Whales: Touching the Mystery

Book Description

Ever since his first contact with a gray whale as a teenager, Doug Thompson has had a passion for this majestic marine mammal. Here, he shares stories of whales he has met over his 30-year career, in particular the "friendly" Gray whales of San Ignacio Lagoon in Baja, Mexico. He describes the thrill of interacting with these gentle giants who seek out human contact within their birthing lagoons.Weaving his own and others' fascinating personal accounts with factual information he describes the hidden lives of whales, their mysterious migrations, and the modern threats they face in the world's waters. He also chronicles the efforts of human champions who are working to end whale hunting and promote whale watching - a far preferable economic alternative -worldwide. Ideal for seasoned whale watchers and the general-interest reader, this appealing package includes photos and maps as well as a first-rate companion DVD.

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating Read.......2007-02-27

This book really shines a light on a world so few of us see. Doug Thompson has written one of the definitive books on whales, their history and their future. His personal connection to whales and the way he introduces us to the people and places that are so crucial to their survival takes you on a journey filled with the passion of someone who deeply cares for these amazing sea creatures. The DVD that is included adds a visual element that brings the pages of the book to life. It's also great to hear the author narrate the DVD and get a greater sense of his commitment to these smart engaging animals. Whales: Touching the Mystery is an enjoyable read and one that you'll recommend to all your friends.

Whales: Touching the Mystery.......2007-02-05

What a wonderful book! I send a huge and heart-felt thank you to the author, Doug Thompson, for being such an excellent spokesperson for the friendly Grey Whales of our ocean...for writing such an important book...and at a time when their very existence is beginning to be threatened again.

Each year we watch, from our coastal town in Oregon, as these magnificent creatures make their yearly journey to and from Baja. It is a journey that we look forward to each year as they make their way down the coastline and back again.
I have had the opportunity of looking into the eyes of some of these whales and I must say, I have been changed. And now, even more so, after reading this excellent book.

It is my hope that everyone will have the chance to read this book and to learn from it. It truly needs to be in the hands of every conservationist.
'Touching the Mystery' is a thoughtful and beautiful book that not only educates folks about the wonder of these intelligent creatures and the importance of protecting them, but also about the lives of those that live near them...the keepers of the lagoons and stewards of the land and sea.

This book comes with a 30 minute DVD offering incredible footage of these Whales. Doug's many years as a film maker certainly are apparent in this documentary. It is absolutely stunning!

I am about to order several more copies (after having already purchased an armload)
Thank you again Mr. Thompson!!! You are a hero!

Whales:Touching the Mystery.......2007-01-09

Whales: Touching the Mystery entrances the reader. Complete with a DVD showing incredible footage of humans interacting with whales and whales enjoying thier ocean journeys. The book explores Gray Whales teaching us the beauty of their life and the impact of their journeys from Alaska to Baja Mexico on humans and the viabilty of ocean life. This book is for whale lovers, nature adventurous and the curious. The author tells the story of the current effords of humans to preserve the birthing lagoons of the whales, as well as the impact on the indigious folks of the area. Historical information combined with current conservation by the Mexican goverment creates an intrique of circumstances and give hopes to the future. Reading this book will have you heading towards Baja to sea for yourself and to experience the joy of our whale ancestors. READ it and Buy it for a friend or your local library.

A pitch perfect book and DVD -- powerful and moving .......2006-11-16

I can't claim to be deeply familiar with the current literature about whales (my library boasts at most two or three books on the subject) but if you're looking for the one book that conveys the majesty and wonder of these incredible creatures, one that engages both the mind and the heart in ways both powerful and moving, this book and accompanying DVD is it. Mariner, naturalist and filmmaker Thompson has been leading whale watching expeditions to Baja California for 30 years--he may have been the first one to do so-- and he does an admirable job of distilling the knowledge, wisdom and deep insights gained from three decades of whale interaction into a narrative that is at once accessible, informative and fascinating.

While much has been reported about the profound, even life-changing, impact that touching a whale has on those who have had the experience, Thompson deftly steers clear of being preachy or New Age-y, leaving the spiritual experience for the reader to feel implicitly through his descriptions and the DVD. In fact, he has multiple objectives: enthrall, entice, educate, honor the stewards of the San Ignacio Lagoon, lobby, give the rich ideas for helping (and politicians reasons for voting), and gain new friends of the whale world-wide. He achieves all of these goals without losing any of his audiences. His brief history of whale hunting is especially powerful.

My wife Susan and I watched the 30 minute companion DVD. Like the book, it's pitch perfect and wonderfully complementary. We've both been fortunate to get close to whales in waters off Northern California, but Thompson's images of whale encounters in the San Ignacio Lagoon are nothing short of astonishing, truly powerful and moving. This is a beautifully produced video, with a quality worthy of network broadcast. Little wonder that Thompson and this book and DVD have garnered the respect and imprimatur of no less an icon than primatologist Jane Goodall. Like Goodall, Thompson is making an impact. Highest recommendation.
John Grissim, author of The Lost Treasure of the Concepcion and Pure Stoke

The Behavior And Ecology Of Pacific Salmon And Trout

Average customer rating:

Don't ask me, Just read the book...
Gorgeous and dense, yet strangely substance free
Peter Morrison
The Behavior and Ecology of Pacific Salmon and Trout

The Behavior And Ecology Of Pacific Salmon And Trout
Thomas P. Quinn
Manufacturer: University of Washington Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Atlas of Pacific Salmon: The First Map-Based Status Assessment of Salmon in the North Pacific
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ASIN: 0295984376

Book Description

Few subjects have generated as much emotional dialogue around conflicting scientific and policy agendas as the protection and management of Pacific salmon resources. In this major new work, esteemed fisheries expert Thomas Quinn distills from the vast scientific literature the essential information on the behavior and ecology of Pacific salmon, including steelhead and cutthroat trout. Unlike other books that examine only selected life stages, habitats, or species, this book--richly illustrated with beautiful photographs and original drawings--thoroughly covers the complete life cycle, emphasizing common themes and differences among the various species of salmon.

Representing the range of species and geographic regions, Quinn includes examples from classic studies by pioneers of salmon biology and from the most current research to illustrate the important features of salmon life history and behavior and the complex physical, biological, and human factors that affect them.

The Behavior and Ecology of Pacific Salmon and Trout introduces salmon and trout as a group, with a brief description of each species, and compares them to other fishes. The book then follows salmon on their amazing homeward migration from the open ocean, through the complex coastal waters, and upstream to the precise location where they were spawned years earlier. It explains the patterns of mate choice, the competition for nest sites, and the fate of the salmon after their death. It describes the lives of offspring during the months they spend incubating in gravel, growing in fresh water, and migrating out to sea to mature. Quinn emphasizes the importance of salmon to humans and to natural ecosystems and the need to integrate sound biology into conservation efforts.

This thorough, up-to-date survey should be on the shelf of anyone with a professional or personal interest in Pacific salmon and trout. Written in a technically accurate but engaging style, it will appeal to a wide range of readers, including students, anglers, biologists, conservationists, legislators, and armchair naturalists.

Customer Reviews:

Don't ask me, Just read the book..........2006-10-31

I am currently an Undergrad at the University of Washington and had the opportunity to study under Professor Quinn in Alaska for a number of weeks this summer. While the book may not be best suited to sit down and read cover to cover, it is a very valuable reference for academics looking into topics pertaining to pacific salmonids. I can say with certainty that Tom sees writing as a process that is never finished (the art of rewriting), and science is as well. It is unrealistic to try to find a book containing every relevant detail on such a hot and emerging topic as salmon, but this book comes as close as any in recent times.

Gorgeous and dense, yet strangely substance free.......2006-07-28

On the face of it, this text is positioned to become the definitive reference on the state of our understanding of Pacific salmon, a rich and complex topic with huge implications for environmental policy. It is sponsored by the American Fisheries Society, the semi-official academic organization that pays attention to these things. The author is a respected academic with deep understanding of the topic. And the book itself is beautiful. As a coffee table book it deserves four stars. The writing style is accessible, and the text covers many hundreds of current research studies.

So, what's the problem? Like Oakland, there is no there there. Instead of a guided tour through the state of our understanding of salmon, we get what amounts to an unstructured core memory dump. Studies are cited, summarized, and dropped for the next pretty bauble. There is little in the way of integration of the huge knowledge base that is out there. Quinn awkwardly fluctuates between an academic and vernacluar style (in his defense, accessible writing on complex academic topics is hard to do).

But Quinn's most bizarre transitions come when he mentions a a few seminal works on Pacific Northwest salmon extinction, simultaneously genuflecting in their general direction and edging away from their implications. Quinn's conscious avoidance of the issues at the heart of the controversy over salmon extinction is the most troubling part of the text, and the main reason I think this book is unworthy of the subject. There is a reason for this. His research center at the University of Washington is largely funded by the government agencies and electric utilites responsible for salmon extinction in the Columbia river basin. Understandably, it does not behoove Quinn to take a definitive stand on these issues. But it belittles him that he does not openly acknowledge what the issues are, and clearly present the evidence we have.

In approving Columbia River development in 1937, the US Fisheries Comissioner ignored a half-millenium of evidence that dams make salmon go extinct, saying that it was a complicated issue requiring more scientific study. Seventy years later, hundreds of salmon stocks on the Columbia and Snake rivers are extinct, and all are in jeopardy. Yet Quinn apparently believes that the solution is...more scientific study. Basic questions - how big do salmon get? How many did there used to be? What is the evidence that modifying or removing dams will or will not help salmon survive? - is either buried in the detritus of multiple studies, or entirely absent.

The big problem with public policy is that you always have to make critical choices with imperfect knowledge. Inaction in dynamic systems like climate and species ecologies is a choice, and repurposing science as a passive excuse for inaction often guarantees a bad outcome. In his unwillingness to engage controversy, Quinn has, unfortunately, avoided relevance.

Peter Morrison.......2005-09-11

This is a great resource for people that want to learn about the ecology and behaviour of salmon.

I wish it went a little more into the effects of dams and hatcheries on salmon ecology and behavior.

The Behavior and Ecology of Pacific Salmon and Trout.......2005-08-30

This book is the best modern reference to the ecology of west coast salmon. Quinn makes good use of the advances of the last decade and shows good judgement in selecting topics to discuss. I'm a fisheries biologist writting a salmon book so I know the subject and the difficulty of writing in an engaging and informative manner. I recommend the book highly.
A caution: this book is not for beginners.

Sensuous Seas: Tales of a Marine Biologist

Average customer rating:

Not sure who this book is meant for
Is there a marine biologist in the house?
Sex facts for 'sea' students except one bad chapter
Sensuous Seas: Prawnography at its best?
It's a strange world under the surface

Sensuous Seas: Tales of a Marine Biologist
Eugene H. Kaplan
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0691125600

Book Description

Learning marine biology from a textbook is one thing. But take readers to the bottom of the sea in a submarine to discover living fossils or to coral reefs to observe a day in the life of an octopus, and the sea and its splendors come into focus, in brilliant colors and with immediacy.

In Sensuous Seas, Eugene Kaplan offers readers an irresistibly irreverent voyage to the world of sea creatures, with a look at their habitats, their beauty and, yes, even their sex lives. A marine biologist who has built fish farms in Africa and established a marine laboratory in Jamaica, Kaplan takes us to oceans across the world to experience the lives of their inhabitants, from the horribly grotesque to the exquisitely beautiful. In chapters with titles such as "Fiddler on the Root" (reproductive rituals of fiddler crabs) and "Size Does Count" (why barnacles have the largest penis, comparatively, in the animal kingdom), Kaplan ventures inside coral reefs to study mating parrotfish; dives 740 feet in a submarine to find living fossils; explains what results from swallowing a piece of living octopus tentacle; and describes a shark attack on a friend.

The book is a sensuous blend of sparkling prose and 150 beautiful illustrations that clarify the science. Each chapter opens with an exciting personal anecdote that leads into the scientific exploration of a distinct inhabitant of the sea world--allowing the reader to experience firsthand the incredible complexity of sea life.

A one-of-a-kind memoir that unfolds in remarkable reaches of ocean few of us can ever visit for ourselves, Sensuous Seas brings the underwater world back to living room and classroom alike. Readers will be surprised at how much marine biology they have learned while being amused.

Customer Reviews:

Not sure who this book is meant for.......2007-06-12

This book is a neat attempt at capturing some of the urban legends of marine biology as well as some of the other interesting marine minutae, spiced up with a tone of irreverence. While this is a noble goal, I would be very wary of giving this book to anyone untrained in marine biology who is beginning to become interested in the topic. For starters it is often factually inaccurate. Granted, Kaplan may be unaware of some of the advances in knowledge in the last decade, but some of the anecdotes and stories presented as truth are more urban legend than fact. In addition to needing a good editor (some of the chapters are nearly incoherent) it also needs a good fact checker.

Moreover, the general tone taken towards nature and science is one of freewheeling fun rather than a desire for respect or understanding. While the author may feel that attempts to understand the elegant and wonderful mechanisms underlying the sea are stuffy and boring, there is something to be said for having students go out into the field and make observations, design experiments, and really LOOK at nature, rather than have them attempt to grab fish, gobble down octopus tentacles, and generally tromp around merely creating lists of species.

Further, while Kaplan may have been trying to come across and amusing by sexing things up a bit (there is some truth in that this approach can grab students), it often quickly descends into the kind of almost unconscious sexism that is so often criticized in the sciences. I would NOT give this book to a young girl or woman aspiring to be a marine biologist, as it is certain to give her the wrong kind of message about the kinds of people in the field and the treatment she is to expect.

There are a variety of excellent popular books out there about the ocean, marine biologists (Log of the Sea of Cortez, Nature's Machines, etc.), and the crazy sex lives of animals (Dr. Tatiana's Sex Guide to All Creation). This is not one of them. I would recommend the aforementioned books, or any of the other excellent books or DVDs (The Blue Planet) about the underwater world and science and give this a pass.

Is there a marine biologist in the house?.......2006-11-11

When I heard that Kaplan had written a book, I wondered if the man could be captured by the printed page. No problem. His book immediately took me back to his wonderful marine biology class in Jamaica. His stories were always fascinating, and I am happy to see them recorded here. The reader can appreciate that he is a character and a wonderful educator. His knowledge has also inspired many to continue their studies of the conplexities found in the sea. Everyone interested in marine biology should read this book. There are so many surprises. Beautiful drawings.

Sex facts for 'sea' students except one bad chapter.......2006-11-03

Even if you already spend some time in the water and know something about the life there, Eugene Kaplan's essays about being a teacher will likely tell you something you didn't know -- or something you knew that isn't so.
For example, in "Debunking the Big Lie," Kaplan explains that the starfish does not "win" his battle with the oyster by tiring it out, so that the protective shells gape.
"All of this is a misrepresentation perpetrated on generations of students," writes Kaplan, who teaches at Hofstra University and at its marine laboratory in Jamaica.
It turns out, "it is unnecessary to pull the shells apart. <\q>. <\q>. <\q.> Invariably there is a fissure," through which the sea star squeezes its stomach, digesting the oyster within.
However, most of the lore in "Sensuous Seas" is about sex, rather like an underwater version of Olivia Judson's best-seller on evolution, "Dr. Tatiana's Sex Advice to All Creation."
Kaplan says he was driven to sex up his lectures in order to keep the attention of students. He was able to get away with this because most of them were invertebrates -- the sea creatures, not the students.
He is also big on field experience, and being one of his students must have been lots of fun and a little scary.
The late Sen. William Proxmire would have scorned the research into the mating behavior of the Malaysian prawn, but you never can tell. Hawaii aquaculturalists would have saved a lot of money had they known earlier why Malaysian prawns are impossible to raise to market size in captivity -- the dominant male in a tank exudes pheromones that keep all the others small. The fact that shoyu is an aphrodisiac for these prawns, once thought to be a breakthrough piece of aquacultural expertise, is now just a curiosity.
Wrapping up a half century of teaching and 31 fascinating chapters on the ocean's inhabitants (including the timely topic of stingray deaths), Kaplan reflects on the pedagogy of introducing complex subjects to naive students. "There is a conflict in the mind of every teacher as to how much 'knowledge' must be sacrificed in order to make a course interesting," he writes.
Unfortunately, Kaplan lets his alarmism get the better of him in this conflict in his chapter on corals. Corals are the "canaries in the coal mine," he assures us, warning that "global warming does exist" and that "present-day oceans average 2 degrees C. above past normal temperatures."
In a book aimed at naive readers, this comes close to professional malpractice.
First, there is no such thing as "past normal temperatures." Second, corals have hung around for hundreds of millions of years, most of them warmer than now.
Third, there is no scientific agreed measurement for coral bleaching, the signal "of the impending doom of many of the earth's less flexible organisms."
"Be forewarned," warns Kaplan. Yeah. That's still globaloney, no matter how you slice it.

Sensuous Seas: Prawnography at its best?.......2006-08-16

If Miss Jean Brodie was a marine biologist she would, after reading the first page, dismiss this book with its discussion of the attributes of 'Miss Nubile' and hormone laden young men as soft porn. In doing so she would miss out on a distillation of over 30 years experience from a committed, slightly eccentric educationalist and respected academic with a passion for tropical marine ecology. For anyone teaching biology or marine science this engagingly written book is a marvellous toolbox of anecdotes and examples that will stimulate even the most cynical of students.

Each chapter follows a roughly similar pattern with a lyrical initial paragraph and an anecdotal introduction to set the scene followed by a series of easily digestible sections on the same theme. The subject matter for each section, drawn from his years of experience on the field, ranges from the dangers of eating fugu (puffer fish) through to the disproportionate size of the humble barnacles penis. Through a colourful and often humorous approach to each topic, the reader is given a toe-hold grasp of some fairly chewy areas of biology (e.g. honest signalling, evolution, symbiosis, behaviour).

I showed this book to my mother-in-law (not a biologist) who was impressed by the ease with which she could understand the subjects and concepts explored. Having had her interest stimulated by the book she proceeded to bombard me with more questions - how I wish my own students would react similarly to my delivery! I will be using much of the material presented in Sensuous Seas to spice up my own lectures to marine biology undergraduates but this book will also be of interest to armchair and amateur field naturalists.

It's a strange world under the surface.......2006-08-13

From the bizarre to the macabre, nature's ingenuity knows only the bounds of evolutionary advantage.

A small, appetizing, cleaner fish waves to big, passing predators "advertising its services." The savage behemoth approaches, assumes an unthreatening stance and is cleaned of parasites by the smaller creature.

The Portuguese man `o war fish lives safe from its enemies among the poisonous tentacles of its namesake gasbag jellyfish ("no brain, no blood, no heart, no anus"). But the fish, which must dart out to feed, has never evolved an immunity to the man `o war's paralyzing venom other than its own agility.

Clownfish (remember Nemo?) mate for life and live among the poisonous tentacles of the sea anemone, paying for their safe refuge by feeding the anemone. "If the female dies, the male becomes a female and a new male joins her."

Sex change is pretty common in this eat and be eaten world. Even more efficient are the hermaphrodites, like the sea hares, who have both male and female equipment and mate in group circles.

A biologist with a half-century's experience, a professor and the author of nine books, Kaplan introduces each animal in this collection of essays on the mating and feeding habits of sea creatures with an anecdotal encounter. Many involve personal experience, often with his students, who quickly learn that the most flamboyantly colorful are often the most dangerous, like the red and white fringed fireworm which has hundreds of pretty poison barbs.

But few of these, not even the blue-ringed octopus whose bite kills in minutes, compare in horror with a small Amazonian catfish who swims up a human's urinary tract, extends its spines for secure placement and begins rapidly tearing at and consuming its victim's innards.

However, for pure unadulterated cruelty as a way of life nothing (at least in this book) matches a tiny, free-swimming barnacle larvae that takes up residence in a crab, turns it into a female if it happens to be male, consumes all flesh and organs not required to keep the crab alive, and then fills in the newly vacated space with its own tissue. The barnacle then extrudes sexual organs, which attract a couple of males who also take up residence in the crab. Thereafter, "endless hordes of larvae are released periodically" from the hapless host.

Kaplan aims - successfully - to entertain, amuse, shock and amaze readers while teaching. Describing the perilous lives of shrimp, fish, snails, worms and more, he shows how evolution provides the most efficient means for surviving long enough to reproduce. These involve some pretty ingenious designs.

Like the lettuce sea slug that basks in the sun on its blade of turtle grass. It consumes algae and conveys the green chloroplasts to the lacy frills on its back, then gathers energy from the sun through photosynthesis like a plant! But, to take advantage of this free energy it must expose itself to the sun and any passing predator. It survives by tasting so bad that predators spit it out unharmed.

Kaplan does not mention what does eat it though something must since the world is not overrun with lettuce sea slugs. He also doesn't say how many offspring the hermaphrodite sea slugs produce, but most of the sea creatures discussed here produce thousands upon thousands of progeny and many are barely holding their own even though it takes only two to replace the parents.

Some creatures - seahorses and shrimp to name only two - are endangered by human predation, but even without humans the sea is a tough environment with numerous hungry predators on the prowl at every stage of life.

With vivid writing, a sense of humor and truly fascinating creatures to work with, Kaplan creates a feel for the teeming sea and rouses a sense of wonder in his readers. Line drawings in each chapter illustrate the creatures and their life cycles. This is a book for anyone with even a small bit of curiosity about the hidden world around them.

-- Portsmouth Herald

Reef Life: Natural History & Behaviors of Marine Fishes & Invertebrates

Average customer rating:

Wonderful!
one of the best infromational books
Simply Beautiful
A must for the UW Photographer
much more than pretty pictures

Reef Life: Natural History & Behaviors of Marine Fishes & Invertebrates
Denise Nielsen Tackett , and Larry Tackett
Manufacturer: Microcosm.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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World Atlas of Coral Reefs
Reef Fish Identification - Tropical Pacific
Nudibranch Behavior
Coral Reef Animals of the Indo-Pacific: Animal Life from Africa to Hawaii Exclusive of the Vertebrates
Coral Reef Fishes: Indo-Pacific and Caribbean

Product Features:

by Denise Nielsen Tackett & Larry Tackett. Natural history and behaviors of marine

ASIN: 1890087564

Product Description

224 pages, paperback. By Denise Nielsen Tackett & Larry Tackett. Offers an unforgettably illustrated, clearly explained introduction to the biology and organisms of the coral reef. Technical advisors to this project include several leading marine biologis

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful!.......2007-06-24

What a delightful and informative book! As I've been able to do more diving and snorkling in SE Asia the past couple of years, identifying the underwater life has become a hobby as much as my love of birding. But I wanted to know more than just identification. This book is very readable and informative, suitable for adults and older children. The photographs are gorgeous and very clear. I'm reading it cover to cover. Many thanks to the Tacketts!

one of the best infromational books.......2007-01-09

I have the complete set of books now and I really enjoy having the infromation so when I go diving in Cozumel each year it really helps me identify the different species. This really helps when you are one of the few that does not know it all.

Simply Beautiful.......2003-07-19

This is a beautiful book with incredible pictures. Additionally it has very informative text. It is a great book for anyone with a serious interest in reefs & reef life.

A must for the UW Photographer.......2002-05-03

I have been waiting for this book! Burt Jones got me focused on the 'one metre' dive a few years back and I've been enjoying macro critters and muck diving ever since. In this awsome new book, the Tacketts bring you their personal experiences with the macro world and incorportate a great deal of useful information which can help all of us better understand the interrelationships amongst all the critters. That understanding is one of the keys to making better images of the critters.

If you are a diver and you really want to get acquainted with the underwater world, stop swimming and start looking. And this book gives you step by step pointers on how to go about looking and helps you understand what you are seeing.

much more than pretty pictures.......2002-04-23

The Tacketts have achieved something remarkable with this book. Not only is the quality of the photographs consistently high, but the detailed information within the text is logical and accessible to any diver whether they be experts in marine biology or simply curious fish watchers.
This American husband and wife team seem to have lived many divers dream existence. Travelling the Indo Pacific for 13 years, they would camp on a beach with their own compressor and make three dives a day collecting sponge specimens for medical research.
The scientific information is clear and broken down into digestible chunks, enlivened by well annotated pictures - everything from mantis shrimps eating coral shrimps, to frogfish camouflaged against cup corals. Predation, reproduction, camouflage, feeding and mimicry are all wonderfully explained. And, in keeping with the mood of the times there is a final section on reefs in danger - overfishing, cyanide, pollution etc, complete with appropriate photos including a poignant shot of an octopus trying to cover itself with a piece of broken plastic audio-cassette.
A substantial glossary at the end of the book covers everything from allelopathy to zooxanthellae.
The strength and value of this book is that it is not just a collection of good underwater images, I suspect it will become an invaluable primer for any diver who wants to look at reefs in an intelligent way.

Cetacean Societies: Field Studies of Dolphins and Whales

Average customer rating:

Great for all knowledge levels
loved it..
A very imformational book on cetaceans

Cetacean Societies: Field Studies of Dolphins and Whales

Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

The Bottlenose Dolphin: Biology and Conservation
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Dolphin Societies: Discoveries and Puzzles

ASIN: 0226503410

Book Description

"Part review, part testament to extraordinary dedication, and part call to get involved, Cetacean Societies highlights the achievements of behavioral ecologists inspired by the challenges of cetaceans and committed to the exploration of a new world."—from the preface by Richard Wrangham

Long-lived, slow to reproduce, and often hidden beneath the water's surface, whales and dolphins (cetaceans) have remained elusive subjects for scientific study even though they have fascinated humans for centuries. Until recently, much of what we knew about cetaceans came from commercial sources such as whalers and trainers for dolphin acts. Innovative research methods and persistent efforts, however, have begun to penetrate the depths to reveal tantalizing glimpses of the lives of these mammals in their natural habitats.

Cetacean Societies presents the first comprehensive synthesis and review of these new studies. Groups of chapters focus on the history of cetacean behavioral research and methodology; state-of-the-art reviews of information on four of the most-studied species: bottlenose dolphins, killer whales, sperm whales, and humpback whales; and summaries of major topics, including group living, male and female reproductive strategies, communication, and conservation drawn from comparative research on a wide range of species.

Written by some of the world's leading cetacean scientists, this landmark volume will benefit not just students of cetology but also researchers in other areas of behavioral and conservation ecology as well as anyone with a serious interest in the world of whales and dolphins.

Contributors are Robin Baird, Phillip Clapham, Jenny Christal, Richard Connor, Janet Mann, Andrew Read, Randall Reeves, Amy Samuels, Peter Tyack, Linda Weilgart, Hal Whitehead, Randall S. Wells, and Richard Wrangham.

Customer Reviews:

Great for all knowledge levels.......2006-03-22

I purchased this book for a graduate level college class on marine mammals. I, however, have no experience with this particular subject. The chapters are very informative, extremely easy to read, and the information is well presented. I would recommend this book at anyone interested in Cetaceans, even if, like me, you have had no prior experience. It also presents a lot of new information that more experienced individuals would enjoy.

loved it.........2004-07-16

This book made me wish to venture into the field of cetology. No other text to date comes close to revealing the lives of the four most studied species of cetacean( the bottlenose dolphin,killer whale,humpback,and sperm). It speaks of just about all the behaioral aspects of these wonderful creatures and more. Altough, i suggust you don't start with this book to learn about cetaceans. This book is only for those who have a high interst in these animals. Besides that, i absolutely enjoyed this book edited by the greatest minds of cetology of our time.

A very imformational book on cetaceans.......2002-08-28

This book goes into orcas, bottlenose dolphins, sperm whales, and humpbacks. It goes into every detail about their lives. Any piece of information you could possibly want to know about these animals is in this book. But it is heavy reading. Definately not an easy read, but very informative.

Average customer rating:

Dolphin lovers will love this!
If you're really interested in dolphins, this is the book...
This is the best book I've EVER read!
The best first hand account I have ever read!
The best book I've read on dolphins in a LONG time!!

Dolphin Chronicles
Carol J. Howard
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0553377787
Release Date: 1995-12-01

Customer Reviews:

Dolphin lovers will love this!.......2003-06-14

I'm a 14 year old girl, and I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I love dolphins, and I wanted to learn more about them without being fed a bunch of information like a textbook. Instead, Dolphin Chronicles presents lots of information in textbook form. By the time you get to the end, you'll have a much greater understanding of dolphin training, their lifestyles in captivity and in the wild, and the life of a person working with dolphins without ever realizing you were even learning anything! It's great that this book can be so easy to read and comprehend with so much info packed inside. I totally recommend it to anyone who would like to understand the dolphin world better!

If you're really interested in dolphins, this is the book..........2000-01-26

the best book on dolphins I've read. Deals not only with science, but the emotional aspect of working with dolphins. A must read if interested in the field....

This is the best book I've EVER read!.......1999-01-22

Carol Howard has a unique talent and way of combining love, compassion, sorrow, humor, and a vast amount of knowledge in 294 pages. Never have I learned so much about a book as I did from Dolphin Chronicles. My ultimate dream is to study these strange and magnificent creatures of the sea, as well as whales. I received Dolphin Chronicles as a Christmas gift from my Grandparents, and I must say that it was my favorite gift of all! In the past, I have read about 5 or 6 books about Cetaceans (by Jacques-Yves Cousteau and other authors) and have gotton extremely bored halfway through the material, simply because it was so dry and was lacking the compassion Carol so rightly illustrates! I would recommend this book to anyone. I am planning on researching more of Carol Howard's work wherever it may be. If anyone can clue me in as to the fastest and cheapest ways of finding it, Please feel free to e-mail me your information. Thank you. :-) P.S. If Carol Howard or anyone who knows Mrs. Howard reads this review, I would like to know her e-mail address if possible to personally thank her for producing such a wonderful and moving book. Thanks for your cooperation. --"May your life be like the Dolphin, calm and peaceful waters."

The best first hand account I have ever read!.......1998-12-25

This is the best first hand experience I have ever read on dolphins! I do marine mammal rescues and have a deep love and respect for dolphins and our oceans. Carol Howard's experience is one that I feel I have experienced first hand. Excellent writing. It helps us realize the need to know more about dolphins and their brilliance but also to respect their need to be free in our oceans.

The best book I've read on dolphins in a LONG time!!.......1997-01-23

Dolphin Chronicles is a wonderful story about Carol J. Howard's adventure with dolphins. Her book was so well-written that I felt like I was actually participating in her events. I am only thirteen years old but it the best book I have read in my life. I now want to be a marine biologist and dedicate my life to researching and caring for dolphins. Thank you Carol for writing such a wonderful book

Average customer rating:

Penguin Tale
Grandparents Delight
A Mothers Journey

A Mother's Journey
Sandra Markle
Manufacturer: Charlesbridge Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1570916217

Customer Reviews:

Penguin Tale.......2006-03-16

If you liked the movie "March of the Penguins" then you'll like this book as well. It tells of the journey a young mother Emperor penguin has to undertake in order to feed her young. The illustrator has done an excellent job of capturing th realism of the penguins.

Grandparents Delight.......2005-07-26

Reading a book together is a great way to share a special time with a grandchild. But when a grandchild enjoys the book enough to ask for it again, then you're sharing a memory--a book you can remember loving together. A Mother's Journey is one of those books. I've now also given it as gifts to my friends who are grandparents. DON'T MISS IT!

A Mothers Journey.......2005-07-16

A WOW book !!
Absolutely beautiful pictures and text. A
must have for bedtime reading.
I loved it as an adult, so kids will really take to it.

Average customer rating:

Great Non-fiction Book for the Preschool Set
good companion for the 'March of the Penguins' movie
A gem for your collection
Educating and humorous
Excellent for Dads to read to the Kids

The Emperor's Egg
Martin Jenkins
Manufacturer: Candlewick
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0763605573
Release Date: 1999-10-06

Amazon.com

Can you imagine spending a freezing cold Antarctic winter outside, with no food for miles around--maybe even a hundred miles? This is what the male emperor penguin does. After his mate has laid her egg, she takes off for the ocean where she swims about, getting plump on squid and fish, while Papa stands around keeping the egg warm for two entire months! Martin Jenkins's remarkable picture book about an extraordinary bird is sure to be an immediate favorite with children of all ages. In a compelling example of truth being stranger than fiction, he tells the story of the unusual habits of this largest of the penguin family (there are 17 kinds!). Jenkins's enthusiastic fascination for this polar phenomenon comes through loud and clear in his changeable font sizes and humorous personal asides ("So that means two whole months with an egg on your feet and no dinner! Or breakfast or lunch or snacks. I don't know about you but I'd be very, very miserable.") Jane Chapman's fantastic, realistic illustrations of the penguins will make readers chuckle, just as they would at the zoo upon seeing the real thing. Don't miss this book--it's wonderful! (Ages 4 to 9) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

Fabulous facts about nature's most devoted dad, in an utterly charming picture book.

Can you imagine spending the winter outdoors in Antarctica without anything at all to eat? That's just what the male Emperor penguin does. While his mate is off swimming in the ocean and catching loads of fish, he stands around in the freezing cold with an egg on his feet for two whole months, keeping it warm and waiting for it to hatch. Welcome to the story of the world's most devoted dad!

Customer Reviews:

Great Non-fiction Book for the Preschool Set.......2005-09-01

I purchased this book for my three year old after I took him to see "March of the Penguins." He loves it! It's a really great companion for this movie as it follows the story line almost exactly. For a long time he had to carry it around the house with him everywhere - even to bed at night. This book has great illustrations. It is a little "text heavy" for his attention span - but it's easy to just skip over some of the more "science -y" parts.

good companion for the 'March of the Penguins' movie.......2005-08-28

I have a penguin-mad 4 yr old who can't understand why I can't go buy him the 'March of the Penguins' dvd yet. This book is a close substitute until that happens. It follows the movie pretty close without the munching and dying. He is pleased... for now. Very sweet and fun to read.

A gem for your collection.......2002-11-07

I collect books specifically about the emperor penguin breeding cycle. When I choose a book, I want the emperor penguin pictures to be fairly accurate (not cartoony or wacky) as well as beautiful, vivid, elegant, etc.. And I want the writing to reflect love for the story of these penguins.

I love this book.

Educating and humorous.......2000-06-04

What a fabulous book! I laughed out loud ... and actually learned a thing or two about Emperor penguins. A great choice for Father's Day - shows the importance of dads in bringing up little ones (penguins, in this case), which is refreshing. Makes a great read aloud for one-on-one, or in group settings, with just the right language to keep preschoolers interested while teaching them about penguins.

Excellent for Dads to read to the Kids.......1999-11-23

This nature book is wonderful as it tells of the story emperor penguin's unique habits at the kids level and in their language. At the same time there are little footnotes which answer most of the 'why' questions from the kids that arise out of the text. ( so parents appear all knowing) The illustrations are beautiful. My daughter was so enthusastic about this book the I wanted to pop on the plane to Edinburgh, Scotland and show my daughter the Emperor penguins in real life. ( I think Antartica in the middle of winter isn't an option). Nevermind, perhaps Jenkins and Chapman will write about the little blue penguins, which are in Boston, next.

Dolphin Talk: Whistles, Clicks, and Clapping Jaws (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science, Stage 2)

Average customer rating:

great book for an ocean study
Dolphin Talk- Whistles Clicks and Clapping Jaws

Dolphin Talk: Whistles, Clicks, and Clapping Jaws (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science, Stage 2)
Wendy Pfeffer
Manufacturer: Harper Trophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Zoology | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0064452107
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Book Description

Dolphins are smart. They are so smart that they can talk to each other. Dolphins communicate underwater for the same reason people talk on land: to let others know who they are, where they are, and maybe even how to feel. Also included are activities that explore how dolphins talk to each other.

Customer Reviews:

great book for an ocean study.......2004-02-10

Dolphin Talk is a lively and very kid-friendly book with cheerful illustrations that kids will enjoy and learn from. The book teaches us that dolphins are a lot like humans. They communicate by clicking sounds and echolocation, instead of words like we do. The book is part of the Let's Read and Find out science series.

This story is a great book for kids who are intersted in dolphins. The information is presented in a kid friendly way making it easy for young children to grasps the concept of echolocation.

I recommend this book to parents and teachers of kids ages 5-9. This book would make a great read aloud during an ocean unit.

Dolphin Talk- Whistles Clicks and Clapping Jaws.......2003-10-27

In this beautifully written Read and Find Out, by Wendy Pfeffer, readers discover how dolphins communicate.Ms. Pfeffer sets the scene by telling us the dolphin's underwater world is alive with sound; crashing waves, crackle of snapping shrimp, songs of humpbacks, the shrieks of killer whales. In lively language we learn how they whistle at one another - the mother's whistle so distinctive that her child recognizes it at once and whistles back! Pfeffer explains carefully how the dolphin communicates in the dark, with clicks from its airsacs to its melon,(located on the head)And children will delight to hear that naughty dolphins are disciplined by mother shaking her head up and down. Dolphin Talk is a perfect read before a trip to the ocean, to the aquarium,and anytime one wants to find out about sea creatures! A Bucks County School Librarian

Families of the Deep Blue Sea (Saltwater Secrets)

Average customer rating:

Families of the Deep Blue Sea (Saltwater Secrets)
Kenneth Mallory
Manufacturer: Charlesbridge Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0881068853

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