Science Resources RSS Feeds
|
 |
 |
 |
| View Larger Image | Sperm Whales: Social Evolution in the Ocean | Paperbackby Hal Whitehead (Author)
| List Price: | $30.00 | | | Available: | Usually ships in 24 hours |
| | Binding: | Paperback | | Publisher: | University Of Chicago Press | | Edition: | 1st Edition | | Page Count: | 464 Pages | | Publication Date: | August 15, 2003 | | Sales Rank: | 753,635rd |
|
EDITORIAL REVIEWS |
Product Description
Famed in story as "the great leviathans," sperm whales are truly creatures of extremes. Giants among all whales, they also have the largest brains of any creature on Earth. Males can reach a length of sixty-two feet and can weigh upwards of fifty tons.With this book, Hal Whitehead gives us a clearer picture of the ecology and social life of sperm whales than we have ever had before. Based on almost two decades of field research, Whitehead describes their biology, behavior, and habitat; how they organize their societies; and how their complex lifestyles may have evolved in this unique environment. Among the many fascinating topics he explores is the crucial role that culture plays in the life of the sperm whale, and he traces the consequences of this argument for both evolution and conservation. Finally, drawing on these findings, Whitehead builds a general model of how the ocean environment influences social behavior and cultural evolution among mammals as well as other animals.The definitive portrait of a provocative creature, Sperm Whales will interest animal behaviorists, conservationists, ecologists, and evolutionary biologists as well as marine mammalogists. |
CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.0 based on 1 review)
|
He can write! by C. F. W. Puhl (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)  4 Stars
February 29, 2008
First things first: "Sperm Whales: Social Evolution in the Ocean" is a marvellously written in-depth account of every aspect of the sperm whale. I just loved the enthusiasm with which mr. Whitehead has written it. His professionalism is undoubted and his academic level is very high. But above all: he can write!
Some background info on myself: I am Dutch, English is not my mother tongue. I graduated from university, so I am quite capable of reading academic texts. I love reading English and have read quite a lot of books in that wonderful language. I have recently become more interested in marine life in general and marine mammals in specific.
What makes "Sperm Whales: Social Evolution in the Ocean" such a good book? I am not a marine mammal specialist, but I still considered the book quite readable. I admit it was not an easy read. Especially chapter 6 "Sperm Whale Societies", which is about concentrations, groups and social units, I thought very difficult and rather dry. The high level of references sometimes disturb the fluidity of the text. The book was very interesting and packed with information. In a fascinating way mr. Whitehead took me into the depths of the oceans along with these amazing animals. His level of writing is very academic, but his enthusiasm about these animals is reflected by almost each and every sentence. I highly recommend this book to all marine mammal enthusiasts.
| |
SIMILAR PRODUCTS |
| Sperm Whales
by Jonathan Gordon (Author)
This top-selling series introduces the wild creatures of the world and examines the natural world. Good general introductions for ages 10+, these volumes contain the knowledge, personal experiences, and research of leading naturalists and scientists, accompanied by stunning photography. Unless otherwise noted (*), all volumes are sturdy paperback.
| 
| Cetacean Societies: Field Studies of Dolphins and Whales
by Janet Mann (Editor), Richard C. Connor (Editor), Peter L. Tyack (Editor), Hal Whitehead (Editor)
"Part review, part testament to extraordinary dedication, and part call to get involved, Cetacean Societies highlights the achievements of behavioral ecologists inspired by the challenges of cetaceans and committed to the exploration of a new world."—from the preface by Richard Wrangham
Long-lived, slow to reproduce, and often hidden beneath the water's surface, whales and dolphins (cetaceans) have remained elusive subjects for scientific study even though they have fascinated humans...
| 
| Whales, Whaling, and Ocean Ecosystems
by James A. Estes (Editor), Douglas P. DeMaster (Editor), Daniel F. Doak (Editor), Terrie M. Williams (Editor), Robert L. Brownell Jr. (Editor)
This unprecedented volume presents a sweeping picture of what we know about the natural history, biology, and ecology of whales in the broad context of the dynamics of ocean ecosystems. Innovative and comprehensive, the volume encompasses multiple points of view to consider the total ecological impact of industrial whaling on the world's oceans. Combining empirical research, ecological theory and modeling, and historical data, its chapters present perspectives from ecology, population biology,...
| 
| Wild Blue: A Natural History of the World's Largest Animal
by Dan Bortolotti (Author)
The blue whale holds the title of largest creature that has ever lived, and it may also be the most mysterious. The biggest blue whales can outweigh every player in Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League combined. Their mouths can gulp more than thirteen thousand gallons of seawater. A newborn can be over twenty feet long and gain nearly twenty tons in seven months—about eight pounds per hour. Blue whales emit more powerful sounds than any other animal on earth, though many...
| 
| Dolphin Mysteries: Unlocking the Secrets of Communication
by Kathleen M. Dudzinski (Author), Toni Frohoff (Author), Marc Bekoff (Foreword)
Dolphins have fascinated humans for millennia, giving rise to an abundance of stories and myths about them, yet the actual details of their lives in the sea have remained elusive. In this enthralling book, Kathleen M. Dudzinski and Toni Frohoff take us into the dolphins’ aquatic world to witness firsthand how they live their lives, communicate, and interact with one another and with other species, including people.
|
|
|
|
