Customer Reviews

Wolves: Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation

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If David L Mech's original book "the Wolf"(1970) has been known by wolf students and admirers as the 'Bible', then this new text must be known as the new testament. With contributions by the cream of the wolf biology world, including familiar names, Fred H Harrington, Rolf O Peterson, Ronald M Nowak, Ludwig N Carbyn, Douglas W Smith, Michael K Phillips and Steven H Fritts to name a few, Dr Mech (the Wolfman) and his European counterpart Luigi Boitani have put together 344 pages (plus 104 pages of index and references) of superbly researched material about Canis Lupus, the most misunderstood creature on the planet earth.

This detailed text is supplimented with numerous graphs, line drawings and photographs. But be aware, this is not a pretty picture book for your coffee table, the photographs here are included to Illustrate the behaviour and life cycle of a complex, social, carnivorous predator, whose brutal environment is matched only by their sometimes brutal survival behaviour.

Dr's Mech and Boitani must be applauded for the presentation of their material in a very readable style, scientific but not so complicated that the average reader or wolf enthusiast cannot make sense of the information provided. Yet for a wolf biology student the inclusion of the graphs and scientific data makes this a priceless piece of work, with numerous references to other available field data.

Until Dr David L Mech writes his next Wolf book (which is always an event in itself) THIS is the only book on wolves that anyone needs in their collection. Support David L Mech, support Wolf research, buy this book.

This is a wonderful book but it's not for someone who has just discovered an interest in wolves. If you want a good introduction to wolves, I'd suggest Peter Steinhardt's "In the Company of Wolves" or something similar.

Good as it is, it's not the kind of book that you'll take to the beach. It is important to realize that this is a huge book, about 8.5x11 inches and over 3.5 pounds (1.5 kg). It's also a scholarly volume, though accessible to the educated lay reader. The book is exhaustive and thorough, comprehensive in scope and detailed throughout. It has dozens of pages of bibliography, making it an essential reference if you want to read any part of the scientific literature on wolves.

The book emphasizes natural science topics relevant to wolves, but includes social-scientific and humanistic issues as well such as wolf management and human-wolf interaction. Some of the chapters address topics that the lay reader probably won't find interesting (such as taxonomy, physiology and parasitology, or molecular genetics). Other chapters cover topics that are less common in books for the Wolf Freak, such as communication between wolves or wolves' relations with other non-prey species.

Interesting as many of those topics are, most lay readers will probably turn first to the chapters dealing with wolves' relations with humans or wolf recovery. These do not disappoint. From there, you could turn to other chapters according to interest.

I was priviledged to participate in research in the "wolf-moose-spruce- goose-papoose" biome, Isle Royale in the middle of Lake Superior and received a hands-on education into the work of David Mech.

This book is systematic, rigorous, solid with breadth and depth of current understanding of wolves. This is not a "day at the beach" read, but a serious tome that is easy to access. Good references, indices, graphs and commentary. Wildland species and ecoystems have become polarized and politicized as special interests compete for their own belief systems. Science is based on evidence, not belief and Mech goes a long way to set the record straight on our understanding of wolves and ecosystems that support and sustain wolves in both Eurasia and North America.

This is a critical book for anyone seriously interested in wolves and wolve-sustaining ecosystems.

This is probably the most detailed book on wolves out there. Very research and scientifically based, and also mentions areas where more research is needed, which is excellent for university students like me, wanting to know which area of research they can focus their studies on. Anybody who loves wolves and wants to really know pretty much all there is to know about them would love this book.

This book is mainly a scholarly work,with chapters by various biologist wolf experts,some of which are well writen and others more text-book style,and full of charts, graphs, tables and reference notes. If you love canines though-wolves or their dog brothers, you will want this book.Some of these experts have spent years studying and observing and living with wolves and they have extremely interesting stories to tell. Especially interesting are the chapters on sex,raising of young,survival and the domestic dog descent from wolves.Depressing is the number of wolves killed for no reason other then people wanting to kill.
A good encyclopedic work for canine lovers

Anyone wishing to extend their knowledge of Wolves will find a tremendous number
of books on this subject. Wolves: Behavior,Ecology and Conservation is not for those
seeking a "Disney" like rendition of this animal. Those seeking a mystical, science
fictional portrayal of this mammal would be advised to look elsewhere. For those seeking
the facts about this animal, this volume is likely the most definitive compilation
of scientific research available on the subject. Documenting the work of the world's foremost
experts on this subject, the authors and editors have combined several hundred years of
scientific research and, in my opinion, presented observations while maintaining the highest
degree of scientific objectivity possible. This book in no way reads like a novel, and those seeking to confirm a preconceived outright protectionist or complete anihilation philosophy, would best be served looking elsewhere. Given the highly controversial public image associated with this mammal,
great progress could likely be made in the management of this species if more individuals
with an interest in this subject would read this definitive work.

Kent Kinyon
Lewiston Idaho

David Mech has devoted much ofhis life t the study of wolves in an effort to help us compreend their behavior and function in the environmental lin that connects us all on this planet we call earth. To him I am eternally grateful. THis book is a combination of beautiful photography and technical information written in a relaxing style that most readers will enjoy and some will find very exciting. THe information in accurate and often opens our eyes to current popular trends in dog training... the thought of the Alpha in a pack and the study of wolves in captivity as opposed to wolves in the wild. A must read.

Only wish more people would read about wolves and compare their own lives. They are superior to the human in family and responsibility and behaviour and yet they are still being slaughtered. This book is a down to earth study of such a beautiful animal, a truly magnificent animal and book.

This is one of the most complete work about wolves.
There is nothing else to say, just buy it, read it and love wolves.

As soon as I saw this book I knew it was special, and it has proved to be just so. The book shows the difficulty these beautiful creatures are having to survive and dispels the 'old wives tails' and the negative impression of the 'werewolf', it has achieved a false image of a canid who is always fighting for position in the pack. This book shows that it is not so. Domestic dogs can be more aggressive. I was shocked when I opened the packaging, the front cover alone speaks volumes. The wolf should be cherished for what it is and not hunted down, or have its' habitate bulldozed. There anscestors have survived against all odds, but not against man, his traps, his guns. The system of balance on this unique planet needs predetors, otherwise the balance is tipped. Since the culling of the gray wolf in some parts of the USA, it has left the door open for a much lesser, unwanted predetor, the coyote.