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()         Developing a research project proposal is hard work. In order to receive funding for their project, scientists must be able to explain what they hope to learn and why their proposed question is worth answering. For Antarctic research, scientists must have their project selected by the National Science Foundation (NSF), which coordinates all United States research in Antarctica. As you can imagine, it's a competitive application process! In 21st-century science, it's all about collaboration. The NSF knows that scientific discoveries are made when scientists with different skills team up to answer a question. Dr. Jo-Ann Mellish and her colleagues, Dr. Horning and Dr. Hindle, agree. This team of physiologists have worked together before and value the expertise each individual brings to the group. Without Dr. Horning's special knack for engineering instruments, Dr. Hindle's expertise in modeling data, or Dr. Mellish's skill at assessing animal health, this project would never have made it past the proposal stage. In addition to the benefit of varying skill-sets, working as a team gives scientists a chance to bounce ideas off one another. Talking about ideas leads to better research questions - and to successful collaborations like this one, carried out with support from the National Science Foundation (award #1043779). VIDEO: RESEARCH QUESTIONS Dr. Allyson Hindle explains the team's research questions for the Weddell seal project. (1:23) Video Transcript Dr. Allyson Hindle: “ My name is Allyson Hindle, and I’m a post doctoral researcher. I’m one of the Co-PI’s (Co-Principal Investigators) on this project. I work with a lot of the data on the back end. “One of the questions that we asked was whether changing sea ice conditions might have an impact on seals that depend on the ice. One of the first things that we needed to do, and really the central piece to this project is to look at how much it costs: How much energy does it cost a seal to stay warm in the water compared to on the ice? So in cold water, or in cold air. “I’m an animal physiologist, so I’m interested in the processes that help an animal function, the internal biology of the animal. All of those internal processes help animals do different things that are necessary for survival, like digesting food, staying warm (thermoregulation), contraction of their muscles so that they can swim, all those types of things. “I’m really interested in taking our data and trying to get as many numbers as I can for all of those biological, physiological processes, and then putting it together so that we can make some estimates and predictions about how these animals will live if the environment changes.” Understanding how changes in sea ice cover will impact polar seals hinges on a broader understanding of how different conditions change a seal's ability to thermoregulate. People have known for a long time that water and air have very different physical properties. One difference is in the way that water and air conduct heat. Scientists have calculated that water pulls heat away from a seal's body as much as 4.5 times faster than air. Brrrr! Knowing this, Dr. Hindle and the team believe that polar seals' ability to thermoregulate will be negatively affected if changing sea ice conditions alter the way these species budget the time they spend on ice and and in water. Further, the team hypothesizes that changes in sea ice will affect some animals more than others. They expect that larger animals with more blubber will have a greater buffer against environmental change, while smaller, leaner animals may face more challenges. VIDEO: RESEARCH METHODS Dr. Jo-Ann Mellish describes why McMurdo Sound's Weddell seals were the perfect population to study to test the team's hypotheses. (1:33) Video Transcript Dr. Jo-Ann Mellish: “Weddell seals were perfect for this project because we have an enormous size range to work with. We’ve got weaned pups all the way up to adult females. Not only do we have this body mass range, but during the breeding season we can also get animals that are in really good condition, so one size and really, really fat and those are our weaned pups. “We can get the same size animal that’s really, really lean and that’s our first year or second year juveniles, who are about the same size but they’ve just had their first year of foraging by themselves and they’re not quite as chunky. “Then we’ve got adult females who are enormous. Some of these females are back just to breed, they don’t have a pup that year so they are in ridiculously good health, they have more blubber than you can shake a stick at! Then you’ve got these other females that are the same frame size, but they just finished supporting a pup for the last four to six weeks. So there can be a 100 kilogram (220 pounds) difference in two animals of the same age and the same frame size. So we’ve got big and small, and lean and fat. We've got these four groups of animals that we can look at differences in how they forage, differences in how much energy they burn in a day, and differences in what kind of buffer they might have to adapt to a changing environment.“ In order to test their hypotheses, the team needed to develop a plan. Among the questions they needed to answer were: How would they determine which seals to study and what tools would they use to study the seals once they'd chosen them? These challenges had to be carefully considered before the team traveled to the ice. After all, once you board the plane for Antarctica, there’s no going back for something you forgot!       WHO IS STUDYING SEALS?   PHYSIOLOGIST (n) - a biologist who studies the processes that help living things function   COLLABORATION (n) - the action of working with others to do or create something   ENGINEER (v) - to design or build something   MODEL (n) - in science, a representation of data that makes something easier to quantify, predict, or understand   THERMOREGULATION (n) - the ability to maintain a constant body temperature under changing conditions   DATA (n) - values for something measured   HYPOTHESIZE (v) - to propose an anwer to a scientific question   BLUBBER (n) - an insulating fat possessed by many marine mammals    

          WELCOME, TEACHERS! The Alaska SeaLife Center and COSEE-Alaska are excited to present "Southern Exposure", a virtual field trip (VFT) to one of the most remote regions on Earth. Join Dr. Jo-Ann Mellish and her team as they travel to Antarctica's McMurdo Sound to investigate how changing sea ice conditions may impact ice-dependent polar seals, like Antarctica's Weddell seals. GRADE LEVEL: 5th-8th TIME NEEDED: Between one and four 1-hour class periods (teachers may choose to use all or part of the supplementary lessons) NUTSHELL: Students will learn about animal physiology while exploring how changing sea ice conditions may affect ice-dependent Weddell seals. LEARNING OBJECTIVES: After completing this virtual field trip, students will be able to: - Highlight two ways that habitat conditions in the Arctic and the Antarctic are different - Define the term energy budget and explain how living things earn (gain) and use energy to meet the requirements of life - Describe the relationship between the depth of a seal's blubber and the animal's mass BACKGROUND: VIDEO: RESEARCH PROJECT PROMO Use this short research promo video to get your class excited about Southern Exposure. (0:56) In this virtual field trip, students will meet Drs. Jo-Ann Mellish, Markus Horning, and Allyson Hindle - a team of animal physiologists collaborating on a project about Antarctica's Weddell seals. Your students will follow Dr. Mellish's research team into the field as they work to answer the questions "What is the 'cost of living' for a polar seal?" and "How will the lives of these seals be impacted as their habitats continue to change?" This VFT can be used in a number of ways. Individuals may navigate through the pages on their own. Self-guided exploration can be completed in about an hour. Alternately, teachers may facilitate a structured experience, working through each page of the VFT together as a class. Lesson plans (included in the right-hand column of this page) are available to supplement online content. For a thorough introduction to Weddell seals, we recommend that teachers check out the PolarTrec webinar The Life Science of Weddell Seals with Dr. Jennifer Burns of the University of Alaska Anchorage. Though not affiliated with this project, Dr. Burns' presentation gives teachers a nice overview of current behavioral and physiological research on Weddell seals in Antarctica (40 minutes). TO USE THIS VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP YOU WILL NEED: - Internet access, video-streaming capabilities - Access to Southern Exposure - Projection system (with audio) to display content or a computer lab (with headphones) - Corresponding lesson plans (arranged 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: Weddell seal specific Resources : Weddell Seal Science Project, YouTube Channel ARKive Weddell Seal Species Profile General information about Sea Ice: National Snow and Ice Data Center: Sea Ice Introduction National Snow and Ice Data Center: Arctic Vs. Antarctic NASA Earth Observatory: Sea Ice Education Resources Related to Climate Change: NOAA Education Resources: Climate Change Impacts   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 Distance Learning programs, visit our website at www.alaskasealife.org.       LESSON PLANS Use the .pdf links below to access classroom activities for each section of the virtual field trip. Lesson Plan One.pdf Lesson Plan Two.pdf Lesson Plan Three.pdf Glossary.pdf Guide to Standards Addressed All research was conducted under National Marine Fisheries Service Marine Mammal Protection Act authorization 15748 and Antarctic Conservation Act permit 2012-003.           

          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          

animatedcollapse.addDiv('1', '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('2', '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() CURRICULUM SUPPLEMENTS Use the .pdf links below to access classroom activities for each section of the Watching Walrus virtual field trip. Teachers Guide.pdf Introduction_Activities.pdf Background_Activities.pdf Questions_Activities.pdf Plan_Activities.pdf Action_Activities.pdf Results_Activities.pdf Glossary.pdf               Welcome Teachers!   Educators and scientists at the Alaska SeaLife Center have teamed up to bring you a new and unique teaching tool. "Watching Walrus" is a virtual field trip (VFT) designed to introduce students to the process of designing a scientific research plan.  Throughout this exploration, students watch videos, examine images, and read fact sheets as they follow real-life scientists into the wilds of Alaska to study Pacific walrus populations.  This VFT can be used in a number of ways.  Individuals may choose to navigate through the slides independently, learning about Pacific walrus and why changes in Arctic climate have scientists concerned about these animals.  Self-guided exploration can be completed in under an hour.  Alternately, teachers may wish to facilitate a structured experience using the curriculum supplements.  Overview for Teachers Grade Level: 5th-8th Time needed:  6-8 one-hour class periods Nutshell: Students will gain experience designing a scientific research plan while learning about an actual research project that studies Pacific walrus in Alaska. Objectives: After completing this virtual field trip, students will be able to: - Describe how the research plan they develop meets the objectives set out by Alaska SeaLife Center scientists - Explain how Arctic animals, like Pacific walrus, may be impacted by decreased availability of sea ice - Locate geographic features of the Arctic and subarctic oceans using a world map Background: Pacific walrus are a marine mammal species native to the Bering and Chukchi Sea area between Alaska and Russia. A member of the pinniped (fin-footed) family, walrus are ocean bottom feeders that can weigh up to one and a half tons. Walrus live along the continental shelf where water is shallow and food resources are plentiful. Floating sea ice provides females and calves with access to varied food resources, protection from predators, and isolation from disease. Though walrus are a social, gregarious species (males are known to haul-out together in large numbers), females with calves usually stay separate from the herd, depending on sea ice for their haulouts. As a consequence of warming Arctic climate, scientists have observed that sea ice in the Arctic Region is shrinking. This means decreased habitat for Pacific walrus, particularly for vulnerable segments of the population like females with calves. As a result of these changes in habitat, walrus have been observed hauling out on land in numbers rarely seen before. Not only does this make populations more susceptible to disease, predation, and depletion of food resources, it also means moms and calves are living in large herds rather than in small groups or pairs. Walrus are known to abandon a haulout upon disturbance (e.g., by the presence of boats, people, predators). In such cases, walrus move quickly from land into water when they are on ice. As walrus are observed gathering in large groups (as many as 14,000 walrus have been observed hauling out together) scientists are concerned about the increased consequences of such disturbances. Instances of stampede have been recorded, including that at Icy Cape (described in Watching Walrus), leaving hundreds of animals dead. Such events led scientists at the Alaska SeaLife Center to begin research observing Pacific walrus. Their intention is to increase the understanding of what causes these animals to abandon a haulout.  They are particularly interested in how the patterns in walrus response differ between established land haulout outs and newly emergent ones. The research of lead Marine Mammal Scientist Dr. Lori Polasek, Marine Mammal Research Associate Jill Prewitt, and Research Coordinator Terril Efird inspired this virtual field trip. Join us as we explore some of Alaska’s most remote coastline and work to learn more about how sea ice loss is impacting Pacific walrus. Throughout their exploration of Watching Walrus, students will engage in discussions, make observations, complete a research ma,p and design their own research plan for observing walrus as they use land haulouts.  To use this virtual field trip you will need: - Internet access, video-streaming capabilities - Access to Watching Walrus the virtual field trip - Projection system (with audio) to display VFT content or a computer lab - Teacher guide and corresponding curriculum supplements (arranged as PDFs in the right hand column of this page) Specials Notes to Teachers: Guide to State & National Standards addressed in this field trip (Click to download .pdf) Using the Virtual Field Trip Teachers may choose to have the class navigate through Watching Walrus as one large group, using a projection system to display content, or have students work independently in a computer lab setting.  All activities included in the curriculum supplements work best in a classroom setting with tables arranged into small groups. Using Curriculum Supplements We encourage teachers to read through the Teacher’s Guide and all Curriculum Supplements before beginning Watching Walrus with your students.  Some projects, like the Research Map, will be completed over the course of this exploration.  Videos and PDFs Many sections of Watching Walrus include embedded videos and .pdf documents.  Teachers may elect to print class sets of the .pdfs or use them digitally.  All .pdf files are 1-2 pages long.  Most videos are less than 3 minutes long (exact durations can be found in the description of each video).  Video transcripts can be accessed by clicking the video transcript button below each clip.  Vocabulary Important vocabulary terms are included in the VOCABULARY box in the lower right-hand corner of each section.  A complete glossary of terms is included as a .pdf in the FOR TEACHERS section.  Age appropriateness This virtual field trip is designed to meet Alaska state and National science content for students in grades 5-8.  We understand that students in grades 5-8 may display a variety of skill sets and reading levels; therefore, this grade distinction is designed only as a guideline.  The scientific process discussed in this virtual field trip is appropriate for and may be enjoyed by older students, as well.  Older students may progress through this virtual field trip at a faster rate than that outlined above.  Additional Resources: Web Resources: Walrus Natural History Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G): Walrus Profile Walrus Information from SeaWorld/Busch Gardens National Geographic Kids Creature Features: Walrus NOVA: How to Speak Walrus USFWS Species Info: Walrus ADF&G Walrus Island, State Game Sanctuary Sea Ice National Snow and Ice Data Center NASA Earth Observatory: Sea Ice Print Resources: For an overview of Pacific walrus facts, and information on other Alaskan marine mammals: Wynne, Kate. Guide to Marine Mammals of Alaska. Fairbanks, AK: University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska Sea Grant College Program, 2007. For more information on Alaska marine invertebrates, including those predated by Pacific walrus: Field, Carmen M., and Conrad J. Field. Alaska's Seashore Creatures: a Guide to Selected Marine Invertebrates. Anchorage: Alaska Northwest, 1999. For more information about the Bering Sea region: Johnson, Terry Lee. The Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands: Region of Wonders. Fairbanks, AK: University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska Sea Grant College Program, 2003.   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.          

  animatedcollapse.addDiv('1', '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('2', '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()         WELCOME TEACHERS! The Alaska SeaLife Center and COSEE-Alaska are excited to present the second in a series of virtual field trips. Meltdown is a virtual field trip (VFT) designed to immerse students in the important field of polar research as they learn about how a changing climate is impacting sea ice ecosystems in the Arctic. Educators and scientists from across Alaska have teamed up to bring you this new and innovative teaching tool. Meltdown takes students on an Arctic expedition where they'll connect with researchers studying the marine foodweb in the Bering Sea. Throughout this exploration, students will watch videos, examine images, and piece together foodwebs as they follow Dr. Rolf Gradinger and his team of real-life scientists out onto the ice. OVERVIEW FOR TEACHERS This VFT can be used in a number of ways. Teachers may facilitate a structured experience using the curriculum supplements included on this page. Alternatively, individuals may choose to navigate through the pages on their own, learning about sea ice ecosystems and why changes in arctic climate have scientists concerned. Self-guided exploration can be completed in about an hour.  GRADE LEVEL: 5th-8th TIME NEEDED:  One to eight 1-hour class periods (teachers may choose to use all or some of the supplementary lessons- see teachers guide for details). NUTSHELL: Students will learn about the role of sea ice in the Arctic ecosystem while studying the Bering Sea food web. LEARNING OBJECTIVES: After completing this virtual field trip, students will be able to: - Illustrate how changes in the population of one species may affect population dynamics throughout a food web. - Differentiate between the physical properties of sea ice and freshwater ice and justify the reason for these differences. - Describe the conditions necessary for sea ice algae to grow and explain the role of sea ice algae to the Bering Sea in spring. BACKGROUND: At the Northern fringe of the Pacific Ocean, along the United States’ most remote boundary, lies the Bering Sea. Covering an area more than three times the size of Texas (nearly 900,000 sq. mi.), and supporting some of the most valuable fisheries in the world, the Bering Sea’s remote waters have attracted explorers for thousands of years. Now your students can join in the process of discovery as they accompany modern-day explorers onto the ice! In this virtual field trip, students will meet Dr. Rolf Gradinger, a Sea Ice Biologist conducting research in the Bering Sea. They will follow his research team into the field as they work to answer the question 'What does sea ice mean to the Bering Sea ecosystem?' and 'What would it mean if arctic sea ice were to disappear as a result of climate change?' Their quest for answers leads the researchers to look under the ice, where they'll investigate the role of sea ice algae (tiny marine plants that grow on the bottom surface of sea ice during the spring) in the spring Bering Sea foodweb. As your class navigates through this field trip they'll be introduced to the process of science: from initial questions, through development of hypotheses, data collection and, finally, data analysis. Watch as an unfamiliar world unfolds, revealing a complex spring foodweb all stemming from the sea ice algae. The research of Drs. Rolf Gradinger, Katrin Iken and Bodil Bluhm inspired this virtual field trip. Join us as we explore how climate change may impact one of the world's most productive marine ecosystems, the Bering Sea. We also recommend listening to Encounters Radio: Ice Algae, a recorded interview in which host Elizabeth Arnold interviews Rolf Gradinger about this research project. (10 minutes) TO USE THIS VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP YOU WILL NEED: - Internet access, video-streaming capabilities - Access to Meltdown the virtual field trip - Projection system (with audio) to display VFT content or a computer lab (with headphones) - Teacher's guide and corresponding curriculum supplements (arranged as PDFs in the right hand column of this page) UNABLE TO RUN THE STREAMING VERSION? REQUEST A COPY OF ALL MATERIALS ON CD BY EMAIL: education@alaskasealife.org SPECIAL NOTES FOR TEACHERS: Guide to State & National Standards addressed in this field trip (Click to download .pdf) Using Curriculum Supplements We encourage teachers to read through all Curriculum Supplements before beginning Meltdown with your students.  Some projects, like the invertebrate research project, will be completed over the course of several sections.  Videos and weblinks Many sections of Meltdown include embedded videos and weblinks.  All weblinks require internet access.  In the CD version of the virtual field trip, all videos will play without internet, unless noted.  In the online version of Meltdown, all videos will stream from YouTube.  Each video is less than 3 minutes long (exact durations can be found in the description below each video).  Video transcripts are available for each video and can be accessed by clicking the ‘Video Transcript’ button below each clip.  Vocabulary Important vocabulary terms are included in the VOCABULARY box in the lower right-hand corner of each section.  A complete glossary of terms is included as a .pdf in the FOR TEACHERS section.  Age appropriateness This virtual field trip is designed to meet Alaska state and National science content standards for students in grades 5-8.  We understand that students in grades 5-8 may display a variety of skill sets and reading levels, therefore this grade distinction is designed only as a guideline.  The scientific process discussed in this virtual field trip is appropriate for and may be enjoyed by older students as well.  Older students may progress through this virtual field trip at a faster rate than that outlined above.  ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: Resources for Invertebrate Research Project: OCEANUS: Arctic Ecosystem Interactive Arctic Ocean Diversity Project: Species Info ARKive: Marine Invertebrates Info General information about Sea Ice: National Snow and Ice Data Center NASA Earth Observatory: Sea Ice International Polar Year: Sea Ice Fact Sheet Resources highlighting Bering Sea & Arctic Ocean research and education: BEST-BSIERP-Bering Sea Project Bering Sea Project: Profile on Sea Ice Arctic Ocean Diversity Project Education Resources Related to Climate Change: NOAA Education Resources: Climate Change Impacts 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 MELTDOWN virtual field trip. Teachers Guide.pdf Introduction_Activities.pdf Background_Activities.pdf Questions_Activities.pdf Plan_Activities.pdf Action_Activities.pdf Results_Activities.pdf Glossary.pdf        

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()         The Steller's eiders kept the team busy during the 2014 breeding season. The combination of nesting materials, nest placement, privacy, mate choice and staffing worked for the eiders! For the first time in the program’s history, two Steller’s eider hens, Scarlet and Eek, incubated their eggs for the full 26 days and hatched ducklings. Scarlet had three ducklings and Eek had one. Four other ducklings hatched after artificial incubation and were raised by people for a total of eight Steller’s ducklings. The hens fully incubating their eggs was a grand achievement for the eider team! In the early stages of the project, hens would only lay infertile eggs, or not build a nest, or not stay on their nest through the whole incubation. In captivity, Steller’s eider hens had never incubated their eggs completely on their own before now! In addition to the eight ducklings of 2014, the eider team had many eggs that were infertile or that were fertile but never hatched. All the eggs that do not hatch go to the lab where Dr. Katrina Counihan and her lab technicians get to work. Every egg provides further data for researchers to use to learn more about eiders. VIDEO: DATA FROM EGG DISSECTIONS Discover what Dr. Katrina is learning in her eider lab. (1:40) Video Transcript I do various projects with the eiders. The major one is I oversee the processing of the eggs every summer. We get eggs from the captive spectacled and Steller’s eiders. For this summer we got over 300 eggs from both species, so we have help usually in the summer from interns and also volunteers which are often college students. Without them we wouldn’t be able to get through all these samples, because it takes about 30-45 minutes per egg to process it. As you can see here we use a variety of tools: digital calipers to measure the width and length of all of our eggs, and then we have a scale that we [use to] weigh the eggs before we start the dissection. The first thing we do is we’ll use these little just basic knitting scissors and we cut around the center of the egg. And then we’ll dump out as much of the albumen as we can into a large dish and then the yolk into a second one of the large Petri dishes. And then we’ll use really simple things, like just plastic forks to mix up albumen and yolk before we take samples, and then spatulas to scrape up every last little bit to make sure we get the samples. And then just little plastic syringes to suck up the samples into the vials. And then we weigh out the yolk and the albumen. So we literally save every bit of every egg we get. Dr. Katrina Counihan uses parts of the eggs she dissects to study eider health. We know a lot about how people deal with being sick, but not much about what eiders do to stay healthy. One part of the egg she is interested in is the yolk because it contains immunoglobulin (or antibodies) which would help the duck fight off diseases. Dr. Counihan looks at the immunoglobulin in the eggs to understand how the eiders are able to fight diseases. Thanks to Dr. Counihan’s work, if the eiders are reintroduced, the scientists will understand how healthy the captive birds are and how the eiders will be able to handle any diseases that they might encounter in the wild. Dr. Hollmen believes that the collaboration and communication between the research and husbandry staff is the key to the team’s success. The husbandry staff works to make the eiders feel at home and healthy so they lay eggs. Some of those eggs hatch into ducklings that increase the captive reservoir population. Researchers in the lab use the other eggs to find information on the health of the birds. The field team tries to find a wild habitat where the eiders could survive. Each team member contributes a specialized set of skills and everyone is united by the goal of learning about and helping a unique arctic species.       CLICK BELOW TO LEARN ABOUT SEADUCK SCIENTISTS!   ALBUMEN (n) - the white of an egg.   CALIPER (n) - a tool with two moveable arms that is used to measure thickness, diameter, length or width.   COLLABORATION (n) - the action of working with someone to do or create something.   IMMUNOGLOBULIN (n) - also called antibody; a protein that helps the immune system find and get rid of foreign objects like bacteria and viruses.   PETRI DISH (n) - a shallow plastic or glass dish often used in labs to culture bacteria or collect samples.   YOLK (n) - the yellow center of an egg that supplies food to a growing bird before it hatches.    

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()         WELCOME, TEACHERS! The Alaska SeaLife Center and COSEE-Alaska are excited to present their latest virtual field trip (VFT), Eyes on Eiders. Join Dr. Tuula Hollmen and her team as they investigate the lives of Steller's eiders in Alaska and what it takes for eiders to breed successfully. Learn from field researchers, animal care staff, lab researchers, and the principal investigator (Dr. Hollmen) herself. GRADE LEVEL: 5th-8th TIME NEEDED: Between one and four 1-hour class periods (teachers may choose to use all or some of the supplementary lessons). NUTSHELL: Students will learn about natural history of Stellers' eiders and their recent decline in Alaska. They will also explore the type of research that goes into planning the recovery of a species, as well as encounter several genres of scientific careers. LEARNING OBJECTIVES: After completing this virtual field trip, students will be able to: - Explain the life cycle of Steller’s eiders and how husbandry staff need to understand the life cycle and annual migration of these birds in order to care for the birds in captivity. - Describe this eider research project in terms of the scientific method. - Understand the scope of work, creativity, and inquisitiveness that goes into recovery efforts for a threatened species. BACKGROUND: In this virtual field trip, students will meet Dr. Tuula Hollmen (Principle Investigator), Tasha DiMarzio (Avian Curator), Nathan Bawtinhimer (Aviculturist), Sadie Ulman (Research Coordinator) and Dr. Katrina Counihan (Scientist). They compose the team at the Alaska SeaLife Center working with Steller’s eiders. Your students will follow the eider team into the field, a unique outdoor lab, and a traditional indoor lab as these scientists work to answer questions about Steller’s eiders. This VFT can be used in a number of ways. Individuals may navigate through the pages on their own and meet all the scientists through the links on the right-hand bar. Self-guided exploration can be completed in about an hour. Alternately, teachers may facilitate a structured experience, working through each page of the VFT together as a class. Lesson plans (included in the right-hand column of this page) are available to supplement online content. Lesson plans include activities that help explain taxonomy, explore community ecology, and engage students with hands-on field techniques and an egg dissection. TO USE THIS VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP YOU WILL NEED: - Internet access, video-streaming capabilities - Access to Eyes on Eiders the virtual field trip - Projection system (with audio) to display content or a computer lab (with headphones) - Corresponding lesson plans (arranged 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: General information on Steller's Eiders: US Fish & Wildlife Service: Steller's Eider Factsheet US Fish & Wildlife Service: Steller's Eider Recovery Plan US Fish & Wildlife Service: Species Profile for Steller's Eiders General information about the Y-K Delta: Video: Alaska's Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge Education Resources Related to Climate Change: NOAA Education Resources: Climate Change Impacts 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 MELTDOWN virtual field trip. Background_Activities.pdf Questions_Activities.pdf Center_Activities.pdf Field_Activities.pdf Results_Activities.pdf Glossary.pdf          

    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() 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 discover the mechanisms behind a mystery unfolding in the Gulf of Alaska. Learn about the work of a collaborative team of scientists from many different ocean science disciplines, and follow along with the narrator as she explores the scientists’ process of initially observing unusual phenomena in the Gulf of Alaska and seek to discover the causes and connections. You can use this VFT in conjunction with the “Gulf Watch Alaska: Long-term monitoring” VFT, or as a stand-alone piece. 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 mystery of the seabird die-off that occurred in the Gulf of Alaska, during the winter of 2015 – 2016. They will explore various aspects of the investigation and how, collectively, the scientists were able to begin uncovering the mechanisms behind the extreme die-off event.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES: After completing this virtual field trip, students will be able to: • Understand the process of scientific thinking and the use of the Scientific Method as a tool to develop questions and search for answers. • Understand the collaborative nature of science and how researchers from various disciplines working together can provide a ‘big picture’ view of a dynamic marine ecosystem. • Explain how an ecosystem is composed of many different components, including physical and chemical processes that drive the ecosystem and determine the conditions for survival of marine life. • Use evidence to make a claim about the cause or causes of a change in a population. 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, investigating the marine ecosystems since the 1989 oil spill. This program focusses on a recent mystery that has unfolded in the Gulf of Alaska, beginning with the observation of an extreme seabird die-off event. Organized into three main pages, this VFT follows researchers along on an investigation to uncover what caused this mortality event. 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 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. 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 all the classes and programs we offer, including our inquiry-based 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: Observation Observation Poster Template Lesson 2: Investigation Lesson 3: Discovery          

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.

animatedcollapse.addDiv('1', '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('2', '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 DR. BODIL BLUHM MARINE BIOLOGIST AND RESEARCH ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS WHAT SHE STUDIES: -Marine invertebrates -Sea ice & benthic ecology EDUCATION: B.A. Biology M.S. Zoology Ph.D. Marine Biology ONE COOL EXPERIENCE WHEN WORKING IN THE ARCTIC WAS... "We were trying to trawl for bottom fauna, at like 10,000 feet, in ice (in the Arctic deep sea). We deployed an ROV and deep sea cameras and we were sitting on the ship, and live-seeing what was on the sea floor, creeping around there." Dr. Bodil Bluhm describes what she likes best about Arctic marine research. (1:00) Video Transcript   I think the two things I like best are the interactions with people, and that's both with the fellow scientists from all over the place as well as with outreach activities, just talking to my five year old and her preschool group- the other day they had this ocean topic and I brought my dive gear, and they get all excited- so that's one part I really like, the interaction with people. Also on the international level, with the Arctic being the Arctic there's a lot of countries all around it, and we really have contacts to all of them. The other thing I really like is the study area itself. It has so many challenges, and it is under pressure from all these different activities- including climate change, and oil and gas and so on- but it just keeps being an interesting area to me to study. So those are the two things that really keep me excited about the work.   WHO IS STUDYING SEA ICE?  

Seward, Alaska (January 29, 2015) – The Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC) is proud to announce the 2015 Alaska Ocean Leadership Awards. These awards are given annually to individuals and organizations that  have made significant contributions to the awareness and sustainability of the state’s marine resources. The Alaska SeaLife Center appreciates the support provided by the award sponsors and thanks the Awards Committee members: Jason Brune, Dale Hoffman, Dr. Mike Castellini, Dr. Ian Dutton, Lisa Busch, Molly McCammon, Denby Lloyd, and Carlyn Nichols for assistance in selecting the awardees.  Two of the awards were presented at the Alaska Marine Science Symposium the week of January 19, 2015 at the Hotel Captain Cook in Anchorage, Alaska. The remaining awards will be presented at the Alaska Marine Gala on February 21, 2015 at the Dena’ina Center in Anchorage, Alaska. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are still available.  For additional information, visit www.alaskasealife.org Following are the 2015 Alaska Ocean Leadership Award winners: Al Burch will receive the prestigious Walter J. and Ermalee Hickel Lifetime Achievement Award. The late Governor Walter J. Hickel and his wife Ermalee endowed this award for 10 years to recognize an individual who has made exceptional contributions to the management of Alaska’s coastal and ocean resources over a period of 20 years or more. Starting as a shrimp dragger in Seward, Al Burch has fished Alaskan waters for more than 55 years and serves on numerous national and international fishing boards. Since 2002, Al has represented the Kodiak Island Borough on the board of the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council. Al accepted the council position because he believes it is important that active fishermen have representation. He strives for an equal balance between various interest groups to ensure Alaskan waters are protected but not overly regulated. Al is a founding member of the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation and served 30 years on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Advisory Panel. He recently retired as the Executive Director of the Alaska Whitefish Trawlers Association, a non-profit group representing approximately 40 bottom-fish vessels out of Kodiak. He was inducted into the United Fishermen of Alaska’s Seafood Hall of Fame in 2009 for his dedication to Alaska’s fisheries and ocean resources. Award to be presented at the Alaska Marine Gala.   The Alyeska Vessel of Opportunity Program will receive the Stewardship& Sustainability Award. This award is sponsored by Jason Brune, and honors an industry leader that demonstrates the highest commitment to sustainability of ocean resources. Alyeska Pipeline Service Company employs its Ship Escort/Response Vessel System (SERVS) annually to train and educate crew members of some 450 vessels in Prince William Sound to support spill response in the region. Participants from Valdez, Cordova, Whittier, Homer, Kodiak, and Seward learn necessary skills to join Alyeska in spill response, containment, and recovery. The training results in an entire fleet of an estimated 1,500 professionals now poised to work with SERVS to protect their communities in the unlikely case of an actual incident. The local knowledge and commitment of the Prince William Sound fishing communities is evident in this program’s ongoing success - ensuring that the fisheries and environment are protected and sustained for years to come. Award to be presented at the Alaska Marine Gala.   Alisa Aist will receive the Ocean Youth Award, which is sponsored by Dale Hoffman. The award honors an individual, or team, of Alaskan youth ages 12-19 who have displayed a dedication to promoting the understanding and stewardship of Alaska’s oceans. Alisa is a student at Polaris K-12 School in Anchorage. Her dream to become a marine biologist was born in seventh grade during a school field trip to the tide pools in Homer. Since that trip, Alisa has taken every opportunity to expand her scientific knowledge. Alisa has taken extra science classes at school, attended two summer science camps run through the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and created four research projects for the Alaska Science and Engineering Fair, presenting two of these projects at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. Alisa has worked alongside her community to do research and has continued to present her work at school, local organizations, and symposiums. Award to be presented at the Alaska Marine Gala.   Benjamin Carney received the Marine Science Outreach Award. This award is given to a person, team or organization that has made an outstanding contribution to ocean literacy via formal or informal education, media or other communications. It is co-sponsored by the University of Alaska, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences and the Alaska Ocean Observing System. Armed with a B.S. in Wildlife Biology and M.S. in Fisheries, Ben currently teaches chemistry, physical science, and oceanography at Juneau-Douglas High School.  His passion centers on the National Ocean Sciences Bowl and coaching his students to victory. Ben has coached a team from Juneau-Douglas High School to first place at the state level since 2007, the longest winning streak in the history of the Alaska Tsunami Bowl. Last year’s winning team, Team Pogonophoraphobia, placed third at the National Finals. Award was presented at the Alaska Marine Science Symposium.   Jacqueline Grebmeier and Lee Cooper received the Marine Research Award, sponsored by Drs. Clarence Pautzke and Maureen McCrea. This honor is given to a scientist, team of  scientists, or an institution that is acknowledged by peers to have made an original breakthrough contribution to any field of scientific knowledge about Alaska’s oceans. Jacqueline and Lee have shown major leadership in Pacific Arctic marine research over the past several decades. Both conducted their Ph.D. work at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and are now Research  Professors at the University of Maryland, Center for Environmental Science. Spending most of their summers at sea in Alaska’s arctic, both have participated in dozens of research cruises, many as chief scientists. Through involvement in high level national committees, strong management skills, and deep knowledge of the Pacific Arctic, they have provided important leadership in large research  programs, such as BEST-BSIERP, the Pacific Arctic Marine Regional Synthesis, and the Distributed Biological Observatory. Award was presented at the  Alaska Marine Science Symposium.     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 programs. 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.  

Seward, Alaska (January 22, 2016) – The Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC) is proud to announce the recipients of the 2016 Alaska Ocean Leadership Awards. These awards are given annually to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the awareness and sustainability of the state’s marine resources. The Alaska SeaLife Center appreciates the support provided by the award sponsors and thanks the Awards Committee members: Denby Lloyd, Molly McCammon, Lisa Busch, Ian Dutton, Jason Brune, Michael Castellini and Phyllis Shoemaker for assistance in selecting the awardees. Two of the awards will be presented at the Alaska Marine Science Symposium on January 25, 2016 at the Hotel Captain Cook in Anchorage, Alaska. The remaining awards will be presented at the Alaska Marine Gala on February 13, 2016 at the Dena’ina Center in Anchorage, Alaska. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are still available.  For additional information, visit www.alaskasealife.org or contact Nancy Anderson, nancya@alaskasealife.org or 907-224-6396. Following are the 2016 Alaska Ocean Leadership Award winners: Captain Ed Page will receive the prestigious Walter J. and Ermalee Hickel Lifetime Achievement Award. The late Governor Walter J. Hickel and his wife Ermalee endowed this award for 10 years to recognize an individual who has made exceptional contributions to the management of Alaska’s coastal and ocean resources over a period of 20 years or more. Through his tireless efforts to promote safety, stewardship, and environmental protection of the marine environment, Captain Ed Page has been an exemplary leader and public servant on behalf of Alaska's oceans. Even after 29 years of service with the United States Coast Guard, Captain Page chose not to retire. Instead, he put his extensive maritime experience, knowledge of marine law, contacts with the shipping industry, talent for communication, and passion for the ocean to good use by creating the Marine Exchange of Alaska in 2000. Under his leadership, the Marine Exchange of Alaska tracks and monitors over 2,000 vessels in the 1.2 million square miles of ocean bordering Alaska. The Marine Exchange makes it more likely that potential vessel-related problems at sea will be detected, thereby preventing unseen marine accidents. Award to be presented at the Alaska Marine Gala.  The nonprofit organizationSeaShare will receive the Stewardship & Sustainability Award. This award is sponsored by Jason Brune, and honors an industry leader that demonstrates the highest commitment to sustainability of ocean resources. SeaShare leads our seafood industry in a collective effort to improve nutrition for the people served by our nation’s food bank network. SeaShare combines the generosity of fishermen with processors, service providers, and financial donors to generate high volumes of donated seafood. SeaShare started in 1994 with an Experimental Fishing Permit to retain Prohibited Species Bycatch in Dutch Harbor and use those valuable fish resources for hunger relief. Over 20 years later, SeaShare remains the only organization authorized by NMFS to coordinate donations from over 120 boats and shore plants in Alaska. To date, this has resulted in 4 million pounds of fish distributed in communities such as Anchorage, Kodiak, Juneau, Cordova, Fairbanks, St. Paul, Kotzebue, Galena, Nome, Diomede, Savoonga and Wales. It’s a great story of fishermen and processors who respect the resource and who want to see that fewer fish are wasted. Award to be presented at the Alaska Marine Gala. Sofia Astaburuaga will receive the Hoffman-Greene Ocean Youth Award, which is sponsored by Dale Hoffman.The award honors an individual or team of Alaskan youth ages 12-19 who have displayed a dedication to promoting the understanding and stewardship of Alaska’s oceans. Sofia is an active member of Alaska Youth for Environmental Action, and is passionate about working with teens on issues related to climate change and the environment. She has worked on habitat restoration and resource monitoring efforts in Prince William Sound and the Chugach National Forest, as well as salmon habitat restoration through the Student Conservation Association. This past year, Sofia has been working with researchers at the University of Alaska to investigate the effects of plastics on seabirds in the Aleutians. Award to be presented at the Alaska Marine Gala. Arliss Sturgulewski will be recognized with the Ocean Ambassador Award. The Ocean Ambassador Award was created to recognize an individual or organization that has made outstanding contributions in promoting public awareness and appreciation of Alaska’s oceans, coasts, and marine ecosystems. Arliss is well-known throughout the state of Alaska for her service in political office and on many key advisory committees related to marine research and outreach. She is an active champion for the wise use of Alaska’s resources. While serving in the Alaska State Senate from 1979 to 1993, Arliss was an advisor to the International North Pacific Fisheries Commission. She fought against foreign fishing in US waters and championed the Community Development Quota program that supports local Alaska communities and fisheries. She has also been a member of the University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences Advisory Council since 1992 and has served on the Alaska Sea Grant Program Statewide Advisory Committee since 2003. In these roles, she has been actively supportive of expanded marine research capacities in the state, as well as providing scholarship opportunities to students. Award to be presented at the Alaska Marine Gala. Susan Saupe will receive the Marine Science Outreach Award. This award is given to a person, team or organization that has made an outstanding contribution to ocean literacy via formal or informal education, media or other communications. It is co-sponsored by the University of Alaska, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences and the Alaska Ocean Observing System. Susan grew up on Kodiak Island, earned a Master’s degree in Chemical Oceanography, and has conducted research at sea throughout Alaska. She has been with the Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council since 1996, and drew on her previous experiences to build their science program. Her role as Director of Science and Research provides unique opportunities to bridge the gap between marine researchers and coastal communities. Susan includes outreach in each program component – whether talking about oceanography, contaminants monitoring, coastal habitat mapping and assessments, or oil fate and effects research – to build meaningful partnerships. By seeking commonalities, Susan leverages funding, logistics, and expertise to collect and deliver user-friendly information about Alaska’s marine environment to a wider range of research, educational, agency, industry, and community users. Award to be presented at the Alaska Marine Science Symposium. Dr. Gunnar Knapp was selected toreceive the Marine Research Award, sponsored by Drs. Clarence Pautzke and Maureen McCrea. This honor is given to a scientist, team of scientists, or an institution that is acknowledged by peers to have made an original breakthrough contribution to any field of scientific knowledge about Alaska’s oceans. Dr. Gunnar Knapp has been studying fisheries management, fisheries markets, and the world seafood industry for more than twenty-five years, focusing particularly on the Alaska salmon industry. Gunnar’s willingness and ability to build close links with all sectors of the industry make him an inspiration to researchers in his field.  During the 1990’s, he began the Salmon Market Information Service for the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. He co-authored the major 1997 report “The Great Salmon Run: Competition between Wild and Farmed Salmon.” He has written numerous articles and reports on salmon markets, trends in limited entry permit ownership, the effects of halibut and crab IFQs, the Chignik salmon co-op, implications of climate change, and the economic impacts of Alaska fisheries. Dr. Knapp is closely engaged with the seafood industry and policy makers in Alaska. Currently, he is writing a book, The Economics of Fish, which is intended as an introduction to the insights provided by economics about fisheries, aquaculture and the seafood industry. Award to be presented at the Alaska Marine Science Symposium. 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 programs. It generates and shares scientific knowledge to promote 

  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()         MEET NATHAN BAWTINHIMER Aviculturist at the Alaska SeaLife Center WHAT HE DOES: - Eider husbandry - Eider mate pairing - Artificial incubation EDUCATION: B.S. in Biological Sciences with minor in Wildlife Science from North Carolina State University HOMETOWN: Ayden, North Carolina   "THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A TYPICAL DAY... During breeding season we'll candle all the eggs, enter all the data in the spreadsheet, and keep very detailed records of everything we see every day when we candle. The husbandry aspect is much less time-consuming in the winter time. In the winter, it's a lot of cleaning and routine maintenance. Like this past winter, we put up bird spikes to keep away ravens and magpies that like to sit on the walls." Nathan tells how and why he got his start working with Steller's eiders. (0:58) Video Transcript I’m the eider research aviculturist. I help with setting up pairs, setting up nest sites, promoting breeding behaviors and a lot of the incubation practices that we use. I have raised birds since I was a teenager with my father. My senior year of college I did an internship with Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Center in Scotland Neck, North Carolina. I worked with over 100 different species of waterfowl there but the Steller's are one of the few species I hadn’t worked with and I really wanted to get some experience with them, and this job presented itself and I was lucky enough to get it and I have been enjoying working with them ever since. They’re really not like any of the other eiders. The fact that they’re declining so rapidly is a motivating factor for me to jump on board with the eider team to try and help save them and reintroduce them to the wild.   CLICK BELOW TO LEARN ABOUT SEADUCK SCIENTISTS!    

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()         MEET TASHA DIMARZIO Avian Curator at the Alaska SeaLife Center WHAT SHE DOES: - Manages captive eider population - Assists with field work in Barrow and on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta EDUCATION: B.S. in Fish and Wildlife Management from Minot State University, North Dakota HOMETOWN: Lake Tapps, Washington ONE OF MY FAVORITE ASPECTS OF THE PROJECT IS... "I really like mentoring interns and just getting people jazzed about birds, about why I love birds, and about what we do here. It's always fun to see young people come in and they might not really know a lot about eiders or birds and, hopefully, by the time they leave they will want to pursue a career with birds." Tasha talks about how she started working with birds and what she enjoys most about her work at the Alaska SeaLife Center. (x:00) Video Transcript My mom got me three chickens when I was ten and I kind of fell in love with them really quick, and then just started accumulating more and more birds. By the time I went to college I had something like 5 aviaries with a thousand or so birds. So, I kind of became obsessed with it and kind of sprouted from there and ever since it’s just been wanting to work on more and more birds, specifically marine birds and waterfowl. The work I do here is: I help manage the captive breeding population of the Steller’s and spectacled eiders and then I get to help with some of the field research on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. My favorite part is definitely the field aspect. By going out there you can not only learn from the environment and collect data but then you can also see the birds in their natural habitat and bring that back here to the Center and try to put that into play with the husbandry of the birds and making these habitats the best we can and trying to replicate what the field is like. But then also feeling like you are really contributing to science and what we are doing here is affecting what is going on in the wild.   CLICK BELOW TO LEARN ABOUT SEADUCK SCIENTISTS!  

We would like to thank our many organization and corporate donors who have made donations to help Save the Center! April 20 - October 26, 2020 $500,000+ City of Seward $250,000-$499,999 ConocoPhillips Alaska Walter J. and Ermalee Hickel Alaska Fund $50,000-$249,999 Forget-Me-Not Family Foundation GCI M.E. Webber Foundation Richard L. and Diane M. Block Foundation $20,000-$49,999 Hilcorp Alaska Major Marine Tours Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd PetZoo Alaska LLC SSA Marine The T. Henry and Karin Wilson Fund   $10,000-$19,999 Borman Family Foundation The Kahiltna Charitable Fund Zudy's Cafe   $5,000-$9,999 Alaska Clean Seas Alaska Excel Alaska Mill & Feed Chugach Alaska Corporation Greater Houston Community Foundation Kenai Peninsula CHARR Inc Rasmuson Foundation The River Kelly Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee   $2,000-$4,999 America's Charities Arctic Chiropractic ASRC Energy Services Cornerstone Credit Services Dirtworks, Inc. Glacier Grind Coffee Midnight Sun Brewing Co. Midnite Mine Brewing Company PND Engineers, Inc RISQ Consulting Sam Ink Designs Seward Community Foundation Susitna Landing JJS Outdoors The R.M.R. Family Foundation   $1,000-$1,999 Acai Alaska Altura Bistro American Legion Auxiliary - Spenard Unit 28 BDS Architects Big Daddy's Pizza Bread & Brew LLC Christopher Cooke Charitable Giving Fund Halo Solon John Kotrotsios Fund Kenai Peninsula Eagles Auxiliary Ladies Auxiliary, Aerie 4207 Love from Alaska Matson Minda & Joshua Nieblas Giving Fund Ravenwood Veterinary Clinic Rock Solid Pile Company LLC Roti LLC Schwabenhof, Inc. Seward Properties SLR International Corporation Tanadgusix Corporation The Bake Shop The BP Foundation The Kimberly Vargas Fund The Parkwood Fund Vergeben Services Company   The full list of 2020 donors will be displayed at the end of the year.  

Seward, Alaska (January 31, 2017) – The Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2017 Alaska Ocean Leadership Awards. These awards are given annually to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the awareness and sustainability of the state’s marine resources. The Alaska SeaLife Center appreciates the support provided by the award sponsors and thanks the awards committee members: Betsy Baker, Molly McCammon, Lisa Busch, Ian Dutton, Jason Brune and Michael Castellini for assistance in selecting the awardees.  The awards will be presented at the Alaska Marine Gala on February 11, 2017 at the Dena’ina Center in Anchorage, Alaska. Tickets are nearly sold out.  For more information, please contact: Nancy Anderson, nancya@alaskasealife.org or 907-224-6396.   Following are the 2017 Alaska Ocean Leadership Award winners: Dorothy Childers will receive the prestigious Walter J. and Ermalee Hickel Lifetime Achievement Award. The late Governor Walter J. Hickel and his wife Ermalee endowed this award for 10 years to recognize an individual who has made exceptional contributions to the management of Alaska’s coastal and ocean resources for more than 20 years. Dorothy Childers’ contributions to the management of Alaska’s coastal and ocean resources have included tireless work of an exceptional quality as program staff, executive director, and as a Pew Marine Fellow with the Alaska Marine Conservation Council. She devoted her career to protecting the long-term health of Alaska’s oceans and to ensuring a voice for those Alaskans whose economy and culture depend on the long-term health of our ocean resources. Dorothy was instrumental in the North Pacific Fishery Management Council’s promulgation of a northern bottom trawl boundary in the Bering Sea, a collaboration with Bering Sea Elders Group on the publication of “The Northern Bering Sea: Our Way of Life” to inform conservation decisions, and production of the “Faces of Climate Change” DVD featuring climate scientists and Alaska Native observers. She has been a quiet catalyst for ongoing efforts to bring together Western science and traditional knowledge for continued understanding of climate change and its consequences for marine life, ocean habitat, communities, and cultures. Special projects supporting Bristol Bay fisheries and engaging coastal Alaskans on ocean acidification are helping to safeguard marine ecosystems. She has served on the North Pacific Research Board since 2004. ConocoPhillips will receive the Stewardship and Sustainability Award. This award is sponsored by Jason Brune, and honors an industry leader that demonstrates the highest commitment to sustainability of ocean resources. The year 2016 marked the 31st year that ConocoPhillips and its predecessors have funded a collaborative program with local fishers to monitor the fall Qaaqtak (Arctic cisco, Coregonus autumnalis) subsistence fish harvest on the Nigliq Channel of the Colville River, making it one of the longest Arctic subsistence fishery datasets in the world. Qaaqtak are a highly-prized food source for Alaskan Inupiat communities and a particularly important cultural resource for the nearby community of Nuiqsut. The monitoring program incorporates local and traditional knowledge of Nuiqsut fishers and collects data on Qaaktak abundance, the effort required to catch the species throughout the harvest season, as well as age, length, and weight of the catch. The information is used to monitor overall trends in the fishery. The program concept was originally focused on monitoring fish in Prudhoe Bay, but was expanded to include the Colville River Delta based on a request from Nuiqsut residents. ConocoPhillips has continued to voluntarily support the program as a commitment to the sustainability of an important anadromous species for which little was known of its lifecycle before the monitoring program began. Cade Emory Terada will receive the Hoffman-Greene Ocean Youth Award, which is sponsored by Dale Hoffman.The award honors an individual or team of Alaskan youth ages 12-19 who has displayed a dedication to promoting the understanding and stewardship of Alaska’s oceans. Cade has dedicated the past two years to advocating for our oceans. As the son of a fisherman and an active community member in Unalaska, he has a vested interest in protecting the oceans. Cade has traveled to Washington D.C. and Juneau to meet and speak with politicians about the impacts of ocean acidification on the crabbing and commercial fishing industries. Last year he also became an Arctic Youth Ambassador, and joined in official Arctic Council meetings to talk about his community’s concerns around oceans on an international level. Cade also participated in the Students on Ice program, which last summer brought together youth from across the Arctic to Greenland and Canada to dive deeper into how communities, land, and ocean are connected to ice and warming temperatures. In August of 2016, he took part in the Aleutian Life Forum which discussed ocean acidification and strategies for building more resilient communities. Despite the jet setting lifestyle that Cade has lived for the past two years as he has traveled to advocate for our oceans, he is a committed community member and student. He maintains a high grade point average and participates in school sports and clubs. He also encourages his peers to get involved and recently helped start a chapter of Alaska Youth for Environmental Action to bring Unalaska students together. Phyllis Shoemaker will receive the Marine Science Outreach Award. This award is given to a person, team or organization that has made an outstanding contribution to ocean literacy via formal or informal education, media or other communications. It is sponsored by the Alaska Ocean Observing System. Phyllis Shoemaker coordinated and quietly led the Alaska Region National Ocean Sciences Bowl – “Tsunami Bowl” – in Seward for over 15 years. Her work make possible the development of hundreds of budding marine science high school students, many of whom have gone on to the university study of marine science and careers in the field. During her time as coordinator for the “Tsunami Bowl” it grew from about ten teams competing each year to the maximum of twenty teams, often with waiting lists, that represent schools from throughout urban and rural parts of the state, from Southeast Alaska to the Arctic. Her leadership and work in getting sponsors for the Bowl, finding housing for teams and volunteers coming from thousands of miles away, organizing a complex competition schedule and set of brackets and bringing the National Ocean Sciences Bowl final competition to Alaska, have been essential to the Bowl’s success. Dr. Stanley Rice was selected to receive the Marine Research Award, sponsored by Drs. Clarence Pautzke and Maureen McCrea. This honor is given to a scientist, team of scientists, or an institution that is acknowledged by peers to have made an original breakthrough contribution to any field of scientific knowledge about Alaska’s oceans. Following a federal career spanning more than 40 years, Dr. Stanley Rice, known to all as “Jeep,” retired as Program Manager of Habitat and Chemistry at NOAA’s Auke Bay Laboratories in 2012. Jeep and his team’s tireless efforts, including more than 150 publications, have greatly added to our understanding of the long term fate and biological effects of oil in the marine environment whether it be from spills or chronic oil pollution. The discovery of the extent to which very low concentrations of oil in the environment could damage the productivity of marine organisms and compromise their habitats culminated, after a decade of further research, in a publication in Science (2003). These findings were built upon by other scientists to extend to seabirds, marine mammals, and the intertidal biota, resulting in a major paradigm shift in the scientific view of oil spills and chronic pollution. Beyond the arena of catastrophic oil spills, Jeep’s findings have been applied by scientists in the management of very low levels of hydrocarbon pollution and the protection of ecosystems in urban estuaries. For example, Jeep’s team’s findings led to more stringent water quality standards for hydrocarbons in fish spawning habitats. Jeep’s work also had an impact on oil spill contingency planning where proactive measures such as double hulled tankers and altered shipping routes have appeared in plans that once focused solely on cleanup technologies. 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 programs. 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.

Check here to learn more about the round-the-clock care provided to Tyonek while at the Alaska SeaLife Center.                     3/9/2018 It has been a long journey for Tyonek and we were happy to be a part of this young calf’s story. Tyonek is the first Cook Inlet beluga calf to ever be successfully rehabilitated. Learn more about how the Alaska SeaLife Center team worked to rehabilitate Tyonek here. 3/9/2018 Learn more about Tyonek’s transition to his new home at SeaWorld San Antonio here. 2/27/2018 One of Tyonek's favorite enrichment activities is playing with bubbles. Check out this video! 2/21/2018 Check out this KTUU Channel 2 News story on Tyonek! 2/10/2018 Tyonek is the first Cook Inlet beluga calf to ever be successfully rehabilitated. He was found stranded, high and dry on the beach in very poor condition. Six institutions from all across North America united to care for this little cetacean. He has recovered against the odds thanks to our staff here at ASLC and dedicated partners at Shedd Aquarium, Mystic Aquarium, Georgia Aquarium, SeaWorld, and Vancouver Aquarium. When Tyonek first arrived at the Center, September 30th he was 64 kilos and 162 cm long. Today he is 116 kilos and 180 cm long. We are ecstatic that Tyonek continues to grow and gain strength when just over four months ago he was found stranded, malnourished, and dehydrated on a beach. Amazing the things we can do when we work together.     2/8/2018 Once NOAA Fisheries determined Tyonek was non-releasable and could not survive in the wild, the agency followed its formal procedure to place him at a permanent care facility in the United States. Based on a thorough review of the applications, NOAA Fisheries selected SeaWorld San Antonio as the location best suited for Tyonek to thrive because they have both adult females and young male calves that will be important for Tyonek’s social development. Read more about NOAA’s decision here. 1/19/2018 We, at ASLC, along with our supporters and partners, have been awaiting NOAA's decision about Tyonek's future. Since he is the first stranded Cook Inlet beluga calf to ever be successfully rehabilitated, it was a long process to determine what would be best for this young calf. NOAA Fisheries has announced Tyonek is not a candidate for release due to his young age upon arrival, health conditions, and other factors. Read more about NOAA's decision and the next steps for Tyonek here. 1/7/2018 As part of our environmental enrichment we play Cook Inlet beluga whale sounds for Tyonek twice a day in five minute intervals. Our animal caretakers notice that he is very curious about the sounds and even mimics the calls. This type of enrichment helps us assess how his vocalizations are progressing as well as his hearing. Watch this video to hear Tyonek's calls.  We receive Cook Inlet beluga whale sounds from a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) based study. Learn more about the study here.  12/22/2017 The Alaska SeaLife Center is excited to introduce Beluga Chats! What does it take to care for a baby beluga? Don't miss this opportunity to chat with Alaska SeaLife Center husbandry or vet staff caring for Tyonek, the three-month-old beluga whale. Chats will be at 12:15 PM on December 26th, 28th, 29th, and 30th. For a limited time only. Participation is free with paid admission. 12/18/2017 Similar to newborns in hospitals across the country, Tyonek had his hearing tested. Preliminary results do not indicate any significant problems and he appears to have hearing ability similar to belugas tested in Bristol Bay. 12/7/2017 Click here to watch a Q&A session and bottle feed with Tyonek, the rescued Cook Inlet beluga calf. 11/21/2017 While Tyonek's energy levels are on a positive trend, we still monitor him very closely as stranding is a traumatic experience that can cause unseen internal damage. Our team uses imaging (ultrasound, radiographs, and CT scans) to regularly monitor Tyonek's condition. For instance, we are able to track increase in blubber as he puts on weight as well as changes in his internal organs. 11/19/2017 "When it comes to helping a terribly rare Cook Inlet beluga, every day is a victory.” Check out this Washington Post article to learn a bit more about Tyonek and hear from his caretakers here.  11/17/2017 We have been getting some wonderful support from our Facebook community regarding ASLC's efforts with Tyonek and we thank you! Our Wildlife Response efforts are made possible by visitors, members, donors, and the community.  "We support your incredible efforts to save this calf! Kudos to your dedicated and hard working team. This is a round the clock effort. Incredibly proud of the work you are doing! Keep it up crew!" - Nancy C.  To support Tyonek and our other Wildlife Response patients, donate here. 11/15/2017 Tyonek is now in our outdoor pool. Only after slowly acclimating the beluga to colder water temperatures in our I.Sea.U unit, was our team able to transition him outside. He is handling the climate change well. 11/12/2017 Tyonek is now exclusively on bottles! Initially, he was not strong enough to take in the necessary daily calories through just a bottle so we had to supplement his diet with tube feedings. Thanks to the efforts of our staff and partners, this little calf has recovered enough to successfully participate in all of his bottle feedings. Georgia Aquarium, Mystic Aquarium, SeaWorld, Shedd Aquarium, Vancouver Aquarium. 11/05/2017 Marc Lester, from Alaska Dispatch News wrote this article about Tyonek, the Cook Inlet beluga calf here at ASLC. Read the story here. 11/05/2017 Tyonek's rehabilitation has progressed enough that we are introducing him to our outdoor pool in short intervals. We want to slowly acclimate him to the cooler temperatures beluga's are accustomed to. For now, his outdoor time will vary from day to day. 11/03/2017 Check out this video to learn more about how the beluga team assesses Tyonek's health!  10/26/2017 Check out this video to learn more about what goes in to caring for a stranded beluga calf. We could not do this without the help of our dedicated partners: Georgia Aquarium, Shedd Aquarium, SeaWorld, Mystic Aquarium, and Vancouver Aquarium. This little cetacean is still in our I.Sea.U and is currently not viewable to the public. We will keep you updated when this changes. Thank you for your patience and support! 10/24/2017 BELUGA UPDATE! There are various tests and check-ups our staff regularly conducts on this little beluga calf to gauge his condition. One thing we do is collect thermal imagery from a FLIR camera to keep track of any sore muscles or other soft tissue injuries. In this particular image it looks like his only current “hot spot” is from his eye, which is normal. No other sources of heat are obvious which is good since it means no infections or injured muscles are in the pictured area.      

Seward, Alaska (February 8, 2018) – The Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2018 Alaska Ocean Leadership Awards. These awards are given annually to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the awareness and sustainability of the state’s marine resources. The Alaska SeaLife Center appreciates the support provided by the award sponsors and thanks the awards committee members: Jason Brune, Lisa Busch, Ian Dutton, Dale Hoffman, and Molly McCammon for their assistance in selecting the award recipients. These awards were presented at the Alaska Marine Gala on February 3, 2018 at the Dena’ina Center in Anchorage, Alaska. The following are the 2018 Alaska Ocean Leadership Award winners: Mead Treadwell received the prestigious Walter J. and Ermalee Hickel Lifetime Achievement Award. The late Governor Walter J. Hickel and his wife Ermalee endowed this award for 10 years to recognize individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the management of Alaska’s coastal and ocean resources for more than 20 years. Mead Treadwell has been one of the most influential Alaska ocean leaders of the past 30 years. From his early career experience responding to the Exxon Valdez oil spill on behalf of the City of Cordova and as Deputy Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, to his service on the boards of the Oil Spill Recovery Institute and the Prince William Sound Science Center, and to his more recent roles as Chair of the United States Arctic Research Commission, Lieutenant Governor of Alaska, and as a business leader catalyzing international fisheries partnerships, Mead has demonstrated remarkable vision and helped ensure a strong science and education base for ocean management in Alaska. He has also been a leader in Alaska’s efforts to build circumpolar cooperation through the Arctic Council and through his active involvement in numerous Arctic policy-focused organizations including the Institute of the North, the Aspen Institute, the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, the Arctic Circle, and the World Economic Forum’s Global Action Council on the Arctic. He is always open to work with diverse stakeholders and has been a proactive supporter of innovation and pan-Arctic partnerships. Mead has been a tremendous advocate for our oceans and champion for Alaska’s ocean industries, ocean dependent communities and ocean research and education institutions. Major Marine Tours received the Stewardship and Sustainability Award. This award is sponsored by Jason Brune, and honors an industry leader that demonstrates the highest commitment to sustainability of ocean resources. Major Marine Tours applies environmentally friendly practices, by using environmentally friendly cleaning solutions on their vessels and by outfitting their vessels with emission reducing and fuel saving engines. In 2016, owner Tom Tougas was awarded the Business Energy Efficiency Leader of the Year Award from the Seward Alternative Energy Group. A current member of the Board of Directors of the Alaska SeaLife Center, Tougas invites guests to donate to the ASLC at the time of booking to raise funds for their Wildlife Response Program. They also conduct other fundraisers, and have assisted the ASLC in the release of rehabilitated wildlife from their vessels. Major Marine Tours is an active participant in Whale SENSE, a voluntary education and recognition program, committed to responsible whale watching practices. Major Marine Tours also partners with the National Park Service and the National Forest Service to promote environmental education through their onboard Park Range narration and Junior Ranger Program, helping guests from all over the world learn about how to better care for our marine environment and coastlines. Kyrstyn Kelly received the Hoffman-Greene Ocean Youth Award, which is sponsored by Dale Hoffman. The award honors an individual or team of Alaskan youth ages 12-19 who has displayed a dedication to promoting the understanding and stewardship of Alaska’s oceans. As a freshman at Colony High School, Kyrstyn joined the Alaska Youth for Environmental Action (AYEA) to learn about ways to advocate for Alaska’s environment. In 2015, she was an intern for the Center for Alaska Coastal Studies in Homer, where she gained experience working in the fields of environmental education and environmental science. At the Center for Alaska Coastal Studies, she helped with research, tours, and other aspects of protecting our oceans. Kyrstyn is a member of the board of the Alaska Center Education Fund. She is a passionate advocate for research and the health of our oceans and shows an eagerness to expand her understanding of marine and environmental issues. She has attended and presented at the Alaska Forum on the Environment for three years in a row. Last summer, Kyrstyn traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet with the Alaska delegation and urge funding for vital programs for our oceans and coasts including the Village Safe Water program. She has participated in the state Science Olympiad program in events such as ecology, hydrogeology, and invasive species. Kyrstyn is the Colony High School Senior Class Secretary, has been a member of the Key Club since her freshman year, and is an avid skier. Paula Cullenberg received the Marine Science Outreach Award. This award is given to a person, team or organization that has made an outstanding contribution to ocean literacy via formal or informal education, media or other communications. It is sponsored by the Alaska Ocean Observing System. Paula Cullenberg is the Director of Alaska Sea Grant, a University of Alaska Fairbanks-NOAA partnership with offices across coastal Alaska. Paula has brought over 35 years of service, vision, and skill to Alaska, its coastal communities, and the marine resources we all depend on. Paula first came to the state in the late 1970’s serving as an observer on a Russian trawler in the Bering Sea. She then traveled to villages in western Alaska as the first extension agent for the Bering Sea Fishermen’s Association. She continued her career working as an aide for interior legislator Kay Wallis, as a subsistence advocate for the Tanana Chiefs Conference and as a Sea Grant Marine Advisory agent in Bristol Bay. At the University of Alaska, Paula directed the Fishery Observer Training Center at UAA and joined Alaska Sea Grant in 2002 working as a coastal communities specialist and ultimately director of the program. Paula has provided well-respected leadership of Alaska Sea Grant, whose passionate and talented Marine Advisory faculty and staff help Alaskans understand and responsibly use our marine resources. Paula established the Alaska Sea Grant State Fellowship program which links newly completed graduate students with state and federal agencies. In 2015, Paula worked to create the Alaska Maritime Workforce Development Plan for the State of Alaska. She has also initiated an innovative school grant program that has invested more than $100,000 in marine and watershed education programming in schools around the state. She and her family fish commercially in Bristol Bay and just completed their 30th salmon season last summer. Dr. John “Craig” George was selected toreceive the Marine Research Award, sponsored by Drs. Clarence Pautzke and Maureen McCrea. This honor is given to a scientist, team of scientists, or an institution that is acknowledged by peers to have made an original breakthrough contribution to any field of scientific knowledge about Alaska’s oceans. A Senior Wildlife Biologist for the North Slope Borough, Craig George has lived in UtqiaÄ¡vik (formerly called Barrow) since the late 1970’s. His presence in the Arctic and among Iñupiat hunters and elders has given Craig a unique perspective that has been extremely helpful for wildlife conservation and for protecting subsistence hunting opportunities. Craig has helped establish a meaningful process where combining traditional knowledge and western science has improved our understanding and management of the Arctic environment. Craig’s studies, numerous publications, and technical reports have been especially helpful in managing the subsistence hunt of bowhead whales at local, national, and international levels. He has improved knowledge about many aspects of the biology of bowheads, including physiology, energetics, foraging, survival, and reproduction. Because of Craig’s commitment we know more about bowhead whales and how they use the ocean than just about any other marine mammal in the world. Craig’s most noteworthy contribution to biological science is providing evidence that bowhead whales live up to 200 years and are likely the longest-lived mammal. The son of a well-known children’s book author and a professor of Wildlife Management, Craig attributes his achievements by being persistent, working with a diverse group of people, being curious, and recognizing the value of local knowledge. V Rae is this year’s recipient of the Ocean Ambassador Award. The Ocean Ambassador Award recognizes an individual or organization that has made outstanding contributions in promoting public awareness and appreciation of Alaska’s oceans, coasts, and marine ecosystems. V Rae’s images at the Alaska SeaLife Center are not only gorgeous and captivating, they light the way for our deeper respect and love for Alaska’s marine animals. Her work adorns many homes and offices in Alaska and beyond. V’s overall impact is to inspire and excite all of us in our understanding, knowledge, and stewardship of Alaska’s living marine resources. But she is also a direct, fantastic benefactor to the Alaska SeaLife Center, by her many donations of breathtaking artwork for our Gala auction. Each year a portion of V’s work is dedicated to wildlife preservation efforts that protect and sustain the natural tension between subsistence and conservation unique to Alaska and Hawaii, as well as non-profit humanitarian outreach. 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 programs. 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.  

Seward, Alaska (January 24, 2020) – The Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2020 Alaska Ocean Leadership Awards. These awards are given annually to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the awareness and sustainability of the state’s marine resources. The Alaska SeaLife Center appreciates the support provided by the award sponsors and thanks the awards committee members (Betsy Baker, Jason Brune, Lisa Busch, Dale Hoffman, Molly McCammon, Robert Suydam) for their assistance in selecting the award recipients. These awards will be presented at the in Anchorage Alaska Marine Gala on February 8 at the Dena’ina Center and/or at the Alaska Marine Science Symposium on January 27-31. The following are the 2020 Alaska Ocean Leadership Award winners: Molly McCammon will receivethe prestigious Walter J. and Ermalee Hickel Lifetime Achievement Award. The late Governor Walter J. Hickel and his wife Ermalee endowed this award for 10 years to recognize individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the management of Alaska’s coastal and ocean resources for more than 20 years. Molly has worked tirelessly to promote the long term sustainability of Alaska’s coastal and ocean resources, and find creative solutions to meet the needs of Alaskans. Molly came to Alaska in 1973, first as a reporter covering a variety of natural resource issues, then homesteading in the Brooks Range, and later working in various fields in state government. Her service to marine conservation began in 1984 as a legislative aide working on the wild fishery stock priority policy and the new community development quota program. At the Alaska Department of Fish & Game, Molly worked on salmon management issues and on legislation strengthening Alaska’s response and prevention efforts following the Exxon Valdez oil spill. From there, Molly served as Executive Director of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council for nine years. As Executive Director, Molly managed the largest research and monitoring program in the state, with one of her many accomplishments being the installation of annual, multi-disciplinary conferences focused on marine research. These conferences were initially funded by EVOS, and over time, have evolved into the annual Alaska Marine Science Symposium that continues today. Her leadership and work for the Trustee Council directly contributed to many significant research programs that provided a comprehensive understanding of marine ecosystems of Prince William Sound, creating a baseline for evaluation of any future oil spills as well as the dramatic changes in the ocean we are seeing now. In 2003, Molly organized and launched the Alaska Ocean Observing System where she continues to serve as its Executive Director.  Molly has direct involvement in the actual development and running of regional coastal and ocean observations systems. She has taken a leading national role in developing the Integrated Ocean Observing System on a regional level and established the national IOOS Association. Throughout her career, Molly has worked effectively for positive solutions that meet the needs of Alaskans, and, at the same time, foster the conservation and wise use of Alaska’s natural resources, especially its fisheries. Her contributions have made a lasting difference for marine conservation in Alaska. Alaska Wildland Adventures will receivethe Stewardship and Sustainability Award. This award is sponsored by Jason Brune, and honors an industry leader that demonstrates the highest commitment to sustainability of ocean resources. Since 1977 and under the leadership of Kirk Hoessle, Alaska Wildland Adventures has operated natural history tours exclusively in Alaska, providing high quality, interactive experiences in wild Alaska. At the heart of this company’s culture is the strong respect for the environment and unique native heritage of Alaska. AWA recently celebrated its 10th year of operation of the Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge, which was born from a collaborative partnership with Port Graham Native Corporation. The lodge was created to support community goals of the corporation’s Native residents while also creating an environmentally-conscious lodge to host small groups of Alaskan tourists each summer. It is a solid example of positive stewardship and sustainability in Alaska, from its low impact construction methods, to working with local government agencies to create and maintain the Pedersen Lagoon Wildlife Sanctuary that protects native flora and fauna, to supporting the local marine community of Seward. Alaska Wildland Adventures puts a strong emphasis on hiring, shopping, and transporting locally which contributes to the sustainability of the Seward community. Dr. Switgard Duesterloh will receive the Marine Science Outreach Award. This award is given to a person, team or organization that has made an outstanding contribution to ocean literacy via formal or informal education, media or other communications. It is sponsored by the Alaska Ocean Observing System. Dr. Switgard Duesterloh created the Ocean Science Discovery Lab in Kodiak in 2009 and has run several programs for students grades 3-12. She offers science summer camps in Kodiak Island villages and in the city of Kodiak. Her programs include a diverse study of marine biology from food webs to sea otter ecology to sea star experiments, dissections, oil spill history and response, various oceanography experiments, and more. Dr. Duesterloh is inclusive and creative with her students. During the past year she has partnered with the Island Trails Network, a local nonprofit that does beach cleanups throughout Kodiak. She works tirelessly to raise awareness of the problems associated with plastic pollution. Currently, she is organizing a spring Whale Festival, a program inviting the community to partake and recognize Kodiak’s unique position in whale migrations. She also writes a column in the Kodiak Daily Mirror, educating the community about life in the ocean. This year, the Awards Committee named two recipients for the Marine Research Award: Carin Ashjian and the Alaska Beluga Whale Committee.  This award issponsored by Drs. Clarence Pautzke and Maureen McCrea. This honor is given to a scientist, team of scientists, or an institution that is acknowledged by peers to have made an original breakthrough contribution to any field of scientific knowledge about Alaska’s oceans. Carin Ashjianhas contributed important insights to marine research and significantly advanced leadership in shaping marine science programs in the Arctic and Bering Sea for the past two decades. Her substantial expertise in oceanography, zooplankton ecology, and biological-physical interactions focusing on Arctic and sub-arctic regions has advanced our understanding of these systems, and how lower trophic levels respond to the physical environment and connect to higher trophic levels. One specific example of her boundary-straddling work is her decade-long work around UtqiaÄ¡vik where she and her colleagues Steve Okkonen and Bob Campbell focus on the oceanographic mechanisms that produce a favorable feeding environment for bowhead whales, a species of imminent subsistence and ecological value. Carin has worked to communicate the results of her research to Alaskan coastal communities and local hunters. Carin has been published in top-ranking journals and has made continued significant contributions to Arctic and sub-arctic marine science. That her work and expertise is well-known and important beyond regional scales is exemplified by her involvement in international programs, most recently the interdisciplinary MOSAiC program that explores Arctic processes throughout an entire year on a ship-based platform frozen into the sea ice. The Alaska Beluga Whale Committee (ABWC) serves as the co-management partner with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association for four stocks of belugas in western and northern Alaska. Since its creation in 1988, the committee has encouraged and promoted the conservation and informed, sustainable management of beluga whales through collaboration of Alaska Native subsistence hunters, biologists, and agency managers. They have initiated and continue management of this important resource and conduct scientific research on belugas to address management needs. At the time the ABWC was formed, there was little precedent for hunters and scientists working together. Now the committee brings representatives from beluga hunting communities in Alaska; local, state, tribal and federal governments; and beluga researchers together to discuss management and conservation issues, the biology of belugas, and the needs for additional information. Because of this committee, there is now information on the annual harvest of belugas since 1988, population estimates, satellite tracking of belugas, and sampling for genetics from approximately 2,500 beluga whales. The information and transparency shared by the ABWC provide assurances to Alaska, the U.S., and the international community that belugas in western and northern Alaska are being well managed.  Fran Ulmeris this year’s recipient of the Ocean Ambassador Award. The Ocean Ambassador Award recognizes an individual or organization that has made outstanding contributions in promoting public awareness and appreciation of Alaska’s oceans, coasts, and marine ecosystems. Fran Ulmer’s legacy of public service spans over 40 years and is still going strong. Her achievements reflect an exceptional contribution to management of Alaska’s coastal and ocean resources, a commitment to community, and first-hand appreciations for Alaska’s unique people and resources. Fran has had a significant impact in terms of coastal and ocean public policy. As the first director of the Alaska Coastal Policy Council, she was instrumental in the early formation and development of Alaska’s coastal management program. As a mayor, legislator, and lieutenant governor, she advocated for responsible use of the marine environment by Alaska’s growing tourism and cruise industry, as well as commercial and recreational fisheries. She was a strong voice for the careful management of Pacific Ocean fisheries as a commissioner on the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission for over a decade. Her advocacy for enhancing relevant science and policy research as Chancellor of the University of Alaska Anchorage continues beyond Alaska, as a Visiting Professor at Stanford and now a Senior Fellow at Harvard. As chair of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, she has ensured that the U.S. maintains a strong focus on marine research and has built collaborations with other nations across the Arctic to ensure that activities in the Arctic are conducted in an environmentally sustainable manner. Fran lectures internationally about the rapid changes happening in the Arctic, why people everywhere should care, and why conservation of our oceans is essential to everyone’s wellbeing. 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 programs. 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 (ASLC) opened phase one of the Rocky Coast Discovery Pools on May 29, 2021.  Development of the new touch pool exhibit began with design work in 2017. Installation required a complete demolition of the former touch pool originally built in 1998. The new 1,100-gallon exhibit, equipped with six pools, was inspired by similar exhibits at various Association of Zoos and Aquariums facilities in the United States.  The Center is appreciative of generous supporters that made the exhibit possible including ConocoPhillips Alaska, First National Bank Alaska, Matson, Shoreside Petroleum, Petro Marine Services, and the Lindsey Family. Acquiring materials to build the ambitious design was a herculean effort during a pandemic, and Matson donated a significant portion of tank transportation. “As a leading carrier of goods to Alaska, Matson feels a sense of obligation to help make Alaska a better place to live. Supporting the construction of a new touch pool is one way we can help increase Alaskans’ access to education while supporting the health of Alaska’s marine environment. We look forward to seeing the new touch pool in action and the future marine scientists it inspires,” said Matson Senior Vice President Alaska, Bal Dreyfus. The Center was very appreciative to see contributions to the exhibit from long term supporters like ConocoPhillips Alaska. “ConocoPhillips Alaska has been investing in the Alaska SeaLife Center for more than 20 years, supporting important educational programs and critical projects, including the unique, interactive touch pools, and the ‘Save the Alaska SeaLife Center’ community campaign. The Center is entrusted to be a steward of this unique marine ecosystem, and ConocoPhillips Alaska and our many dedicated employees are proud to support this important work,” states ConocoPhillips Alaska President, Erec Isaacson. The Lindsey Family has not only contributed to this new exhibit, but also helped shape the concept of the Center before it opened. “We, as a family, are especially happy to be participants in the creation of this fantastic new exhibit at the Alaska SeaLife Center. My late husband, Dale, and I were personally involved in the original founding of the Center, and our family has continued with ongoing support since that long-ago opening day event, May 2, 1998. We are excited to see the fruition of the dream of a new and wonderful touch pool,” recounts Carol Ann Lindsey. Kurt R. Lindsey, President and CEO of Shoreside Petroleum and Petro Marine Services, is an equally strong supporter of the Center. “The Alaska SeaLife Center is a treasure that Alaskans and visitors alike can take pride in. The facility reflects the beauty of our State, the amazing creatures that God has created, and the need to be responsible stewards of our environment. All of us at Shoreside Petroleum and Petro Marine are grateful for the opportunity to partner with others to help make this exhibit possible,” states Lindsey. The ASLC team wanted to ensure empathy and accessibility was highlighted in the touch pool design to create an educational and engaging experience for all. This goal was reflected in the project contributors, especially First National Bank Alaska. “First National Bank Alaska’s commitment to the education of Alaska’s youth is a key component of our mission to support the communities we serve,” said Betsy Lawer, First National Board Chair and CEO. “What better way to honor that commitment than this donation to Alaska SeaLife Center’s new touch pools. They are an integral part in this world-class research and education facility’s efforts to help Alaskans experience the wonders of our amazing marine environment." The touch pools are available to explore during normal operating hours. The Alaska SeaLife Center is operating with controlled capacity to ensure a safe and enjoyable visitor experience. All guests, including members, are encouraged to reserve timed tickets in advance to secure their desired entry time: www.alaskasealife.org/tickets.  About ASLC: Opened in 1998, the Alaska SeaLife Center is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) research institution and 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 or find us on Facebook.

Seward, Alaska (September 9, 2021) – The Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC) is launching their virtual Small Fry School again this fall.  This free weekly program, geared towards preschoolers, will be live-streamed from the ASLC YouTube channel. Each 30-minute program will begin at 11AM Alaska time every Tuesday starting September 14, 2021 until May 10, 2022. “As a father of preschoolers myself, I am happy we can offer home education options during these difficult times. Until the under-five crowd can get vaccinated, I know how hard it can be to find interactive learning options for our children. Virtual Small Fry School is a fun and informative way for young learners to discover the wonders of our natural world,” states Senior Education Manager, Jeff Dillon.  A new ocean-themed topic will be introduced during each class and will include a story and activities for preschoolers and their parents. No additional materials will need to be purchased to participate, but some common household items will help with various activities. Suggested items will be announced on the Alaska SeaLife Center’s Facebook event page before each class. The public is encouraged to subscribe to the Alaska SeaLife Center on YouTube so they can easily tune in to the program: www.youtube.com/user/AKSeaLifeCenter. Small Fry School is made possible by the generous support of Alaska 529. ASLC launched an in-person Small Fry School in 2018, but could not continue the program due to the pandemic. In 2020, Alaska 529 graciously donated $20,000 so the Center could resume the program virtually. “We’re delighted to support Small Fry School and its educational mission. This wonderful series allows youth from anywhere in the world to learn about Alaska’s unique marine life at the Alaska SeaLife Center,” said Alaska 529 Executive Director, Lael Oldmixon.  About ASLC: Opened in 1998, the Alaska SeaLife Center is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) research institution and 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 or find us on Facebook.  About Alaska 529: Alaska 529 has been making it easy to save for education in Alaska anywhere for twenty years. The tax-advantaged plan offers unique benefits, such as the ability for Alaska residents to save through the PFD, and the University of Alaska Portfolio, which has a tuition-value guarantee. To learn more, visit Alaska529plan.com.

  The Alaska SeaLife Center is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2023 Alaska Ocean Leadership Awards.   These awards are given annually to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the awareness and sustainability of the state’s marine resources. The Alaska SeaLife Center appreciates the support provided by the award sponsors and thanks the awards committee members (Jason Brune, Ginny Eckert, Lynn Palensky, Brian Pinkston, Robert Suydam, and Sheyna Wisdom) for their assistance in selecting the award recipients. These awards will be presented at the Alaska Marine Science Symposium on January 23 and the Alaska SeaLife Center Soiree on February 18, both in Anchorage.   Vera Metcalf will receive the prestigious Walter J. and Ermalee Hickel Lifetime Achievement Award. Following the footsteps of the late Governor Walter J. Hickel and the late Ermalee Hickel, the Hickel Family continues to sponsor this award to recognize individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the management of Alaska’s coastal and ocean resources for more than 20 years. Vera Metcalf has held the position of Eskimo Walrus Commission (EWC) Director for over 20 years. She is a recent inductee to the Alaska Women’s Hall of Fame, an honor given to women who have influenced the direction of Alaska. Vera has held several positions including Commissioner on the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, a member of the Inuit Circumpolar Council, and currently serves as a Special Advisor on Native Affairs with the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission. She works and communicates easily with scientists, researchers, political appointees, tribal leaders, and EWC members to ensure ocean resources are available for generations to come. Leading the EWC, Vera represents Alaska’s coastal walrus hunting communities in the co-management of the Pacific walrus and ensures that scientific and Indigenous Knowledge research is conducted responsibly and utilized effectively in management decisions regarding the Pacific walrus population.   Dr. Sue Moore, Ph.D., will receive the Marine Research Award. This award is sponsored by Drs. Clarence Pautzke and Maureen McCrea. This honor is given to a scientist, team of scientists, or an institution that is acknowledged by peers to have made an original breakthrough contribution to any field of scientific knowledge about Alaska’s oceans. Dr. Sue Moore has studied Arctic marine mammals and their ecosystems since 1981, with a focus on the northern Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas. Dr. Moore served as the Cetacean Program Leader and Director of NOAA’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center’s Marine Mammal Laboratory, and as a Research Scientist and Senior Scientist at NOAA’s Office of Science and Technology. She has authored or co-authored more than 130 peer-reviewed articles and has consistently emphasized, promoted, and used long-term studies as the basis for her many scientific contributions. She is recognized for her expertise and contributions to science related to how the Arctic ecosystem functions and to the stewardship of upper trophic-level species. In 2020, she received the International Arctic Science Committee Medal in recognition of her outstanding achievement in understanding marine mammals as ecosystem sentinels and how climate change is influencing the phenology of Arctic species. In addition to her extensive science contributions, Dr. Moore has served on many boards and commissions, including the International Whaling Commission’s Scientific Committee and numerous advisory and steering committees for the National Science Foundation. Earlier this month, she was appointed by President Biden as one of three Commissioners on the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission.   Catherine Walker will receive the Marine Science Outreach Award. This award is given to a person, team, or organization that has made an outstanding contribution to ocean literacy via formal or informal education, media, or other communications. It is sponsored by the Alaska Ocean Observing System. Catherine Walker is a National Board Certified science teacher at Dimond High in Anchorage, teaching marine biology/oceanography, essentials of engineering, and drone aviation. Seeking to enrich the experiences of her students and empower the next generation of ocean stewards, Catherine is involved in the school’s Ocean Club, Green Effects Club, field trips to Kasitsna Bay and Prince William Sound, the National Ocean Science Bowl, has helped Dimond High become a NOAA Ocean Guardian School, and is a member of the NOAA Pacific Educators Network. Catherine has served as an adjunct professor through Prince William Sound College and is continually working to innovate and collaborate with other teachers and community members to better serve her student’s understanding of our oceans and the need for conservation of Alaska’s unique and vital ecosystems. Through her work, Catherine has increased ocean literacy for thousands of youth and adults. A winner of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching as well as a National Geographic Certified Educator, Catherine is described as a tireless advocate for education and for the improvement of Alaska’s marine ecosystems.   Patrick Simpson, Alaska Plastic Recovery, LLC will receive the Stewardship and Sustainability Award. This award is sponsored by Jason Brune and honors an industry leader that demonstrates the highest commitment to sustainability of ocean resources. Patrick Simpson of Alaska Plastic Recovery, LLC is working to create innovative solutions to assess, collect, and utilize plastic ocean waste found on Alaskan beaches. An engineer and entrepreneur based in Anchorage, Simpson is working to develop technologies specifically for Alaska. One of these technologies includes creating plastic-based lumber from marine debris with a mobile plastic ocean waste recycler that is designed within a shipping container to be used even in remote communities. Simpson and Alaska Plastic Recovery LLC are also in development to include heavy-lift drones to remove bags of marine debris on beaches and marine learning algorithms that can be used to assess the debris. Simpson engages high school students to demonstrate these technologies. Taking the major worldwide problem of plastic marine debris pollution and turning it into an opportunity, Simpson’s exciting and inventive efforts will result in cleaner beaches and oceans and reduce microplastics in our marine ecosystems.   Mia Siebenmorgen Cresswell will receive the Ocean Youth Award. The Ocean Youth Award is awarded to an individual or team of Alaskan youth up to 19 years old who has displayed a dedication to promoting the understanding and stewardship of Alaska’s oceans. Mia Siebenmorgen Cresswell served as an intern for the Prince William Sound Regional Citizen’s Advisory Council’s marine invasive species monitoring program. Monitoring the nearshore coastal ecosystem in her hometown of Cordova, Mia set traps to monitor for European green crab and monitored settlement plates in the local harbor for benthic invasive species as part of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center’s Plate Watch program. She has engaged in outreach by presenting her monitoring work at events including the Wrangell Institute for Science and Environment’s Science Lecture Series and the Prince William Sound Natural History Symposium. Mia also interned at the Prince William Sound Science Center and the Copper River Watershed Project, where she took on various multimedia and art projects, created small grant proposals, and served as a youth leader for a summer stewardship program. She has brought greater awareness to the issue of marine invasive species in Alaska and stewards the importance of marine science in Southcentral Alaska and beyond.  

Seward, Alaska (July 28, 2016) – The Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC) is hosting its 18th Annual 5K Wildlife Rescue Run & Walk on Saturday, August 6. The annual family-friendly race is a fundraiser to support the Center’s Wildlife Response Program. This has been another busy year for the Program, which has admitted four harbor seals, one spotted seal, four sea otters, and a spectacled eider to date. The 5K race route follows a generally flat course along the scenic Seward waterfront and is open to walkers and runners of all levels. Race participants are invited to register online via the link found at www.alaskasealife.org. Race bibs will be available for pick up in the Alaska SeaLife Center atrium on August 6 between 10:00 am and 11:30 am. All participants will begin the race at 12:00 pm. The presentation of race awards and drawings for the door prizes and travel raffle will be held at 2:00 pm. Race participants are eligible for an array of door prizes this year, for which they must be present at the drawing to win. Door prizes include:   2016 Lost Lake Run entry - Two ASLC Wildlife Rescue Racers will win entries for the upcoming Lost Lake Run to be held Aug. 27. Registration for this limited entry cross-country run is closed, so this is a special opportunity to enter. See www.lostlakerun.comfor more information about the race. (2 prizes drawn, $100 value each) $50 gift certificate to Ms. Gene's Place, Seward's own Victorian Lounge in the Hotel Seward. (2 prizes drawn, $50 value each)  Alaska SeaLife Center Family Membership - One year family membership includes free family admission, special programming and monthly educational members-only newsletters. (2 prizes drawn, $125 value each) Choice of an Octopus, Puffin or Marine Mammal Encounter for 2 - Go behind the scenes with a member of the ASLC animal care staff to learn more about these amazing animals and participate in a feeding or enrichment session. (1 prize drawn, $149.90 value) Otter Encounter Tour for 2 - Go behind the scenes with members of the ASLC animal care team to observe a sea otter feeding or enrichment session and learn more about these adorable animals. (1 prize drawn, $49.90 value) Skinny Raven gift cards - Get outfitted for town or trail at Alaska's best resource for running shoes, casual shoes and apparel. (2 prizes drawn, $50 each value) In addition, the raffle drawing for two unrestricted Alaska Airline tickets—valued at $2,500—will be held at the event. Tickets are available for $25 each or five for $100 at the ASLC ticketing counter until 2:00 pm August 6. Raffle ticket holders do not need to be present to win. This year, supply donations for the Wildlife Response Program will be accepted at the Wildlife Rescue Run & Walk. New or gently used items utilized to support the rescue and rehabilitation of marine wildlife have been requested, and a container will be available at the race to collect donated items. The list of items being accepted is below. New items needed:  Atlas vinyl non-insulated orange gloves (all sizes)                 Whiteboard Expo markers (any size/color) Cutting boards (heavy duty plastic only - any size) Ziploc Big Bag (gallon size only) Cut gloves by Kinco (all sizes) Scrub brushes or scrub pads with handles Unflavored Pedialyte Shampoo, conditioner, body wash (any brand)  Heavy duty canvas duffel bag New or gently used items needed: Glass Pyrex measuring cups (1-2 cups) Bath or beach towels Traffic cones (12 – 36”) Cake pans (used to make ice molds for enrichment - any size and shape) Mortar and pestle Pill crushers and cutters Orange Pill bottles (labels removed and empty) Rubbermaid containers (heavy duty, microwave safe) Ziploc "Twist n Lock" (small or medium sizes) Silverware Premier Wildlife Rescue Run & Walk sponsors include Shell and ConocoPhillips. Other sponsors include Hub International; Nautilus Impact Investing; Seward Parks & Recreation Department; GCI; Alaska Serigraphics; Metco; Dr. Michael P. Moriarty, DDS; Skinny Raven Sports; Petro 49, Inc.; J & R Fisheries and Kruzof Fisheries, LLC; Seward Properties; Hotel Seward; and Edward Jones. Pacific harbor seal pup PV1601 is one of many ASLC Wildlife Response Program success stories. Found stranded in April 2016, in Homer, Alaska, this male pup is the youngest seal to date to have been brought into the Program. Estimated to have been born a month premature, he arrived soon after birth and underweight. Under the expert care and close monitoring of ASLC staff, This pup transitioned to eating and catching live fish and gained the required weight, strength, and skills to be released back to the ocean in just over two months. About the ASLC: Opened in 1998, the Alaska SeaLife Center is a private, non-profit research institution and public aquarium. ASLC generates and shares scientific knowledge to promote understanding and stewardship of Alaska’s marine ecosystems, and is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.  The Alaska SeaLife Center operates a 24-hour hotline for the public to report stranded marine mammals or birds, and encourages people who have found a stranded or sick marine animal to avoid touching or approaching the animal.   Call first: 1-888-774-SEAL.  

  The Alaska SeaLife Center is caring for a male Pacific walrus calf that arrived from the North Slope of Alaska on August 1, 2023. This is the Center’s first walrus patient in four years, and one of only ten admitted in the Center’s 25-year history, making this an exceptional case for the Wildlife Response Program and a rare opportunity for all involved.   The young walrus was spotted by workers on Alaska’s North Slope, about four miles inland from the Beaufort Sea — a highly unusual location for Pacific walrus, which reside almost exclusively in the ocean or near the western coastline. Observers reported a notable “walrus trail” on the tundra close to a road where he was discovered, although it is unknown how he arrived inland. Walrus calves depend on maternal care for their first two years of life, and with no adults in the vicinity, it was apparent that the wayward calf would not survive long without intervention. With U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approval, the ASLC coordinated with Alaska Clean Seas  and ConocoPhillips Alaska to provide shelter and arrange travel. The calf was moved to a warehouse, and teams kept a watchful eye on him overnight. ConocoPhillips Alaska graciously offered the use of one of the company’s planes for transport. Staff from both organizations then flew with the calf to the Seward Airport to meet with the ASLC team.  The transport team landed safely at the Seward Airport around 3 p.m. on August 1. The nearly 200 pound calf (estimated to be around a month old) was carefully moved into the ASLC Wildlife Response van, and brought under the care of an experienced ASLC wildlife response team. After an initial exam, the main concerns found by the veterinary team were malnutrition, dehydration, and a cloudy eye. Initial bloodwork confirmed that the calf was dehydrated, and suggested that he may be fighting an infection.  ASLC staff is currently following a 24-hour care regimen, which is more demanding than many other marine mammals require. Walruses are highly tactile and social animals, receiving near-constant care from their mothers during the first two years of life. To emulate this maternal closeness, round-the-clock “cuddling” is being provided to ensure the calf remains calm and develops in a healthy manner. Calves tend to habituate quickly to human care, and staff report that he is already eating formula from a bottle. “We are lucky that his first night went well,” said ASLC Wildlife Response Curator Jane Belovarac. “It isn’t often that we’re able to admit a walrus calf, but every time we do, we learn more about the species and how to care for them.”  Though the walrus calf cannot currently be viewed publicly, he may be relocated to an area with limited public viewing as his condition improves. Upon such a development, the ASLC will send out additional announcements. It takes a community to organize successful rescues like this one, and the ASLC is grateful to both Alaska Clean Seas and ConocoPhillips Alaska for guaranteeing the calf’s swift arrival and for going above and beyond to provide safety and comfort during his first night’s stay. Alaska Clean Seas has been an active Oiled Wildlife Response Partner with the ASLC since 2010, and ConocoPhillips has been a major supporter of the Center for many years. “ConocoPhillips is honored that we were able to assist with the rescue and transportation of the young walrus,” said Erec Isaacson, President, ConocoPhillips Alaska. “This is an example of a network of caring neighbors who work together for the best possible outcomes. Alaska is fortunate to have an organization like the Alaska SeaLife Center where patients can be cared for by veterinary professionals. He is in great hands, and we look forward to following his story.” 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, and the NC Giving Fund. 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).    Those hoping to support the ASLC team can make a contribution by following this link. We thank you for your support as our staff starts a 24-hour care regimen for the walrus calf's care.