cover image The Lives of Whales and Dolphins: From the American Museum of Natural History

The Lives of Whales and Dolphins: From the American Museum of Natural History

Richard C. Connor. Henry Holt & Company, $25 (233pp) ISBN 978-0-8050-1950-6

Second in the publisher's series on animal behavior produced with the American Museum of Natural History, this informative volume explores the world and behaviors of whales and dolphins. Whale authority Connor and science writer Peterson begin with the birth of a sperm whale in the tropical Pacific. The text, illustrated with drawings and photos, then follows several species of cetaceans through each stage of life. We learn how these creatures communicate, play, fight, take care of their young and catch prey. In examining the animals' social lives, the authors describe dolphins begging fish from tourists at Shark Bay in Western Australia, observe the interaction of newborn calves and their mothers and probe the sounds made by beluga and bowhead whales off the Alaskan coast. One of the animals' most notable features is their cooperative behavior, not only among themselves but also with other species. (Aug.)