Predators or Protectors

Blending behavioral ecology with game theory, the book progresses from foundational concepts—like trophic cascades—to global case studies, including burrowing mammals that engineer habitats and plants deploying chemical defenses. It confronts modern crises like climate change and habitat loss, linking them to disrupted predator-defender balances. The final chapters propose solutions: rewilding initiatives restore apex predators, while bioinspired engineering mimics natural strategies, such as swarm algorithms based on herd behavior. Unique interdisciplinary connections—like parallels between animal risk management and human crowds—highlight universal principles. Written with narrative flair, the book balances scientific rigor with hopeful urgency, advocating “adaptive stewardship” to foster resilience through collaboration between species and societies.