Hundreds of thousands of people have an intentional encounter with sharks every year, and shark-watching has become a multi-million dollar business. The ultimate shark-watcher's guide, this comprehensive and ground-breaking book is essential reading for any marine enthusiast who wants to navigate the waters of those who consort with sharks.
The Shark-Watcher's Handbook covers everything you need to know about sharks and shark watching: the history, techniques, risks and controversies; a thorough overview of shark natural history and biology; the many threats facing sharks and how snorkelers and divers can help; and even how to get good shark photographs, safely. There is also an extensive, fully illustrated directory of the twenty-four species most commonly encountered by shark watchers. Each entry includes important information on natural history, classification, diet, reproduction, behavior and range; and there are special sections on identification, the potential danger to divers and good places for a close encounter.
The book includes the first detailed directory of more than 250 of the world's shark-watching hotspots, with a detailed description of each site and information on everything from the species most likely to be seen and the best time of year to visit to contact details for further information and travel notes.
Whether you're a professional diver, someone contemplating your first close encounter with a shark, or the sort of person who prefers to view these extraordinary animals in the pages of a book, The Shark-Watcher's Handbook is an attractive, invaluable, and utterly fascinating guide to the underwater world of sharks.
Table of contents:
1 Shark Diving
Chummingand baiting 10
Is shark diving acceptable ecotourism or unacceptable and dangerous exploitation? 11
Planning a shark dive 18
2. How Dangerous are Sharks? The International Shark Attack File 24
How many people are attacked? 24
Why do sharks attack? 25
Where do sharks attack? 27
Shark attacks on divers 29
Dangerous sharks 30
Reducingthe risk 31
Shark repellents and protection 34
Learningfrom an 'inevitable' attack 36
Shark attacks in perspective 37
3. Shark Photography
Cameras 40
Lenses 42
Film 44
Exposure 44
Artificial flash 45
Backscatter 46
Get close. . . and then get even closer 47
Composition 47
Safety 48
4. The World of Sharks
Origins and ancestors 51
Classification of sharks 54
The perfect body 58
Sensing the environment 60
The ultimate predator 65
Making more sharks 69
Shark research 73
5. Shark Conservation
Shark finning 80
Shark skin, meat, liver oil, cartilage and other products 85
How divers can help 87
6. Shark Directory
Shark identification 89
Naming the parts of a shark 91
Sand tiger shark 92
Thresher sharks 94
Baskingshark 96
Shortfin mako shark 98
Great white shark l00
Scalloped hammerhead shark 102
Great hammerhead shark 104
Caribbean reef shark 106
Oceanic whitetip shark 108
Silky shark 110
Dusky shark 112
Galapagos shark 114
Grey reef shark 116
Silvertip shark 118
Blacktip reef shark 120
Bull shark 122
Bronze whaler shark 124
Lemon shark 126
Tiger shark 128
Whitetipreef shark 130
Blue shark 132
Whale shark 134
Nurse shark 136
Zebra shark 138
7. Directory of Shark-watching Sites
Maps 142-53
Introduction 154
North America and Mexico 155
Central and South America 175
The Bahamas and the Caribbean 187
Europe 202
East and Southern Africa 205
North Africa and the Middle East 214
Asia 221
Mauritius 234
The Seychelles 235
The Maldives 238
Australasia 248
Pacific Islands 268
The Shark-Watcher's Handbook covers everything you need to know about sharks and shark watching: the history, techniques, risks and controversies; a thorough overview of shark natural history and biology; the many threats facing sharks and how snorkelers and divers can help; and even how to get good shark photographs, safely. There is also an extensive, fully illustrated directory of the twenty-four species most commonly encountered by shark watchers. Each entry includes important information on natural history, classification, diet, reproduction, behavior and range; and there are special sections on identification, the potential danger to divers and good places for a close encounter.
The book includes the first detailed directory of more than 250 of the world's shark-watching hotspots, with a detailed description of each site and information on everything from the species most likely to be seen and the best time of year to visit to contact details for further information and travel notes.
Whether you're a professional diver, someone contemplating your first close encounter with a shark, or the sort of person who prefers to view these extraordinary animals in the pages of a book, The Shark-Watcher's Handbook is an attractive, invaluable, and utterly fascinating guide to the underwater world of sharks.
Table of contents:
1 Shark Diving
Chummingand baiting 10
Is shark diving acceptable ecotourism or unacceptable and dangerous exploitation? 11
Planning a shark dive 18
2. How Dangerous are Sharks? The International Shark Attack File 24
How many people are attacked? 24
Why do sharks attack? 25
Where do sharks attack? 27
Shark attacks on divers 29
Dangerous sharks 30
Reducingthe risk 31
Shark repellents and protection 34
Learningfrom an 'inevitable' attack 36
Shark attacks in perspective 37
3. Shark Photography
Cameras 40
Lenses 42
Film 44
Exposure 44
Artificial flash 45
Backscatter 46
Get close. . . and then get even closer 47
Composition 47
Safety 48
4. The World of Sharks
Origins and ancestors 51
Classification of sharks 54
The perfect body 58
Sensing the environment 60
The ultimate predator 65
Making more sharks 69
Shark research 73
5. Shark Conservation
Shark finning 80
Shark skin, meat, liver oil, cartilage and other products 85
How divers can help 87
6. Shark Directory
Shark identification 89
Naming the parts of a shark 91
Sand tiger shark 92
Thresher sharks 94
Baskingshark 96
Shortfin mako shark 98
Great white shark l00
Scalloped hammerhead shark 102
Great hammerhead shark 104
Caribbean reef shark 106
Oceanic whitetip shark 108
Silky shark 110
Dusky shark 112
Galapagos shark 114
Grey reef shark 116
Silvertip shark 118
Blacktip reef shark 120
Bull shark 122
Bronze whaler shark 124
Lemon shark 126
Tiger shark 128
Whitetipreef shark 130
Blue shark 132
Whale shark 134
Nurse shark 136
Zebra shark 138
7. Directory of Shark-watching Sites
Maps 142-53
Introduction 154
North America and Mexico 155
Central and South America 175
The Bahamas and the Caribbean 187
Europe 202
East and Southern Africa 205
North Africa and the Middle East 214
Asia 221
Mauritius 234
The Seychelles 235
The Maldives 238
Australasia 248
Pacific Islands 268