Publisher Description

Covering all thirteen species of wild cattle, Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour of Wild Cattle brings together the contributions of international leading experts on the biology, evolution, conservation status and management of the tribe Bovini, providing: • A comprehensive review of current knowledge on systematic, anatomy and ecology of all wild cattle species (chapters 1 to 8); • A clear understanding of the conservation status of each species and the gaps in our current knowledge (chapters 9 to 20); • A number of case studies on conservation activities and an investigation of some of the most threatened and poorly understood species (chapters 21 to 27). An invaluable resource for students, researchers, and professionals in behavioural ecology, evolutionary biology and conservation biology, this beautifully illustrated reference work reveals the extraordinary link between wild cattle and humans, the benefits some of these species have brought us, and their key roles in their natural ecosystems.

Author Biography

Mario Melletti is an independent researcher. For more than a decade he has been studying the ecology and behaviour of the forest buffalo, spending more than two years in a remote area in the Dzanga-Ndoki National Park, in the Central African Republic. He has obtained a PhD in animal ecology from the University of Rome in collaboration with the Department of Conservation Biology of Seville. He has collaborated on several projects and surveys on both mammals and birds. He is also a reviewer of many peer reviewed international journals. James Burton is Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission's Asian Wild Cattle Specialist Group, leading a group of volunteer experts to monitor the status of, and facilitate conservation planning and action for, the nine wild cattle and buffalo species in Asia. Since 2000 he has worked on the conservation of the Anoa (Bubalus species) in Indonesia, including a PhD from the University of Edinburgh. He has conducted distribution surveys, ecological studies and population genetic research on a range of mammal species. He is currently Senior Research Manager (Oman) at the Earthwatch Institute.

Table of Contents

Dedication; List of contributors; Foreword Simon Stuart; Acknowledgements; Introduction Mario Melletti and James Burton; Part I. Systematic, Ecology and Domestication: 1. Systematic and evolution of Bovini Alexandre Hassanin; 2. Bovini as keystone species and landscape architects Herbert H. T. Prins and Herman van Oeveren; 3. Domestic cattle and buffaloes Johannes A. Lenstra, Marleen Felius and Bert Theunissen; Part II. Evolution, Anatomy and Function: 4. The evolution and skeletal anatomy of wild cattle (Bovini) Kris Kovarovic and Robert S. Scott; 5. Bovine mammary anatomy and function R. Michael Akers, Anthony V. Capuco and Stephen C. Nickerson; 6. The digestive system of ruminants, and peculiarities of (wild) cattle Marcus Clauss and Reinhold R. Hofmann; 7. Anatomy and evolution of teeth James Heywood; 8. Evolution, development, and functional role of horns in cattle Edward Byrd Davis, Katherine A. Brakora and Kelsey Tull Stilson; Part III. Species Accounts: 9. American bison (Bison bison Linnaeus, 1758) Glenn E. Plumb, P. J. White and Keith Aune; 10. European bison (Bison bonasus Linnaeus, 1758) Magorzata Krasiska, Zbigniew A. Krasiski, Kajetan Perzanowski and Wanda Olech; 11. Gaur (Bos gaurus C. H. Smith, 1827) Farshid S. Ahrestani and K. Ullas Karanth; 12. Wild Yak (Bos mutus Przewalski, 1883) Jianlin Han; 13. Banteng (Bos javanicus) Penny C. Gardner, Satyawan Pudyatmoko, Naris Bhumpakphan, Marnoch Yindee, Datuk Laurentius N. Ambu and Benoit Goossens; 14. Kouprey (Bos sauveli A. Urbain, 1937) Mario Melletti, Alexandre Hassanin and Marzia Mirabile; 15. Aurochs (Bos primigenius Bojanus, 1827) T. van Vuure; 16. Wild water buffalo (Bubalus arnee Kerr, 1792 (=Bubalus bubalis Linn)) Anwaruddin Choudhury and J. Stuart F. Barker; 17. Anoas (Bubalus depressicornis, C. H. Smith, 1827; Bubalus quarlesi, Ouwens, 1910) Philip M. Wheeler, Abdul Haris Mustari and James Burton; 18. Tamaraw (Bubalus mindorensis Heude, 1888) Merben R. Cebrian, Rodel M. Boyles, Josefina L. de Leon and James Burton; 19. Saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis Vu Van Dung et al., 1993) William Robichaud, Barney Long, Luong Viet Hung, Van Ngoc Thinh and Le Ngoc Tuan; 20. African buffalo (Syncerus caffer Sparrman, 1779) Daniel Cornélis, Mario Melletti, Lisa Korte, Sadie J. Ryan, Marzia Mirabile, Thomas Prin and Herbert H. T. Prins; Part IV. Conservation and Management: 21. What is a wild bison? A case study of plains bison conservation in Canada C. Cormack Gates; 22. The case study: the restitution of the wisent bison bonasus to the Carpathians Kajetan Perzanowski and Wanda Olech; 23. Capture and translocation of gaur (Bos gaurus gaurus) in India Parag Nigam, Sankar Kalyansundaram, Dave Cooper, Les Carlisle and Harbhajan Singh Pabla; 24. Status and management of the endangered wild water buffalo (Bubalus arnee) in the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Nepal Ram Chandra Kandel, J. Stuart F. Barker and Mario Melletti; 25. Genetic structure of the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) at continental and population scales: an evolutionary and conservation approach Nathalie Smitz, Daniel Cornélis, Philippe Chardonnet, Ettore Randi and Johan Michaux; 26. Livestock and buffalo (Syncerus caffer) interfaces in Africa: ecology of disease transmission and implications for conservation and development Richard Kock, Michael Kock, Michel de Garine-Wichatitsky, Philippe Chardonnet and Alexandre Caron; 27. Ex situ conservation of wild cattle: roles, status, management successes and challenges Daniel C. de Man; References; Index.

Review

'All of us are familiar with domestic cattle, buffalo, bison, and yaks, but the other species of wild cattle are mostly known only to people who live near them in Asia. This book brings all of them to life by telling us everything known about each of these species from Anoas to Tamaraws. The species accounts are comprehensive and exhaustive, making this a one-stop source for each of the recognized species of wild cattle and relatives. The remainder of the volume is a treasure trove of information about every aspect of the biology of this important group, providing a critical information base for future conservation actions. With most of the wild forms now listed as threatened or endangered to some extent, the information provided here will become ever more critical in helping to ensure their continued existence.' Don E. Wilson, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution
'Wild cattle are rarely ranked as conservation priority, their 'familiar' appearance perhaps lacking the thrill of the wilderness. We've failed to appreciate the important ecological functions of these magnificent animals in their natural environment and have allowed their domesticated surrogates to spread all over the world. Instead, wild cattle are fierce animals, magnificent elements of some of the most threatened natural habitats on earth. This landmark book presents, compellingly, that all twelve extant species of wild cattle deserve immediate conservation attention and renewed efforts to build up their wild populations. Melletti and Burton have done a fantastic job at bringing together the best experts on these species and summarizing the key facts of the species' biology and conservation status. The irreversible loss of the now extinct auroch warns us against any further extinction and this book provides all information needed to protect wild cattle from further human impacts.' Luigi Boitani, University of Rome 'La Sapienza', Italy
'I welcome this publication as a much-needed resource which, for the first time, will provide fundamental information for all thirteen species of wild cattle and help to guide targeted conservation action. I feel greatly encouraged that this book represents the determination, skills and dedication of international experts who have contributed their invaluable knowledge and research to enable it to be written. As with so many of the world's species faced with threats to their long-term existence, the future of the surviving twelve wild cattle species will depend on reconciling the needs of people and nature in order to find pragmatic solutions that balance human population growth and expansion with the needs of wildlife and ecosystems. I congratulate the editors and authors for producing a magnificent and definitive piece of work which will surely be the 'Bible' for wild cattle for many years to come.' Simon Stuart, Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission

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A beautifully illustrated reference work on the biology, evolution, conservation and management of all thirteen species of wild cattle.

Review Quote

"Wild cattle are rarely ranked as conservation priority, their 'familiar' appearance perhaps lacking the thrill of the wilderness. We've failed to appreciate the important ecological functions of these magnificent animals in their natural environment and have allowed their domesticated surrogates to spread all over the world. Instead, wild cattle are fierce animals, magnificent elements of some of the most threatened natural habitats on earth. This landmark book presents, compellingly, that all twelve extant species of wild cattle deserve immediate conservation attention and renewed efforts to build up their wild populations. Melletti and Burton have done a fantastic job at bringing together the best experts on these species and summarizing the key facts of the species' biology and conservation status. The irreversible loss of the now extinct auroch warns us against any further extinction and this book provides all information needed to protect wild cattle from further human impacts." Luigi Boitani, University of Rome 'La Sapienza', Italyi, University of Rome 'La Sapienza', Italyi, University of Rome 'La Sapienza', Italyi, University of Rome 'La Sapienza', Italy

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A beautifully illustrated reference work on the biology, evolution, conservation and management of all thirteen species of wild cattle.

Description for Bookstore

A beautifully illustrated reference work on the biology, ecology, conservation status and management of all thirteen species of wild cattle and buffalo. This book will be a valuable resource for students, researchers, and professionals in animal behaviour, behavioural ecology, evolutionary biology and conservation biology.

Description for Library

A beautifully illustrated reference work on the biology, ecology, conservation status and management of all thirteen species of wild cattle and buffalo. This book will be a valuable resource for students, researchers, and professionals in animal behaviour, behavioural ecology, evolutionary biology and conservation biology.

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