You can use your St. Louis County Library card to borrow titles from these partner libraries:
1 of 1 copy available
Blending cutting-edge science with personal anecdotes, a wildlife expert explores the mysteries of animal behavior in this “thoroughly enjoyable and informative read” for animal and nature lovers (Booklist).
Why are some cats outgoing and others standoffish? Why are some dogs adventuresome and others homebodies? As any pet owner can attest, we feel that the animals we've formed bonds with are unique—as particular (and peculiar) as any friend or loved one. But is there any scientific basis for this feeling, or are we just projecting our complicated human ideas onto the animal world?
It turns out that science has been reluctant to even broach the subject of individuality in the animal kingdom. But now, a fundamental shift in scientific understanding is underway as mainstream scientists begin to accept the notion that animals of all kinds—from apes and birds to crabs and spiders—do indeed have individual personalities.
In Mousy Cats and Sheepish Coyotes, veteran wildlife expert Dr. John Shivik brings us stories from the frontlines of this exciting new research. Researchers are finding that each wolf, bear, and coyote has a different tendency to follow its predatory nature or to shyly avoid conflicts. Some bluebirds are lovers, others are fighters. Some water striders are passive, others bellicose. Unique personalities can be discovered in every corner of the animal kingdom. Even microscopic organisms can exhibit unique tendencies. The array of personality types among all species is only beginning to be described and understood. As Shivik argues, individuality in animals is important not only for the human-animal bond, but also for evolution, adaption, and species diversity in the wild.
-
Creators
-
Publisher
-
Release date
November 7, 2017 -
Formats
-
Kindle Book
-
OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9780807071526
- File size: 605 KB
-
EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9780807071526
- File size: 605 KB
-
-
Languages
- English
-
Reviews
-
October 1, 2017
Biologist Shivik (The Predator Paradox) shares how he discovered that animals have distinct personalities and don't simply operate by instinct, as he was taught as a graduate student. Individuals within a single species, such as western bluebirds, range from aggressive to passive; meanwhile, mosquitofish can be adventurers or homebodies. The author explains that coyotes can be both predator and prey, with behaviors that identify them with either type. Some spiders are loners, while others of the same species prefer to live in groups, dependent on their surroundings. Shivik shares experiments performed by many researchers, along with their results, to demonstrate how spiders, fish, and birds, among others, have varying personalities, and how these characteristics are adaptive to different and changing environmental conditions. For another work on the interior lives of animals, see Carl Safina's Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel. VERDICT A fascinating, accessible, and well-documented work that will be enjoyed by those interested in animal behavior and anyone who has ever had a pet with personality to spare.--Sue O'Brien, Downers Grove P.L., IL
Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
-
October 1, 2017
Federal researcher and wildlife expert Shivik uses his considerable prowess as a storyteller to delve deeply into the blossoming field of animal-personality research. As anyone with a beloved pet can attest, animals have personalities as unique as humans'. Shy, cranky, happy, or crafty, animals of all shapes, sizes, and species exhibit characteristics of thinking and feeling sentient beings. In this often laugh-out-loud-funny work, Shivik explores both legitimate and anecdotal evidence that supports the notion that all animals have individual personalitiesfrom chickens to lizards to insects, oh my! Set against the backdrop of his travels around the globe in search of animal truths, Shivik's book often references his own relationships (of the love and hate variety) with the animals in his life. Front and center is a cat he grew to love, Pinguino. A character in his own right with a serious personality and undisputed individuality, Pinguinoleaps off the page, as does the pride and prejudice of many of the cast of animal characters Shivik introduces to us. A thoroughly enjoyable and informative read.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)
-