Biodiversity Teach-In starts with dolphins, snow leopards

Sign up for a Feb. 7 webinar on "Studying Dolphins Up Close ... and Why it Matters" with Dr. Kelly Jaakkola, Director of Research for the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Key, Florida. In this July 2013 file photo, an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin named Tanner joins in a demonstration at the center. The webinar is part of Elgin High School's 2020 National Biodiversity Teach-In. AP File Photo

The National Biodiversity Teach-In webinars will begin with the first day of programs on Friday, Feb. 7, at 8 a.m. with the last at 5 p.m. The Teach-In is free and the goal is to educate the masses about biodiversity and its importance.

Registration is required for each webinar at www.nationalbiodiversityteachin.com.

• 8 a.m.: "Working With the Mountain's Ambassador: The Snow Leopard" with Dr. Koutstubh Sharma. The presentation, for ages 5 to adult, will use stories and anecdotes to introduce the audience to the snow leopard as a species, its biological and ecological requirements, and conservation models being implemented at community, region and policy levels through various ongoing programs. Sharma has been involved in active research and conservation for 17 years. He is working with the Snow Leopard Trust in Seattle as a senior regional ecologist since 2007.

• 9 a.m.: "Transforming Passion for Turtles Into Effective Conservation Action" with Jordan Gray. The presentation, for ages 9 to adult, will focus on the Turtle Survival Alliance's conservation actions utilizing a three-pronged approach: restoring populations in the wild, securing species in captivity through assurance colonies, and building the capacity to restore, secure, and conserve species within their range country. Gray is the communications and outreach coordinator with the Turtle Survival Alliance and field scientist for their North American Freshwater Turtle Research Group.

• 10 a.m.: "Beneath the Surface: The Impact of Captivity on the Welfare of Orcas" by Dr. Naomi Rose. This talk for age 13 to adult will cover the various aspects of captive enclosures and how orcas (also known as killer whales) are maintained in marine theme parks and aquariums that have a negative impact on their welfare. It will refer to the latest research on, and knowledge of, orca biology to make the argument that this species cannot thrive in captivity. Rose is the marine mammal scientist for the Animal Welfare Institute in Washington, D.C. She campaigns against cetacean live capture, trade, and captivity and has been a member of the International Whaling Commission Scientific Committee since 2000.

• 11 a.m.: "How We Can Fix Our Broken Water Cycle" by Sandra Postel. The presentation, for ages 13 to adult, will discuss how big dams, river diversions, groundwater depletion, and widespread pollution have broken the water cycle. Water scarcity is spreading. Populations of fish and other freshwater life are rapidly diminishing. Now floods and droughts are worsening with climate change. But around the nation and the world, farmers, cities, businesses, and conservationists are coming up with innovative and promising solutions. Postel is founding director of the Global Water Policy Project and author of the recent book, "Replenish: The Virtuous Cycle of Water and Prosperity."

• Noon: "Studying Dolphins Up Close ... and Why it Matters" by Dr. Kelly Jaakkola. In this webinar for ages 13 to adult, Jaakkola will talk about what has been learned from studying dolphins, and how this knowledge helps scientists correctly understand their behavior in the wild. She will discuss the major conservation threats to bottlenose dolphins, and the role that dolphin facilities play in addressing these issues. Finally, she will talk about the ethical issues involved in doing research and housing dolphins in marine mammal facilities -- including what their life is like, how long they live, training practices, and dolphin intelligence. Jaakkola is a cognitive psychologist, marine mammal scientist, and director of research for the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Key, Florida.

• 1 p.m.: "Amphibians & Global Change: What Do We Have to Lose?" by Dr. Joseph Milanovich. This presentation for ages 9 to adult will focus on global amphibian diversity, the current threats to global amphibians, and how humans and ecosystems may be at a disadvantage if amphibians continue to decline.

• 2 p.m.: "Studying Marine Mammals with Sound" by Simone Baumann-Pickering, who leads the Scripps Institution of Oceanography's Acoustic Ecology Laboratory. She is interested in biological and ecological questions in regard to climate adaptations that range from a basic understanding of short and long-term cyclical behavioral patterns and geographic distribution of animals to ecological questions like habitat preference and quality, predator-prey interactions, or adaptations to anthropogenic impacts and a changing environment.

• At 4 p.m., there will be a webinar by shark conservationist Jillian Morris, who will discuss her passion for sharks and their role in the ocean ecosystem. She'll share her experiences not only as a free diver but as a marine biologist, educator and ocean advocate.