The past, present and future of the world's most popular and beloved pet, from a leading evolutionary biologist and great cat lover. Jonathan B. Losos unravels the secrets of the cat using all the tools of modern technology, from GPS tracking (you’ll be amazed where they roam) and genomics (what is your so-called Siamese cat, really?) to forensic archaeology. He tells the story of the cat’s domestication (if you can call it that) and gives us a cat's-eye view of the world today. Along the way we also meet their wild cousins, whose behaviours are eerily similar to even the sweetest of house cats. Drawing on his own research and life in his multi-cat household, Losos deciphers complex science and history and explores how selection, both natural and artificial, over the millennia has shaped the contemporary cat. Yet the cat, ever a predator, still seems to have only one paw out of the wild, and readily reverts to its feral ways as it occupies new habitats around the world. Looking ahead, this charming and intelligent book suggests what the future may hold for the special bond between Felis catus and Homo sapiens.

Praise for "The Alpacas of Stormwind Farm"

If I were an alpaca, I would want to live on the author's farm. Ingrid Wood writes with respect and compassion about the animals that inhabitStormwind Farm. It is refreshing to read an honest and insightful chronicle of daily farm life. A worthwhile read.

Jovi Larson

Fibergenix Suris

If you are new to the world of alpacas, or are seriously considering becoming a breeder, this is the perfect book-kept beside your bed or in yourtote/briefcase-to read as free moments present themselves. It will be time well spent.

Sharon Parsons

Editor

"The International Camelid Quarterly

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"The Alpacas of Stormwind Farm"is a delightful read, and I highly recommend it to folks who have a warm spot in their hearts for the trials and tribulations-and great rewards-of thesmall farm. I feel like I know each alpaca, personally. It's been my pleasure to visit Ingrid and her animals. Stormwind Farm offers a lovelylandscape of efficiency and a sense of well-being for humans, alpacas, and other resident creatures.

Denise Como

Wolfwind Farm

Life-affirming and lyrical, this beautiful picture book celebrates the awesome power of nature, while gently introducing young children to the concept of life and death. Over the course of a year, a young child and their dog watch kingfishers by the river with Grandpa. As spring turns to summer and autumn to winter, the kingfishers raise a family, while Grandpa teaches his grandchild about the power of nature and the circle of life. Written in memory of her father, whose favourite bird was the kingfisher, Anna Wilson takes readers on a lyrical journey though a year in the life of a kingfisher family. Stunning illustrations by Sarah Massini bring the riverbank to life in all its glory, while the powerful intergenerational bond between grandparent and grandchild shows that just as spring always follows winter, hope will always return if you know where to look for it. A positive story about life, death, and being a part of the natural world.

This book is "co-authored" by eighteen dogs, all of whom have lived with the author at one time or another. The dogs lend a unique perspective into their behaviors, adventures, illnesses, accidents and humorus episodes. Animal lovers will appreciate their mindset.

Hal Markowitz has been an internationally popular lecturer and consultant on environmental enrichment for four decades. Enriching Animal Lives is chock full of recipes for enriching lives of a wide range of animals along with a generous sprinkling of personal experiences. This book will be of interest to those working in zoos, aquariums, wild animal parks, and animal rehabilitation facilities. It will also be of interest to all animal lovers, especially those with companion animals and scientists conducting research with captive animals. A detailed discussion concerning what represents meaningful environmental enrichment and the need to empower animals is provided in early chapters. The final chapter is a brief autobiographical description of events that led the author to pursue a career in science and teaching, and concludes with why that has been so enriching for him.

"Magnificent . . . A joyful, hopeful book. Safina gives us ample reasons to be enthralled by this astonishing ancient animal--and ample reasons to care.""--Los Angeles Times" As Carl Safina's compelling natural history adventure makes clear, the fate of the leatherback turtle is in our hands. The distressing decline of these ancient sea turtles in Pacific waters and their surprising recovery in the Atlantic illuminate the results--both positive and negative--of our interventions and the lessons that can be applied, globally, to restore the oceans and their creatures.
We accompany award-winning natural history expert Safina and his colleagues as they track leatherbacks across the world's oceans and onto remote beaches of every continent, including a thrilling journey from Monterey, California, to nesting grounds in Papua, New Guinea. Throughout, in his peerless prose, Safina captures the delicate interaction between these gentle giants and the humans who are playing a significant role in their survival.

In this sequel to the popular A Hippo Love Story, author Karen Paolillo takes us deeper into her courageous but perilous life among Africa’s wildlife.

Hippos, a Mongoose and Me is a collection of vivid stories reflecting the decades that Karen has lived and worked in the wilds of southeast Zimbabwe. The tales encompass a wide variety of animals and experiences, including Karen’s extraordinary affinity with hippos, life with her beloved mongoose, characterful baboons and rescued birds, close encounters with lions and an injured buffalo, and her heart-stopping flight from an enraged elephant. To add to the drama, Karen and her husband Jean-Roger must face off against the drumbeat of political subterfuge and poaching of wildlife, sometimes at great personal risk.

Inspiring, surprising and sometimes sad, this heartfelt anthology is testament to the courage and resilience of its intrepid author.

Penvere is 'n versameling rubrieke deur die voelkenner Morne du Plessis wat enigeen - hetsy agtertuinduifbewonderaar of kranige ornitoloog - breed sal laat glimlag. In hierdie bundel word met 'n fyn oog en 'n skerp sin vir humor gekyk na die sonderlinge gedrag en gewoontes van verskeie Suid-Afrikaanse voelspesies, waarvan die meerderheid selfs aan die leek bekend behoort te wees. Van die hadida en die lemoenduif tot die mossie, koekoek en bosloerie - elke spesie bestaan in 'n unieke verhouding tot die natuur - en besit 'n magdom eiesoortighede wat soms nie veel van menslike gedrag verskil nie. Met sy pittige aanslag en skerp waarnemeingsvermoe, dwing die skrywer die leser om saam met hom verwonderd te raak oor die boeiende wereld van voels wat rondom hom bestaan, die natuur is te kosbaar en te breekbaar om dit huis toe te bring.