The cougar is one of the most beautiful, enigmatic, and majestic animals in the Americas. Eliciting reverence for its grace and independent nature, it also triggers fear when it comes into contact with people, pets, and livestock or competes for hunters' game. Mystery, myth, and misunderstanding surround this remarkable creature. The cougar's range once extended from northern Canada to the tip of South America, and from the Pacific to the Atlantic, making it the most widespread animal in the western hemisphere. But overhunting and loss of habitat vastly reduced cougar numbers by the early twentieth century across much of its historical range, and today the cougar faces numerous threats as burgeoning human development encroaches on its remaining habitat. When Maurice Hornocker began the first long-term study of cougars in the Idaho wilderness in 1964, little was known about this large cat. Its secretive nature and rarity in the landscape made it difficult to study. But his groundbreaking research yielded major insights and was the prelude to further research on this controversial species. The capstone to Hornocker's long career studying big cats, "Cougar "is a powerful and practical resource for scientists, conservationists, and anyone with an interest in large carnivores. He and conservationist Sharon Negri bring together the diverse perspectives of twenty-two distinguished scientists to provide the fullest account of the cougar's ecology, behavior, and genetics, its role as a top predator, and its conservation needs. This compilation of recent findings, stunning photographs, and firsthand accounts of field research unravels the mysteries of this magnificent animal and emphasizes its importance in healthy ecosystem processes and in our lives.

This book provides a comprehensive review of the evolution of traits associated with predation and predator defense for bats and all of their prey, both invertebrates (e.g. insects) and vertebrates (e.g. frogs), in the context of co-evolution. It reviews current knowledge of how echolocation and passive hearing are used by bats to hunt prey in complete darkness. Also it highlights how prey have evolved counter measures to bat echolocation to avoid detection and capture. This includes the whole range of prey responses from being active at times when bats are inactive to the use of acoustic signals of their own to interfere with the echolocation system of bats.

Edward G. Jones??? The Thalamus is one of the most cited publications in neuroscience. Now more than 20 years on from its first printing, the author has completely rewritten his landmark volume, incorporating the numerous developments in research and understanding of the mammalian thalamus. As a leading authority on thalamus biology and function, Edward G. Jones shows how knowledge of the thalamus has developed with the introduction of new technologies and ideas. The author's photographic skills are exhibited in brilliant preparations of thalamic structure in a wide range of common and uncommon species. The Thalamus is both an up-to-date scientific review of virtually all aspects of forebrain function and a work of immense neuroscientific scholarship. It forms an essential reference for neuroanatomists, neurophysiologists, molecular neurobiologists, developmental neurobiologists and clinicians its deep historical perspective will be of value to historians of science.

More than any other locale, the Pacific Ocean has been the meeting place between humans and whales. From Indigenous Pacific peoples who built lives and cosmologies around whales, to Euro-American whalers who descended upon the Pacific during the nineteenth century, and to the new forms of human-cetacean partnerships that have emerged from the late twentieth century, the relationship between these two species has been central to the ocean’s history. Across Species and Cultures: Whales, Humans, and Pacific Worlds offers for the first time a critical, wide-ranging geographical and temporal look at the varieties of whale histories in the Pacific. The essay contributors, hailing from around the Pacific, present a wealth of fascinating stories while breaking new methodological ground in environmental history, women’s history, animal studies, and Indigenous ontologies. In the process they reveal previously hidden aspects of the story of Pacific whaling, including the contributions of Indigenous people to capitalist whaling, the industry’s exceptionally far-reaching spread, and its overlooked second life as a global, industrial slaughter in the twentieth century. While pointing to striking continuities in whaling histories around the Pacific, Across Species and Cultures also reveals deep tensions: between environmentalists and Indigenous peoples, between ideas and realities, and between the North and South Pacific. The book delves in unprecedented ways into the lives and histories of whales themselves. Despite the worst ravages of commercial and industrial whaling, whales survived two centuries of mass killing in the Pacific. Their perseverance continues to nourish many human communities around and in the Pacific Ocean where they are hunted as commodities, regarded as signs of wealth and power, act as providers and protectors, but are also ancestors, providing a bridge between human and nonhuman worlds.

Humans share a long history with carnivores. We fear them as predators, revile them as competitors, exploit them for their fur, or admire them for their grace and beauty. This book, the fifth of six volumes on the mammals of BC, provides comprehensive, up-to-date information on the 21 species of wild terrestrial carnivores in the province. Species covered: Coyote, Grey Wolf, Red Fox, American Black Bear, Grizzly Bear, Northern Raccoon, Sea Otter, Wolverine, Northern River Otter, American Marten, Fisher, Ermine, Long-tailed Weasel, Least Weasel, American Mink, American Badger, Striped Skunk, Western Spotted Skunk, Cougar, Canada Lynx, Bobcat. "Carnivores of British Columbia"describes each species, with illustrations of animals and skulls. For each species it discusses distribution and habitat, feeding ecology, social behaviour, reproduction, issues around health and mortality, abundance, human uses, conservation and management. This book will be an important educational reference for the general public, schools, naturalists and wildlife biologists.

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 the substantial advances in the miniaturization of electronic components, wildlife biologists now routinely monitor the movements of free-ranging animals with radio-tracking devices. This book explicates the many analytical techniques and computer programs available to extract biological information from the radio tracking data.
Key Features:
* Presentation of software programs for solving specific problems
* Design of radio-tracking studies
* Mechanics of data collection
* Estimation of position by triangulation
* Graphic presentation of animal migration, dispersal, fidelity, and association
* Home range estimation, habitat utilization, and estimation of survival rates and population size

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.

Marine researchers are discovering new ocean creatures every day, especially at its deepest depths. From the author of Creatures of the Deep, Encyclopedia of Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises and other books about the ocean and the animals that live there, comes a new title about some of the most unusual marine life forms. The book organizes the creatures into three parts based on where they live in the ocean. Each part has representatives from the various marine animal classes (e.g., fish, crustaceans, jellyfish and siphonophores, squids, tunicates and other invertebrates). Informative captions accompany the 90 gorgeous photographs of otherworldly creatures. Part 1: Surface Waters of the Ocean at Night: The Blackwater Vertical Migrators. In images taken by dedicated blackwater photographers Linda Ianniello and Susan Mears, these mostly larval creatures haunt the near-surface waters making vertical migrations every night to feed. Part 2: Middle to Deep Dark Waters: Masters of the Language of Light. In this perpetual night, survival is a matter of being able to understand and process light signals, some in different colours, some flashing, some faint - the most sophisticated use of bioluminescence on Earth. The sea creatures here are small with big eyes and even larger mouths with extraordinarily sharp teeth; Photographer David Shale travelled with BBC Blue Planet and other expeditions to photograph these deep sea creatures, while photographers Solvin Zankl, Alexander Semenov and others brought their own dedication to expeditions in the Pacific, Indian, Atlantic and Arctic oceans. Part 3. The Continental Shelf to the Abyssal Plain: The Bottom Dwellers. This bottom of the sea has fewer fish, and is populated by such alien-like creatures as no-eyed or tripod fish, sea cucumbers, as well as basket stars, crabs, and worms with species varying by depth and location. The introduction to each part of the book describes what makes the ocean waters at that depth unique, and why it is home to specific types of sea life. The photographs were taken in the ocean by expert divers and submariners, most of whom are both scientists and underwater photographers. The images display the creatures vividly against a background as black as the ocean depths.

Consider the Platypus explores the history and features of more than 50 animals to provide insight into our current understanding of evolution. Using Darwin's theory as a springboard, Maggie Ryan Sandford details scientists' initial understanding of the development of creatures and how that has expanded in the wake of genetic sequencing, including the: Peppered Moth, which changed color based on the amount of soot in the London air;California Two-Spotted Octopus, which has the amazing ability to alter its DNA/RNA not over generations but during its lifetime;miniscule tardigrade, which is so hearty it can withstand radiation, lack of water and oxygen, and temperatures as low as -328 DegreesF and as high 304 DegreesF;and, of course, the platypus, which has so many disparate features, from a duck's bill to venomous spur to mammary patches, that scientists originally thought it was a hoax. Surprising, witty, and impeccably researched, Sandford describes each animal's significant features and how these have adapted to its environment, such as the zebra finch's beak shape, which was observed by Charles Darwin and is a cornerstone of his Theory of Evolution. With scientifically accurate but charming art by Rodica Prato, Consider the Platypus showcases species as diverse as the sloth, honey bee, cow, brown kiwi, and lungfish, to name a few, to tackle intimidating concepts is a accessible way.

Grizzly bears can climb trees; black bears can be brown - or even white, and some coastal bears will not hibernate at all. These facts, and the vibrant photographs of bears, underscore The Bear Man's true message, which is: learn how to behave around bears; know proper 'bear manners' and you - and the bear - will survive an encounter. Armed with just bear spray and the knowledge he has acquired in nearly forty years of studying bears in their natural habitat, Keith Scott hikes the wilds of Canada and Alaska, looking for bears, living where they live. His adventures and experience have made him a specialist on bear habitats and behaviour, and his commitment is to teach people about these misunderstood and magnificent animals.

From the Preface
The major change in the format of the fifth edition is the presentation of the book in two volumes, necessitated by the rapidly increasing knowledge of metabolism, interactions, and requirements of trace elements. The guiding principle was to present the minimum of results that would serve as a logical foundation for the description of the present state of knowledge.

From the Preface
The major change in the format of the fifth edition is the presentation of the book in two volumes, necessitated by the rapidly increasing knowledge of metabolism, interactions, and requirements of trace elements ... The guiding principle was to present the minimum of results that would serve as a logical foundation for the description of the present state of knowledge.
Recent results of research were accommodated by devoting new chapters to the subjects "Methodology of Trace Element Research" and "Quality Assurance for Trace Element Analysis" and by expanding the discussion of lithium and aluminum in separate, new chapters. The first two subjects are of outstanding importance as determinants of future progress. The concern for the quality of analytical data motivated the authors of the individual chapters to review critically and, where necessary, revise analytical data presented in the previous editions. The rapid progress of trace analytical methodology since the mid-1970s has changed what had been accepted as normal for the concentrations of many trace elements in tissues and foods. The new data reflect the present state of the art in trace element analysis, but they may be subject to future revision.

As our closest primate relatives, chimpanzees offer tantalizing clues about the behavior of early human ancestors. This book provides a rich and detailed portrait of chimpanzee social life in the wild, synthesizing hundreds of thousands of hours of research at seven long-term field sites. Why are the social lives of males and females so different? Why do groups of males sometimes seek out and kill neighboring individuals? Do chimpanzees cooperate when they hunt monkeys? Is their vocal behaviour like human speech? Are there different chimpanzee 'cultures'? Addressing these questions and more, Adam Arcadi presents a fascinating introduction to the chimpanzee social universe and the challenges we face in trying to save this species from extinction. With extensive notes organized by field site and an appendix describing field methods, this book is indispensable for students, researchers, and anyone else interested in the remarkable and complex world of these intelligent apes.

Our closest living relatives, the chimpanzees, are familiar enough--bright and ornery and promiscuous. But they also kill and eat their kin, in this case the red colobus monkey, which may say something about primate--even hominid--evolution. This book, the first long-term field study of a predator-prey relationship involving two wild primates, documents a six-year investigation into how the risk of predation molds primate society. Taking us to Gombe National Park in Tanzania, a place made famous by Jane Goodall's studies, the book offers a close look at how predation by wild chimpanzees--observable in the park as nowhere else--has influenced the behavior, ecology, and demography of a population of red colobus monkeys.

As he explores the effects of chimpanzees' hunting, Craig Stanford also asks why these creatures prey on the red colobus. Because chimpanzees are often used as models of how early humans may have lived, Stanford's findings offer insight into the possible role of early hominids as predators, a little understood aspect of human evolution.

The first book-length study in a newly emerging genre of primate field study, "Chimpanzee and Red Colobus "expands our understanding of not just these two primate societies, but also the evolutionary ecology of predators and prey in general.

As our closest primate relatives, chimpanzees offer tantalizing clues about the behavior of early human ancestors. This book provides a rich and detailed portrait of chimpanzee social life in the wild, synthesizing hundreds of thousands of hours of research at seven long-term field sites. Why are the social lives of males and females so different? Why do groups of males sometimes seek out and kill neighboring individuals? Do chimpanzees cooperate when they hunt monkeys? Is their vocal behaviour like human speech? Are there different chimpanzee 'cultures'? Addressing these questions and more, Adam Arcadi presents a fascinating introduction to the chimpanzee social universe and the challenges we face in trying to save this species from extinction. With extensive notes organized by field site and an appendix describing field methods, this book is indispensable for students, researchers, and anyone else interested in the remarkable and complex world of these intelligent apes.

Sound has become a major tool for studying the ocean. Although the ocean is relatively opaque to light, it is relatively transparent to sound. Sound having frequencies below 1,000 Hertz (Hz) is often defined as low-frequency sound. The speed of sound is proportional to the temperature of the water through which it passes. Therefore, sound speed can be used to infer the average temperature of the water volume through which sound waves have passed. The relationship between water temperature and the speed of sound is the basis for the Acoustic Thermometry of Ocean Climate (ATOC) experiment. The ATOC experiment is designed to monitor the travel time of sound between sources off the coasts of Hawaii and California and several receivers around the Pacific Ocean in order to detect trends in ocean temperature and for other research and monitoring purposes. Some whales, seals, and fish use low-frequency sound to communicate and to sense their environments. For example, baleen whales and some toothed whales are known to use and respond to low-frequency sound emitted by other individuals of their species. Sharks are not known to produce low-frequency sound but are attracted to pulsed low-frequency sounds. Therefore, it is possible that human-generated low-frequency sound could interfere with the natural behavior of whales, sharks, and some other marine animals. Marine Mammals and Low-Frequency Sound is an updated review of the National Research Council 1994 report Low-Frequency Sound and Marine Mammals: Current Knowledge and Research Needs, based on data obtained from the MMRP and results of any other relevant research, including ONR's research program in low-frequency sound and marine mammals. This report compares new data with the research needs specified in the 1994 NRC report, focusing on the strengths and weaknesses of the data for answering important outstanding questions about marine mammal responses to low-frequency sound and identifies areas where gaps in our knowledge continue to exist. Table of Contents Front Matter Executive Summary 1 Introduction 2 Evaluation of the Marine Mammal Research Program 3 Assessment of Continuing Research Needs 4 Regulatory Issues 5 Findings and Recommendations References Appendix A Committee Biographies Appendix B Summary from NRC (1994) Appendix C Relevant U.S. Legislation and Regulations for Marine Mammals Appendix D OSHA Regulations Appendix E Glossary of Acronyms Appendix F Species Mentioned in This Report

This booklet is part of a series of booklets on deer in Britain and gives details about the biology and ecology of Sika deer in Great Britain.

In The Mountain Grizzly the author offers readers a glimpse into the seldom-seen life of the grizzly bear. Filled with more than 100 stunning pictures, Quinton has called upon twenty years of wildlife photography experience to create a spectacular photo essay. This diverse collection of images gives readers new insight into grizzly behaviour and an appreciation for this remarkable animal.

Nearly half the world's primate species use flooded habitats at one time or another, from swamp-going Congo gorillas and mangrove-eating proboscis monkeys, to uacaris in Amazonian riverside forests. This first-ever volume on the subject brings together experts from around the world in a ground breaking volume spanning fossil history, current biology and future research and conservation priorities. Flooded habitats are a vital part of tropical biology, both for the diversity of the species they house, and the complexity of their ecological interactions, but are often completely overlooked. This book will set the stage for a new wave of research on primates in these extraordinarily productive and highly threatened areas, and is ideal for researchers and graduate students in primatology, zoology, ecology, and conservation.

Living across Africa and the Caribbean, this widely dispersed primate population must adapt to different environmental challenges. How do members of the genus Chlorocebus live in desert-like conditions and in areas with freezing temperatures and snow in winter? This book examines the ways these primates adapt genetically, hormonally, physically and behaviourally to their changing landscapes. It features summary chapters for major topics such as behavioural ecology, life history, taxonomy, genetics and ethnoprimatology. Shorter essays supplement the work, with experts detailing their particular research on these primates. The combination of scholarship provides both a comprehensive view of this adaptable genus while enabling the reader to gain depth in specific topics. Developed from a symposium, this book combines decades of experience working with savanna monkeys into a tangible resource, for students and researchers in primatology as well as evolutionary and behavioural studies.

The Anatomy of Dolphins: Insights into Body Structure and Function is a precise, detailed, fully illustrated, descriptive, and functionally oriented text on the anatomy and morphology of dolphins. It focuses on a number of delphinid species, with keynotes on important dolphin-like genera, such as the harbor porpoise. It also serves as a useful complement for expanding trends and emphases in molecular biology and genetics. The authors share their life-long expertise on marine mammals in various disciplines. Written as a team rather than being prepared as a collection of separate contributions, the result is a uniform and comprehensive style, giving each of the different topics appropriate space. Many color figures, which use the authors' access to wide collections of unique dolphin and whale material, round out this exceptional offering to the field.