Whales of the West Coast

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

This small guidebook is bulging with masses of information, all so well
organized and presented so skilfully that it becomes a member of that
most rare of book species, a reference work that’s enjoyable as light
reading.

As a reference work it has the bases covered: the whales (including
dolphins and porpoises), the history of whaling, the role of whales in
Native culture, whales in captivity, whale behavior, the future for
whales, whale watching, photographing whales, economic impacts,
terminology, chronology, and contacts. There are details on the various
species (information on habitat, reproduction, feeding, migration),
relationships (whale-to-whale and whale-to-human), anatomy, physiology,
and vocalizations. All this is presented in a lively style, with the
details and data cushioned by human-interest anecdotes, more than 130
photos, and numerous quick-fact sidebars.

Whales discussed include white-sided and Dall porpoises, orcas, harbor,
grey, humpback, minke, beluga, sperm, blue, fin, sei, and right whales.
Pilot, beaked, and false killer whales receive less coverage. Although
the text is limited to species found on the West Coast (California to
Alaska), that restriction excludes less than half a dozen of the whales
to which Canadians have regular access.

Spalding brings extensive first-hand experience to the work, and his
love of these giant mammals is evident on every page.