Michelle Staedler
University of California, Santa Cruz
Center for Ocean Health
Long Marine Lab
phone: (831) 459-2357
fax: (831) 459-2249
For the past 20 years I have been working as a sea otter field biologist and sea otter research coordinator for the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Sea Otter Research and Conservation Program . Though I have worked on all aspects of sea otter behavioral studies, I am particularly interested in prey preferences of individuals, female reproduction and maternal care with regards to pup development and survival. My masters' thesis work will be the first to focus on maternal care, rate of pup ontogeny and survival to weaning of sea otter pups as a function of diet specialization by mothers. The success of the birth to weaning process and foraging strategy a female uses may have a significant impact on the stagnant growth of the California sea otter population. This study will assess the role of maternal care in the slow growth of the California sea otter population and will contribute to the recommendations of the Sea Otter Recovery Plan and development of informed conservation polices for this threatened species.
University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
- B.A. Environmental Studies, 1986
- Major Focus - Behavioral Ecology
- Senior Thesis: Foraging behaviors of individually recognizable mother/pup pairs of the California sea otter, Enhydra lutris, along the Monterey Peninsula
Randall Davis photo
USFWS permit #
MA-043219
- Sea Otter Research Coordinator, Monterey Bay Aquarium, 1995–Present
- Research Biologist, Monterey Bay Aquarium, 1986 - 1995
- Park Interpretive Specialist, California Dept. of Parks & Recreation 1983 - 1985
Estes, J.A., Riedman, M.L., Staedler, M.M., Tinker, M.T., and Lyon, B.E. 2003. Individual variation in prey species selection by sea otters: patterns, causes, and implications. J. An. Eco. 72, 144 -155.
Hanni , K. D., Mazet, J.K., Gulland, F.M.D., Estes, J.A., Staedler, M., Murray , M.J., Miller, M., and Jessup, D.A. 2003. Clinical pathology and assement of pathogen exposure in Southern and Alaskan sea otters. J. Wildl. Dis. 39(4) 837 - 850.
Kvitek , R.G., Bowlby , C.E., and Staedler, M., 1993. Diet and foraging behavior of sea otters in southeast Alaska. Mar. Mamm. Sci . 9(2): 168-181.
Larson, S., Jameson, R., Bodkin, J., Staedler, M., and Bentzen, P. 2002. Microsatelitte DNA and mitochondrial DNA variation in remnant and translocated sea otter (Enhydra lutris) populations. J. Mamm. 83(3); 893-906.
McShane, L.J., Estes, J.A., Riedman, M.L., and Staedler, M.M. 1995. Repetoire, structure,and individual variation of vocalizations in the sea otter. J. Mamm. 76(2); 414-427.
Riedman, M.L., Estes, J.A., Staedler, M.M., Giles, A.A., and Carlson, D.R. 1994. Breeding patterns and reproductive success of California sea otters. J. Wildl. Manage. 58(3)391-399.
Staedler, M.M. and Riedman, M. 1993. Fatal mating injuries in female Sea Otters (Enhydra lutris nereis). Mammalia. 57 (1); 135-139.
Staedler, M.M., and Riedman, M.L. 1989. A case of adoption in the California sea otter. Mar.Mamm. Sci. 5:391-394.