[MARMAM] Sad news about Dr. Ken Marten

[Suchi Psarakos]

It is my sad task to inform the marine mammal community that Dr. Ken 
Marten passed in his sleep in Hawaii on July 5, 2010. Ken was an 
experienced animal cognition researcher and former NMFS observer on 
purse-seine tuna boats. After witnessing first hand the "dolphin 
holocaust" aboard the tuna boats, Ken devoted himself to advancing 
scientific understanding--and public awareness--of the unique dolphin 
mind. Ken worked at UC Santa Cruz Long Marine Lab with Dr. Ken Norris 
and many others, before moving to Hawaii where he ran a research lab 
for many years, exploring dolphin self-awareness and studying 
Hawaiian spinner dolphin populations for the nonprofit organization 
Earthtrust. Ken's intellectual curiosity, unique personality, 
readiness to laugh, and passionate commitment to conservation of 
marine mammals will be remembered by anyone who worked with him.

Please help spread the news to people who knew Ken, but who may not 
be on Marmam's list.

A memorial will be held in Hawaii by the family sometime during the 
week of July 19.

Suchi Psarakos
suchi at lava.net