Remember the Titans: Communication and Social Learning Among Northern Elephant Seals with Colleen Reichmuth & Caroline Casey

When: Thursday, Apr 3, 2014 | 7:00 PM–8:30 PM

Male northern elephant seals are known for their massive size and epic battles on the beach. Males establish ordered social networks during the breeding season to limit energy expenditure associated with competition. This social network is supported by a practical system of communication that allows males to identify and remember one another and to respond appropriately to others without the need for physical confrontation. This lecture will highlight discoveries made about elephant seals by researchers at the University of California Santa Cruz. Their work is aimed at deciphering social behavior and communicative signals using long-term tracking of individuals, assessment of competitive behavior, acoustic recording, and field experiments.

Speakers Colleen Reichmuth and Caroline Casey study elephant seals and several other kinds of marine mammals at the University of California Santa Cruz. Reichmuth directs the Cognition and Sensory System Program at Long Marine Laboratory, where she has studied seals, sea lions, and sea otters for the last twenty years. Casey is a graduate student researcher. Together, they conduct field studies to examine the functional significance of the acoustic, visual, and seismic signals used by seals.

Cost: $5 for public; FREE for Aquarium members, seniors age 62 and up, teachers, and students with valid ID and advanced reservations.

Tickets: You can purchase tickets online for this lecture. You will need to select the option from the menu, correct time, and date on the following pages. Aquarium members, seniors age 62 and up, teachers, and students must call to RSVP (562)[masked], ext. 0

Parking in the garage is $8.

Tune in Live
This speaking engagement will be streamed live via the web. It's free and you can participate in the Q&A session at the end via Twitter. Times posted are in Pacific Time. Please note that if you tune in early, you may see either a placeholder image or another scheduled guest speaker engagement.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/events