Publications & Media
New Series: Webinars
Students, especially those in the natural sciences, are often led to believe that academic scientists should not engage in animal advocacy. They are often told that they can either be a scientist or they can be an advocate, but that they cannot (or should not) do both. In this series of webinars, we challenge this outdated notion.
Animal Law 101 for Scientists: In this inaugural webinar, Kathy Hessler and researcher Elizabeth Baker discuss how scientists can help strengthen animal legal efforts (policy, legislation, litigation, education, lobbying, etc.) by collaborating with animal attorneys and policy makers.
Natural Science 101 for Lawyers: In this second installment of the Animal Law & Science Project’s Webinar Series Lori Marino and Kathy Hessler discuss how employing information and expertise in the natural sciences (biology, welfare, veterinary, evolution, comparative psychology, ethology, etc.) can empower legal and policy efforts for animals.
Social Science 101 for Lawyers: Lori Marino talks with legal scholar Kathy Hessler and researcher Jo Anderson about helping animal lawyers, scholars, and students access and employ information and expertise from the social sciences (sociology, economics, anthropology, comparative psychology, ethology, etc.) to strengthen their work.
Wild Animal Sanctuaries – the New Face of Humane Education: Lori Marino talks with guests Meena Alagappan and Kimberly Korona of TeachHeart.org and Catherine Doyle of the Performing Animal Welfare Society about the new focus on wildlife in their humane education programs. They discuss how sanctuaries, including the coming Whale Sanctuary in Nova Scotia, are playing an essential role in driving education and cultural change.
Scholar Advocacy in Communications & Media: Lori Marino talks with Carrie Freeman, Professor of Communications at Georgia State University, and Debra Merskin, Professor of Media Studies at the University of Oregon, about using media expertise and academic scholarship to advocate for nonhuman animals in today’s world.
Dolphin Assisted Therapy, Autism & Pseudoscience: Lori Marino talks with clinical psychologist David Celiberti about the use of dolphins in a pseudoscience practice known as Dolphin Assisted Therapy (DAT). They discuss why DAT is not authentic therapy and how it is used to exploit dolphins and people with autism alike.
Scholar Advocacy in Anthropology Beyond the Human: Lori Marino talks with Barbara J. King and Amanda Stronza about taking an anthropological approach to the study of and advocacy for other animals. They discuss the problem of human exceptionalism and recognizing the capacity for emotion and grief in other animals.
Judges Say the Darndest Things: Lori Marino welcomes philosopher Robert Jones and Nonhuman Rights Project Executive Director Kevin Schneider for a lively discussion on the challenges of recognizing the legal rights of great apes, cetaceans and elephants.
The Someone Project – Who Are Sheep? In this joint Kimmela Center/Farm Sanctuary webinar, we explore the minds of sheep with scientists and sanctuary caretakers.
Chimpanzees and Dolphins: From Research Subjects to Legal Persons: Drs. Mary Lee Jensvold and Lori Marino discuss becoming scientist-advocates for the animals they study and the importance of legal rights and sanctuaries.
Scholar Advocacy in Marine Mammal Science: Five marine mammal scholars discuss why it is important to advocate for both captive and free-ranging marine mammals.
Scholar Advocacy in Neuroscience and Psychology: Four academic scholars in neuroscience and animal behavior discuss the role animal advocacy has had in their professional life.
Online Interviews
National Geographic: Lori Marino discusses her career and marine mammal captivity. (2017)
The Ghosts in Our Machine – Dr. Marino is featured as Animal Ambassador. (2012)
Radio Free Rescue – Dr. Marino discusses the effects of captivity on cetacean behavior and the ethics of human-nonhuman relationships. (2013)
io9 – When does an animal count as a person? (2012)
Wired – Dr. Marino discusses the potential harm to beluga cultures and matrilines from wild capture and import. (2012)
Animal Planet – Blood Dolphins Show: In Opposition to Dolphin Captivity. (2011)
Radio and podcast interviews
Classroom Dissection: Dr. Marino discusses how dissection and vivisection hurts both human and nonhuman animals on Now You Know. (2019)
Sheep Psychology: Lori Marino discusses sheep intelligence and individuality on Animals Today Radio May 25, 2019. (Begins at 35:15)
Easy Vegan – Dr. Marino is interviewed about cow psychology and veganism (2017)
Animals Today Radio – Dr. Marino is interviewed about the psychology of cows – begins at 12:31 (2017)
Our Hen House – Dr. Marino is interviewed about The Someone Project (2017)
Talking Animals – Dr. Marino is interviewed by Duncan Strauss (Jan. 2016)
The Best of Business Radio – “Changes at SeaWorld” on Knowledge @Wharton (Nov. 2015)
Animals Today – Does Dolphin Assisted Therapy Help Children? (June 2013)
Minnesota Public Radio News – Minnesota Zoo exhibit raises dolphin captivity questions (2012)
Animals Today Radio – the Georgia Aquarium infant beluga whale death (2012)
The Dolphin Pod – The Truth About Dolphin Assisted Therapy (2008)
Video presentations
Animal Sentience: What we know and what we think: Lori Marino’s invited talk to the Green Party in Ireland about animal sentience and why it is so crucial to take into account om animal agriculture policies.
Whale and Dolphin Brains: Lori Marino talks about why dolphin and whale brains are a challenge for primate-centered views of intelligence at the “Animals on the Mind” conference at the University of Denver (2018).
Chicken intelligence. Lori Marino discusses the inconvenient truth of chicken intelligence and emotions at the University of Quebec at Montreal Animal Sentience and Cognition Conference (2018)
Lori Marino gives a talk about the Whale Sanctuary Project to students and faculty at Franklin & Marshall College (2017)
Lori Marino kicks off Farm Sanctuary Hoedown (2017)
Animal Law Conference (2017)
Lori Marino discusses Challenges in Aquatic Animal Welfare and Ethics with a panel of experts at the Detroit Zoo conference (2017)
Lori Marino testifies before Canadian Senate Committee in support of Bill S-230, which would ban captive display of cetaceans in Canada (2017)
Lori Marino moderates a discussion on Scholar-Advocacy at the SuperPod 5 conference (2016)
Lori Marino’s presentation about the Whale Sanctuary Project at the SuperPod 5 conference (2016)
Lori Marino’s Q&A on The Ghosts in Our Machine in Atlanta, Georgia (March 2014)
Lori Marino’s keynote address at the Southern California Marine Mammal Workshop (February 2014)
Lori Marino on The Denial of Death and Treatment of Other Animals (December 2013)
Lori Marino presents the Science of the Nonhuman Rights Project (December 2013)
Lori Marino’s interview for the book The Politics of Species (December 2013)
Lori Marino presents the Science Behind Blackfish in San Antonio, Texas (October 2013)
Lori Marino discusses the film Blackfish with an Atlanta audience (August 2013)
Lori Marino discusses Death at SeaWorld with author David Kirby and marine mammal scientist Naomi Rose (September 2012)
Big Think Interviews with Lori Marino (2010):
Dolphin Intelligence and Human Perspective
How Dolphins Evolved Their Big Brains
Zoos and Aquaria: Debunking the Myth
Animals, Research and Alternatives Conference, Wash. DC. (2010)
Congressional Testimony to the House Committee on Natural Resources (April 27, 2010).
Lori Marino explains why the educational claims of the marine mammal captivity industry are without merit.
Articles about Lori Marino
Scientists Make the Best Advocates: a conversation with Maureen Nandini Mitra of Earth Island Journal (2016)
Lori Marino: Leader of a Revolution in How We Perceive Animals by Virginia Morell, National Geographic (May 2014)
It’s Complicated: The Lives of Dolphins & Scientists, by Erik Vance, Discover Magazine (September 7, 2011)
Are Dolphins Too Smart for Captivity? by David Grimm, Science Magazine (29 April 2011)
A Selection of Dr. Marino’s Publications
Third time’s the charm or three strikes you’re out? An updated review of the efficacy of dolphin‐assisted therapy for autism and developmental disabilities. Dr. Marino and the late Scott Lilienfeld review the DAT literature for the third time and find no evidence for its validity.
The Scala Naturae: an Ancient Theory in Modern Times: Lori Marino discusses the history of the scala naturae (great chain of being) and how it continues to influence our thinking about nonhuman animals to this day.
The Blood Harvest of Horseshoe Crabs Is a Moral Fiasco (with Andrew Fenton): A commentary on the use of the blood of horseshoe crabs, which is used in biomedical research and is being considered in the development of a Covid-19 vaccine despite the availability of a synthetic alternative.
Intelligence, complexity and individuality in sheep: A review of intelligence, personality and social complexity in sheep. Animal Sentience, 206, 1-26. Marino and Merskin (2019)
Eating Someone: Farmed animals have personality, smarts, even a sense of agency. Why then do we saddle them with lives of utter despair? Marino L. Aeon Magazine (2019)
Octopus minds must lead to octopus ethics. Animal Sentience, 263. King and Marino (2019)
Humanity Is Not Prepared to Colonize Mars: Essay as part of a special edition of Futures entitled “The Great Colonization Debate”, in which scholars weigh in on the question of whether our species should colonize Mars and other planets. Marino, L (2019). Futures, 110, 15-18.
The Psychology of Cows: Animal Behavior and Cognition, 4(4): 474-498. Marino L & Allen K. (2017)
Thinking Chickens: A literature review of cognition, emotion, and behavior in the domestic chicken. Animal Cognition, 20(2): 127-141. Marino L. (2017)
Denial of Death and the Relationship Between Humans and Other Animals: Denial of our mortality (and thus our own animal nature) is an important factor in driving how and why our relationships with other animals are fundamentally exploitive and harmful. By Lori Marino and Michael Mountain. Anthrozoos, Vol. 28 Issue 1. (2015) Updated as white paper November 2021.
Signs of Intelligent Life – Pigs possess complex ethological traits similar to dogs and chimpanzees. By Lori Marino and Christina M. Colvin. Article for Natural History (October 2015)
Dolphins Are Not Healers – “Dolphins are smart, sociable predators. They don’t belong in captivity and they shouldn’t be used to ‘cure’ the ill.”
Article for Aeon magazine (June 2013)
AAT Construct Validity Marino?
Marino L (2012) Anthrozoos 25: s139-s151.
Towards a new paradigm of non-captive research on cetacean cognition.
Marino L, Frohoff T (2011) Public Library of Science ONE 6(9): e24121.
A trans-species perspective on nature.
Marino L (November 2010) Online essay for On The Human (National Humanities Center).
Do zoos and aquariums promote attitude change in visitors?
Marino L, Lilienfeld S, Malamud R, Nobis N, Broglio R (2010) Society and Animals, 18: 126-138.
The captivity industry: The reality of zoos and aquariums.
Marino L, Bradshaw G, Malamud, R (2009) Best Friends Animal Society Magazine, March-April issue: 25-27.
Elephant assisted therapy: issues and concerns.
Marino L, Bradshaw G (2008) The Born Free Foundation.
A claim in search of evidence: Reply to Manger’s thermogenesis hypothesis of cetacean brain structure.
Marino L, Butti, C, Connor RC, Fordyce, RE, Herman LM, Hof PR, Lefebvre L, Lusseau D, McCowan B, Nimchinsky EA, Pack AA, Reidenberg JS, Reiss D, Rendell L, Uhen MD ,Van der Gucht E, WhiteheadH (2008) Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, 83: 417-440.
Cetaceans have complex brains for complex cognition.
Marino L, Connor RC, Fordyce, RE, Herman LM, Hof PR, Lefebvre L, Lusseau, McCowan B, Nimchinsky EA, Pack AA, Rendell L, Reidenberg JS, Reiss D, Uhen MD ,Van der Gucht E, WhiteheadH. (2007) Public Library of Science (PLOS) Biology, 5(5): e139.
Dolphin assisted therapy for autism and other developmental disorders: A dangerous fad.
Marino L, Lilienfeld S (2007) Psychology in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (Division 33), American Psychological Association, 33(2): 2-3.
Dolphin assisted therapy: More flawed data, more flawed conclusions.
Marino L, Lilienfeld S (2007) Anthrozoos. 20: 239 – 249.
Dolphin-assisted therapy: Flawed data, flawed conclusions.
Marino L, Lilienfeld S (1998) Anthrozoos, 11(4): 194-199.
Dr. Marino’s CV
A pdf copy of Dr. Marino’s CV is here.