Natural History

Artikelname: Badger in the House
Artikelbeschreibung: Down in Penny's kitchen something is stirring. At 4 a.m. a small black-and-white figure is designing newspaper into tunnels and mountains, a soft toy clamped between his teeth. It is Wilf, a badger with a difference. He was rescued as a youngster, unable to eat or walk without slipping over sideways every few steps; his legs and rump were virtually fur-less and he made strange convulsive movements.After devoted nursing, Wilf is now healthy, but 'wonky'; his physical problems still exist, and he can never be returned to the wild. He has taken up residence in a period cottage in Oxfordshire with Penny Little, where he ejoys life, in particular food. This is his story: as you read, you will discover his charm and winning ways.

A book that sets the record straight about bats: they are not to be feared as blood-sucking monsters, but are instead very small, furry and completely harmless. Their echo-location system of bouncing high frequency sounds off moving insects to track their food is renowned, but Phil Richardson reveals many other interesting facts about them: for instance, their bohemian social life, their upside down delivery of babies and their housing preferences (Pipistrelles like modern houses, whereas Natterer's, Whiskered and Long-eared bats all favour older ones).Although the book is crammed with information, there is still lots to discover about bats, and amateur research can be invaluable. Hints about how and what to observe in your local bat population are included, though you don't need perhaps to go to the lengths of the real bat fanciers, who, we are told, always carry a labelled collection of droppings in their pockets for identification purposes!

Artikelname: Bats,Biology and Behaviour
Artikelbeschreibung: Bats are found throughout the world, and their 966 species represent one quarter of all mammals found on earth. This book describes all the bats and their natural history, with a unique emphasis on how the lives of bats exemplify processes and principles of broad biological relevance. No other book combines such comprehensive coverage with Altringham's blend of up-to-date scientific information and effective teaching skills. If you are serious about bats, this book is a must.

Artikelname: Cheetah
Artikelbeschreibung: Esteemed for its speed and athleticism, admired for its grace and beauty, coveted for its hunting prowess, the cheetah has nonetheless been harrassed and hounded to the point of extinction. Author Luke Hunter, a specialist on African carnivores, looks into the history, evolution, behaviour and day-to-day survival of one of the most fascinating of the big cats. He discusses the ancestry of the cheetah, its hunting strategies, reproduction, social behaviour and status throughout Africa and Iran ?the last remaining pocket of the species in Asia.

Hunter also focuses on the tenuous future of the cheetah, its decreasing habitat and declining numbers, and deals with the immediate and long-term conservation issues facing the species. His authoritative text highlights the latest research on cheetahs, dispelling the myths and providing a comprehensive overview of the cheetah in the wild. Throughout the book, his first-hand field observations supplement data on the latest ecological discoveries from cheetah researchers across Africa.

Powerful, full-colour photographs by Dave Hamman make this book a visual feast and reveal a world that is both intensely private and highly dramatic. Hamman?s portrayal of the many modes and activities of this elusive animal presents a sumptuous gallery of photographs, while at the same time serving to broaden our knowledge ? and help ensure the survival ? of this remarkable and beautiful cat.

Artikelname: Dormice
Artikelbeschreibung: Britain has two species of dormouse - the hazel dormouse, which is attractive, cute, and rarely bites; and the edible dormouse, which is big, noisy, bad-tempered and vicious. Unfortunately the hazel dormouse has become very rare whilst the edible dormouse is an unwelcome visitor in houses where it shows a propensity for gnawing electric cables. The author has spent 20 years researching both species of dormouse and his enthusiasm, affection and sense of humour are clearly demonstrated in this informative and entertaining book. Packed with serious research results and natural history, yet presented in a lighthearted way, with many delightful drawings, it's an excellent read and reference for ecologists and enthusiasts alike.

Artikelname: Fossil Horses:Systematics, Paleobiology, and Evolution of the Family Equidae
Artikelbeschreibung: The family Equidae have an extensive fossil record spanning the last 58 million years, and the evolution of the horse has frequently been used as a classic example of long-term evolution. In recent years, however, there have been many important discoveries of fossil horses, and these, in conjunction with such new methods as cladistics, and techniques like precise geochronology, have allowed us to achieve a much greater understanding of the evolution and biology of this important group. This book synthesizes the large body of data and research relevant to an understanding of fossil horses from several disciplines including biology, geology and palaeontology. Using horses as the central theme, the author weaves together in the text such topics as modern geochronology, palaeobiogeography, climate change, evolution and extinction, functional morphology, and population biology during the Cenozoic period.

Preface; 1. Introduction: why study fossil horses?; 2. A renaissance in paleontology; 3. Orthogenesis and scientific thought: old notions die hard; 4. Collections, museums, and exceptional discoveries; 5. Systematics and phylogeny: Ungulata, Perissodactyla, and Equidae; 6. Isotopes, magnetic reversals, fossils, and geological time; 7. Ancient geography, changing climates, dispersal, and vicariance; 8. Evolutionary processes: Variation, speciation, and extinction; 9. Rates of morphological and taxonomic evolution; 10. Trends, laws, direction, and progress in evolution; 11. What?s the use? functional morphology of feeding and locomotion; 12. Population dynamics, behavioral ecology, and ?paleoethology?; 13. Fifty-eight million years of community evolution; 14. Epilogue: summary and perspective; Appendix; References; Subject index; Taxonomic index.

Artikelname: Hedgehogs
Artikelbeschreibung: The hedgehog is a favourite of backgarden wildlife it thrives in suburbia and is fed by countless households on bread and milk. People get very fond of their hedgehogs, even keeping them as pets, but still know little about them. They are secretive creatures, and scant information on their lives has been published. Pat Morris, who has been studying them for many years, is still baffled by some aspects of their behaviour, but supplies the answers to all the most commonly asked questions, such as: how longdo hedgehogs live? do they mate for life? is bread and milk good for them? how far do they travel at night? do they always live in one place? how can you help them? do they have territories? as well as lots of questions you probably hadn't thought of.

HEDGEHOGS gives simple factual and down-to-earth information to satisfy all enquiries about the hedgehog's behaviour, habits, physiology and private life, and also contains the latest findings of the author's research. It is not intended to be an academic treatise, and, as is fitting for such an amusing creature, it is written and illustrated with a sense of humour.

The line drawings by Guy Troughton (who was one of Pat Morris's students and now specializes in wildlife painting and illustration) delightfully enhance and clarify the text.

DR PAT MORRIS is this country's leading hedgehog expert; having studied them for over 30 years, he has probably published more scientific papers on the European hedgehog than anyone.

Artikelname: Hedgehogs (Pet Owner's Manual)
Artikelbeschreibung: A pet care guide to hedgehogs, with a special chapter on Understanding Hedgehogs.

Artikelname: Identification of Arthropod Fragments in Bat Droppings
Artikelbeschreibung: Enables anyone with a basic knowledge of natural history to identify many of the insects, spiders and other arthropods which occur in the faeces of British bats.

Artikelname: Long-Eared Bats
Artikelbeschreibung: Covers all aspects of ecology and behaviour of the Long-Eared bat, but with a strong emphasis placed on interactions with humans and conservation matters.

Focuses on European Brown and Grey Long-Eared Bats.Covers all aspects of biology and ecology, particularly relationships with humans and conservation.Comparisons to other long-eared bat species across the world, a full bibliography and a selection of colour photographs complete this marvellous book.

Artikelname: Mammal Detective
Artikelbeschreibung: A full guide to the field signs left by elusive British wild mammals, all illustrated in detail, with identity parades, distinguishing features of each species, forensics and surveillance techniques. Whose track is it? Whose dropping? Which animal left this tuft of hair? and what did I just glimpse? Rob?s advice on fieldcraft is distilled from his vast experience he has conducted surveys of mink, otters and water voles in Britain.

Artikelname: The Bat House Builder's Handbook
Artikelbeschreibung: A superb book, giving a detailed and well-researched insight into the needs of roosting bats. Although based on experiences in the USA, the concepts and advice are also relevant to European bat box construction.

This is the second resvised edition of this title and as far as I am aware the only book that gives full instructions on to build bat roosts.

Artikelname: The Behavior Guide to African Mammals: Including Hoofed Mammals, Carnivores, Primates
Artikelbeschreibung: Whether we are able to look at Africa's mammals face to face, on television or in the illustrations provided here by Daniel Otte, this guide aims to help the reader understand what animals do and what their behaviour means. Drawing on his own extensive fieldwork and on the research of many other scientists, Richard Estes describes and explains the behaviour of four major groups of mammals. Estes's informative guide should be as useful for the zoologist as it is accessible for the interested onlooker.

Artikelname: The Big Cats and Their Fossil Relatives: An Illustrated Guide to Their Evolution and Natural History
Artikelbeschreibung: More than 60 million members of the species "felis domesticus" - house cats - live in the United States alone. Welcomed into homes as part of the family and revered as gods by the ancient Egyptians, domestic cats are descendants of a proud lineage that includes the giant sabre-toothed tiger, the graceful cheetah of the African plains, and the powerful bobcat of the Americas. Acclaimed artist Mauricio Anton and renowned paleontologist Alan Turner collaborate to produce the first book of its kind - a fascinating natural history linking extinct larger feline species with those still living, including lions, tigers, cougars and cheetahs. Using superb illustrations and photos to supplement lucidly written text, "The Big Cats and Their Fossil Relatives" chronicles 25 million years of evolution, revealing the common ancestry of today's familiar big cats. In addition to a compelling account of the evolution and anatomy of big cats past and present, "The Big Cats and Their Fossil Relatives" also explores the behaviour of these magnificent creatures. Living species and fossil remains make possible the reconstruction of the cats' social and predatory behaviour, supplementing the reader's understanding of their physical forms with images of how they would have moved, hunted and interacted. Throughout the book, side-by-side comparisons of extinct species with their descendants illuminate the process and purpose of evolution. Turner guides the reader through such topics as the preservation of fossils, the reconstruction of an extinct species from fossil evidence and its living descendants, and the changing natural world of the cats and their food sources. This book is both a useful introduction for readers new to paleontology and a valuable reference for those already familiar with the field.

Artikelname: The Biology of Bats
Artikelbeschreibung: Well adapted to numerous habitats, bats comprise almost one quarter of all mammal species. This book is a comprehensive introduction to their biology. Suitable as a textbook for undergraduates and written by one of the world's leading researchers, the book offers an accessible summary of the extensive body of research on bats. The book takes a broad physiological perspective and devotes separate chapters to specific physiological systems as well as to bat ecology and phylogeny. It features a thorough discussion of echolocation, which continues to be the subject of intense research, and describes many European and neotropical bats, as well as North American species. Biology of Bats is an important resource both for students and researchers.

Artikelname: The Common Seal
Artikelbeschreibung: One of the very useful and inexpensive Shire Albums covering the Common Seal.

Artikelname: The Dormouse
Artikelbeschreibung: The Dormouse describes the lives of these elusive creatures in Britain, the problems they face, and conservation measures needed. One of a series of handy and easy to read books packed with information about British mammals, how they live and the threats they face. Written by experts in a clear and readable style, and illustrated with colour photographs.

Artikelname: The Hare
Artikelbeschreibung: This title is a complete celebration of the hare: its natural history, its behaviour and its place in folklore and literature. It features the European, North American and African hare.

Artikelname: The Hedgehog
Artikelbeschreibung: Hedgehogs are common in most parts of Britain but their numbers are thought to be declining. This book is illustrated with coloured photographs and line drawings. It provides information on the life of the hedgehog including its distribution, feeding behaviour, hibernation, breeding etc.

Artikelname: The History of British Mammals
Artikelbeschreibung: As the ice retreated from Britain 15,000 years ago, a host of large mammals including Reindeer, Wild fHorse, Woolly Mammoth,Moose, Wolf, Brown Bear, Lynx and Wolverine established themselves in Britain. Now we have a fauna which is dominated by domestic cattle, sheep and pigs, plus Humans. The largest surviving wild land mammal is the Red Deer, the largest land carnivore the Badger, and the 65 or so extant wild mammals include about a quarter that have been introduced.

This account explores the fate of the large extinct species, and how, why and when the introduced species appeared. What did happen to the Woolly Mammoth, the Reindeer and the Irish Elk? Did the native wild ungulates, Horse, Aurochs and Boar, become domesticated here, or were their farm descendants introduced already domesticated? How have the native Red Squirrel and Red Deer fared in the face of introduced Grey Squirrel and Sika? What has happened to the balance of the British fauna, and should we interfere further by trying to exterminate some of the introduced species, or by reintroducing the extinct ones?

This book documents the history of the British mammal fauna over the last 15,000 years or so, combining information culled from the zoological, archaeological and palaeontological literature.In the process, a large number of myths, perpetuated from the previous book on this subject written 117 years ago, are dispelled. Modern research has provided a much better basis for this story, particularly from the extensive but scattered archaeological literature. It is a fascinating tale not only of the inevitable changes wrought by climatic and habitat change, but also of the impact of Human development of the countryside and will fascinate the specialist and general reader alike.

Artikelname: The Identification of Prey Remains in Otter Spraint
Artikelbeschreibung: A superb guide produced by the Mammal Society to enable the identification of prey remains found in Otter spraint. The keys cover both Fresh and Saltwater fish as well as Frogs.

Artikelname: The Red Squirrel
Artikelbeschreibung: Red squirrels are lovable but elusive creatures. This books outlines their behaviours, distribution, feeding, social organisation, interaction with grey squirrels, and red squirrel conservation.

Artikelname: The River
Artikelbeschreibung: The enchanting and engaging story of TV presenter Philippa Forrester and her wildlife cameraman partner's making a film about the family of otters who live by the river at the bottom of their garden.

Artikelname: The Story of Rats
Artikelbeschreibung: More than the story of how people and rats live together, this book takes a serious and intriguing look at science and scientists, the problems they solve and fail to solve, and the scope and imperfections of our scientific knowledge of the world. It answers questions such as: Are rats still a threat to human health? Do rats think? Is it true that wild rats sometimes die, unwounded, from social stress? Can studies of rat societies tell us anything useful about our own social lives? This compelling historical and social study will capture the interest of all readers-from those fascinated by rats to those who cringe-by explaining the delicate and sometimes volatile impacts humans and rats have had on each other over the centuries and into the modern age.

Artikelname: The Water Vole
Artikelbeschreibung: One of a series of handy and easy to read booklets packed with information about these British mammals, how they live and the threats they face.

Artikelname: The Wildcat
Artikelbeschreibung: Wildcats are the only surviving native member of the cat family in Britain. This book looks at all aspects of their natural history including their evolution, distributioin, reproduction, habitat, behaviour and the threats facing them today and how they may be conserved.

Artikelname: The Wolf Almanac: A Celebration of Wolves and Their World
Artikelbeschreibung: Covers the natural history of the wolf, its role as a predator, and its interaction with humans, and discusses the wolf's current status around the world.

Artikelname: Urban Foxes
Artikelbeschreibung: Urban foxes are now part of the urban scene, more often loved than hated by their human neighbours. This book dispels many myths (that foxes eat cats, that they will mate with your dog, etc). It also describes the ideal fox suburb, usually Tory, with large backgarden and potting shed !

Artikelname: Where to Watch Mammals in Britain and Ireland
Artikelbeschreibung: Britain's mammals are relatively few in number, but include some notoriously hard-to-see, yet wonderfully charismatic species. There can be few people with even a passing interest in wildlife who would not want to see otters, red squirrels, bottle-nosed dolphins or Scottish wildcats. Even commoner species like the badger, roe deer and brown hare can be difficult to see without some specialist knowledge. This new guide provides sites and useful information to enable the reader to find and observe every British and Irish mammal species, including all marine mammals. Taking a species-by-species approach, the accounts give some background detail on the range, population and habits of the species, before providing a list of sites where that species can be seen. As broad a geographic spread as possible is given to maximise the chances of the reader finding a site local to them. The sites are mapped where appropriate, and the text is enlivened by a number of attractive line drawings. Introductory chapters cover general topics such as field-craft, equipment, and relevant legislation and good practice. This is an invaluable guide for anyone who wants to watch wild mammals in Britain and Ireland.

This study focuses on new approaches to the management of wild animals in captivity. This text surveys field and captive studies of animal behaviour, advance in captive breeding, research in physiology, genetics and nutrition, and new thinking in animal management and welfare. Covering every significant scientific, technical and management issue, this resource is aimed at all who work directly with mammals, or who are concerned with their management and conservation.