Physty

Relates the adventures of a young sperm whale that gets beached near New York City, and is later helped by a group of helpful whale watchers.

Over the past several decades, Richard Ellis has produced a remarkable body of work that has been called "magnificent" (Washington Post Book World), "masterful" (Scientific American), "magical" (Men's Journal), and a "dazzling tour de force" (Christian Science Monitor). Ellis's new book-a fascinating tour through the world of the sperm whale-will surely inspire more such praise for the author heralded by Publisher Weekly as "America's foremost writer on marine research." Written with Ellis's deep knowledge and trademark passion, verve, and wit-and illustrated with a wide array of images including his own signature artwork-his study covers the full spectrum of the sperm whale's existence from its prehistoric past to its current endangered existence. Ellis, as no one else can, illuminates the iconic impact of Physeter macrocephalus ("big-headed blower") on our history, environment, and culture, with a substantial nod to Herman Melville and Moby-Dick, the great novel that put the sperm whale (and whaling) on the literary map. Ranging far and wide, Ellis covers the sperm whale's evolution, ecology, biology, anatomy, behavior, social organization, intelligence, communications, migrations, diet, and breeding. He also devotes considerable space to the whale's hunting prowess, including its clashes with the giant squid, and to the history of the whaling industry that decimated its numbers during the last two centuries. He even includes a story about a beached juvenile he helped rescue, an event that provided scientists with one of their first opportunities to observe a sperm whale in the water and up close. Offering a rich tapestry for anyone with an interest in the marvels of ocean life, Ellis's book provides an indispensable guide to the life and times of one of the planet's most intelligent, elusive, and endangered species.

Since ancient times the kinship between dolphins and humans has been celebrated across cultures and continents in myth, art, literature, and science. Only recently, however, have we gone beyond our own view of this interspecies connection and begun to ask: What might this bond look like from the dolphins' perspective? This anthology brings together for the first time eminent scientists and gifted writers to help shed light on this intriguing question. Selections range from tales of transforming dolphin encounters to views on how to protect cetaceans and their habitats, and from poems honoring dolphins to provocative critiques of swim-with-the-dolphins programs and acoustic pollution.--From publisher description.

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