Whale Conservationist
Whales, often overlooked but revered in diverse cultures, serve as crucial unsung heroes in marine ecosystems. They play key roles in atmospheric regulation, trophic-level balance, and primary productivity enhancement as top predators and prey. To deepen your whale-watching experience and aid in their conservation, the Whale Conservationist course provides insights into whale life history and ecology, raises awareness about ongoing threats, introduces current conservation efforts, and equips participants with essential skills for contributing to photo identification research.
Recognize the significance of Photo_ID in whale research and master the techniques for collecting scientifically valuable identification data.
Understand the current threats to whales and explore actionable steps for their protection while contributing to global whale research, including projects in the Azores.
Learn how to conduct whale surveys effectively and record crucial data for research and conservation efforts.
Acquire a deep understanding of whale biology, including their behavior, anatomy, and ecological roles.
Program Eligibility and Requirements
To join the Whale Conservationist Program, participants need to meet the following criteria:
- Age Requirement: Applicants must be 16 years of age or older.
Upon Enrollment in the Course, participants will be required to:
- Attend the Whale Ecology and Research Lecture
- Complete the Whale Conservationist Exam and score at least 80%
- Attend the practical briefing prior to the observation boat trip
- Complete at least 1 boat trips to attempt to find and observe cetaceans
- If cetaceans are observed, collect relevant data and photographs as per local standards
- Attend debriefing and data entry
Published papers and reports derived through the teaching of this course
- Recruitment of hard coral communities on giant clam shells (Cardiidae: Tridacna) differ from surrounding reef habitats at a tourist destination in the Gulf of Thailand Rahul Mehrotra, Alyssa Allchurch, Coline Monchanin, Chad M Scott
- Citizen science reveals the population structure and seasonal presence of whale sharks in the Gulf of Thailand Kirsty Magson, Emily Monacella, Chad Scott, Noémie Buffat, Sirachai Arunrugstichai, Metavee Chuangcharoendee, Simon J Pierce, Jason Holmberg, Gonzalo Araujo
- Population dynamics of corallivores (Drupella and Acanthaster) on coral reefs of Koh Tao, a diving destination in the Gulf of Thailand by Chad M. Scott, Rahul Mehrotra, Margaux Y. Hein, Michelangelo S. Moerland, and Bert W. Hoeksema
- Rare zooxanthellate Nanipora octocoral (Helioporacea) in the Gulf of Thailand by Pau Urgell Plaza, Rahul Mehrotra, Chad M. Scott and James Davis Reimer
- Changes in hard coral abundance and composition on Koh Tao, Thailand, 2006-2014 by Chad M. Scott, Rahul Mehrotra, Madalena Cabral and Sirachai Arunrugstichai
- An update to the list of coral reef fishes from Koh Tao, Gulf of Thailand by Patrick Scaps and Chad M. Scott
- Incident Report and Restoration Overview: Boat Grounding, Chalok Ban Kao Reef, January 2017 2015. by Chad Scott, Spencer Arnold, Elouise Haskin, Kirsty Magson, Rahul Mehrotra, Joel Rorher, Pau Urgell Plaza
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