Courses

 photo: Humpback whales lunge feeding off the coast of Half Moon Bay, California, by Gail Koza

 
 

American Cetacean Society - San Francisco Chapter Online Course - The Gulf of the Greater Farallones and Its Inhabitants

Date and Time: Thursday, May 2, 2024 @ 6:00 PM Pacific (See below for full six week schedule)

Location: Online Webinar

Whales, dolphins, and porpoises (collectively 'cetaceans') enchant us with their grace, intelligence, and beauty. They have an exceptional ability to inspire people and serve as ambassadors for ocean conservation. Yet, these magnificent creatures face more threats than ever before: entanglement in marine debris and fishing gear, ship strikes, noise pollution, climate change, contaminants, to loss of habitat, whaling, and more. We believe that solving for these threats begins with education and scientific research.

Course Details

Purpose: The classes will introduce you to the ecology and local marine mammals, seabirds, and sharks in the Marine Sanctuary; increase your understanding of cetacean, pinnipeds, and seabird behaviors; explore the many threats to these animals and learn about conservation efforts to protect them and their habitats.

Attendees: This course will be useful to educators, graduate students, naturalists, and the general public of all ages.

Schedule: Each Thursday evening for 6 weeks starting May 2nd through June 6th, 6:00-9:30 pm Pacific.  All sessions are conducted via Zoom.

Cost: $300 ($250 for ACS members)

Presenters: Learn from experts in the fields of marine science and conservation including, a professor in Marine Geology, a marine science biologist; a master birder in ocean species; a Great White Shark researcher focusing on the population within the Gulf of the Greater Farallones; and a leading expert on marine mammal entanglement and ship strikes.

The course will be overseen by ACS Board Members: Research Biologist, Cetacean Field Research Program – Marc Webber with The Marine Mammal Center and author of two marine mammal identification guides; and Marine Educator and Oceanic Society Naturalist, Susan Sherman.

Topics (6 weeks) 

May 2nd:  (Day 1)   

Introduction & Welcome to the course (15 Minutes)

  • Goals and purpose  (SS & MW)

  • Digital Handout: Overview of Lectures (SS & MW)

  • Digital Handout: List of resources - Books, Scientific Papers (SS & MW)

Marine Ecology: Birds, Fish, Invertebrates and Their Prey

Session 1: 

  • Marine ecology & marine productivity in the area (SS)

  • Zooplankton, Fish, & Squid as prey of Marine Birds & Mammals (SS)

Session 2:

  • Local and Migratory Marine Birds (PW)

Session 3: Local Geology & Oceanography (NM)

  • Oceanography, Gyres, Currents, Upwelling, & Climate Drivers 


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May 9th: (Day 2)

Session 1:  Farallon Islands

  • First people; European history: Spanish settlement and Russian involvement; harvesting of fur seals and sea otter; the Gold Rush and egg wars, lighthouse keepers, human disturbance, introduced species (mice, plants) and SF Bay history as a major whaling center  (SS)

Session 2:   White Shark Population (TBN)

Session 3:   Local Geology (NM)

  • Pleistocene sea level changes; vast savannas during lower sea level periods, and grazing area use by paleo-mammals

  • Geologic history & Formations 

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May 16th:  (Day 3)

Session 1: Basic Marine Mammal Biology

  • What is a marine mammal and global biodiversity overview  (MW)

  • Physical & behavioral adaptations, & diving physiology  (MW)

Session 2:  Pinniped Biology, Evolution, Behavior & Identification 1 

  • Otariids - Sea Lions & Fur Seals (MW) 

Session 3: Pinniped Biology, Evolution, Behavior & Identification 2

  •  Phocids - Elephant & Harbor Seals (MW)

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May 23rd:  (Day 4)

Cetacean Biology, Evolution, Behavior & Identification Day 1

Session 1: Baleen Whales 1 

  • Introduction to baleen whales, gray, & right whales (MW)

Session 2: Baleen Whales 2

  • Humpback whales (BL)

Session 3: Baleen Whales 3

  • Blue, fin, sei, & minke Whales (MW)

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May 30th: (Day 5)

Cetacean Biology, Evolution, Behavior & Identification Day 2

Session 1: Toothed Whales 1

  • Introduction to the Toothed Whales, Sperm & Beaked Whales (MW) 

Session 2: Toothed Whales 2

  • Orcas, Rissos, Oceanic & Coastal dolphins (MW & BK)

Session 3: Toothed Whales 3

  • Harbor and Dall’s porpoises (MW & BK)

_________________________________________________________June 6th:  (Day 6)

Anthropogenic Threats to Marine Mammals, Research,  Conservation, & Whale-watching Tours

Session 1: Direct human threats 

  • Net entanglement, ship strike, climate change, oil spills, toxic waste, plastic pollution, anthropogenic noise (KG)

Session 2:  Conservation 

  • Conservation and environmental laws (BK)

  • Non-governmental organizations in conservation (NGO’s) (BK)

  • Sanctuaries, refuges, parks, & marine protected areas (MPA’s) (MW) 

  • Whale watching, marine recreation, coastal use & development, (MW) 

Session 3: Research & community science 

  • Technology to listen to & track cetaceans by sound (KG)

  • Marine Mammal Identification software by local biologists (KG)

  • Tags: Satellite tracking & dive & kinematic movement recording (MW)

  • Photo-Identification, Community Science, HappyWhale (MW)

  • Live & dead animal stranding response (MW)

If you need further information please send an email to Susan Sherman: acs.sfbay.ssherman@gmail.com