Any species, anywhere in the world, for its entire life cycle
Long-distance animal migrations are among the most spectacular phenomena on earth, from the great wildebeest migrations on the Serengeti Plains to the long-ranging movements of blue whales. All movement, even the daily forays of bees or the wind dispersal of seed plants, is a critical and essential process of life. Yet, our knowledge about movement and the processes that regulate it, only begin to scratch the surface. We aim to advance the understanding of how all living things, big and small, move across changing land and seascapes to better sustain a biodiverse planet.
We are deeply committed to sustaining biodiversity and functioning ecological systems. Through the use of novel tracking technologies, including acoustic tags, GPS collars, geolocators, and proximity data loggers, we investigate how animals move through space, often traveling thousands of miles to access critical resources. We aim to answer critical questions about the causes and consequences of movement, to discover unknown migration routes, and to understand how animals respond to natural and human disturbance.
A juvenile blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) tagged in September 2016 off the coast of Virginia and fit with an acoustic tag. We received no detections until November, when it was detected in shallow waters to the east of Charleston, South Carolina. The animal has continued to move south and was last detected off the coast of Florida.
Located across four Smithsonian research centers, our core group of researchers is comprised of marine, terrestrial, and avian ecologists. For additional information or comments, please contact the Movement of Life Program Coordinator.
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
Fish and Invertebrate Ecology Laboratory
Tel: 443-482-2470 | Email
Research Ecologist, Migratory Connectivity Project Program Manager
Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
National Zoological Park
Tel: 202-633-4175 | Email
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
Migratory Bird Center
National Zoological Park
Tel: 202-633-4069 | Email
Center Head, Conservation Ecology Center
Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
National Zoological Park
Tel: 540-635-6589 | Email
Center Head, Migratory Bird Center
Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
National Zoological Park
Tel: 202-633-1594 | Email
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
Conservation Ecology Center
National Zoological Park
Tel: 540-635-0452 | Email
Marine Ecologist
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
Fish and Invertebrate Ecology Laboratory
Tel: 443-482-2203 | Email
Research Scientist
Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
Migratory Bird Center
National Zoological Park
Tel: 202-633-4181 | Email
Ecologist, MoL Program Coordinator
Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
Conservation Ecology Center
National Zoological Park
Tel: 540-635-6578 | Email
Research Marine Biologist
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Tel: 507-212-8733 | Email