Antarctic minke whales with Dr. Ari Friedlaender

Ari Friedlaender: "I see you! Insights on the behavior of a poorly studied cetacean; the Antarctic Minke whale!"

Synopsis:
Antarctic minke whales are not necessarily rare, but they are rarely seen and remain poorly studied because of their cryptic nature and preferred habitat deep in the Antarctic sea ice.

Recently, Dr. Friedlaender's research group completed a comprehensive study on the foraging behavior, habitat use, and social structure of these endemic Antarctic whales in an effort to better understand not just their habits but how they are likely to be affected by rapid climate-driven changes in sea ice cover around the Antarctic Peninsula.

Bio:
Ari Friedlaender is a Professor in the Ocean Sciences Department at UC Santa Cruz and the Director of Research for the California Ocean Alliance. Dr. Friedlaender's research focuses on using new and emerging technology to study the underwater lives of marine mammals to better understand and predict the impacts of human activities including direct disturbance from Navy sonars to ecosystem-level changes brought on by climate change.

Dr. Friedlaender's research spans numerous species in all of the world's Oceans, including the Antarctic, where he has made nearly 50 research trips over the past 25 years. Dr. Friedlaender's work has direct conservation and management implications, and he works directly with several organizations, including WWF, BBC and the National Geographic Society, to develop evidence-based material to promote ocean conservation.

His work has been featured in more than 20 documentary films and he has published more than 150 scientific publications. Additionally, Dr. Friedlaender works with several different artists and non-scientific communities to develop more effective means for sharing information across broad communities. Most importantly, he is a father to Josie and Finn and hopes that his work will help protect whales and ocean ecosystems for them and future generations.