Capybara : Biology, Use and Conservation of an Exceptional Neotropical Species / edited by José Roberto Moreira, Katia Maria P.M.B. Ferraz, Emilio A. Herrera, David W. Macdonald.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Moreira, José Roberto, editor.

Ferraz, Katia Maria P.M.B., editor.

Herrera, Emilio A., editor.

Macdonald, David W. (David Whyte), editor.

SpringerLink (Online service)

Series:

Biomedical and Life Sciences (Springer-11642)

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Conservation biology.

Ecology.

Animal ecology.

Zoology.

Fishes.

Conservation Biology/Ecology.

Animal Ecology.

Fish & Wildlife Biology & Management.

Local Subjects:

Conservation Biology/Ecology.

Animal Ecology.

Fish & Wildlife Biology & Management.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (XVIII, 422 pages)

Edition:

First edition 2013.

Contained In:

Springer eBooks

Place of Publication:

New York, NY : Springer New York : Imprint: Springer, 2013.

System Details:

text file PDF

Summary:

Capybaras are not merely unusual, they are extraordinary. It is widely known that they are the largest living rodent (c. 50kg), but it is less well known that their biology is exceptional in many other regards, as documented in this book, Capybara: Biology, Use and Conservation of an Exceptional Neotropical Species. With a suit of adaptations to a semi-aquatic lifestyle, and a remarkable social system, the capybara is the South American ecological equivalent of the medium-sized ungulates of Africa. Their size, adaptations and habitat make them fascinating in their own right, and a revealing model for studies of the evolution of animal societies. Furthermore, from prehistory to the present day they have been hunted for their meat and skins, and nowadays they are both farmed and harvested, which makes them an illuminating case study for discussions of sustainable use. This blend of attributes makes the capybara a focus of specialist interest and a source of general principles, and these two ends of the readership spectrum are both encompassed by the extraordinary international team of 36 authors that have contributed the 24 inter-disciplinary chapters of this book. Written in an accessible style that will satisfy generalists, practitioners and specialists alike, this book represents the compendious 'one-stop-shop' that will be the benchmark publication on capybaras and on neotropical wildlife management for years to come.

Contents:

Foreword

Preface

Part I: Biology, Ecology and Evolution

Taxonomy, natural history and distribution of the capybara

Paleontology, evolution and systematics of capybara

Phylogenetics of Caviomorph rodents and genetic perspectives on the evolution of sociality and mating systems in the Caviidae

Foraging strategies and feeding habits of capybaras

Capybara digestive adaptations

Reproductive morphology and physiology of the male capybara

Morphology and reproductive physiology of female capybaras

Capybara demographic traits

Diseases of capybara

Capybara scent glands and scent-marking behavior

Capybara social behavior and use of space: patterns and processes

Part II: Production

Products and uses of capybaras

Confined and semi-confined production systems for capybaras

Social and spatial relationships of capybaras in a semi-confined production system

Feeds and nutrition of farmed capybaras

The impact of management practices on female capybara reproductive parameters in captivity

The sustainable management of capybaras

Part III: Conservation

Capybaras as a source of protein: utilization and management in Venezuela

Conservation and use of the capybara and the lesser capybara in Colombia

Capybara production in Brazil: captive breeding or sustainable management?

Capybaras use in Argentina

Counting capybaras

Brazilian spotted fever: the role of capybaras

The capybara paradigm: from sociality to sustainability

Index.

Other Format:

Printed edition:

ISBN:

978-1-4614-4000-0

9781461440000

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.