Built by Animals

When we see animals using tools or behaving in a way similar to humans, we are likely to see is as a mark of intelligence, but we are sometimes prone to take for granted the structures which animals create. In Built by Animals: The natural history of animal architecture Mike Hansell argues that we should be more impressed with what animals can build.

The book tells of termite mounds which can become huge, complex structures, without needing anyone to design and oversee their building. But termites aren't the smallest builders, even single celled organisms may build a protective wall around themselves. Hansell argues that tool use - for instance picking up a stick and using it to obtain food - shouldn't necessarily be seen as more advanced than building traps to obtain food, as a spider does with it's web. There is a chapter on how evolution affects the structures built by animals, and the book ends with a look at bower birds, which put a great deal of effort into building the best looking bower.

The book is full of interesting information, but I often found myself wanting to read more about one of the animals mentioned - Hansell has a tendency to move quickly from one example to another, although I felt that this improved as the book progressed. There are also references allowing the reader to follow up on any topic of interest.