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

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.

A richly illustrated reference. Sharks are awe-inspiring, beautiful, mysterious and frightening. However perceived, they never fail to excite and impress. They predate the dinosaurs and have ruled the seas for 400 million years. Shark presents the facts and explores the fallacies about these nearly perfectly adapted fish, from their prehistoric beginning to their struggle for survival today. The book covers: Their origins and ancestors Diversity of the species Shark behavior and physiology Research projects Face-to-face encounters Conservation efforts. A detailed chapter on shark attacks explains where, when and why attacks occur. The book also describes the different types of attacks -- hit-and-run, bump-and-bite and sneak attacks -- and provides useful tips for not becoming a statistic. Engagingly written and illustrated with stunning photographs, Shark combines the latest scientific findings and celebrates the mystery and diversity of a remarkable species.

Twenty-five species of sharks — carefully researched, skillfully rendered, and ready to color — ranging from the tiny cookiecutter shark (11¼ inches) to the monstrous whale shark (up to 65 feet). Also includes hammerhead, tiger, blue, leopard, great white, more. Captioned information on habitat, size, distinguishing characteristics, other data.

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.

"Fully revised and updated"--Back cover.

Celebrate Discovery Shark Week all year long with Discovery Sharkopedia, the definitive visual guide to everything there is to know about sharks! With more than 400 incredible color photos of the world's most infamous sharks, including great white, bull, and tiger sharks, Sharkopedia explores the evolution of sharks-did you know sharks have been swimming in the world's oceans since before dinosaurs roamed the earth?-and introduces kids to almost 500 known shark species with close-up portraits of each and fun "fin facts" throughout. Discover what makes sharks expert hunters with detailed sections about shark anatomy, habitats, life cycles, surprising behaviors, and more. Sharkopedia also provides shark conservation resources and offers suggestions for ways to help these amazing, often misunderstood, creatures continue to survive. Want to meet more incredible creatures? Check out the other books in the Discovery Opedia series: Snakeopedia, Dinopedia, and Bugopedia!