Sea Turtles

A Complete Guide to Their Biology, Behavior, and Conservation
Erscheinungsjahr 2004
ISBN: 978-0-8018-8007-0
Verlag: Johns Hopkins University Press

Buch, Englisch, 240 Seiten, Format (B × H): 237 mm x 287 mm, Gewicht: 1309 g

Winner, Professional and Scholarly Publishing Awards in Biological Sciences Winner, National Outdoor Book Award, Nature and the Environment Outstanding Academic Title, Choice Magazine

For more than a hundred million years, sea turtles have been swimming in the world's oceans. These magnificent, long-lived creatures spend their lives in the water, coming ashore to lay their eggs. Upon hatching, the baby turtles leave the nest and enter a dangerous world of storms and predators. The females will return to the same beach to lay their own eggs when they reach maturity a decade later. Today, there are seven species of sea turtle: the grass–eating green turtle; the sea sponge–eating hawksbill; the olive ridley; the Kemp's ridley, which is the smallest species; the loggerhead; the flatback of Australia; and the giant leatherback. Having escaped the mass extinction that wiped out the dinosaurs, these ancient reptiles today face new dangers that threaten their survival: pollution, hunting, and the destruction of their nesting grounds. Will this century be the last to witness their majesty? Will succeeding generations live in a world devoid of their graceful presence?

Marine biologist James R. Spotila has spent much of his life unraveling the mysteries of these graceful creatures and working to ensure their survival. In Sea Turtles, he offers a comprehensive and compelling account of their history and life cycle based on the most recent scientific data—and suggests what we can do now to save them. From the Kemp's ridley, which nests on a single beach on Mexico's Gulf Coast, to the nomadic leatherback, which can weigh up to a ton and is in the most imminent danger of extinction, Spotila offers a vivid description of their diets and mating habits, and the conservation efforts being made on their behalf. Illustrated with stunning color photographs by the world's leading nature photographers, Sea Turtles will inform and inspire readers of all ages everywhere.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Spotila, James R

Fachgebiete

• Naturwissenschaften Biowissenschaften Biowissenschaften Meeres- und Süßwasserökologie
• Naturwissenschaften Biowissenschaften Biowissenschaften Biowissenschaften, Biologie: Sachbuch, Naturführer
• Naturwissenschaften Biowissenschaften Tierkunde / Zoologie
• Geowissenschaften Umweltwissenschaften Umweltschutz, Umwelterhaltung

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Preface
Chapter 1. Introduction: The Seven Swimmers
Chapter 2. Life Cycles: From Sand to Sea
Chapter 3. Biology: Under the Shell
Chapter 4. History: The Ancient Lineage
Chapter 5. Conservation: An Uncertain Future
Chapter 6. Green Turtles: The Grass Eaters
Chapter 7. Hawksbills: The Sponge Eaters
Chapter 8. Olive Ridleys: A Phenomenon of Nature
Chapter 9. Kemp's Ridleys: The Rarest of All
Chapter 10. Loggerheads: A Crushing Jaw
Chapter 11. Flatbacks: Australia's Turtle
Chapter 12. Leatherbacks: The Giant Mariner
Chapter 13. Conclusion: Dreaming of Eden
Sources and Suggested Reading
Index

Über Autor(innen)

Spotila, James R
James R. Spotila is the L. Drew Betz Chair Professor of Environmental Science at Drexel University and director of the Center for Biodiversity and Conservation. The founding president of the International Sea Turtle Society and chairman of the board of The Leatherback Trust, he is the author of Sea Turtles: A Complete Guide to Their Biology, Behavior, and Conservation and Saving Sea Turtles: Extraordinary Stories from the Battle against Extinction.

James R. Spotila is the L. Drew Betz Chair Professor of Environmental Science at Drexel University and director of the Center for Biodiversity and Conservation. The founding president of the International Sea Turtle Society and chairman of the board of The Leatherback Trust, he is the author of The Leatherback Turtle: Biology and Conservation and Saving Sea Turtles: Extraordinary Stories from the Battle against Extinction.