What could be impacting the food source of Southern Resident killer whales?
There are currently 74 Southern Resident killer whales, and this population is listed as endangered in both Canada and the U.S. The species relies on Pacific salmon (Chinook and coho) for food, however these salmon populations have been decreasing for decades.
The cryptic lives of marine mammals: a century of marine mammal metabolisms
The metabolic rates of marine mammals who live their entire lives at sea or remain submerged for long periods of time are almost impossible to measure, creating large gaps in the data that scientists hope to fill with future technological innovations.
Southern resident killer whales not getting enough to eat since 2018
The animals have been in an energy deficit, averaged across spring, summer and fall, for six of the last 40 years.
UBC students take on the Strait of Georgia
Students from IOF and other departments at UBC headed off on a whale-watching adventure.
You can’t beat a healthy heart
New research is shedding light on the hearts of healthy marine mammals, and how they compare to human hearts
Sea lions and walruses in managed care reveal how wild animals handle environmental disturbance
Knowledge about resting metabolic rates or energy expenditures can lead to big, meaningful changes for the conservation of wild animals.
What do differences in animal behaviour reveal about the decline of Steller sea lions in Alaska?
More than 50 years of studying Steller sea lion behaviour has yielded one of the most complete life history descriptions for any species of marine mammal.
STUDENT PROFILE: Ana Pozas
Focusing her research on the diets of California sea lions, Pozas enjoys working with the ‘dogs of the sea’, proving that the “ocean is not such a scary place and that there’s so much to learn still.”
SPOTLIGHT: Marine Mammal Energetics and Nutrition Lab carries on with research despite COVID-19 setbacks
“It just means we have to be creative to keep research going,” said David Rosen, assistant professor and principal investigator
Drawing First Blood
Researchers publish first reference ranges for Steller sea lions