Animals, Quo Vadis? Welcome to a New, Multidisciplinary, Integrated, Open Access Journal: Animals

Without animals this planet would be a very different place, indeed many of the remaining life forms could not exist. As animals ourselves we are linked to a vast network of moving, living, reproducing organisms that form an essential part of the various ecosystems that are themselves competing for survival. By virtue of our large cognitive capacity and complex societal living structures, we manage and influence many of these ecosystems, in the most extreme way by keeping animals captive for our own benefit. For these captive animals we manage their health, nutrition, reproduction and even their genetic composition; for wild animals we often have major influences on the habitat, and even the animals themselves, that affect their viability. This intricate interdependence of humans on other animals is increasingly difficult to sustain in the face of a growing human population, diminishing natural resources, accelerating changes in climate and rapidly evolving societal standards. The continued existence of many animal species cannot be guaranteed, some systems of keeping captive animals are judged to be immoral, and even within widely accepted systems individual animals may be subjected to suffering. Captive animals are suspected of widespread transmission of diseases, contributing to climate change and degradation of the landscape. Changing dietary habits to include more animal products are placing livestock production systems under strain worldwide. Conversely, animals feed us, clothe us, protect us, amuse us, some probably even reciprocate the love that we give to them, and many people in developing countries are reliant on their livestock. Evaluating animals' place in the world today is even more essential than ever before. Resolving animal issues cannot just be by scientific endeavor, but requires strategic decisions to be made by the whole community. Providing information rapidly and to everyone is an essential part of empowering the community and its leaders to take the necessary decisions in an informed manner. This new journal, Animals, will provide a forum for all to become rapidly familiar with the latest scientific research on animals and their place in different ecosystems. The research may be OPEN ACCESS