Sharks are perhaps the most feared and misunderstood creatures on earth. They have inhabited the planet for 450 million years, and over that time they have evolved into hundreds of highly varied and fascinating species. In this comprehensive and colorful third edition, shark expert Dr. Greg Skomal takes us on a captivating tour of the world of sharks-what they are, how they evolved, and how they thrive in their marine environment. He provides close-up, detailed views of: Shark anatomy and adaptation, Shark conservation, Shark attacks, Over 450 species, And more! The Shark Handbook, 3rd Edition comes alive with vivid, full-color photography from outstanding photographic contributors. Book jacket.

Greg Skomal is one of the world’s leading shark experts: many thousands of viewers know him as the “Shark Guy” on Discovery Channel and he’s affiliated with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. So if you’re dreaming of swimming with sharks, there’s no one better to take you—and that’s exactly what he does in this comprehensive, stunning field guide. In addition to an awesome gatefold poster of a Great White (with all its distinguishing features shown in detail), plus amazing original images from Skomal and award-winning National Geographic photographer Nick Caloyianis, it contains a complete listing of every known shark in existence as well as some extinct species. Learn about sharks from their birth to death, their anatomy, how to distinguish one shark from the next, how their teeth are developed, how they hunt and attack, and their importance and purpose within our eco system.

An updated and comprehensive guide identifying all of the world's sharks Sharks are some of the most misunderstood animals on the planet. We still have a lot to learn about these fascinating creatures, which are more seriously threatened with extinction and in greater need of conservation and management than any other major group of vertebrates. A Pocket Guide to Sharks of the World is the only field guide to identify, illustrate, and describe every known shark species. Its compact format makes it handy for many situations, including recognizing living species, fishery catches, or parts sold at markets. This expanded second edition presents lavish images, details on newly discovered species, and updated text throughout. The book contains useful sections on identifying shark teeth and the shark fins most commonly encountered in the fin trade, and takes a look at shark biology, ecology, and conservation. A Pocket Guide to Sharks of the World will be an essential resource and definitive reference for years to come. An updated guide to all of the world’s sharks Each species is illustrated and described Handy, compact format with concise text Useful sections on the identification of shark teeth and fins

Shark-watching, whether from the shore, from boats or face-to-face on the sea floor, is one of the fastest-growing activities around the world -last year, more than a quarter of a million people had an intentional underwater encounter with a shark. This book provides all the information necessary to plan a shark-watching trip. The first part of the book explains the background to shark-watching and descibes how it can be done in an eco-friendly way. It summarises the natural history of sharks, gives the truth about shark attacks, explains how to take good photographs under water and provides detailed, illustrated portraits of the 24 most frequently encountered species. The remainder of the book - a Directory of the world's top shark-watching sites, illustrated with high-quality photographs -provides all the practical information needed to plan your shark-watching trips, from when to go, what facilities and weather to expect to what level of expertise is required. This book will be an essential guide - for those who are already addicted to shark-watching and for anyone tempted to try this exciting and adventurous activity for the first time

"Fully revised and updated"--Back cover.

Over the last decade, the study of shark biology has benefited from the development, refinement, and rapid expansion of novel techniques and advances in technology. These have given new insight into the fields of shark genetics, feeding, foraging, bioenergetics, imaging, age and growth, movement, migration, habitat preference, and habitat use. This pioneering book, written by experts in shark biology, examines technologies such as autonomous vehicle tracking, underwater video approaches, molecular genetics techniques, and accelerometry, among many others. Each detailed chapter offers new insights and promises for future studies of elasmobranch biology, provides an overview of appropriate uses of each technique, and can be readily extended to other aquatic fish and marine mammals and reptiles. Including chapter authors who were pioneers in developing some of the technologies discussed in the book, this book serves as the first single-source reference with in-depth coverage of techniques appropriate for the laboratory and field study of sharks, skates, and rays. It concludes with a unique section on Citizen Science and its application to studies of shark biology. This is a must-read for any marine biologist or scientist working in the field of shark biology, as well as marine biology students and graduates.

Sharks and rays have long held the fascination of a great many people, and as well as exploring their history, biology, environment and the myths that surround them, this book also gives practical advice on the best ways and places to see them.