Europe's sea mammals: a field guide to the whales, dolphins, porpoises and seals

摘要

This is a visually stunning book. There are photographs and images of the whales, dolphins, porpoises and seals covered in the guide. Three of the authors Hugh Harrop, Tim Stenton and Luis Dias are credited with the vast majority of this work. There is a long list of other contributors. This book is truly a labour of love.The preface, written by Rob Still, gives a general view of the guide and explains when he became interested in sea mammals. The author makes clear that we know a lot more about the mammals and it is clear that many species are highly intelligent. Yet, these species face both direct and indirect threats. Direct threats include systematic killing, ship strikes, entanglement and drowning in fishing gear and the impacts of sonar. Indirect threats include pollution, reduction of food stocks through overfishing and the impact of climate change on food distribution patterns. The purpose of the guide (summarised in the last paragraph) is to provide information about these creatures, the threats they face and what is being done to reduce those threats. The guide is in two parts. The first provides practical advice. The second gives information on individual creatures.