Ethology and Behavioral Ecology of Sea Otters and Polar Bears

Dr. Randall W. Davis is Regents Professor in the Department of Marine Biology at Texas A&M University. He is an educator and researcher who studies the physiology and behavioral ecology of marine mammals and other aquatic vertebrates. Dr. Davis has studied the behavioral ecology of sea otters in Alaska since 2001, and some of the results are presented in this book. He has continually emphasized the importance of studying animals in their natural environment and has spent many years developing animal-borne instruments to better understand their behavior and ecology at sea. His academic endeavors and 100 research expeditions have taken him to 65 countries and territories on seven continents and all of the world's oceans.Dr. Anthony M. Pagano is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow with the San Diego Zoo Global Institute for Conservation Research. He has degrees in Biology and History from Northeastern University (B.A.), Wildlife Conservation from the University of Minnesota (M.S.),and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz (Ph.D.). He has studied polar bears for more than 12 years and spent 10 years working for the Polar Bear Research Program with the U.S. Geological Survey in Alaska. His research on polar bears has included the use of camera collars and other animal-borne instruments on wild polar bears to understand their behavior and feeding rates. He combined these data with laboratory measurements of metabolic rates of walking on a treadmill and swimming in a water flume to estimate the field energetics of polar bears on the sea ice.

“The book delves deeply into the evolution, adaptations, and behaviors of sea otters and polar bears, offering comprehensive discussion of these remarkable marine mammals. … By compiling cutting-edge research and synthesizing decades of studies, these volumes offer insights into the behaviors and adaptations of eared seals, walruses, sea otters, and polar bears. Each serves as an excellent starting point for readers seeking to expand their understanding, whether broadly encompassing the entire marine mammal group or researching a particular species.”  (Irina S. Trukhanova, Community Ecology, Vol. 25 (3), 2024)

• Introduction.- Part I. Ethology and Behavioral Ecology of Sea Otters.- Taxonomy and Evolution of Sea Otters.- Sea Otter Behavior: Morphologic, Physiologic, and Sensory  Adaptations.- Sea Otter Foraging Behavior.- Social Structure of Marine Otters: Inter and Intraspecific Variation.- Reproductive Behavior of Male Sea Otters.- Reproductive Behavior of Female Sea Otters and Their Pups.- Sea Otter Behavior and Its Influence on Littoral Community Structure.- Sea Otter Predator Avoidance Behavior.- Sea Otters and the Maritime Fur Trade.- Part II. Ethology and Behavioral Ecology of Polar Bears.- Polar Bear Taxonomy and Evolution.- Polar Bear Behavior: Morphologic and Physiologic Adaptations.- Polar Bear Foraging Behavior.- Polar Bear Reproductive and Denning Behavior.- Polar Bear Maternal Care, Neonatal Development, and Social Behavior.- Polar Bear Behavior in Response to Climate Change.- Human-Polar Bear Interactions.