THE SECRET LIFE OF MARINE MAMMALS

biology. G i v e n the in teres t by both the lay and scientific communities, it is surprising how little is known about the open ocean ecology of marine mammals . The i r pa tchy d i s t r ibu t ion and low abundance leads to infrequent encounters at sea. Most of our information on marine mammals has been obtained from shipboard or aerial observations, which provide a very l imited perspect ive on their life at or near the surface, with little insight into their behavior under the water where they spend up to 90% of their time. Recent advances in technology are providing an opportuni ty to gain new ins ights into the unde rwa te r lives of marine mammals. Prel iminary information indicates that marine mammal dis t r ibut ion and abundance is highly correlated with oceanic features like frontal systems, thermocline depth, ba thymet ry , eddies , je ts , and warm core rings. These fea tures concen t ra te or aggrega te prey , permitt ing effective predation. The technologies now available or under development will enable an examina t i on of how oceanic fea tures and processes affect marine mammal b iology. This art icle summarizes some of the novel technologies that are current ly avai lable or under development. It is hoped that an increased awareness of the research potential of these approaches will stimulate interdisciplinary collaborations between marine mammal biologis ts , fisheries b iologis ts , and physical and biological oceanographers.