Over the past six years, Ted Cheeseman has led a team building the research collaboration and citizen science Happywhale project, gathering ID images of individual humpback whales worldwide. In the North Pacific, they have achieved a milestone: the project now has identified the majority of living humpback whales in the entire ocean basin. Individual humpback whales can be identified by unique tail patterns, a powerful tool to spy into their individual lives as they migrate between wintering areas in the tropics and feeding areas in higher latitude coastal waters. Join us for an exploration of how the public has contributed to whale science, and what can be learned by following an entire ocean's worth of whales.
This webinar is offered for free to the public. A suggested donation of $10 per participant/viewer is encouraged and appreciated. Donations help cover webinar costs and support our education and cetacean research grant programs. Click here to donate.
ABOUT TED CHEESEMAN
Ted Cheeseman is Co-Founder and Director of the nonprofit Happywhale. Ted grew up whale watching in California's Monterey Bay. In 1980, his parents, both naturalists and educators, founded Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris. In 1994, Ted joined the company as a leader of ecology-based wildlife safaris, working on all seven continents. After earning a Masters of Science in Conservation Biology from Duke University, Ted returned to the company to lead polar expeditions. Since that time Ted has been deeply involved in all aspects of Antarctic tourism management. He served on the executive committee of the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO) for five years, where he helped minimize the environmental impact of tourism in Antarctica.
With over three decades of experience in eco-tourism, much of it in Antarctica, Ted has experienced first-hand the impacts of humans on marine ecosystems. While some current trends are encouraging – the recovery of many great whale populations, for example – many trends highlight the challenges facing marine wildlife.
In 2015, Ted stepped down from his role with Cheesemans’ Ecology Safaris to focus on marine conservation. With his extensive experience as a leader in whale-focused tourism, Ted sees a huge opportunity to capture scientific data to further our understanding and protection of whales. Happywhale was born out of Ted's desire to create an innovative citizen science program that helps us better understand whales as individuals.
