California Sea Lions
Prior to the 1983 El Niño, California sea lion populations in the Channel Islands were recovering from the low numbers that resulted from indiscriminate killing which had continued through the 1930s. HSWRI researchers compiled population studies from 1927 which showed steady population increases. Between 1971 and 1981, the sea lion population at San Miguel Islands […]
Beluga Whales
Belugas depend upon sound for many important biological functions such as foraging, navigation and communication. The territory of beluga whales overlaps the rich oil deposits in the arctic continental shelf. Oil exploration, production and transport generate significant underwater noise, which can cause discomfort, stress and even physical damage to animals. In the 1980s little data […]
Mono Lake Birds
Mono Lake is a key resting point for millions of migratory birds where they feed on brine shrimp. Owens River water was diverted to the Los Angeles aqueduct in 1941. By 1982 the lake was reduced to 70% of 1941 levels, and by 1990 it was reduced to 50%. HSWRI tracked the effect of the […]
Killer Whale Antarctica
HSWRI researchers recorded for the first time killer whale calls in the Antarctic at McMurdo Station in January 1980. These killer whale calls were compared to other researchers’ recordings from Newfoundland to search for geographic differences. The researchers found that strong geographic differences were found in all four types of vocalizations (clicks, buzzes, screams, and […]
Dolphin Survey 1977
In August 1977, dolphin numbers in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon were unknown, but some estimated that up to 5,000 dolphins lived in the lagoon. Commercial fishing operators were concerned about dolphin predation of fish, which also damaged nets due to entanglements. This led to repeated requests to control the dolphins. HSWRI’s survey found less than […]
Bowhead Whale Songs
HSWRI researchers were part of the team that first recorded bowhead whale songs in 1977 and then later analyzed the first mother – calf bowhead sounds in 1979. Subsequent research has shown bowhead whales exhibit elaborate acoustic displays that rival the complexity of the better known humpback whale songs. The popularization of whale songs become […]
California Brown Pelicans
HSWRI researchers were the first to recognize DDT-related damage to pelican eggs. Exhaustive scientific studies showed that DDT was partially, if not wholly, responsible for the population decline by reducing egg thickness. At that time the coastal waters of California were the most pesticide polluted in the world. The declines in California populations were masked […]
Dolphin Entanglements
From 1969 to 1976 HSWRI researchers worked in conjunction with Southwest Fisheries Science Center tagging and tracking 3,712 dolphins in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. Researchers were trying to discover any migration patterns to prevent inadvertent dolphin entanglements. At that time, approximately one quarter of the world’s tuna catch was taken in the eastern tropical […]