What is it like to be a dog, or a chimpanzee, or an ant? How do animals communicate? Why do they play? Can animals feel emotions like empathy and grief? These and many other questions are answered in the Encyclopedia of Animal Behavior, the most authoritative, comprehensive, and accessible resource on the scientific study of animal behavior. Contributors consist of an international group of well-respected animal behavior scholars and authorities from many different disciplines, including biology, psychology, anthropology, sociology, philosophy, veterinary medicine, and religious studies. Entries examine a broad array of different species and behavior patterns, using techniques that range from molecular approaches to the study of behavior to analyses of individuals, populations, species, and ecosystems. Informed by the best and most recent scholarship, entries are written with the lay public in mind, and all material is explained in understandable, jargon-free language. This user-friendly resource will appeal to students and scholars of animal behavior, animal advocates, and anyone with a love for animals.









Over 200 fascinating entries on topics from Friendship in Animals to Communication Behavior in Singing Birds



Over 300 photographs, charts, and diagrams that illustrate aspects of animal behavior



Numerous sidebars on behaviors that help illuminate the more abstract and theoretical concepts



Entries on the usefulness of animal behavior in such careers as conservation biology and animal-assisted therapy in counseling and in hospitals and hospices