THE GREENPEACE BOOK OF DOLPHINS edited...

THE GREENPEACE BOOK OF DOLPHINS edited by John May (Sterling: $19.95, illustrated). This large, handsome volume offers descriptions and photographs of all the “small cetaceans” from the familiar bottle-nosed dolphins and Orcas (or killer whales) to the little-known Hector’s dolphin, the Indus susu and the exceedingly rare baiji or Yangtze River dolphin. The authors also enumerate the threats to the continued existence of these intriguing animals. Although human hunting and fishing kill thousands of dolphins every year, the greatest danger comes from various types of pollution, which range from insecticide residues to hundreds of miles of abandoned drift nets. Some exceptional photos make this book an attractive introduction to the beautiful animals often seen frolicking near Southern California beaches.