Overview

An engaging exploration of the wondrous social webs that permeate life in animal societies around the world. It's all about who you know. Whether vampire bats sharing blood meals for survival, field crickets remembering champion fighters, macaque monkeys forming grooming pacts after a deadly hurricane, or great tit birds learning the best way to steal milk—it pays to be well connected. In this tour of the animal kingdom, evolutionary biologist Lee Alan Dugatkin reveals a new field of study, uncovering social networks that existed long before the dawn of human social media. He accessibly describes the latest findings from animal behavior, evolution, computer science, psychology, anthropology, genetics, and neurobiology, and incorporates interviews and insights from researchers he finds swimming with manta rays, avoiding pigeon poop, and stopping monkeys from stealing iPads. With Dugatkin as our guide, we investigate social networks in giraffes, elephants, kangaroos, Tasmanian devils, whales, bats, and more. From animal networks in Australia and Asia to Africa, Europe, and the Americas, The Well-Connected Animal is an eye-opening exposé of wild friends, enemies, and everything in between.

Full Product Details

9780226818788

Table of Contents

Reviews

"“One of the most talented biologists of our time lends fascinating insight into the most important part of our existence. By exploring the origins of our social connections, Dugatkin uncovers a world of cooperation, communication, and bonding in the animal kingdom that ultimately leads to ours. A beautifully written adventure into the secrets of the natural world.” -- Brian Hare, coauthor of ""The Genius of Dogs"" “For many years, Dugatkin has been one of my 'go-to-guys' for learning about cutting edge research in animal behavior. The Well-Connected Animal is yet another one of his extremely thoughtful books, this time outlining what we know about social networks in diverse species, how the research is conducted, and where future studies should best focus. I’m sure many will be pleasantly surprised by the flexible, intricate, and varied social networks that many nonhumans form and use in their daily lives.” -- Marc Bekoff, author of ""Dogs Demystified"" and ""The Emotional Lives of Animals"" “Long before the invention of Facebook and Twitter, animals discovered the value and peril of social networking. With engaging prose and sweeping scope, The Well-Connected Animal explores the intricate interactions that characterize animal societies and the equally compelling story of the scientists who study them.” -- Jonathan B. Losos, author of ""The Cat’s Meow"" and ""Improbable Destinies"" “Scrupulously scientific but highly accessible. . . . A stunningly provocative reflection.” -- David P. Barash * Wall Street Journal, on ""Power in the Wild"" * “Sparkling. . . . A parable of the lessons that can emerge from unfettered science, if we have the courage to let it unfold.” -- Marlene Zuk * New York Times Book Review, on ""How to Tame a Fox (and Build a Dog)"" *"

Author Information

Lee Alan Dugatkin is an evolutionary biologist and historian of science in the Department of Biology at the University of Louisville. Among his many books, he is coauthor of How to Tame a Fox (and Build a Dog) and the author of Power in the Wild, both also published by the University of Chicago Press.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available