Sasol First Field Guide to Mammals of Southern Africa provides fascinating insight into the wild animals of the region.

Through full-colour photographs and distribution maps, and easy-to-read text, the beginner and budding naturalist will be able to identify the more common mammal species found in southern Africa, discover where they live, and learn about their unique feeding and breeding habits.

Those who have been privileged to watch baboons long enough to know them as individuals and who have learned to interpret some of their more subtle interactions will attest that the rapid flow of baboon behavior can at times be overwhelming. In fact, some of the most sophisticated and influential observation methods for sampling vertebrate social behavior grew out of baboon studies, invented by scientists who were trying to cope with the intricacies of baboon behavior. Barbara Smuts' eloquent study of baboons reveals a new depth to their behavior and extends the theories needed to account for it.

While adhering to the most scrupulous methodological strictures, the author maintains an open research strategy--respecting her subjects by approaching them with the open mind of an ethnographer and immersing herself in the complexities of baboon social life before formulating her research design, allowing her to detect and document a new level of subtlety in their behavior. At the Gilgil site, described in this book, she could stroll and sit within a few feet of her subjects. By maintaining such proximity she was able to watch and listen to intimate exchanges within the troop; she was able, in other words, to shift the baboons well along the continuum from "subject" to "informant." By doing so she has illuminated new networks of special relationships in baboons. This empirical contribution accompanies theoretical insights that not only help to explain many of the inconsistencies of previous studies but also provide the foundation for a whole new dimension in the study of primate behavior: analysis oft he dynamics of long-term, intimate relationships and their evolutionary significance.

At every stage of research human observers have underestimated the baboon. These intelligent, curious, emotional, and long-lived creatures are capable of employing stratagems and forming relationships that are not easily detected by traditional research methods. In the process of unraveling their complex social relationships, Smuts has revealed that these masters of strategy and aggressive competition are equally capable of patience, tenderness, and concern.

"Barbara B. Smuts" is professor of psychology and anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She is also the author of Primate Societies.

Recognise birds by their calls with this handy package of CD and accompanying book. These will help identify the sounds made by a range of the most common and widely distributed East African bird species.

- CD features 100 bird calls.

- Each species account features full-colour photographs, a distribution map and information on habitat, behaviour, feeding and nesting preferences, as well as a description of the call or song.

- Common bird names given in English and Swahili.

This is the perfect starting point for those who wish to develop their knowledge of bird calls.

For all the love and attention we give dogs, much of what they do remains mysterious. Just think about different behaviors you see at a dog park: We have a good understanding of what it means when dogs wag their tails--but what about when they sniff and roll on a stinky spot? Why do they play tug-of-war with one dog, while showing their bellies to another? Why are some dogs shy, while others are bold? What goes on in dogs' heads and hearts--and how much can we know and understand? Canine Confidential has the answers. Written by award-winning scientist--and lifelong dog lover--Marc Bekoff, it not only brilliantly opens up the world of dog behavior, but also helps us understand how we can make our dogs' lives the best they can possibly be. Rooted in the most up-to-date science on cognition and emotion--fields that have exploded in recent years--Canine Confidential is a wonderfully accessible treasure trove of new information and myth-busting. Peeing, we learn, isn't always marking; grass-eating isn't always an attempt to trigger vomiting; it's okay to hug a dog--on their terms; and so much more. There's still much we don't know, but at the core of the book is the certainty that dogs do have deep emotional lives, and that as their companions we must try to make those lives as rich and fulfilling as possible. It's also clear that we must look at dogs as unique individuals and refrain from talking about "the dog." Bekoff also considers the practical importance of knowing details about dog behavior. He advocates strongly for positive training--there's no need to dominate or shame dogs or to make them live in fear--and the detailed information contained in Canine Confidential has a good deal of significance for dog trainers and teachers. He also suggests that trainers should watch and study dogs in various contexts outside of those in which they are dealing with clients, canine and human, with specific needs. There's nothing in the world as heartwarming as being greeted by your dog at the end of the workday. Read Canine Confidential, and you'll be on the road to making your shared lives as happy, healthy, and rewarding as they can possibly be.

Conservation Physiology for the Anthropocene: A Systems Approach, Volume 39A in the Fish Physiology series, is a comprehensive synthesis on the physiology of fish in the Anthropocene. This volume closes the knowledge gap by considering the many ways in which different physiological systems (e.g., sensory physiology, endocrine, cardio-respiratory, bioenergetics, water and ionic balance and homeostasis, locomotion/biomechanics, gene function) and physiological diversity are relevant to management and conservation. As the world is changing, with a dire need to identify solutions to the many environmental problems facing wild fish populations, this book comprehensively covers conservation physiology and its future techniques. Conservation physiology reveals the many ways in which environmental change and human activities can negatively influence wild fish populations. These tactics inform new management and conservation activities and help create the necessary conditions for fish to thrive.

"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 Coleman 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.

This book provides detailed and updated knowledge about medically important 'Big Four' venomous snakes of India (Indian spectacled cobra, Indian common krait, Indian Russell's viper, and Indian saw-scaled viper). This book essentially covers the snakebite problem in the world with particular reference to Asia and India. It discusses the evolution and systematics of venomous snakes, emphasizing 'Big Four' venomous snakes of India; the evolution and composition of venoms determined by traditional biochemical and modern proteomic analyses. It also describes the pharmacological properties of enzymatic and non-enzymatic toxins of 'Big Four' venomous snakes of India. Different chapters discuss exciting topics such as species-specific and geographical differences in venom composition and its impact on pathophysiology and clinical manifestations of snakebite envenomation in India, biomedical application of Indian snake venom toxins; production and quality assessment of commercial antivenom, prevention, and treatment of snakebite in India, adverse effects of antivenom including strategies to combat antivenom reactions inpatient. This book caters to toxinologists, pharmacologists, zoologists, antivenom manufacturers, biochemists, clinicians, evolutionary biologists, herpetologists, and informed non-specialists interested to know about the Indian snake venoms.

Paxinos and Franklin's The Mouse Brain in Stereotaxic Coordinates, Compact Fifth Edition, is the compact version of the most widely used and cited atlas of the mouse brain in print. It emulates in design and accuracy Paxinos and Watson's The Rat Brain in Stereotaxic Coordinates, the most cited publication in neuroscience. The compact edition provides the coronal plates and diagrams of the full mouse atlas in a smaller, more convenient spiral format and at a student friendly price. High resolution digital photographs of the coronal plane of section from the full 5th edition complement the coronal drawings. Unique to the compact, it includes an introduction to the use of the atlas in stereotaxic surgery.

This book has the modest aim of bringing together methodological, theo- retical, and empirical studies that bear on the phylogenetic placement of primates and their relatives, and continues a tradition started by Phylogeny of the Primates: A Multidisciplinary Approach (edited by W. P. Luckett and F. S. Szalay; Plenum Press, 1975) and The Comparative Biology and Evolutionary Rela- tionships of Tree Shrews (edited by W. P. Luckett, Plenum Press, 1980). Although there are several recent compendia of studies of primate relationships, most of these are exclusively concerned with the internal arrangement of clades within the order, not with the place of primates and their relatives on the eutherian cladogram. Evolutionary theory predicts that primates must be more closely related to some non primate mammals than to others, but a continuing problem has been to find reliable procedures for recovering historical relationships among taxa. Before the 1970s, higher-level relationships among primates and euthe- rian mammals that might be closely related to them were rarely treated in detail. Outstanding exceptions, like Le Gros Clark's Antecedents of Man, were just that-exceptions. (Clark himself essentially stopped with making a case for tree shrews; he did not, for example, explore whether bats and colugos were also related to primates. ) In the 1970s and 1980s, the rise of cladistic techniques and advances in molecular methods began to transform primate systematics.

This book serves as a comprehensive yet concise reference guide reviewing the latest knowledge on bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic infectious diseases of old world dromedary camels. Pathogen etiology, clinical manifestations and diagnostic techniques are provided for each pathogen and disease prevention and treatment strategies are discussed. Despite a steady increase in camel husbandry worldwide, the pathologies of camel diseases are still relatively under investigated in comparison to other livestock and companion animals. With an ongoing worldwide prevalence increase, infectious diseases are a constant threat to animal and human health. In recent years dromedary camels have become a focus of increasing public health interest since they have been considered the direct source of zoonotic transmission of MERS-CoV to humans. Along these lines, the book covers topics related to zoonotic infections associated with camels. This book offers a valuable source of information for veterinary clinicians, researchers, graduate students, veterinary technicians and interested laymen.

Pangolins: Science, Society and Conservation brings together experts from around the world to document the most up-to-date scientific knowledge on pangolins and their conservation. It chronicles threats facing the species, explores the current initiatives required to protect them, and looks ahead at the future of pangolin science and conservation efforts. Led by a team of editors with more than 20 years collective experience in pangolin conservation, this book includes accounts of the species' evolution, morphology, and systematics. It discusses the role of pangolins in historically symbolic, mythological, and ritualistic practices across Africa, Asia, and Europe, as well as contemporary practices including international trafficking. Chapters in the latter portion of this book focus on conservation solutions, including law enforcement and international policy, behavior change, local community engagement, ex situ conservation, tourism, and other interventions needed to secure the future of the species. Pangolins: Science, Society and Conservation is the latest volume in Elsevier's species-specific series, Biodiversity of the World: Conservation from Genes to Landscapes. This book is a valuable resource for researchers and students in species conservation science, planning, and policymaking.

This book provides a comprehensive discussion of the development and evolution of flatfish metamorphosis. The chapters use the tissue model to explain a series of metamorphic events, including eye migration, front bone deformation, dorsal fin elongation and regression, and body depth change, left/right asymmetrical pigmentation, give a hypothesis on the mechanism of eye migration, and the evolutionary origin of left/right eye asymmetry. The book is written by expert who has worked on flatfish metamorphosis over 20 years. It serves as a valuable reference for graduate students and researchers in related fields

Somite development is a unique and important topic; unique because somitic mesoderm is the first tissue to become segmented, important because the somites - once established - exert a profound influence on other seg mental structures which form later. Somite development is of interest at a number of levels. In one aspect, demarcation of a specific number of somites and size regulation, it is a particularly intriguing example of embryonic pattern formation, 'especially in vew of its possible relation to homoeobox-controlled segmentation in insects. At another level, somite development has long been studied by compara tive anatomists, but only recently has new light been thrown on such sub jects as segmentation of the head, proposed in the 18th century by Goethe and now a live issue for developmental biologists. Somit es are simple when they first appear, but very complex structures arise from them. These include the vertebrae and the axial and other muscles and consequently there is a wealth of morphogenetic problems to be explored. Sometimes their morphogenesis is disturbed, by genetic or environ mental factors, and there are many clinical conditions which arise as a result."

A captivating A-Z treasury about birds and birding Birdpedia is an engaging illustrated compendium of bird facts and birding lore. Featuring nearly 200 entries-on topics ranging from plumage and migration to birds in art, literature, and folklore-this enticing collection is brimming with wisdom and wit about all things avian. Christopher Leahy sheds light on "hawk-watching," "twitching," and other rituals from the sometimes mystifying world of birding that entail a good deal more than their names imply. He explains what kind of bird's nests you can eat, why mocking birds mock, and many other curiosities that have induced otherwise sane people to peer into treetops using outrageously expensive optical equipment. Leahy shares illuminating insights about pioneering ornithologists such as John James Audubon and Florence Bailey, and describes unique bird behaviors such as anting, caching, duetting, and mobbing. He discusses avian fossils, the colloquial naming of birds, the science and history of ornithology, and more. The book's convenient size makes it the perfect traveling companion to take along on your own avian adventures. With charming illustrations by Abby McBride, Birdpedia is a marvelous mix of fact and fancy that is certain to delight seasoned birders and armchair naturalists alike. Features a real cloth cover with an elaborate foil-stamped design

As a group, carp provide 4 million metric tonnes of fish annually - over a quarter of all fish culture worldwide. For the first time, a book is available in English that concentrates solely on the carp as an economic rather than an ornamental fish with a panel of international experts producing a comprehensive, practical volume about carp production and management. Starting with a brief look at the biology of cyprinids, the book then discusses the methods and management of carp farming, from water quality to the economics of fish production in ponds. Novel methods to improve stock, including genetic engineering, are covered and case studies give added value to the text. As carp farming turns from traditional to intensive methods, farmers, researchers and technicians in industry will welcome this benchmark volume, which also is a valuable reference book for graduate and postgraduate students and lecturers in aquaculture.

Bringing together recent advances in the research into the ecology and biology of brown and sea trouth, this book places them in their ecological setting and shows how an understanding of their biology and environment aids efficient management of both fish stocks and the surroundings. In particular, it concentrates on the management of the fish in natural flowing waters, and discusses issues such as how to determine an efficient feeding strategy and the influence of hatchery stocks upon wild populations. A detailed case study focusing on the French experience is of especial interest. Biology and Ecology of the Brown Sea Trout synthesizes the considerable body of research available and provides a significant tool for the better management and conservation of these important fish.

Japan is home to a spectacular and diverse range of birds, and this up-to-date text covers the identification, voice, habitat, behaviour and range of all the species and subspecies found across the beautiful and fascinating Japanese archipelago. The authoritative text is accompanied by superb full-colour plates painted by an expert artist and covers all major plumage variations. Birds of Japan will ensure that this top birding destination is made accessible to all. - The essential field guide to the region, covering 738 species and subspecies - 187 superb colour plates with detailed identification text and accurate colour distribution maps - Detailed illustrations of distinct subspecies, sexes, ages and morphs

These fun, fact-filled books are perfect for young researchers. The history, geography, and people of each state are covered in these books. The text is enhanced with maps, photos, and graphs. Timelines and fast-facts sections reinforce the text. The detailed and well-written books are ideal for both research and entertainment.

A comprehensive work intended for anyone maintaining captive bats, Bats in Captivity is the only multi-volume series of its kind, detailing the captive care of bats worldwide. This volume comprises 25 papers by 37 contributing authors. It contains information on the legal aspects of maintaining and shipping bats, plus papers on developing traveling trunks and loan boxes, the use of ultrasonic mobility devices in education programs, conditioning and training bats for public demonstration, their use in outreach programs, and exhibiting bats in zoological institutions. In addition, there is comprehensive information on excluding bats from man-made structures, as well as how bat houses and artificial roosts are constructed and used.