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"During these hot days of summer, when so many Rhode Islanders are struggling through traffic jams to get to the water's edge, science writer Todd McLeish is encouraging readers to think about other creatures that share our coastal waters.
In his new book, Basking with Humpbacks: Tracking Threatened Marine Life in New England Waters, McLeish tells the stories of an array of mammals, fish and birds that share our coastal waters but are threatened by various human activities.
He writes about encountering a badly injured humpback whale off of Provincetown -- it has been harmed both by a passing ship and by a tangle of fishing gear that entwines its midsection. He broadens the story to discuss the life cycles of humpbacks that travel the length of the East Coast, and he describes the thrill of watching a mother and calf "bubble feeding" off of Cape Cod.
McLeish also joins a Maine fisherman who just loves halibut and continues trying to catch them, even though few remain. The fisherman faces a state catch limit of four fish per day -- a far cry from a fisherman who caught 15,000 pounds of halibut on a two-day trip in 1837.
McLeish, a science writer in the department of communication and marketing at the University of Rhode Island, also tells the stories of harbor porpoises, horseshoe crabs, Leach's storm petrels, leatherback turtles, seaweeds, bay scallops, Atlantic wolfish, harlequin ducks and basking sharks.
His book is filled with vivid descriptions of the creatures he sees." —Providence Journal
A lively and often surprising look at eleven of New England’s most threatened marine species
Basking with Humpbacks offers an exciting, close-up look at some of the most rare marine creatures living in New England waters and examines the complex threats they face. In eleven chapters, each featuring a different animal or plant, McLeish takes readers on an entertaining journey with scientists who study these species. The author follows basking sharks—the second largest fish in the sea—in their hunt for food, helps harbor porpoises escape from fishing nets, snorkels in search of wild bay scallops, and learns how the blood of horseshoe crabs is used in medical research. Along the way he visits the islands where rare seabirds nest, tracks humpback whales on their long migration to the Gulf of Maine, and watches as stranded leatherback turtles are returned to the ocean.
These first-person experiences are coupled with interviews with biologists and other experts who explain in their own words the important role these creatures play in the marine ecosystem and what steps must be taken to protect them. In examining the natural history of selected plants and animals, McLeish also discusses the physics of waves and currents, the geology of the seabed, the chemistry of sea water, and other natural factors that influence the survival of New England marine life.
Click here for TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Todd McLeish is the author of Golden Wings & Hairy Toes: Encounters with New England’s Most Imperiled Wildlife and has published over 100 articles on wildlife topics for such publications as Bird Watcher’s Digest, WildBird, Natural New England, Northern Woodlands, Country Journal, Northern Sky News, and the Providence Journal.
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