the Ethology of Domestic animals *

However, the legacy of the ancestors is still obvious, and some apparently bizarre actions are only possible to understand in the light of the evolutionary history of the species. On the other hand, some of the behaviour we can observe in animals in a modern farm or in a laboratory are not part of the normal, species-specific behaviour at all. They may even indicate that the animal is under stress and that its welfare is poor. Distinguishing between these possibilities is one important goal for applied ethology. This revised and updated edition includes extended coverage of dog behaviour and human-animal interactions as well as novel and intriguing research findings. The issue of animal cognition, central to understanding welfare, has also received a more thorough examination. This concise, introductory text covers behaviour, genetics, physiology and motivation, and social and reproductive behaviour. It details behaviour of individual farm animal species and dogs, cats, rabbits and rodents. It is written by authoritative international authors.