• Description
• Images (1)
• Reviews
• Author Bio

Marine mammals are among the most fascinating, and most watched, of the earth's many animal species. Some, such as dolphins, are known for their intelligence, friendliness toward humans, and surprisingly sophisticated social behavior. In addition, all these animals are sources of fascination for the special adaptations they have undergone for life in and around the water, for their unique methods of communication ("whale song"), and for the endangered status of many species. This comprehensive guide includes scientific and common names, the number and distribution of species, measurements and physical traits, habitat, daily and seasonal activity, population dynamics, home range, social life, reproduction, longevity, and status of threatened species. A foreword by John E. Heyning is engagingly written for the general reader, while a more detailed and substantive introduction by Randall R. Reeves and Brent S. Stewart discusses issues in greater depth for the specialist.