We turn our attention to the leviathans of our seas, of our planet, the blue whale. In this talk, marine mammal biologist and recipient of our chapter’s recent research grant, Jessie Meyer will share his study results. As a measure of health, body condition has been increasingly used to assess the impacts of environmental and physiological change on marine mammals. This study expanded a previous analysis of blue whale body condition in the Eastern North Pacific (ENP) using images collected by Cascadia Research Collective (CRC) over a total of 21 years between 1991 and 2023. In all, 4,188 images of 1,319 individuals were grouped by year, decade, region, and season to investigate potential differences in body condition. Please join us for ground-breaking knowledge and insight into these wondrous animals who command our respect and caring.

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With numerous gray whale strandings in the news in recent weeks, it’s a good time to put them in the spotlight. Marine biologist Barbie Halaska will lead us on a celebration of their incredible natural history. She will draw from her deep experience in performing necropsies and share how they help scientists learn more about the species and offer insights into the recent Unusual Mortality Event (2018 – 2023)

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Please join us as we embark on a global travel - virtually – along one humpback whale’s migration. You won’t want to miss the journey as chronicled by the marine biologists behind the discovery of this epic cetacean story.

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Join us as Marc shares his knowledge and photos from what truly is an extravaganza and celebration of marine life. We will be at sea on the boat – virtually – as we visit birthing sites of gray whales and witness the season’s burst of life with blue whales, humpbacks, dolphins, seabirds and pinniped species that include elephant seals, Guadalupe fur seals, California sea lions and more.

We also are thrilled, as part of this celebration of ocean life, to pair a fundraising art auction of two works by board member and artist Firuze Gokce. Details to follow!

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Formal research on Nicaragua humpback whales has been ongoing since 2016 uncovering intriguing information and discoveries for this important breeding area. Join us as Joëlle De Weerdt presents the latest research advancements drawing from the results of her PhD thesis as well as giving us new, exciting perspectives in what the future holds for humpback whale research.

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Please join us to kickoff 2025 with Chad King, Research Ecologist at the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, who will treat us to his many years exploring the Sanctuary. We will celebrate ocean protection with Chad as he leads us into the deep sea and shares his observations and discoveries, covering flora and fauna, including human impact on ocean ecosystems.

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Once numbering in the tens of thousands, the North Pacific right whale was driven to the brink of extinction; now it's estimated that fewer than 50 animals remain in the eastern population. Despite this, one of these rare animals was seen this May off Point Reyes, CA. So how do you study the proverbial needle in a very large haystack? Come learn about North Pacific right whales as Jessica Crance, Marine Mammal biologist and right whale specialist, talks about their dark history, the research being done to save them, and the struggles and rewards of studying one of the most critically endangered large whale populations in the world.

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Dr. Nicola Ransome is the recipient of ACS-SF Bay chapter’s 2023 Christine Fitzsimmons cetacean research grant. Her primary research focus is on the study of anthropogenic impacts on large whales of the Eastern Tropical Pacific. She has used the grant proceeds toward her ongoing research of a threatened “distinct population segment” (DPS) of humpback whales, whose migratory corridor is Central America through the west coast of North America. The research is focused on seasonal (early season) timing and identification of the whales through tail flukes and the Happywhale identification platform. Please join us as Nico shares her findings and the impact of the results from this empirical research.

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In March of this year, Vancouver Island residents were gripped with the story of kʷiisaḥiʔis, or “Brave Little Hunter” who had been stuck in the Zeballos (BC) lagoon since her pregnant mother was stranded and drowned. Join us to hear the story of coaxing this calf into the open ocean by a scientist involved, techniques used, and overall what scientists are learning of this population of Orcas using latest technology and leveraging AI deep learning algorithms.

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Dr. Vanessa ZoBell, postdoctoral researcher at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego will discuss the importance of studying whale acoustics, the threats that whales are facing in the modern ocean, and creative solutions to protect these important animals.

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"Whale Conservation in San Francisco Bay and Beyond"

Dive into whale conservation in San Francisco Bay and beyond! Join Kathi George, The Marine Mammal Center’s Director of Cetacean Conservation Biology who will lead us on an exploration of cetacean research initiatives at The Marine Mammal Center including maritime collaborations that reduce the risk of entanglement and vessel strike on large whales. Can there be a balance between whales and human activities? Discover how the Center is working to create such a balance.

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Please join us for an illuminating evening with Dr. Patrick Robinson as he shares some of the research findings from the UC Santa Cruz elephant seal research program.  He will discuss the research methods used to study these animals on their epic migrations and share what he and other researchers have learned about their elusive lives in the deep mesopelagic zone.  In addition to highlighting results from behavioral, physiological, ecological, and oceanographic research, he will share some of the remaining mysteries and future areas of research.

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We had a joyful evening and heard from local elephant seal expert, Dr. Sarah Allen. Dr. Allen’s keen observations of these animals from the frontlines of Pt. Reyes have been instrumental in our knowledge of their behavior and habitat needs.

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We are thrilled to host author, Susan Casey for her presentation, "Uncovering the Ocean's Deepest Secrets". In her latest book, The Underworld: Journeys to the Depths of the Ocean, she embedded for seven years with explorers and marine scientists as they endeavored to unravel the deep sea’s many mysteries. 

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We are delighted to host Dr. Tim Markowitz, Cetacean Field Research Coordinator of The Marine Mammal Center, and contributing author in the recently published book, Sex in Cetaceans: Morphology, Behavior, and the Evolution of Sexual Strategies, for what is certain to be a fascinating presentation!

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The ACS San Francisco Bay Chapter is excited to kick off our 2024 speaker series with Dr. Jeff Boehm, Chief External Relations Officer of The Marine Mammal Center. There’s no one better to share the experiences of this iconic organization that has been caring for ill and injured marine mammals for almost fifty years.

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On November 14, 2023, Dr. Kim Holland of the University of Hawaii’s Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) presented a fascinating broad-strokes overview of past and current research at the HIMB. His presentation focused on the physiological ecology and behavior of several shark species found in Hawaiian waters.

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ACS San Francisco Bay Chapter had another exciting evening with award-winning wildlife photographer, Jodi Frediani. For this talk, Jodi took us on her fourth trip to the Antarctic Peninsula and her first voyage to South Georgia in October 2022.

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We heard from acclaimed cetacean expert Marc Webber as he reports on the sex lives of Harbor Porpoises. We were treated to a sneak preview of his chapter in an upcoming book, “Sex in Cetaceans: Morphology, Behavior, and the Evolution of Sexual Strategies.”

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ACS San Francisco Bay Chapter and Jess Morten, Director of the Marine Resource Protection Program at the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation (CMSF), delved into the efforts to halt or reduce fatal collisions between ships and whales.

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We had a captivating night with ACS' president, marine mammal illustrator, and author, Uko Gorter, as he relates a fascinating story of early human awakening and understanding of gray whales.

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Join us for a fascinating evening with Scot Anderson and Paul Kanive of the California White Shark Project as they share the details of their fascinating research efforts and findings.

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Join us for an evening with award-winning wildlife photographer, Jodi Frediani who introduces us to Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago located north of the Arctic Circle, not far from the North Pole. This cluster of islands is home to polar bears, walruses, reindeer, and arctic foxes, and provides breeding and nesting grounds for thousands of seabirds. Ice covers more than 60% of the land mass, and the remaining tundra, grass, and moss-covered plains slope up toward perilous, high, ragged cliffs. Towering mountain peaks rise dramatically, surrounded by glaciers of blue and black ice. And the Arctic Ocean bathes them all.

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The Southern Resident killer whales are one of the most studied and well-known endangered species on the planet, yet efforts to save them have been largely unsuccessful. How can research be translated into meaningful policy or action to guide their recovery to reverse the declining trend in the population?

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What if humans and other animals could speak to one another? Author and wildlife filmmaker Tom Mustill reveals how a close encounter with a humpback whale off the coast of California inspired him to spend years exploring the cutting edge of marine biological research with scientists who are combining underwater robots and new advances in artificial intelligence to decode the communications of whales and dolphins and attempt the first-ever two-way communication.

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Salmon is a keystone species, iconic for its importance as nourishing food, inextricable connection to human culture from native peoples to current times, an economic driver, and a critical food source for the marine species including some of the cetaceans we aim to protect and conserve. Please join us to hear from Jon Ambrose, salmonid biologist for NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) Central Valley Office (CVO) in Sacramento, California, on the efforts to save the species. Jon will share from the front lines some of the ongoing reintroduction efforts as essential actions to conserve and recover these iconic species.

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Gaelin Rosenwaks is a marine scientist, explorer, photographer, filmmaker, and author of the newly published "Sperm Whales: The Gentle Goliaths of the Oceans”. Please join us as Rosenwaks takes us on a journey exploring ocean ecosystems around the globe, culminating with and highlighting her latest project on Sperm Whales. She will share her intimate observations of these fascinating whales, the world’s largest toothed predator.

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In December 2021, through the generous support of individual donors like you, the American Cetacean Society San Francisco Bay Chapter was thrilled to award cetacean research grants to three emerging marine biologists doing critical research in support of our mission: to protect whales, dolphins, porpoises, and their habitats through public education, research grants, and critical conservation actions. These remarkable San Francisco Bay Area graduate students are conducting research that will contribute valuable information toward efforts to understand and reduce anthropogenic threats to Pacific humpback whales, blue whales, beaked whales, and California gray whales. At this event, you’ll hear firsthand from each grant recipient about their research and their findings to date.

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