The Complete Whale-watching Handbook: A Guide to Whales, Dolphins, And Porpoises of the World

by Wilson, Ben

• ISBN13: 9780760325674
• ISBN10: 0760325677
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-08-04
• Publisher: Motorbooks Intl

Summary

The Complete Whale-Watching Handbook is a spectacular celebration of whales, porpoises, and dolphins, and of the immense diversity of opportunities to view these spectacular marine mammals in the wild. Once the stuff of fishermenrs"s yarns and literary classics, we can all now experience the excitement of an eye-to-eye encounter with a whale, dolphin, or porpoise. This book covers the biology of each creature listed, focusing on the species that can be seen on excursions, the behaviors likely to be encountered, and the nature of the industry. There is also a species guide, followed by a comprehensive region-by-region guide to whale-, dolphin-, or porpoise-watching opportunities worldwide. Up-to-date listings include contact information and a seasonal analysis of the species that can be expected. There are also sections explaining the study of whales, dolphins, and porpoises, examining the impact of whale-watching on whale populations, and offering practical advice on how to view, photograph and enjoy these creatures in the wild.

Author Biography

Dr. Ben Wilson gained his doctorate in Zoology from the University of Aberdeen in 1995. He has studied the behavior and ecology of marine mammals and fish for over 10 years. He is a member of the IUCN Cetacean Specialist Group, International Whaling Commission, and the Society for Marine Mammalogy, and is a Lecturer for the Scottish Association for Marine Science. He is widely published in scientific papers, and is also the author of the popular books: Dolphins Worldlife Library Series (1998) and Bottlenose Dolphins Worldlife Library Series (1994), with co-author Paul Thompson. He lives in Oban, Scotland.

Angus Wilson is an associate professor and researcher at New York University School of Medicine. He has had a life-long interest in offshore wildlife, principally birds and marine mammals. This passion is reflected on his Ocean Wanderers web site (ww.oceanwanderers.com). During the past few years, he has traveled to all the major oceans in the world and encountered many species of whale, dolphin and porpoise. Angus is a regular leader on excursions off the mid-Atlantic states in search of birds and cetaceans. He lives in New York City.