The dusky dolphin

Much has been written about dolphins and whales, and excellent books exist especially on the charismatic bottlenose dolphins; and killer, humpback, and sperm whales. But detailed studies have been carried out on a handful of other species, and this book summarizes our state of knowledge of a little dolphin - the southern hemisphere "dusky," and compares its behavioral strategies in different environs. The editors, Bernd and Mel Wursig, began studying duskies in Patagonia Argentina in 1972. Although they have been to many parts of the Earth since then -- including work on Amazon and Yangtze river dolphins, Hawai'i for the delicate lovely spinner dolphin, the Arctic for bowhead and gray whale work, and bottlenose dolphins in several milieus -- they have always returned to their first love of unraveling the social patterns and life strategies of duskies that exist in small groups in semi-enclosed bays and as herds of well over one thousand in the open ocean. This book documents the latest research, from their feeding patterns to their acrobatic skills. It is full of scientific facts, with a sense of poetry and wonder of the unknown. - Only book fully devoted to the southern hemisphere "dusky" dolphin - Heavily illustrated with charts, figures, tables, and all color photos - Written by a cadre of experts intimately familiar with dolphin field work - Written in an accurate yet accessible style for the scientist and natural historian alike.

Beyond its central premise, the book can be read through the connected lenses of Nonfiction. Those themes offer useful points of attention as the characters, ideas, or world develop, especially where the book complicates the expectations of its primary category.