Behavioral Biology of Killer Whales PDF Download

Author: Barbara C. Kirkevold
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 490

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Author: Robin W. Baird
Publisher: New Line Books
ISBN: 9781841071039
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 136

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Killer whales are the supreme predators in the ocean. This introduction to killer whales, or orcas, pieces together the latest information on their life histories. How they communicate and maintain well-established societies, with intricate family relationships, over long lifespans. We also learn that killer whales must now contend with toxic pollutants, overfishing of their prey and a host of other environmental concerns. Illustrated by the world's best wildlife photographers, this book brings us face to face with these intriguing creatures in their underwater realms.

Author: Bernd Würsig
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3030166635
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 508

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This book concentrates on the marine mammalian group of Odontocetes, the toothed whales, dolphins, and porpoises. In 23 chapters, a total of 40 authors describe general patterns of ethological concepts of odontocetes in their natural environments, with a strong bent towards behavioral ecology. Examples are given of particularly well-studied species and species groups for which enough data exist, especially from the past 15 years. The aim is to give a modern flavor of present knowledge of ethology and behavior of generally large-brained behaviorally flexible mammals that have evolved quite separately from social mammals on land. As well, the plight of populations and species due to humans is described in multiple chapters, with the goal that an understanding of behavior can help to solve or alleviate at least some human-made problems.

Author: Juichi Yamagiwa
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 4431545239
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 445

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In this book, the editors present a view of the socioecology of primates and cetaceans in a comparative perspective to elucidate the social evolution of highly intellectual mammals in terrestrial and aquatic environments. Despite obvious differences in morphology and eco-physiology, there are many cases of comparable, sometimes strikingly similar patterns of sociobehavioral complexity. A number of long-term field studies have accumulated a substantial amount of data on the life history of various taxa, foraging ecology, social and sexual relationships, demography, and various patterns of behavior: from dynamic fission–fusion to long-term stable societies; from male-bonded to bisexually bonded to matrilineal groups. Primatologists and cetologists have come together to provide four evolutionary themes: (1) social complexity and behavioral plasticity, (2) life history strategies and social evolution, (3) the interface between behavior, demography, and conservation, and (4) selected topics in comparative behavior. These comparisons of taxa that are evolutionarily distant but live in comparable complex sociocognitive environments boost our appreciation of their sophisticated mammalian societies and can advance our understanding of the ecological factors that have shaped their social evolution. This knowledge also facilitates a better understanding of the day-to-day challenges these animals face in the human-dominated world and may improve the capacity and effectiveness of our conservation efforts.

Author: Jason Michael Colby
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0190673095
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 409

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Drawing on interviews, official records, private archives, and the author's own family history, this is the definitive story of how the feared and despised "killer" became the beloved "orca", and what that has meant for our relationship with the ocean and its creatures

Author: John K. B. Ford
Publisher: UBC Press
ISBN: 0774844302
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 106

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Book Description
This new edition of this best-selling book presents updated results ofover twenty-five years of killer whale research in British Columbia andWashington. Intended for both whale enthusiasts and researchers, itcontains the latest information on killer whale natural history andpresents a catalogue of close to 300 photographs of"resident" killer whales as well as a genealogical registrythat enables readers to identify individual killer whales and theirfamily groups. The technique of photographing the dorsal fin and greysaddle patch of whales has revolutionized the study of killer whales,allowing researchers to follow individuals over the course of manyyears.

Author: Megan M. Gunderson
Publisher: ABDO Publishing Company
ISBN: 1617873519
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 26

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Book Description
Dive into Earth's oceans and discover the world of the killer whale! Stunning, full-color photos show these black-and-white whales above water and below. A range map reveals where these special sea creatures can be found. A labeled diagram helps readers identify flukes, flippers, and more. The killer whale's size, habitat, senses, threats, diet, reproduction, and unique behaviors are also introduced. Plus, find out how fast these speedy cetaceans swim and what they do to communicate. A facts page, bolded glossary terms, and an index support the engaging, easy-to-read chapter text. Checkerboard Library is an imprint of ABDO Publishing Company.

Author: Emma Sutton Welch
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Marine biology
Languages : en
Pages : 128

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Author: David Neiwert
Publisher: Abrams
ISBN: 1468312294
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 258

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A journalist “convincingly spells out the threats to their survival, their misery in captivity, and what scientists can learn by studying them” (Kirkus). The orca—otherwise known as the killer whale—is one of earth’s most intelligent animals. Remarkably sophisticated, orcas have languages and cultures and even long-term memories, and their capacity for echolocation is nothing short of a sixth sense. They are also benign and gentle, which makes the story of the captive-orca industry—and the endangerment of their population in Puget Sound—that much more damning. In Of Orcas and Men, a marvelously compelling mix of cultural history, environmental reporting, and scientific research, David Neiwert explores an extraordinary species and its occasionally fraught relationship with human beings. Beginning with their role in myth and contemporary culture, Neiwert shows how killer whales came to capture our imaginations, and brings to life the often catastrophic environmental consequences of that appeal. In the tradition of Barry Lopez’s classic Of Wolves and Men, David Neiwert’s book is a triumph of reporting, observation, and research, and a powerful tribute to one of the animal kingdom’s most remarkable members. Praise for Of Orcas and Men “Human beings need to learn from and understand the cooperative nature of orca society. Everyone who is interested in both animal and human behavior should read this remarkable book.” —Temple Grandin, New York Times–bestselling author of Animals in Translation and Animals Make Us Human “Powerful and beautifully written.” —Jane Goodall “Humans and killer whales have a long and complicated history, one that David Neiwert describes forcefully and eloquently in this fascinating and highly readable book.” —David Kirby, New York Times–bestselling author of Death at SeaWorld “[A] breathtaking survey of orca science, folklore, and mystery.” —The Stranger

Author: John Hargrove
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
ISBN: 1466878819
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 282

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*Now a New York Times Best Seller* Over the course of two decades, John Hargrove worked with 20 different whales on two continents and at two of SeaWorld's U.S. facilities. For Hargrove, becoming an orca trainer fulfilled a childhood dream. However, as his experience with the whales deepened, Hargrove came to doubt that their needs could ever be met in captivity. When two fellow trainers were killed by orcas in marine parks, Hargrove decided that SeaWorld's wildly popular programs were both detrimental to the whales and ultimately unsafe for trainers. After leaving SeaWorld, Hargrove became one of the stars of the controversial documentary Blackfish. The outcry over the treatment of SeaWorld's orca has now expanded beyond the outlines sketched by the award-winning documentary, with Hargrove contributing his expertise to an advocacy movement that is convincing both federal and state governments to act. In Beneath the Surface, Hargrove paints a compelling portrait of these highly intelligent and social creatures, including his favorite whales Takara and her mother Kasatka, two of the most dominant orcas in SeaWorld. And he includes vibrant descriptions of the lives of orcas in the wild, contrasting their freedom in the ocean with their lives in SeaWorld. Hargrove's journey is one that humanity has just begun to take-toward the realization that the relationship between the human and animal worlds must be radically rethought.