Becoming Wild

February 10, 2020
Safina (Beyond Words), a science writer, proposes in his eloquent treatise that numerous species throughout the animal kingdom form complex societies in their interactions with each other. He focuses on three: sperm whales in the Caribbean, scarlet macaws in the Peruvian Amazon, and chimpanzees in Uganda. Having spent weeks in the field with researchers studying each species, he has plenty of examples of how culture, as well as biology, shape behavior. Sperm whales worldwide, for example, are “basically one genetic ‘stock,’ ” yet individual groups each manifest their own distinctive sonar clicks to communicate. He constantly demonstrates nonhuman animals’ capacity for activities often assumed to be solely the domain of Homo sapiens. While it’s well-known that many animals learn by observation, Safina points out examples of those that can actually teach complicated tasks—for instance, female chimps correcting their offspring’s nut-opening technique. The text, written in an accessible style, is rich in similarly fascinating zoological tidbits. This revelatory work sheds as much light on what it means to be human as it does on the nature of other species.

Starred review from March 1, 2020
In his introduction to this involving, even addictive chronicle, award-winning and bestselling biologist and author Safina (Beyond Words, 2015) explains that even though culture has long been cast as a strictly human construct, he is here to illuminate animal cultures. All animal life exhibits culture, Safina explains; culture is truly universal. Layered on top of each individual's genetics, culture improves the survival rate of the group, enabling group learning and bestowing adaptability. Safina takes us deep into the cultures of three species, while sharing highlights from others to illustrate key points. How sperm whales embody the importance of family and friends becomes clear as Safina joins researchers studying the fluid nature of whale interactions, many of which are conducted over very long distances. Scarlet macaws demonstrate what another researcher said in an offhand remark: "Evolution is not just survival of the fittest, but survival of the beautiful," as it becomes obvious that the macaws choose beauty when selecting mates. And finally chimpanzees have in common with their human cousins a preference for peace in spite of a penchant for war. Safina writes with awe and wonder of what he observed and learned from the cultures of these remarkable animals, making us reconsider our sense of uniqueness.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

April 1, 2020

Humans have their own idea of what culture is, but animals have cultures too, says ecologist and conservationist Safina (nature and humanity, Stony Brook Univ.; Beyond Words). Culture is how humans and animals learn to survive, and culture adapts to change. Yet there is more to it, as Safina explores in his latest book, which is divided into three sections: Families, Beauty, and Peace. Families focuses on sperm whales, Beauty on macaws, and Peace on chimpanzees, although there is overlap on these subjects, and other animals and case studies are mentioned. Beauty is shorter in comparison, and at first, Peace seems ironic as much of it covers aggression and sex. Safina's frank conversations with experts and wonderfully descriptive writing from the field places readers right in the action. However, he also sometimes rephrases similar points and poses questions for thought, musing until readers lose an understanding of the initial thesis. VERDICT Though wide ranging at times, this work should interest fans of Safina and general readers seeking to learn more about animal behavior.--Elissa Cooper, Helen Plum Memorial Lib., Lombard, IL

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2019

It's not just humans who build cultures, argues New York Times best-selling author Safina, also a MacArthur Fellow. Here he looks at the sperm whale, the scarlet macaw, and the chimpanzee to show how members of each species feel at home in a community. And that leads him to show us that we're not just a mashup of our genes; our culture is a second and significant heritage.

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from February 1, 2020
Humans possess culture, but so do animals according to this compelling account of three nonhuman societies: sperm whales, scarlet macaws, and chimpanzees. Nature writer, activist, TV host, and founder of the Safina Center, the author notes that animals learn from their elders how to fit in, communicate, search for food, and identify friends and strangers. This is culture, and it's not inherited. "An individual receives genes only from its parents," writes the author, "but can receive culture from anyone and everyone in the social group...and because culture improves survival, culture can lead where genes must follow and adapt." During the 1950s, Navy personnel listening for Russian submarines were astonished to hear elaborate, beautiful songs that turned out to come from whales. As a result of the bestselling recording, "whales went from being ingredients of margarine in the 1960s to spiritual icons of the 1970s emerging environmental movement." Safina's lovely account of his travels with researchers studying sperm whales reveals a majestic, closely knit community. Turning to scarlet macaws, every one of which knows its friends and avoids macaws that don't belong, the author wonders what happens to a social organism after a few thousand generations. In traditional evolution, new species appear when isolation (due to a river, mountain range, etc.) allows the changes of Darwinian natural selection to spread throughout one group but not others. Don't animal cultures produce a similar reproductive isolation? In fact, cultural selection, although controversial, may act as another engine of evolution. Our closest relatives, chimpanzees, share 98% of our genes as well as many cultural traits, especially a fractious social system in which macho males compete for leadership with more violence than seems reasonable. Most books on natural history include pleas for preservation of the wild, and Safina's is no exception. Sadly, none of his subjects are thriving, and few readers will doubt that these magnificent creatures need urgent attention. Enthralling accounts of three animals that lead complex social lives and deserve to continue living.

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