Dear Colleagues,
The seventh volume in the series “Ethology and Behavioral Ecology of Marine Mammals” describes aspects of the often-complex relationship between humans and marine mammals. From a primeval condition of occasional predators, during the last century humans have become a major factor negatively affecting the status of most marine mammals through over-hunting, habitat encroachment and environmental degradation. This has led to the extirpation of many marine mammal populations and even to the extinction of species. However, in parallel to this destructive drive, since antiquity humanity has been influenced by a strong fascination for marine mammals, which contributes today to an increased human appreciation of the natural world admixed with widespread concern for its degrading condition. The special status occupied by marine mammals in human imagination and affection stands in stark contrast with the current predicament of many populations still threatened by the doings of Homo sapiens: a condition emblematic of the relationship of humanity with nature, and key to understanding where humanity is heading.
Table of contents:
- Randall R. Reeves: Cetacean Conservation
and Management Strategies
- Erich Hoyt: Conserving Marine Mammal Spaces
and Habitats
- Philippa Brakes, Luke Rendell: Conservation
Relevance of Individuals and Societies
- Lori Marino: Cetacean Brain, Cognition, and
Social Complexity
- Ryan R. Reisinger, Chris Johnson, Ari S.
Friedlaender: Marine Mammal Movement Ecology in a Conservation and Management
Context
- Peter Corkeron: Marine Mammal Captivity, an
Evolving Issue
- E. C. M. Parsons, N. A. Rose: The History
of Cetacean Hunting and Changing Attitudes to Whales and Dolphins
- Lars Bejder, James E. S. Higham, David
Lusseau: Tourism and Research Impacts on Marine Mammals: A Bold Future Informed
by Research and Technology
- Melissa
Collier, Janet Mann, Sania Ali, Shweta Bansal: Impacts
of Human Disturbance in Marine Mammals: Do Behavioral Changes Translate to
Disease Consequences?
- Mark P. Simmonds, Laetitia Nunny: Marine
Mammals Seeking Human Company
- Helene
Marsh, Luis Ahuanari, Valentina del Aguila, Bradford Haami, Mauricio Laureano,
Frank Loban et al.: Elders’ Voices: Examples of
Contemporary Indigenous Knowledge of Marine Mammals
- Lori Marino, Thomas I. White: Cetacean
Personhood, Rights, and Flourishing
- Claudio
Campagna, Daniel Guevara: “Save the Whales” for Their
Natural Goodness
- Giuseppe Notarbartolo di
Sciara, Bernd Würsig: Helping Marine Mammals Cope with Humans
Cheers,
Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara and Bernd Würsig