-known okapi. In this popularly written book, three long-time observers of the okapi present a complete, contemporary natural history of this appealing relative of the giraffe. They recount its discovery by European explorers and describe its appearance and life cycle. They also discuss current efforts to preserve the species, both in the wild and at zoos around the world. Illustrated with charming line drawings, The Okapi will be a valuable resource for conservationists and zoo visitors alike-indeed anyone fascinated by the mysterious animal of Congo-Zaire.
Introduction to the Primates is a comprehensive but compact guide to the long evolutionary history of the world's prosimians, monkeys, and apes, and to the much shorter history of humankind's interactions with them, from our earliest recorded observations to the severe threats we now pose to their survival. Daris Swindler provides a detailed description of the major primate groups and their environments, from the smallest lemurs of Madagascar to the gorillas of central Africa. He compares and contrasts the primate species, looking at each with a specific anatomical focus. The range of diversity emerges as the particular characteristics of the species becomes increasingly distinct. Swindler also considers primate behavior and its close connections with environment and evolutionary differences. His account of 65 million years of successful adaptation and evolution demonstrates the drama of paleontology as evidence accrues and gaps in the history of primate evolution gradually close.
"The authors have done a superb job of distilling a vast amount of information on the biology of the terrestrial mammals of the eastern United States in a style that will not only satisfy the expert's need for accurate data but will also appeal to students and others interested in natural history." -James N. Layne, Archbold Biological Station In their definitive work on eastern mammals, John O. Whitaker, Jr., and W. J. Hamilton, Jr., vividly convey their sheer delight at the variety and abundance of mammalian life. They have brought together a wealth of biological information and applied a biological subspecies concept to the mammals of the eastern United States. Their research extends "from the high reaches of Mount Katahdin in northern Maine, where water shrews and moose hold company," to the unglaciated hills of southern Indiana, where pygmy shrews (each weighing less than a dime) lived undetected until 1981. From there, they reach to "the cypress swamps of lower Florida, where the spoor of the mountain lion may be seen."*Describes the animals, their behavior, and dispersion in all 27 states east of the Mississippi River.*Almost entirely rewritten, this edition provides an abundance of scientific information in combination with anecdotes, field notes, and an underlying reverence for the fragile diversity of animal life. *Illustrations include 110 range maps, 167 black-and-white photographs, and 92 color images.*Covers 121 species, 17 more than in the previous edition. *Uses a biological subspecies concept, showing the results of evolution through differentiation. *Provides keys to orders and genera, anatomical line drawings. *Summarizes information on endangered and threatened species for each of the eastern states. *Lists state mammal books in the literature section.
Do chimpanzees have something akin to culture? Bringing together studies of behavioral variation within and among chimpanzees and bonobos --the sibling species of the genus "Pan"--this book provides the basis for answering this question. In "Chimpanzee Cultures," the world's leading authorities on chimpanzees and bonobos chronicle the animals' behaviors from one study site to the next, in both captive and wild groups, in laboratory and field settings. |
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