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CRC Handbook of Marine Mammal Medicine (3rd edition) Editors: Frances M.
D. Gulland | Leslie A. Dierauf | Karyl L. Whitman CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
2018. ISBN 9781498796873. 1,14...
Article in Marine Mammal Science · July 2020
DOI: 10.1111/mms.12698
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DOI: 10.1111/mms.12698
BOOK REVIEW
CRC Handbook of Marine Mammal Medicine (3rd
edition)
Editors: Frances M. D. Gulland | Leslie A. Dierauf | Karyl L. Whitman
CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. 2018. ISBN 9781498796873. 1,144 pp. US$184.95 (hardback), US$57.95 (e-book)
For the past 30 years, since the first edition of the CRC Handbook of Marine Mammal Medicine was published in 1990,
the field of veterinary care of marine mammals (including cetaceans, pinnipeds, manatees, sea otters, and polar bears)
has rapidly grown and expanded greatly. Significant breakthroughs and discoveries have been made, which is well-
reflected in this third edition of 1,144 pages edited by Frances M. D. Gulland, Leslie A. Dierauf, and Karyl L. Whitman.
The Handbook is available in hardcover and as an e-book. With this new, revised edition of what can be referred to as
the encyclopedia of marine mammal medicine, the appearance has changed, with the hard copy moving to a larger, A4
format, and including color figures and updated anatomical drawings. More importantly, this new edition also takes on
a more global perspective as the number of internationally recognized contributors has risen sharply to 97. The 45 indi-
vidual chapters succinctly summarize large bodies of information on the respective topics for both the practitioner as
well as the student, with useful cross-references between chapters. While the number of sections and their overall
topics remain broadly the same from the previous edition, many changes have occurred within the different sections.
The book starts with a very pertinent and inspirational dedication to colleagues, students, and practitioners in
the field, past, present, and future. It highlights the uniqueness of the field and the diversity of skills required, thus
building the sense of community necessary to really make a change.
These sentiments are carried over into the preface, which summarizes the multitude of challenges facing marine
mammal experts and students and highlights the need for collaborations that bring fresh ideas and perspectives to
marine mammal science in an effort to come up with innovative solutions to these challenges.
This vision is particularly highlighted in Section I on “Global Marine Mammal Health Concerns.” “Stranding
Response” remains an important topic in this section as it has been in previous editions, and the largely new, addi-
tional chapters on “Oil Spill Response and Effects,” “Whale Entanglement Response and Diagnosis,” “Zoonoses and
Public Health,” and “Ethics and Animal Welfare” all contribute to the increasingly global topic of marine mammal
health concerns. The chapter on “Oil Spill Response and Effects” (Chapter 2) has a particularly useful section on
internet resources that regularly present updated information. The chapter on “Ethics and Animal Welfare”
(Chapter 5) stands out in this section and reflects the increasing contribution that animal welfare science makes to
the field. It includes good advice on decision making, ethics, and how to liaise with the media. These are not skills
that can easily be taught in a classroom; thus, these insights and tips are particularly useful.
Section II on “Anatomy and Physiology” starts with a new and extensive “Overview of Dive Response,” but oth-
erwise contains the same, but updated topics as in Edition 2. Chapter 7 on “Gross and Microscopic Anatomy,” with
47 pages, is amongst the most comprehensive chapters in the whole volume and includes particularly useful, updated
anatomical drawings of the external features, muscles, superficial internal structures and circulation, body cavities
and selected organs of the bottlenose dolphin, the California sea lion, the harbor seal, and the Florida manatee. Addi-
tional color plates of latex injections and computed tomographic angiography of various vascular structures are both
impressive and very informative.
1068 © 2020 Society for Marine Mammalogy wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/mms Mar Mam Sci. 2020;36:1068–1069.
BOOK REVIEW 1069
Section III on “Pathology” differs somewhat from the previous edition in that the chapters on “Clinical Pathol-
ogy” and “Cytology” have been omitted or in part included elsewhere. However, an entirely new and very relevant
chapter on “Harmful Algae and Biotoxins” has been included. This encompasses a substantial expansion of the infor-
mation on harmful algal blooms from the previous edition, reflecting the emergence of these risk factors to marine
mammal health over the last decade.
Section IV on “Infectious Diseases” largely retains its overall content, including important updates and extensive
summary tables, reflecting the increase of information and literature in this field, fueled by the increased interest and
advances in research technology.
The next section (Section V) on “Medicine, Anesthesia, and Surgery” combines the previous sections “Diagnostic
Imaging in Marine Mammals” and “Medical Management of Marine Mammals” and contains entirely new chapters on
“Dentistry” (Chapter 22) and “Ophthalmology” (Chapter 23), which provide insightful information on the respective
topics assisted by numerous informative photographs. Previous chapters on “Radiology, Computed Tomography and
Magnetic Resonance Imaging,” “Ultrasonography,” and “Thermal Imaging” have been combined under “Diagnostic
Imaging” (Chapter 24), although unfortunately (and disappointingly) this chapter is lacking photographs documenting
the various tools in more detail (unlike Edition 2). However, references to websites and additional textbooks on this
topic ensure that the reader has access to updated information. In contrast to Chapter 24, Chapter 25 on “Applied
Flexible and Rigid Endoscopy” now includes a number of color photographs from various endoscopic procedures,
which are likely interesting to the lay person and expert alike.
Section VI on “Husbandry” remains similar to the previous edition, but in line with the global outlook of this third
edition, the US-centric chapter on “US Federal Legislation Governing Marine Mammals” from the previous edition
has been omitted.
Section VII on “Health Assessments” presents an entirely new section, including chapters on “Population Health
Assessment Study Design” (Chapter 34) as well as chapters on health assessments of dolphins, large whales, seals
and sea lions, and sirenians. The last chapter (Chapter 39) deals with “Medical Training of Cetaceans and Pinnipeds
for Veterinary Care.” Surprisingly, no information on health assessments of either sea otters or polar bears is
included here.
Section VIII on “Taxon Specific Medicine” presents updated accounts on cetacean, seal and sea lion, walrus, sire-
nian, sea otter, and polar bear medicine.
The five appendices cover blood parameters for various taxa of marine mammals as well as the relevant litera-
ture, but also include a comprehensive list of international stranding network contacts and websites.
Like the Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals, the CRC Handbook of Marine Mammal Medicine has become a go-to
resource for anyone interested in various aspects of marine mammal health, be it stranding response personnel, staff
looking after marine mammals under human care, managers, students, researchers, or practicing veterinarians and
pathologists. It is generally well-written, very detailed yet succinct, and presents a great resource for people from dif-
ferent backgrounds. While the second edition is by no means redundant, this new, revised third edition has become an
essential reference book in an increasingly multidisciplinary and global field and thus achieves very well what the edi-
tors set out to do. Framed by the first new section on “Global Marine Mammal Health Concerns” and the second-to-
last section on “Health Assessments,” the knowledge and understanding contained in the pages of this volume echoes
the underlying message that marine mammals can increasingly be recognized as indicators of the health of our oceans.
Stephanie Plön Ph.D.
Bayworld Centre for Research and Education (BCRE), Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Correspondence
Email: [email protected]
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