The death of a whale can happen at sea or onshore if the animal beaches itself. Examining the dead whales can reveal many secrets like the cause of death, but also how a whale’s body works. In this post, we will explore the lesser-known area of cetacean research, post-mortem investigations, commonly known as necropsies. We […]
What secrets can we uncover from dead whales? Read More »
One of the most fundamental pieces of information about individuals (including dolphins) is their age. In biology studies, scientists need to know how old an animal is to understand many aspects of its life history and, for example, to estimate the viability of a population. But estimating an animal’s age is no easy feat when
Scientists can now use the DNA of dolphins to know their age Read More »
This week, we are partnering with the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), aka the public body that advises the UK Government and devolved administrations on UK-wide and international conservation. They just launched a new tool for conservation called the Joint Cetacean Data Program (JCDP). By accessing the portal, researchers can now obtain tons of sighting
Hey Whale Scientists, You Can Now Access A New Free Cetacean Database For Research! Read More »
Science communication (also called #scicomm) is a skill. It involves sharing science with a larger audience, beyond Academia, in an understandable way. Effective science communication relies on a delicate balance between too few details and too much information, which can confuse a non-expert audience. Above all, it should be entertaining and tell a story. With
Why Should Early-career Scientists Engage in Science Communication? Read More »
Photo-ID has been around for decades: it allowed researchers to study the marine mammal populations and opened the door to awesome whale research worldwide. So what exactly is photo-ID, why is it important, and how can you gain skills in this discipline? Find out in this post. A picture says more than a thousand words
Photo-ID is the heart of whale research Read More »
We had never given it much thought, but when the world was recently celebrating International Women in Science Day, it hit us. The Cetacean Ecology Research Group at Massey University in New Zealand, where we are a research associate and a PhD student, currently consists purely of women. We are led by the great Prof
What it is like to be a women-only scientific group? Read More »
In first grade, I remember the look of shock when I told my friends that my mom was a teacher. They couldn’t imagine teachers ever leaving school. They thought teachers just lived in the classroom, and their sole purpose in life was to teach. Similarly, I think people (both scientists and non-scientists) often believe that their
3 steps to a better work-life balance Read More »
If you want to study marine mammals but don’t know which courses to take, this post is for you. Multiple times I have found myself confronted with the typical student dilemma of which courses to take. Do you want to work within the marine mammal sector? Then most people will respond with “you need to
Choose the best courses to study marine mammals Read More »
This year, professional development opportunities are extremely limited, due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Global travel restrictions and lockdowns make conferences and internships almost impossible. But there are other ways how you can advance your professional profile! How can you keep developing your skills and/or doing whale science during the COVID pandemic? Here are six
Whale Science in the time of COVID: how to make it work? Read More »
The world of whale science is broad and can seem overwhelming sometimes – there are so many different options you can focus on. Truth is: you can study behavior, diet, communication, microbiomes, evolution, health, migration, reproduction, acoustics, metabolism, pathology, and so much more. Every whale scientist has their own specific niche, just like the marine
5 Ways to Discover Where You Fit in Whale Science Read More »
