This maze activity was super cool! I saw his video about the squirell maze while back, and its cool to see how much better the octopus did. I wpnder how long it would take a human to complete the course.

Octopus work as a team to defend similar to how dolphins will tem up against sharks to protect their young

This social structure reminds me of the social patterns separating dolphins that used the sponges as tools and those that didnt.

Octopus have complex emotions as evidenced by this octopus punching the fish. Is there evidence of other emotions they feel?

Octopus developed intelligence independently of cetaceans and humans evon though it reselbes human tool use.

What are examples of tool use not for foraging?

Dolphins share many characteristics with humans, including intelligence. Did other species develop intelligence independently, or along the same evolutionary path?

A unique form of niche expansion. I wonder what other sea creatures are able to find prey in duifferent areas using tools.

Dolphins are also well kinown for their intellegence as evidenced by their use in aquarium shows. People aren't as aware that they use tools though.

Green sea turtles are common around the world and in north carolina and also reach sexual maturity the latest.

Fishing also generates waste of lines and hooks that may snag turtles

Many sea turtles reach maturity late in life, so takes would be detrimental to populations.

Some devices have been implemented but these may be expensive for fishermen

Turtles migrate from near shore to moreopen open ocean, passing through shipping lanes or by ships going out to fish. These are also areas with fish stocks and may get wrapped up in nets.

Bluefin tuna are faster to get overfished, simply because they reach maturity at an old age and their limited numbers. Dolphins may look similar to them and could also be wrapped up in the fishing effort.

Targeting overfishing of smaller tuna species should be a priority, especially because they can generate bycatch. They also use long lines and purse seins which can impact turtles and small cetaceans.

Although yellowfin grows faster than many other tuna species, they still take a long time to reach maturity, so i'm intersted to see how we are preventing overfishing of the species. Smaller tuna like these are the reason why there are so many vessels.

The more K selected the species is, the more endangered they are, and also the more lucrative the trade. Fish are simply less charismatic then other megafauna like cetaceans and pinnepeds, so its harder to shut down the trade.

I thought this was a really cool lecure and I think looking into large pelagic fiish side by side with human history is important for conservation. These fish are especially hard to track and protect, so there is a lot of work to do on the topic.

Again, this news story is local, it would be cool if this story aired on national news so more people could see.

Where else are they providing a benefit? I'd be interested to find more examples of Harbor seals promoting the economy/providing a service to humans

This news story takes a relatively neutral stance, but it would be even better if they provided more context. Maybe a slight intro into the history of conservation of the species.

The childrens pool situation was handled poorly. People should not be allowed on the beach, only to observe. That would limit conflicts while still promoting tourism.

Tremendous work went into harbor seal recovery, however there is still a negative view on their current sucess. This was my first time hearing about the species decline and recovery, so this provides an opportunity for celebration

If one government takes action more follow. Politicians are concious of their public image, and if people want to see conservation measures enacted, they will do so.

Celebrations are typically seen on local news networks where residents may alreaady be aware of their conservation status. We should promote these stories to more national and international networks.

Conservation biologists can be harsh and pessimistic which may impede conservation and disincentivize people from helping

People are familiar with the animal bit don't know it went extinct

Similar to my argument, this paper goes more into depth on humpback whale recovery. Many people have basic knowledge of humpback whales and there is a large economy associated with them, so it would be cool to see a similar sentiment applied to other species