Harbor porpoises are one of the most abundant marine mammal species in the Salish Sea, however there is much we don’t know about this often elusive species. Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) has spent 9 years conducting behavioral and photo-ID research on harbor porpoises to learn more about their behavior, ecology, movement patterns and more. Did you know that individuals can be identified, or that they sometimes wake surf? Come learn about what PacMam has discovered about these amazing animals and the exciting new research that is happening!

Dr. Cindy R. Elliser has spent over 20 years studying marine mammals. For 10 years she worked with Dr. Herzing and the Wild Dolphin Project studying Atlantic spotted and bottlenose dolphins in the Bahamas. In 2014 Dr. Elliser moved to the Pacific Northwest and founded Pacific Mammal Research to study marine mammals in the Salish Sea, particularly harbor porpoises and harbor seals. Striving to better understand the daily lives of the species she studies, her work focuses on long-term population monitoring, social structure and behavioral ecology. Dr. Elliser is also Associate Director at the Salish Sea Institute, part of Western Washington University.