Read Lab members Kristina Cammen, Meagan Dunphy-Daly, and Amanda Kaltenberg have developed a “Predators of the Sea” traveling trunk for the North Carolina Maritime Museum. The traveling trunk was developed for 4th-6th grade students to learn about marine predators. Lessons focus on the differences between marine predators (e.g., sharks and dolphins), the differences between individuals within a …
Our research team spotted a great white shark while conducting a marine mammal survey in Onslow Bay on Wednesday, April 24th. The shark was approximately 12 miles out of Bogue Inlet and was feeding on a floating humpback whale carcass. The story made it to the local news: http://www.wcti12.com/news/fisherman-talks-about-close-encounter-with-shark/-/13530444/19901310/-/121sra9z/-/index.html A great white shark swimming off …
Meagan Dunphy-Daly and Andy Read contributed to a new publication, “The Marine Mammal Protection Act at 40: status, recovery, and future of U.S. marine mammals.”
The web site of the Cetacean Specialist Group of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is a great place to get information on the status of whales, dolphins and porpoises and updates on recent conservation projects directed at cetacean populations at risk. Check it out!
Today is the start of the journey from Punta Arenas, Chile through the Drake Passage to the Antarctic Peninsula. Andy, along with others from the Duke Marine Lab, will be studying humpback, minke, and killer whales. You can follow their journey here!
The manuscript “A field test of acoustic deterrent devices used to reduce interactions between bottlenose dolphins and a coastal gillnet fishery” was recently published in Biological Conservation. The paper was led by Danielle Waples and all co-authors are either current or former members of the Read Lab!
Danielle Waples and Andy Read contributed to a new publication out this week, “To ping or not to ping: the use of active acoustic devices in mitigating interactions between small cetaceans and gillnet fisheries.“
We recently encountered a group of approximately 50 Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus) while conducting a photo-ID and biopsy survey along the continental shelf break in Onslow Bay, NC. Risso’s dolphins are characteristic animals of the shelf break along the U.S. east coast, but we rarely see them in Onslow Bay. When we do find them …
Read the latest depressing news on harbor porpoise management in New England in an op-ed piece by Carl Safina and Andy on National Geographic’s ‘Ocean Views’ site. You can find out more about the Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction Team here. We’d love to hear from you about innovative ways to reduce by-catches and conserve porpoises. You …
Sara McDonald received a “Rethinking Regulation Graduate Research Award” from the Duke Rethinking Regulation Center at the Kenan Institute for Ethics. This award will help pay for Sara’s travel to marine mammal Take Reduction Team meetings, which will ultimately aid in her efforts to evaluate the social and ecological effectiveness of these teams. Congratulations, Sara!