About the Speaker
Julie L. Hopkins, Threatened & Endangered Species Specialist
Marine & Wildlife Biologist
Julie Hopkins is a Terrestrial and Marine Biologist and Science Education Specialist with over 18 years experience playing with animals and science through research, field and clinical work and resource management. Primarily a Threatened and Endangered Species specialist, she has been lucky to have spent her career working with some amazing animals, like grizzly bears, spotted owls, and humpback whales. Julie has accumulated over 2400 hours of field experience in the forests of the Pacific NW and the warm waters of Hawaii, managing and conducting surveys for sensitive species ranging from beaked and sei whales to peregrine falcons, big game, wolves and cougars.
Julie is a Field Coordinator with the highly acclaimed Grizzly Bear Outreach Project (GBOP), under Insight Wildlife Management in the North Cascades of Washington. Washington has one of only six recovery areas for the Threatened grizzly bears in the U.S. This historic population is quite small and inhabits some rugged country in the Cascade Mountains. The project focuses on providing accurate information about bear biology and grizzly bear recovery in an on-the-ground, face to face interaction with local residents. GBOP has been praised as a model for effective outreach and has taken great steps to engage communities in grizzly bear information dissemination since 2002. The approach is now benefiting cougar and wolf conservation in Washington State.
On the water, Julie works with a variety of whales and dolphins through Cetos, a marine environmental impact company and non-profit whale research group. Through direct research and monitoring and mitigation work, Cetos staff has worked extensively in Hawaii. Cetos scientists have been the first to publish sightings and song of Minke whale, Byrde’s whale and Sei whales in Hawaiian waters. In an ongoing research study of mother and calf humpback whales, Cetos has recorded the first published calf to mother communications. Another goal is reducing the problem of ship strikes on whales, especially calves in Hawaiian waters. With these and several additional published documents under her belt, Julie has amassed experience with biological evaluation, environmental impact, management of resources, and governmental regulation.
Julie has found her niche in combining science, research, and public education. As a fourth generation Washingtonian and lifelong resident of Puget Sound, Julie has a keen interest in our local natural history that never stops. Julie has a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Sciences from Washington State University.
