Sea water and freshwater dolphins are found all over Indonesia. Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins are very similar to common bottlenose dolphins in appearance. Common bottlenose dolphins have a reasonably strong body, moderate-length beak, and tall, curved dorsal fins; whereas Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins have a more slender body build and their beak is longer and more slender.[9] The Indo-Pacific population also tends to have a somewhat lighter blue colour and the cape is generally more distinct, with a light spinal blaze extending to below the dorsal fin. However, although not always present, the most obvious distinction can be made with the presence of black spots or flecks on the bellies of adults of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, which are very rare in common bottlenose dolphins.[9] Their teeth can number between 23 and 29 in each upper and lower jaw, and are more slender than those of common bottlenose dolphins.[9] Size of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins can vary based on geographic location; however, its average length is 2.6 m (8.5 ft) long, and it weighs up to 230 kg (510 lb).[3] The length at birth is between 0.84 and 1.5 m (2.8 and 4.9 ft).[3]

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Ride alongside the author Pamela S. Turner and her scientific team and meet a cast of dolphin characters large enough (and charismatic enough) to rival a Shakespearean play—Puck, Piccolo, Flute, and Dodger among them. You will fall in love with this crew, both human and finned, as they seek to answer the question: just why are dolphins so smart? And what does their behavior tell us about human intelligence, captive animals, and the future of the ocean? Beautiful photos of dolphins in their natural habitat and a funny, friendly, and fast-paced text make this another winner in the Scientists in the Field series.

This book is excellent for introducing older kids to a little more in depth discussion and information about dolphins, both wild and tame. The narrative style of the book is chalk full of great information from the scientist's perspective, while telling a story so that it's a little easier for kids to follow it. The pictures are mostly real photographs, including lots of great underwater shots, and includes maps and captions of each picture. i really love that the maps are mostly real photographs of the places, some with just a shot from the beach, some with a zoomed out shot, but none of them are on a cartoon map. This book would be great to get older kids started on a unit on water creatures. one strategy you could teach with this book is getting the information out of a bunch of other parts of the story, finding and sorting relevant details.

An outstanding entry in the Scientists in the Field series about studying the unique attributes of dolphins inhabiting a remote area in western Australia. An engaging, informative narrative and great photography. ( )

What a great informative book! It makes me want to go there and do studies and learn about them. Too bad I'm not a big water person. Stuff like this is why I'm so interested in animal behaviors and relationships. ( )

In a remote part of the Australian coast, scientists observe a tribe of local dolphins who have developed some unusual, and impressive, skills. Some use sponges as tools, holding them in their mouths and using them to startle bottom-dwelling fish off the bay's rocky floor. Others chase fish onto the beaches and catch them, managing to leave and return to the water. One brave female goes after much larger prey than the others, preferring to eat one large meal instead of several small ones. These skills seem to be passed down from mother to child. Why have the dolphins learned these skills? What else might they be capable of?

This book was a lot of fun to read, with a relatively informal narrative style and a bit of humor thrown in occasionally. The author tells the story of Janet Mann, a scientist who has devoted her career to studying the Shark Bay dolphins. She also tells the stories of the dolphins themselves, explaining their complex social structures and their various hunting styles. There's a little bit of anthropomorphizing, through the author tries to avoid it, but who among us could resist the temptation to describe dolphin interactions in human terms? (Considering the amount of times I have put words in my dog's mouth, not me!) This book is sure to charm all dolphin-loving readers. ( )