Whales and Dolphins Along the Coast of Oman

by Robert Baldwin and Rod Salim, 1994

Our Price:  $14.50

Format:  Paperback, 65 pp.              Dimensions: (in cms.)  .5 x 21 x 15

Weight:  200 grams                           Availability:  Immediate

Whales and dolphins have been known to coastal communities and seafarers for thousands of years, yet little was understood about them and they became creatures of mythology. In much more recent times the hunting of the great whales developed into a slaughter from which some species may never recover.  Now, popular sentiment has replaced the greed and ignorance of the past. Fuelled by many books and wonderful television films, a great interest has developed in these warm-blooded, air-breathing creatures of an apparently alien environment. Tourists flock to the coasts of many countries to see them.

Studies around the coasts of the Sultanate of Oman have confirmed that we have about 20 of the nearly 80 species known in the world, and the story of these is told briefly in the popular displays of the Oman Natural History Museum, where collections of whale bones, photographs and literature date back more than 20 years.

Now, the results of many years experience of these fascinating animals in Omani waters are presented in this fine book. Based on their times in coastal waters, the authors have written this book principally for peop1~ in small boa-Is, but its text and pictures will surely find a much wider public, for sightings can also be made from large ships and from the shore. Together, observers will be unlocking the secret lives of these mysterious creatures, and contributing to our still-growing knowledge and understanding.

This is a book which will delight and enthrall. It will encourage readers to spend time watching for the whales and dolphins of Oman, and to enjoy, understand and appreciate them more when seen.