PacMam Podcast

Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!  

This week: The extremists: Walruses, river dolphins and the blue whale.  This week is a little different as we talk about why each of these species is kind of extreme in terms of biology and ecology, and of course debate which one is the best!  

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, Trevor Derie

Join us on a mystery into the world of the humpback whale, and the songs they sing! We will be discussing a documentary about humpback whale song, that you can find on HERE, featuring our colleagues Dr. Marc Lammers and Dr. Adam Pack.  We will discuss a little about what they reveal in the video (not all of it - go watch it to see everything!), but we will also discuss the really cool tools they are using and how having a variety of tools allows researchers to better address the questions they are trying to answer.  For example, if you are researching humpback whale songs, why do you need to measure how large the whale is, and how do you do it?  Listen to find out.

Help us continue to provide content like this by donating: https://pacmam.org/wp/donate/

Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!  

This week: Pinnipeds of the Salish Sea (the regulars: steller sea lions, California sea lions, harbor seals)

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, Trevor Derie  

Join us as we discuss an interesting paper about rough-toothed dolphins and prey sharing.  It isn't common to observe prey sharing in cetaceans, and particularly small dolphin species.  We will talk about what the researchers observed and why this is interesting, how it may relate to social structure and why drone footage can reveal such cool behavior!

Link to the article: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/mms.12727

Help us continue to provide content like this by donating: https://pacmam.org/wp/donate/

Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!  

This week: Orcas: Residents, transients and offshores, oh my!  

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, Trevor Derie

Join us as we discuss an 2 scientific papers about harbor porpoise behavior and prey choices.  These are 2 recent publications by PacMam researchers and colleagues along the U.S. West Coast documenting the capture and ingestion of large prey items by harbor porpoises (particularly reproductively active females), and the potential risk this behavior poses.   Why risk it? Listen to find out.  Learn how it all started with one picture, which took us down a road we didn't even know was there, and led us to some new and exciting information about harbor porpoises.

Links to the papers:

Catching large fish: https://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/index.php?option=com_hikashop&ctrl=product&task=show&cid=1480&name=vol-46-iss-2-elliser

Asphyxiation: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-1924/1/3/8#cite

Help us continue to provide content like this by donating: https://pacmam.org/wp/donate/

Join us as we discuss an interesting scientific paper about an emerging disease, Mucormycosis, in marine mammals caused by fungi.  Fungal diseases are rare in marine mammals, so the fact that this has been noted 21 times since 2012 is concerning.  We will learn about the disease, which species are most affected and discuss how and why this may be happening.

Link to the paper: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2020.00555/full

Help us continue to provide content like this by donating: https://pacmam.org/wp/donate/

Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This week: Beaked whales - those mysterious whales!

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, Trevor Derie

Music by Josh Burns

Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about 3 different marine mammals each episode.  We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species.  Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!  

This week: In honor of International Save the Vaquita day, July 18, we are talking about the vaquita and 2 other porpoise species, the Indo-pacific finless and the spectacled porpoises!  

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, Trevor Derie

Join us as we discuss an interesting scientific note about a pantropical spotted dolphin with 2 blowholes!  Note that they normally only have 1, so this is a bit strange.  Listen and learn a bit about dolphin anatomy, how this could affect the animal, and why this type of observation/taking photographs is so important in marine mammal work!

Link to the paper: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/mms.12708

Help us continue to provide content like this by donating: https://pacmam.org/wp/donate/