BLOG BY MONTEREY BAY WHALE WATCH

• Thursday, January 28, 7:30 p.m.
• Lecture Hall, Monterey Boatworks, Hopkins Marine Station, Pacific Grove
• Speakers: Nancy Black, Monterey Bay Whale Watch and Richard Ternullo, Skipper, Sam’s Fishing Fleet and Past-President of ACS Monterey Bay

The January 28 meeting of the American Cetacean Society Monterey Bay Chapter will feature Nancy Black and Richard Ternullo, both leaders in studies of Killer Whales.

Among several areas in the world where Orcas occur and can be studied, the Monterey Bay area has a special place at the forefront of advancing our knowledge of some aspects of this spectacular mammal.

The program will encompass the seasonality and movements of these mammals and the creation and publication of Killer Whales of California and Western Mexico: a catalog of photo-identified individuals, NOAA, 1997, with a minimum of 211 photographed animals in California waters. Predatory behavior toward different prey species and the roles played by adult females, males, and calves will be explored. This species is well known for its vocalizations and dialects. If time allows, the program may include a brief update on Orca studies elsewhere, including DNA sampling.

This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about the different Orca types – the Transients, Residents, Offshores, and now (none other than) the “LA Pod”. Note that some video footage may be graphic in its depiction of predation.

This presentation is free and open to the public. For more information about meetings of the Monterey Bay Chapter of ACS, see the ACS Monterey Bay meetings web page.