The Shark Watcher's Handbook: A Guide to Sharks and Where to See Them [Paperback]

Not all nature lovers waffle on about twitching with Bill Oddie in a bird sanctuary. The Shark Watcher's Handbook caters for those with whose tastes lean toward the more extreme end of the wildlife-spotting spectrum, providing a thorough guide to the places, practicalities and politics of the sport.

From its origins as an exclusive pursuit of monied daredevils in the 60s and 70s, to its ubiquitous presence in today's tourist industry, shark watching has become a world-wide phenomenon. This guide will prove indispensable if you're getting onboard, whether you're planning on delving into the chilly waters off the Isle of Man or spending several weeks in a floating hotel off the Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia. Providing sound advice for every stage of a shark-spotting trip, from planning and preparation to safety in the water, The Shark Watcher's Handbook includes a complete shark-identification chart, a directory of sites, basic site maps and is bursting with stunning full-colour underwater photographs.

This really deserves its "handbook" epithet, covering literally everything you need to know and transcending its field-guide status by touching on the ethical, political and environmental issues surrounding the sport. If Mark Carwardine and Ken Watterson assure us that, statistically, "there is a greater chance of winning the national lottery than of being eaten by a shark", it's clear that they have an ulterior motive: to dispel the great Jaws myth and engender a "sense of the colossal and barbaric injustice being inflicted on sharks today". Whether you tackle it in one big bite or take little nips out of it now and again, The Shark Watcher's Handbook is certain to satisfy any appetite--you might even call it a great write. The only criticism? It isn't waterproof. Fin. --Paul Eisinger

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

"Every diver should have a copy of this book. It's the most comprehensive and best-researched guide to diving and snorkeling with sharks--providing everything you need to know in order to experience some of the most awe-inspiring and breathtaking underwater encounters anywhere in the world."--Graeme Gourlay, Editor in Chief, Dive

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Mark Carwardine is a zoologist, writer, photographer, and broadcaster. He is the author of "Last Chance to See" and "The Guinness Book of Animal Records". Ken Watterson is a research scientist and Churchill Fellow, and founder of the Basking Shark Society. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.