Did you know that Tasmanian hens have two husbands? That cellular
slime molds commit suicide? That vampire bats will share food with
hungry fellow bats and that hanuman langurs commit infanticide? Why
creatures great and small behave in such fascinating and seemingly
perplexing ways is explained in this delightful account of the
evolutionary foundations of animal social behavior.
Only in recent years have biologists and ethologists begun to
apply careful evolutionary thinking to the study of animal
societies--and with spectacular results. This book presents the
choicest of these findings, with a remarkable wealth of insights
into the myriad strategies that animals have developed to
perpetuate their kind. In an irresistible style, Raghavendra
Gadagkar explores the strategies of cooperation and conflict
adopted by animals--from the lordly lion to the primitive wasp
worker--as they choose mates, raise their young, communicate with
others, and establish the division of labor necessary to feed and
protect the group and safeguard their territory.
Whether focusing on the birds or the bees, this book offers both
superb descriptions and lucid explanations of many different
behaviors encountered in the animal world: why a ground squirrel
will sound an alarm--even risk its own safety--to warn fellow
squirrels of impending danger; why weaver ant larvae donate silk
for nest building; why house mice raise their offspring in a
communal nursery; and how animals can recognize the relatives they
want to favor--or avoid.
Illustrated with both photographs and explanatory diagrams,
this expert and inviting tour of the social world of animals will
inform and charm anyone curious about themotivations behind the
amazing range of activity in the animal kingdom.
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