The Center for Ecosystem Sentinels

The Center for Ecosystem Sentinels The Center for Ecosystem Sentinels has spent over three decades studying sentinel species to better understand these animals and the health of our oceans.

Over 30 years ago Dr. Dee Boersma began her work on the Magellanic penguins of Punta Tombo, Argentina. For Dr. Boersma the work meant not just learning about penguins but helping to implement key changes to help protect them and the environment. In the 1997 her research, and meticulous documentation, helped aid in moving the shipping lanes further off the coast, dramatically reducing the number of

penguins exposed to oil. Now her work has expanded beyond the Magellanic penguins and includes the Galapagos penguin, the most endangered of all the species. There she and her crew are building suitable nests in the lava to boost the reproductive success of the Galapagos penguins. The Center for Ecosystem Sentinels is a collaborative group of people from all over the world studying penguins to help understand penguins and our rapidly changing environment.

Ever wonder what Abrahms Lab members Kasim and Marie-Pier do in the field? Read this University of Washington News piece...
06/11/2026

Ever wonder what Abrahms Lab members Kasim and Marie-Pier do in the field? Read this University of Washington News piece and find out!

Every summer, UW researchers head to northern Botswana to study how large predators, such as lions and African wild dogs, are affected by climate change and other shifts in their environment. UW News...

Dr. Boersma's Video Storytelling class (BIOL 305) would like to invite everyone to the open screening of their final pro...
06/03/2026

Dr. Boersma's Video Storytelling class (BIOL 305) would like to invite everyone to the open screening of their final projects next Wednesday, June 10th from 10:30-12:20 in GWN 301. Watch student-made short films about climate change, wildlife, ecology, scientific research, and much more!

The students have been working hard all quarter, creating PSAs and short documentaries to gain skills in video editing and science communication. Please support UW Biology Science Communication by attending our student screening for BIOL305! Bring a friend, all are welcome 🐧

Happy  ! It's such a privilege to be able to research and work with Magellanic and Galapagos penguins. Thank you to ever...
04/25/2026

Happy ! It's such a privilege to be able to research and work with Magellanic and Galapagos penguins. Thank you to everyone who supports our work, whether it's through donations, likes, or spreading the word about our efforts to understand and protect this sentinel species.

As a thank you, we want you to feel the same joy and curiosity we feel in the field -- go to our World Penguin Day 2026 page (https://ecosystemsentinels.org/world-penguin-day-2026 ) to watch new student-made videos about our favorite bird, and keep on the lookout for some very special reels on Facebook and Instagram.

Yours in 🐧,
The Penguin Folks at the Center for Ecosystem Sentinels

04/25/2026

Read all about Briana's keynote at the International Parliamentary Roundtable on Human-Wildlife Coexistence held in Bots...
03/30/2026

Read all about Briana's keynote at the International Parliamentary Roundtable on Human-Wildlife Coexistence held in Botswana last January on UW News:

Briana Abrahms, associate professor of biology at the University of Washington, studies how climate change affects human-wildlife interactions and increases conflict around the world. In January, she...

Congrats Leigh West for making the cover of  newsletter Perspectives! Leigh will be defending her dissertation "Linking ...
03/06/2026

Congrats Leigh West for making the cover of newsletter Perspectives! Leigh will be defending her dissertation "Linking climate impacts on animal movement, community dynamics, and human-wildlife coexistence" on March 20.

Can you spot the publications written by Center members on the shelf? There's one that's coming out soon...

All week we’ve reviewed the candidates. One penguin stood out… mostly because it’s round. The winner of our first annual...
02/28/2026

All week we’ve reviewed the candidates. One penguin stood out… mostly because it’s round. The winner of our first annual Fat Penguins Week is Tractor!!

Thank you to everyone who took part in our Fat Penguins Week. We hope you enjoy participating as much as we had fun preparing it 🐧 We’d also like to thank Anna Testorf, an undergraduate Biology major at UW, for coming up with this amazing idea and captured a lot of the media used during FPW 2026.

If you had fun following along be sure to follow us on our various platforms and subscribing to our quarterly newsletter. There's always something going on with the Center! https://ecosystemsentinels.org/subscribe-to-our-updates/

Address

University Of Washington, Box 351800
Seattle, WA
98195

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Center for Ecosystem Sentinels posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to The Center for Ecosystem Sentinels:

Share