Marine Mammals

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Marine Mammals of California. Orca: Visions of the Killer Whale. The Pinnipeds: Seals, Sea Lions, and Walruses. Whales: The Grandest of Lives. Sea Kayaking Basics.

Marine Mammals of California by Robert T. Orr and Roger C. Helm

Delightful and easy-to-read presentation of the popular science, in four chapters:

1. Where to observe marine mammals.

2. Whales, Dolpins, and Porpoises: Order Cetacea.
   • Baleen or Whalebone Whales: Suborder Mysticeti
     • Right Whales: Family Balaenidae.
       • Right Whale, Balaena glacialis.
     • Gray Whales: Family Eschrichtiidae.
       • Gray Whale, Eschrichtius robustus.
     • Rorquals: Family Balaenopteridae.
       • Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus.
       • Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus.
       • Sei whale, Balaenoptera borealis.
       • Minke (or Little Piked) whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata.
       • Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae.
   • Toothed Cetaceans: Suborder Odontoceti.
     • Sperm Whales: Family Physeteridae.
       • Sperm Whale, Physeter catodon.
       • Pygmy Sperm Whale, Kogia breviceps.
       • Dwarf Sperm Whale, Kogia simus.
     • Beaked Whales: Family Ziphiidae.
       • Baird's Beaked Whale, Berardius bairdii.
       • Cuvier's Beaked Whale, Ziphus cavirostris.
       • The controversial and little-known Genus Mesoplodon of small whales.
     • Ocean Dolphins: Family Delphinidae.
       • Killer Whale, Orcinus orca.
       • False Killer Whale, Pseudorca crassidens.
       • Short-finned Pilot Whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus.
       • Rough-toothed Dolphin, Steno bredanensis.
       • Pacific White-sided Dolphin, Lagenorhynchus obliquidens.
       • Common Dolphin, Delphinus delphis.
       • Bottlenose Dolphin, Tursiops truncatus.
       • Risso's Dolphin, Grampus griseus.
       • Pantropical Spotted Dolphin, Stenella attenuata.
       • Spinner Dolphin, Stenella longirostris.
       • Striped Dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba.
       • Northern Right-whale Dolphin, Lissodelphis borealis.
     • Porpoises: Family Phocoenidae.
       • Harbor Porpoise, Phocoena phocoena.
       • Dall's Porpoise, Phocoenoides dalli.

   • Carnivores: Order Carnivora.
     • Mustelids: Family Mustelidae.
       • Sea Otter, Enhydra lutris.

3. Seals, Sea Lions, and Walrus: Order Pinnipedia.
   • Eared Seals: Family Otariidae.
     • Steller's Sea Lion, Eumetopias jubata.
     • California Sea Lion, Zalophus californianus.
     • Guadalupe Fur Seal, Arctocephalus townsendi.
     • Northern Fur Seal, Callorhinus ursinus.
   • Earless Seals: Family Phocidae.
     • Harbor Seal, Phoca vitulina.
     • Northern Elephant Seal, Mirounga angustirostris.
     • Guadalupe Fur Seal, Arctocephalus townsendi.
     • Northern Fur Seal, Callorhinus ursinus.

Ends with Glossary, Selected References, and Index.

Orca: Visions of the Killer Whale (1996) by Peter Knudsen

Gorgeous photos. Chapters:

1. "Remembering Orca". Includes early descriptions of killer whales and dolphins.
2. "Orca Origins". Includes Killer Whale Family Trees and Races.
3. "Shaped by the Sea". Includes anatomy of a blowhole.
4. "Orca Society". Includes matriarchy, courtship, and communicating.
5. "Imagining Orca". Includes the Killer Whale's brain, senses, and echo location.

The Pinnipeds: Seals, Sea Lions, and Walruses by Marianne Riedman

Very complete text with about 200 illustrations (photos, line drawings, and maps). Chapters:

1. Adaptations for a Marine Existence.
2. Evolution, Classification, and Distribution of Pinnipeds.
3. Ecology.
4. Predation on Pinnipeds. Predators include Great White Sharks, Killer Whales, Polar bears, Arctic Fox. "Along the Pacific coast of North America, grizzly bear were probably an important predator of pinnipeds in the past and may have determined where pinnipeds such as the northern elephant seals were ever mainland breeders prior to the extinction of grizzly bears in California during the late 1800s, since breeding seals on land are extremely vulnerable to terrestrial predators." [p.137]
5. Diet and Food Resources.
6. Mating Systems, Breeding Behavior, and Social Organization.
7. Reproduction and Life History.
8. Maternal Care and Lactation Strategies.
9. Communication, Cognition, and Learning.

Classification used for "True Seals", the PHOCIDAE (earless seals) of PHOCOIDEA:

1. Monachinae
   • Elephant seals, including Northern elephant seal.
   • Monk seals.
   • Antarctic seals.
2. Phocinae
   • Hooded seals.
   • Bearded seals.
   • Northern seals, including Harbor seal.

Classification used for Sea Lions, Fur Seals, and Walruses are in OTARIOIDEA:

1. Otariidae (eared seals)
   • Fur seals, including Northern fur seal.
   • Otariinae (sea lions).
2. Odobenidae (walruses)
   • Odobenus, including Pacific walrus.

The Grandest of Lives: Eye to Eye with Whales by Douglas H. Chadwick

Delightful and easy-to-read presentation of the popular science of:

• The Singer: The Humpback Whale
• The Diver: Northern Bottlenose Whale
• The Killer: Orca
• The Commoner: Minke Whale
• The Giant: Blue Whale

Books

A Primer of Ecology by Nicholas J. Gotelli. 'Evolution' by Edward J Larson.

The Ecology Footprint quiz

• The Ecology Footprint quiz. Check it out to calculate what is your own impact on Gaia.

  Population Connection's Reporter (Winter 2004) gives:

  1. The current average American ("Eusan") footprint is over 10 hectares (25 acres).
  2. The current worldwide average footprint is 2.4 hectares (6 acres), which exceeds the available acreage.
  3. "Prof. David Pimentel estimates that the Earth can support from one to two billion people with a U.S. standard of living, good health, nutrition, prosperity, personal dignity, and freedom. ... The scenarios below [adapted from Prof. Ross McCluney's on-line data] estimate the shifts in quality of life as world population continues to grow, if we maintain current patterns of consumption."

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