Last year, Man and Whales: Changing Views Through Time brought a new format to lectures at the New Bedford Whaling Museum Our presenters blend science and history in a ‘then’ and ‘now’ format as they examine historical and current aspects of a variety of whale and whaling related topics.
The lectures will be held on Wednesday evenings at 7:30 pm in the Museum Theater. A reception will be held in the Jacobs Family Gallery before each lecture beginning at 6:30 pm. Admission is free.
All Tied Up (February 17)
In Yankee whaling, staying connected to the whale you harpooned was critical since that rope linked you to the whale, and ultimately to the success of your hunt. Now the opposite is true. Maximum effort is made to disconnect any lines found attached to whales.
Michael Dyer, Maritime Curator, New Bedford Whaling Museum has devoted a great deal of his research to thoroughly understanding the process of the boat-based whale hunt. Mike will guide you through the process of getting fast to, staying with, and bringing to ship’s starboard staging, the whales targeted by our ships.
Charles ‘Stormy’ Mayo, Senior Scientist, Director of the Right Whale Habitat Studies Program at Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies has over two decades of experience in the risky field of whale disentanglement. He will share several experiences of the vital work that he and the staff at PCCS, in conjunction with a variety of agencies and university programs, lead along the East Coast to free whales from the lines that restrict movement and endanger survival.
Shipping, Fishing and the Urban Whale (March 31)
As ships went from sail to steam to diesel, and became bigger and faster, the risk of whales being injured or killed by vessel strikes has dramatically increased. Similarly with fishing gear, the switch from natural hemp ropes to long-lasting polypropylene line has resulted in whales becoming injured or killed from entanglements.
Amy Knowlton, Research Scientist at the New England Aquarium, has studied shipping issues and trends, and the impacts to whale populations, for over a decade. She will provide a history of regional shipping, interactions between ships and whales, and the ongoing research, education and politics involved in decreasing whale injuries and death, especially as it relates to the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale.
David Cassoni, President of Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association, will tell us about the changes implemented by the lobster industry to lessen the likelihood of whales getting entangled in lobster gear. Dave will bring samples of the gear and explain their functions.
Wave Glider: Expanding our Ability to Listen to Whales (April 14)
Studying whales is a rewarding but daunting task. Whales may be big; the ocean is bigger and the weather doesn’t always cooperate. Providing a complete picture of the animals and the habitat requires collaboration, technology and ingenuity.
Joe Rizzi, Chairman of the Jupiter Foundation, got together in his early retirement with a small group of very talented friends to create programmable, mobile technology for listening to whales. Tonight’s presentation is a story about how listening to whales inspired the invention of an elegant device that will not only enable further whale studies, but could become a host-platform for a wide range of previously impossible oceanic applications.
A Case for Oil (May 19)
Blubber was removed from whales, rendered and sold as the oil used for light, heat, tanning and other products. But what about products made from the oil found in the melon of toothed whales? What’s its function in the lives of odontocetes, especially the sperm whale?
George Mock, Treasurer and Chairman of the Board, and former President of Nye Lubricants, Inc. successfully guided his company through the transition from natural to synthetic oils. His presentation will focus on the 160 year-old company’s use of melon and sperm case oil in its product lines prior to the 1970s.
Peter Tyack, Senior Scientist, Biology Department and Director of the Marine Mammal Center at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution studies social behavior and acoustic communication in whales and dolphins. He will share results of his research, which has given us a greater understanding of the function and form of the sperm whale’s case.
This series is presented in partnerhsip between WDCS and NBWM with generous sponsorship by ECHO (Education through Cultural and Historical Organizations) a program administered by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement.