Translocations Season 1 Recap Last season, Obedient Juvie (a.k.a. O.J.) and Curious Juvie (a.k.a. C.J.) helped me out with my first pilot study to test heat flux biologgers (what are these?) on freely swimming juvenile elephant seals. Not only did we learn what worked and what didn’t work in terms of sensor attachment and configuration, we also…Continue Reading Déjà Vu
Tag: physiology
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
10 Frequently Asked Questions About Our Upcoming Antarctic Field Season
1. What are you doing while you are in Antarctica? We are studying the foraging ecology and physiology of one of the Southern Ocean’s top predators—the leopard seal. Leopard seals are known for their sharp teeth, reptilian appearance, and voracious appetite. However, many aspects of their basic biology remain a complete mystery. Our goal is…Continue Reading 10 Frequently Asked Questions About Our Upcoming Antarctic Field Season