S1 Episode 17: Bob Pitman

Charles and Jon interview Bob Pitman, a marine ecologist from Oregon who has recently retired after spending more than 40 years working with the USA’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Bob has seen more cetacean species than anyone else on the planet – over 80 species of whales and dolphins in the wild – and has only a handful left to find. During a fascinating interview Bob discusses some of his work researching Killer Whales including the day he had a snowball fight with a pod of Orcas. He also talks about memorable encounters with mythical species like Pygmy Right Whales and the ghosts of the seas: the beaked whales.

Here is a video of Bob working with Killer and Minke Whales in Antarctica. While this  page has great images and information on Bob’s September 2021 expedition off of Oregon, where the cetaceans included Hubb’s and Baird’s Beaked Whales. Cover art: Bob Pitman looking for beaked whales off of Oregon in 2021, by Todd Pusser.