The Badgers of Wytham Woods: A Model for Behaviour, Ecology, and Evolution

David Macdonald and Chris Newman have studied the badgers of Wytham Woods (Oxford, UK) for almost 50 years, generating a wealth of data on their ecology and evolution. Their book, The Badgers of Wytham Woods, weaves a scientific story of these creatures, highlighting the insights offered to science more broadly through badgers as a model system. This long-term study provides a paradigm for a deeper understanding of mammalian behavior, ecology, epidemiology, evolutionary biology, and conservation, particularly with current and globally relevant challenges such as climate change, disease epidemics, and senescence.

Format: Hardback
Length: 592 pages
Publication date: 03 November 2022
Publisher: Oxford University Press

For nearly 50 years, David Macdonald and Chris Newman have conducted extensive and ongoing research on the badgers of Wytham Woods (Oxford, UK). Their work has resulted in a vast collection of data covering every aspect of their ecology and evolution. The authors seamlessly blend accessible, highly readable prose with cutting-edge science to craft a captivating scientific narrative about the lives of these intriguing creatures. Through the lens of badgers, they offer valuable insights that extend beyond the field of biology. This long-term study holds immense value in addressing contemporary and globally significant challenges such as climate change, disease outbreaks, and aging. The unique dataset generated through this research allows us to examine these issues in a context that only a half-century experiment can reveal.

The Badgers of Wytham Woods will captivate a wide audience, including professional academics, researchers, students at various levels, governmental and non-governmental wildlife organizations, and nature enthusiasts who are fascinated by wild animals and the remarkable processes they exemplify.

Weight: 1414g
Dimension: 198 x 258 x 33 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780192845368