Sharks of the World: A Fully Illustrated Guide

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The first field guide to cover all species of sharks, Sharks of the World is a welcome addition to the field bags of both professional and amateur naturalists. Filling a role heretofore satisfied only by owning a series of regional field guides, this volume offers one stop shopping for worldwide shark aficionados. Sharks of the World is a must-buy for anyone interested in identifying sharks."—George H. Burgess, Florida Program for Shark Research, Florida Museum of Natural History The Reef-World Foundation passionately encourages individuals worldwide to participate in safeguarding our precious reefs! This is a stunningly beautiful book. . . . The text, too, is all that it should be: concise, authoritative, easy to use, and richly, almost extravagantly, illustrated. The book is clearly a labour of love."—Peter Marren, British Wildlife They are multiple award-winning photographers and along with 4 published books, feature regularly in the diving, wildlife and international press They are the Underwater Photography and Deputy Editors at Scubaverse and Dive Travel Adventures. Winners of the Caribbean Tourism Organization Photo-journalist of the Year for a feature on Shark Diving in The Bahamas, and they have been placed in every year they have entered. This is an outstanding, monumental study of these diverse, intriguing, and captivating fish, enhanced by the standard of the artwork."—Doug Herdson, Marine Biologist

The attention to detail, the thoroughness of coverage, the simplicity and wonder of the illustrations, all add up to a remarkable labour of love. It is an awful irony that, as our knowledge of these wonderful creatures has grown, so has our capacity to destroy them. However, as this book so carefully explains that growth in knowledge is also the means by which we can, hopefully, save them. All those involved in producing such an authoritative compendium should be proud of this impressive contribution to the understanding of sharks and the contribution it will have to their conservation."—Max James, DIVE Magazine I think what I love most about this book is how it is organised. Rather than simply lump the animals into taxonomic groupings, they are put into chapters that tell you a story about them. Whether it is the story of their evolution, how they were discovered, their biology, behaviour or need for conservation. Once you have decided on an animal to delve deeper into, each species has its own story, as well as key information about size, diet, distribution, habitat and conservation status. From the gregarious sea otter and playful dolphins to the sociable narwhal and iconic polar bear, sea mammals are a large, diverse, and increasingly precious group. In this book, Annalisa Berta, a leading expert on sea mammals and their evolution, presents an engaging and richly illustrated introduction to past and present species of these remarkable creatures, from the blue whale and the northern fur seal to the extinct giant sperm whale, aquatic sloth, and walking sea cow. Sharks of the World is the end product of well over a decade of collaboration between David Ebert, Sarah Fowler and Leonard Compagno (globally-recognised experts in shark taxonomy, identification, biology and shark conservation policy and status) and the renowned natural history illustrator, Marc Dando – pooling a total of over 100 years of professional engagement in this field.Coral reefs confront severe threats from human activities, the ravages of climate change, coral diseases, outbreaks of Crown-of-Thorns Starfish and invasive species. Without these vibrant ecosystems, the ocean loses over 25% of its marine life diversity, impacting the very air we breathe. Reef-World’s Urgent Mission Reef-World believes in the power of local champions within coral reef communities. By listening to and empowering these champions, the foundation aims to develop accessible tools and resources, fostering resilience and health in coral reefs. The Power of Your Donation Clear identification information for each species with details of size, habitat, behavior, andbiology An] excellent reference book, providing everything that shark enthusiasts need to properly identify their favorite fish and new ones that they catch, too. There is a lot to learn, and the 607 ages of this book will I would say that this book should be on every shark-lover’s wish list, whether you are a budding marine biologist or a shark-mad diver. Sharks of the World will inspire you to increase your knowledge about sharks; it will boost your passion and commitment to conserve sharks and their marine habitats; and perhaps, like me, it will encourage you to spend even more time in the water with them to understand them and enjoy them – after all, I have only seen around 30 of the 536 described in this book – so there are plenty more sharks in the sea for me to discover!

Praise for the previous edition:“This well-organized, well-written guide is ideal for scholars, professionals, and enthusiasts.”— Library Journal Annalisa Berta is professor emerita of biology at San Diego State University. A specialist in the anatomy and evolutionary biology of marine mammals, especially baleen whales, she formally described a skeleton of the early pinniped Enaliarctos. She is the author of Return to the Sea: The Life and Evolutionary Times of Marine Mammals and the editor of the award-winning Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises: A Natural History and Species Guide. The amazing diversity of these magnificent yet maligned animals is wonderfully represented here."—Christine Adkins, Discovery Today, The Reef-World Foundation — at the forefront of advocating for sustainable marine tourism and the international coordinator of the UN Environment Programme’s Green Fins initiative, launches their first-ever end-of-year campaign: Save Our Reefs! This campaign aims to urge immediate action to safeguard these endangered habitats. Preserving reefs is critical for sustaining life, and their decline impacts us all. Saving the reefs has everything to do with all of us! Coral Reefs on Borrowed Time I have already spent many happy hours delving into the chapters on each shark family, looking up the species that I have seen whilst diving, and spent more contemplating just how many species there are in our ocean and the incredible diversity they show.

The reader learns about shark biology (body structure, teeth and jaws, senses, life history, etc) and the interactions between sharks and people, both good and bad. This is a very nice, handy-sized guide for those interested in sharks and their conservation."—Robert E. Hoopes, Wildlife Activist The book features more than 50 individual species profiles, themed chapters, stunning photographs, and specially commissioned paleo-illustrations of extinct species. It presents detailed accounts of these mammals’ evolutionary path, anatomy, behavior, habitats, and conservation. And because these are key species that complete many food chains and have the widest influence of all sea life, the book also offers insights into a broad variety of marine worlds today and in the future. This book is a must for any shark-lover to have on their shelves. The amount of information within is mind-boggling. It includes chapters on shark anatomy, evolution, behaviour and conservation as well as thousands of beautiful illustrations and images.

Sharks of the World is the essential book for everyone interested in sharks, from the expert requiring a major reference work, to the layperson fascinated by their beauty, biology and diversity. Its production is timely. Overfishing and the shark fin trade have pushed sharks into the most threatened categories of marine animals. Their depletion has serious implications for the stability of marine ecosystems. Some species are now listed in international environmental agreements, including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and they are becoming a management priority for many Regional Fisheries Management Organisations. Implementation of conservation and fisheries management measures, and international trade regulation is impossible without a good identification guide.There is plenty to enjoy in this delightful book. Plenty to learn too. As the cold dark nights draw in, I can see myself delving into this book time and time again. This is a perfect gift for anyone that loves the ocean and its inhabitants. Or just treat yourself. This is a reference anyone in any age group or level of knowledge could use easily. You don't need to be a shark fan for Sharks of the World to be a useful addition to your library: this is one book I'd recommend to any diver or naturalist any day."—Virginia Cowell, Diver Magazine The End-of-Year Campaign: Save Our Reefs runs from 21 November until 31 December 2023. Act now—your donation can help save the reefs globally! Everyone’s heard of the Great Whites. But most people know little of the hundreds of other types of sharks that inhabit the world’s oceans. Written by two of the world’s leading authorities and superbly illustrated by wildlife artist Marc Dando, this is the first comprehensive field guide to all 440-plus shark species. Color plates illustrate all species, and detailed accounts include diagnostic line drawings and a distribution map for each species. Introductory chapters treat physiology, behavior, reproduction, ecology, diet, and sharks’ interrelationships withhumans. Join Reef-World in the race against time. Together, let us forge a future where coral reefs thrive, sustaining life and safeguarding the health of our precious planet.