Thursday, August 23, 2007

An Identification Guide to the Dolphins and Small Cetaceans of Taiwan



Taiwan now has a bilingual (English/Chinese) field guide to its small cetaceans. John Y. Wang and Shih-Chu Yang of FormosaCetus Research and Conservation Group have come to the rescue of Taiwan dolphin watchers and produced a field guide of exceptional quality titled An Identification Guide to the Dolphins and other small Cetaceans of Taiwan.

The forward is by IUCN/SSC Cetacean Specialist Group Chair Randall Reeves (Ph.D.). Well known US based marine mammal scientist William F. Perrin (Ph.D.) had this to say about the guide, "This masterfully written and profusely illustrated guide to the cetaceans of Taiwan will allow everyone to identify what they might encounter at sea or find on the beach. It is designed to serve the novice, the general biologist, and the expert. The postscript is packed with good advice on how to advance the science of cetology in Taiwan, where so many people depend on the ocean and marine resources. And a strong caution is sounded; if nothing is done, and soon, the remaining dolphins, porpoises and small whales may be lost to the region, like the large whales before them. This is a book that is likely to become a classic."

Not only does the guide serve as an excellent identification tool but it also tackles the issue of cetacean conservation in Taiwan including that of Taiwan's endangered pink dolphins.

Title: An Identification Guide to the Dolphins and other small Cetaceans of Taiwan. Authors: Dr John Y. Wang and Shih-Chu Yang.
Publisher: Jen Jen Publishing Company and National Museum of Marine Biology & Aquarium, Taiwan.
ISBN: 978-986-7112-37-8.

Copies still available from this seller.

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