Sharks: The Animal Answer Guide

Acknowledgments

xi Knowledge about sharks and their relatives grows daily. Long before this information appears in the scientific literature, it is generously shared with other shark lovers and researchers. Many of the facts and ideas presented here fall into this category of new, verified information that has not yet quite become publicly accessible. In addition, much “information” about sharks appears regularly on websites, without reliably identifiable sources. Our colleagues around the world have aided us in finding the former and verifying the latter, for which we are exceedingly grateful. For permission to use illustrations and for providing or verifying information on various subjects we thank a host of people, including Aaron Fisk, Adam Summers, Austin Gallagher, Bruce Carlson, Bruce Masse, Cam Macdonald, Carolyn Moser, Colin Simpfendorfer, Dave Ebert, Dave Hally, Dave Harasti, Dave Sumang, Dayv Lowry, David Sims, Dovi Kacev, Duncan Elkins, Ellis Loew, Greg Cailliet, Harry Fierstine, Jack Randall, Jane Watson, J. B. Heiser, Jean Spalti, Jeff Rotman, Jenny Kemper, Jim Whittington , Jimmy Bernot, Joe Gaydos, Johann Mourier, John Ford, John McCosker, Jose Castro, Judy Meyer (!!), Kara Yopak, Kaye DeHays, Ken Goldman, Kyle Mara, Laura Kozuch, Maria Pickering, Marj Awai, Mark Hixon, Matthew McDavitt, Michal Heithaus, Misty Paig-Tran, Mo Donnelly , Nick Dulvy, Olaf Weyl, Paul Skelton, Paul Vecsei, Phil Motta (!), Phillip Weemstra, Ralph Collier, Randall Dahn, Randy Honebrink, Ryan Kempster, Samantha Mulvany, Sonny Gruber, the South African Institute of Aquatic Biology (SAIAB), the Whale Interpretive Centre, Tim Berra, Tim Higham, Tom Emerson, Tom Reinert (!), Wes Pratt, and Zeb Hogan. Our special thanks to Vincent Burke, Jennifer Malat, and Sara Cleary of Johns Hopkins University Press for their patience with and understanding of our halting progress in compiling this book. They proved that the publishing industry is far from the heartless monolith that authors often claim it to be. And in particular we thank our wives, Judy Meyer and Linda Schulze Burgess, for their encouragement, patience, and crucial support, without which this book could never have been completed. One historical note. Books about sharks abound. Many aim at an elementary level and a fairly young audience, are filled with photographs or drawings, sensationalize or overemphasize the spectacular or speculative, and provide little technical detail for someone interested in more than basics . At the other extreme are the scholarly textbooks and volumes written Acknowledgments by experts, targeted at a college or professional audience, providing great detail or the latest research findings for persons who already possess an extensive biological education. Comparatively few are written “for people with little prior knowledge of sharks, but with a curiosity and interest in finding out more about them” (Springer and Gold 1989, p. 10). Our intended readers are the same for which Springer and Gold wrote Sharks in Question, namely, intelligent people who want more than the basics without the hype and aren’t afraid of the technical detail necessary to fully appreciate why sharks are worthy of study. Springer and Gold accomplished this superbly, and we hope to reach the same audience and level of detail, updating the material in that now out-of-print volume. Springer and Gold concluded their influential 1989 volume by observing , “You can be certain that many more books about sharks will be written as new information increases our understanding; quite possibly, the future authors are among our readers” (p. 145). They were correct on both counts. We are grateful for their inspiration and hope that we too will stimulate future efforts at understanding, explaining, and promoting the natural history, biology, behavior, and conservation of these fascinating animals. xii Acknowledgments ...