About this guide 5
The seas around Britain and Ireland 6
What is a marine mammal 8

• Pinnipeds 8


• Cetaceans 10

Marine mammal families 12
Observing marine mammals 16

• Where and when to look 16


• How to look 18


• What to look for: identification 20


• What to look for: behaviour 22

Where to watch Britain's marine mammals 26

• Locations: Seals


• Britain 28


• Locations: Cetaceans


• South West England 30


• Wales 32


• Ireland 34


• North Sea coast 36


• Orkney & Shetland 38


• Western Scotland 40

BRITAIN'S SEA MAMMALS (See the following pages for full list) 42
Threats and conservation 117
Recording and getting involved 118
Stranded cetaceans and marine mammal rescue 119
Observation guidelines

• Observation guidelines: seals - on land 120


• Observation guidelines: sea vessels - at sea 121

Further reading 122
Useful addresses and web resources 123
Photographic and artwork credits 124
Acknowledgements 126
Index of English and scientific names 127
BRITAIN'S SEA MAMMALS
BRITAIN'S SEALS 42
Common or Harbour Seal Phoca vitulina 44
Grey Seal Halichoerus grypus 48
Differentiating Common and Grey Seals 52
Rare seals
Walrus Odobenus rosmarus 53
Ringed Seal Phoca hispida 54
Bearded Seal Erignathus barbatus 55
Harp Seal Phoca groenlandica 56
Hooded Seal Cystophora cristata 57
BRITAIN'S CETACEANS 58
Regularly occurring cetaceans 60
Minke Whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata 62
Fin Whale Balaenoptera physalus 64
Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae 66
Killer Whale or Orca Orcinus orca 68
Long-finned Pilot Whale Globicephala melas 72
Short-beaked Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 74
Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus 78
Risso's Dolphin Grampus griseus 82
Atlantic White-sided Dolphin Lagenorhynchus acutus 84
White-beaked Dolphin Lagenorhynchus albirostris 86
Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena 88
Deepwater cetaceans 90
Sei Whale Balaenoptera borealis 92
Sperm Whale Physeter macrocephalus 94
Northern Bottlenose Whale Hyperoodon ampullatus 96
Cuvier's Beaked Whale Ziphius cavirostris 98
Mesoplodon beaked whales 100
Striped Dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba 104
Rare cetaceans 106
North Atlantic Right Whale Eubalaena glacialis 108
Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus 109
Pygmy Sperm Whale Kogia breviceps 110
Dwarf Sperm Whale Kogia sima 111
Beluga Delphinapterus leucas 112
Narwhal Monodon monoceros 113
False Killer Whale Pseudorca crassidens 114
Melon-headed Whale Peponocephala electra 115
Fraser's Dolphin Lagenodelphis hosei 116

Britain's Sea Mammals is the essential field guide to all the sea mammals--whales, dolphins, porpoises, and seals--found in coastal Britain. The book features more than 100 stunning photographs and close to 40 detailed and beautiful illustrations of 34 species of sea mammals, paying special attention to the 14 species most readily seen and most likely to be encountered. Factoring in behavior and locations, introductory chapters look at sea mammal biology and ecology, and how, when, and where these creatures can be spotted. Species accounts highlight key identification characteristics and include information on status, habitat requirements, and distribution. Handy and informative, Britain's Sea Mammals is the ideal guide to sea mammal watching in the United Kingdom.

• The only guide that focuses on the 34 species of sea mammal recorded in Britain, particularly the 14 most readily seen species


• More than 100 photos and almost 40 illustrations highlight species, their behavior, and locations


• Introductory chapters explore how, when, and where to look for sea mammals


• Species accounts highlight key identification features, including information on status, habitat requirements, and distribution

Jon Dunn lives in Shetland, UK, working there and abroad as a wildlife tour guide and writer. Robert Still is the publishing director and chief designer of WILDGuides--a publishing company specializing in field guides that help raise funds for conservation. Hugh Harrop founded the award-winning ecotourism business Shetland Wildlife in 1992. He is the author of Where to Watch Birds in Shetland.