• This volume provides comprehensive overviews of the biology of each European carnivoran species, including palaeontology, physiology, genetics, reproduction and development, ecology, habitat, diet, mortality and age determination. Their economic significance and management, as well as future challenges for research and conservation are also addressed. Each chapter includes a distribution map, a photograph of the animal and key literature. This authoritative volume of the Handbook of the Mammals of Europe is a timely and detailed compilation of all European Carnivora and will appeal to academics, students and professionals in mammal research.

    1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xvii

    1. European Wildcat Felis silvestris Schreber, 1777, and African Wildcat Felis lybica Forster, 1780
      • Andrew C. Kitchener, Christine Breitenmoser-Würsten, Urs Breitenmoser

    Pages 1-51

    1. Eurasian Lynx Lynx lynx (Linnaeus, 1758)
      • Urs Breitenmoser, Christine Breitenmoser-Würsten

    Pages 53-103

    1. Iberian Lynx Lynx pardinus (Temminck, 1827)
      • Pablo Ferreras, Alejandro Rodríguez, Miguel Delibes

    Pages 105-137

    1. Common Genet Genetta genetta (Linnaeus, 1758)
      • Philippe Gaubert, Carlos Nores, David Camps, Emmanuel Do Linh San

    Pages 139-166

    1. Egyptian Mongoose Herpestes ichneumon (Linnaeus, 1758)
      • Philippe Gaubert, Carlos Nores, Emmanuel Do Linh San, Alexandre de Carvalho Azevedo, Victor Bandeira

    Pages 167-188

    1. Small Indian Mongoose Urva auropunctata (Hodgson, 1836)
      • Philippe Gaubert, Francesco Maria Angelici, Duško Ćirović

    Pages 189-206

    1. Red Fox Vulpes vulpes (Linnaeus, 1758)
      • Carl D. Soulsbury, Mark J. Statham

    Pages 207-231

    1. Arctic Fox Vulpes lagopus (Linnaeus, 1758)
      • Karin Norén, Paula A. White, Anders Angerbjörn

    Pages 233-258

    1. Raccoon Dog Nyctereutes procyonoides (Gray, 1834)
      • Kaarina Kauhala

    Pages 259-277

    1. Wolf Canis lupus Linnaeus, 1758
      • Paolo Ciucci, Håkan Sand, Mikael Åkesson, Josip Kusak

    Pages 279-341

    1. Golden Jackal Canis aureus Linnaeus, 1758
      • Jennifer Hatlauf

    Pages 343-372

    1. Brown Bear Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758
      • Jon E. Swenson, Paolo Ciucci, Đuro Huber, Vincenzo Penteriani, Andreas Zedrosser

    Pages 373-408

    1. Polar Bear Ursus maritimus Phipps, 1774
      • Jon Aars

    Pages 409-430

    1. Walrus Odobenus rosmarus (Linnaeus, 1758)
      • Erik W. Born

    Pages 431-453

    1. Mediterranean Monk Seal Monachus monachus (Hermann, 1779)
      • Alexandros A. Karamanlidis, Panagiotis Dendrinos

    Pages 455-475

    1. Bearded Seal Erignathus barbatus (Erxleben, 1777)
      • Colleen Reichmuth, Andy M. Klein

    Pages 477-512

    1. Hooded Seal Cystophora cristata (Erxleben, 1777)
      • Tore Haug, Lars P. Folkow, Martin Biuw

    Pages 513-534

    1. Harp Seal Pagophilus groenlandicus (Erxleben, 1777)
      • Tore Haug, Martin Biuw

    Pages 535-555

    1. Grey Seal Halichoerus grypus (Fabricius, 1791)
      • Mervi Kunnasranta, Morten Tange Olsen, Kaarina Kauhala

    Pages 557-572

    21. Harbor Seal Phoca vitulina Linnaeus, 1758

      • Jonas Teilmann, Morten Tange Olsen, Anders Galatius

    Pages 573-589

    1. Caspian Seal Pusa caspica (Gmelin, 1788)
      1. Eldar A. Rustamov, Anna V. Belousova

    Pages 591-617

    1. Ringed Seal Pusa hispida (Schreber, 1775)
      1. Mervi Kunnasranta, Morten Tange Olsen

    Pages 619-636

    1. Common Raccoon Procyon lotor (Linnaeus, 1758)
      1. Mari Fischer, Ulf Hohmann, Johannes Lang, Frank-Uwe Michler, Berit A. Michler

    Pages 637-672

    1. Ring-Tailed Coati Nasua nasua (Linnaeus, 1766)
      1. Sandro Bertolino, Marco Granata, Wanessa T. G. Barreto, Rita Bianchi

    Pages 673-681

    1. European Badger Meles meles (Linnaeus, 1758)
      1. Chris Newman, Christina D. Buesching

    Pages 683-709

    1. Wolverine Gulo gulo (Linnaeus, 1758)
      1. Alexei V. Abramov

    Pages 711-732

    1. Pine Marten Martes martes (Linnaeus, 1758)
      1. Alessandro Balestrieri

    Pages 733-761

    1. Stone Marten Martes foina (Erxleben, 1777)
      1. Alexei V. Abramov

    Pages 763-784

    1. Marbled Polecat Vormela peregusna (Güldenstädt, 1770)
      1. Alexei V. Abramov

    Pages 785-801

    1. American Mink Neogale vison (Schreber, 1777)
      1. Andrzej Zalewski, Marcin Brzeziński

    Pages 803-838

    1. Ermine Mustela erminea Linnaeus, 1758
      1. Carolyn M. King

    Pages 839-867

    1. Eurasian Weasel Mustela nivalis Linnaeus, 1766
      1. Karol Zub, Andrew C. Kitchener, Robbie A. McDonald

    Pages 869-899

    1. European Mink Mustela lutreola (Linnaeus, 1761)
      1. Lauren A. Harrington, Tiit Maran

    Pages 901-926

    1. Western Polecat Mustela putorius Linnaeus, 1758, and Domestic Ferret Mustela furo Linnaeus, 1758
      1. Andrew C. Kitchener, Katherine A. Sainsbury

    Pages 927-962

    1. Steppe Polecat Mustela eversmanni Lesson, 1827
      1. Katherine A. Sainsbury, Andrew C. Kitchener, Gábor Sramkó, Barnabás Ottlecz, József Lanszki, Tamás Cserkész

    Pages 963-995

    1. Eurasian Otter Lutra lutra (Linnaeus, 1758)
      1. Anna Loy, Paul Chanin, Andreas Kranz, Anna Roos

    Pages 997-1032

    1. Back Matter

    Pages 1033-1038

  • Anna Loy

    Is Full Professor of Zoology at the University of Molise, Italy. She earned her PhD in Evolutionary Biology from Sapienza University of Rome. For nearly a decade, her research focused on the evolutionary biology and ecology of moles. Over the past 20 years, she has expanded her interests to the monitoring, management, and conservation of endangered Italian mammals, with a particular emphasis on otters. Her research employs diverse methodologies, including radio tracking, species distribution, connectivity and niche modelling, 2D and 3D geometric morphometrics, non-invasive genetic sampling, and, more recently, environmental DNA freshwater monitoring. In 2019, she was appointed Co-Chair of the IUCN SSC Otter Specialist Group. She is also a member of the Advisory Board of the National Park of Abruzzo, Lazio, and Molise and previously served on the national CITES Commission for the Italian Ministry of the Environment. As President of the Italian Mammal Society (Associazione Teriologica Italiana) from 2016 to 2020, she initiated and edited the first Atlas of Mammals in Italy. She has served as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens, Assistant Editor of the European Journal of Zoology, and Editorial Board member of Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. Prof. Loy has authored approximately 100 peer-reviewed articles and 30 book chapters. She also co-edited the NATO ASI volume Advances in Morphometrics.

    Paolo Ciucci

    Is Associate Professor at the University of Rome La Sapienza, where he teaches courses in Zoology, Wildlife Ecology, and Conservation. He earned a Master’s degree in Wildlife Management and Conservation from the University of Minnesota in 1990 and a PhD in Animal Biology from the University of Rome La Sapienza in 1994. His primary research interests encompass wildlife ecology and conservation, including population assessment and monitoring, space-use patterns, movement ecology, feeding ecology, habitat selection and suitability, landscape connectivity, conservation planning, and human-wildlife conflict. More recently, he has explored the applications of genetic and genomic techniques in conservation. Prof. Ciucci has focused extensively on the ecology of large carnivores, particularly wolves and bears inhabiting human-modified landscapes. He has been principal investigator and coordinator in several field projects both in Italy and internationally. From 2014 to 2020, he served as Chair of the Research and Conservation Grant Committee of the International Association for Bear Research and Management and is currently an Editorial Board member of Hystrix, The Italian Journal of Mammalogy, and Ursus.

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