Witness to Extinction

Witness to Extinction PDF Author: Samuel Turvey
Publisher: OUP Oxford
ISBN: 0191580198
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 285

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Book Description
The tragic recognition of the extinction of the Yangtze River Dolphin or baiji in 2007 became a major news story and sent shockwaves around the world. It made a romantic story, for the baiji was a unique and beautiful creature that features in many Chinese legends and folk tales. The Goddess of the Yangtze, as it was known, was also the lone representative of an entire and ancient branch of the Tree of Life. But perhaps the greater tragedy is that its status as one of the world's most threatened mammals had been widely recognized, yet despite wide publicity virtually no international funds became available. A compelling read by a young naturalist, Samuel Turvey tells the story of the plight of the Yangtze River Dolphin from his unique perspective as a conservation biologist deeply involved in the struggle to save the dolphin. This is both a celebration of a beautiful and remarkable animal that once graced one of China's greatest rivers, its natural history and its role as a cultural symbol; and also a personal, eyewitness account of the failures of policy and the struggle to get funds that led to its tragic demise. It is a true cautionary tale that we must learn from, for there are countless other threatened species that will suffer from the same human mistakes, and whose loss we shall not know until it is too late.

Witness to Extinction

Witness to Extinction PDF Author: Samuel Turvey
Publisher: OUP Oxford
ISBN: 0191580198
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 285

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Book Description
The tragic recognition of the extinction of the Yangtze River Dolphin or baiji in 2007 became a major news story and sent shockwaves around the world. It made a romantic story, for the baiji was a unique and beautiful creature that features in many Chinese legends and folk tales. The Goddess of the Yangtze, as it was known, was also the lone representative of an entire and ancient branch of the Tree of Life. But perhaps the greater tragedy is that its status as one of the world's most threatened mammals had been widely recognized, yet despite wide publicity virtually no international funds became available. A compelling read by a young naturalist, Samuel Turvey tells the story of the plight of the Yangtze River Dolphin from his unique perspective as a conservation biologist deeply involved in the struggle to save the dolphin. This is both a celebration of a beautiful and remarkable animal that once graced one of China's greatest rivers, its natural history and its role as a cultural symbol; and also a personal, eyewitness account of the failures of policy and the struggle to get funds that led to its tragic demise. It is a true cautionary tale that we must learn from, for there are countless other threatened species that will suffer from the same human mistakes, and whose loss we shall not know until it is too late.

Chinese River Dolphins

Chinese River Dolphins PDF Author: Kristin Petrie
Publisher: ABDO
ISBN: 1599280388
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 26

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Book Description
Introduces characteristics, habitat, and behaviors of the Chinese river dolphin.

Biology and Conservation of Freshwater Cetaceans in Asia

Biology and Conservation of Freshwater Cetaceans in Asia PDF Author: Randall R. Reeves
Publisher: World Conservation Union
ISBN: 9782831705132
Category : Cetacea
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
This compilation brings together current information on the status of Asian freshwater cetacean populations, the factors that have caused their recent declines, and what can be done to improve their chances for survival. Includes papers on water development issues, the Yangtze River Dolphin (Baiji), the Ganges River Dolphin (Susu), and porpoises. In the final section, five papers address methods of studying freshwater cetaceans.

Witness to Extinction

Witness to Extinction PDF Author: Samuel Turvey
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 0199549486
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 250

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Book Description
Samuel Turvey here tells the story of the plight of the Yangtze River Dolphin from his unique perspective as a conservation biologist deeply involved in the struggle to save this species. His book is at once a celebration of a beautiful and remarkable animal that once graced one of China's greatest rivers; a study of the dolphin's natural history and its role as a cultural symbol; and a personal, eyewitness account of the failure to obtain funds that led to the dolphin's demise.

Anatomy of Dolphins

Anatomy of Dolphins PDF Author: Bruno Cozzi
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 0124076556
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 458

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Book Description
The Anatomy of Dolphins: Insights into Body Structure and Function is a precise, detailed, fully illustrated, descriptive, and functionally oriented text on the anatomy and morphology of dolphins. It focuses on a number of delphinid species, with keynotes on important dolphin-like genera, such as the harbor porpoise. It also serves as a useful complement for expanding trends and emphases in molecular biology and genetics. The authors share their life-long expertise on marine mammals in various disciplines. Written as a team rather than being prepared as a collection of separate contributions, the result is a uniform and comprehensive style, giving each of the different topics appropriate space. Many color figures, which use the authors' access to wide collections of unique dolphin and whale material, round out this exceptional offering to the field. - Includes high-quality illustrations, drawings, halftone artwork, photographic documentations, microphotos, and tables detailing dolphin anatomy, function, and morphology - Facilitates education and training of students of all basic research and applied sciences dedicated to marine biology and the medical care of marine mammals - Brings together the current knowledge and information on this topic, including those in obscure past or non-English publications, or scattered in short chapters in volumes - Covers a number of delphinid species and serves as a useful complement for expanding trends in molecular biology and genetics

The Mekong

The Mekong PDF Author: Ian Charles Campbell
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 0080920632
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 647

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Book Description
The Mekong is the most controversial river in Southeast Asia, and increasingly the focus of international attention. It flows through 6 counties, China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Viet Nam. The 4 downstream countries have formed the Mekong River Commission to promote sustainable development of the river and many of their people depend on it for their subsistence ? it has possible the largest freshwater fishery in the world, and the Mekong waters support rice agriculture in the delta in Viet Nam (which produces about 40% of that country's food) as well as in Cambodia, Laos and Thailand. China is now building the first large mainstream dam on the river, and has proposals for several more. These dams are likely to affect the downstream countries. Several of the downstream countries also have plans for large scale hydropower and irrigation development which could also impact the river. This book will provide a solid overview of the biophysical environment of the Mekong together with a discussion of the possible impacts, biophysical, economic and social, of some possible development scenarios. It is intended to provide a technical basis which can inform the growing political and conservation debate about the future of the Mekong River, and those who depend on it. It is aimed at river ecologists, geographers, environmentalists and development specialists both in the basin and (especially) outside for whom access to this material is most difficult. This book will be the first comprehensive treatment of the Mekong system. - The first comprehensive overview of all aspects of the Mekong River system - Deals with a regionally critical ecosystem and one under threat - The Mekong supports the world's largest freshwater fishery and provides water underpinning a major regional rice paddy system - Presents the authoritative findings of the Mekong River Commission's research for a wider audience for the first time outside of limited distribution reports

A New River-dolphin from China

A New River-dolphin from China PDF Author: Gerrit Smith Miller
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Mammals
Languages : en
Pages : 36

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Book Description


Dolphins & Porpoises

Dolphins & Porpoises PDF Author: Jean-Pierre Sylvestre
Publisher: Sterling Publishing (NY)
ISBN: 9780806987934
Category : Crafts & Hobbies
Languages : en
Pages : 164

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Book Description
Describes 30 species of these popular marine animals

Dolphins, Porpoises and Whales of the World

Dolphins, Porpoises and Whales of the World PDF Author: International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
Publisher: IUCN
ISBN: 9782880329365
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 450

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Book Description


Lost Animals

Lost Animals PDF Author: Errol Fuller
Publisher: A&C Black
ISBN: 1408160013
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 257

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Book Description
Caught on camera prior to their demise, this book reveals the surprisingly rich photographic record of now-extinct animals. A photograph of an animal long-gone evokes a feeling of loss more than a painting ever can. Often tinted sepia or black-and-white, these images were mainly taken in zoos or wildlife parks, and in a handful of cases featured the last known individual of the species. There are some familiar examples, such as Martha, the last Passenger Pigeon, or the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, recently fledged and perching happily on the hat of one of the biologists that had just ringed it. But for every Martha there are a number of less familiar extinct birds and mammals that were caught on camera. The photographic record of extinction is the focus of this remarkable book, written by the world's leading authority on vanished animals, Errol Fuller. Lost Animals features photographs dating from around 1870 to as recently as 2004, the year that saw the demise of the Hawaiian Po'ouli. From a mother Thylacine and her pups to now-extinct birds such as the Heath Hen and Carolina Parakeet, Fuller tells the tale of each animal, why it became extinct, and discusses the circumstances surrounding the photography itself, in a book rich with unique images. The photographs themselves are poignant and compelling. They provide a tangible link to animals that have now vanished forever, in a book that brings the past to life while delivering a warning for the future.