Chimpanzees of the Lakeshore
Chimpanzees are humanity's closest living relations and are of enduring interest to a range of sciences, from anthropology to zoology. In the West, many know of the pioneering work of Jane Goodall, whose studies of these apes at Gombe in Tanzania are justly famous. Less well-known, but equally important, are the studies carried out by Toshisada Nishida on the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika. Comparison between the two sites yields both notable similarities and startling contrasts. Nishida has written a comprehensive synthesis of his work on the behavior and ecology of the chimpanzees of the Mahale Mountains. With topics ranging from individual development to population-specific behavioral patterns, it reveals the complexity of social life, from male struggles for dominant status to female travails in raising offspring. Richly illustrated, the author blends anecdotes with powerful data to explore the fascinating world of the chimpanzees of the lakeshore.
- Written by one of the world's foremost experts on chimpanzee behaviour, who has spent over 45 years studying these fascinating animals
- Explores research at one of the oldest and most important primate study sites
- Provides a valuable introduction to a broad range of topics in chimpanzee behaviour
Reviews & endorsements
"This book is a compendium of 45 years of chimpanzee research, given in the words of probably the most experienced field researcher the species has ever known. Essential."
J.E. Grinnell for Choice Magazine
"Chimpanzees of the Lakeshore is his swansong to a long and illustrious career, a memoir of sorts written in the form of an accessibly written and very informative monograph about the chimpanzees of the Mahale. It is also a good read for any student interested in primate field studies, and for colleagues interested in gaining some insight into this man and his perspectives on research, career, and life in the field."
Craig B. Stanford, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, American Journal of Physical Anthropology
Product details
January 2012Paperback
9781107601789
340 pages
228 × 152 × 17 mm
0.57kg
135 b/w illus. 30 colour illus. 8 tables
Available
Table of Contents
- Foreword Frans de Waal
- Preface
- Introduction
- 1. At the beginning
- 2. Food and feeding behaviour
- 3. Growth and development
- 4. Play and exploration
- 5. Communication as culture
- 6. Female life histories
- 7. Sexual strategies
- 8. Male political strategies
- 9. Culture
- 10. Conservation and the future
- Postscript
- Acknowledgements
- References
- Index.