May 1, 2008

Share tales of interactions with whales and dolphins

Seafarer Peter Fromm will give a presentation about human interactions with marine mammals based on his 30 years of studying and photographing whales, dolphins and porpoises. The free all-ages program will be at 7 p.m. Friday, May 16 at the Shelton Timberland Library (William G. Reed Library). Fromm will include slides and video footage in the presentation and offer people a chance to tell about their own experiences with marine mammals.

The talk will also cover the changing relationship between humans and whales and the natural history of whales, dolphins and porpoises. According to Fromm, marine mammals have long fascinated humans. Stone Age drawings and carvings, Minoan mosaics, and Roman vases clearly depict whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Today, every year, millions of people watch for whales.

Fromm is a naturalist, sea captain and photographer. He is a U.S. Coast Guard-licensed 100-ton vessel master and has served as captain and naturalist aboard whale watching boats in the San Juan Islands since 1973. Fromm has written two books of whale stories.

This program is a Humanities Washington, Inquiring Mind series presentation. For more information call the Shelton Timberland Library at 360-426-1362.

Revised 05/01/08