In 2021 our lab began a collaborative project to investigate the cumulative effects of multiple stressors in northern elephant seals funding my the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP). How an animal survives, grows, and reproduces within its environment is influenced by its response to intrinsic and extrinsic stressors. Intrinsic stressors can arise from…Continue Reading Assessment of the Cumulative Effects of Multiple Stressors on Marine Mammals– Elephant Seals as a Model System
Tag: northern elephant seal
Translocations: Science with some Plot Twists
The anticipation I felt was more than I expected—every couple of hours I was logging into the Argos system database to check the latest satellite hits. Where were my seals going? Earlier that day: As a first-year graduate student in The Costa Lab at UC Santa Cruz, I was conducting my first field experiment with juvenile elephant…Continue Reading Translocations: Science with some Plot Twists
Coping with Lots of Fat: A Marine Mammal’s Perspective
Imagine this scenario: You’re going for a jog outside, but seeing some snow on the ground, you decide to put on a thermal long-sleeve shirt underneath your sweatshirt. Right as you step out the door, you sure are glad you added that extra layer. After a few minutes into your jog, you notice you’re breathing…Continue Reading Coping with Lots of Fat: A Marine Mammal’s Perspective