Unhappily, the combination of superstition and anthropomorphism skews an otherwise skilful and engaging piece of reporting that raises intriguing questions about man and nature.

ECONOMIST: How man has learned, through history, about his habitat

In a broad sweep, she ranges from the sometimes vicious territorial disputes between rival lemur troops (described with excitement and, at times, sentimental anthropomorphism), to the history of the mica mines and sisal plantations that drove the island's economy after the second world war.

ECONOMIST: Madagascar's natural history: Tales in a twist | The

Allen McConnell, a psychology professor at Miami University in Ohio who studies pet owners' behavior, said those who opt for animal preservation can be motivated by grief, a need for belonging and anthropomorphism the act of ascribing human attributes to animals or even inanimate objects.

NPR: Mo. Taxidermist Preserves Man's Best Friend