The following is posted as a courtesy to Dr. William E. Evans
(http://www.myweebio.net; email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]), who is pleased to announce
the recent release of his new book published by Pensoft Publishers --- Fifty
Years of Flukes and Flippers: A Little History and Personal Adventures With
Dolphins, Whales and Sea Lions- 1958-2007. Dr. Evans, is a Professor Emeritus
of the Marine Biology Department, Texas A&M University at Galveston. He is one
of the first group of scientists that made up the cadre of the Navy’s Marine
Mammal Program which started in the 1960s at a Naval Base in Southern
California. His primary area of research during his 10 years with the US Navy
program was marine mammal communication and echolocation. It resulted in the
design of a special research platform for observing and recording dolphins
underwater called Sea See, and the radio-telemetric study of several species.
In 1976, he took on administrative duties as the Director of the Hubbs-Sea
World Research Institute (HSWRI), expanded his interests in management of
marine mammals. In 1984, he was Presidentially Appointed and Senate-Confirmed
as Chairman of the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission, with oversight
responsibilities for the Marine Mammal Protection Act. In 1988, he was
Presidentially Appointed and Senate-Confirmed as the Under Secretary of
Commerce for NOAA. He retired from Federal Service in 1989, and went to Texas
to become the Dean of the then Texas Maritime College at Texas A&M University
at Galveston and then Director of the Texas Institute of Oceanography. He
retired from Texas A&M University in 1999. Currently, he is an Adjunct
Professor at the University of Notre Dame and Managing Editor of the American
Midland Naturalist. Below is the summary provided by the publisher, as well as
information on how to purchase the book. This book is a combination history of
some aspects of Marine Mammal Science and a narrative of a special voyage by
the author into the world of marine mammals. Although the study of marine
mammals has a very long history, the modern era of research did not start in
any serious way until the 1950’s. That is where this story starts. There were
very few marine mammals other than pinnipeds that were being maintained in a
controlled captive environment. There was an attempt in the late 1930’ into the
1940 to start what later would become the start of the modern era of
oceanariums. Marine Studio started in Saint Augustine Florida but had to close
with the advent of World War II. At the end of the War, Marineland of Florida
came to life and provided a whole new experience for the general public to view
and study dolphins (primarily the Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin), up close and
personal. It was also the start of a new approach and interest in research to
understand how these amazing mammals have adapted to the marine environment.
This was the start of many opportunities to try and answer some of the
questions that have intrigued scientist for centuries. Since the author’s
introduction to this new endeavor started in 1956 the book focuses on the
development of this fascinating field of science from that period up to the
present. The story is told from his perspective as an active participant. In
the 1950s, the number of full time scientists involved with study of marine
mammals was in the hundreds and most them were focusing on whaling and sealing.
Today there are thousands of dedicated young and older scientists working with
marine mammals both in zoos and aquaria. Unfortunately few of them know much of
the fascinating history of their science. It is our hope that this book will
address that issue. The book can be purchased directly from the Pensoft
Publisher website: http://www.pensoft.net/notes/14111.stm for 20 Euros or your
usual bookseller (book retails at about 45 US $$).
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