SEMINAR: EOC4930-Senior Seminar-Tuesday, February 22, 2011 2:00-2:50 PM - Robert O. Stevens, DVM is speaker

["Barbara Larkin" <blarkin@fau.edu>]

 

 

If you cannot view the embedded flyer above, here is the text version of the announcement:

 

Florida Atlantic University

Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering

College of Engineering and Computer Science

OME Seminar Announcement – EOC4939-Senior Seminar

Tuesday, February 22, 2011 from 2:00 PM-2:50 PM

Originating at ST250 (SeaTech Auditorium) and Video Conferenced to EG-187 (Boca OME Conference Room)

 

Presenter:           Robert O. Stevens, DVM

                                 Marine Mammal Conservancy, Inc.

                                 Key Largo, FL

Presentation:     “The Marine Mammal Stranding Network and its

                                 Contributions to Ocean Sciences”

 

Abstract:

 

Marine mammals are recognized as a keystone species because of their position at the top of the oceans’ food chain.  However, knowledge of marine mammals is extremely limited to those species inhabiting near shore waters.  In 1991, the Stranding Network discovered a lethal virus called Morbilli which is highly contagious among marine mammals. Consequently, big aquariums had to stop participating in rehabilitation efforts in order to preserve their permanent marine mammal residents.  This left smaller organizations like MMC to continue the research into marine mammal disease, treatment and the investigation into the causes of marine mammal stranding events.  MMC provides researchers worldwide as well as the US National Marine Fisheries Service with valuable data on behavior, treatment techniques, medical conditions, baselines on healthy species, re-adaptation/release techniques, tracking technologies and live interaction that cannot be obtained from dead specimens.

 

There is a documented increase in stranding events of wild marine mammal populations worldwide.  The Stranding Network as well as MMC believe it is extremely important to know why because what affects one part of the food chain could eventually affect mankind as well.  Some of the causes in the decline are man-made such as over-fishing and pollution, but some are not.  All of the causes of stranding events, whether man-made or natural, need to be documented so that the evidence can be used to save future generations of marine mammals and insure that the resource management decisions we make today, preserves the health of our oceans as a whole tomorrow.

 

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BARBARA A. LARKIN Program Assistant Dept of Ocean & Mechanical Engineering FAU - SeaTech Campus 101 N. Beach Road Dania Beach, FL 33004 Phone: (954) 924-7001 Fax: (954) 924-7007 Email: blarkin@fau.edu

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