carnivore

From the ancient Egyptian cat goddess, Bastet, to the prophet Muhammad’s favorite cat, Muezza, and our contemporary obsession with online cat videos, felines have long held a place of honor in their human counterparts’ homes and cultures. But the domestic cat is just one of many feline species, and in The Wild Cat Book cat experts Fiona and Mel Sunquist introduce us to the full panoply of the purring, roaring feline tribe. Illustrated throughout with Terry Whittaker’s spectacular color photographs as well as unique photos from biologists in the field – some the only known images of the species pictured – The Wild Cat Book not only tantalizes with the beauty of cats, but also serves as a valuable and accessible reference on cat behavior and conservation. Comprehensive entries for each of the thirty-seven cat species include color distribution maps and up-to-date information related to the species’ IUCN conservation and management statuses, while informative sidebars reveal why male lions have manes (and why dark manes are sexiest), how cats see with their whiskers, the truth behind our obsession with white lions and tigers, and why cats can’t be vegetarians.
The Wild Cat Book also highlights the grave threats faced by the world’s wild cats – from habitat destruction to human persecution. From the extraordinary acrobatics of the arboreal margay, able to cling to a tree branch by a single paw thanks to its unusually flexible ankles, to modern declines in African lion populations, The Wild Cat Book is an instructive and revealing ode to felines of every size and color. Combining science, behavioral observations, and stunning photography, this book will captivate cat fanciers the world over.

The jaguar is one of the most mysterious and least-known big cats of the world. The largest cat in the Americas, it has survived an onslaught of environmental and human threats partly because of an evolutionary history unique among wild felines, but also because of a power and indomitable spirit so strong, the jaguar has shaped indigenous cultures and the beliefs of early civilizations on two continents. In An Indomitable Beast: The Remarkable Journey of the Jaguar, big-cat expert Alan Rabinowitz shares his own personal journey to conserve a species that, despite its past resilience, is now on a slide toward extinction if something is not done to preserve the pathways it prowls through an ever-changing, ever-shifting landscape dominated by humans. Rabinowitz reveals how he learned from newly available genetic data that the jaguar was a single species connected genetically throughout its entire range from Mexico to Argentina, making it unique among all other large carnivores in the world. In a mix of personal discovery and scientific inquiry, he sweeps his readers deep into the realm of the jaguar, offering fascinating accounts from the field.
Enhanced with maps, tables, and colour plates, An Indomitable Beast brings important new research to life for scientists, anthropologists, and animal lovers alike. This book is not only about jaguars, but also about tenacity and survival. From the jaguar we can learn better strategies for saving other species and also how to save ourselves when faced with immediate and long-term catastrophic changes to our environment.

Reaktion Animal Series. The leopard has commanded respect and awe in mankind for centuries. Here, renowned zoologist Desmond Morris shows all sides of the animal’s character: its athletic elegance, its predatory skill, its wary shyness, its cunning intelligence, its parental devotion and its preference for solitary living. Morris traces the evolution of leopards, their role in circuses, and how we are now making strides in their conservation. He also describes their rich symbolism, and looks at the leopard print in fashion, both haute couture and downmarket, as well as the leopard in art, literature, film and popular culture.

Wolves are considered controversial figures worldwide: mythical creatures as well as troublemakers, conservation efforts on their behalf are often polarizing. In recent years much effort has focused on the discussion of how to conserve large carnivores, such as wolves, while addressing public concerns. Compared with the Grey wolf, little is known about the Maned wolf, the peculiarities of its relationship with local people and the environment, and the reasons for its decline, making research about the species an urgent concern. This book gathers the work of the leading researchers in the field about different aspects of maned wolf conservation (feeding ecology, distribution, people’s attitudes, habitat studies, conservation projects for the species in and ex situ) and also provides innovative perspectives for the future of conservation strategies (education, human dimensions, ethno conservation) worldwide.

This concise yet authoritative handbook describes research methods and techniques for the study and conservation of all terrestrial carnivore species. Techniques for managing the human/carnivore interface are covered in great detail. Descriptions of the latest methodologies are supported by references to case studies, whilst dedicated boxes are used to show how a technique is applied to a specific land cover type, species, or particular socio-economic context. The book describes the most recent advances in modelling the patterns of animal distributions, movements, and use of land cover types, as well as including the most efficient methods to trap, handle, and mark carnivores. This book is unique in its intention to provide practical guidance for carrying out research and conservation of carnivores across all species and areas of the world. Also available in hardcover [stock id 33889].

This book offers the most comprehensive and readable review of their biology, ecology, behaviour, and conservation. With gripping photographs by Lynch, a pre-eminent wildlife photographer, and the personal stories of Derocher, this book is as stunning to look at as it is fascinating to read. It weaves together their remarkable experiences with the latest research to tell the amazing story of these Arctic predators, tracing the animals back to their evolutionary roots and looking ahead to the effect of climate change on their world. Through informative and engaging language, Derocher carefully explains the sea ice ecosystem that is essential to the survival of polar bears. He addresses the threat of global warming to the Arctic-home to polar bears for tens of thousands of years-and describes in impressive detail their feeding habits, distribution, den ecology, and reproduction. Lynch’s vivid photographs capture all this and more as they chronicle the wide range of polar bear behaviour, from family rituals to ferocious predatory practices.