Of Orcas and Men : What Killer Whales Can Teach Us

A journalist “convincingly spells out the threats to their survival, their misery in captivity, and what scientists can learn by studying them” ( Kirkus ). The orca—otherwise known as the killer whale—is one of earth’s most intelligent animals. Remarkably sophisticated, orcas have languages and cultures and even long-term memories, and their capacity for echolocation is nothing short of a sixth sense. They are also benign and gentle, which makes the story of the captive-orca industry—and the endangerment of their population in Puget Sound—that much more damning. In Of Orcas and Men , a marvelously compelling mix of cultural history, environmental reporting, and scientific research, David Neiwert explores an extraordinary species and its occasionally fraught relationship with human beings. Beginning with their role in myth and contemporary culture, Neiwert shows how killer whales came to capture our imaginations, and brings to life the often catastrophic environmental consequences of that appeal. In the tradition of Barry Lopez’s classic Of Wolves and Men , David Neiwert’s book is a triumph of reporting, observation, and research, and a powerful tribute to one of the animal kingdom’s most remarkable members. Praise for Of Orcas and Men “Human beings need to learn from and understand the cooperative nature of orca society. Everyone who is interested in both animal and human behavior should read this remarkable book.” —Temple Grandin, New York Times –bestselling author of Animals in Translation and Animals Make Us Human “Powerful and beautifully written.” —Jane Goodall “Humans and killer whales have a long and complicated history, one that David Neiwert describes forcefully and eloquently in this fascinating and highly readable book.” —David Kirby, New York Times –bestselling author of Death at SeaWorld “[A] breathtaking survey of orca science, folklore, and mystery.” — The Stranger New York City, NY: The Overlook Press, 2015. — 320 p. — ISBN-13: 978-1468308655.The orca ― otherwise known as the killer whale ― is one of earth’s most intelligent animals. Remarkably sophisticated, orcas have languages and cultures and even long-term memories, and their capacity for echolocation is nothing short of a sixth sense. They are also benign and gentle, which makes the story of the captive-orca industry ― and the endangerment of their population in Puget Sound ― that much more damning. In __Of Orcas and Men__, a marvelously compelling mix of cultural history, environmental reporting, and scientific research, David Neiwert explores an extraordinary species and its occasionally fraught relationship with human beings. Beginning with their role in myth and contemporary popular culture, Neiwert shows how killer whales came to capture our imaginations, and brings to life the often catastrophic environmental consequences of that appeal. In the tradition of Barry Lopez’s classic __Of Wolves and Men__, David Neiwert’s book is a triumph of reporting, observation, and research, and a powerful tribute to one of the animal kingdom’s most remarkable members.30 b&w illustrations throughout. New York City, NY: The Overlook Press, 2015. — 320 p. — ISBN-13: 978-1468308655. The orca ― otherwise known as the killer whale ― is one of earth’s most intelligent animals. Remarkably sophisticated, orcas have languages and cultures and even long-term memories, and their capacity for echolocation is nothing short of a sixth sense. They are also benign and gentle, which makes the story of the captive-orca industry ― and the endangerment of their population in Puget Sound ― that much more damning. In Of Orcas and Men , a marvelously compelling mix of cultural history, environmental reporting, and scientific research, David Neiwert explores an extraordinary species and its occasionally fraught relationship with human beings. Beginning with their role in myth and contemporary popular culture, Neiwert shows how killer whales came to capture our imaginations, and brings to life the often catastrophic environmental consequences of that appeal. In the tradition of Barry Lopez’s classic Of Wolves and Men , David Neiwert’s book is a triumph of reporting, observation, and research, and a powerful tribute to one of the animal kingdom’s most remarkable members. 30 b&w illustrations throughout. A celebrated journalist's eye-opening history of orcas, and an exploration of their relationship with human beings, Of Orcas and Men does for whales what Barry Lopez did for wolvesThe orca—otherwise known as the killer whale—is one of earth's most intelligent animals. Remarkably sophisticated, orcas have languages and cultures and even long-term memories, and their capacity for echolocation is nothing short of a sixth sense. They are also benign and gentle, which makes the story of the captive-orca industry—and the endangerment of their population in Puget Sound—that much more damning. In Of Orcas and Men, a marvelously compelling mix of cultural history, environmental reporting, and scientific research, David Neiwert explores an extraordinary species and its occasionally fraught relationship with human beings. Beginning with their role in myth and contemporary popular culture, Neiwert shows how killer whales came to capture our imaginations,... SCI000000; NAT020000; NAT011000 A celebrated journalist's eye-opening history of orcas, and an exploration of their relationship with human beings?a must-read for anyone who's ever been moved by these remarkable creatures Orcas are one of earth's most intelligent animals. Benign and gentle, with their own languages and cultures, orcas' amazing capacity for long-term memory and, arguably, compassion, makes the ugly story of the captive-orca industry especially damning. In Of Orcas and Men, a marvelously compelling mix of cultural history, environmental reporting, and scientific research, David Neiwert explores how this extraordinary species has come to capture our imaginations?and the catastrophic environmental consequences of that appeal. In the tradition of Barry Lopez's classic Of Wolves and Men, David Neiwert's book is a powerful tribute to one of the animal kingdom's most remarkable members Close encounters The people under the sea The connected life The ancient ones The demon from hell The guardians Salmon, boats, and oil Freeing Willies Orcinus ethics Seeing wild orcas : a note. A revelatory history of orcas evaluates them as one of the planet's most intelligent animals, challenging beliefs about their "killer" natures while citing the threats to their populations.