Otter Friendly Neighbors: Marine Mammalogist by Shari

               Otter Friendly Neighbors: Marine Mammalogists


		                                                   By Shari

     How to Become a Marine Mammalogist
       
     To become a Marine Mammalogists you should have taken these

preparatory courses in basic biology, zoology, chemistry, physics,

biometrics, mathematics, and statistics. English is also recommended,

because when you write your scientific papers and get it published

you want it to be in proper grammar with no misspellings. Only

certain schools offer a marine biology degree. You can find these

schools on the coastal states of the U.S. or other countries. For

an undergraduate degree you could major in biology, zoology, 

fisheries, or one of the other animal sciences. Two percent of

marine biologists obtain his/her B.S. in their undergraduate year.

Nine percent of Marine Biologists obtain his/her master's degree.

Eight percent of marine biologists obtain their Ph.D. Marine 

Mammalogy in itself has  many disciplines. Such as natural history

(which is the study of how a species lives), taxonomy and 

systematics (study of their classification and evolution), anatomy

and physiology, ethology (behavior), and ecology ( how they 

interactwith their environment). Some universities, like Scripps 

Institution of Oceanography and UC San Diego, may not have specific

programs for marine mammals but have graduate students doing marine

mammal-relatedresearch. The graduate students at Scripps are 

currently conducting research at the Center on the dynamics 

and genetics of marine mammal populations.

Marine Mammalogist: What they do

"The most common resting position is with the head up and the chin resting on the chest; the small paws or hands folded across the chest."

"Often they place their paws over their eyes so that they can sleep during the daylight."

"Asleep, all four feet help up in air as if wired in place."

"The otter rolls over and over ... without touching the head, arms, legs or tail to water -- they do this frequently and with the greatest ease; so smoothly is it accomplished that it has been impossible to figure out just how it's done."

"The parts that require the most (grooming) attention are the head, the arms, the entire ventral surface and the legs and especially the big webbed feet."

"It is not an uncommon thing to hear a sharp clicking sound ... this sound is always made by an otter that is trying to crack something open ... the object is held with both paws and with full arm action from well over the head it is brought down hard on a piece of rock that rests on the otter's chest ... this clicking sound is so distinct that it can be heard for some distance above the noise of the waves."

"Frequently a gull is seen riding the waves close to the feasting otter, waiting to pick up any morsels that may be dropped."

"The habit of wrapping up in kelp prevents the otter from drifting away ... during the night."

"On guard, two otters rise up to look around and sniff the air for danger."

	There is much variety of jobs that Marine Mammalogists perform. Spefically we will discuss about Marine Mammalogists that work with otters. Marine Mammalogists rescue, care for, release, and research otters. If a pup is separated from their mothers during a storm, pups can die quickly from cold and starvation. Before approaching the abandoned pup the caregivers would wear black-hooded ponchos, latex gloves and welder's masks. They do this so that they don't let the pups focus and grow attach to humans. First the Marine Mammalogists would try to locate the mother in the vicinity where the pup was found. If she is not to be found they would bring the pup to the care center. And thus begins the process of rehabilitation and care. Ten or twelve caregivers will care for an individual otter. They will lay them on their bellies and bottle-feed them. Lying on their bellies would also be the same way the mother otter would have nursedthe pup. A month year old pup would start to eat little bits and pieces of solid food, such as raw squid and clams.
	To prepare for the wild, newly rescued pups would be given rocks and shells. This is to help them develop their motor skills, like grabbing, chewing, and pounding. Practicing their foraging skills in an out door pool would be the next step. The pool would be filled with kelp, sea stars, crabs, mussels, and other live prey.
	Releasing the pups would be the next, but gradual step. Wearing wetsuits, the Marine Mammalogists would swim with the pups. This is to encourage them to dive for food and use rocks to crack shellfish.
	As they mature they tend to stay out for days at a time, till it is time to fully release the otter. Although they are released they will be always tracked by a tiny transmitter. This is to make sure the otter is healthy and to watch the movements after it's been released.
	In these programs of rehabilitation Marine Mammalogists have learned a lot about otter nutrition, metabolism, and growth. Marine Mammalogists research give them information that they use to promote health and safety of the present otter population.