Island Elephants offers a rare insight into the Critically Endangered Sumatran elephant and the urgent steps being taken to secure its future in the wild. Beginning with a unique excursion into the world of elephants before developing into a detailed compilation of the latest biological research and monitoring, and best practice conservation methodologies, Island Elephant provides an in depth, highly researched approach to the protection of the Critically Endangered Sumatran elephant in its natural habitat.

Caught in a storm, Elephant washes up on a tiny island. Along comes Mouse in a little dingy and Elephant steps aboard . . . uh-oh! They use the wreckage to make the island bigger. And here's Dog--can this boat take Elephant's weight? Uh-oh! None of the animals can save the shipwrecked Elephant but each broken vessel provides new materials for another intricate construction. Wheels and pulleys create a Ferris wheel, an elevator, a waffle maker. Soon there is a whole community and enough space for everyone! As in any Leo Timmers picture book, Elephant Island has many layers of discovery. Each new building is a magical fun park packed with mechanical detail and busy animals all working together.

EVOLUTION OF ISLAND MAMMALS Evolution on islands differs in a number of important ways from evolution on mainland areas. Over millions of years of isolation, exceptional and sometimes bizarre mammals evolved on islands, such as pig-sized elephants and hippos, giant rats and gorilla-sized lemurs that would have been formidable to their mainland ancestors. Evolution of Island Mammals, Second Edition, provides an updated and expanded overview of the current knowledge on fossil island mammals worldwide, ranging from the Oligocene to the onset of the Holocene. The book addresses evolutionary processes and key aspects of insular mammal biology, exemplified by a variety of fossil species. Readers familiar with the first edition will find here a host of updated and enhanced material, including: An entirely new chapter on the island rule Updated and expanded theoretical chapters Updated and improved taxonomic information Extensive coverage of new discoveries Body masses or body size indices for most extinct island mammals New figures visualizing the richness of the fossil record This accessible and richly illustrated textbook is written for graduate level students and professional researchers in evolutionary biology, palaeontology, biogeography, zoology, and ecology.

The Teardrop Island follows in the footsteps of the eccentric Victorian James Emerson Tennent, along a route which takes Cherry to pilgrimage trails, tea estates, and rural regions inhabited by indigenous tribes, and through areas of the former warzone, delving under the surface of the contemporary culture via cricket matches and fortune tellers.

The Living Elephants is the authoritative resource for information on both Asian and African elephants. From the ancient origins of the proboscideans to the present-day crisis of the living elephants, this volume synthesizes the behavior, ecology and conservation of elephants, while covering also the history of human interactions with elephants, all within the theoretical framework of evolutionary biology. The book begins with a survey of the 60-million year evolutionary history of the proboscideans emphasizing the role of climate and vegetation change in giving rise to a bewildering array of species, but also discussing the possible role of humans in the late Pleistocene extinction of mastodonts and mammoths. The latest information on the molecular genetics of African and Asian elephants and its taxonomic implications are then presented. The rise of the elephant culture in Asia, and its early demise in Africa are traced along with an original interpretation of this unique animal-human relationship. The book then moves on to the social life of elephants as it relates to reproductive strategies of males and females, development of behavior in young, communication, ranging patterns, and societal organization. The foraging strategies of elephants, their impact on the vegetation and landscape are then discussed. The dynamics of elephant populations in relation to hunting for ivory and their population viability are described with the aid of mathematical models. A detailed account of elephant-human interactions includes a treatment of crop depredation by elephants in relation to their natural ecology, manslaughter by elephants, habitat manipulation by humans, and a history of the ivory trade and poaching in the two continents. The ecological information is brought together in the final chapter to formulate a set of pragmatic recommendations for the long-term conservation of elephants. The broadest treatment of the subject yet undertaken, by one of the leading workers in the field, Raman Sukumar, the book promises to bring the understanding of elephants to a new level. It should be of interest not only to biologists but also a broader audience including field ecologists, wildlife administrators, historians, conservationists and all those interested in elephants and their future.

Traces the history of elephants, describes their behavior and characteristics, and looks at their influence on various cultures.

Amazing photographs of elephants accompany narratives from researchers, scientists, and conservationists celebrating elephants and calling for their preservation African savanna elephants--among the most magnificent and beloved of our fellow mammals--are an extraordinary, social, and intelligent species. The Last Elephants, an homage to these animals and a clarion call for their preservation, is based upon a shocking finding: savanna elephant populations across Africa are being decimated, with two to three murdered every hour for their ivory. Without action, these elephants soon will vanish from our world. They are a species in imminent danger of extinction, and it is up to us to save them. Featuring more than 250 full-color photos of the breathtaking animals by some of the world's top wildlife photographers, The Last Elephants was inspired by the devastating results of the continent-wide Great Elephant Census of 2016, undertaken by Elephants without Borders in tandem with the world's most prominent conservation groups. The book joins together the voices and vision of scientists, lawmakers, rangers, conservationists, and on-the-ground researchers to speak out against elephant killings, to close loopholes in international law that allow the ivory trade to continue, and to pay tribute to the thousands who work to protect the animals, including African communities who have elected to preserve and protect their elephant neighbors. Offering both profiles of preservation plans that work and hope for elephants' future, this is a must-read for everyone concerned for the future of one of Earth's most captivating species.