Discovery Speaker Series: Interconnectivity of Orcas and Salmon

Tune into the Estuarium’s Facebook Live or join us through Zoom on October 6th at 6:30 PM for an exciting talk with ecologist and evolutionary biologist Dr. Alexandrea Safiq. The focus of her doctorate was on incorporating human-dimensions into ecosystem-based management. She is currently a postdoc research associate at University of Minnesota with a current focus on human-dimensions of conservation biology, wildlife value orientations, and conservation psychology. She will be presenting the preliminary results of her nature-based spirituality survey using resident orcas and chinook salmon as case studies. Our conversation with Dr. Safiq is the first of our returning Discovery Speaker Series which will take place virtually each first Thursday at 6:30 PM from October through March.

While she was obtaining her doctorate at Rutgers University Dr. Safiq wrote observation pieces for Scientific America. These articles focus on environmental protection policies and social justice for marine mammals. Including backing the release of the last Southern Resident Killer Whale in captivity Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut (Lolita). Please join us for this exciting opportunity and bring your questions around how we can understand the relationship between orcas, salmon, and ourselves!

Follow Dr. Alexandrea Safiq on twitter @ASafiqScientist or read her observation pieces here: https://www.scientificamerican.com/author/alexandrea-safiq/

Young ones are invited to join in the virtual talk by following along with coloring pages related to the Discovery Speaker Series topics that will be available for download prior to the event. Coloring pages can also be picked up at the Estuarium during our weekend open hours.