All in color! Celebrate one of the most magnificent, playful, and engaging creatures on earth. Over 100 large-size, dramatic color photographs taken throughout the world give an up-close and personal look at dolphins--their diversity, physiology, social structure, and environment, as well as other "dolphin mysteries." How intelligent are they? Why do dolphins get stranded on beaches? Are they always as unselfish and good-natured as their reputation suggests? How much pleasure do they take in human company? Stories about "rescue operations" in which dolphins have lured sharks away from swimmers, as well as their role in military operations, illustrate why we have long felt a special bond with these animals. For those interested in dolphin watching and conservation, there's advice on where to go to find them, how to swim with them, recognizing behavior patterns, and how to help preserve them. Includes a chart identifying species from the Atlantic hump-backed to the Tucuxi.