animatedcollapse.addDiv('A', 'fade=1') animatedcollapse.ontoggle=function($, divobj, state){ //fires each time a DIV is expanded/contracted //$: Access to jQuery //divobj: DOM reference to DIV being expanded/ collapsed. Use "divobj.id" to get its ID //state: "block" or "none", depending on state } animatedcollapse.init() animatedcollapse.addDiv('B', 'fade=1') animatedcollapse.ontoggle=function($, divobj, state){ //fires each time a DIV is expanded/contracted //$: Access to jQuery //divobj: DOM reference to DIV being expanded/ collapsed. Use "divobj.id" to get its ID //state: "block" or "none", depending on state } animatedcollapse.init()         At the Alaska SeaLife Center, Dr. Hollmen's team provides all the necessary care for the Steller's eiders in their virtual habitat. The eider team monitors the birds’ behaviors and health on a daily basis and makes sure the birds have the proper space and food. The enclosures for the birds aren’t exactly like the habitats they typically live in, so it is up to the husbandry team to figure out what the Steller’s eiders need to succeed. Dr. Tuula Hollmen and her crew work hard to create a habitat that suits the eiders. Remember, Steller’s eiders are migratory birds, so the habitat at the Alaska SeaLife Center has to change season to season, especially during breeding season! VIDEO: Creating a Virtual Habitat Tasha DiMarzio explains how the Steller's eider enclosures at the Alaska SeaLife Center can be altered to create a virtual tundra habitat. (2:19) Video Transcript The area we are sitting in now we call our breeding units. There’s ten individual units or one large unit, and we can create smaller flocks or individual breeding units or one big pen for if we want to winter everybody in this unit, we can do that. Starting in January through March, we’ll really start watching the birds and seeing who is courting with who and who’s pairing off, and then we’ll move them from what we call the non-breeding or wintering unit and they migrate over to our breeding units (which is just across the walkway). In the winter time we switch them all to salt water because that is where they would be in the wild, out in the ocean, and in the summertime they come to these freshwater tundra ponds. When we were in full breeding season we had covers over one of the pools and it was tundra and then pond on the other side. But now since we are in duck rearing mode we have two ponds and they’re both fresh water. Getting birds to breed in captivity is always a big challenge. Luckily we are in a state where these birds are actually from, and so we can go out and see what they are using as nest materials and what sites they prefer, if its grass or lichen, and then we try and replicate that the best we can. We don’t have these big vast tundra fields, so we try and create areas that they can feel secluded and have privacy, but then have it look a little bit like what maybe they would see in the wild. We go to the beach and we collect a lot of driftwood to create visual barriers and blinds and areas that they can be private. Because each female is picky about where she likes, we try and provide each pair with at least three different nesting options. So a nesting option can be a manmade wooden structure that looks like nothing that you would see in the wild, and then another open tundra-like moss nest, and then a combination of the two: maybe driftwood around a plexiglass-covered structure. And then the biggest key is just keeping it dry so that the down in the nests stay dry. Because the areas that they are nesting, even though it is Arctic tundra, it’s actually a desert and so there is very little water and rainfall but here we’re in a very rainy climate and so that’s a big challenge we have, is keeping their nests dry while they’re going through the egg laying process, so we come up with different things to try and tackle that challenge. By altering the virtual habitat, the husbandry staff can try to match the eiders’ needs for the breeding season. Each year, the husbandry team continues to offer the eiders a variety of space and nesting configurations in the habitat, in an attempt to promote successful breeding. If something doesn’t work, they try something different the next year! After years of trial and error, favorable conditions have been created, allowing some of the eiders to feel comfortable enough to nest! As a result, the team is faced with hundreds of eggs. Some of the Steller’s eider hens incubate their own eggs, but many eggs end up in the care of the husbandry staff when hens don't prepare an appropriate nest. See how scientists can try to play the role of a hen incubating her eggs. VIDEO: ARTIFICIAL INCUBATION Nathan Bawtinhimer describes the process involved when humans incubate eider eggs. (1:32) Video Transcript It's a fun challenge trying to get the artificial incubators to accurately mimic the hen incubating which is very tricky. So we’ve been messing around with a lot of different humidity settings and different methods of turning to more accurately imitate the hen and promote better development within the egg during the incubation process and successful hatching. It’s important that we candle the eggs regularly so we can keep track of the development inside the egg. By candling them with a bright LED flashlight we can actually see inside the egg and just by looking we can tell how long it’s been incubating for, if it’s on the right track developmentally, and what the estimated hatch should be. When we are candling the eggs it is actually an important cool down time for the eggs, because we’ll have the top off the incubator which simulates the hen getting off the nest and foraging. And we also weigh the eggs everyday because during the course of incubation there is a certain range that the egg is supposed to lose to hatch successfully, usually between 12 and 16% of its weight. So we watch their weight loss and we adjust the humidity accordingly. The amount of weight they lose is critical for successful hatching. We’ll record and enter all the data in the spreadsheet so we can track the weight loss and the development of the eggs. And we keep very detailed records of everything we see every day when we candle. While scientists are learning about the Steller's eiders at the Alaska SeaLife Center, they also need to learn more about the natural habitat of these birds. If researchers are hoping to increase the nesting population of Steller's eiders in Alaska, there has to be suitable nesting habitat available in the wild. To determine what is available for these birds in the wild, the scientists head out into the field...       CLICK BELOW TO LEARN ABOUT SEADUCK SCIENTISTS!   COURTSHIP (n)- the behavior of male birds and other animals aimed at attracting a mate.   HABITAT (n)- the natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism.   HUSBANDRY (n)- the care, cultivation, and breeding of crops or animals.   INCUBATE (v)- to keep an egg or organism at an appropriate temperature for it to develop.   MIMIC (v)- to imitate something.   MONITOR (v)- to keep surveillance over something.    

animatedcollapse.addDiv('A', 'fade=1') animatedcollapse.ontoggle=function($, divobj, state){ //fires each time a DIV is expanded/contracted //$: Access to jQuery //divobj: DOM reference to DIV being expanded/ collapsed. Use "divobj.id" to get its ID //state: "block" or "none", depending on state } animatedcollapse.init() animatedcollapse.addDiv('B', 'fade=1') animatedcollapse.ontoggle=function($, divobj, state){ //fires each time a DIV is expanded/contracted //$: Access to jQuery //divobj: DOM reference to DIV being expanded/ collapsed. Use "divobj.id" to get its ID //state: "block" or "none", depending on state } animatedcollapse.init()         A typical day doesn’t exist on the Arctic tundra. Even in the summertime, you could wake to a day of hail, snow, fog, rain, or 70-degree sunshine. Luckily, on good weather days there is a lot of daylight when scientists can get their work completed. With a flat landscape, light from the sun lasts almost 24 hours. Researchers sometimes work until one o'clock in the morning! In the 2014 season, Alaska SeaLife Center scientists traveled to the Y-K Delta twice; once in June to investigate habitat for nesting pairs and once in July to study conditions during brood rearing. This fieldwork helped determine if there is suitable habitat on the Delta for the potential rearing of Steller’s eider ducklings in the upcoming years. If the team can hatch and raise Steller's eiders on the Y-K Delta, this may be a way to reintroduce Steller's eiders to that area. The prospective Steller's rearing location needs to have quality habitat for the eiders, but it also needs easy access for the scientists to come and go with supplies. VIDEO: STUDYING SITES FOR REINTRODUCTION Sadie Ulman explains what information the field team gathered in 2014 and why. (1:48) Video Transcript One of the primary goals of my work right now is to help with the reintroduction of Steller’s eiders on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, and our focus is on this particular central Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta: Kigigak Island down on the further south, and then all the way up here on the Kashunuk River system were three different locations. We were looking for freshwater ponds, which happen to be mainly on top of these pingos which are essentially upraised tundra, kind of new tundra areas upraised with these deep, clear freshwater ponds on them with different vegetation than the lower, more grassland. This past season we were sampling a suite of habitat types, but a list of factors kept pointing toward these pingo ponds being the highest level of quality for habitat. We’re looking at salinity specifically because it’s been shown to affect the growth and mass of ducklings at an early age. Sea ducks in particular have salt glands that they don’t fully develop until anywhere from 3 to 6 days of age. After the salt glands have developed they can process salt water readily and it does not affect them. With the changing climate and weather there’s been a higher frequency of coastal storm surges coming in. So the seawater essentially is coming up and flooding a lot of the tundra area and therefore increasing the salinity in a lot of those ponds. That is very helpful to know for the reintroduction purposes, as we need to find a location where there’s plenty of freshwater available for these broods and these ducklings to be reintroduced. Click on the tools and equipment in the image below to learn more about what the research team does in the field. Can you find all six items to click on?         CLICK BELOW TO LEARN ABOUT SEADUCK SCIENTISTS!   CONDUCTIVITY (n) - the degree to which a specified material conducts electricity.   DATA (n) - values of something measured.   DELTA (n) - the area of land where a river splits into smaller rivers before it flows into an ocean.   HABITAT (n) - the natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism.   INVERTEBRATE (n) - an organism that doesn’t have a spine or spinal column; insects are one example of invertebrates.   pH (n) - a number between 0 and 14 that indicates if a substance is an acid or a base.   PINGO (n) - a hill of soil-covered ice pushed up in an area of permafrost.   QUADRAT (n) - a square or rectangular plot of land marked off for the study of plants and animals.   REAR (v) - caring for and raising (offspring) until they are fully grown, especially in a particular manner or place.   SALINITY (n) - the saltiness or dissolved salt content of a body of water.   SEDIMENT (n) - matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid.   SLOUGH (n) - an inlet on a river or a creek in a marsh or tidal flat.    

animatedcollapse.addDiv('A', 'fade=1') animatedcollapse.ontoggle=function($, divobj, state){ //fires each time a DIV is expanded/contracted //$: Access to jQuery //divobj: DOM reference to DIV being expanded/ collapsed. Use "divobj.id" to get its ID //state: "block" or "none", depending on state } animatedcollapse.init() animatedcollapse.addDiv('B', 'fade=1') animatedcollapse.ontoggle=function($, divobj, state){ //fires each time a DIV is expanded/contracted //$: Access to jQuery //divobj: DOM reference to DIV being expanded/ collapsed. Use "divobj.id" to get its ID //state: "block" or "none", depending on state } animatedcollapse.init()         Next year the eider team will still be hard at work. Each year presents a new opportunity to learn about Steller’s eiders and to grow from past successes and failures. Researchers are expecting another breeding season with hundreds of eggs. They are hoping that they have determined a good setup for the eiders at the Alaska SeaLife Center so more hens will be able to go through the complete incubation process, as Scarlet and Eek did in the summer of 2014. Dr. Tuula Hollmen is hoping to breed “tundra-ready” ducklings that would be able to survive on the tundra, should reintroduction become a reality. If wildlife managers decide that reintroduction is necessary to help these birds recover, the scientists at the Alaska SeaLife Center now have the tools of captive breeding necessary to help make this possible. Reintroduction would present a whole new set of questions for the team. How will they get their rearing techniques to work in the field? In a release facility, they would have to try to repeat what goes on at the Alaska SeaLife Center in the remote setting of the Y-K Delta. Since they would be on the tundra, there would be less manipulation of the habitat, but there wouldn’t be a lab nearby for immediate analysis. Also, Steller’s eiders are migratory birds, so they will travel from the place they are released. How will researchers help released ducklings establish winter and molting grounds? How will they get the eiders to return to the Y-K Delta for the next breeding season? Text goes here! Reintroduction of other bird species has been done successfully, but each species has its own specific needs. As this project continues its trek forward, Steller’s eiders will keep scientists questioning. There is a Facebook page for the Steller’s Eider Y-K Delta Reintroduction Program so you can stay up-to-date by clicking here.   Text goes here!         CLICK BELOW TO LEARN ABOUT SEADUCK SCIENTISTS!   REINTRODUCTION (n) - the relase of members of a species into an area where that species once lived but where there is no current population.                                

                          Join us for Family Ocean Adventures at the Alaska SeaLife Center! This free, family-friendly event runs every other Monday from January 6 to March 3, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. Each week features a new ocean-themed adventure with engaging games, stories, and crafts for all ages:   January 6 — Story Time "Under the Sea" January 20 — Coastal Critter Quest February 3 — Seaside Sustainability February 17 — SeaLife Scavenger Hunt March 3 — Habitat Art Adventures   Each program begins at 5 p.m. with a 30-minute snack time, which is followed by an hour-long program. Don’t miss this opportunity to create lasting memories and explore the wonders of the ocean together! Registration recommended — click to sign up.  

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Female Elephant Seal is Alaska SeaLife Center’s First Marine Mammal Patient of 2022 Elephant seals are a rare species for the Center’s Wildlife Response Program The Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC) admitted the first marine mammal patient of the year to its Wildlife Response Program, a 1-year-old female elephant seal from Seward. Within a week, the care of this animal concluded with a successful release of the seal back to the ocean. Since opening in 1998, the ASLC has responded to only thirteen elephant seals. It is normal for elephant seals to spend the summer in the Gulf of Alaska and the Aleutians, but it is rare for them to travel into Resurrection Bay and haul out on the beach. The ASLC Wildlife Response Team first started monitoring this animal after a call to the ASLC Stranded Marine Animal Hotline (1-888-774-SEAL). The caller reported an elephant seal hauled out on the main boat ramp in the Seward Boat Harbor on March 19, 2022. The animal appeared bloated and lethargic, but was seen retreating to the water later that day during high tide. ASLC received two more reports of the elephant seal hauling out in other locations around the boat harbor. When the animal was observed for the third time, the Wildlife Response Team determined that intervention was necessary. After receiving approval from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the animal was transported to the Center with the help of the Coast Guard on March 21, 2022. Upon the initial admit exam, the main concerns of the veterinary team were the animal’s bloated appearance and unusual lethargy. It was also clear that the seal was going through its annual catastrophic molt. “Elephant seals will haul out on Alaska beaches during their annual catastrophic molt. Because of this molt, they can look and sound sickly compared to your typical harbor seal. Elephant seals will have superficial wounds over their body because they don’t just lose their hair, they shed the underlying layer of skin when they molt,” ASLC Wildlife Response Curator, Jane Belovarac notes. “When this particular elephant seal was first observed, our main concern was the bloating and labored breathing. We assumed that the superficial wounds were due to a molt, and our intake exam confirmed those suspicions." The bloating subsided quickly, and the blood and fecal analysis came back with no additional concerning results. The Veterinary and Wildlife Response Teams determined that the best course of action for the large seal would be to return her to the ocean as soon as possible, in hopes that she would not haul out in the busy Seward boat harbor again. On March 24, 2022, the ASLC Wildlife Response Team successfully released the elephant seal at Lowell Point, about two miles south of downtown Seward. Local volunteers assisted the team in lifting and walking the 320-pound seal, who was safely enclosed in a specially-designed large metal kennel, to the beach. She easily went into the water and headed toward the open ocean. Since then, we have not had any more sightings. Call 1-888-774-SEAL(7325) if you see any marine mammal in distress. Also, If you happen to see an elephant seal on a beach anywhere in Alaska, especially if it has a flipper tag, please call the ASLC hotline. It is good information the ASLC team can relay to the scientists who study them. The Alaska SeaLife Center’s Wildlife Response Program can provide care for animals like this seal because of donations from corporate sponsors and individual donors. People are encouraged to contribute to the care of this patient here: www.alaskasealife.org/donate. The Center acknowledges the ongoing generous support of the Wildlife Response Program from companies like ConocoPhillips, Marathon Petroleum Corporation, PetZoo, GCI, and a number of individual donors. About Elephant Seals The northern elephant seal is the largest of the “true” seals in the Northern Hemisphere, which are categorized by lacking any external ear features. Adult males use their large inflatable noses during the winter breeding season to resonate sound when vocally threatening each other. They have one of the longest migrations of any mammal, with some recorded traveling over 13,000 miles roundtrip. Although northern elephant seals are known to visit the Gulf of Alaska to feed, they rarely are found on the beaches of Alaska. About the ASLC Opened in 1998, the Alaska SeaLife Center operates as a private, non-profit research institution and a public aquarium. It generates and shares scientific knowledge to promote understanding and stewardship of Alaska’s marine ecosystems. The ASLC is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. To learn more, visit www.alaskasealife.org.  

The Alaska SeaLife Center Wildlife Response Program has admitted two premature harbor seal pups from Kenai, Alaska. Despite incredible efforts, one pup has passed away and the other is in serious condition.   The ASLC is currently caring for a premature female harbor seal pup admitted on May 9, 2024, found abandoned and malnourished in Kenai, Alaska. The pup is still covered in its white lanugo coat, indicating a premature birth.  This is the Alaska SeaLife Center Wildlife Response Program’s second premature harbor seal patient admitted this season, as another premature pup was admitted on April 24, 2024, from Nikiski, Alaska. Despite the ASLC team’s incredible effort, the first premature harbor seal patient became critical and passed away within 48 hours of being admitted. A necropsy revealed that the pup was likely born weeks prematurely and his organs weren’t developed enough to allow him to thrive. The current patient, admitted on May 9, 2024, is in serious condition. Community members working at a fish processing facility in Kenai called the ASLC 24-hour Wildlife Response Hotline to report that a small white-furred pup had been on their property for several hours without seeing an adult nearby. Community members who first spotted her in Kenai, Alaska reported a malnourished and abandoned harbor seal pup to the ASLC 24-hour Wildlife Response Hotline. NOAA officers responded and confirmed that there was no mother in sight. They knew that the pup was prematurely born, as indicated by her white lanugo coat, and that she likely wouldn’t survive without immediate intervention. After receiving approval from NOAA, the pup was transported to the Alaska SeaLife Center for treatment by the officers. The main concerns found by the veterinary team upon her initial admit exam were malnourishment, low body temperature, and abnormal bloodwork results indicating this seal was premature. The team is currently providing initial stabilizing treatments and examining the patient further to understand the severity of the animal’s condition. Premature harbor seal pups have only about a 50% chance of survival when admitted to a wildlife response program, and the team is doing everything possible to give her a fighting chance.  Harbor seal pups typically shed their white lanugo coat in utero before being born, so any time a pup of this species is seen with a white coat, it indicates that it was born prematurely. However, this isn’t true for all species of seals in Alaska. Ice seal pups, like spotted and ringed seals, are born with white lanugo coats and do not shed them for four to six weeks after birth. Location helps experts know which species of seal pup they are looking at in Alaska. Typically, the ice seal species normally born with a white lanugo coat are found in the northern half of Alaska’s coastline. Harbor seals are typically found along the southern half of Alaska’s coastline.   The ASLC will share updates on this delicate patient’s progress on their Facebook and Instagram pages.    Call first! Before approaching an injured or stranded marine animal in Alaska, call the  24-hour Stranded Marine Animal Hotline at 1-888-774-SEAL(7325).  The Alaska SeaLife Center’s Wildlife Response Program can only provide care for stranded and injured marine animals with help from corporate sponsors and individual donors. If you are interested in contributing to the care of these patients, visit the ASLC’s website: www.alaskasealife.org/donate. The Center acknowledges the ongoing generous support of the Wildlife Response Program from supporters like ConocoPhillips Alaska, Marathon Petroleum Corporation, PetZoo, Partners 4 Wildlife, Matson, GCI,  and a number of individual donors, funds, and foundations such as Stanley J Williams Fund.                     

A statewide rescue effort led by the Alaska SeaLife Center’s Wildlife Response Program brings in five more harbor seal pups from across Alaska The Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC) has admitted five more harbor seal pups to the Wildlife Response Program in the span of twelve days from across the state of Alaska. Of the new patients, two pups remain in poor health, two are in critical condition, and one sadly succumbed to an infection despite intensive care efforts. These cases follow the recent admissions of an orphaned northern sea otter pup and four previously admitted harbor seal patients, all of whom required intensive rehabilitation and veterinary care.    On June 6, a female harbor seal pup was found alone on a beach near Nikiski, Alaska. Photos sent to the ASLC Wildlife Stranding Hotline confirmed that the pup was malnourished and dehydrated, likely from maternal separation. After receiving National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) approval, the female pup was transported by ASLC volunteers in Kenai all the way to Seward for care. Now identified as patient PV2507, the pup is under the care of ASLC’s veterinary and wildlife response teams. While she remains in a guarded state, she has been stable for the past few days and continues to show slow signs of improvement. On June 10, a male harbor seal pup was admitted from the remote community of Pilot Point, Alaska.  Following a two-flight journey to Anchorage, the pup arrived in increasingly fragile condition. In a critical window where every minute mattered, the owner of Kenai Aviation graciously volunteered to fly the pup directly to Seward on a third and final flight, ensuring he could receive immediate veterinary care. Bloodwork confirmed the pup was battling a severe internal infection, and when his fever spiked above 105 degrees Fahrenheit the morning after his admit, the ASLC veterinary and wildlife response teams moved into critical care mode. Despite hours of intensive treatment, the pup unfortunately succumbed to his condition. The Alaska SeaLife Center extends its sincere gratitude to the Kenai Aviation pilot whose rapid response gave this vulnerable pup the best possible chance. Their support was vital in delivering urgent care when it mattered most, and it didn’t stop there.  The very next morning, on June 11, the Kenai Aviation team once again stepped in to help, transporting another harbor seal pup from Anchorage to Seward. This patient had traveled all the way from Sitka, Alaska, highlighting the statewide reach and rapid coordination of the ASLC Wildlife Response Program. Now identified as PV2509, the female harbor seal pup was found extremely malnourished and dehydrated. She remains in critical condition under close observation and intensive care.  The stream of patients being admitted wasn’t over yet. While the team worked to stabilize patient PV2509, the ASLC was monitoring a pup in a popular fishing area in Homer. At the beginning, an adult seal was observed briefly returning to the pup, but as the pup remained in a high-traffic area, more interactions between the pup and people were documented. Her condition deteriorated, and concerns grew. With no further sign of the mother and the pup’s health declining, authorization was granted. She was transported to the ASLC late on the night of June 12. She is now known as patient PV2511.  A few days later, on June 17, a seal pup near Egegik was reported alone. Photos sent showed a pup in lanugo with an umbilicus, indicating this was a premature seal. The next day, he was still in the area and there had been reports of people interacting with him.  Due to his condition and location, this animal was also authorized for recovery and rehabilitation. Thanks to the generous help of Coastal Air LLC, he was flown to King Salmon on short notice so he could make his flight to Anchorage. Harbor seal PV2512 is currently under critical care due to his delicate condition. Unfortunately, these most recent patient admits highlight the serious impacts human presence can have on harbor seal pups during pupping season. One of the most significant threats to these pups is disturbance from people and pets. If a mother seal is interrupted or feels unsafe, especially in high-traffic areas, she may abandon her pup. Once abandoned, a pup’s chances of survival drop sharply, particularly during the early days when it relies entirely on its mother’s milk for nutrition, immune support, and growth. It is critical to give seals space and share coastal areas responsibly. Never approach, touch, or attempt to move a seal pup. Keep children and pets well away from haul-out sites and known pupping areas. Approaching or disturbing a marine mammal can cause lasting harm, pose safety risks to people, and may violate the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Responsible viewing helps ensure that young animals have the best possible chance to grow and survive in the wild. If you do see a seal pup in distress, the Alaska SeaLife Center remains ready to respond to reports of stranded and injured marine mammals statewide. Call the 24-hour Stranded Marine Animal Hotline at 1-888-774-SEAL (7325). We encourage all Alaskans and visitors to save this number in their phone contacts—and remember, always call first before approaching any stranded or injured wildlife.             The Alaska SeaLife Center’s Wildlife Response Program can only provide care for stranded and injured marine animals with help from corporate sponsors and individual donors. People are encouraged to contribute to the care of rehabilitating marine animals here: www.alaskasealife.org/donate.   The Center acknowledges the ongoing generous support of the Wildlife Response Program from supporters like ConocoPhillips Alaska, Marathon Petroleum Corporation, PetZoo, Partners 4 Wildlife, Matson, GCI, and a number of individual donors, funds, and foundations such as Stanley J Williams Fund, Mesara Family Foundation, M.E. Webber Foundation, and the NC Giving Fund.        

Join us for a special community watch party at the Alaska SeaLife Center as we livestream "An Evening with Bill Nye live from Anchorage's Alaska Center for the Performing Arts – part of the University of Alaska Anchorage’s CAS Community Lecture Series. This is a unique opportunity to gather with fellow community members and science enthusiasts for an evening of thought-provoking conversation! Those attending the LiveStream event will have the chance to ask Bill Nye questions via a custom QR code. The stream will take place in the Bear Mountain Conference Room and be displayed on a large screen for group viewing. Seating is limited, and registration is recommended. RSVP here: https://24092.blackbaudhosting.com/24092/tickets?tab=2... The Alaska SeaLife Center’s doors will open at 6:20 pm, August 21, 2025, for registered guests. All tickets not claimed by 6:35 pm will be released for general admission. The program will start at 6:45 pm. This event is cohosted by the Alaska SeaLife Center, Seward Education Advocates, Seward Prevention Council, Seward Arts Council, and Chugach Regional Resource Commission, in partnership with the Seward Community Library and Museum.  

Accredited zoos and aquariums are saving more than 30 endangered species and the Alaska SeaLife Center Plays a Leading Role. Seward, Alaska (November 17, 2014) – As American families prepare for the annual ritual of giving thanks, they can add to their list of things to be thankful for a rare victory in the battle against global climate change – more than 30 endangered species brought back from the brink of extinction thanks to America’s accredited zoos and aquariums.  With climate change, population growth and deforestation, and poaching threatening species around the world, we are facing what scientists call the “Sixth Extinction.”  But the 229 accredited members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums have built a unique infrastructure to save endangered species – breeding programs that coordinate across many institutions to ensure genetic diversity, systems so that animals can be safely moved between institutions, and partnerships with local, national, and international conservation organizations working on re-introducing these animals to their native ranges.  Because of that infrastructure, there is good news in the face of the extinction crisis:  from the Florida manatee to the California condor, the Hawaiian crow to the Puerto Rican crested toad, the Chinese alligator to the American bison, zoos and aquariums have saved more than 30 species, and are working today on dozens more. Over the next several months, AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums will be celebrating these successes, and inviting the public to support efforts to save even more species.  In November, in honor of Thanksgiving, AZA is spotlighting endangered birds, including: ·         All four species of eider sea ducks saw a decline in population from the 1970s to the 1990s, and two of the species are currently listed as threatened in the U.S.: thespectacled eider and the Alaska-breeding population of Steller’s eider.  For over thirteen years, the Eider Research Program at the Alaska SeaLife Center has conducted field, laboratory, and captive studies on Steller’s and spectacled eiders in Alaska.  Currently, the Alaska SeaLife Center houses captive breeding flocks of both spectacled and Steller’s eiders, making the organization the only facility in the world to house these species for research and conservation purposes.  The Steller’s eiders at the Alaska SeaLife Center serve as a unique reservoir flock of the threatened Steller’s eiders in Alaska, and the Center works in close partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to develop methods to recover the threatened eiders in Alaska. ·         Bali mynah have striking white plumage with black wing tips and bright blue coloration around the eyes. The species can approach 10 inches in height.  Bali mynahs are nearly extinct in the wild because poachers collect them for the illegal pet trade, where they are valued for their striking plumage and beautiful songs. Because of this poaching, Bali mynahs are found almost exclusively in zoos.   But much has been done to help the Bali mynah's wild population recover, including protection of their native breeding grounds.  In 1987, 40 Bali mynahs from US zoos were sent to the Surbaja Zoo in Indonesia to form a breeding group, with resulting offspring released into the wild. In 2009, Bali mynahs raised in managed care were introduced to a neighboring island, Nusa Penida, and seem to be doing well so far. ·         The largest bird in North America, the California condor once dominated the western skies, able to soar to 15,000 feet and travel up to 150 miles a day in pursuit of food.  With its keen vision, the condor hunts for carcasses of dead animals, and then swoops in to feast, serving as nature’s clean-up crew.  But destruction of habitat and poaching decimated the species, and by 1982, only 22 birds remained in the wild.  The San Diego Zoo Global, the Los Angeles Zoo and 16 other AZA institutions took the lead at captive propagation, working with a network of government and non-profit partners.  Beginning in the early 1990s, zoo-bred condors began being reintroduced into the wild.  From a low of 22, there are now more than 435 condors in the world, with almost 250 free-flying in the West. ·         Prior to the 1960s, there were probably around 10,000 Guam rails living on Guam, a South Pacific island. Sometime between 1944 and 1952, brown tree snakes arrived on Guam, most likely on cargo ships. The snakes’ population rapidly increased, because there was plentiful prey (such as the Guam rails) and no natural predators. The tree snakes wiped out the native animal populations, and by the 1970s, 9 of the 11 native bird species, including the Guam rail, had disappeared.  Trying to save the species, the last few birds were removed from the island in the 1980s. In 1989, reintroduction of these birds began on the island of Rota, near Guam, as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquarium’s Species Survival Plan® (SSP) for the species. ·         The palila Hawaiian songbird is one of the endangered Hawaiian honeycreeper species and efforts to expand the palila population back to its historic range at Pu`u Mali have included experimental releases of captive-bred birds, as well as relocation of wild birds to protected areas. The palila was the first animal to have a federal circuit court case named after it, in a precedent setting case that increased protection for endangered species.  While several zoos are working to preserve the palila, they are not currently on exhibit to the public. ·         Known in Hawaii as Alala, the Hawaiian crow is the most endangered corvid in the world and is the only crow species found in Hawaii. The birds are extinct in the wild, and the remaining population is managed at zoos, where the chicks are fed and cared for by animal care staff they never see to ensure they do not imprint on humans.  The last `alalā were recorded in their natural habitat in 2002. Planning is underway to restore the `alalā to the Big Island of Hawaii beginning this year.  ·         The Waldrapp ibis, also known as the hermit ibis or the northern bald ibis, may not be viewed by some as the most attractive bird, but their strong character and bizarre appearance give them unique appeal. They look almost comical with their bald heads, long red beaks and crazy crest feathers going every which way. Their black feathers take on brilliant sheens of purple, green and orange when viewed in bright sunlight. With only about 420 wild Waldrapp ibis remaining, this is one of the world's most critically endangered avian species.  But thanks to a very successful breeding and release program, there are over 1,100 Waldrapp ibis in captivity, and offspring from zoos are being released back to the wild.  For a list of AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums where you can see some of these incredible birds in person, please visit the AZA website: http://www.aza.org/SpeciesBeingSaved. About AZA Founded in 1924, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, animal welfare, education, science, and recreation. AZA is the accrediting body for the top zoos and aquariums in the United States and six other countries. Look for the AZA accreditation logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things. The AZA is a leader in saving species and your link to helping animals all over the world. To learn more, visit www.aza.org. About the ASLC Opened in 1998, the Alaska SeaLife Center operates as a private, non-profit research institution and public aquarium, with wildlife response and education departments. It generates and shares scientific knowledge to promote understanding and stewardship of Alaska’s marine ecosystems.  The ASLC is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums. To learn more, visit www.alaskasealife.org.

Group Tickets The Alaska SeaLife Center is the perfect activity for Family Reunions Senior Communities Scout Troops Church Groups College Classes Corporate Outings Special Group Rates are available for groups with a minimum of 10 paying customers (Ages 3+) in a single transaction. Submit your group request by completing our Group Inquiry Form, and we will contact you with specific pricing and availability for your group. School Groups We offer a variety of opportunities for school groups General Admission Unstructured admission to the Center and its exhibits. Submit your group request by completing our Group Inquiry Form, and we will contact you with specific pricing and availability for your group. Guided Day Programs Choose from a variety of engaging Educational Programs, designed to inspire a love of learning and of Alaska's marine wildlife. Click here for more information. Nocturne Sleepovers Enjoy an overnight adventure at the Alaska SeaLife Center! Click here for more information. Tour Operators The Alaska SeaLife Center partners with tour companies to complement each visitor's own unique Alaska vacation. Vouchers purchased through your travel company provide your guests with quick and easy access to the Alaska SeaLife Center and assistance planning an exciting, customized itinerary that matches your group's interests. For more information or to begin a partnership, please contact: Laura Swihart Thacker Guest Services Supervisor Phone: (907) 224-6337 Toll Free: (800) 224-2525 ext. 6337 Email:lauras@alaskasealife.org Facility Rentals Email Pam Parker, Development Manager, pamp@alaskasealife.org for more information about Facility Rentals.      

animatedcollapse.addDiv('A', 'fade=1') animatedcollapse.ontoggle=function($, divobj, state){ //fires each time a DIV is expanded/contracted //$: Access to jQuery //divobj: DOM reference to DIV being expanded/ collapsed. Use "divobj.id" to get its ID //state: "block" or "none", depending on state } animatedcollapse.init() animatedcollapse.addDiv('B', 'fade=1') animatedcollapse.ontoggle=function($, divobj, state){ //fires each time a DIV is expanded/contracted //$: Access to jQuery //divobj: DOM reference to DIV being expanded/ collapsed. Use "divobj.id" to get its ID //state: "block" or "none", depending on state } animatedcollapse.init()         Individual scientists usually specialize in one particular area. They get very good at knowing a lot about a few things. This is a natural and very normal thing to do, especially when the amount of detail a researcher has to consider in their study is huge! There is no way for any one person to know the ins-and-outs of each and every project. One of the most important lessons we can learn from a disaster the size of the Exxon Valdez oil spill is the importance of "thinking big" with science -- really big! We need to ask big questions, such as: “How is this one particular thing connected to that?” or “What influence does something that seems so different and very far away have on my local work?” or “How is this one thing connected to everything?” Scientists might not have the luxury of working on a whole bunch of different projects at once but, through cooperation in large projects like Gulf Watch, they can see the links, or connections, between what they have been focusing on and what others have been doing. In science, we call this "systems thinking." Systems thinking looks at the web of relationships where individual pieces respond both in their own individual ways and together as a whole. An ecosystem like the Gulf of Alaska is not just a collection of individual animals and plants. It is all living things interacting with each other and with the non-living things around them. Gulf Watch Alaska scientists combine data from all of their projects to help them better answer their own specific research questions. This gives each of them a better understanding of complicated ecosystem connections. You can think of each project like different pieces to a jigsaw puzzle. As more and more pieces are combined, a clearer and more complete picture emerges. Click the picture below to solve the jigsaw puzzle! Systems thinking allows the modern scientist to step outside of their lab. They connect with fellow researchers and see the importance of their work on a much larger scale. It requires teamwork and communication as they build a network with different specialties, interests, and research subjects. Watch the video below and listen to the Gulf Watch team as they talk about working together and putting the pieces of this complicated puzzle into place. VIDEO: Monitoring Connections Sonia Batten, Heather Coletti, and Dan Esler discuss connections between the four individual monitoring components of Gulf Watch Alaska. (1:55) Video Transcript (Sonia Batten) The Gulf of Alaska is a really complicated system. You’ve got places like Cook Inlet, Prince William Sound, which are these kind of inlets, and they’ve got local things happening there which are really important. And there are people studying the plankton and the ocean in those places, and they do really good detailed local studies, but we’re looking at a bigger area. We go from way off shore across the shelf, and it kind of smoothes out the little small-scale local effects and we’re looking at bigger climate effects and things that affect the whole region. So my data provides a link to what the local studies are doing and gives a broader context. (Heather Coletti) I think our work will really inform and strengthen our understanding of the connections between these systems. They talk about some of the zooplankton in the oceans out in the middle of the Gulf. How does that affect our coast and where we all recreate and live? And I guess I’d say the same thing for some of the environmental drivers, these big oceanographic systems that move through and the changes in the climate. How does that affect where we spend our time and where our resources are? (Dan Esler) I think a really important contribution of the work is to be able to take that long-term view of how things operate in marine ecosystems and how contaminant events are, what the timeline is for recovery from those sorts of things. And that fits in perfectly with the philosophy of Gulf Watch generally, taking this long-term, broad-scale view to understand these bigger patterns in marine ecosystems. I think that’s a really an important contribution for what we’re trying to do. You too can help with long-term ecosystem monitoring right in your own ecosystem -- through Citizen Science! Citizen science is the collection and analysis of data through partnerships between the general public and professional scientists. This collaborative way of doing science allows anyone with an interest in the natural world to engage in the scientific process. Many citizen scientist projects benefit from people gathering local monitoring data and contributing to a larger database. The data provided by participating citizen scientists helps professional researchers build a more complete understanding of ecosystems that they only visit once or twice a year. Recently, the scientific journal "Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment" published an entire issue focused on citizen science! Click the link on the right to access the journal. Explore some of the links below to find a citizen science opportunity to join! • Citizen Scientists • The Cornell Lab of Ornithology Citizen Science Central Projects • National Science Foundation • SciStarter • Scientific American Citizen Science Project List • Zooniverse • Journey North       Who is watching the Gulf?      

animatedcollapse.addDiv('A', 'fade=1') animatedcollapse.ontoggle=function($, divobj, state){ //fires each time a DIV is expanded/contracted //$: Access to jQuery //divobj: DOM reference to DIV being expanded/ collapsed. Use "divobj.id" to get its ID //state: "block" or "none", depending on state } animatedcollapse.init() animatedcollapse.addDiv('B', 'fade=1') animatedcollapse.ontoggle=function($, divobj, state){ //fires each time a DIV is expanded/contracted //$: Access to jQuery //divobj: DOM reference to DIV being expanded/ collapsed. Use "divobj.id" to get its ID //state: "block" or "none", depending on state } animatedcollapse.init()         Many of the species of birds, mammals, and fish that live in Prince William Sound hunt for food far from shore. Gulf Watch Alaska scientists are working hard to understand the productivity of these offshore areas. But it’s more than just learning how much food is available. Understanding what might cause the amount of food to change from year to year can help scientists predict impacts on the animals that depend upon offshore resources of the Gulf of Alaska. Productivity is influenced by a lot of factors: temperature (both air & water), salinity, tides, currents, rain, wind, the sun, water turbidity and, especially, the amount of plankton. These factors are also called environmental drivers and drivers are key indicators of the overall status of the Gulf of Alaska. Five Gulf Watch Alaska projects are collecting long-term physical and biological data. Several of the Environmental Drivers projects even pre-date EVOS. Some already have up to 30 years of data! Scientists are using this data to answer the following questions: • How exactly does the Gulf of Alaska ecosystem function? • What are the climate trends? • What is the influence of environmental drivers on the recovery of species impacted by the oil spill? Click on the images below to learn about the tools that researchers use to sample environmental drivers. Monitoring marine plankton is central to the Environmental Drivers research. Phytoplankton are the primary producers of the sea. Just like larger plants, they convert sunlight and carbon dioxide into energy. Zooplankton are the primary consumers of the sea. They feed on the phytoplankton. Zooplankton are a critical food source for a lot of marine animals. Watch the video below to learn more about plankton! VIDEO: Introduction to Plankton "Plankton" (on Vimeo). Plankton are a multitude of living organisms adrift in the currents. Our food, our fuel, and the air we breathe originate in plankton. From the Plankton Chronicles series by Christian Sardet (CNRS), Sharif Mirshak and Noé Sardet (Parafilms). (2:02) Video Transcript “Plankton” comes from the Greek word planktos, which means “wandering.” Any living creature carried along by ocean currents is classified as plankton. It ranges in size from the tiniest virus to siphonophores (the longest animals in the world) and also includes microscopic algae, krill or fish larvae. Some plankton, like these salps, drift all their lives; others, like mollusks and fish, are only planktonic during their embryonic or larval stage. When they reach adulthood, they settle or swim freely. Planktonic organisms play important roles in human life. Many microscopic species get their energy from photosynthesis. They absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen; thus, they constantly renew the air we breathe. Plankton has also been a great provider of fossil energy. When it dies it sinks to the sea bed. This layer of sediment has fossilized for more than a billion years, producing our precious oil. Finally, plankton nourishes us. It’s the basis of the food chain, in which the large eat the small. Without plankton there would be no fish. Scientists are using Environmental Drivers’ data to find answers to vital questions such as: • How do springtime conditions in the Gulf of Alaska influence the phytoplankton bloom? • How does this bloom of phytoplankton affect the numbers and location of zooplankton from year to year? The Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) is a tool made to sample plankton from ships sailing across the Gulf of Alaska. A CPR is designed to be towed from merchant ships as they follow their scheduled routes. These ships are not research vessels, but they use CPR instruments during their voyages to help researchers gather data. The cargo vessel Horizon Kodiak is one ship that tows a CPR northbound towards Cook Inlet about once a year. View the video below to discover more about the benefits of using CPR on vessels like the Horizon Kodiak. VIDEO: Continuous Plankton Recorder Sonia Batten describes the use of Continuous Plankton Recorders in the Gulf of Alaska. (1:53) Video Transcript Plankton are considered one of the environmental drivers, so they’re the link between what happens in the ocean – in terms of water chemistry, temperature, the water conditions – and the fish, because plankton respond to their environment really quickly, and fish feed on plankton and larger organisms feed on fish, so the plankton are the link between the oceanography and the fish. We know that plankton respond really quickly because they have life cycles that are really short, sometimes even days, but all of them less than a year or at least a year is the longest life cycle. So if changes happen in their environment they respond quite quickly, and you can see that in changes in their numbers, and the types of plankton and where they’re at. So by monitoring them it gives you a really rapid response to a change in the environment. In the early part of the twentieth century in the UK, it was kind of hard to know where to send the fishing boats, you know, where they were going to find the herring, and Alister Hardy invented this instrument that could be towed behind ships, measuring the plankton, and it’s called the continuous plankton recorder. Continuous because, rather than taking a sample as a snapshot across, it continuously samples the plankton as it goes. His idea was that if you could understand the food of the herring, the food of the fish, maybe you could predict where they were going to be and then send the fishing boats there. You would build a map, a bit like a weather map, of where plankton were and when they were, and then you could send the fishers. So that was his idea, back in the early part of the early part of the twentieth century. And it took a few years to get routine, but from the 1930s onwards they were using this instrument to do that – to build up a picture of plankton meteorology, basically.         Who is watching the Gulf?   Biological (adj): pertaining to the science of life or living matter   CTD (n): acronym for Conductivity, Temperature, Depth. An oceanography instrument that records the salinity (conductivity) & temperature at a prescribed depth of seawater   Consumer (n): a living thing that eats other living things to survive. It cannot make its own food.   Buoy (n): a fixed-in-place, floating device that can serve many purposes in the sea. The GAK1 Data Buoy is fitted with many different oceanographic instruments.   Physical (adj): pertaining to the properties of matter and energy other than those distinctly related to living matter   Phytoplankton (n): freely floating, often minute plants that drift with water currents   Plankton (n): organisms that swim weakly, or not at all, and drift with water currents   Primary producer (n): an organism that makes its own food from light energy or chemical energy   Salinity (n): the saltiness of a body of water   Zooplankton (n): freely floating animals that drift with water currents  

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Use "divobj.id" to get its ID //state: "block" or "none", depending on state } animatedcollapse.init()         On March 24, 1989, an oil tanker leaving the port of Valdez, Alaska hit a shallow reef and spilled 11 million gallons of oil into the sea. This spill spread southwest, covering nearly 1,300 miles of coastline in thick, sticky oil. Oil was even found washed up near the village of Chignik, 470 miles away from the spill site. It is estimated that 250,000 seabirds, 2,800 sea otters, 300 harbor seals, 250 bald eagles, up to 22 orcas, and billions of salmon and herring eggs were lost in the spill. It is difficult to know how many intertidal plants and animals, such as barnacles, sea stars, and hermit crabs, were also impacted. The Gulf of Alaska is part of the North Pacific Ocean. It stretches from the Alaska Peninsula in the west to the islands of Alaska’s southeast. The coast includes mountains, glaciers, forests, towns, and cities. The waters are full of life and support one of the country’s largest fishing industries. Powerful currents circulate marine life and bring up nutrients from deep waters. Seabirds and marine mammals feed in the many bays and estuaries of the gulf. These areas also provide nursery habitats for fish. So many factors influence the Gulf of Alaska! The major factors include: Precipitation in the form of snow and rain Freshwater runoff from rivers, glaciers, and melting snow The upwelling & downwelling of water carrying nutrients that get mixed by the tides and currents Click the image below for a closer look at some of these factors. Be sure to use the vocabulary list at the right if you run into any terms you are not familiar with! Thousands of workers, volunteers, and community members worked together to clean up the spill. However, oil still remains hidden below the sand and rocks on the beaches and scientists want to know what this means for the Gulf of Alaska ecosystem. Since 1989, scientists have continued to study how the Gulf of Alaska's ecosystem is responding to the Exxon Valdez oil spill (EVOS). All of Earth’s ecosystems are affected by both natural changes and human activities. After the 1989 spill, scientists realized something important. We did not have enough data to fully understand how complex the northern Gulf of Alaska ecosystem really is. We were lacking what researchers call “baseline” data. A baseline is a measure of how things are (or were) at a particular time. Without baseline data, it is hard to understand how ecosystems respond to changes in environmental conditions, which can occur naturally or as a result of human activities. Think of a baseline like this: If you measure your heartbeat when you are resting, it’s beating regularly and probably pretty slowly. This is your baseline to measure from. If you suddenly run up a long flight of steps, your heart starts beating much faster and you are probably out of breath. If you count your heartbeat now, you can measure how much it changed from the baseline. That change is the impact caused by running up the steps. For example, in the Gulf of Alaska it is difficult to know exactly how the 1989 oil spill changed sea otter population numbers. This is hard to measure because baseline data for the number of sea otters living there before the spill doesn't exist. In order to improve our understanding of baselines and change for the entire Gulf of Alaska ecosystem, the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council created and continues to fund the work of the Gulf Watch Alaska long-term monitoring program. Gulf Watch Alaska is a team of scientists and researchers who work together to measure and monitor different parts of the ecosystem in the spill area. They compare their data to get a “bigger picture” about how the ecosystem works and how healthy it is. VIDEO: Introduction to Gulf Watch Alaska Introduction to the Gulf Watch Alaska ecosystem monitoring program. (1:14) Video Transcript On March 24, 1989, the oil tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground in Alaska’s Prince William Sound, spilling more than 10 million gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Alaska. Today, more than 26 years after the accident, scientists are still trying to understand the full impacts of the spill on the waters and wildlife of the Gulf. To that end, Gulf Watch Alaska has brought together twelve different organizations and over 40 scientists to study all aspects of the Gulf of Alaska and its state of recovery from the spill. Monitoring the lasting effects of the oil spill is no small task. Like a large puzzle, the Gulf of Alaska is a complex system made up of ever smaller components. The four main components being studied by Gulf Watch Alaska are the driving environmental forces of the Gulf, the pelagic ecosystem of its waters, the nearshore ecosystems of its coast, and the lingering oil that still remains from the Exxon Valdez spill. By closely monitoring these components simultaneously, the scientists of Gulf Watch Alaska hope to better understand the whole picture of the Gulf of Alaska and its continuing recovery from the spill.   The Gulf Watch Alaska monitoring program is organized into four related ecosystem monitoring components. Click below to discover each component.       Who is watching the Gulf?   Baseline data (n): a measure of normal or how things usually are before change   Carbon pump (n): the ocean's biologically-driven transfer of carbon from the atmosphere to the deep sea   Detritus (n): waste or debris of any kind, but especially organic matter produced by the decomposition of organisms   Downwelling/Upwelling (n): the downward (or upward) movement of fluid, especially in the sea   Ecosystem (n): a community of living things and its nonliving surroundings linked together by energy and nutrient exchange   Eddy (n): a circular movement of water counter to a main current   Estuary (n): where the salty ocean tide meets freshwater from the land at the mouth of a river, stream, creek, or the toe of a glacier   EVOS (n): Exxon Valdez oil spill   Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council (n): organization formed after EVOS to oversee the restoration of the injured ecosystem   Habitat (n): a place that provides an animal or plant with adequate food, water, shelter, and living space to feed, breed, seek shelter, and raise young   Impact (n): a powerful or major influence or effect   Lunar forcing (n): the effect that the gravitational pull of the moon has upon the oceans, creating the tide cycles   Monitor (v): to observe and check the progress or quality of (something) over a period of time; keep under systematic review   Photic boundary (n): the depth of the ocean that indicates the division between the photic (or sunlight) zone and the aphotic zone where photosynthesis becomes impossible  

  animatedcollapse.addDiv('A', 'fade=1') animatedcollapse.ontoggle=function($, divobj, state){ //fires each time a DIV is expanded/contracted //$: Access to jQuery //divobj: DOM reference to DIV being expanded/ collapsed. Use "divobj.id" to get its ID //state: "block" or "none", depending on state } animatedcollapse.init() animatedcollapse.addDiv('B', 'fade=1') animatedcollapse.ontoggle=function($, divobj, state){ //fires each time a DIV is expanded/contracted //$: Access to jQuery //divobj: DOM reference to DIV being expanded/ collapsed. Use "divobj.id" to get its ID //state: "block" or "none", depending on state } animatedcollapse.init()         Thousands of individual animals died as a result the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Some died soon after contact with the oil. Others died more slowly as a result of the toxins. It is difficult to measure how animal populations continue to be affected by contact with oil after the cleanup. The long-term harm from chronic exposure to the chemicals in oil remains a problem in some areas, especially where oil can still be found under rocks. Since 1990, scientists have been gathering data about locations where oil continues to linger, as well as the movement of toxic chemicals throughout the Prince William Sound ecosystem. The Lingering Oil project is studying the recovery of harlequin duck and northern sea otter populations in Prince William Sound because there are long-term health concerns for both of these populations. The Gulf Watch Alaska team is collecting data by taking samples in both oiled and non-oiled sites in Prince William Sound. Click on the images below to learn more about these two species. Scientists use a variety of skills to capture ducks and otters in order to collect tissue samples. These methods are designed to safely capture the animals and then release them unharmed. According to Dr. Esler, “It might not be the greatest day for the animals, [but] their long-term survival is not compromised.” To capture harlequin ducks, the team uses a floating mist net. This net sits above the water like an invisible wall. As the ducks come in for a landing, they are trapped in the net. Researchers can then safely remove the ducks and take them to the veterinarian for sampling. Capturing sea otters is a bit more challenging. These cute and fuzzy creatures are, in fact, the largest member of the weasel family (the Mustelids). This is a group of animals who are not known for their sweet and cuddly personalities. Think of a sea otter as a floating badger or wolverine! Watch the video below to see divers use a Wilson Trap to safely capture and handle sea otters for sampling. VIDEO: Capturing Sea Otters United States Geological Survey (USGS) video showing how divers use Wilson traps to capture sea otters in the wild. (3:53) Video Transcript (This video contains music and some ambient sounds but no dialogue.) Watch the video below to learn more about the scientists' field work as they monitor the effects of lingering oil in Prince William Sound. VIDEO: Lingering Oil Dan Esler describes how scientists are studying the effects of lingering oil on harlequin ducks and sea otters. (1:48) Video Transcript The lingering oil studies occur in western Prince William Sound, which is where the oil from the Exxon Valdez oil spill landed, and actually there’s still some oil out there today – small pockets of oil that’s buried in sediments on beaches, throughout western Prince William Sound. So that’s where the lingering oil issues are still important to track. From the USGS perspective, we’re looking at effects of that lingering oil on wildlife. So considering effects of exposure to that lingering oil, and also to understand what that might mean to individuals and populations of the wildlife that live out there. The main species that we’re thinking about in terms of lingering oil are harlequin ducks and sea otters, and that’s because there’s a long history of understanding that lingering oil’s been an important constraint on population recovery of those two species, and so we’ve spent a lot of time trying to understand the timeline and the mechanisms by which those species are recovering from the oil spill. We’ve measured exposure in a number of different ways. For example, with harlequin ducks we’ve used an enzyme called cytochrome P450 1A. It’s a long word basically for an enzyme that gets induced when any vertebrate’s exposed to hydrocarbons. So if you and I were exposed to oil, we would have an induction of that enzyme that would be measurable and then could tell us whether one has been exposed to that. The enzyme itself is part of a cascade of physiological processes that any vertebrate goes through once they’ve been exposed to oil. And it could be indicative of physiological harm, or it could be indicative of just exposure without physiological harm. So we’re not inferring harm from induction of the enzyme, what we’re inferring is that they’re still exposed to oil with the potential for harm.         Who is watching the Gulf?   Concentration (n): the amount of something in a specific place or given volume   Recovery (n): a return to a normal state of health   Tissue sampling (n): various procedures to obtain bodily fluids, muscle, skin, fur or feathers for testing  

animatedcollapse.addDiv('A', 'fade=1') animatedcollapse.ontoggle=function($, divobj, state){ //fires each time a DIV is expanded/contracted //$: Access to jQuery //divobj: DOM reference to DIV being expanded/ collapsed. Use "divobj.id" to get its ID //state: "block" or "none", depending on state } animatedcollapse.init()           Meet Dan Esler Scientist, US Geological Survey Alaska Science Center Dan's role in Gulf Watch Alaska: Lingering Oil Program Principal Investigator Important skills for his position: Ability to stay warm in the winter! Challenges in his work: "Any time you’re working with wild animals, it’s always a challenge… it requires a bit of a hunter’s mentality almost, to think about what the animal is thinking and where they are going to be and try to incorporate that into your trap set-up." Dan's advice to young people interested in science: "Start by volunteering on field projects and getting to know people that are in the business… Do what you can to get into the system and really get to know what a wildlife research career looks like." Dan Esler describes what he loves about fieldwork in the Gulf of Alaska. (0:37) Video Transcript There are some really spectacular moments in the field, and that really is the payoff for a lot of the hard work that we do. There are so many interesting things that you see when you’re out and about that the general public often doesn’t really get to see. There’s spectacular scenery, and I think about the herring spawns that I’ve seen on Montague Island, with marine mammals and birds and everything congregated and foraging on herring spawn, just some spectacular moments that are hard to see anywhere else in the world really.   Who is watching the Gulf?    

animatedcollapse.addDiv('A', 'fade=1') animatedcollapse.ontoggle=function($, divobj, state){ //fires each time a DIV is expanded/contracted //$: Access to jQuery //divobj: DOM reference to DIV being expanded/ collapsed. Use "divobj.id" to get its ID //state: "block" or "none", depending on state } animatedcollapse.init()         Meet Heather Coletti Marine Ecologist, National Park Service SW Alaska Inventory & Monitoring Network Heather's role in Gulf Watch Alaska: Nearshore Program Principal Investigator Important skills for her position: "Curiosity is a big one, I think.  And a willingness to work in uncomfortable conditions - and long hours." Challenges in her work: "Having just that one opportunity to collect the data, and what does that really mean in a whole year?"   Heather's advice to young people interested in science: "Volunteer. You know, school, of course, is important, but the sooner you can volunteer and get out in the field and start to get to know folks, the opportunities will present themselves.  We always have work, we always have questions, and if you are willing to get out there, opportunities will come."   Heather Coletti describes her favorite thing about working with sea otters and how she got interested in nearshore ecology. (0:54) Video Transcript My favorite daily duties… I would say one of my favorites is we do a lot of sea otter foraging work, data collection, so with high-powered telescopes we’re watching these animals eat because they bring everything up to the surface. It’s always a surprise, it’s challenging and really interesting. I’ve always been drawn to the ocean. Some circumstances just sort of present themselves professionally of who you meet, and it really does matter who your mentors are. And if you’re a good mentor I think whatever you’re interested in… and I had a great mentor, and his interest was in the nearshore, particularly in sea otters but just the ecology in general, and it stayed with me.     Who is watching the Gulf?    

animatedcollapse.addDiv('A', 'fade=1') animatedcollapse.ontoggle=function($, divobj, state){ //fires each time a DIV is expanded/contracted //$: Access to jQuery //divobj: DOM reference to DIV being expanded/ collapsed. Use "divobj.id" to get its ID //state: "block" or "none", depending on state } animatedcollapse.init()         Meet John Moran Research Fisheries Biologist, NOAA/NMFS Auke Bay Laboratories John's role in Gulf Watch Alaska: Pelagic Ecosystems Humpback Whale Program Co-Principal Investigator Important skills for his position: "You definitely need patience, you need to be very tolerant of weather, and just being able to endure things and not really give up." Challenges in his work: "Being on a small boat when it’s really rough, battling the weather, wind and rain, having your expensive camera getting salt spray on it... and then the whales just not cooperating." John's advice to young people interested in science: "I would take math and English. Those are two things that I didn’t really think I needed very much that are very important. Work hard, do things that people don’t want to do. You’re not going to go out and tag whales on your first day, but if you're entering data or doing some of the more tedious things, then you make yourself very useful. And it’s a good way to meet people, a good way to get your foot in the door."   John Moran describes some of the fun and frustrations of tracking humpback whales in the Gulf of Alaska. (0:50) Video Transcript When things change, like this last winter we thought we knew where all the whales were going to be in Port Gravina, and we got out there and they weren’t there. And we were just so sure of ourselves, we’ll just get out there and get a bunch of IDs, it’ll be nice & protected, and we were completely wrong. So when things jump out as being unusual that’s when it gets interesting. You think you have things figured out and you really don’t know what you’re talking about. I really like driving the boat for some reason, I don’t know why maybe it’s the control issue, but for doing photo Id or biopsies especially or tagging, and I do disentanglement work in Southeast and just being the one that maneuvers the boat, gets the boat close to the whales while somebody else maybe does the other things, you feel like you’re the one literally in the driver’s seat.   Who is watching the Gulf?    

animatedcollapse.addDiv('A', 'fade=1') animatedcollapse.ontoggle=function($, divobj, state){ //fires each time a DIV is expanded/contracted //$: Access to jQuery //divobj: DOM reference to DIV being expanded/ collapsed. Use "divobj.id" to get its ID //state: "block" or "none", depending on state } animatedcollapse.init()         Meet Sonia Batten Biological Oceanographer, Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science Sonia's role in Gulf Watch Alaska: Environmental Drivers Principal Investigator Important skills for her position: Basic science training, interest in small things, interest in seeing both "big pictures" and patterns Challenges in her work: "Anything to do with studying the ocean is challenging because you can’t sample enough of it to really understand what is going on. So trying to understand what’s going on across the horizontal region, down through the water column, and through time is really hard because they all change, all of the time." Sonia's advice to young people interested in science: "If you have a questioning mind and you like looking at the way the world works, then you are a scientist.  How you use that in a career could be anything from teaching, to talking with politicians to try and get policies that will help a community - there are so many different things. I would just say that it may not be the dry and dusty thing that you think it is. You can be a scientist and have a huge range of careers. If you are interested in things like that, keep your mind open for opportunities where you can use science." Sonia Batten discusses one of the coolest things about the ocean. (0:31) Video Transcript I think the coolest thing is that you can take a bucket of seawater, you can filter out the stuff and put it under a microscope and show people and they go, “Oh my god, I didn’t know I was swimming with that!” You can look at a crab larvae, a little tiny crab before it settles out under the microscope, and it’s got, some of them have spines that are three times the length of their body sticking out, and they look like alien things, and you have no idea that you’re swimming with that kind of thing, and yeah – I think that’s cool.   Who is watching the Gulf?    

animatedcollapse.addDiv('A', 'fade=1') animatedcollapse.ontoggle=function($, divobj, state){ //fires each time a DIV is expanded/contracted //$: Access to jQuery //divobj: DOM reference to DIV being expanded/ collapsed. Use "divobj.id" to get its ID //state: "block" or "none", depending on state } animatedcollapse.init() animatedcollapse.addDiv('B', 'fade=1') animatedcollapse.ontoggle=function($, divobj, state){ //fires each time a DIV is expanded/contracted //$: Access to jQuery //divobj: DOM reference to DIV being expanded/ collapsed. Use "divobj.id" to get its ID //state: "block" or "none", depending on state } animatedcollapse.init()           Nearshore and benthic (bottom-dwelling) organisms are good gauges of change in the environment. Many are sedentary, sensitive to change, and easy to access for study. Scientists are usually more able to discover the source of change in this kind of habitat. Once those sources are found, they can identify and compare changes that are natural from those that are man-made. Click the image below to discover the different zones of the nearshore ecosystem. The Nearshore Ecosystems team collects data in the tidal areas. Researchers are focused on learning about the variety and abundance of the species living at sites in Prince William Sound, the outer Kenai Peninsula, and Lower Cook Inlet. This data will help scientists find answers for questions like: • Is the nearshore environment changing significantly from year to year? • Have resources in this environment recovered from the 1989 oil spill? If not, are there reasons other than the oil spill? • Are changes in offshore conditions also causing changes in the nearshore habitats? This project focuses on organisms that are considered crucial to the nearshore ecosystem’s health. One such key species is the black oystercatcher. These shorebirds are good candidates for monitoring projects because they have a long lifespan. Over that lifetime, the oystercatcher lives in and depends upon intertidal habitats. This is where they mate, nest, and raise their young. Even though black oystercatchers aren’t benthic animals, they eat a diet of creatures that are. Their menu of mussels, limpets, and chitons are easily effected by changes in the environment. If oystercatchers aren’t healthy, it probably means that something significant has happened to the shellfish that they eat. Click on the image below to learn more about the black oystercatcher, a critical species of the Nearshore Benthic Systems in the Gulf of Alaska project. Click the audio icon to hear the call of the black oystercatcher. Scientists, like the National Park Service’s Heather Coletti, are trying to address the following questions: • Are the numbers of black oystercatcher nests changing from year to year? • Is the number of eggs or chicks in each nest changing? • Are chicks supplied with the same variety and amount of food each year? • Does this data change from one location to another? Heather and her team monitor the habitat of black oystercatchers using a variety of methods, including the use of shoreline transects to survey nest sites and sample prey remains at oystercatcher nesting sites. VIDEO: Monitoring Nearshore Systems Heather Coletti describes her work studying black oystercatchers for the nearshore systems component of Gulf Watch Alaska. (1:50) Video Transcript The nearshore is that interface between the terrestrial system – land – and the oceans. And there are several influences from the ocean that meet at the nearshore and then we have anthropogenic and natural influences from the terrestrial, and in some heavily populated areas that’s pollution and runoff, and how the nearshore really is affected by all those influences. And it’s essentially where the densest human populations live, along the coasts. Our program is essentially monitoring the nearshore food web. So we start out at the sea grasses and algae, which are the primary producers of that system. And then we look at invertebrates – benthic invertebrates – whether it’s mussels, clams, limpets… And then we have surveys for higher trophic level predators, like your sea ducks, sea otters, sea stars. We monitor oystercatchers, which are a pretty charismatic shorebird that is essentially confined to the nearshore and the intertidal. They feed exclusively in the intertidal on benthic invertebrates. So that’s your mussels, your limpets, that’s their two primary food sources, but they’ll eat some barnacles and some worms. So we have several aspects of their biology that we are monitoring. The goal of any monitoring program is to look at change over time and understand change over time, what’s driving it and if there’s any way to predict what those outcomes may be. That’s ultimately the goal and we are in our first few years of monitoring, and right now looking at what the natural variation in these systems is like. That hasn’t been fully documented yet.       Who is watching the Gulf?   Abundance (n): the quantity or amount of something   Benthic (adj): pertaining to the seafloor and the organisms that live there   Data (n): values for something measured   Density (n): the number of inhabitants per unit of area   Distribution (n): the way in which something is spread over an area   Intertidal (n): the benthic shore area between the extreme reaches of high and low tides   Nearshore (n): the marine zone that extends from the high tide line to depths of about 20 meters   Organism (n): an individual life form   Prey (n): an animal taken by predators as food   Riparian zone (n): the area of land next to a lake, river, stream, or wetland   Subtidal (n): the benthic area below low tide that is covered by water most of the time and exposed briefly during extreme low tides   Tide (n): the alternate rising and falling of the sea at a particular place, due to the gravitional attraction of the moon and sun   Transect (n): a path along which scientists count animal populations and plant distributions    

animatedcollapse.addDiv('A', 'fade=1') animatedcollapse.ontoggle=function($, divobj, state){ //fires each time a DIV is expanded/contracted //$: Access to jQuery //divobj: DOM reference to DIV being expanded/ collapsed. Use "divobj.id" to get its ID //state: "block" or "none", depending on state } animatedcollapse.init() animatedcollapse.addDiv('B', 'fade=1') animatedcollapse.ontoggle=function($, divobj, state){ //fires each time a DIV is expanded/contracted //$: Access to jQuery //divobj: DOM reference to DIV being expanded/ collapsed. Use "divobj.id" to get its ID //state: "block" or "none", depending on state } animatedcollapse.init() animatedcollapse.addDiv('C', 'fade=1') animatedcollapse.ontoggle=function($, divobj, state){ //fires each time a DIV is expanded/contracted //$: Access to jQuery //divobj: DOM reference to DIV being expanded/ collapsed. Use "divobj.id" to get its ID //state: "block" or "none", depending on state } animatedcollapse.init()         Pelagic animals live in the open seas, away from the coast or seafloor. The Pelagic Ecosystem team has the task of studying these predator and prey species in Prince William Sound. Despite the challenge, scientists have already managed to collect decades of data that focus on the interactions between whales, seabirds and their prey. This information is useful in answering questions such as: • What are the population trends of key open-ocean predators, such as orcas, tufted puffins, and humpback whales? • Are the numbers of forage fish, like herring, sand lance, and capelin, going up or down? • Is it possible to monitor forage fish population trends? • If it is possible to monitor them, what is the best way to do so? Forage fish have a big impact on marine ecosystems. They convert a huge amount of energy from lower trophic levels and this energy is transferred into food for larger fish, marine mammals, and seabirds. Forage fish have great numbers of offspring and short lifespans. These traits can cause major changes in their abundance from year to year. If the abundance of forage fish increases or decreases significantly, the predators that eat them will also experience shifts in their population numbers. Humpback whales are predators of herring. Many humpback whales migrate from Prince William Sound to Hawaii for the winter. Some humpback whales, however, stay in or near the Sound. During the winter, there is not much plankton for humpbacks to feed on, and fish like herring become a good alternative source of food for these whales. Watch the video below to see how the predators of the pelagic hunt their herring prey. VIDEO: Bait Ball Feast - BBC One In late summer, the plankton bloom is at its height and vast shoals of herring gather to feed on it. Diving birds round the fish up into a bait ball and then a humpback whale roars in to scoop up the entire ball of herring in one huge mouthful. From "Nature's Great Events: The Great Feast" by BBC. (1:14) Video Transcript The murres only attack from beneath, trapping the fish against the surface. But they push the herring within range of the gulls. It’s a feeding frenzy. The table is set for the mightiest predator of them all: the humpbacks have reached their feeding grounds. Scientists want to know the best way to estimate the numbers of specific fish species, such as herring. They get the data they need using a combination of aerial surveys, hydroacoustics, and various fish-capture techniques. Check out the video below to hear Mayumi Arimitsu explain some of these techniques. VIDEO: Forage Fish Studies Mayumi Arimitsu describes the methods scientists use to monitor forage fish populations. (0:55) Video Transcript We have observers in a plane that are looking at schools of fish in the ocean very close to the shoreline. We do a couple of things. One is use hydroacoustics from the boat, and with basically a scientific fish finder we’re able to quantify the biomass and density and depth distribution of these different forage fish. We also are trying to validate the aerial survey observations so we have a team in a skiff that are communicating with the pilot in the plane, and they are trying to catch what the observers in the plane are seeing. Scientists working on the humpback whale monitoring project are trying to understand if the whales are having an impact on the recovery of herring populations in Prince William Sound. An important part of this project is maintaining an up-to-date humpback “fluke identification catalog,” a kind of “Who’s Who?” in the Gulf of Alaska whale world. Watch the video below to learn about how scientists observe and photograph whales included in the fluke identification catalog. VIDEO: Tracking Humpback Whales John Moran describes how scientists are studying the importance of humpback whales in the Gulf of Alaska ecosystem. (2:08) Video Transcript (Narrator) These small silver fish are Pacific herring, one of the many species being monitored by Gulf Watch Alaska. Scientists are monitoring their population for signs of recovery after the Exxon Valdez oil spill. They are also interested in other potential factors that could be affecting their recovery. One of these potential factors may be humpback whales. (John Moran) We want to know if humpback whales are having an impact on the recovering herring population in Prince William Sound. Basically we want to know how many herring are whales eating, and is that important. So the first thing we need to do is figure out how many whales are there, so we use Photo ID. All the whales have unique patterns on their flukes. When the whale dives it shows the underside of its fluke, and we’ll take a picture of that and that can identify the individual whale. So basically we get on the boat and we go look for whales. That the base of our research is getting the fluke IDs. And from that you can get a lot more information out of it. We need to figure out what they’re eating, so we use the echo sounder on the boat, we’ll use nets and jigs, so we’ll see whatever prey is around the whale and try to catch that. Or if there’s any scales that slip out of their mouth, or any kind of sign of things on the surface, or fish jumping out of the whale’s mouth, we’ll try to document that. And we also use biopsies. We have a cross bow or a rifle that takes a little blubber plug out of the whale. So we approach the whale and get a little sample, and from that we can use stable isotopes or fatty acids to get at what the diet’s been from that whale. Humpbacks are kind of new players on the scene, they’re population was really low. In the late sixties & early seventies, there may have been 1,500-2,000 humpbacks in the North Pacific. And then there was this survey called the SPLASH survey that took place in 2006 that put the population at over 20,000. So that’s a huge increase. It impacts managers. If you’re managing a herring fishery and you have these humpbacks population weren’t really there 20, 30, 40 years ago, you’ve got to account for these new predators, how many herring are they taking, it’s all important to know if you’re trying to manage a fishery. We haven’t had them there, so how they impact the ecosystem is going to be new to us.       Who is watching the Gulf?   Biomass (n): the amount of living matter in a given habitat (i.e. the weight of organisms per unit area, or the volume of organisms per unit of habitat)   Forage fish (n): small schooling fishes that feed on plankton and are eaten by larger predators   Hydroacoustics (n): the study of sound in water   Pelagic (adj): the open sea, away from the coast or seafloor   Trophic level (n): the position of an organism or species in a food web or food chain    

          WELCOME, TEACHERS! The Alaska SeaLife Center and Gulf Watch Alaska are excited to present this virtual field trip (VFT). Join the Gulf Watch Alaska team of scientists as they investigate the long term effects of the Exxon Valdez oil spill on the ecosystems of the Gulf of Alaska. Learn about the work of a collaborative team of scientists from many different ocean science disciplines, who represent over 15 different government agencies, non-profit research institutions, and universities. GRADE LEVEL: 6-8th TIME NEEDED: Between one and four 1-hour class periods (teachers may choose to use all or only some of the supplementary lessons). NUTSHELL: Students will learn about the long-term monitoring projects that have been studying the effects of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound and the northern Gulf of Alaska. They will explore the various projects and how, collectively, they can inform us about the overall ecosystem. LEARNING OBJECTIVES: After completing this virtual field trip, students will be able to: • Explain how the long-term monitoring project called Gulf Watch Alaska was founded and what its overall goals are. • Understand the collaborative nature of science and how researchers from various disciplines working together can provide a ‘big picture’ view of a massive project. • Explain the various levels of a biome and how all components of an ecosystem depend upon each other for a healthy environment. BACKGROUND: In this virtual field trip, students will meet various scientists and researchers working for the Gulf Watch Alaska long-term ecosystem monitoring program, a project of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, encompassing the marine ecosystems affected by the 1989 oil spill. This program is organized into four related ecosystem monitoring components, with data management, modeling, and synthesis components providing overall integration across the program. This VFT can be used in a number of ways. Individuals may navigate through the pages on their own and meet the scientists through the links provided on the right-hand bar. Self-guided exploration can be completed in a couple of hours. Alternatively, teachers may facilitate a structured experience, working through each page of the VFT together in a class. Lesson plans (links included on the right-hand column of this page) are available to supplement online content. TO USE THIS VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP YOU WILL NEED: • Internet access, video-streaming capabilities • Projection system (with audio) to display content or a computer lab (with headphones) • Corresponding lesson plans (linked as PDFs in the right hand column of this page) UNABLE TO RUN THE STREAMING VERSION? REQUEST A FREE COPY OF ALL MATERIALS ON CD BY EMAILING education@alaskasealife.org. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: • Gulf Watch Alaska • Alaska Ocean Observing System • Nearshore Ecosystem Projects • Ecological Trends in Kachemak Bay • Nearshore Benthic Systems in the Gulf of Alaska • National Park Service SWAN Nearshore Monitoring • Environmental Drivers Projects • Continuous Plankton Recorder • Gulf of Alaska Mooring (GAK1) Monitoring • Oceanographic Conditions in Lower Cook Inlet and Kachemak Bay • Oceanographic Conditions in Prince William Sound • The Seward Line: Marine Ecosystem Monitoring in the Northern Gulf of Alaska • Lingering Oil Projects • Weathering and Tracking • Harlequin ducks and sea otters • EVOS Status of Injured Resources and Services • Pelagic Ecosystem • Detection of Seabird Populations • Fall and Winter Seabird Abundance • Forage Fish • Humpback Whales • Killer Whales • Prince William Sound Marine Bird Population Trends   Contact Us: If you have any questions about this virtual field trip, please contact the Alaska SeaLife Center Education Department at education@alaskasealife.org or 907-224-6306. For more information on classes we offer, including our inquiry-based 50-minute Distance Learning programs, visit our website at www.alaskasealife.org.         CURRICULUM SUPPLEMENTS Use the .pdf links below to access classroom activities for each section of the Gulf Watch Alaska virtual field trip experience. Lesson 1 Nearshore.pdf Lesson 2 Drivers.pdf Lesson 3 Lingering_Oil.pdf Lesson 4 Pelagic.pdf Gulf Watch Whale Fluke ID.pdf Who's that Whale? slideshow