Ben Wilson

Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, Argyll, Scotland.

Ben has worked on marine mammals for 18 years, having started his career studying the ecology of bottlenose dolphins in NE Scotland. His discovery that dolphins were killing porpoises provided the first insight into the complex interspecific behaviours of these species. Interested in predator-prey relationships his research went on to investigate the effects of cetacean echolocation sound on their prey and revealed that herring make distinctive sounds of their own, leading to an IgNobel prize for the finding. Ben next investigated the complex behaviour of Steller sea lions in Alaska, foraging on fishes including herring. His latest work focuses on the potential conflicts between marine renewable energy devices (e.g. underwater turbines and offshore wind farms) and marine animals including porpoises.

Links:

Ben Wilson's homepage at the Scottish Association for Marine Science