Peter Wohlleben; translated by Jane Billinghurst
The Inner Life of Animals by Peter Wohlleben, translated by Jane Billinghurst, weaves Wohlleben’s personal experience and observations in forests and fields coupled with scientific research to demonstrate that animals feel, think, and process information.
This exploration of the inner life of animals is full of interesting illustrations of animal behaviors. Among these are examples of crows who leave bits of broken jewelry, pieces of bone, and other tidbits outside a little girl’s door to show their appreciation to her for regularly leaving them food; pigs who waddle up to the trough to eat but only after their name has been called; wild boar who swim across the Rhone River when hunting season begins in France to the safety of Geneva where hunting is prohibited; an old goat who separates herself from the herd to find a secluded patch of pasture to die peacefully.
Wohlleben’s style is engaging and conversational. He aims to increase our understanding and appreciation of animals on their own terms and to urge approaching them with sensitivity and compassion.