Jo Wimpenny

In an age of catastrophic biodiversity loss, the author of Aesop’s Animals explains why we should champion and protect nature’s underdogs. The living world evokes many emotions, especially when it comes to our relationships with animals. Some of our reactions are logical responses to potential harm, but many are irrational, and our loathing and persecution of some species far exceed the threat they pose to us. We no longer prosecute animals for their ‘crimes’ as we did in the Middle Ages, but our human exceptionalism and vilification of unwelcome animal behaviour continues. In Beauty of the Beasts, Jo Wimpenny challenges our perceptions of ‘good’ species and sets the record straight about those we label ‘pests’, ‘scavengers’ and ‘predators’. Using the latest research, Jo explains the natural behaviours we use to villainise animals while demonstrating how these species benefit humanity and are more sentient than we ever thought. From wasps that provide free pest control and snakes whose venom may cure cancer to the deep social bonds of crocodiles and vultures, this book will convince you to rethink our most misunderstood beasts. While it may be tempting to imagine a more pleasant world devoid of animals that scare and repulse us, Jo explains why losing them would devastate many ecosystems, encouraging all of us to appreciate these animals for what they are and the vital roles they fulfil for all life on Earth.

Turns a critical eye on Aesop's Fables to ask whether there is any scientific truth to Aesop's portrayal of his animals. Despite originating more than two-and-a-half thousand years ago, Aesop's Fables are still passed on from parent to child, and are embedded in our collective consciousness. The morals we have learned from these tales continue to inform our judgements, but have the stories also informed how we regard their animal protagonists? If so, is there any truth behind the stereotypes? Are wolves deceptive villains? Are crows insightful geniuses? And could a tortoise really beat a hare in a race? In Aesop's Animals, zoologist Jo Wimpenny turns a critical eye to the fables to discover whether there is any scientific truth to Aesop's portrayal of the animal kingdom. She brings the tales into the twenty-first century, introducing the latest findings on some of the most fascinating branches of ethological research - the study of why animals do the things they do. In each chapter she interrogates a classic fable and a different topic - future planning, tool use, self-recognition, cooperation and deception - concluding with a verdict on the veracity of each fable's portrayal from a scientific perspective. By sifting fact from fiction in one of the most beloved texts of our culture, Aesop's Animals explores and challenges our preconceived notions about animals, the way they behave, and the roles we both play in our shared world.