The Secret Life of Sharks: A Leading Marine Biologist Reveals the Mysteries of Shark Behavior

by A. Peter Klimley

Book Overview

Marine biologist Pete Klimley swims with the sharks. He was one of the first scientists to free-dive among sharks, and he has spent nearly thirty years studying shark behavior, sometimes swimming in... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743241703
• ISBN13: 9780743241700
• Release Date: June 2003
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 292 Pages
• Weight: 1.33 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.5" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

'The Shark Expert'

Dr Peter Klimley is i would say the formost expert in sharks, the information he gives in his book is based on his life experiences with them. His life has been shark i do not know of anyone that has more experience or can express himself so well in print Steve Fox owner of Deep Blue Divers 'Whale Shark Experts in the Caribbean www.DeepBlueUtila.com

The truth is right here!

Did everything you know about sharks come from watching JAWS? Do you think that there is a real truth out there beyond the hype on the silver screen? If you want to find out what sharks are REALLY like, A. Peter Klimley's THE SECRET LIFE OF SHARKS will explain the mysteries of shark behavior, and you might find that what sharks actually do is much more amazing than anything that has been seen in the movies!As a professional biologist, college instructor, and life-long shark aficionado, I was about to embark on a late July "dream" trip to South Africa to participate in a white shark research project. I read this book hoping to get a bit of insight into the animal that I was going half-way around the world to study, and THE SECRET LIFE OF SHARKS provided that and a great deal more. Dr. Klimley effectively blends hard science and a spirit of adventure into an exciting and informative story about his 30 years of studying sharks. He describes the amazing ability of hammerheads to navigate through the featureless oceans using the earth's magnetic fields, explains how huge white sharks avoid "tooth to tooth" combat with each other by communicating with thundering tail slaps, offers reasonable and reassuring explanations for shark attacks on humans, and much more. He dispels the outdated myth that sharks are mindless killing machines, and presents them as evolutionary perfection with special senses, complex social behaviors, and unique physiological adaptations to the sea. By diving with sharks, observing them from land and sea, and even dressing up as a killer whale to swim with them, he has developed an understanding and appreciation of these amazing fish, and provides compelling reasons for their conservation. Enjoy this book and you, too, will hopefully become a champion for these fascinating and endangered animals.

Sharks behaviour presented as no one else can!

"The Secret Life of Sharks" is a wonderful novel designed to demonstrate the true nature of sharks through the personal experience/insight of a man who knows sharks on a level well beyond even the most avid shark enthusiast. Klimley provides historical context to his career in shark behaviour and his motivations for pursuing the directions he choose to pursue right from his very beginnings as a grad student. For those that know his work, this book reveals the personal thoughts and stories behind Klimley's research seen in the primary literature. For those new to this world of shark behaviour, this book is a great introduction to sharks and their inner workings presented in a way that is not only informative and knowledgeable to read, but is also so entertaining and enthralling as one does not want to put the book down.Presented here is a book that puts a true face to shark behaviour and offers an honest look into the most misunderstood and usually misrepresented animals of our time. Follow Klimley into the realm of the hammerhead and great white and see that there really is much more to sharks than just shark teeth and JAWS.

Battling the "Bite Bite Bite" stereotype of Sharks.

Dr. Peter Klimley has been studying sharks for decades. He has always preferred to study them on their own turf, rather than in the lab. Through his years of experience with a variety of species, including the much-feared great white shark, he has been able to shed light on natural behaviors not witnessed by more traditional scientists. He repeatedly found that the "mindless maneater" image is grossly inaccurate, and sharks are very complex, even social animals. This book is an enjoyable read, well-written, and full of valuable information about sharks, and how a leading expert has devoted his life to studying them. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in sharks and other ocean life. Klimley offers a refreshing perspective on these fascinating apex predators.

Life beyond shark week

By now, any nature enthusiast is well aware of Shark Week on the Discovery Channel, and has seen endless footage of sharks doing exciting things... like biting fish, and biting surfers, and biting seals, and, well pretty much just biting stuff. But there's a lot more to these gorgeous, fascinating animals than their teeth. Similarly, there's a lot more to being a scientist than just riding around in boats taking pretty pictures. When the film crews pack up and go home, the scientist is left with reams of data from which to extract something meaningful. It takes creativity, training, passion, and endless hours of tedious but meticulous work, and very few people are zealous enough to take on the challenge. These are the things that Pete Klimley tries to show us in his new book. He sheds light onto some of the interesting aspects of shark behavior that he has studied, and shows how he approached the research -- actual science, not the made for TV version.It's true, the title is somewhat misleading -- this is more a book about being a scientist -- but it's a good read, well written, and well worth the time for anyone who is curious about what goes on behind the shark week glamour.