Marine Mammal Field Course

Academic Teaching

BIOL 4451 Marine Mammal Ecology & Conservation Field Course

This course represents a capstone requirement and experiential learning opportunity; it offers a unique hands-on experience in field research of ecology and conservation of free-ranging cetaceans. Conducted in a remote field location in central Philippines, with many hours out at sea, this course provides students with a fundamental knowledge, skills, and the appreciation of what it takes to design, implement, and effectively run field studies of highly mobile and wide-ranging animals such as dolphins and whales. During numerous discussions and group debates, we explore the similarities and differences with similar studies of other large marine vertebrates, and studies of other large mammals.

Photo Gallery

Students searching for dolphins	Students at sea learning marine mammal research techniques
Students at sea learning field research technique	Stephen Chan taking photos at dolphin
Spinner dolphin mom and calf leaping (Photo by Katrina Perandos)	Students checking dolphin photo-IDs
Spinner dolphin in Tanon Strait (Stenella longirostris longirostris) (Photo by Stephen Chan)	Risso's dolphin (Photo by Angelico Tiongson)
Signature behaviour of spinner dolphin - spinning (Photo by Derek Ho)	Smily faces after fieldwork
Risso's dolphin mom and juvenile (Photo by Stephen Chan)	Searching for dolphins during line-transect surveys (Photo by Stephen Chan)
Pantropical Spotted dolphins leaping (Photo by Angelico Tiongson)	Pantropical Spotted dolphin high leap (Photo by Katrina Perandos)
Marine Mammal Field Course - YEAH!!	Melon-headed whale (Peponocephala electra) - mom and calf (Photo by Stephen Chan)
Marine Mammal Field Course 2013-14 in Bohol Sea	Marine Mammal Field Course 2016-17 in Tanon Strait
Launching survey in early morning (Photo by Stephen Chan)	Heavily armed photo team
False killer whale in Tanon Strait (Photo by Teghan Shore)	Dr. Harry Lin demonstrating hydrophone to students
Excited students on board (Photo by Stephen Chan)	Dr. Harry Lin explaining acoustic samping procedures
Dolphin encounter	Dolphin encounter during Photo-ID survey (Photo by Stephen Chan)
Discussion with Prof. Leszek on boat (Photo by Stephen Chan)	Discussing acoustic research with Dr. Harry Lin
Cool Prof - Leszek chilling (Photo by Stephen Chan)	Close encounter with melon-headed whales
Close encounter with melon-headed whales 2	Bonus 3 - Crystal water
Blue whale outside Dumaguete (Photo by Hans Seiter)	Bonus 2 - Housing at beachside
Bonus - Stunning scenary	Field learning 2

Discussing research during line-transect surveys at the 1st experiential field course, Philippines 2	Discussing ideas and science during evening debates
Cetacean ecology Filed Course, Philippines 2012	Class of 2012 - our 1st experiential field course in the Philippines
Discussing data analyses, Philippine field course	After the last survey of our 1st experiential field course, Philippines 2012
Eager photo-ID photographers, Philippines 2012	Field class, Philippines 2012
Our 1st sea-based class, Philippines	Prof Leszek and undergraduate students discussing research ideas out at sea, Philippines 2012
Stephen explaining data sheet design	Searching for dolphins in Bohol Sea, 2012
Prof Leszek and undergraduate students discussing cetacean ecology, Philippines	Our floating classroom, Philippines
Our field camp, Bohol 2012	Students practicing Photo-ID data collection
Time for a bit of relax, Philippines 2012	Students reviewing their data onboard our floating classroom