This course is designed to provide an introduction to the biology of the diverse group of animals known as marine mammals (whales, dolphins, seals, sea lions, manatees, sea otters, and polar bears), including evolution, diversity/taxonomy, life history, physiology, ecology, behavior, communication and cognition. Current research, events and policy issues will also be addressed. Hands-on analyses of marine mammal recordings will be included. Reading and discussion material will be drawn from the professional scientific literature. Two summary/critique papers on journal articles will be required, as well as a presentation about a scientific paper, and a term project on a research topic of the student’s choosing. This project can take the form of a research paper or a video; more details will be provided. The final project will be presented to the whole class.
- Teacher: Laela Sayigh