Lecture Archive: Colleen Reichmuth & Caroline Casey

We are currently updating our media player. Please check back later for this content.

Posted: April 8, 2014

Lecture date: April 3, 2014. 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.

Video Posted: April 8, 2014 | Running time: 57:52

Please note: If you are having troubles viewing this video, please update to the latest version of your browser.