For Immediate Release Event Annoucement Contact: Donna Sandstrom, donna@thewhaletrail.org, 206-919-5397 The Whale Trail Presents "How We Save Whales from Space" Presentation by Bruce Mate Thursday April 21, 7 PM - 8:30 --Doors open 6:15 Hall at Fauntleroy, 9131 California Ave SW, Seattle WA $10, ($5 Kids under 12) Advance tickets: brownpapertickets.com <http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2537231> Join us for this rare Seattle appearance by renowned whale researcher Bruce Mate. Bruce will demonstrate how his teams use satellite-monitored radio tags to identify critical habitats and migration routes of endangered whales to protect them. His talk will focus on western and ENP gray whales, right whales, and contemporary issues for blue whales during the last few years of warm water as examples. Bruce Mate is the Director and Endowed Chair of the Marine Mammal Institute at Oregon State University, and founder of Oregon's Whale Watching Spoken Here program. Bruce's talk is hosted by The Whale Trail, and co-sponsored by Seal Sitters and the American Cetacean Society, Puget Sound Chapter. Celebrate Earth Day Eve with us! About the Speaker Bruce Mate is a leader in the development of satellite-monitored radio telemetry for marine mammals. Using this technique, he has tagged and tracked manatees, pilot whales, bottlenose dolphins, white-sided dolphins, gray whales, right whales, bowhead whales, humpback whales, sperm whales, fin whales and blue whales. This work has led to the discovery of previously unknown migration routes and seasonal distributions (wintering and summering areas), as well as descriptions of diving behavior to better understand feeding effort. His research primarily focuses on endangered whale species whose distributions, movements, and critical habitats (for feeding, breeding, and migration) are unknown for much of the year. Decision makers use this valuable information to manage human activities that may jeopardize the recovery of endangered whale populations, such as moving shipping lanes for North Atlantic right whales. In 2010 and 2011, Bruce Mate’s team used satellite telemetry to track three critically endangered western gray whales from their feeding grounds in Russia to join the eastern Pacific gray whale migration to Baja California. The findings shed new light on the interactions of these populations, and have profound implications for their long-term management and conservation. About The Whale Trail The Whale Trail (www.thewhaletrail.org) is a series of sites along the west coast where the public can view orcas and other marine mammals from shore. Our mission is to inspire appreciation and stewardship of whales and our marine environment.
From 16 inaugural sites in Washington state, there are now more than 60, from California to British Columbia. Through our sites and signs, including two on every Washington State ferry, we reach more than 30 million people each year. The Whale Trail also produces programs including a popular Orca Talk lecture series in West Seattle, and transboundary Orca Tours featuring Erich Hoyt.
The Whale Trail Washington is led by a core team of partners including NOAA Fisheries, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Seattle Aquarium, the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, and the Whale Museum. Our regional planning teams are led by the BC Cetacean Sighting Network and Oregon Marine Reserves Partnership. The Whale Trail is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, headquartered in Seattle. Donna Sandstrom is the Founder and Executive Director. Join us! Follow us on Facebook <http://the whale trail facebook>, too. -- Donna Sandstrom Founder/Executive Director The Whale Trail 206.919.5397 www.thewhaletrail.org Connect. Protect. Inspire.