The public is invited to a free discussion by Robin Baird of Cascadia Research Collective at 7 p.m. Monday at the Hanapepe Public Library. Baird will present findings of Hawaii’s resident whales and dolphins from recent research using satellite-tagging, genetics
The public is invited to a free discussion by Robin Baird of Cascadia Research Collective at 7 p.m. Monday at the Hanapepe Public Library.
Baird will present findings of Hawaii’s resident whales and dolphins from recent research using satellite-tagging, genetics and photo identification to study the resident whale and dolphin populations.
There are a number of species of toothed whales and dolphins that have been documented off Kauai, states a release.
Since 2003, Cascadia Research has been studying Kauai’s resident whale and dolphin populations.
“During our time, we’ve encountered 14 species, including killer whales, false killer whales, sperm whales, beaked whales and others,” said Baird in the release. “This work has identified the existence of resident populations of rough-toothed dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, and short-finned pilot whales, and revealed overlap between two different populations of false killer whales.”
During the public presentation, Baird will show photos and highlight research results from the past few years.
Baird started working with Hawaiian odontocetes, or whales of the suborder
Based in Olympia, Wash., Baird has been a research biologist with Cascadia Research Collective since 2003, his work primarily focusing on toothed whales in the Hawaiian Islands. In 2003, his work expanded to Kauai. He has returned in 2005, 2008 and each year since 2011 for field projects.
Info: www.cascadiaresearch.org/hawaii/hawaii.htm
