A Top Predator in Hot Water: Effects of a Marine Heatwave on the Northern Elephant Seal - Livestream

Marine heatwaves, prolonged oceanic warm water events, are increasing in frequency and magnitude as global temperatures rise. One of the most dramatic marine heatwaves in recorded history was the Northeast Pacific Blob, a large marine heatwave that adversely affected ecosystems across the Northeast Pacific, from producers to top predators. What do these events mean for marine mammals like northern elephant seals, wide-ranging predators that forage on the abundant fish and squid populations of the deep Northeast Pacific Ocean? Discover how biologging technology deployed on elephant seals allows scientists to measure the ocean’s physical characteristics while simultaneously tracking elephant seal foraging behavior, changes in body condition, and reproductive success.

Speaker: Rachel Holser, UC Santa Cruz