CREATURES OF THE OCEAN

by Dr. Leonard Lee Rue III

ALLIGATORS & CROCODILES offers a colorful look at the best-known survivors of the dinosaur age, the crocodilians. Alligators and crocodiles have an ancient ancestry reaching back some 200 million years, to the heart of the Age of Reptiles. Today, there are many varieties of crocodilians existing in coastal, tropical zones the world over. ALLIGATORS & CROCODILES discusses the differences between alligators and crocodiles, the feeding and breeding traits of each species, and the truth about crocodilians as man-eaters. A demand for these reptiles as food and even as pets, as well as the value of their skin for leather products, has led to the hunting of many species. Currently, however, regulations are in effect that protect these unique creatures. Illuminating in both words and remarkable pictures, ALLIGATORS & CROCODILES is just one title in the acclaimed Creatures of the Ocean series. For those who want to delve into the amazing and sometimes mysterious world of ocean life, these books are a wonderful resource filled with scientific fact and beautiful photography.

by Andrew Cleave

CURIOUS CREATURES is a beautifully provocative view of nature’s most unusual and memorable creatures. Fish that fly, birds that are flightless, beautiful but deadly insects, snakes that play dead, and well-camouflaged predators - no matter how bizarre in form or seemingly odd in behavior, each animal has a very specific reason for looking and acting as it does. This book explains striking behavior and vividly portrays animals that have specially adapted to their specific environments. Within you’ll meet remarkable creatures that have developed odd physical features such as colorful faces and pendulous noses, poisonous tentacles, razor-sharp tusks and teeth, and brush-like antennae. The reasons for such strange characteristics are many, including deception, defense, camouflage and unique courtship displays. Illuminating in both words and remarkable pictures, CURIOUS CREATURES is just one title in the acclaimed Creatures of the Ocean series. For those who want to delve into the amazing and sometimes mysterious world of ocean life, these books are a wonderful resource filled with scientific fact and beautiful photography.

by Andrew Cleave

GIANTS OF THE SEA have fascinated humans since the days of the first seafarers. Many myths and legends involving sea serpents and other monsters of the deep sprang from sightings by ancient peoples and still intrigue us today. The best known of these are the great whales, the largest living creatures on Earth. Hunted almost to extinction, whales are slowly recovering in numbers and have become star tourist attractions in many areas. In contrast to these gentle giants, the killer whale is a vicious predator renowned for its cunning in hunting its prey. These colossal sea animals are brought to life here along with varied creatures such as the giant clam, the bizarre ocean sunfish, the tentacled giant squid, and the poisonous giant jellyfish. These unique forms and their prey demonstrate the variety and complexity of life in the sea. Illuminating in both words and remarkable pictures, GIANTS OF THE SEA is just one title in the acclaimed Creatures of the Ocean series. For those who want to delve into the amazing and sometimes mysterious world of ocean life, these books are a wonderful resource filled with scientific fact and beautiful photography.

by Derek Hastings

PENGUINS are among the best-known and most easily recognized of all birds; they are also among the most beloved. The appeal of the penguin is easy to understand. These large, awkward birds waddle along comically with an air of bustling importance. They are extremely tame and curious around humans. And because they walk upright, have flippers instead of wings, and resemble someone wearing formal attire, they remind us irresistibly of ourselves. Penguins are full of surprises. Their noisy, elaborate courtship rituals take weeks to complete and lead to strong pair bonds that sometimes last a lifetime. Males and females share equally in the incubating of their eggs and rearing of their young. They can swim at speeds up to 7 miles (12 kilometers) per hour, and although they may at first appear awkward on land, they can waddle along as fast as a human going at a brisk pace. Illuminating in both words and remarkable pictures, PENGUINS is just one title in the acclaimed Creatures of the Ocean series. For those who want to delve into the amazing and sometimes mysterious world of ocean life, these books are a wonderful resource filled with scientific fact and beautiful photography.

by Andrew Cleave

SEALS & SEA LIONS are found in all the world’s oceans, although they are at their most abundant in the coldest regions. The warmer seas such as the Caribbean and the Mediterranean have only a few left. Some have even become isolated in fresh water; the Baikal seal lives in a vast freshwater lake far from any other seals and endures some of the harshest winter conditions on Earth. From seals to sea lions, as well as the walruses and manatees, is a pictorial celebration of these engaging mammals who have adapted to life both on land and in the water under a variety of different climates and conditions. Covered in detail are adaptations to life in water, streamlining and movement, keeping warm, molting, the senses, and descriptions of the specific characteristics of the various species and races. Illuminating in both words and remarkable pictures, SEALS & SEA LIONS is just one title in the acclaimed Creatures of the Ocean series. For those who want to delve into the amazing and sometimes mysterious world of ocean life, these books are a wonderful resource filled with scientific fact and beautiful photography.

by Andrew Cleave

SEASHELLS offers a handsomely illustrated introduction to the fascinating world of the mollusk, covering topics such as shell structure, classifications, gastropods, bivalves (scallops, oysters, clams, and members of the nautilus family), land and tree snails, and the ethics of shell collecting. Few natural objects are as beautiful as the shells of mollusks. Shells occur in all the world’s oceans, from the polar regions to the tropics, and few beaches are found without some shells at the waterline. Still more shells can be found in fresh water, in all habitats from the tiniest streams to the largest lakes. No artist can reproduce their stunning range of colors, markings, and textures; their sizes vary from a fraction of an inch (a few millimeters) up to giants greater than 2 feet in length (61 centimeters). Illuminating in both words and remarkable pictures, SEASHELLS is just one title in the acclaimed Creatures of the Ocean series. For those who want to delve into the amazing and sometimes mysterious world of ocean life, these books are a wonderful resource filled with scientific fact and beautiful photography.

by Andrew Cleave

The mere glimpse of a SHARK in the water is enough to arouse fear and panic in most onlookers. The gaping jaws, rows of sharp teeth, and the triangular fin slicing through water are familiar characteristics of the shark family. What is it about sharks that causes this feeling of terror? Are they all killers, intent on hunting about their victims—especially human ones—or is there more to the life of a shark than just hunting its prey? Well over 350 species of sharks are known to science, and they can be found in all the world’s oceans, from the polar regions to the equator, and at all depths, from the surface and the seashore to the deepest ocean troughs. Some live in estuarine conditions, finding their way into river mouths, and one or two species are able to live in fresh water in large river systems. Given their abundance and sheer variety, sharks bear closer examination—and this book gives readers the chance to meet these fascinating creatures face to face. Illuminating in both words and remarkable pictures, SHARKS is just one title in the acclaimed Creatures of the Ocean series. For those who want to delve into the amazing and sometimes mysterious world of ocean life, these books are a wonderful resource filled with scientific fact and beautiful photography.

by Andrew Cleave

WHALES & DOLPHINS provides a richly illustrated and thoroughly researched celebration of the best-loved and most misunderstood mammals on our planet. Although these wonderful mammals have always been thought of as possessing unusual gifts, it has only been in recent decades that their remarkable intelligence has been truly recognized as a scientific fact. WHALES & DOLPHINS provides an informative and colorful portrait of these beautiful creatures, covering many diverse species, from the porpoises, the smallest of the whale family, to the compact minke whale, to the colossal sperm whale, the largest of the toothed whales and to the slender, streamlined dolphins that seem to take so much pleasure from human contact. Taking a scientific look at the lifestyles of these beautiful creatures, topics such as their humanlike body temperature while in icy water, courtship and mating, giving birth, and feeding in cooperative groups are demystified and explained. Illuminating in both words and remarkable pictures, WHALES & DOLPHINS is just one title in the acclaimed Creatures of the Ocean series. For those who want to delve into the amazing and sometimes mysterious world of ocean life, these books are a wonderful resource filled with scientific fact and beautiful photography.