PacMam: Research With A Porpoise!
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Pacific Mammal Research: Research With A Porpoise
"Is it a dolphin? Is it a whale?" Maybe it's a porpoise!
Many people are unaware of these small marine mammals, yet they can provide us with vital information on the health and state of the ecosystem in which they live. Harbor porpoises in particular are known for being shy and fast-moving, which can make them difficult to study in the wild. However in the Salish Sea, located in northern Washington State, an innovative new study has begun to learn more about these fascinating creatures as well as the harbor seal populations of this region.
This long-term study is being conducted by Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam), a young non-profit organization which uses non-invasive photo identification methods to track and identify individual harbor porpoises and seals over time. Most of these ID photos are collected from a land-based field site in Anacortes, Washington, with boat-based collection incorporated when possible.
Much of the detailed information we have about other species (e.g. elephants, orcas, dolphins) comes from knowing animals at an individual level, and is what PacMam hopes to achieve with the harbor porpoise and seal populations in the Salish Sea. To get this type of long-term data requires time, equipment and dedicated researchers to do the work.
Your donations to PacMam will not only give us critical funds to allow us to continue this research, but will help us get the word out through education and presentations of our work. One way these donations can help in 2015 is that PacMam has been given the opportunity to present our findings at the Society of Marine Mammalogy Bienniel Conference in San Francisco, an internationally-attended event which allows marine mammal researchers to share and discuss their work. Your donations will give our researchers the chance to join over 3,000 attendees at one of the world's most prominent marine mammal events.
Donations given will also assist PacMam in our mission to provide education in the community by conducting workshops with students in the classroom and field, attending local festivals, and creating informational posters and leaflets. PacMam has already given several presentations and STEM workshops at local schools, as well as participating in student "job shadow" programs, but needs your help to continue providing these services and supporting the next generation in their appreciation of science and the environment.
PacMam provides educational information at local festivals and schools.
Help us expand our work! In addition to photo-ID, PacMam also plans to incorporate passive acoustic research using the innovative Ecological Acoustic Recorders (EARs) (in partnership with Oceanwide Science), which will allow monitoring of natural and man-made sounds in the marine environment. This information can help us figure out why porpoises and seals are spending time in particular areas, and therefore whether we need to take steps to protect these areas for them. But we need your support to get these devices into the field and analyze the resulting data.
Learn more about PacMam!
Pacific Mammal Research is a 501(c)(3) registered non-profit, located in Anacortes, Washington. Incorporated in 2014, PacMam currently employs two researchers in addition to working with interns and volunteers to continue gathering and processing data. Director and Founder, Dr. Cindy Elliser, is working with other organizations to collect photographs from other areas and create regional photo-ID databases for the harbor porpoise and harbor seals of the Salish Sea.
If you are interested in learning more about PacMam, our research, education opportunities or want to find out about upcoming events, please visit our website or like our Facebook page to stay up to date.
___________________________________________________________
Donations of any amount are welcomed and appreciated by PacMam - check out the suggested donation levels below and see how you could get some great PacMam goodies!
"Is it a dolphin? Is it a whale?" Maybe it's a porpoise!
Many people are unaware of these small marine mammals, yet they can provide us with vital information on the health and state of the ecosystem in which they live. Harbor porpoises in particular are known for being shy and fast-moving, which can make them difficult to study in the wild. However in the Salish Sea, located in northern Washington State, an innovative new study has begun to learn more about these fascinating creatures as well as the harbor seal populations of this region.
This long-term study is being conducted by Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam), a young non-profit organization which uses non-invasive photo identification methods to track and identify individual harbor porpoises and seals over time. Most of these ID photos are collected from a land-based field site in Anacortes, Washington, with boat-based collection incorporated when possible.
Much of the detailed information we have about other species (e.g. elephants, orcas, dolphins) comes from knowing animals at an individual level, and is what PacMam hopes to achieve with the harbor porpoise and seal populations in the Salish Sea. To get this type of long-term data requires time, equipment and dedicated researchers to do the work.
Your donations to PacMam will not only give us critical funds to allow us to continue this research, but will help us get the word out through education and presentations of our work. One way these donations can help in 2015 is that PacMam has been given the opportunity to present our findings at the Society of Marine Mammalogy Bienniel Conference in San Francisco, an internationally-attended event which allows marine mammal researchers to share and discuss their work. Your donations will give our researchers the chance to join over 3,000 attendees at one of the world's most prominent marine mammal events.
Donations given will also assist PacMam in our mission to provide education in the community by conducting workshops with students in the classroom and field, attending local festivals, and creating informational posters and leaflets. PacMam has already given several presentations and STEM workshops at local schools, as well as participating in student "job shadow" programs, but needs your help to continue providing these services and supporting the next generation in their appreciation of science and the environment.
PacMam provides educational information at local festivals and schools. Help us expand our work! In addition to photo-ID, PacMam also plans to incorporate passive acoustic research using the innovative Ecological Acoustic Recorders (EARs) (in partnership with Oceanwide Science), which will allow monitoring of natural and man-made sounds in the marine environment. This information can help us figure out why porpoises and seals are spending time in particular areas, and therefore whether we need to take steps to protect these areas for them. But we need your support to get these devices into the field and analyze the resulting data.
Learn more about PacMam!
Pacific Mammal Research is a 501(c)(3) registered non-profit, located in Anacortes, Washington. Incorporated in 2014, PacMam currently employs two researchers in addition to working with interns and volunteers to continue gathering and processing data. Director and Founder, Dr. Cindy Elliser, is working with other organizations to collect photographs from other areas and create regional photo-ID databases for the harbor porpoise and harbor seals of the Salish Sea.
If you are interested in learning more about PacMam, our research, education opportunities or want to find out about upcoming events, please visit our website or like our Facebook page to stay up to date.
___________________________________________________________
Donations of any amount are welcomed and appreciated by PacMam - check out the suggested donation levels below and see how you could get some great PacMam goodies!
Organizador
Katrina MacIver
Organizador
Anacortes, WA
PACIFIC MAMMAL RESEARCH
Organización sin fines de lucro registrada
Las donaciones suelen ser totalmente desgravables en los EE. UU.
