Wildlife: mammals: general interest Books

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisThe present work is an attempt to provide a systematic treatment of genetic linkage in diploid heredity. A large proportion, if not the majority, of mutant genes fail to match up to 'textbook' genes-with faultless segregation ratios and expression-yet, these are the materials with which the practical researcher has to cope.Table of Contentsof Part A.- A: The Biometrical Approach.- 1 Introduction.- 2 Maximum Likelihood Estimation.- 3 Inviability, Impenetrance and Linkage Detection.- 4 Estimation with Normal Gene Ratios.- 5 Estimation with Inviability.- 6 Estimation with Impenetrance.- 7 Estimation with Inviability and Impenetrance.- 8 Scoring.- 9 Multi-point Crosses.- 10 Mapping Functions.- 11 General Bibliography.- Index of Part A.

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Book SynopsisUncover on-the-ground reporting on the conflict between conservationists, ranchers, and an iconic predator-and discover the solution that might appease them all. The gray wolf has made an astonishing comeback in Washington. Nearly eradicated by the 1990s, conservationists and environmentalists have cheered its robust return to the state over the last two decades. But Washington ranchers are not so joyous. When wolves prey on livestock, ranchers view their livelihood as under attack. In The Return of Wolves, journalist Eli Francovich investigates how we might mend this divide while keeping wolf populations thriving. He finds an answer in the time-honoured tradition of range riding and one passionate range rider, Daniel Curry, who has jumped directly into the fray by patrolling the rural Washington landscape on horseback. Curry engages directly with farmers, seeking to protect livestock from wolves while also protecting and proliferating wolf populations. In The Return of Wolves, we meet an eclectic cast of players-local ranchers, politicians, environmentalists, and everyday folks caught in the middle-and find hope for the future of wolves, and perhaps for our divided nation.

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Book SynopsisMongooses are a remarkable and fascinating group of small carnivores, with 25 species occurring in Africa and nine in Asia. They live within a wide variety of habitats, from open savannah to dense rainforest, and display an amazing diversity in social behaviour, with both solitary and group-living species. Yet this family is one of the least-known group of carnivores. The general lack of public awareness about most mongoose species, and the scarce ecological knowledge of what they need to survive in the wild, are two of the many conservation threats that this group of carnivores faces, which highlights the urgent need to promote an interest in these amazing animals. As well as popularising mongooses, the book will be a valuable source of information on general scientific and conservation topics, such as social behaviour and how the loss of suitable habitats impacts animal species. Recent cinematic films and TV documentaries on meerkats and banded mongooses have been very popular, but people are much less familiar with the other mongoose species that live across Africa and Asia - most of these are rarely seen in the wild and are very poorly known, and several have not been studied in the field. One African mongoose was only discovered by western scientists in 1958, and several others are only known from a few museum specimens and recent observations in the wild. This well-researched, lavishly illustrated book will give a comprehensive overview of the whole mongoose family, including all the different aspects of mongoose biology, their role in human society and the conservation issues that they face, as well as detailed information on all 34 mongoose species.Trade Review'This should appeal to all mongoose fans, non-experts and experts alike'. Mammal Watching -------------------- '...is pleasantly easy to read and gives the reader information on the evolution of the mongoose, their lifestyle and behaviour...is well laid out and amply supplied with lovely colour photographs, maps and tables...I thoroughly enjoyed this book'. Wildlife Detective-------------------'...This comprehensive guide to everything mongoose covers all 34 species...25 of which are found in Africa...from the lovable meerkat to the rarely-seen Jackson's mongoose...it is a fascinating read for the mongoose connoisseur or wildlife enthusiast'. Travel Africa--------------------'Mongooses might be some of the most underrated mammals on the planet...It would be a cool set to see in the wild...all 34 mongoose are covered with range maps and varying amounts of detail on their ecology and behaviour...The authors have also sourced photographs for just every species'. Mammal Watching Blog------------------‘…a great little volume to learn more about these fascinating creatures… an excellent reference work… provides detailed information and is a great addition to my collection of mammal references’. Matthew L. Miller, Cool Green Science blog

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Book SynopsisAuthor of the ever-popular The Hare, Jill Mason turns her attention to the rabbit in this beautifully photographed natural history which shows the rise and fall in fortune of this ubiquitous and enduring little mammal. Includes a fascinating section on the locations of the long-forgotten commercial rabbit warrens of Britain.

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Book SynopsisThe new edition of this popular field guide has been fully revised and updated, making it one of the most comprehensive guides to the land mammals of the subregion. The new edition includes:An easy-to-use system to identify the mammals in the bookDetailed species descriptions, including information on the conservation status, size, food, life expectancy, enemies, habits, voice and breeding of more than 120 of the most common land mammals of southern AfricaMore than 200 excellent colour photographs of the male and female animalsPhotographs and illustrations of field signs, such as droppings and spoor, as well as distribution mapsA table illustrating the tracks (spoor) of all the animals featuredIllustrations showing the difference in size between each animal and a humanA brand-new section which includes examples from all the families of smaller mammals, such as shrews, elephant shrews, moles, mole rats, bats, rats and mice.The Mammal Guide of Southern Africa is a must for game watchers, hikers and anyone with a love for nature.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Engelhard's writing has the sort of calm authority that reminds me often of Barry Lopez." -- David Knowles * EarthLines *"Engelhard’s thought-provoking iconography explores in depth the multitude of cultural roles played by the polar bear." -- David Fox * Anchorage Press *"Essayist and wilderness guide Engelhard examines the intertwined history of polar bears and humans in this fascinating look at how we have interpreted the species. . . . Of particular interest now as polar ice melts." -- Nancy Bent * Booklist *"'Iconic’ is the marketing cliché of our times, applied as unthinkingly to wildlife as it is to biscuits. But here, Michael Engelhard digs deeper, tracing how the polar bear came to occupy its place in contemporary culture and, in the process, suggesting what the mechanics of iconography say about us." -- Mike Unwin * BBC Wildlife Magazine *"Engelhard is a first-rate guide and very capable writer; Ice Bear makes fascinating reading — although grimly ironic, since the future of the polar bear in the wild has never looked bleaker." -- Steve Donoghue * Open Letters Monthly *"The product of Engelhard’s exhaustive research is an eclectic, comprehensive, compelling, and very readable cultural iconography elevated to a level of art form by the inclusion of well-chosen and often stunning illustrations on almost every page. Ice Bear is a visual National Geographic with real verbal punch!" -- Marilyn Gates * New York Journal of Books *"Engelhard, a Fairbanks resident, is trained as a cultural anthropologist and works as a wilderness guide in Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The combination makes him uniquely qualified to have authored this fascinating and extensively illustrated exploration of humanity's deeply complicated relationship with an animal he is well acquainted with." -- David A. James * Alaska Dispatch News *"Eminently readable. This work is expertly researched." -- Susan Sommer * Alaska Magazine *"[A] beautifully illustrated, hugely engaging book. . . . For all its nightmare-haunting power, however, the aspect of the polar bear that really makes it an icon of the age is its vulnerability . . . . Another merit of the book is the author’s willingness to track these themes to their origins." -- Mark Cocker * The Spectator *"Today, polar bears have become corporate mascots, symbols of a changing climate, and sought-after trophies both dead and, as the subjects of photos, alive. But in Ice Bear, Engelhard tries to throw off the sentimentality that marks most modern writing about polar bears in order to focus on their real significance in human culture. It’s a book that has as much to say about humans as it does about its subject, and it explores that niche well in an entertaining style." -- James Thompson * Hakai Magazine *"A compelling chronicle of our fraught relationship with the polar bear. . . . The illustrations throughout the book are beautiful and colorful—especially so for a bear that is basically white except for its claws and nose. . . . Engelhard has written an interesting and wide-ranging review of just how humans think about the ice bear." -- Mark J. Palmer * Earth Island Journal *"[A] fascinating cultural history of polar bruins in the human imagination. . . richly illustrated with documentary photos and museum work." -- Florangela Davila * Seattle Magazine *"What has been missing to date has been a thorough review of the cultural associations between humans and polar bears. That gap has now been filled by Michael Engelhard’s detailed treatment of the connection between humans and polar bears in Ice Bear. . . . This book should be in the library of all who share this interest and want to know more about this Arctic icon." -- Marty Obbard * International Bear News *"Beautifully illustrated." -- Tim Flannery * New Statesman *"A fascinating subject, dealt with and analysed with all the nuance and caution required. Engelhard is a wonderful storyteller; his writing is engaging, and the knowledge he displays is remarkable." -- Geneviève Pigeon * The Goose *"Michael Engelhard’s Ice Bear joins the ranks as one of the best works devoted to these elusive animals. . . . This was easily one of the best books I’ve read on the subject of polar bears with information that kept me turning pages. Highly recommended for any bear lover’s collection!" -- Chris Nunnally * Where the Bear Walks blog *"It is in the setting of concern about global warming that Michael Engelhard has provided us with a wonderful book that uses a charismatic carnivore to help us explore the place of humans on this planet." -- Casey Bush * Bear Deluxe *"Engelhard has an apt and unusual background for a book such as this. . . . Among the strengths of Ice Bear is its grasp of the rituals by which humans have always aspired to draw the strength of the polar bear into themselves." -- Mark Abley * Times Literary Supplement *"This expensively produced glossy book feels like an encyclopedia on a single subject . . . . Engelhard’s writing is very enjoyable, and readers interested in the polar bear will have months of reading material." -- George Erdosh * City Book Review *"The visuals set this book apart from most. Rather than simply offering one author’s work, it is more akin to a polar bear museum. Each image tells a powerful story – some of them familiar, others outlandish, but all portraying a real animal of mythical proportions. . . . Limiting yourself to the captions would mean that you fail to embark on Engelhard’s literary and thrillingly human adventure. . . . At the end of this whirlwind tour of the cultural history of the polar bear, I now have a newfound fascination for the species but also for the people, who live with, depict and study them. Michael Engelhard writes confidently of the physical and metaphysical realms as well as our projections of human fears, fantasies and ambitions onto this quintessential Other." -- Lauriane Suyin Chalmin-Pui * LSE Review of Books *"Ice Bear isn’t just for lovers of polar bears. No, ecologists will enjoy it, too, as will environmentally-minded readers, animal lovers, culture mavens, and watchers of the Arctic. Bonus: lots of pictures!”" -- Terri Schlichenmeyer"Lets compelling images and snips of history tell the tale of human projection onto the bear’s white furry screen." -- Carrie Saxifrage * National Observer *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Polar Bear–Human Time Line Map: Territories of Northern Peoples and Polar Bear Range 1. A Beast for the Ages 2. The Life and Death of a Superstar 3. The Bear as Early Commodity 4. Object of Scientific Curiosity 5. From White Terror to Trophy of Modernity 6. Zoo Bear and Circus Bear 7. Honored Guest and Ten-Legged Menace 8. A Taste of the Wild 9. The Transformative Bear 10. Helper and Protector 11. Lover, Super-Male, Mate 12. Archetype, Role Model, Eco Ambassador 13. Another Seaside Attraction Notes Associations and Websites Selected Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisIn this text, Richard P. Thiel tells the tale of his ten years at the centre of efforts to track and protect the recovery of wolves in Northern Wisconsin. The book conveys the wonder, frustrations, humour and hard work of field biologists, as well as the politics that accompanies their profession.

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Book SynopsisOffers the first full-length study of the shifting, unstable, but foundational status of “vermin” as creatures and category in the early modern literary, scientific, and political imagination. In the space between theology and an emergent empiricism, Lucinda Cole’s argument engages a wide historical swath of canonical early modern literary texts alongside other nonliterary primary sources.Trade Review“For the last decade Lucinda Cole has been an important figure in animal studies, and here she carries the debate about human-animal relations into new territory by considering them as ‘heterarchical’—that is, unfixed and mobile, provoking between species unintended exchanges of properties, conduct, and ‘rank.’ The ‘human,’ as she points out at the end of Imperfect Creatures, ‘is not an absolute standard or unmarked term.’”—Jonathan Lamb, Vanderbilt University“This book provoked me to think beyond, as well as with, the claims it advocates. Cole wittily and aptly terms the reading practice that emerges from this altered focus ‘reading beneath the grain.’ The results are both welcome and remarkably generative, and this work is likely to be widely cited in subsequent discussions. Cole’s argument is both lucid and ambitious, blending attentive reading with solid scholarship in graceful, accessible prose that engages productively with an array of important theoretical positions in literary, science, and animal studies.—Richard Nash, Indiana University“Lucinda Cole’s engaging book expands the repertory and shapes the direction of the field of animal studies. This work offers us a new subject of inquiry—in animals regarded as ‘vermin’—and it uses these ‘imperfect’ creatures to extend our understanding of the significance of shared community. Animal studies has advanced our understanding of the community or commonality of beings, human and non-human, through a range of methods and materials. Cole’s book reveals the ways in which the rats, lice, frogs, dogs, and other ‘vile’ beings in Shakespeare, Shadwell, Cowley, Defoe, and others demonstrate a heterarchical approach to human/non-human difference. These ‘vile’ animal beings extend our understanding of the ways in which the engagement with non-human beings systematically raises, tests, and interrogates structures of hierarchy and expectations of anthropomorphism.—Laura Brown, Cornell University“By taking early modern vermin seriously, Imperfect Creatures reveals the crises and insecurities that these ubiquitous creatures could evoke in humans. Ranging widely across time and genre, this insightful and beautifully crafted study lifts animal studies to a new level of analysis and theoretical sophistication, while never losing sight of its human and animal actors.”—Anita Guerrini, Oregon State University

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Book SynopsisThe unique relationship between dogs and humans has had huge evolutionary consequences, changing the physical, behavioral, genetic, and emotional characteristics of both species. Pat Shipman looks to fossil records and new evidence to trace how the process of domestication worked and discovers how much of ourselves we owe to our canine companions.Trade ReviewThis book is a great read for anyone interested in dogs but is overall of a high enough quality for scholars to enjoy. Shipman explores the genetic, behavioral, and archaeological studies revealing the development of the companion relationship between people and dogs, and brings the human and canid settlement of the Australian region into a global context. -- Susan O’Connor, author of Transcending the Culture–Nature Divide in Cultural HeritageWhen, where, and how did the partnership between dogs and humans begin? Was it an accident? Was it inevitable? Where would we human beings be without our canine colleagues? Pat Shipman’s Our Oldest Companions is a must-read, a tour de force drawing together under one proverbial roof what science can tell us to date. A follow-up to her provocative and intriguing The Invaders, Dr. Shipman examines the anthropology and archeology of the dog’s transition from wolf to house pet all over the world, from the Australian Outback to north of the Arctic Circle. You’ll want to read this book three, four, even five times in order to absorb the abundance of research and ideas presented here. -- Wendy Williams, author of The Horse: The Epic History of Our Noble CompanionThe latest in a string of authoritative and readable books by Pat Shipman benefits from her well-known scientific knowledge and her great storytelling ability. One of the first times anyone has told how the evidence from archaeology and DNA of Sahul, with its late-appearing dingoes and singing dogs, adds to the human story rather than seeming anomalous. It is the perfect complement to other accounts written with a bias towards Africa, Asia, or Europe. This book, like the dogs that are at its center, covers all the continents where modern people have lived with them. Read it. You will enjoy it. -- Iain Davidson, author of Making Scenes: Global Perspectives on Scenes in Rock Art[A] lively tale of dog domestication and migration. -- Josie Glausiusz * Nature *The erudite Our Oldest Companions makes a remarkable story out of the long partnership between humans and dogs. * Foreword Reviews *A fascinating and often surprising exploration of human and canine evolution…[Shipman's] captivating prose will enchant all readers seeking to learn more about humans, dogs, and our long history together. -- Adrienne Krone * Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature, and Culture *

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Book SynopsisBeavers can and do dramatically change the landscape. The beaver is a keystone speciestheir skills as foresters and engineers create and maintain ponds and wetlands that increase biodiversity, purify water, and prevent large-scale flooding. Biologists have long studied their daily and seasonal routines, family structures, and dispersal patterns. As human development encroaches into formerly wild areas, property owners and government authorities need new, nonlethal strategies for dealing with so-called nuisance beavers. At the same time, the complex behavior of beavers intrigues visitors at parks and other wildlife viewing sites because it is relatively easy to observe.In an up-to-date, exhaustively illustrated, and comprehensive book on beaver biology and management, Dietland Müller-Schwarze gathers a wealth of scientific knowledge about both the North American and Eurasian beaver species. The Beaver is designed to satisfy the curiosity and answer the questions of anyone withTrade ReviewAmong native North American mammals, none has had a more powerful influence on the history of North American than the beaver. Although the eclectic literature on the beaver is rich, it is scattered. This book is the first to provide a synthesis of that literature.... It discusses the biology of the beaver, its behavior, including building dams and canals, and population dynamics.... It is a major resource accessible to any interested reader. Illustrated with black-and-white photos and a colored photo insert, the book is a necessary addition to the shelves of wildlife, conservation ecology, natural history, and general libraries. Essential. * Choice *Anyone with an interest in observing the natural world would be hard pressed to come across evidence of beaver activity and not be filled with questions. What is the purpose of the elaborate dams that beavers build? How do beavers decide which trees to cut down? What effects do beavers have on other organisms' In this ambitious book, the authors attempt to answer these questions and more about the beaver.... It contains useful information for wildlife and land managers, mammalogists, ecologists, and anyone who has ever been curious about beavers and their effects on both landscapes and history. -- Justin Wright * Quarterly Review of Biology *Everybody in the wildlife field knows about beavers and how they modify their environment by building lodges and dams and by cutting trees for food. However, for most people, the knowledge of beaver ecology stops there, and until now, books on beaver ecology were either outdated or too popularized. Times have changed, and this book comes to the rescue of those who wish to gain much greater insights into beaver ecology and behavior without having to read piles of scientific literature.... This is helped further by 50 clear photographs of beavers and their environment.... Overall, this is a must-have book for the beaver enthusiast and wildlife manager, or even for the history buff wishing to better understand the animal that put North America on the map. * Journal of Mammalogy *This book takes a comprehensive look at the behavior, natural history, and ecology of the North American and Eurasian species of beaver.... For wild animal population managers, zoologists, and naturalists, this book presents practical advice regarding beaver management and shows how the species can be an important ally in the restoration efforts of the wetlands. An intriguing book that many will enjoy reading. Nicely done. * Northeastern Naturalist *Table of ContentsPreface IntroductionPart I: The Organism 1. Now and Then: The Species, Including Fossils 2. Form, Weight, and Special Adaptations 3. Diving and Thermoregulation: From Land Mammal to Semiaquatic Design and Function 4. Energy BudgetPart II: Behavior 5. Families as Social Units 6. Communication by Scent and Sound 7. Infrastructure: Dams, Lodges, Trails, and Canals 8. Beaver Time 9. Food SelectionPart III: Populations 10. Reproduction, Development, and Life Expectancy 11. Population Densities and Dynamics 12. Finding a Home: DispersalPart IV: Ecology 13. Where They Live and Why: Habitat Requirements 14. Mortality and Predators 15. Parasites and Diseases 16. Maker of Landscapes: Creating Habitat for Plants, Animals, and PeoplePart V: Beaver and People: Conservation, Use, and Management 17. "Here before Christ": Fur Trade, the "Beaver Republic" (Hudson's Bay Company), and Fur Trapping Today 18. Reintroductions and Other Transplants 19. "Nuisance Beavers" Claim Their Land 20. Needed: An Ecosystems Engineer for Habitat Restoration and Other Services 21. Living with Beavers: Conservation and Proactive ManagementIndex

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Book SynopsisFrom 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...Trade ReviewEntertaining, clear, and fact-filled.... Containing an incredible wealth of information, this book is an excellent reference for serious naturalists, tour guides, educators, and researchers who teach or work in the tropics. * Journal of Mammalogy *

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Book SynopsisFrom marsupials to bats to carnivores to cetaceans, fully one-fourth of the world''s mammals can be found on the South American continent. Rexford D. Lord provides the most vivid snapshot of South American fauna ever produced. With 252 stunning photographsmost taken by the author during his 40 years as an ecologist and mammalogist in the regionand engaging descriptions of each of the mammal families found on the continent, Lord reveals the diversity of these incredible animals.Among the mammals profiled here are the unusual and exotic spectacled bear, the capybara (the world's largest rodent), and the common llama. Lord includes such fascinating facts as details about the third eyelid of the manatee, the strange hair of sloths, how vampire bats actually feed, and the unusual lives of river dolphins. Intertwined with the facts and photographs are stories of the connection between mammals and humans in South America, including current conservation issues.This breathtaking overview will find a place in the library of anyone with interests in the fauna of the continent. Arranged according to the recognized mammal families, it will serve as a valuable reference for both students and professional mammalogists.Trade ReviewThis is a highly interesting overview of the mammalian fauna of South America, and is highly recommended to anyone interested in natural history. -- Dan R. Kunkle Wildlife Activist 2007 Anyone interested in but unfamiliar with South American mammals should find this book fascinating. -- Alfred L. Gardner Journal of Mammalian Evolution 2007 A readable account of... impressive diversity... I certainly enjoyed reading the book. -- F.E. Zachos Kiel Mammalian Biology 2008 Beautiful book. -- Francis Petter Mammalia 2008

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Book SynopsisProducing Predators is a study of the environmental and cultural histories of predator-prey relationships, colonialism, and capitalism in the Montana-Alberta borderlands from the 1870s through the 1930s. Trade Review"An extraordinarily powerful narrative that will leave readers with a renewed appreciation of the profundity of the northern Rockies' environmental transformation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries."—Carol Medlicott, Pacific Northwest Quarterly"Part history and part cultural anthropology, Producing Predators is yet another reminder that Native Americans had vastly divergent perspectives than their colonizers about the place of humans in their environments. Those differences resulted in profoundly devastating consequences for themselves and their world."—Eric Mogren, Environmental History"Through historical and ecological detail, Wise places an admirable focus on the actual animals involved in these interchanges."—Jessica Landau, Native American and Indigenous Studies "Producing Predators should be on the short list for scholars interested in further exploring the tensions embedded in Western history, particularly the convoluted intersections between labor, race, and ecology that Wise so deftly uncovers in his first book."—Frank Van Nuys, Annals of Wyoming"This book will be of great interest to environmental historians, historical geographers, and scholars who examine human-animal relations through time. . . . Much more than simply another book on wolves, Wise offers an analysis which is part environmental history and part account of the specificities of colonialism in the Rockies."—Stephanie Rutherford, H-Environment“Producing Predators excels in its positioning of work as a useful tool to understand the complex contours of human-animal relations in the nineteenth-century West.”—Karen Jones, History: Journal of the Historical Association “Producing Predators is an interesting, well-written, and informative account of the Northern Rockies ecosystem. . . . Specialists will find it a well-executed study of colonialism in the American West.”—Adam Sowards, director of the Institute for Pacific Northwest Studies at University of Idaho“An academic historian, Wise is especially insightful in his descriptions of the ways that environmental practices gain cultural legitimacy as aspects of larger ideologies about assimilation, economics, and labor.”—Sarah E. McFarland, American Indian QuarterlyTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Wolves and Whiskey 2. Beasts of Bounty 3. Making Meat 4. The Place That Feeds You 5. Unnatural Hunger Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index

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