From the Romans who viewed the hedgehog as a weather prophet to modern gardeners who depend on the creature to keep gardens pest-free, the small, spiny animal has had a close connection with humans since the dawn of civilization. A creature of fascination, endearment, and cultural significance, it is one of the few wild animals that people can approach without the fear of attack or it running away. Exploring how this and other characteristics of the hedgehog have propelled it to become one of people s favorite animals, this book examines the natural and cultural history of these symbolic...

The sleek, spotted leopard may be the smallest of the big cats, but its ferocity and solitary style makes lions and tigers seem puny in comparison. Lacking the social mentality of other animals, the leopard is stealthy and selfish, ambushing its prey and carrying it high into a tree where it can dine alone. Humans call leopards the "perfect predator." In Leopard, renowned zoologist Desmond Morris seeks to show all sides of the cat, delving into the fascinating history of these incredible animals.

Morris examines the leopard's athletic elegance, predatory skill, wary shyness, and...

From Three Billy Goats Gruff to The Men Who Stare at Goats, this inimitable ruminant has long played a role in our literature and popular culture. And yet, our relationship with the poor man s cow is oddly ambivalent. In the beautifully illustrated Goat, Joy Hinson explores the reason behind this unease while presenting readers with the animal s fascinating natural history and its effect on myth, medicine, and culture.
Hinson traces the history of goats from their evolution millions of years ago through their domestication and role in the modern world. She delves into our...

With unique fish-like tails, chainsaw teeth, a pungent musk, and astonishing building skills, beavers are unlike any other creature in the world. Not surprisingly, the extraordinary beaver has played a fascinating role in human history and has inspired a rich cultural tradition for millennia.In Beaver, Rachel Poliquin explores four exceptional beaver features: beaver musk, beaver fur, beaver architecture, and beaver ecology, tracing the long evolutionary history of the two living species and revealing them to be survivors capable of withstanding ice ages, major droughts, and all...

Stoic, regal, and formidable in size and strength, the bison has long epitomized the American West. Perhaps this is even more so because we have, in our avarice, nearly destroyed them all, and are now seeking to restore their populations. From spiritual figure to abused resource to powerful symbol of wildlife preservation, the bison is a microcosm of the West itself, and in this book, renowned zoologist Desmond Morris tells its fascinating story from the first evidence of its fossil record two million years ago all the way up to today.

Exploring the bison's evolution and habitat, Morris...

Guinea pigs are one of the world s most popular pets small, friendly, easy to care for, and unbearably cute. We have felt this way for a long time: guinea pigs were first domesticated in 5000 B.C.E. Since then they have inspired historical figures ranging from the scientist William Harvey to the artists Jan Brueghel and Beatrix Potter. In this book, Dorothy Yamamoto offers the first in-depth treatment of this cuddly little creature over the several millennia it has been a part of our lives.
Yamamoto examines the role guinea pigs have today as pets but also looks back to less loving times...

Ancient and strange, beetles call to mind a lost world of Egyptian magic and belief--a reminder of the fascination they've long held for human culture. In Beetle, Adam Dodd offers a richly illustrated, engaging account of the natural and cultural history of the beetle, from its origins more than two hundred and fifty million years ago to the present, when its anatomy is inspiring cutting-edge developments in cybernetics. Along the way, Dodd explores the incredible variety of beetles on earth--there are more than 350,000 species--and their amazing ability to exploit nature's niches. He...

Playful and inquisitive, seals have long been interested in humans--and humans have reciprocated that interest, falling for their beauty, grace, and charm as they frolic alongside our boats or loll on sandy shores. In this newest entry in the Animal series, Victoria Dickenson traces the history of our interaction with these beautiful, fascinating swimmers, from the centuries of hunting--in which people killed countless seals for their skin, oil, and meat--to the present, when the white-furred baby seal has become one of the most potent symbols of the need for ecological conservation. Along...

Known as heralds of spring and beautiful, elegant flyers, swallows are among the most beloved of familiar birds. Because they return with the spring, swallows, as Angela Turner explains, have long been associated with the renewal of life, love, fidelity, and fertility, while their ability to travel incredible distances has given them associations with freedom and speed. That freedom, however, hasn't kept them from becoming familiar figures in towns and cities. They often seem to even seek out human company--for example, barn swallows are known for nesting in our buildings and purple martins...