Science Times Book of Mammals Book

As do all the books in the Science Times series, this volume collects articles by award- winning Times journalists, carefully organized so that each builds upon the principles gleaned in the preceding article. The result is a well-rounded presentation of current theories and facts, which provides the reader with the knowledge to grasp fundamental truths about the way our world works. In this book mammals are explored, a group of animals of which we are but one subspecies. In order of ascending brain power, the book reveals the bizarre behaviors of the rarest of creatures and little-known facts about common animals, from naked mole rats that colonize like bees and the two-foot-tall Himalayan flying squirrel, thought to be extinct, to the randy peacekeeping practices of bonobo chimpanzees of Zaire and the brutal and cunning courtship of dolphins, who depend on an exceedingly complicated social structure to get the job done. Startling discoveries of odd animals include male bats who lactate and a giant, man-size sloth that may still exist in the Amazon rain forest. Chapters elucidate, among other wonders, surprisingly cowardly lions and other cat relatives; returning wolves - including the landmark journalism on their reintroduction to Yellowstone Park - and their cousins foxes, hyenas, and African wild dogs; seafaring mammals including the placid manatees and disappearing right whales; primates; and, finally, a look at ourselves and how we relate to others in our mammalian class in regard to parenting, play, aggression, emotionality, sociability, and more. With the wonderful illustrations that originally appeared with the articles, and introductions to each chapter by Nicholas Wade, who guides readers through the maze of mammals, this book will fascinate naturalists, biologists, animal lovers, and students.