The Social Lives of Animals
How Co-operation Conquered the Natural World
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
'Any writer who can evoke the existential sadness of a lonely cockroach, or make krill thrilling, or describe a snorkelling colleague being engulfed in a "gargantuan cetacean bum detonation" is a real gift to science communication ... thought-provoking' Guardian
Everything you ever wanted to know about how animals live together, and what that means for us
Some animal societies hold a mirror up to the human world: elephants hold funerals for departed family members. Pinyon jays run collective creches. Rats will go out of their way to help a cold, wet stranger. Other lifestyles can seem intensely alien. Take locusts, surging over the land in their millions, unable to slow down for a moment because the hungry ranks behind will literally bite their legs off if they don't stay one step ahead (actually, you might know a few people like that).
But no matter how offputting an animal might be, behavioural scientist Ashley Ward can usually find something worth celebrating. Travelling the world from the Serengeti to the frozen Antarctic ocean, with stops in the muddy fields and streams of his native northern Yorkshire, he brings his curious eye and infectious humour right down to their level. The result is a world-expanding, myth-busting tour of some of nature's greatest marvels, in delightfully broad-minded company.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Studying animals' social behaviors can provide the "master key" to a better understanding of human society and relationships, according to this quirky survey. Animal behavior researcher Ward (Animal Societies) surveys a complex wild world in which animals lead social lives based on cooperation: they form groups, communicate through specialized vocalizations (coda, a communication method based on clicks for whales, the "signature whistle" for dolphins), and even perform acts of kindness. Living in groups rather than alone, he notes, also comes with crucial benefits for the creatures, namely protection, food, knowledge sharing, and a higher chance of survival. Ward dedicates sections to the "first-class escapologists," Antarctic krills, which are harder to catch because they swarm; blind termites, who build intricate 30-foot-tall shelters for their colony; lions, who have been known to adopt the orphaned young of their prey; and orcas, who often bring food to disabled members of their pod. Ward spotlights some more maligned creatures, too, positioning rats and hyenas as adaptable and intelligent animals that have lessons to share about adaptation and problem-solving. Ward's enthusiasm keeps things moving, and his account is well researched and fascinating as he covers locust swarms, infanticide in chimpanzees, and humbug fish harems. This is catnip for animal enthusiasts.
