The CCGL is committed to a greater understanding of the molecular ecology and systematics of whales, dolphins and porpoises around the world. Our work on large whales is pursuing three inter-related themes:

  • reconstructing the past,
  • assessing the present, and
  • conserving the future.

To improve our understanding of the impact of hunting on the abundance of whales and the ecological role of whales before human exploitation, we are working to improve population dynamic models by including genetic information on long-term effective population sizes before exploitation and minimum population size during exploitation.

To assess the current status of great whale populations, the CCGL is involved in three large-scale, collaborative studies: the Structure of Populations, Levels of Abundance and Status of Humpbacks (SPLASH) project in the North Pacific; the South Pacific Whale Research Consortium's assessment of the population structure and migratory interchange of humpback whales in the South Pacific; and a worldwide study of genetic diversity and population structure of sperm whales through collaboration with the Ocean Alliance.

To conserve the future of whales and dolphins, we have continued surveys of ‘whale-meat' markets in Japan and the Republic of (South) Korea. The work is part of a long-term study of trade in protected whales and dolphins using a portable PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) laboratory to identify the species origins of the products.

The CCGL contributes to policy on the conservation of cetaceans through participation in the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and the Cetacean Specialist Group of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

News and Events

New Sub-species of Pilot Whale Identified in Pacific Ocean
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution: 06/03/2019

MMI Associate Director Scott Baker is co-author on a study that describes new subspecies of short-finned pilot whale using genomic and mitogenomic data collected from individuals throughout the global range of the species. The results support the hypothesis that food-poor regions of the central Pacific Ocean have isolated these populations, leading to evolutionary divergence, despite the absence of physical barriers. The proposal to recognize the subspecies is important new information for managers and conservationists.

Alana Alexander awarded Rutherford Foundation postdoctoral fellowship
11/20/2018

MMI graduate Dr. Alana Alexander has been awarded a Rutherford Foundation postdoctoral fellowship for research entitled, “Hologenomics for conservation: a first test of utility.” Congratulations, Alana!

How Conservationists Are Using AI And Big Data To Aid Wildlife
OPB/EarthFix: 08/14/2018

The population data created with Wildbook’s help can be used for much more than a census. At Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Institute, professor Scott Baker uses the software to understand humpback whale migrations in the North Pacific. “It’s what we might call an informatics revolution,” said Baker. 

Researchers use “environmental DNA” to identify killer whales in Puget Sound
Oregon State University: 04/20/2018

When endangered killer whales swim through the sheltered waters of Puget Sound, they leave behind traces of “environmental DNA” that researchers can detect as much as two hours later, a new study has found. The findings, published today in the journal Frontiers, are surprising and significant. They not only provide a new non-invasive way to study whales, they may help scientists locate cetacean species that are known but have rarely been detected – including...

Ellie Bors Receives Fulbright Arctic Initiative Scholar Award
04/04/2018

We are pleased to congratulate Ellie Bors on receiving a Fulbright Arctic Initiative Scholar award. Dr. Bors is a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Cetacean Conservation and Genomics Laboratory at the OSU Marine Mammal Institute, where she is developing molecular methods to age Cook Inlet beluga whales. Her Fulbright Arctic Initiative project will explore both the biological and policy implications of shifting distributions of Arctic fish stocks. In 2017, Ellie was a Sea Grant Knauss Marine Policy Fellow in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of International Affairs in Washington, DC. She completed her PhD in the MIT-Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program in Oceanography.

Studying a cryptic marine mammal species by eDNA
Cornell University: 12/06/2017

A new blog by veterinarian Dr. Lauren Jacobsen describes the adventure of searching for the source of elusive beaked whale vocalizations. Extracting eDNA from seawater offers an opportunity to collect biologic information from the animal generating these calls. The samples are being analyzed by Dr. Scott Baker and his team at the Cetacean Conservation and Genomics Lab at Oregon State University.

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