Oasis in a Desert Sea: The Lives of Hawai`i's Dolphins and Whales
When: Mon. June 19, 2017, 6 p.m. (Note: one hour later than usual!)
Where: NELHA Gateway Center
Presenter: Dr. Robin Baird, Cascadia Research Collective
Although humpback whales and spinner dolphins have received most of the attention, there are 25 species of whales and dolphins that have been found in Hawaiian waters. The islands themselves have created an oasis in the central Pacific, home to 11 different species of whales and dolphins. Robin Baird, author of the new book The Lives of Hawai‘i’s Dolphins and Whales: Natural History and Conservation, will share information and images from the book on many different species of whales and dolphins in Hawaiian waters, including migratory blue whales, resident Bryde’s whales, endangered false killer whales, deep-diving Cuvier’s and Blainville’s beaked whales, and others, and will talk about how we have learned about these species, including acoustics, photo-identification, genetics, and satellite tagging.
Robin Baird is a research biologist with Cascadia Research Collective, based in Olympia, Washington, and an affiliate faculty at the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology. Robin has been studying whales and dolphins since 1986, and since 1999 most of his research has focused on Hawaiian odontocetes. This has included assessing population structure, estimating abundance, examining habitat use and behavior, and assessing human interactions including fisheries impacts and impacts from Navy sonar. He has authored or co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed papers and is the author of The Lives of Hawai‘i’s Dolphins and Whales: Natural History and Conservation, published by the University of Hawai‘i Press in 2016.
Copies of Robin's book will be available for sale after the talk (cash or check only).
Also after the presentation, we will have pupus, drinks, and conversation. We are informal and it is potluck, so please bring a pupu and non-alcoholic beverage to share. Reusable plates and cups are encouraged, as is taking home your own trash.
Agenda:
6:00-6:15 p.m. Gather and Networking
6:15-7:00 p.m. Presentation and Q&A
7:00-7:30 p.m. Book signing, more networking, pupus