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.

Feral and stray domestic cats occupy many different habitats. They can resist dehydration for months by relying exclusively on the tissue water of their prey allowing them to colonize remote deserts and other inhospitableplaces. They thrive and reproduce in humid equatorial rainforests and windswept subantarctic islands. In many areas of the world feral cats have driven some species of birds and mammals to extinction and others to the edge, becoming a huge conservation concern. With the control of feral and stray cats now a top conservation priority, biologists are intensifying efforts to understand cat behaviour, reproductive biology, use of space, intraspecies interaction, dietary requirements, prey preferences, and vulnerability to different managementstrategies.This book provides the most comprehensive review yet published on the behavior, ecology and management of free-ranging domestic cats, whether they be owned, stray, or feral. It reviews management methods and their progress, and questions several widely accepted views of free-ranging cats, notably that they live within dominance hierarchies and are highly social.

Insightful and objective, this book includes: a functional approach, emphasizing sensory biology, reproductive physiology, nutrition, and spacepartitioning;clear treatment of how free-ranging cats should be managed;extensive critical interpretation of the world's existing literature;results of studies of cats in laboratories under controlled conditions, with data that can also beapplied to pet cats.

"Free-ranging Cats: Behavior, Ecology, Management" is valuable to ecologists, conservation scientists, animal behaviorists, wildlife nutritionists, wildlife biologists, research and wildlife veterinarians, clinical veterinarians, mammalogists, and park and game reserve planners and administrators.

The chimpanzees are the closest living evolutionary relatives to our own species, Homo sapiens. As such, they have long exerted a fascination over those with an interest in human evolution, and human uniqueness. Chrisophe Boesch and Hedwige Boesch-Acherman undertook an incredible observational study of a group of wild chimpanzees in Cote D'Ivoire, spending some fifteen years in the West African forest with them. This fascinating book is the result of these years of painstaking research among the chimps. Chimpanzee behaviour is documented here in all its impressive diversity and variety, and placed within the broader context of research in behavioural ecology. The authors also succeed in shedding light on some of the central questions around the evolutionary relationships between the primates, and in particular the affinity between chimpanzees and humans.

This book contains up-to-date methods for all aspects of breeding and studying mice as a model for the way that genes work to control development, physiology and behaviour. The mouse has recently become the model organism for human genetics. The chapters are written by experts in the field and aimed both at an audience of scientists new to the field, and those who want an overview of the latest techniques.

Archaeoprimatology intertwines archaeology and primatology to understand the ancient liminal relationships between humans and nonhuman primates. During the last decade, novel studies have boosted this discipline. This edited volume is the first compendium of archaeoprimatological studies ever produced. Written by a culturally diverse group of scholars, with multiple theoretical views and methodological perspectives, it includes new zooarchaeological examinations and material culture evaluations, as well as innovative uses of oral and written sources. Themes discussed comprise the survey of past primates as pets, symbolic mediators, prey, iconographic references, or living commodities. The book covers different regions of the world, from the Americas to Asia, along with studies from Africa and Europe. Temporally, the chapters explore the human-nonhuman primate interface from deep in time to more recent historical times, examining both extinct and extant primate taxa. This anthology of archaeoprimatological studies will be of interest to archaeologists, primatologists, anthropologists, art historians, paleontologists, conservationists, zoologists, historical ecologists, philologists, and ethnobiologists.

Building on the success of the first edition and bringing together contributions from a range of experts in the field, the second edition of this guide to research on wild primates covers the latest advances in the field, including new information on field experiments and measuring behaviour. It provides essential information and advice on the technical and practical aspects of both field and laboratory methods, covering topics such as ethnoprimatology; remote sensing; GPS and radio-tracking; trapping and handling; dietary ecology; and non-invasive genetics and endocrinology. This integrated approach opens up new opportunities to study the behavioural ecology of some of the most endangered primates and to collect information on previously studied populations. Chapters include methodological techniques; instructions on collecting, processing and preserving samples/data for later analysis; ethical considerations; comparative costs; and further reading, making this an invaluable tool for postgraduate students and researchers in primatology, behavioural ecology and zoology.

The National Audubon Society Guide to Marine Mammals of the World describes in fascinating detail all 120 species of the world's whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals and sea lions, manatees, Marine and Sea Otters, and the Polar Bear. Written by a team of experts and featuring more than 320 illustrations, 418 photographs, and 123 maps, this new guide offers more authoritative, up-to-date, and accessible information than any book previously published on the subject.

Organized by the four major groups of marine mammals—marine fissipeds, pinnipeds, cetaceans, and sirenians—the species descriptions include:

Full-color paintings, some depicting males and females, juveniles, subspecies, or special features. Color photographs showing appearance in the wild and illustrating typical behaviors. Life history data, including length and weight at various life stages, and life span. Range and habitat text and a full-color range map based on the most current information. Facts about social organization, surface behaviors, swimming, and diving. Information on mating behavior, breeding, and the rearing of young. Details about food items and foraging techniques. Estimates of population in the wild, plus current and historic threats.

A general introduction outlines the evolution and taxonomy of marine mammals, distribution, migration, watching guidelines, identification techniques, organizations and laws that protect marine mammals, and more.

Introductions to groups include comparative size illustrations, discussion of behaviors particular to the group, and other unique features.

A useful illustrated glossary of terms and an index of species names complete the guide.

Exquisitely detailed illustrations, stunning photographs, and clearly written text combine to make this an indispensible reference source for marine mammal watchers and anyone interested in the natural world.

This volume is the second in the planned coverage of the neurochemical circuitry of the primate central nervous system. While this volume contains only two chapters, their topics and the extraordinarily comprehensive coverage with which the authors have dealt with their topics, will nevertheless contribute equal amounts of knowledge, wisdom, and opportunities for future research extensions as have every volume in this unique series. As such, these chapters extend the goals of this primate series to develop a broad coverage of human and non-human primate chemical neuroanatomic details in a volume which makes clear the known and desirable appreciation for differences between and among subsets of primate brains.
The first chapter covers the primate thalamus with equal emphases on new world, old world, pro-simian and human anatomic details and their differences. The second undertakes a comparably comprehensive examination of one of the most intensively studied regions of the primate brain, namely the primate visual cortex. While much has been studied, both chapters also reveal how much remains for future efforts in these enormously important regions which are the archetypes of primate sub-cortical and cortical function.

This detailed 1983 study of the African buffalo is distinguished by the extraordinary first-hand data obtained by the author in ten years of study. During this time, Dr Mloszewski virtually lived with the herds, moving among the animals and becoming accepted by them as a companion in their wanderings. The result is a book written from a highly unusual viewpoint and containing unique data. The book discusses the ancestry, zoological classification, and biogeographical setting of the African buffalo and describes the interactions of buffaloes with other species. The individual and collective behavior of the buffalo in the wild, as directly observed by the author, is the central subject, covering herd movements, feeding activities, hierarchies and individuals and agnostic, reproductive and other behaviors.

Comparative Neuropsychology is a collection of state-of-the-art essays by some of the world's leading neuropsychologists. It is prepared as a tribute to the late George Ettlinger, one of the leading figures in comparative neuropsychology research over the last 40 years, and reflects current research in the many areas where Ettlinger made a particular contribution to our understanding. Taking as their starting point the assumption that the human brain shares many of its most important functional systems with its primate relatives, the authors take a comparative evolutionary approach to understanding human cognition and brain function. The book's fifteen chapters cover a wide range of subject areas, including memory, visual and somatosensory perception, motor control, attention, cross-modality integration, interhemispheric transmission, and behavioural intelligence. The final chapters of the book critically discuss questions basic to the comparative enterprise: whether we can in fact apply concepts derived from human cognitive psychology to primate neuropsychology, and whether there are evolutionary discontinuities in cortical brain structure among the higher primate species. One of the first and most comprehensive books to be written on the topic, Comparative Neuropsychology forms a fascinating and wide-ranging collection. It will be read by undergraduate and post-graduate students in psychology, neuroscience, and neuropsychology, as well as researchers in those areas.

Written primarily for mid-to-upper level undergraduates, this primer will introduce students to topics at the forefront of the subject that are being applied to probe biological problems, or to address the most pressing issues facing society. These topics will include those that form the cornerstone of contemporary research, helping students to make the transition to active researcher. This primer introduces the challenges and opportunities of applying synthetic biological techniques to mammalian cells, tissues, and organisms. It covers the special features that make engineering mammalian systems different from engineering bacteria, fungi, and plants, and provides an overview of current techniques. A variety of cutting-edge examples illustrate the different purposes of mammalian synthetic biology, including pure biomedical research, drug production, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine.

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.

Although the function of nitric oxide in a regulatory capacity in the central and peripheral nervous system is widely recognized, the full scope of its actions and its interrelationships with other classes of regulatory molecules is just beginning to be comprehended. This volume contains a number of sophisticated and advanced methods essential for exploring the activity of nitric oxide in the brain. It will be a valuable tool for the established investigator and for those just entering the field.
Key Features
* Comprehensive protocols included for
* Detection of NO and related compounds by chemical, immunohistochemical, and "in situ" hybridization techniques
* Newly developed methods for the purification of neuronal and endothelial NO synthase, production of monoclonal antibodies to NO synthase, molecular cloning and expression of NO synthesis, and control of NO synthase gene expression
* Assessment of NO-mediated functions in neurons, central nervous system, cerebral circulation, synaptic transmission, and vascular tone
* Calcium imaging by confocal microscopy, evaluation of the effect of NO on iron metabolism, and detection of heme oxygenase-1 and -2 message level and distribution

Despite its remote and seemingly rigorous environment, the Antarctic is the world's most important habitat for seals, currently supporting more seals than all other parts of the world combined. As various national Antarctic programmes were established to study these animals, the need to standardize techniques became apparent. This book, arising from work by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (Group of Specialists on Seals), gives a detailed account of well-tried and, where possible, agreed methodologies, techniques, procedures and rationale for the collection and initial analysis of data on the biology and population ecology of Antarctic seals. This volume will not only help facilitate comparisons between different regions of Antarctica, but will also provide a guide for those studying seals in other parts of the world and those carrying out research on other large mammal species.

In this volume contemporary methods designed to provide insights into, mathematical structure for, and predictive inferences about neuroendocrine control mechanisms are presented.
Key Features
* Collates an array of contemporary techniques for analysis of neuroendocrine data
* Discusses current problems in and solutions to neurohormone pulse analysis
* Identifies relevant software available

Starting with concise species accounts for all the marmoset and tamarin monkeys, this important new book then goes on to review their geographical distributions and still-contested taxonomy, along with comparative reviews of vocalizations, scent-marking, mating systems, infant care and development, social organization, and behaviour and ecology in the wild. As several of these small primates are rare or threatened, these subjects are strongly relevant to their management in captivity as well as for understanding natural populations. This is the first volume for several years to review current knowledge of this family, which comprises 52 species and subspecies found from Panama to northeastern Paraguay to southern Brazil.

The propagation of wild animals in captivity is playing an increasingly important role in the conservation of species. This is particularly true of primates, many of which are threatened or endangered in their natural habitat. Unfortunately, primate mortality during the neonatal period is often high in captivity, often because of suboptimal management. Significant improvements in infant survival can be made with a better knowledge of neonatal biology and rearing procedures. The aim of this book is to provide a reference text on the normal growth of 18 primate species commonly held in captivity for propagation or research, and on the housing, feeding, management, and preventative medicine techniques that enable this normal growth. Up-to-date information, scattered widely through the scientific literature, is here gathered together and presented in an easily accessible form for those involved in rearing primates in captivity.

Many mammals, such as otters, live in close association with rivers and streams, feeding in them, or using them as a place of safety or means of escape from predators. The distinct adaptations that riparian mammals have evolved in order to live in these environments also handicap them for living elsewhere. These animals are therefore threatened by alterations to their environment. In recent years, our rivers have become highly polluted, and have been subject to bankside modifications for agriculture and forestry, enhanced or decreased water flow, and recreation. As a result, they have become less and less suitable for these highly specialized animals. This book looks at the habitat utilization, adaptation, feeding ecology, and conservation status of a range of riparian mammals. It gives insights into the problems facing these fascinating animals, and how they might be overcome.

Social learning commonly refers to the social transfer of information and skill among individuals. It encompasses a wide range of behaviours that include where and how to obtain food, how to interact with members of one's own social group, and to identify and respond appropriately to predators. The behaviour of experienced individuals provides natural sources of information, by which inexperienced individuals may learn about the opportunities and hazards of their environment, and develop and modify their own behaviour as a result. A wide diversity of species is discussed in this book, some of which have never been discussed in this context before, and particular reference is made to their natural life strategies. Social learning in humans is also considered by comparison with other mammals, especially in their technological and craft traditions. Moreover, a discussion is included of the social learning abilities of prehistoric hominids.

Scientific studies of monkeys, apes, and other nonhuman primates began just over 50 years ago. Since then tens of thousands of hours of observation have been made on these animals in the wild and in captivity. The chief rationale for scientific primatology has always been the belief that important insights into human behaviour and society could be gained through studies of our evolutionary kin.

This book reviews what we have learned. Distinguished researchers outline primatological insights in six areas: sex, parenting, behavioural development, aggression/dominance, culture and kinship. The chapters show how primates have been used as simplified models of human behaviour and how they have contributed to scenarios of human evolution. Lay readers, students, and specialists alike will find this a readable and useful compendium of the findings of scientific primatology. Covering topics from orgasm to ontogeny, parental investment to penis size, and kinship to culture, this book summarizes what studying monkeys and apes has taught us about ourselves.

"Neotropical Rainforest Mammals," the first color-illustrated field guide to these marvelously diverse and elusive creatures, has enjoyed tremendous success since its initial publication in 1990. Ecotourists and field researchers alike have applauded this guide's compact size, light weight, and durability. More important, they have appreciated its clear and concise accounts of the mammals of this broad region. Each species account includes information on identifying characteristics, similar species, vocalizations, behavior and natural history, geographic range, conservation status, local names, and references to the scientific literature.
In this completely revised and updated second edition:
A total of 226 species are treated in full (206 were included in the first edition).
All species accounts retained from the first edition have been updated to include the most recent research.
All 195 maps showing the distribution and geographic range of each species have been revised to reflect the most current information.
Twenty-nine beautiful color plates illustrate more than 220 species (including significant color variants between males and females or adults and young). Seven black-and-white plates contain more than 60 images of individual species, mainly bats.
A compact disc of mammal vocalizations--crucial to identifying nocturnal and otherwise cryptic animals that sometimes may be heard rather than seen--will be available for purchase separately.
Praise for the first edition:
"If you can't go to the Central and South American rain forests to see firsthand their threatened ecosystems, here is the next best thing."--"Washington Post Book World"
"A largeamount of information is presented concisely and in a way that is easy to use."--"Choice"
"The presentation and wealth of information contained in this field guide is outstanding and will satisfy the needs of both the 'tourist' and 'researcher' traveling to the Neotropics."--"Canadian Field-Naturalist"