73. Steve Burton: Baby Dolphins, Seal Training, and Marine Mammal Response

So You Want to Be a Marine Biologist

Steve Burton has what most people would consider to be the dream job. As the Director of the Marine Mammal and Stranding Assessment program at Harbor Branch, Steve’s job is to work with dolphins and whales. In addition to responding to animals in distress, he also gets to conduct population assessments, the scientific way of describing going out on the boat to look for dolphins and whales. He’s also lived in, arguably, the three best beach states in the US- California, Hawaii, and now Florida- and it all started by saying “yes” to a flyer posted on a billboard. In this episode, we chat about the hilarious difference between training dolphins and seals, how to identify individual dolphins, and what his field work really looks like. There’s a couple of spots where he mentions great ways for you to get involved, so be sure to keep an ear out for those.
This episode is brought to you by Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. 2021 marks the 50th Anniversary of FAU Harbor Branch’s relentless pursuit of Ocean Science for a Better World®. Located in Fort Pierce, Florida, FAU Harbor Branch’s cutting-edge research focuses on five major areas: marine ecosystem conservation, aquaculture, the connection between ocean and human health, technological innovation and national defense. During my time at HB as part of the undergraduate Semester By the Sea program, I learned so much about the ocean and what it takes to become a good scientist. The programs and opportunities offered at FAU Harbor Branch have continued to swell since! To learn more, and how you can get involved, please visit www.fau.edu/hboi.
Show notes: marinebio.life/73

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