Aquarium whale scientist and veterinarian Rosalind Rolland explores whale fertility and ocean health

WHO: The New England Aquarium’s Director of Ocean Health and Senior Scientist Rosalind M. Rolland will present her work on whale health and what whales tell us about ocean health. She will share excerpts from her book, “Diagnosing Leviathan: Adventures of a Whale Veterinarian” which she will sign after the lecture.

WHAT: In the late 1990s, the number of calves born to highly endangered North Atlantic right whales plummeted, declining to only one calf in 2000. Seeking to understand why right whales were not having more calves, Dr. Rosalind “Roz” Rolland, a research veterinarian, developed a variety of new ways to study health and reproduction in 50-ton whales in the wild.

Over the past 15 years, she pioneered methods to measure an array of hormones in whales using novel samples including feces, respiratory vapor and baleen. She oversaw the creation of an approach to monitor whale health using photographs and studied red tides and disease. Her research has led to many adventures including an expedition to the sub-Antarctic Auckland Islands and training a scent detection dog handler.

WHEN: The free lecture takes place Thursday, June 9 at 7 p.m.

WHERE: New England Aquarium’s Simons IMAX Theatre, Central Wharf, Boston

REGISTRATION: Register online: http://support.neaq.org/site/Calendar?id=106431&view=Detail

THANKS: The Aquarium’s series of free lectures, films and discussions is made possible by the generous support of the Lowell Institute.