Sebastian von Lüders

Marine Mammal Observer and Guide

Sebastian is a typical globetrotter who was brought up in a multi-cultural, international environment.  He has lived and participated in schooling in six different countries including Austria, Finland, USA, Denmark, Great Britain and Sweden. He has also enjoyed extensive travelling throughout most of the worlds' continents. He has always had a high level of interest for nature and the great outdoors and explored this at an early age by surfing and free-diving off the coast of Southern California where his interest for the marine environment was stimulated by the presence of large tidal pool systems, and frequent interactions with surfing dolphins.  Sebastian pursued these interests academically by completing a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology at the University of Wales, Swansea completing his project on behaviour and social status of juvenile male bottlenose dolphins in human care.  This study provided baseline information for establishing functional bachelor groups of surplus male populations of bottlenose dolphins in European Dolphinariums. Sebastian continued with a Master of Science in Applied Biology at the University of Linköping, Sweden completing his dissertation on bottlenose dolphin acoustics focusing on their use of broadband-pulsed burst sounds during aggressive interactions.  This work has shown that dolphins use their acoustic repertoire as a potential weapon by targeting other individuals with very load, high frequency directional click sounds.  He has also participated in a Minke Whale habitat study in the Inner Hebrides, Scotland as skipper and observer.  He is an enthusiastic sailor and competent power boater.  Sebastian is a qualified PAM operator and MMO and hopes to share his passion for marine mammals through teaching and guiding.

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