Our marine life speaker series will reflect national research as well as research specific to CMA on marine life, while including its ongoing mission of rescue, rehabilitation and release.
About the Event
Echoes of the Ocean: A Marine Life Speaker Series is an inspiring program designed to spotlight marine science, conservation, and the ongoing mission of rescue, rehabilitation, and release at Clearwater Marine Aquarium. This series features distinguished voices in marine research and ocean advocacy, offering guests a unique opportunity to connect with leaders shaping the future of our oceans.
Discover the incredible intelligence of seals and sea lions during an unforgettable evening of marine science and conservation at Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
The evening will begin with a special presentation from a member of Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s Husbandry Team, highlighting the Aquarium’s new Pinniped Pier exhibit and sharing insights into its design, purpose, and the seals and sea lions that call it home.
Seals and sea lions are among the ocean’s most intelligent and adaptable mammals. In this engaging presentation by Dr. Peter Cook, explore the remarkable cognitive abilities that allow these animals to thrive. Dr. Cook will share fascinating stories, including a sea lion that can keep a musical beat and a harbor seal that learned to mimic human speech, you’ll discover what pinnipeds have taught scientists about animal intelligence. The presentation also examines how their cognitive flexibility influences their interactions with people, from navigating human-made waterways to adapting to environmental change, and how these behaviors create new conservation challenges in our rapidly changing oceans.
Whether you’re fascinated by animal behavior, marine conservation, or simply love seals and sea lions, this evening offers a unique opportunity to hear from a leading expert and gain a deeper appreciation for some of the ocean’s most charismatic and intelligent marine mammals.
Speakers:
Dr. Peter Cook
Dr. Peter Cook is an Associate Professor of Marine Mammal Science at New College of Florida and a Research Fellow at University of California Santa Cruz’s Institute for Marine Sciences. Peter has been studying brain and behavior in sea lions and dolphins (with a canine side gig) for fifteen years. His primary interest is the evolution, mechanisms, and functions of behavioral flexibility and intelligence. He’s pioneered approaches for studying the neurobehavioral effects of environmental toxins on rehab animals, mapped pathways for hearing and vocalizing in the marine mammal brain, and even taught a sea lion to dance.