North River Air pilot Taj Shoemaker getting ready for takeoff in Prince William Sound.
Nicole LaRoche
Nicole is a Biologist with the Nearshore Marine Ecosystem Research Program at the Alaska Science Center. Her work focuses on sea otter behavioral ecology and aerial surveys using remote sensing throughout the Gulf of Alaska.
Science and Products
SeeOtter: Improving software for AI-assisted processing of imagery for wildlife surveys
Expanding documentation, accessibility, and flexibility of a powerful AI tool for wildlife aerial photo-survey processing
Nearshore Marine Ecosystem Research
Nearshore ecosystems include many resources that are of high ecological, recreational, subsistence, and economic value. They also are subject to influences from a wide variety of natural and human-caused perturbations, which can originate in terrestrial or oceanic environments. Our research is designed to evaluate sources of variation in the nearshore and how they influence resources of high...
Float plane taking off in Prince William Sound for sea otter aerial survey
North River Air pilot Taj Shoemaker getting ready for takeoff in Prince William Sound.
A resting sea otter
A resting sea otter in the Homer harbor, Alaska. Photo was taken in 2011. Sea otters provide one of the best documented examples of top-down forcing effects on the structure and function of nearshore marine ecosystems in the North Pacific Ocean.
A resting sea otter in the Homer harbor, Alaska. Photo was taken in 2011. Sea otters provide one of the best documented examples of top-down forcing effects on the structure and function of nearshore marine ecosystems in the North Pacific Ocean.
A resting sea otter with eyes closed
A resting sea otter with eyes closed. Photo taken in the Homer harbor in Alaska. Sea otters provide one of the best documented examples of top-down forcing effects on the structure and function of nearshore marine ecosystems in the North Pacific Ocean
A resting sea otter with eyes closed. Photo taken in the Homer harbor in Alaska. Sea otters provide one of the best documented examples of top-down forcing effects on the structure and function of nearshore marine ecosystems in the North Pacific Ocean
A sea otter resting in kelp as two orcas swim past
A sea otter resting in kelp as two orcas swim past. Photo taken in Glacier Bay at Point Carolus, Alaska
A sea otter resting in kelp as two orcas swim past. Photo taken in Glacier Bay at Point Carolus, Alaska
Female sea otter, Cook Inlet, Alaska
A female sea otter resting in the morning light in Cook Inlet Alaska.
A female sea otter resting in the morning light in Cook Inlet Alaska.
A young sea otter foraging for invertebrates
A young sea otter foraging for small invertebrates off an emergent rock covered with seaweed, snails, and barnacles. Photo taken in Prince William Sound, Alaska.
A young sea otter foraging for small invertebrates off an emergent rock covered with seaweed, snails, and barnacles. Photo taken in Prince William Sound, Alaska.
Juvenile female sea otter eating urchins
A juvenile female sea otter eating small green urchins in the intertidal. Photo taken in Glacier Bay near Geikie Inlet, Alaska.
A juvenile female sea otter eating small green urchins in the intertidal. Photo taken in Glacier Bay near Geikie Inlet, Alaska.
A sea otter eating a basket star
A sea otter eating a basket star in Glacier Bay near Bartlett Cove, Alaska
A sea otter eating a basket star in Glacier Bay near Bartlett Cove, Alaska
Southern Sea Otter
The health and population growth of the southern sea otter -- a federally listed threatened species -- can serve as an indicator of the health and condition of California's coastal waters.
The health and population growth of the southern sea otter -- a federally listed threatened species -- can serve as an indicator of the health and condition of California's coastal waters.
Science and Products
SeeOtter: Improving software for AI-assisted processing of imagery for wildlife surveys
Expanding documentation, accessibility, and flexibility of a powerful AI tool for wildlife aerial photo-survey processing
Nearshore Marine Ecosystem Research
Nearshore ecosystems include many resources that are of high ecological, recreational, subsistence, and economic value. They also are subject to influences from a wide variety of natural and human-caused perturbations, which can originate in terrestrial or oceanic environments. Our research is designed to evaluate sources of variation in the nearshore and how they influence resources of high...
Float plane taking off in Prince William Sound for sea otter aerial survey
North River Air pilot Taj Shoemaker getting ready for takeoff in Prince William Sound.
North River Air pilot Taj Shoemaker getting ready for takeoff in Prince William Sound.
A resting sea otter
A resting sea otter in the Homer harbor, Alaska. Photo was taken in 2011. Sea otters provide one of the best documented examples of top-down forcing effects on the structure and function of nearshore marine ecosystems in the North Pacific Ocean.
A resting sea otter in the Homer harbor, Alaska. Photo was taken in 2011. Sea otters provide one of the best documented examples of top-down forcing effects on the structure and function of nearshore marine ecosystems in the North Pacific Ocean.
A resting sea otter with eyes closed
A resting sea otter with eyes closed. Photo taken in the Homer harbor in Alaska. Sea otters provide one of the best documented examples of top-down forcing effects on the structure and function of nearshore marine ecosystems in the North Pacific Ocean
A resting sea otter with eyes closed. Photo taken in the Homer harbor in Alaska. Sea otters provide one of the best documented examples of top-down forcing effects on the structure and function of nearshore marine ecosystems in the North Pacific Ocean
A sea otter resting in kelp as two orcas swim past
A sea otter resting in kelp as two orcas swim past. Photo taken in Glacier Bay at Point Carolus, Alaska
A sea otter resting in kelp as two orcas swim past. Photo taken in Glacier Bay at Point Carolus, Alaska
Female sea otter, Cook Inlet, Alaska
A female sea otter resting in the morning light in Cook Inlet Alaska.
A female sea otter resting in the morning light in Cook Inlet Alaska.
A young sea otter foraging for invertebrates
A young sea otter foraging for small invertebrates off an emergent rock covered with seaweed, snails, and barnacles. Photo taken in Prince William Sound, Alaska.
A young sea otter foraging for small invertebrates off an emergent rock covered with seaweed, snails, and barnacles. Photo taken in Prince William Sound, Alaska.
Juvenile female sea otter eating urchins
A juvenile female sea otter eating small green urchins in the intertidal. Photo taken in Glacier Bay near Geikie Inlet, Alaska.
A juvenile female sea otter eating small green urchins in the intertidal. Photo taken in Glacier Bay near Geikie Inlet, Alaska.
A sea otter eating a basket star
A sea otter eating a basket star in Glacier Bay near Bartlett Cove, Alaska
A sea otter eating a basket star in Glacier Bay near Bartlett Cove, Alaska
Southern Sea Otter
The health and population growth of the southern sea otter -- a federally listed threatened species -- can serve as an indicator of the health and condition of California's coastal waters.
The health and population growth of the southern sea otter -- a federally listed threatened species -- can serve as an indicator of the health and condition of California's coastal waters.