Whales to the Rescue: How Whales Engineer the Planet

Many children have a fascination with whales due to the sheer size of these magnificent creatures. What sets Whales to the Rescue apart from others on the subject is its emphasis on the importance of whales as “ecosystem engineers” that not only unwittingly distribute food throughout the ocean but also reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere.

Following a brief introduction, the book consists of 15 chapters, the first few of which provide general information about whales: the different types of whales, their feeding habits, how they communicate with echolocation, and their place in food chains and food webs. The majority of the book, however, focuses on how the actions of these cetaceans help the planet. Author Mason, a marine biologist, explains that the excrement of whales and other animals creates a “nutritious soup” that is released via plumes of poop when whales surface, providing food for phytoplankton. Whales’ motion through ocean water distributes nutrients, algae and animals; their migratory habits deliver nutrients from nutrient-rich waters to those that are nutrient-poor.

Also discussed is the role played by carbon on Earth and how whales are part of the solution to global warming. When a whale dies, its body sinks to the bottom of the ocean (this is called “whale fall”), providing food for a great many animal species and keeping excess carbon out of the atmosphere. (An interesting fact is that scientists have calculated that the Southern Ocean’s 12,000 sperm whales keep about 200,000 tons of carbon out of the atmosphere each year, the same amount that 70,000 cars put into it.)

The text is written in an informative, yet conversational, tone. There are a few text boxes which provide additional information, as well as plenty of diagrams to enhance the text. These diagrams are especially helpful to illustrate more difficult concepts. The remainder of the illustrations consists of maps and drawings, rendered in Photoshop.

A table of contents, a glossary, an index and a short list of online resources are included in Whales to the Rescue. There are also a few suggestions as to how kids can help the planet and the oceans, one example being participating in beach cleanups.

Definitely not the usual fare insofar as books on whales go, Whales to the Rescue is well worthy of purchase.