Research
Our research and Citizen Science projects advance environmental education around topics such as ecological understanding and wildlife resource management, the importance of the scientific method in addressing conservation issues, the effects of climate change, environmental stewardship, and habitat and watershed restoration.
passive acoustic monitoring
Chelonia, LTD FPOD wavelength recorder with hydrophone and buoy mooring.
Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) allows researchers to listen in to the whale world without invading the marine mammal environment. Studying echolocation, calls, and whistles can help us determine which species are present and in some cases their activity state.
Help support this and more research by donating below!
past travels
Russia
Training an international research team on Sakhalin Island, Russia, our team led tracking on endangered Western grey whales from a land-based theodolite station during 4D seismic surveys. The Piltun Lagoon area is a known feeding ground for mothers and calves totaling less than 400 individual whales.
Canada
Using C-POD passive acoustic devices combined with land-based theodolite tracking, our researchers led a small two woman team in the remote Broughton Archipelago to track Dall's Porpoise to assess the validity of using acoustic "pingers" to prevent bycatch (incidental mortality in fishing gear).
Southern California
Working through the three year pandemic wasn't bad for us, as our only interactions were with bottlenose dolphins of Anaheim Bay on the Seal Beach Naval Base. Using photo-identification, we determined the heavily trafficked area to be a "nursery" often used by the same family dolphin pods year after year.
crest to coast (2023)
Thanks to a grant from the California Coastal Commission's WHALE TAIL® Grants Program, Naked Whale Research was able to invite 6-12 grade students from the mountains of Plumas County, CA to a four day marine science field trip in Fort Bragg, CA. Students were able to learn about human impact and environmental issues with regard to cetacean and marine species health and longevity. They actively engaged with science curriculum in marine biology and environmental studies. While aboard a whale watching trip students were able to have hands on research experience and data collection on cetacean species with a real whale researcher! We are very grateful to the California Coastal Commission for giving us this opportunity.
