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The fully revised fifth edition of this highly acclaimed undergraduate textbook provides a thought-provoking introduction to evolutionary psychology, while assuming no prior knowledge of evolutionary theory. The authors continue to carefully guide students towards a level of understanding where they can critically apply evolutionary theory to psychological explanation, providing an engaging and balanced discussion of the field. New material has been added on female homosexuality, artificial intelligence and language, cooking and human brain expansion, Covid-19 and rates of evolutionary change, and the effects of digital media on mental health. This edition also has new and revised boxed case studies, many new figures, extra discussion questions, and additional further reading suggestions. The text is accompanied by online resources including an updated test bank and lecture slides, as well as new answers to the end-of-chapter questions. This is essential reading for students taking undergraduate and graduate courses in evolutionary psychology.

The most commonly kept domestic animal in the developed world, the cat has been a part of human life for thousands of years. Cats have been both worshipped and persecuted over this long period - either loved or hated for their enigmatic self-reliance and the subject of numerous myths and fables. Highlighting startling discoveries made over the last ten years, this new edition features contributions from experts in a wide range of fields, providing authoritative accounts of the behaviour of cats and how they interact with people. Thoroughly revised and updated to include information on the basic features of cat development and social life, the history of their relations with humans, health and welfare problems, and the breeding of cats for sale and for show. It is intended for all those, whether specialist or general reader, who love or are simply intrigued by these fascinating animals.

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLLERIn this groundbreaking and entertaining book, primatologist Frans de Waal draws on his renowned studies of the social and emotional lives of chimpanzees, bonobos and other primates, and personal encounters with many other species, to illuminate new ideas and findings about animal emotions. Opening with the moving farewell between Mama, a dying chimpanzee matriarch, and her human friend - the video of which has been watched by millions online - Mama's Last Hug illustrates how profoundly we have underestimated animals' emotional experiences. De Waal's radical proposal is that emotions are like organs: humans haven't a single organ that other animals don't have, and the same can be said of our emotions.

From two of the world’s leading authorities on dogs, an imaginative journey into a future of dogs without peopleWhat would happen to dogs if humans simply disappeared? Would dogs be able to survive on their own without us? A Dog’s World imagines a posthuman future for dogs, revealing how dogs would survive—and possibly even thrive—and explaining how this new and revolutionary perspective can guide how we interact with dogs now.Drawing on biology, ecology, and the latest findings on the lives and behavior of dogs and their wild relatives, Jessica Pierce and Marc Bekoff—two of today’s most innovative thinkers about dogs—explore who dogs might become without direct human intervention into breeding, arranged playdates at the dog park, regular feedings, and veterinary care. Pierce and Bekoff show how dogs are quick learners who are highly adaptable and opportunistic, and they offer compelling evidence that dogs already do survive on their own—and could do so in a world without us.Challenging the notion that dogs would be helpless without their human counterparts, A Dog’s World enables us to understand these independent and remarkably intelligent animals on their own terms.

A marvelously illustrated look at bats from around the worldThe only mammals capable of flight, bats are found on every major continent on the planet. They perform crucial roles in the ecosystems they inhabit, from consuming insect pests over agricultural crops and forests to pollinating night-flowering plants, dispersing seeds in tropical biomes, and recycling nutrients and creating natural fertilizer. Many of the world’s 1,400 species are threatened or endangered due to habitat destruction, climate change, and persecution arising from harmful myths. This beautifully illustrated guide demystifies these fascinating creatures, blending the latest science with fact-filled profiles of representative species, from the tiny bumblebee bat to the imposing giant golden crowned flying fox. A must for bat lovers everywhere, Bats of the World showcases the extraordinary diversity of this incredible group of animals.Features a wealth of stunning color photos and engaging infographicsShares invaluable insights into the anatomy, evolution, and behavior of bats and their cultural and ecological importanceProfiles bats from every family, detailing their unique features, distribution, numbers, conservation status, and habitatWritten by leading experts in bat ecology and conservation

A marvelously illustrated look at wild orcasOf the world’s iconic predatory species, orcas are among the most fearsome. Their awesome physical power combined with their cooperative hunting skills and ability to problem-solve make them uniquely efficient killers. Yet orcas also celebrate births, grieve losses, and maintain lifelong family bonds. This stunningly illustrated book draws on five decades of field research and cutting-edge science to provide an incomparable look at the biology, natural history, culture, and conservation of these awe-inspiring marine animals. It explores the behaviors and characteristics of the world’s diverse orca populations—from Antarctica, Iceland, and South America to Norway, Spain, South Africa, the Pacific Northwest of Canada, and the United States —and reveals the startling discoveries that scientists have made in recent years. Wild Orcas takes you on an epic ocean excursion to encounter these magnificent creatures as you have never seen them before.Features a wealth of breathtaking color photosCovers everything from social structure and family dynamics to evolution, physiology, interactions with humans, and the fascinating ways orcas learn from each otherExplores orcas’ underwater lives, such as how they “see” with soundDiscusses the innovative and state-of-the-art ways researchers study orcasSheds light on orca culture, from vocal dialects and hunting strategies to behaviors such as greeting ceremonies, beach rubbing, and porpoise tossing

'Beautifully written . . . terrific' – The Sunday Times'Nothing short of a thriller . . . fascinating' – The GuardianAn engaging new history of mammals, from the bestselling author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs.The passing of the age of the dinosaurs allowed mammals to become ascendant. But mammals have a much deeper history. They – or, more precisely, we – originated around the same time as the dinosaurs, over 200 million years ago; mammal roots lie even further back, some 325 million years.Over these immense stretches of geological time, mammals developed their trademark features: hair, keen senses of smell and hearing, big brains and sharp intelligence, fast growth and warm-blooded metabolism, a distinctive line-up of teeth, mammary glands that mothers use to nourish their babies with milk, qualities that have underlain their success story.Out of this long and rich evolutionary history came the mammals of today, including our own species and our closest cousins. But today’s 6,000 mammal species are simply the few survivors of a once verdant family tree, which has been pruned both by time and mass extinctions.In The Rise and Reign of the Mammals, palaeontologist Steve Brusatte weaves together the history and evolution of our mammal forebears, iconic mammals such as the mammoths and sabre-toothed tigers of which we have all heard, and fascinating species that few of us are aware of. In this fascinating and ground-breaking book, he tells their – and our – story.

Practical and portable, this is the ultimate field guide to the world's cetaceansThis outstanding field guide to whales, dolphins and porpoises is the most comprehensive, authoritative and up-to-date guide to these popular mammals. With more than 500 accurate illustrations – complete with detailed annotations pointing out the most significant field marks – Field Guide to Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises covers all 93 species and every subspecies in the world.Many of the world’s most respected whale biologists have collaborated on the concise text, which is packed with helpful identification tips from cetacean expert Mark Carwardine. Mark’s informative text is accompanied by up-to-date distribution maps for each species. Beautifully designed to ensure critical information is quickly accessible, this is an indispensable resource that every whale-watcher will want to take with them out to sea.

The fully revised fifth edition of this highly acclaimed undergraduate textbook provides a thought-provoking introduction to evolutionary psychology, while assuming no prior knowledge of evolutionary theory. The authors continue to carefully guide students towards a level of understanding where they can critically apply evolutionary theory to psychological explanation, providing an engaging and balanced discussion of the field. New material has been added on female homosexuality, artificial intelligence and language, cooking and human brain expansion, Covid-19 and rates of evolutionary change, and the effects of digital media on mental health. This edition also has new and revised boxed case studies, many new figures, extra discussion questions, and additional further reading suggestions. The text is accompanied by online resources including an updated test bank and lecture slides, as well as new answers to the end-of-chapter questions. This is essential reading for students taking undergraduate and graduate courses in evolutionary psychology.

This is the first book to collate and synthesize the recent burgeoning primary research literature on dog behaviour, evolution, and cognition. The author presents a new ecological approach to the understanding of dog behaviour, demonstrating how dogs can be the subject of rigorous and productive scientific study without the need to confine them to a laboratory environment.This second, fully updated edition of Dog Behaviour, Evolution and Cognition starts with an overview of the conceptual and methodological issues associated with the study of the dog, followed by a brief description of their role in human society. An evolutionary perspective is then introduced with a summary of current research into the process of domestication. The central part of the book is devoted to issues relating to the cognitive aspects of behaviour which have received particular attention in recent years from both psychologists and ethologists. The book's final chapters introduce the reader to many novel approaches to dog behaviour, set in the context of behavioural development and genetics. This second edition recognises and discusses the fact that dogs are increasingly being used as model organisms for studying aspects of human biology, such as genetic diseases and ageing. Specific attention is also given in this edition to attachment behaviour which emerges between humans and dogs, the importance of inter-specific communication in the success of dogs in human communities and the broad aspects of social cognition and how this may contribute to human-dog cooperationDirections for future research are highlighted throughout the text which also incorporates links to human and primate research by drawing on homologies and analogies in both evolution and behaviour. The book will therefore be of relevance and use to anyone with an interest in behavioural ecology including graduate students of animal behaviour and cognition, as well as a more general audience of dog enthusiasts, biologists, psychologists, veterinarians, and sociologists.

A TELEGRAPH BEST NATURE BOOK 2025The remarkable conservation story of one of the world’s most iconic animalsDeep in the snowy forests of Northeast Asia roams the majestic and revered Amur tigers, more popularly known as ‘The Siberian Tiger’. But in the final years of the Cold War, only a few hundred of these graceful animals remained in their home of the Amur River basin. As the Soviet Union fell, catastrophe arrived, with poaching and logging taking a fast, astonishing toll on an already vulnerable species.Taking us on a journey through remote frozen landscapes, globally renowned conservationist Jonathan Slaght charts the incredible story of how Russian scientists and American conservationists came together to save these magnificent, solitary creatures. He retraces their steps to show how this dedicated, fearless coalition laid the foundations of new tiger research across Asia, transforming public opinion around tigers from something to be feared and hunted, to creatures we must protect.Today, tigers occupy 7% of the lands they did 100 years ago, disappearing in the wild from Bali to Iran. In the ongoing global crisis of species destruction, Slaght shows us that the revival of the Amur tiger can bring us hope for the future: a model for how to live alongside, and revive, the natural world.

This beautifully illustrated field guide enables you to easily identify the tracks and signs left by a wide variety of mammal and bird species found in Britain and Europe, covering behaviors ranging from hunting, foraging, and feeding to courtship, breeding, and nesting. Introductory chapters offer detailed drawings of footprints and tracks of large and small mammals, which are followed by sections on mammal scat, bird droppings, and the feeding signs of animals on food sources such as nuts, cones, and rose hips. The book then describes specific mammal species, providing information on size, distribution, behavior, habitat, and similar species, as well as more specific detail on tracks and scat. Distribution maps are also included. This indispensable field guide covers 175 species of mammals and birds, and features a wealth of stunning color photos and artwork throughout. * Helps you easily identify the tracks and signs of a variety of mammals and birds * Covers 175 species * Illustrated throughout with photos, drawings, and artwork * ncludes informative descriptions of mammal species along with distribution maps

Felines of the World: Discoveries in Taxonomic Classification and History provides the most recent taxonomic, paleontological, phylogenetic and DNA advances of wild felid and domestic cat species following guidelines dictated by the IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group. It highlights the importance of felines and their role as predators in maintaining the ecological biome balance in which they have evolved. The book delves into the anatomical, evolutionary and zoogeographic features of fossil and current felid species. Each species is described in detail, detailing its classification, habitat and biological habits. This book also presents the most updated threat and conservation status of each species.

This book is an ideal resource for zoologists and paleontologists, primarily those interested in the evolution and features of extinct and extant felines.

Details the lineage, features and habits of over 40 felid species Covers all species within the Felidae family, including lions, lynxes, pumas and domestic cats Features detailed and colorful illustrations, diagrams and species location maps Informs readers on endangered species, current threats and conservation efforts

A global history of human relationships with reindeer, and how wildlife relocation can preserve both reindeer populations and cultural heritageAcross the Arctic and the boreal north, reindeer populations are dwindling as our ever developing planet grows warmer. Reindeer range is roughly half what it was in the nineteenth century, and populations have dropped by more than half in the past ten years alone. However, we have a conservation tool at hand for this crisis: wildlife translocation, or moving animals to more suitable habitats.In this book, the first popular global history of reindeer, Nancy Langston interweaves historical research with accounts of her fieldwork in northern Scandinavia, Iceland, North America, Mongolia, and elsewhere. She details the history of struggles faced by communities that have relied on reindeer hunting and herding and engages with the scientific debates about the need to move northern wildlife to viable habitats because of human activities. She also addresses the challenges—logistical, ethical, and societal—of moving large animals in a world with complex geopolitical boundaries.Enhanced by the author’s own artwork, this passionate, informed, and surprisingly hopeful volume sheds light on the complicated past and possible futures of reindeer and the cultures surrounding them.

Daphne Sheldrick's best-selling love story of romance, life and elephants, An African Love Story: Love, Life and Elephants is an incredible story from Africa's greatest living conservationist.A typical day for Daphne involves rescuing baby elephants from poachers; finding homes for orphan elephants, all the while campaigning the ever-present threat of poaching for the ivory trade.An African Love Story is the incredible memoir of her life. It tells two stories - one is the extraordinary love story which blossomed when Daphne fell head over heels with Tsavo Game Park and its famous warden, David Sheldrick. The second is the love story of how Daphne and David, who devoted their lives to saving elephant orphans, at first losing every infant under the age of two until Daphne at last managed to devise the first-ever milk formula which would keep them alive. 'Compulsively readable', Mail on Sunday'An enchanting memoir', TelegraphDaphne Sheldrick has spent her entire life in Kenya. For over 25 years, she and her husband, David, the famous founder of the the giant Tsavo National Park, raised and rehabilitated back into the wild orphans of misfortune from many different wild species. These included elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, zebra, eland, kudu, impala, warthogs and many other smaller animals. In 2006 she was made Dame Commander of the British Empire by the Queen.

Bats have an undeserved bad reputation. It's time to clear the air-with science.These woefully misunderstood creatures dwell in darkness, inspire fear, and threaten danger. They've been viewed as the pawns of evil deities and taken the undeserved blame for the spread of deadly viruses. In The Weird and Wonderful World of Bats, behavioral and bat ecologist Alyson Brokaw provides a fresh introduction to these curious flying mammals, diving in-depth into how they experience the world through unique senses, where and how they fly, the origins of their complex relationships with humans, and how we can learn from them-not only to coexist but potentially grow healthier and wiser together. Over 180 personality-filled photographs showcase the rich diversity of bats from all over the world.

World-renowned primatologist, conservationist, and humanitarian Dr. Jane Goodall's account of her life among the wild chimpanzees of Gombe is one of the most enthralling stories of animal behavior ever written. Her adventure began when the famous anthropologist Dr. Louis Leakey suggested that a long-term study of chimpanzees in the wild might shed light on the behavior of our closest living relatives. Accompanied by only her mother and her African assistants, she set up camp in the remote Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Reserve in Tanzania. For months the project seemed hopeless; out in the forest from dawn until dark, she had but fleeting glimpses of frightened animals. But gradually she won their trust and was able to record previously unknown behavior, such as the use'and even the making' of tools, until then believed to be an exclusive skill of man. As she came to know the chimps as individuals, she began to understand their complicated social hierarchy and observed many extraordinary behaviors, which have forever changed our understanding of the profound connection between humans and chimpanzees.  In the Shadow of Man is 'one of the Western world's great scientific achievements' (Stephen Jay Gould) and a vivid, essential journey of discovery for each new generation of readers.

Immerse yourself in this beautiful, absorbing guide to the marine world.Earth owes its identity as the blue planet to the vast oceans of water that cover almost 70 per cent of its surface. Home to an abundance of marine life and vital in regulating Earth’s climate, the oceans are also the backdrop to daring exploits of seafaring and to colourful mythological tales. Combining arresting photography, rich illustrations, and engaging, expertly written text, The Ocean Book showcases the animals and plants, physical geography, and captivating human stories of the world’s oceans.Whether you’re interested in blue whales, penguins, coral reefs, whirlpools, or the golden age of pirates, this is the perfect exploration of the ocean realm.

In Different, world-renowned primatologist Frans de Waal draws on decades of observation and studies of both human and animal behavior to argue that despite the linkage between gender and biological sex, biology does not automatically support the traditional gender roles in human societies. While humans and other primates do share some behavioral differences, biology offers no justification for existing gender inequalities.Using chimpanzees and bonobos to illustrate this point—two ape relatives that are genetically equally close to humans—de Waal challenges widely held beliefs about masculinity and femininity, and common assumptions about authority, leadership, cooperation, competition, filial bonds, and sexual behavior. Chimpanzees are male-dominated and violent, while bonobos are female-dominated and peaceful. In both species, political power needs to be distinguished from physical dominance. Power is not limited to the males, and both sexes show true leadership capacities.Different is a fresh and thought-provoking approach to the long-running debate about the balance between nature and nurture, and where sex and gender roles fit in. De Waal peppers his discussion with details from his own life—a Dutch childhood in a family of six boys, his marriage to a French woman with a different orientation toward gender, and decades of academic turf wars over outdated scientific theories that have proven hard to dislodge from public discourse. He discusses sexual orientation, gender identity, and the limitations of the gender binary, exceptions to which are also found in other primates.With humor, clarity, and compassion, Different seeks to broaden the conversation about human gender dynamics by promoting an inclusive model that embraces differences, rather than negating them.

A marvelously illustrated look at the life of the whaleWhales are the majestic giants of the ocean, yet much of their world remains a mystery to us. The routes of their vast oceanic migrations are largely elusive, as are the intricacies of their behavior and social dynamics. This narrative biography takes you out beyond our shorelines and into the depths, providing an up-close exploration of the life of the whale. It covers everything from conception and childhood to family history, relationships, communication, and life challenges, and explains why studying whales helps us to monitor the health of our planet’s oceans and marine ecosystems. Written by internationally acclaimed expert Asha de Vos, Whale: The Illustrated Biography blends engaging profiles of the best-known species with stunning illustrations to tell the story of these magnificent creatures in all their diversity and complexity.Features a wealth of specially commissioned illustrationsDiscusses familiar species such as the humpback whale, blue whale, killer whale, and sperm whale, as well as smaller and more elusive cousinsCovers anatomy, hunting and feeding, migration, habitats, whale song, conservation, human interactions with whales, and much moreExplains how whales play key roles in nutrient cycling, regulating prey populations, and influencing carbon sequestrationA must-have reference for whale watchers everywhere

The captivating history of the okapi and its symbolic role in science, culture, and conservation.In Discovering the Okapi, Simon Pooley offers a fascinating portrait of the okapi—an elusive short-necked giraffid with zebra stripes, surviving in the rainforests of central Africa's Congo basin—and unpacks the complicated layers of Western science and Indigenous knowledge that shaped the world's understanding of this unique creature. Pooley tells the story of the okapi's "discovery" in 1900 by British naturalist Sir Harry Johnston, as well as the overlooked contributions of the Indigenous African people whose expertise made this sighting and subsequent hunt for specimens possible. The book traces how colonial politics and scientific racism shaped early accounts of the animal's study and examines the enduring biases that continue to influence conservation efforts today. The okapi became a symbol of scientific curiosity, colonial power, and conservation challenges, revealing complex intersections among biodiversity, cultural heritage, and environmental stewardship. Its precarious existence in captivity and the wild exposes how Western and Indigenous approaches to conservation can—and must—find common ground for its survival.

How did the thousands of different mammal species on the planet today evolve from a shrew-like, nocturnal insectivore that lived 200 million years ago? What allowed our ancestors to survive the cataclysmic impact that wiped out the dinosaurs and become one of the most successful lineages on Earth? How did mammals adapt to myriad lifestyles and populate every corner of the globe, from oceans and deserts to tropical forests and mountains?In The Ascent of Mammals, acclaimed science writer John Reilly weaves a tapestry of stories about the fascinating shared history of the egg-laying monotremes, the pouch-bearing marsupials and the ubiquitous placentals – including Homo sapiens – that make up the mammalian world. Drawing from the cascade of unforeseen insights into evolution provided by modern genetics research, Reilly describes the development of key mammalian traits (such as mammary glands, warm-bloodedness and a three-boned middle ear) as well as species-specific adaptations. The book explores the intriguing geographical origins and ancient global dispersal routes of many mammalian families, as well as the discoveries of unexpected kinships that have required family trees to be redrawn.Each chapter centres on a particular species and a specific evolutionary mechanism – including gene duplication, gene loss, hybridisation, imprinting, pseudogenes and retrogenes – considering their relevance for evolution on a broader scale. Accessibly written and complemented by illustrations and colour photographs, this is a groundbreaking account of science’s ability to unravel the truth about mammals.

There are fewer grey seals in the world than endangered African elephants, but the British Isles host almost half of this global population. Every year these charismatic animals, with their expressive eyes and whiskers more sensitive than our fingertips, haul out on our shores to breed and raise their pups. As graceful in the sea as they might seem clumsy on land, grey seals have visited our shores and enriched our culture for centuries. Yet we still know relatively little about these captivating animals. As Susan Richardson journeys to the crags and crevices of the coast, she explores the mysteries and mythologies of seals, learning not just how they live but also how we ought to live with them.PRAISE FOR SUSAN RICHARDSON‘Cut and precise, archaic and innovative, transcendent and in-the-moment, [Richardson] sees the life of the sea as a mirror of ourselves, and vice versa: always changing, always the same … Vital, glorious and salutary’PHILIP HOARE, AUTHOR OF LEVIATHAN‘[Richardson] writes in prehensile language, capable of grasping something vast, ancient, chthonic: the Earth in must’JAY GRIFFITHS, AUTHOR OF WILD‘Richardson beautifully marries the landscape of the polar regions with their – and her own – emotional topography’SARA WHEELERSusan Richardson has always been entranced by seals; they seem to have surfaced at key junctions throughout her life, comforting her as an anxious child, bringing joy as she began to spread her wings as a writer and helping her to find her way after the loss of her mother. Now she sets out to trace the rhythm of their lives, travelling the coasts clockwise from Cornwall to Norfolk, in line with the autumn pupping season. Along the way she explores the myths surrounding seals, from their shapeshifting selkie skins to the claims that they decimate fish populations, and she discovers that the greatest dangers they face come from co-existing with us.Brimming with vivid descriptions of the natural world, Where the Seals Sing is a lyrical tale of memory, rescue and rehabilitation. While loss, both personal and ecological, is a recurring theme, the human–seal connection that flows through the story is stirring and uplifting.

With more than two hundred species distributed across most of mainland Mexico, Central and South America, and islands in the Caribbean Sea, the Phyllostomidae bat family (American leaf-nosed bats) is one of the world's most diverse mammalian families in terms of its trophic, or feeding, diversity. From an insectivorous ancestry, extant species have evolved into several dietary classes, including blood-feeding, vertebrate carnivory, and the consumption of nectar, pollen, and fruit, in a period of about 30 million years. Phyllostomidae's plant-visiting species are responsible for pollinating more than five hundred species of neotropical shrubs, trees, vines, and epiphytes--many of which are economically and ecologically important--and they also disperse the seeds of at least another five-hundred plant species. Fruit-eating and seed-dispersing members of this family thus play a crucial role in the regeneration of neotropical forests, and the fruit eaters are among the most abundant mammals in these habitats.Coauthored by leading experts in the field and synthesizing the latest advances in molecular biology and ecological methods, Phyllostomid Bats is the first overview in more than forty years of the evolution of the many morphological, behavioral, physiological, and ecological adaptations in this family. Featuring abundant illustrations as well as details on the current conservation status of phyllostomid species, it is both a comprehensive reference for these ecologically vital creatures and a fascinating exploration of the evolutionary process of adaptive radiation.

The first edition of Frans de Waal's Chimpanzee Politics was acclaimed not only by primatologists for its scientific achievement but also by politicians, business leaders, and social psychologists for its remarkable insights into the most basic human needs and behaviors. Twenty-five years later, this book is considered a classic. Featuring a new preface that includes recent insights from the author, this anniversary edition is a detailed and thoroughly engrossing account of rivalries and coalitions-actions governed by intelligence rather than instinct. As we watch the chimpanzees of Arnhem behave in ways we recognize from Machiavelli (and from the nightly news), de Waal reminds us again that the roots of politics are older than humanity.