author
Stephen Leatherwood
1943–1997
A marine mammal specialist and conservation advocate, he wrote practical, widely used guides that helped both scientists and general readers identify whales and dolphins. His work focused especially on cetaceans, and his name is still remembered through a memorial award in marine mammal science.
1 Audiobook
Whales, dolphins, and porpoises of the western North Atlantic : a guide to their identification
by Stephen Leatherwood, David K. (David Keller) Caldwell, Howard Elliott Winn
About the author
Born in 1943 and dying in 1997, Stephen Leatherwood—also credited as J. Stephen Leatherwood or Steve Leatherwood—was an American writer and researcher best known for books and field guides about whales, dolphins, and other marine mammals. Reliable records connect him with works such as The Sierra Club Handbook of Whales and Dolphins, Marine Mammals of the World, and regional identification guides used by observers in the field.
His writing stood out for making specialist knowledge more accessible. Rather than writing only for academic audiences, he helped turn marine mammal identification and conservation into something practical for naturalists, students, and professionals working at sea.
Leatherwood is also remembered within the conservation community for leadership in cetacean work, including service connected with the IUCN cetacean specialist community. After his death in January 1997, colleagues continued to honor his influence; the Society for Marine Mammalogy now gives a J. Stephen Leatherwood Memorial Award supporting research on Asian marine mammals.