Wine, Whales & Sea Tales

Humpback whales are one of the most vocally diverse of the baleen whale species. They are famous for their complex songs, a male signal likely used to attract females during the breeding season. However, their other vocal communication signals are just as complex. This talk will explore how humpback whales acoustically communication with each other in a noisy environment as well as how they overcome this noise.

Rebecca Dunlop is originally from Northern Ireland where she completed her undergraduate degree in environmental biology and PhD in neuroethology, both at Queens University, Belfast. She then moved to Australia and began working with humpback whales. Her post-doc focussed on humpback whale communication at the University of Queensland. She is now a senior lecturer at the University of Queensland and co-directs the Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Laboratory based on North Stradbroke Island. Her main research areas are humpback whale communication, physiology and the effects of anthropogenic noise.

Did you know that dolphin societies are as complex and similar to those of humans? Every individual dolphin has a role to play in the community, with certain individuals being integral to facilitating cultural learning and maintaining the stability of populations. Learn about how dolphins work together to survive in an ever changing environment.

Dr Liz Hawkins is the Founding Director of Dolphin Research Australia. She is a researcher and educator with a passion for raising environmental awareness and empowering communities to conserve marine life and their oceanic homes.

Humpback whales have a fascinating life cycle which this talk will focus on. Why must whales migrate? What are the mating rituals of whales? What is a whale family unit? How do whales raise their young? How can we help whales survive? Join on Friday night for a fun and informative talk about our marine neighbours.

Laura is a marine educator and a conservation biologist with a focus on ocean megafauna (cetaceans). She enjoys communicating science in a simple manner so that all ages can grow an appreciation for the ocean realm. As a conservation advocate, she feels it is important for the community to take positive steps to protect our planet. Laura has worked with whales in Alaska, Hawaii, California, and New Zealand. Since 2013 she has been a Visiting Scholar at Griffith University. She is documenting the occurrence of newborn humpback whale calves in the Gold Coast Bay.