ACS Monterey Bay Program for January 2007

The North Pacific Right Whale:
the world's rarest cetacean?

Thursday, January 25, 2007 7 p.m. Refreshments, 7:30 p.m. Program Lecture Hall, Monterey Boatworks, Hopkins Marine Station, Pacific Grove (Across from American Tin Cannery Outlet Stores) Speaker: Kim Shelden, Biologist, National Marine Mammal Laboratory, NOAA Fisheries, Seattle

The population of eastern North Pacific right whales numbers less than 100 individuals. Yet, unlike the North Atlantic right whale which has been well studied (and the research well-funded) these whales have not received much attention. This presentation will cover what is known about this highly endangered whale from historic commercial whaling to the "rediscovery" of this population only in the last decade and what measures are being taken to ensure recovery.

Our speaker, who is one of the team leaders counting gray whales this winter at Granite Canyon, Big Sur, is a scientist with a wide breadth of knowledge. It is indeed a treat to have this opportunity to learn more about one of the world's rarest whale populations. Kim spoke to our chapter once before on the gray whale.

Related web pages:

• National Marine Mammal Laboratory (NMML)
• Review of Information Relating to Possible Critical Habitat for Eastern North Pacific Right Whales (pdf file from NMML)
• Right Whales

• Back to list of previous meetings.