His
work ranges from lecturing at the Etologisk Institute, where he is the
scientific director, to appearances as guest lecturer in universities
world wide, popular talks, treatment of behavior problems, teaching
canine and human behavior to police officers, training rats to detect
landmines in Tanzania, and performing marine environmental
management duties (he is also a certified Divemaster and Rescue
Diver).
He has
written popular books with sound advice to pet owners as well as
theoretical scientific dissertations. He teaches ethology,
anthropology, and epistemology (theory of knowledge), besides his
practical work with dogs, horses cats, rats, and diving missions.
He is
a popular guest in TV and radio programs in his home countries and in
the US.
His
English books Dog Language–An Encyclopedia of Canine Behavior and The
Evolution Of Canine Social Behavior became hits the moment they
reached the US bookshelves. He lectures often in the US.
Dr.
Abrantes is especially known for his views on social behavior and its
applications to the daily understanding of pet behavior; and for his
no-nonsense working methods, a practical and thorough application of
Ethology and Learning Theory, teaching the animal the new patterns
patiently and efficiently step by step.
His
actual work involves research into the evolution of human behavior as
well as questions concerning the philosophical aspects of evolutionary
biology (besides being committed to the Tanzania project and his
diving commitments).
Roger
Abrantes is truly a citizen of the world. If you ask him where he
lives, he will answer you 'Planet Earth' and there's something about
it. He lives in Cambridge, UK, Lisbon, Portugal, New York, USA,
Morogoro, Tanzania, and on an island, which name he refuses to reveal,
in the south of Thailand.
He
speaks nine languages, English, Portuguese, French, Danish, and
Swedish (fluently), Spanish, Italian, German, and Thai (less
fluently).
He is
a keen sportsman, having raced cars for many years. He has also played
roller hockey in the German Bundesliga where he was his team's first
goal-keeper until a few years ago.
Nowadays he runs 10 ks and when he's not working he dedicates himself
to his two life-long passions: reading (everything) and listening to
music (Blues, Rock, New-Age, Opera).
