Subject: marine biologist
> for an 8th grade science/math class, i have to do a report on a career
> needing science and math. i'm doing marine biologist, but i'm having
> trouble finding someone to answer my questions. If you can answer them
> please respond ASAP!!
> 1. Do you work with sick animals?
Sort of. I am a leader of the Marine Mammal Center Whale
Disentanglement Team. If a whale becomes wrapped up in fishing gear, we
go out and cut the net away.
> 2. What animals do you work with?
Principle study critters are Humpback Whales and Killer Whales, but I
also encounter Steller Sea Lions, Harbor Seals, Dalls Porpoises, Harbor
Porpoises, Gray Whales, California Sea Lions, Blue Whales, and Elephant
Seals on a regular basis.
> 3. Do you need to know how to scuba dive?
Don't need to, but I do know how.
> 4. I know that working with whales and dolphins is a marine
> mammalologist, but as a biologist can you still do that?
Biology is the study of life. Mammalogy is a subset of biology focusing
on animals in the class Mammalia. Marine mammalogy is a further subset
of both biology and mammalogy focusing on animals in the orders
Cetacea, Sirenia, and the marine component of the fissipeds (order
Carnivora).
> 5. Are we like veterinarians to some animals?
Veterinarians are veterinarians to animals. One needs to have a degree
in animal medicine to be a veterinarian.
> 6. Is it all hands-on, or are there other things you do, like go to
> classrooms?
Field season runs about three months. That is the time when we are
working with the animals in the wild. The rest of the time we study the
data, write, and so on. Yes, I do go to class rooms on occasion.
> 7. Can you work with tidepool creatures?
My son's Biology will be going to the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve next
week. On that field trip I will be working with tidepool creatures.
> 8. Do you go in a submarine?
>
I have not worked from a submarine. I have used a ROV instead. A ROV is
a Remote Operated Vehicle. It is a small, unmanned submarine that sends
messages and images to the surface where the researchers are.
Cheers,
Pieter Folkens
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