Sharks [antikvár]

Introduction Few creatures on earth are as much feared, and as little understood, as sharks. Lions eat people; they are given special reserves and the title 'King of the Beasts'. Sharks eat people; their name has become a byword for ferocity, and people demand their extermination. For centuries sharks have been merely objects of terror. A real understanding of their lives and habits only came with the invention and development of free-diving equipment after World War IL We were among the first to film sharks underwater in the 1950s, and have taken an active part ever since in bringing the extraordinary wonders of the ocean world to a wider audience through film, television and still photography. We hope that this magnificent book will help readers to see sharks as we do - to appreciate the important role that they play in the complex web of underwater life. Certainly large sharks can be terrifying creatures. They are formidable and efficient predators and demand respect. Certainly people are occasionally injured, or even killed by them, and few deaths can be as terrible. We ourselves have been frightened on occasions during the 30 years we have worked closely with large, so called 'maneatingl sharks. We have been jostled and bumped by them as they snatched food from the water around us, yet we have only ever received minor, accidental injuries. The truth is that most sharks ignore people -they are neither friends nor enemies. Many eminent, internationally renowned scientists, researchers, writers and photographers have contributed to this important book. All are experts in their own fields, and over the years we have had the pleasure of working with many of them in their attempts to unravel the mysteries of shark biology and behaviour. Their contributions have brought together all the important facts about sharks, in what is certainly the most informative, entertaining and beautifully illustrated book ever published on this subject. Many people will be drawn to this book by the terrifying stories it contains. We hope that they will come away with a greater appreciation of a sadly misunderstood group of complex and fascinating creatures.