What’s up with our flipper-footed friend’s whiskered faces? Do humans have blubber? What does blood have to do with keeping warm in the water?
I sat down with marine ecologist Claire Nasr to get some answers.
Listen HERE or wherever you get your podcasts!
Claire Nasr is a marine ecologist specializing in marine wildlife ecology with seals, sea lions and seabirds. She received her Bachelor's from UC Santa Cruz in Marine Biology, and Masters from Humboldt State University in Wildlife. She has worked for a wide range of nonprofit organizations, academic institutions and federal government agencies. Claire has also prioritized contributing to STEM education throughout her career, and has led numerous programs teaching marine science to diverse groups of K-12 students in California. Her favorite group of marine mammals to work with are pinnipeds (seals and sea lions), and much of her work has involved living on islands and remote field stations. Some locations have included the Southeast Farallon Island, the Pribilof Islands in the Bering Sea, Santa Cruz Island in the Channel Islands, Maui, Ano Nuevo State Park, and Corsica in the Mediterranean. When she is not working with pinnipeds or searching for birds, you can find her operating a small boat, free diving, or investigating some super cool invertebrates with young students at low tide.
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Episode recorded, mixed and produced by Kate Douglas
Theme song is by Matthew Dean Marsh