John E. Reynolds III - Böcker

Marine mammal conservation presents a number of challenges for scientists and other stakeholders, especially using natural resources in ways that avoid crisis management. Scientists play the special role of providing vital information to decision makers to help them understand long-term consequences of their actions and avoid crises before they develop. The contributors to this visionary work look beyond the current crises to present a compelling argument about how science, if conducted properly, can provide insights that minimize crisis management and implement more anticipatory action. Despite the significant reduction of marine mammal harvesting, stocks of some species remain greatly reduced or are in decline. This volume provides an overview of the current state of marine mammal populations and identifies the major obstacles facing marine mammal conservation, including fisheries, sonar and other noise pollution, disease, contaminants, algal booms, and habitat loss. The contributors chart a scientifically-supported plan to direct marine management toward a well-defined recovery protocol.This comprehensive resource will be indispensable for marine mammal biologists, oceanographers, conservation program managers, government regulators, policy makers, and anyone who is concerned about the future of these captivating species.

Mysterious Manatees is a synergistic partnership between photographer Karen Glaser and writer and scholar John Reynolds, two of the nation's leading interpreters - one artistic, one scientific - of the life and underwater habitat of the manatee. This union of science and art makes for a compelling exploration of the manatee through two independent essays - one textual, one visual - in a book addressed to both specialists and a general audience. To some, an emblem of the tranquility and beauty of natural Florida, to others an obstacle to fast-track growth and good times, the endangered Florida manatee arouses the passions of those who have encountered it and the curiosity of those who have only heard about this huge, enigmatic inhabitant of Florida's coastal waterways. The book opens with Reynolds's scientific account of the interactions between people and manatees, describing the history of manatee hunting, relating what is known about their early distribution and survival, and clarifying the debate about whether manatees are native to Florida. Reynolds also discusses manatee biology and the features that make the animal especially vulnerable to human activities. Reynolds's complete and authoritative account of manatee biology, management, and conservation concludes with a gallery of plates featuring Glaser's remarkable panoramic photographs. Glaser's 52 beautiful duotone prints capture an intimate, distinctively natural vision of manatees in their own environment, an underwater world illuminated only by the sunlight above. The manatees were photographed in all the diverse conditions that comprise their environment: mud, muck, clear water, rain, sunny or cloudy - all illuminate the forms of these magnificent animals. Mysterious Manatees will appeal to wildlife professionals, amateur naturalists, environmentalists, and lovers of fine photography as a unique combination of fact and image that provides a compelling sense of the mysterious presence of these large yet gentle and graceful sea creatures.