Societies of Wolves and Free-ranging Dogs

Wolves are charismatic emblems of wilderness. Dogs, which descended from wolves, are models of urbanity. Do free-ranging dogs revert to pack living or are their societies only reminiscent of a wolfish heritage? Focusing on behavioral ecology, this is the first book to assess societies of both gray wolves and domestic dogs living as urban strays and in the feral state. It provides a comprehensive review of wolf genetics, particularly of New World wolves and their mixture of wolf, coyote and dog genomes. Spotte draws on the latest scientific findings across the specialized fields of genetics, sensory biology, reproductive physiology, space use, foraging ecology and socialization. This interdisciplinary approach provides a solid foundation for a startling and original comparison of the social lives of wolves and free-ranging dogs. Supplementary material, including a full glossary of terms, is available online at www.cambridge.org/9781107015197.

Preface; Acknowledgments; 1. What makes a wolf; 2. What makes a dog; 3. Visual and tactile communication; 4. Olfactory and vocal communication; 5. Space; 6. Foraging; 7. Courtship and conception; 8. Reproduction and parenting; 9. Socialization; Notes; Index.

Stephen Spotte is a marine scientist with research and field experience ranging from the Arctic to the Amazon basin. He has been curator or director of three US public aquariums, was a research scientist at the Marine Sciences and Technology Center, University of Connecticut, and is presently Adjunct Scientist at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida.