Boston Flora

Tag: whales

  • Thursday, August 27, 6:45 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern – Whale Migration & Ocean Conservation: Protecting the Paths of Giants, Online

    Whales make some of the longest migrations on Earth, traveling thousands of miles round-trip annually. They follow routes that connect critical feeding and breeding habitats across the globe, linking distant ecosystems into a single living ocean.

    Amanda Hunter, marine biologist and polar expedition guide, considers whale migration and ocean conservation and examines the growing threats whales face—from climate-driven shifts in food availability to ship traffic and ocean pollution. Hunter also highlights conservation solutions that are making a difference. Uncover the surprising ways whales help regulate ocean health and climate, acting as powerful drivers of nutrient cycling, carbon storage, and marine productivity and reminding us why protecting these giants is essential for the future of our planet.

    This August 27 Smithsonian online program begins at 6:45 pm Eastern on Zoom. $20 Smithsonian members, $30 nonmembers. Register at www.smithsonianassociates.org

  • Thursday, July 27, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm – An Evening with Brian Skerry

    The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History and Ocean Matters present An Evening with Brian Skerry on Thursday, July 27, from 6 – 8. Doors open at 6, enjoy wine and hors d’oeurve and explore the Museum, with lecture following at 7. $100. All proceeds benefit Ocean Matters initiatives and Cape Cod Museum of Natural History education programs. Tickets may be purchased at https://ccmnh.org/events/an-evening-with-brian-skerry-20949

    Meet Brian Skerry, award-winning National Geographic underwater photographer, filmmaker, author, Director of Ocean Matters, and highly sought after lecturer. Brian uses his international platform to draw attention to the many environmental problems plaguing the sea and offers hope through stories of the ocean’s resilience. On this very special evening Brian will present his inspiring lecture on Secrets of the Whales. We will also hear from the Ocean Matters Teen Leaders who are making a difference to the health of our oceans.

  • Tuesday, February 17, 6:00 pm – Whale Conservation and the Future of the Oceans

    Whales have long been valued as a source of oil and whalebone. Treated as a commodity throughout history, they are increasingly recognized for their complex forms of communication, even culture, and the ecological role they play in the ocean. Joe Roman, Sarah and Daniel Hrdy Fellow in Conservation Biology, Harvard University, and Fellow at the Gund Institute for Ecological Economics at University of Vermont, will discuss the history and future of whales in the world’s oceans, drawing from historical archives, DNA analyses, ecological studies of whale carcasses in the deep sea, and the effects of whale fecal plumes on ocean productivity. He will explain why conserving great whales is essential for the welfare of marine ecosystems. This Harvard Museum of Natural History lecture and book signing on Tuesday, February 17 beginning at 6 pm is free and open to the public. The event will be held in the Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford Street in Cambridge, and free event parking is available at the 52 Oxford Street Garage.

  • Saturday, March 2, 2:00 pm – Narwhals: Arctic Whales in a Melting World

    Natural history writer Todd McLeish explores the science and mythology of the increasingly rare narwhal whale, known as the “sea unicorn” for its seven-foot long spiral tusk, on Saturday, March 2, from 2 – 3, at the Harvard Museum of Natural History. Regular Museum admission rates apply. Free for HMNH members. For complete information visit www.hmnh.harvard.edu.

  • Sunday, March 20, 2:00 pm – Drawing and Observing Nature: From Cambridge to Africa and Back

    On Sunday, March 20, beginning at 2 pm, artist, author, and naturalist Clare Walker Leslie will talk about her travels to Africa, the Arctic, and other distant lands to draw wildlife in their natural habitats. Much of her preparation for these adventures begins with drawing specimens of those very same animals in the galleries at the Harvard Museum of Natural History, such as the polar bear, zebra, lion, sea birds, and whales. Her newest book, The Nature Connection: An Outdoor Workbook for Kids, Families, and Classrooms will be available for purchase and signing. Free with museum admission. Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, http://www.hmnh.harvard.edu, 617-495-3045, hmnh@oeb.harvard.edu.