The Living Elephants
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| |||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Review
'It is almost 25 years since he started his work with elephants, but his enthusiasm for pachyderms has obviously not dimmed. When he talks about elephants, he captivates everyone with his excitement: facts, figures and elephant anecdotes fly out of his mouth with no discernible pauses for breath.' (The Guardian )
Product Description
The Living Elephants is the authoritative resource for information on both Asian and African elephants. From the ancient origins of the proboscideans to the present-day crisis of the living elephants, this volume synthesizes the behavior, ecology and conservation of elephants, while covering also the history of human interactions with elephants, all within the theoretical framework of evolutionary biology. The book begins with a survey of the 60-million year evolutionary history of the proboscideans emphasizing the role of climate and vegetation change in giving rise to a bewildering array of species, but also discussing the possible role of humans in the late Pleistocene extinction of mastodonts and mammoths. The latest information on the molecular genetics of African and Asian elephants and its taxonomic implications are then presented. The rise of the elephant culture in Asia, and its early demise in Africa are traced along with an original interpretation of this unique animal-human relationship. The book then moves on to the social life of elephants as it relates to reproductive strategies of males and females, development of behavior in young, communication, ranging patterns, and societal organization. The foraging strategies of elephants, their impact on the vegetation and landscape are then discussed. The dynamics of elephant populations in relation to hunting for ivory and their population viability are described with the aid of mathematical models. A detailed account of elephant-human interactions includes a treatment of crop depredation by elephants in relation to their natural ecology, manslaughter by elephants, habitat manipulation by humans, and a history of the ivory trade and poaching in the two continents. The ecological information is brought together in the final chapter to formulate a set of pragmatic recommendations for the long-term conservation of elephants. The broadest treatment of the subject yet undertaken, by one of the leading workers in the field, Raman Sukumar, the book promises to bring the understanding of elephants to a new level. It should be of interest not only to biologists but also a broader audience including field ecologists, wildlife administrators, historians, conservationists and all those interested in elephants and their future.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
First Sentence
The evolution of elephants and related forms, collectively known as the proboscideans, is one of the better-recorded tales of mammalian evolution. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
The evolution of elephants and related forms, collectively known as the proboscideans, is one of the better-recorded tales of mammalian evolution. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organise and find favourite items. |
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Science & Nature > Biological Sciences > Animal Sciences > Behaviour
- Books > Science & Nature > Biological Sciences > Animal Sciences > Mammals
- Books > Science & Nature > Biological Sciences > Evolution
- Books > Science & Nature > Environment & Ecology > Conservation
- Books > Science & Nature > Nature > Wild Animals > By Region > Africa
- Books > Science & Nature > Nature > Wild Animals > By Region > Asia
- Books > Science & Nature > Nature > Wild Animals > Mammals
- Books > Scientific, Technical & Medical > Environment > Environmental Conservation
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
