The SeaDoc Society and YMCA Camp Orkila present “Changing Populations of Harbor Porpoises and other Cetaceans in the Salish Sea.”

The lecture by John Calambokidis of Cascadia Research is on Tuesday, Jan. 14 at 7 p.m. at Emmanuel Episcopal Parish Hall.

Although the harbor porpoise is the most abundant and widely dispersed cetacean species in the Salish Sea, it’s probably one of the least well known. Scientists still know very little about their habitat preferences in the Salish Sea; if the population is increasing, decreasing or stable, how they are related to harbor porpoise outside of the Salish Sea, and even when and where they have their young.

Harbor porpoise are among the smallest of the cetaceans, reaching an average size of about five feet and 120 pounds. They can dive deep, more than 655 feet, but usually stay near the surface, coming up regularly to breathe with a distinctive puffing noise that resembles a sneeze.

Calambokidis, a senior research biologist at Cascadia Research Collective, will shed new light on harbor porpoises in the Salish Sea. He is a well-respected marine mammal biologist and has authored two books on marine mammals as well as more than 150 scientific publications. His work has been covered by the Discovery Channel and National Geographic TV specials.

For more info, visit http://www.seadocsociety.org.