National Audubon Society Guide to Marine Mammals of the World

Guide to Marine Mammals of the World is an excellent read for anyone interested in learning about marine mammals and their taxonomy. It gives much information about the individual animals, and even younger readers will enjoy the pictures and illustrations throughout the book. It does contain evolution in it, but this is easily skipped over. Otherwise, a wonderful book!

I work on a small passenger ship, and we always keep a copy of this book on the bridge for mammal sightings. The photos are great, as are the overview charts showing comparative sizes. The descriptions of behavior give people some insight into the lives of these wonderful creatures.

This books is very informational. I have gotten a lot of information from it and the pictures are fabulous! I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Marine Mammals. My daughter wants to be a Marine Biologist/Marine Mammal Trainer and this book gave her all the right information at the right time.

Guide to Marine Mammals of the World illustrated by Pieter Folkens et al is a National Audubon Society book organized into four major groups of marine mammals; marine fissipeds, pinnipeds, cetaceans, and sirenians.There is fascinating detail as the book goes on to describe the world's whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals and sea lions, manatees, marine and sea otters, and polar bears. Not only is there detailed descriptions, but there are maps to show where these animals live throughout the world. There is a general introduction that outlines the evolution and tanonomy of marine mammals, distribution, migration, watching guidelines, identification techniques, organizations and laws that protect marine mammals.There are 120 species represented in this book. Also, there are facts about social organization, surface behaviors, swimming and diving, details about food items and foraging techniques, and estimates of population in the wild, plus current and historic threats.If you are taking a trip to the coastlines or live near the oceans then don't be caught without this fine field guide. You will be amazed by the wildlife near the and in the ocean. This is a comprehensive and beautifully illustrated work.Don't leave home without it, as your trip will be richer and more fulfilling as you spot the animals listed.

Pieter Folkens illustrates Guide To Marine Mammals Of The World, a comprehensive desk reference which blends color photos and maps with realistic drawings of marine mammals. Paintings illustrate juvenile and subspecies, photos show typical behavior and appearance in the wild, and color range maps reflect the latest information, while chapters cover all the natural history basics. Guide To Marine Mammals Of The World promises to be a lasting, important library reference.

The National Audubon Society's Guide to Marine Mammals of the World contains a wealth of information about pinnipeds (seals and sea lions), cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises), sirenians (manatees and dugongs), polar bears and otters that's timely and easy to digest. Descriptions, range, behavior, etc. of the various species are informative, with just enough detail for anyone short of a marine biology major. Along with a number of excellent quality photographs, Pieter Folkens (from my hometown of Benicia, CA!) illustrations are superb. From Knopf, the same publishers of the Sibley Guide to Birds, the graphics and layout of this guide are similarly clean and very attractive. I think it's one of the best looking books of it's type, and an ideal introductory guide for anyone with an interest in marine mammals.