Susan Casey

Last updated
Susan Casey
Susan Casey 2023 Texas Book Festival.jpg
Born1962  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Toronto   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Occupation Writer, editor   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Employer
Website https://susancasey.com   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Susan Casey (born 1962) is a Canadian born writer. She has been lead editor of Sports Illustrated Women and O, The Oprah Magazine and she has written several non-fiction books including The Devil's Teeth concerning sharks in the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary in California.

Life

Casey was born in Toronto. She became creative director of Outside magazine [1] and she joined what was then "Sports Illustrated for Women" in early 2001 as managing editor. Despite her re-vamp and being nominated for a National Magazine award the (now named) Sports Illustrated Women was discontinued at the end of 2002 by Time Inc. [2]

Casey has written several non-fiction books. In 2005 when she was development editor of Time Inc., she published the best-selling book, The Devil's Teeth: A True Story of Obsession and Survival Among America's Great White Sharks, concerning great white sharks that she had observed from the Farallon Islands, 27 miles off San Francisco. She observed the dozens of sharks that are part of a research project by ornithologist Peter Pyle and Scot Anderson. [1] Anderson has studied the sharks in the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary for 25 years. [3]

In 2010 she was editor-in-chief of O, The Oprah Magazine when she published The Wave: In the Pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks and Giants of the Ocean. The book discusses incidences and evidence for huge waves that can be 90 feet high. She also includes the sport of tow-in surfing using examples of surfers like Laird Hamilton who get their surfboards towed by boats to high speeds so that they can ride larger waves. [4] She was interviewed on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart about her and the book.

In 2013 Casey stood down as editor of O, The Oprah Magazine so that she could write a book. She was replaced by Lucy Kaylin who was promoted from the magazine's staff. [5] Casey's next book, Voices in the Ocean, was about dolphins and it was published in 2015. She describes the experience of swimming with dolphins and their exploitation by humans for amusement and consumption. She interviewed Lori Marino who told her about the intelligence of these mammals who have more complex brains than humans. [6]

In 2023, Casey published The Underworld: Journeys to the Depths of the Ocean, an investigation of the deep ocean, its history, its champions, and urgent need for protection from destruction. Captivated by mysteries held by the 98% of our biosphere which is in the dark, Casey spent years researching the book, including two deep dives in Hawaii and the Caribbean. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dolphin</span> Marine mammals, closely related to whales and porpoises

A dolphin is an aquatic mammal in the clade Odontoceti. Dolphins belong to the families Delphinidae, Platanistidae, Iniidae, Pontoporiidae, and possibly extinct Lipotidae. There are 40 extant species named as dolphins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shark</span> Infraclass of predatory cartilaginous fish

Sharks are a group of elasmobranch fish characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton, five to seven gill slits on the sides of the head, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the clade Selachimorpha and are the sister group to the Batoidea. Some sources extend the term "shark" as an informal category including extinct members of Chondrichthyes with a shark-like morphology, such as hybodonts. Shark-like chondrichthyans such as Cladoselache and Doliodus first appeared in the Devonian Period, though some fossilized chondrichthyan-like scales are as old as the Late Ordovician. The earliest confirmed modern sharks (selachimorphs) are known from the Early Jurassic around 200 million years ago, with the oldest known member being Agaleus, though records of true sharks may extend back as far as the Permian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great white shark</span> Species of large lamniform shark

The great white shark, also known as the white shark, white pointer, or simply great white, is a species of large mackerel shark which can be found in the coastal surface waters of all the major oceans. It is the only known surviving species of its genus Carcharodon. The great white shark is notable for its size, with the largest preserved female specimen measuring 5.83 m (19.1 ft) in length and around 2,000 kg (4,410 lb) in weight at maturity. However, most are smaller; males measure 3.4 to 4.0 m, and females measure 4.6 to 4.9 m on average. According to a 2014 study, the lifespan of great white sharks is estimated to be as long as 70 years or more, well above previous estimates, making it one of the longest lived cartilaginous fishes currently known. According to the same study, male great white sharks take 26 years to reach sexual maturity, while the females take 33 years to be ready to produce offspring. Great white sharks can swim at speeds of 25 km/h (16 mph) for short bursts and to depths of 1,200 m (3,900 ft).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiger shark</span> Species of ground shark

The tiger shark is a species of ground shark, and the only extant member of the genus Galeocerdo and family Galeocerdonidae. It is a large macropredator, with females capable of attaining a length of over 5 m. Populations are found in many tropical and temperate waters, especially around central Pacific islands. Its name derives from the dark stripes down its body, which resemble a tiger's pattern, but fade as the shark matures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Aquarium (Baltimore)</span> Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland, USA

The National Aquarium – also known as National Aquarium in Baltimore and formerly known as Baltimore Aquarium – is a non-profit public aquarium located at 501 East Pratt Street on Pier 3 in the Inner Harbor area of downtown Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. Constructed during a period of urban renewal in Baltimore, the aquarium opened on August 8, 1981. The aquarium has an annual attendance of 1.5 million visitors and is the largest tourism attraction in the State of Maryland. The aquarium holds more than 2,200,000 US gallons (8,300,000 L) of water, and has more than 17,000 specimens representing over 750 species. The National Aquarium's mission is to inspire conservation of the world's aquatic treasures. The aquarium's stated vision is to confront pressing issues facing global aquatic habitats through pioneering science, conservation, and educational programming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bethany Hamilton</span> American surfer (born 1990)

Bethany Meilani Hamilton is an American professional surfer and writer. In 2003, she survived a shark attack in which her left arm was bitten off; ultimately, she returned to professional surfing and wrote about her experiences in the 2004 autobiography, Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board. The book was adapted into the 2011 feature film, Soul Surfer. Hamilton attributes her strength to her Christian faith.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Megalodon</span> Extinct giant shark species from 23 to 3.6 million years ago

Otodus megalodon, commonly known as megalodon, is an extinct species of giant mackerel shark that lived approximately 23 to 3.6 million years ago (Mya), from the Early Miocene to the Pliocene epochs. O. megalodon was formerly thought to be a member of the family Lamnidae and a close relative of the great white shark, but has been reclassified into the extinct family Otodontidae, which diverged from the great white shark during the Early Cretaceous.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Farallon Islands</span> Group of islands off the coast of California, United States

The Farallon Islands, or Farallones, are a group of islands and sea stacks in the Gulf of the Farallones, off the coast of San Francisco, California, United States. The islands are also sometimes referred to by mariners as the Devil's Teeth Islands, in reference to the many treacherous underwater shoals in their vicinity. The islands lie 30 miles (48 km) outside the Golden Gate and 20 miles (32 km) south of Point Reyes, and are visible from the mainland on clear days.The islands are part of the City and County of San Francisco. The only inhabited portion of the islands is on Southeast Farallon Island (SEFI), where researchers from Point Blue Conservation Science and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service stay. The islands are closed to the public.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary</span> Marine protected area in California, USA

The Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary protects the wildlife, habitats, and cultural resources of one of the most diverse and bountiful marine environments in the world, an area of 3,295 square miles off the northern and central California coast. The waters within Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary are part of a nationally significant marine ecosystem, and support an abundance of life, including many threatened or endangered species.

<i>O, The Oprah Magazine</i> Monthly magazine founded by Oprah Winfrey

O, The Oprah Magazine, also known simply as O, is an American monthly magazine founded by talk show host Oprah Winfrey and Hearst Communications. In 2021, Winfrey and Hearst rebranded it as Oprah Daily.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary</span> Marine protected area in California, U.S.

The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) is a federally protected marine area offshore of California's Big Sur and central coast in the United States. It is the largest US national marine sanctuary and has a shoreline length of 276 miles (444 km) stretching from just north of the Golden Gate Bridge at San Francisco to Cambria in San Luis Obispo County. Supporting one of the world's most diverse marine ecosystems, it is home to numerous mammals, seabirds, fishes, invertebrates and plants in a remarkably productive coastal environment. The MBNMS was established in 1992 for the purpose of resource protection, research, education, and public use.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary</span> Marine protected area of Massachusetts, USA

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary is an 842-square-mile (638-square-nautical-mile) federally protected marine sanctuary located at the mouth of Massachusetts Bay, between Cape Cod and Cape Ann. It is known as an excellent whale watching site, and is home to many other species of marine life.

<i>Livyatan</i> Extinct genus of sperm whale from the Miocene epoch

Livyatan is an extinct genus of macroraptorial sperm whale containing one known species: L. melvillei. The genus name was inspired by the biblical sea monster Leviathan, and the species name by Herman Melville, the author of the famous novel Moby-Dick about a white bull sperm whale. Herman Melville often referred to whales as "Leviathans" in his book. It is mainly known from the Pisco Formation of Peru during the Tortonian stage of the Miocene epoch, about 9.9–8.9 million years ago (mya); however, finds of isolated teeth from other locations such as Chile, Argentina, United States (California), South Africa and Australia imply that either it or a close relative survived into the Pliocene, around 5 mya, and may have had a global presence. It was a member of a group of macroraptorial sperm whales and was probably an apex predator, preying on whales, seals and so forth. Characteristically of raptorial sperm whales, Livyatan had functional, enamel-coated teeth on the upper and lower jaws, as well as several features suitable for hunting large prey.

Burton "Buzzy" Kerbox is an American surfer, photographer and model. He is best known for co-developing tow-in surfing with Laird Hamilton, Dave Kalama, and a handful of other surfers in the mid-1990s.

Lori Marino is the founder and executive director of The Kimmela Center for Animal Advocacy and founder and President of the Whale Sanctuary Project. She was formerly a senior lecturer at Emory University for 20 years and faculty affiliate at the Emory Center for Ethics. She is also a Creative Affiliate at the Safina Center.

<i>The Devils Teeth</i> 2005 book by Susan Casey

The Devil's Teeth: A True Story of Obsession and Survival Among America's Great White Sharks is a non-fiction book about great white sharks by Canadian born journalist Susan Casey. The text was initially published by Henry Holt and Company on June 7, 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Austin Gallagher</span>

Austin Gallagher is an American marine biologist, explorer, author and social entrepreneur, best known for his research on sharks. He is the founder and CEO of Beneath the Waves, a non-profit organization focusing on ocean conservation. He is a National Geographic Explorer, has been the lead on more than 50 global scientific expeditions, and has published over 100 scientific papers spanning research on the migrations of ocean giants, deep-sea exploration, and marine policy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valerie Taylor (diver)</span> Australian underwater photographer

Valerie May Taylor AM is an Australian conservationist, photographer, and filmmaker, and an inaugural member of the diving hall of fame. With her husband Ron Taylor, she made documentaries about sharks, and filmed sequences for films including Jaws (1975).

Jasmin Graham is an American marine biologist known for her work in conservation and social justice, with a special focus on shark science. She is a co-founder of Minorities in Shark Sciences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women Divers Hall of Fame</span> International honor society.

The Women Divers Hall of Fame (WDHOF) is an international honor society. Its purpose is to honor the accomplishments of women divers, and their contributions to various fields of underwater diving. Full membership is restricted to nominees who have been found to meet the WDHOF's criteria, which include being an underwater diver and having contributed to diving in ways recognised as being significant.

References

  1. 1 2 Flynn, Louise Jarvis (2005-06-05). "'The Devil's Teeth': Great White Ways". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2023-06-28.
  2. "Sports Illustrated Women gets ax". 2002-10-20. Archived from the original on 2002-10-20. Retrieved 2023-06-28.
  3. "White Shark Research | Office of National Marine Sanctuaries". sanctuaries.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2023-06-28.
  4. Morris, Holly (2010-09-17). "Surf's Up". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2023-06-28.
  5. Bloomgarden-Smoke, Kara (2013-04-29). "Lucy Kaylin Rises to Editor in Chief at O, The Oprah Magazine". Observer. Retrieved 2023-06-28.
  6. Hoare, Philip (2015-09-09). "Voices in the Ocean: A Journey into the Wild and Haunting World of Dolphins by Susan Casey – review". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2023-06-28.
  7. Alter, Alexandra (2013-08-01). "Obsessed With the Ocean, Susan Casey Takes the Plunge". New York Times. Retrieved 2023-09-07.