The diminishing population of African and Asian elephants can be compared to the extinction of other elephant-like species, such as mammoths and mastodonts, which occurred more than ten thousand years ago. The purpose of this book is to use the ecology and behavior of modern elephants to create models for reconstructing the life and death of extinct mammoths and mastodonts. The source of the models is a long-term and continuing study of elephants in Zimbabwe, Africa. These models are clearly described with respect to the anatomical, behavioral, and ecological similarities between past and present proboscideans. The implications of these similarities on the life and death of mammoths and mastodonts is explored in detail. The importance of this book is primarily its unifying perspective on living and extinct proboscideans: the fossil record is closely examined and compared to the natural history of surviving elephants. Dr. Haynes's studies of the places where African elephants die (so-called elephant burial grounds) are unique.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"...well written, with illustrations and tables provided to support important conclusions. The bibliography alone is an excellent resource, and many researchers will use the information on growth patterns and age determination provided in the appendix. This book does not purport to solve the mystery of late Pleistocene extinction. It does offer a reasonable scenario for mammoth extinction that is consistent with the wealth of new information provided concerning modern elephant behavior and mortality." Paul Koch, Science
"...an enthralling book which anyone interested in elephants or mammoths will enjoy." S.K. Eltringham, Times Higher Education Supplement
"The scholarly title obscures the real topic. In fact, this volume is a brilliant murder mystery." Scientific American
"Haynes's observations on behavior and mortality of African elephants under different conditions of environmental stress, collected with the fossil record in mind, are a unique and extremely valuable contribution." American Anthropology
"...condenses a huge amount of factual information, thus making it indispensable for vertebrate biologists, paleontologists, archaeologists, and anyone interested in the life and death (and probably impending doom) of one of nature's remarkable giants..." Quarterly Review of Biology
"...interesting, clearly written, and based on extensive personal observations, as well as a survey of the pertinent literature...demonstrates the advantage of carrying out field studies on modern elephants when interpreting mammoth and mastadon bone deposits: the present can indeed be a useful key to the past." C.R. Harrington, Global Biodiversity
"...does a superb job bringing his actualistic studies to bear on the interpretation of archaeological and paleontological sites...[a] great wealth of data, ideas, and thoughtful and provocative interpretations that amply reward readers...." David J. Meltzer, Geoarchaeology: An International Journal
"...Because of ongoing research and much current interest in issues and disciplines touched by this volume, it appearance is extraordinarily timely." Jeffrey J. Saunders, Plains Anthropologist
"...an enthralling book which anyone interested in elephants or mammoths will enjoy." S.K. Eltringham, Times Higher Education Supplement
"The scholarly title obscures the real topic. In fact, this volume is a brilliant murder mystery." Scientific American
"Haynes's observations on behavior and mortality of African elephants under different conditions of environmental stress, collected with the fossil record in mind, are a unique and extremely valuable contribution." American Anthropology
"...condenses a huge amount of factual information, thus making it indispensable for vertebrate biologists, paleontologists, archaeologists, and anyone interested in the life and death (and probably impending doom) of one of nature's remarkable giants..." Quarterly Review of Biology
"...interesting, clearly written, and based on extensive personal observations, as well as a survey of the pertinent literature...demonstrates the advantage of carrying out field studies on modern elephants when interpreting mammoth and mastadon bone deposits: the present can indeed be a useful key to the past." C.R. Harrington, Global Biodiversity
"...does a superb job bringing his actualistic studies to bear on the interpretation of archaeological and paleontological sites...[a] great wealth of data, ideas, and thoughtful and provocative interpretations that amply reward readers...." David J. Meltzer, Geoarchaeology: An International Journal
"...Because of ongoing research and much current interest in issues and disciplines touched by this volume, it appearance is extraordinarily timely." Jeffrey J. Saunders, Plains Anthropologist
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
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A comprehensive study of proboscidean kill sites,
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This review is from: Mammoths, Mastodonts, and Elephants: Biology, Behavior and the Fossil Record (Paperback)
Gary Haynes has done marvelous research in the study of known-cause elephant death sites and has used this research to present a very logical comparison to pre-historic proboscidean remains. This book is a "must read" for anyone interested in mammoths and the various extinction theories.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
Today there are only two genera in the order Proboscidea: Loxodonta (the African elephant) and Elephas (the Asian elephant). Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
elephant limb bones, fractured limb bones, fusion scheduling, proboscidean taxa, proboscidean bones, mammoth bone assemblages, tusk girths, cull sites, mastodont bones, next oldest female, cull sample, trample marks, extinct proboscideans, bone representation, carcass utilization, gnaw damage, tusk tips, modern elephants, actualistic studies, enamel loops, young matriarchs, drought refuges, female mammoths, flaked bones, archeological assemblages Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Shabi Shabi, North America, Hwange National Park, Zoological Institute, United States, Academy of Sciences, Boney Spring, Hot Springs, Upper Paleolithic, New World, Blackwater Draw, Lamb Spring, Murray Springs, South America, Zoological Museum, New Mexico, New York, Pleasant Lake, Great Lakes, Lake Manyara, Old Crow, South Dakota, Amboseli National Park, Friesenhahn Cave, Soviet Union New!
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Today there are only two genera in the order Proboscidea: Loxodonta (the African elephant) and Elephas (the Asian elephant). Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
elephant limb bones, fractured limb bones, fusion scheduling, proboscidean taxa, proboscidean bones, mammoth bone assemblages, tusk girths, cull sites, mastodont bones, next oldest female, cull sample, trample marks, extinct proboscideans, bone representation, carcass utilization, gnaw damage, tusk tips, modern elephants, actualistic studies, enamel loops, young matriarchs, drought refuges, female mammoths, flaked bones, archeological assemblages Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Shabi Shabi, North America, Hwange National Park, Zoological Institute, United States, Academy of Sciences, Boney Spring, Hot Springs, Upper Paleolithic, New World, Blackwater Draw, Lamb Spring, Murray Springs, South America, Zoological Museum, New Mexico, New York, Pleasant Lake, Great Lakes, Lake Manyara, Old Crow, South Dakota, Amboseli National Park, Friesenhahn Cave, Soviet Union New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 95
books:
See all 95 books this book cites
1
book
cites this book:
- Quaternary Extinctions: A Prehistoric Revolution by Paul S. Martin on 7 pages
- Bone Modification by Robson Bonnichsen on 5 pages
- Late Quaternary Mammalian Biogeography and Environments of the Great Plains and Prairies (Scientific Papers Vol Xxii) by Russell W. Graham in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
- The Evolution of Human Hunting by Matthew H. Nitecki in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
- Past and Present in Hunter Gatherer Studies by Carmen Schrire in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
See all 95 books this book cites
- Dinosaur Tracks and Other Fossil Footprints of Europe by Martin Lockley in Back Matter
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