Marine Mammals

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Pinniped R&R

October 17, 2011 Marine Mammals

(about pinnipeds) This group of California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) was hauled out on a dock in Westport, Washington. The scene reminded me of Pier 39 in San Francisco — although on a much smaller scale. California sea lions are a protected species and, by law, all marine mammals should be viewed from a distance [...]

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The Orca-Scat Tracking Dog

October 6, 2011 Endangered Species

Tucker isn’t really interested in the water. But, he spends his working days on a boat, sniffing out orca scat in the breezes of the Salish Sea. He’s a labrador mix, trained as part of the Conservation Canine program — at the University of Washington’s Center For Conservation Biology. Tucker’s ambivalence about water actually makes [...]

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If Orcas Could Buy Sofas …

October 2, 2011 Marine Mammals

Orcas can’t, of course, pick out sofas. But if they could, they would tell you that their survival may depend on the product and furniture choices we make — and the industries we support in the process. The orcas of the Salish Sea, who regularly cross the international boundary between Washington State and British Columbia, [...]

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A Train of Thought on Orcas and Captivity

August 29, 2011 Captivity

In preparation for a short trip where we may or may not encounter Orcas (again), I’m immersed in literature about the Southern and Northern resident pods and about significant issues affecting whales and other wild marine mammals — like sonar, salmon stocks and Puget Sound pollution. We’ll be out just one of those days in [...]

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This is not a Duck

February 24, 2011 Marine Mammals

I went out to photograph ducks in this morning’s fresh snow. As I approached the pond, I noticed that ALL of the Mallards (every single one) were sitting on the banks. I felt the reverb of a huge splash in my periphery and thought, wow, big fish. Sturgeon-caliber fish. When “it” resurfaced, “it” had a [...]

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Seeking Justice for a Sea Otter: It’s a Small World

July 22, 2010 Bay Area Faves

I received a notice tonight from Defenders of Wildlife, asking for help in finding the killer of a young sea otter. The female otter was found along Morro Strand in June of this year — slain illegally, with the post-mortem revealing a shot to her head. In seeking additional information on this case, I landed [...]

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High Tech Wildlife Rehab

April 21, 2010 Marine Mammals

The view from the Marine Mammal Center’s visiting area, above the rehab pens for sea lions and other Marine Mammals.

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The Ongoing Plight of Seal Pups

March 28, 2010 Marine Mammals

I wrote this post last year, but as we move into April 2010, the seal hunt begins anew. It’s been such a difficult issue for me to grapple with over the years, so I thought I’d re-post my comments from last year. The fundamentals remain the same.

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Jean-Michel Cousteau Speaks Out on Captive Orcas

February 28, 2010 Captivity

Just saw this video from Jean-Michel Cousteau who, in the aftermath of the SeaWorld incident, implores us humans to rethink our misguided ideas about captivity for marine mammals. Couldn’t agree more.

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Sir Sea Otter

November 4, 2009 California

I saw this otter on my way home from Morro Bay last week. He was foraging and grooming around the public pier at Moss Landing. The otter was awfully far away for my lens, so these shots are heavily cropped, not too crisp. But they capture the moment. He (or she) had repeated success diving [...]

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Marine Mammal Viewing — From a Distance

June 25, 2009 Bay Area

Hugh and I had another knucklehead-versus-wildlife encounter this past week with a family on the Mendocino coast. We hiked over an unpopulated bluff and saw a mom and kids chasing a young sea lion across the rocks for a photo op. Their actions were forcing the young animal away from her resting spot, as she [...]

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