Contact:
Biography:
Dr. Eric Angel Ramos is a marine scientist specializing in the study of marine mammals. He acquired a Masters in Animal Behavior and Conservation from Hunter College and a PhD from the Graduate Center at City University of New York. He has published over 40 peer-reviewed papers on a range of subjects including dolphin behavior, manatee communication, and octopus genetics. In his current role and Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium, his work focuses on the application of drones and bioacoustics to studies of manatee health and behavior in the wild. He has innovated and participated in a variety of studies on manatees in the Caribbean Sea, Florida, and Cameroon. Dr. Ramos has also worked as a science educator for more than a decade. He worked with multiple programs leading summer science courses with students for RISE in NYC and mentoring undergraduate students applying to PhD programs for the CUNY Pipeline Program. He is part of the IUCN Species Survival Commission working group for Sirenians in Mesoamerica and has served on the board of the Society for Marine Mammalogy from 2019-2022 as a Student Member-at-Large.
Education:
2014–2022. Doctor of Philosophy. Animal Behavior and Comparative Psychology. Department of Psychology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY. Presidential MAGNET Fellow.
2010–2013. Master of Arts. Animal Behavior and Conservation. Department of Psychology, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, NY. National Institutes of Health (NIH) supported MBRS-RISE Fellow.
2005–2009. Bachelor of Arts. The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ. Double Major in Psychology and Italian. Cum Laude.
Member of IUCN Species Survival Commission subgroup for Sirenians in Mesoamerica
Additional Publications
Ramos, E.A., Kiszka, J., Reiss, D., Magnasco, M. (2024). Coastal dolphins provide foraging opportunities to benthic-feeding seabirds in a tropical seagrass ecosystem. Behaviour.
Pouey-Santalou, V., Weiss, M., Ramos, E.A., Kiszka, J.J., Fernando Ramírez Barragán, R.F., Andrea Jacqueline García Chavez, A.J., Audley, K. (2024). Social structure and site fidelity of an oceanic delphinid: the rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis) off the southwest Pacific coast of Mexico. Marine Mammal Science.
Brady, B., Ramos, E.A., Carroll, G., Giulia, C. (2024). Evaluating wildlife tourism exposure to Florida manatees using citizen science, public interviews, and trail cameras. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems.
Tennant, R., Brady, B., Love, K.R., Ramos, E.A., Schloesser, R. (2024). Persistent long-term habitat use by Florida manatees at Fort Pierce, Florida from 1997 to 2020. PloS One. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297636
Ramos, E.A., Tellez, M., Castelblanco-Martínez, N., May-Collado, L. (2024). Antillean manatees feed on floating Halophila baillonii in Placencia Lagoon, Belize. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals. doi: 10.5597/lajam00322
Brown, T.W., Murcia, F.V., Garcia, A., Ramos, E.A. (2024). Spinner Dolphin with Evidence of Shark Interaction on Utila Island, Honduras. Caribbean Journal of Science, 54(1), 32-35. doi: 10.18475/cjos.v54i1.a5
De Weerdt, J., Ramos, E.A., Acosta, T. (2024). First record of pinnipeds along the Pacific Coast of Nicaragua. Aquatic Mammals. doi: 10.1578/AM.50.1.2024.1
Ramos, E.A., Galves, J., Searle, L., Walker, Z., Walker, P., Castelblanco-Martínez, N., Knowles, B., Self-Sullivan, C., Kiszka, J.J. (2024). Interactions between bottlenose dolphins and Antillean manatee calves in the Caribbean Sea. PloS One. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295739
Brady, B., Sarbacker, C., Lasala, J.A., Maust-Mohl, M., Collom, K.A., Searle, L., ... Ramos, E.A. (2023). Manatees display diel trends in acoustic activity at two microhabitats in Belize. PloS One, 18(11), e0294600. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294600
Ramos, E.A., Jones, B.L., Austin, M., Eierman, L., Collom, K.A., Melo-Santos, G., ... & Rieucau, G. (2023). Signature whistle use and changes in whistle emission rate in a rehabilitated rough-toothed dolphin. Frontiers in Marine Science, doi: 10.3389/fmars.2023.1278299
Ramos, E.A., Hartman, K., Baird, R., Lerma, J., Orbach, D., & Rodriguez, F. (2023). Drone perspectives on cetacean mating and sex. In: Würsig, B., & Orbach, O., eds., Sexual Strategies and Mating in Cetaceans, doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-35651-3_11
Reyes-Arias, J.D, Brady, B., Ramos, E.A., Hénaut, Y., Castelblanco-Martínez, N., Maria Maust-Mohl, M., Searle, L., Pérez-Lachaud, G., Guzmán, H.N., Poveda, H., Merchán, F., Contreras, K., Sánchez Galán, J., Collom, K.A., Magnasco, M.O. (2023). Vocalizations of wild West Indian manatee vary across subspecies and geographic location. Scientific Reports, doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-37882-8
Ramos, E.A., Brady, B., Lasala, J.A., Liebschner, A., Obbink, S., Walker, Z., Rebello, M., Magnasco, M.O. (2023). Antillean manatee calves in captive rehabilitation change vocal behavior in anticipation of feeding. Zoo Biology, doi: 10.1002/zoo.21785
Maloney, B., Ramos, E.A., Bennice, C.O., Young, F., Magnasco, M.O. (2023). Genetic confirmation of Octopus insularis (Leite and Haimovici, 2008) in South Florida, USA using physical features and de novo genome assembly. Frontiers in Marine Science, doi: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1162807
Bolaños-Jiménez, J., Luksenburg, J., Henriquez, A., Bouveret, L., Rodríguez Ferrer, G., Ramos, E.A., Kiszka, J. (2023). The Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) in the Caribbean Sea: an updated Review of its Ecology, Exploitation, and Interactions with Fisheries. Aquatic Mammals, doi: 10.1578/AM.49.2.2023.184
Ramos, E.A., Cheeseman, T., Marcondes, M.C.C., Olio, M., Vogel, A., Elwen, S., ... Seakamela, S.M. (2023). Interchange of Southern Hemisphere humpback whales across the South Atlantic Ocean. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 4621. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-31358-5
Factheu, C., Rycyk, A., Kekeunou, S., Keith-Diagne, L.W., Ramos, E.A., Kikuchi, M., Takoukam, A.K. (2023). Acoustic methods improve the detection of the endangered African manatee. Frontiers in Marine Science, 9, 2744. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2022.1032464
Niño‐Torres, C.A., Olvera‐Gómez, J.A., Ramos, E.A., Castelblanco‐Martínez, D.N., Blanco‐Parra, M.P., May‐Collado, L.J., Sellares, R. (2022). High similarities in dorsal fin ratios of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Caribbean Sea. Marine Mammal Science, doi: 10.1111/mms.12988
Brady, B., Ramos, E.A., May-Collado, L., Landrau-Giovannetti, N., Lace, N., Arreola, M.R., Santos, G.M., da Silva, V.M.F., Sousa-Lima, R.S. (2022). Manatee calf call contour and acoustic structure varies by species and body size. Scientific Reports, 12(1):19597. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-23321-7
Baotic, A., Brady, B., Ramos, E.A., Stoeger, A. (2022). Elephants and Sirenian: a comparative review across related taxa in regard to learned vocal behavior. Comparative Cognition & Behavior Reviews, doi: 10.3819/CCBR.2022.170004
Ramos, E.A., Landeo-Yauri, S., Castelblanco-Martinez, D., Renee Areola, M., Quade, A., Rieucau, G. (2022). Drone-based photogrammetry assessments of Antillean manatee body size and body condition. Mammalian Biology, doi: 10.1007/s42991-022-00228-4
Ramos, E.A., Szczepaniak, I., Kaplan, D., Reiss, D. (2022). Potential infanticide attempt of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) on a young calf in a tropical Caribbean atoll. Aquatic Mammals, doi: 10.1578/AM.48.2.2022.132
Rycyk, A.M., Factheu, C., Ramos, E.A., Brady, B.B., Kikutchi, M., Nations, H.F., Kapfer, K., Hampton, C.M., Garcia, E.R., Kamla, A. (2021). First characterization of vocalizations and passive acoustic monitoring of the vulnerable African manatee (Trichechus senegalensis). Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, doi: 10.1121/10.0006734
Castelblanco-Martínez, D.N., Landeo-Yauri, S.S., Ramos, E.A., Rieucau, G., Bonde, R.K., Álvarez-Alemán, A., Beck, C.A., Powell, J., Galves, J., Caicedo-Herrera, D., Morales-Vela, B., Padilla-Saldívar, J., Olivera, L.D., Jiménez-Domínguez, D., Reid, J., Butler, S., Attademo, F., Luna, F., Mignucci-Gianonni A. (2021). Analysis of body condition indices reveals different ecotypes of the Antillean manatee. Scientific Reports, doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-98890-0
Castelblanco-Martinez, D.N., Alvarez-Aleman, A., Torres, R., Teague, A.L., Barton, S.L., Rood, K.A., Ramos, E.A., Mignucci-Giannoni, A.A. (2021). First documentation of long-distance travel by a Florida manatee to the Mexican Caribbean. Ethology Ecology and Evolution, doi: 10.1080/03949370.2021.1967457
Ramos, E.A., Santoya, L., Verde, J., Walker, Z., Castelblanco-Martínez, N., Kiszka, J.J., Rieucau, G. (2021). Lords of the Rings: Mud rings feeding by Caribbean estuary bottlenose dolphins revealed from sea, air, and space. Marine Mammal Science, doi. 10.1111/mms.12854
De Weerdt, J., Ramos, E.A., Pouplard, E., Kochzius, M., Clapham, P. (2021). Cetacean strandings along the Pacific coast of Nicaragua from 2014 to 2019. Marine Biodiversity Records, 14, 13. doi: 10.1186/s41200-021-00209-5
Landeo-Yauri, S., Castelblanco-Martínez, N., Henaut, Y., Ramos, E.A., Renee-Arreola, M. (2021). Behavioural and physiological-related responses of manatees during experimental exposure to small aerial drones. Wildlife Research, doi: 10.1071/WR20159
Castelblanco-Martínez, N., Ramos, E.A., Blanco Parra, M., Garcia, J., Niño-Torres, C.A., Kiszka, J.J. (2022). Spatial patterns of shark-inflicted injuries on coastal Bottlenose Dolphins in the Mesoamerican Reef System. Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment, doi: 10.1080/01650521.2021.1877391
Ramos, E.A., Castelblanco-Martínez, D.N., Collom. K.A, Barragán-Barrera, D.C., Garcés-Cuartas, N., Prezas-Hernández, B., Anderson, D., Jeffords, A., Niño-Torres, C.A., Carey, B., Carey, T. (2020). Where the wild things are: First dedicated vessel-based expedition of marine mammals in Belize. Cashiers de Biologie Marine, doi: 10.21411/CBM.A.58164306
Ramos, E.A., Kiszka, J.J., Pouey-Santalou, V., Audley, K. (2020). Food sharing in rough-toothed dolphins off the southwestern Pacific coast of Mexico. Marine Mammal Science, 37, 352–360. doi: 10.1111/mms.12727
Ramos, E.A., Izaguirre Luque, A.P., Herrera, L., Edoardo Antúnez, E., Brown, T.W., Castelblanco-Martínez, D.N. (2020). Stranding of a pregnant dwarf sperm whale (Kogia sima) in Utila, Honduras. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals. doi: lajamjournal.org/index.php/lajam/article/view/715
Kassamali-Fox, K., Christiansen, F., May-Collado, L.J., Ramos, E.A., Kaplin, B.A. (2020). Tour boats impact the activity patterns of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Bocas del Toro, Panama. PeerJ, 8, e8804. doi: 10.7717/peerj.8804.
De Weerdt, J., Ramos, E.A., Cheeseman, T. (2020). Northernmost records of Southern Hemisphere humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) migrating from the Antarctic Peninsula to Nicaragua. Marine Mammal Science, 1–7. doi: 10.1111/mms.12677.
Ramos, E.A., Maust-Mohl, M., Collom, K.A., Brady, B., Gerstein, E.R., Magnasco, M.O., Reiss, D. (2020). The Antillean manatee produces broadband with ultrasonic frequencies. JASA Express Letters, 147, EL80. doi: 10.1121/10.0000602.
Landeo-Yauri, S., Ramos, E.A., Niño-Torres, C., Castelblanco-Martínez, N., Searle, L. (2020). Using small drones to photo-identify Antillean manatees: a novel method for monitoring an endangered marine mammal in the Caribbean Sea. Endangered Species Research, 41, 79–90. doi: 10.3354/esr01007.
De Weerdt, J., Ramos, E.A. (2019). Feeding behavior of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua. Marine Mammal Science, 36, 285–292. doi: 10.1111/mms.12613.
Barragán-Barrera, D.C., do Amaral, K.B., Chávez-Carreño, P.A., Farías-Curtidor, N., Lancheros-Neva, R., Botero-Acosta, N., Bueno, P., Moreno, I.B., Bolaños-Jiménez, J., Bouveret, L., Castelblanco-Martínez, D.M., Luksenburg, J.A., Mellinger, J., Mesa-Gutiérrez, R., de Montgolfier, B., Ramos, E.A., Ridoux, V., Palacios, D.M. (2019). Ecological niche modeling of three species of Stenella dolphins in the Caribbean basin with application to the Seaflower Biosphere Reserve. Frontiers in Marine Science, doi: 10.3389/fmars.2019.00010
Ramos, E.A., Maloney, B., Magnasco, M.O., Reiss, D. (2018). Bottlenose Dolphins and Antillean Manatees Respond to Small Multi-Rotor Unmanned Aerial Systems. Frontiers in Marine Science, 1, 316. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2018.00316
Ramos, E.A., Castelblanco-Martínez, N., Garcia, J., Rojas-Arias, J, Foley, J., Audley, K., Van Waerebeek, K., Van Bressem, M.F. (2018). Lobomycosis-like disease in bottlenose dolphins in Belize and Mexico: Bridging the gap between the Americas. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, 128, 1–12. doi: 10.3354/dao03206.
Ramos, E.A., Castelblanco-Martínez, N., Nino-Torres, C., Jenko, K., Auil Gomez, N. (2016). A review of the aquatic mammals of Belize. Aquatic Mammals, 476–493. doi: 10.1578/AM.42.4.2016.476.
Theses
Ramos, E.A. (2022). Adapting Small Unmanned Aerial Systems to Research and Monitoring with Coastal Marine Mammals. Doctoral Dissertation. Psychology Department, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, NY. pp. 1–182
Ramos, E.A. (2014). Foraging-related calls produced by bottlenose dolphins at Turneffe Atoll, Belize. Master’s Thesis. Psychology Department, Hunter College, City University of New York, NY. pp. 1–78.
Non-peer reviewed articles
Ramos, E.A., Castelblanco-Martínez, N., Nino-Torres, C., Landeo-Yauri, S., Magnasco, M.O., Reiss, D. (2017). Small drones: a tool to study, monitor, and manage free-ranging Antillean manatees in Belize and Mexico. Sirenews, 67, 13–16.
Ramos, E.A. (2015). Eyes in the Sky. SWOT (The State of the World’s Sea Turtles), Report X. https://rb.gy/4qpvai