Decoding the secret lives of killer whales one micro-second at a time
Using methods to detect when the animals are catching prey and to model their energy expenditure will be key to understanding the differences between these neighbouring whale populations.
Enhanced statistical models will aid conservation of killer whales and other species
The whale used to develop the model preferred to save energy by gliding through the water when making deep dives, and when it was closer to the surface, it moved more actively, accelerating faster and ‘fluking’ its tail more often.
Ecologists and mental health researchers unite to improve patient care, save wild animals using Fitbit-like devices
Narwhals, sharks, and polar bears can help medical professionals improve care for patients with mental health struggles – and patients with conditions such as depression and bipolar disorder can offer insights that will help the conservation of many wild animals.
Food for seals and other Arctic predators is shrinking — literally
Unchecked climate change may leave some Arctic predators, such as seals and whales, surviving off of marine “junk food”.
PROFILE: Using mathematical ingenuity to solve ecological puzzles
“Ecology has a lot of difficult data to handle, and a big part of my research is developing new statistical methods to tackle these problems,” says Dr. Marie Auger-Méthé.
How to spot the elusive narwhal
“We brought an infrared camera mostly to see if we could find walruses, seals, and polar bears on the ice, but when we looked at the infrared footage, we saw these narwhals swimming.”
Q & A: Big data meets big (polar) bears
Goal: to learn how polar bears find food and understand how they use wind to guide them in their search for prey.
Orca Quest 2020: In Search of Killer Whales
In August 2020, Marine Mammal Research Unit (MMRU) researchers set sail to determine whether there are enough chinook salmon to support southern resident killer whales in the Salish Sea.
IOF researchers use salmon scales to track sockeye in the high seas
Knowing where different salmon stocks forage will be essential for identifying the unique environmental threats they will face as oceans become more inhospitable due to climate change and other cumulative impacts.