Ecology and Conservation of Pinnipeds in Latin America

Author Biography

Dr. Gisela Heckel studied Biology at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, and received her MSc and PhD in Coastal Oceanography from the Autonomous University of Baja California, Mexico. Her main research focuses are on ecology, conservation biology and natural resource management for marine mammals in connection with human activities. Beyond her academic career, since 1997, Dr. Heckel has also been involved in marine mammal stranding response in Baja California, which deals mostly with California sea lions and other pinnipeds. Since 2008, she has collaborated in research projects on the four pinniped species that occur along the coast and islands west of the Baja California peninsula. She is a former vice-president of the Mexican Marine Mammalogy Society, and later served as president (from 2006 to 2008). Since 2003 she has been a Professor at the Conservation Biology Department, Ensenada Center for Scientific Research and Graduate Education in Baja California, Mexico.  Dr. Yolanda Schramm studied Biology at the Autonomous University of Guadalajara, Mexico, and completed her MSc and PhD degrees at the Autonomous University of Baja California, Mexico, where she is currently a Professor at the Faculty of Marine Sciences. Her research fields are molecular ecology and marine mammalogy, and she is especially interested in the ecology of marine populations with regard to conservation issues. She has more than 20 years of experience in research on the ecology and conservation of pinnipeds (sea lions and seals). Therefore, her projects have been mostly carried out along the coast and islands west of the Baja California Peninsula. She has also published extensively on these topics.