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This volume explores the complexity, diversity and interwoven nature of taxonomic pursuits within the context of explorations of humans and related species. It also pays tribute to Professor Colin Groves, whose work has had an enormous impact on this field. Recent research into that somewhat unique species we call humankind, through the theoretical and conceptual approaches afforded by the discipline of biological anthropology, is showcased. The focus is on the evolution of the human species, the behaviour of primates and other species, and how humans affect the distribution and abundance of other species through anthropogenic impact. Weaving together these three key themes, through the considerable influence of Colin Groves, provides glimpses of how changes in taxonomic theory and methodology, including our fluctuating understanding of speciation, have recrafted the way in which we view animal behaviour, human evolution and conservation studies.
The conservation of the rhinos in southern Africa is described in this account of these fascinating animals, the reasons behind their historical decline, the myths that surround them, and the resurrection of the rhinoceros horn trade. Few animals face as violent, as well organized, and as determined an enemy as the world's rhinos. But across the African continent, they are being slaughtered on a daily basis, and approximately 5,000 black rhinos and 21,000 white rhinos are all that prevent their extinction. This real account of the rhino wars is a harrowing story, underscoring the enormous challenges that lie ahead for conservation in a world where rhino horns sold by the gram raise double the price of gold and are more expensive than cocaine in the end-user Asian markets. Arguing that protecting Africa's rhinos is of utmost importance, it questions the management of natural heritage and implores readers to recognize their role as rhino keepers of the future.
A listing and analysis of 3106 references to the rhinoceros in books and articles.
The 18th century witnessed a new interest in African animals. Research was undertaken at the Cape of Good Hope by explorers whose books, manuscripts and drawings concerning mammals and birds are listed and discussed within this text.;This text gives details on four collections of 300 mammal and bird drawings connected with Levaillant's research. Many examples are illustrated. The zoological contents of the material left by these seven explorers are analyzed for all mammals and birds emphasizing the history, taxonomy, nomenclature and zoogeography.
This volume of newly transcribed letters documents the travels of the Victorian naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace in the Malay Archipelago, during which he famously discovered natural selection independently of Darwin. Vivid with detail, the letters are fully annotated and accompanied by an introduction with a newly reconstructed itinerary.
This lively history “adds a new dimension to our understanding of 18th-century France” by exploring the Parisian fashion of importing exotic animals (American Historical Review). In 1775, a visitor to Laurent Spinacuta’s Grande Ménagerie at the annual winter fair in Paris would have seen two tigers, several kinds of monkeys, an armadillo, an ocelot, and a condor—in all, forty-two live animals. In the streets of the city, one could observe performing elephants and a fighting polar bear. Those looking for unusual pets could purchase parrots, flying squirrels, and capuchin monkeys. The royal menagerie at Versailles displayed lions, cranes, an elephant, a rhinoceros, and a zebra, which ...
An engaging history of the surprising, poignant, and occasionally scandalous stories behind scientific names and their cultural significance, "More fun than you've ever had with taxonomy in your whole entire life!" (Diana Gabaldon, author of the Outlander series and PhD in Quantitative Behavioral Ecology) Ever since Carl Linnaeus's binomial system of scientific names was adopted in the eighteenth century, scientists have been eponymously naming organisms in ways that both honor and vilify their namesakes. This charming, informative, and accessible history examines the fascinating stories behind taxonomic nomenclature, from Linnaeus himself naming a small and unpleasant weed after a rival bot...
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