Spirit of the Wild Dog: The world of wolves, coyotes, foxes, jackals and dingoes

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

From the grey wolf to the dingo, the South American bush dog to the whistling hunter, wild dogs have been free spirits on every continent except Antarctica and have thrived in all environments - the hottest and driest parts of Africa and Australia, the wettest forests of New Guinea and South America and the coldest parts of the Arctic Circle. This is an up-to-date and accessible account of the skills, personalities and lifestyles of these dogs. Lesley Rogers and Gisela Kaplan, both researchers in animal behaviour, trace the ancestry and habitats of a vast range of canine species, and discuss how much of their spirit lives on in our pet dogs. The book takes us on an exploration of how wild dogs behave, communicate, socialise, mate and hunt. It also provides insights into the extraordinary group coherence of wild dogs, their faithfulness and intelligence, and their ability to learn, remember and solve problems. While humans have long lived with, worked with, loved and nurtured pet dogs, we have a love/hate relationship with their relatives in the wild. The book discusses this and brings into question the future of the wild dog. Their numbers have been declining rapidly and many relatives of our best friend face extinction unless action is taken. Including photographs of dogs in their natural habitats, this is an account of the intriguing world of these admirable animals.

Author Bio

Gisela Kaplan and Lesley Rogers are both professors at the University of New England, They have conducted joint research in the field of animal behaviour for many years and have published both scientific papers and books together, including the highly acclaimed book The Orang Utans and the equally popular Songs, Roars and Rituals. Both have been influenced profoundly by their field research, observing birds, apes and dogs in their natural habitats.