"It is his hope that if we pay close attention to the whales and the changes going on in their world, things will get better. It's a hope that will help not only the future of the whales, but ours as well. Ken remains optimistic ..."
This is another one of those books that I thought I would skim ... stopping to read what I found most fascinating. Isn't that what we teach kids to do when we are talking about nonfiction books with them?
As always happens when I get to looking at this fascinating series, I stopped so often that I read the whole thing. Orcas are quite the amazing creatures, and their numbers are dropping much too quickly. Scientists are studying them in the waters off the San Juan Islands. The study began in 1971 and is active today. The scientists from the Center for Whale Research are the committed and constant purveyors of the Southern Resident Pods; they name them, take their photos, and follow them, collecting their droppings and doing analysis in their lab.
As with every other book I have read in this quite remarkable series, the design is engaging, the photographs wonderful, and the text informative and attention-getting. Seeing these magnificent whales in their home environment, and watching them play with family members belies the fact that they are called 'killer whales'. Careful observation shows a mother teaching her calf to find its own food. Their favorite food, the Chinook salmon, often cannot reach their spawning grounds due to damming problems that do not allow migration. Thus, the orca population is declining because of a drastic drop in the number of salmon. It is a dilemma and scientists work endlessly to find a solution to the loss.
Much is being done; more is needed. Readers are encouraged to find ways to help. Whale facts are included, as well as facts pertinent to replenishing the salmon numbers. These whales are at high risk, and there are ways they can be saved. People need to care enough to make changes happen. Each part of every ecosystem impacts all other parts.
Don't miss recent books from this outstanding series:
The Hyena Scientist, Sy Montgomery, 2018.
Amazon Adventure: How Tiny Fish Are Saving the World's Largest Rainforest, by Sy Montgomery, 2017
Life on Surtsey: Iceland's Upstart Island, by Loree Griffin Burns, 2017.
Eye of the Storm: NASA, Drones, and the Race to Crack the Hurricane Code, by Amy Cherrix, 2017
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