From andrex.hoskins at gmail.com Sun Mar 1 13:37:27 2009 From: andrex.hoskins at gmail.com (Andrew James Hoskins) Date: Mon, 2 Mar 2009 08:37:27 +1100 Subject: [MARMAM] Volunteers required for work on Australian fur seals Message-ID: *Volunteers required for work on Australian fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus)* Volunteers are required to assist PhD students from Deakin University, Victoria, Australia on projects studying the foraging behaviour and disease prevalence of/in Australian fur seals. Volunteers will gain experience in the capture and restraint of adult female, juvenile and pup Australian fur seals. Volunteers will also assist in gas anaesthesia, the attachment and removal of data loggers and the collection of biological samples. Fieldwork will be conducted on Kanowna Island, a remote island off the coast of Wilsons Promontory, Victoria. Life as well as work on the island can be physically demanding and as such volunteers should be relatively fit and healthy. Volunteers will need to provide their own transport to and from Tidal River, Wilsons Promontory; alternatively, carpooling may be able to be arranged with other volunteers travelling down. Food and accommodation are provided, it should be noted that accommodation is basic (sleeping in tents etc). Volunteers will need to bring personal items such as clothes and sleeping bags. The length of field trips will vary from 14 days to up to 20 days and will be conducted during the months of May and September. Please direct all expressions of interest coupled with a short CV; -- Andrew Hoskins PhD Candidate Deakin University, Australia Email: ajhos at deakin.edu.au -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tricia_lavery at yahoo.com.au Sun Mar 1 17:29:23 2009 From: tricia_lavery at yahoo.com.au (Trish Lavery) Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 17:29:23 -0800 (PST) Subject: [MARMAM] Heavy metal toxicity in bottlenose dolphins Message-ID: <561830.92978.qm@web39808.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Dear colleagues, We are pleased to announce a new paper published recently in Marine Environmental Research: Lavery TJ, Kemper CM, Sanderson K, Schultz CG,?Coyle?P, Mitchell JG, Seuront L.? 2009.? Heavy?metal toxicity of kidney and bone tissues in South Australian adult bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus).???Marine Environmental Research, 67, 1 - 7. A PDF is available upon request: Trish.Lavery at flinders.edu.au ABSTRACT Metallothioneins (MT) concentration, renal damage, and bone malformations were investigated in 38 adult observed in dolphins showing evidence of more advanced renal damage. No significant differences in metal or selenium concentrations in the liver were observed between groups differing in level of bone malformations. Some dolphins displayed evidence of toxicity and knowledge of metal toxicity pathways were used to elucidate the cause of these abnormalities. Two dolphins had high metal burdens, high MT concentrations, renal damage, and evidence of bone malformations, indicating possible severe and prolonged metal toxicity. One dolphin showed evidence of renal damage, but the lack of any other symptoms suggests that this was unlikely to be caused by metal toxicity. We recommend examining a range of metal toxicity symptoms simultaneously to aid in distinguishing metal toxicity from unrelated aetiologies. ? ? The current work follows from a previous paper which documented high levels of some metals in South Australian bottlenose dolphins:? Lavery TJ, Butterfield N, Kemper CM, Reid T, Sanderson K.? 2008.? Metals and selenium in the liver and bone of three dolphin species from South Australia, 1988 - 2004.? Science of the Total Environment, 390, 77 - 85. ? ? Kindest thanks for your interest, ? Trish J Lavery PhD candidate Flinders University Trish.Lavery at flinders.edu.au https://www.scieng.flinders.edu.au/biology/people/academic/mitchell_j/msl/mswebsite_ppl_lavery.htm http://www.scieng.flinders.edu.au/biology/people/postgrad/lavery_t/index.htmlTursiops aduncus carcasses to determine any associations with cadmium, copper, zinc, mercury, lead and selenium. Significantly higher concentrations of cadmium, copper, and zinc in the liver were Stay connected to the people that matter most with a smarter inbox. Take a look http://au.docs.yahoo.com/mail/smarterinbox -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Kenady.Reuland at noaa.gov Mon Mar 2 14:15:17 2009 From: Kenady.Reuland at noaa.gov (Kenady Reuland) Date: Mon, 02 Mar 2009 14:15:17 -0800 Subject: [MARMAM] Steller Sea Lion Field Camp Positions Message-ID: <49AC5A75.9070908@noaa.gov> Biological Technician position (May 18-Aug. 8, 2009) NOAA/NMFS/Alaska Fishery Science Center National Marine Mammal Laboratory (NMML), Seattle, WA Alaska Ecosystem Program/Steller sea lion field camps Aquatic Farms (Ltd. of Honolulu, Hawaii), a contractor for The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Alaska Fishery Science Center, is soliciting cover letters and resumes for the upcoming 2009 field season to study the western stock of endangered Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) in Alaska. This work is part of a long-term annual population abundance and survival monitoring program. Duties include conducting counts, identifying individual sea lions by tags, brands, and natural markings, and monitoring reproduction and survival at remote field sites in Alaska. For general information about the program, visit this website: http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/nmml/alaska/ Employment will be from May 18-Aug 8, 2009. Between 1 and 6 new biological technicians will be contracted for the 2009 field season. Application information is listed below. The first week of employment (May 18-23, 2009) is spent in Seattle training. Attendance is mandatory and successful completion of training is required for all field team members each season. Food and lodging in Seattle are not provided. Transportation from Seattle to and from Alaska and the field site, food, and lodging in the field are provided. Field teams are typically in Alaska for 8-10 weeks. Field work is conducted by 2-4 member teams in remote camps located at either Ugamak Island (eastern Aleutian Islands) or Marmot Island (central Gulf of Alaska). All personnel are expected to perform daily research duties as well as camp maintenance (chopping wood, hauling water, cooking, and compost toilet maintenance etc). Participants are required to stay for the duration of the field season and there are no crew changes. Field stations are remote, there are no other residents on the islands, and outside communication is limited (no cell phone coverage and no email). Researchers live in small shelters at the various sites with no running water or electricity. Field stations are accessible only by ship or helicopter. Each camp is staffed with one field camp leader and 1-2 assistants. The camp leader serves as the senior person in the camp. Field camp leaders are responsible for field camp logistics and maintenance, ensuring that research goals are met and that safety protocols are followed, for ensuring that all data is entered and edited during the season, the return of field equipment and supplies, and producing an annual report at end of field season. Under the guidance of a field camp leader, field camp assistants help with camp preparation, data collection, data entry and editing, and field gear inventory and packing. All team members maintain a safe working environment for field personnel, participate in daily camp maintenance and operation, and assist with the return of field equipment and supplies at the end of the season. _Research Duties_: Research is conducted outdoors 7 days per week, often in inclement weather. Temperatures at field sites can range from 40 to 85 degrees. Fog, wind, and rain are common, with occasional snow early in the season. Personnel should be prepared to hike (> 5 miles) with a large heavy day pack, over rough uneven terrain, steep slopes, rocky ledges, and have no fear of heights or flying in helicopters. Observation stations are located on the edge of cliffs or overlooks above the sea lions. Observers will be expected to use binoculars and spotting scopes for long periods of time and be able to recognize markings or brands on sea lions. There is generally no animal handling during field camp operations. Sea lions should be unaware of the presence of biologists. Personnel should be in excellent physical condition with no preexisting health problems such as heart disease, severe allergies, depression, debilitating asthma or other ailments that will compromise their health or the healthy and safety of others in the camp or the completion of research duties. _Minimum Qualifications:_ Candidates must have an education in a biological science. A Bachelor?s degree in biology or related field with previous field experience is preferred. The ability to work well as a team and independently, with good communication and problem-solving skills is mandatory. Ability to follow detailed verbal and written instructions and data protocols is mandatory. Working knowledge of personal computers including use of word processing, spreadsheets, and relational database programs such as Access is highly recommended. Field work, employment, or life experience in very remote settings is preferred. Current First Aid and CPR certification is required. Wilderness First Aid is highly recommended and candidates will be given extra consideration with this certification. Application Deadline: March 13, 2009 Please submit a cover letter and resume with employment history, education history, and the names and contact information (email and phone numbers) of three work related references to: Calinda "Cal" Goo Aquatic Farms, Ltd. 49-139 Kamehameha Hwy. Kaneohe, HI. 96744 (808) 239-2929 FAX: (808) 239-8436 officeafl at hawaii.rr.com And cc Kathryn Chumbley: kathryn.chumbley at noaa.gov From info at scanningoceansectors.org Sun Mar 1 14:12:13 2009 From: info at scanningoceansectors.org (Yvonne Miles) Date: Mon, 2 Mar 2009 08:12:13 +1000 Subject: [MARMAM] late registration starts for March & April MMO & PAM course Message-ID: Hi All Scanning Ocean Sectors ? A Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) training company and Joint Nature Conservation Committee ? JNCC, recognised course for industry and research. We have years of research behind the effective training of MMOs with courses adapted to the requirements of the clients, and taught by professionals in their specialised fields. With fully trained and experienced MMOs teaching. Each student is graded in their certificates to ensure the quality standard of the MMO industry is gaining. Please note that the late registration now applies for the UK March courses and Australian April course Registration will close two weeks before course starts. NOTE ? There is ONLY ONE MMO COURSE IN MARCH 2009 We are now running Passive Acoustic Monitoring courses for MMOs March PAM course is 26th & 27th 2009 This course is booking up quickly so don?t leave it late Please visit our website for more information and to register for all courses Note When you register for a course the course prices will be sent directly to you Note ? There are limited numbers for each course so please book early to avoid disappointment. If anyone is interested in advertising in our newsletter please contact us for the next issue www.scanningoceansectors.org info at scanningoceansectors.org -- Yvonne Miles 9 Long Street Point Vernon Hervey Bay QLD 4655 Australia 0431 824 063 mob 07 4124 8320 land line info at scanningoceansectors.org www.scanningoceansectors.org From melillok at hotmail.com Mon Mar 2 11:48:19 2009 From: melillok at hotmail.com (Kelly Melillo) Date: Mon, 2 Mar 2009 14:48:19 -0500 Subject: [MARMAM] SPACES STILL OPEN: Field Course in Cetacean Ecology - June 2009 Message-ID: GET OUT OF THE CLASSROOM....AND GET INTO THE FIELD! Looking for an exciting, hands-on summer course? The Dolphin Communication Project (DCP) has only a handful of openings left for our FIELD COURSE IN CETACEAN ECOLOGY in Bimini, Bahamas. DCP, a non-profit research and education group, has been studying Atlantic spotted and bottlenose dolphins in this area since 2001. Dates: June 1 - 12, 2009 (Depart on June 13, 2009) Topics covered include but are not limited to: Introduction to cetacean biology Introduction to delphinid species of Bimini Boat-based surveys Photo-ID and video analysis During lectures, discussions and boat based surveys, students will learn species identification, photo-ID, techniques in surface observations (including GPS) and when possible, observe the animals under water and collect photograph and video data. Cost: $2,779* per person (USD) Receive a $105 discount if paying by check or money order! ($2,674*) Included: 12 nights accommodation (double occupancy*) 3 meals a day 8 half-day boat trips in search of dolphins 1 boat trip in search of reef sharks Gratuity Transportation from airport to hotel in Bimini Course instruction Certificate of completion Not included: Airfare to/from Bimini, Bahamas You must be at least 18 years old to participate. No previous experience with marine mammals or marine biology is required, however, all participants should be comfortable on a boat, snorkeling and working as a team. Course may be used for general enrichment or course credit; however the student is solely responsible for arranging credit with their home institution. This is your chance for a hands-on research experience with wild dolphins in the clear, warm waters of the Bahamas! Come join us! There are only a few slots left! For more information on this course, please contact Kelly Melillo at kmelillo at dolphincommunicationproject.org. For more information on the Bimini Travel Course program, follow this link. For more information on DCP, including a list of publications, please visit www.dolphincommunicationproject.org. A non-refundable deposit of 20% is due at the time of booking. Full payment is due 1 April 2009. *A supplemental fee of $600 is required for single occupancy. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kelly Melillo Research Associate, Bimini Research Manager Dolphin Communication Project kmelillo at dolphincommunicationproject.org www.dolphincommunicationproject.org www.thedolphinpod.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From recruitment at smru.co.uk Wed Mar 4 07:45:27 2009 From: recruitment at smru.co.uk (recruitment) Date: Wed, 4 Mar 2009 15:45:27 -0000 Subject: [MARMAM] VACANCY ANNOUCEMENT FOR A SENIOR RESEARCH SCIENTIST - SMRU LTD Message-ID: SMRU Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of the University of St Andrews that provides cutting edge scientific advice to industry and government. Working closely with the University of St Andrews, in particular the Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) and the Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling (CREEM), SMRU Ltd undertakes a wide variety of research contracts that build on the expertise within the respective organisations. Areas of work we are currently involved in include advising on potential impacts of marine renewable energy projects; providing guidance on marine mammal populations; assessing how wider commercial activities within the marine environment may affect marine organisms and developing tools through which users can access high quality marine environmental data. SMRU Ltd is at an exciting stage in our development and we are now looking for a motivated, experienced individual to apply for this new post to join and augment our existing team of scientists based in St Andrews. MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES The successful applicant will take up a key position in an interesting and dynamic environment and be meticulous in their approach to work undertaking a range of duties. You will provide scientific advice and have responsibility for leading a range of research projects and will also be expected to give input to the writing of tenders, producing scientific reports and liaising with Government agencies, Industry and NGO's. Much of the work specialises in marine mammal visual and acoustic monitoring survey techniques and the successful candidate would be expected to be familiar with the appropriate field techniques both in theory and in practice. QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE/SKILLS Essential Skills 4 Educated to PhD level in applied marine science with relevant research or proven marketplace experience 4 Experience of planning and running large scale surveys for marine mammals 4 Experience of survey techniques (visual and acoustic monitoring including PAM techniques) for studying marine mammals 4 Experience/knowledge of spatial modelling techniques for analysing marine mammal data 4 Knowledge of primary scientific literature and proven, peer reviewed publication record 4 Proven ability to lead projects and work successfully within a small team and liaise with non-academic groups Desirable Skills 4 A background knowledge of the marine renewable industry would be beneficial 4 Experience of working on Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and knowledge of the environmental legislation in the UK 4 Competent in statistical data analysis and management and knowledge of the ESRI ArcGIS software would be advantageous Salary SMRU Ltd offers a competitive salary and is expected to be in the region of ?30,000 - 35,000 p.a., dependent on qualifications and experience. To Apply If you believe you have the passion, commitment and skills then tell us why. Please apply in writing, preferably by email, by sending your CV, together with a covering letter outlining your suitability, to recruitment at smru.co.uk or by post to Fiona Skilbeck, SMRU Limited, New Technology Centre, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9SR. CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS IS 27th MARCH 2009 Fiona Skilbeck SMRU Limited New Technology Centre North Haugh ST ANDREWS Fife KY16 9SR email: recruitment at smru.co.uk www.smru.co.uk Switch: +44 (0)1334 479100 Fax: +44 (0)1334 477878 www.smru.co.uk P Please consider whether you really need a hard copy of this email before printing it - thank you. NOTICE OF CONFIDENTIALITY: This message, and any attachments, are intended solely for the addressee and may contain privileged or confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution or action taken or omitted to be taken in reliance on it, is prohibited and may be unlawful. If you believe that you have received this email in error, please contact the sender immediately and destroy this email. Although we have taken steps to ensure that this email and any attachments are free from any virus, we advise that, in keeping with good computing practice, the recipient should ensure they are actually virus free. SMRU LIMITED is a limited company registered in Scotland, Registered Number: 296937. Registered Office: 5 Atholl Crescent, Edinburgh EH3 8EJ. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From v.todd at oceanscienceconsulting.com Thu Mar 5 00:52:14 2009 From: v.todd at oceanscienceconsulting.com (Victoria Todd) Date: Thu, 05 Mar 2009 08:52:14 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] ICES paper on porpoise echolocation around North Sea gas installations Message-ID: <49AF92BE.2060205@oceanscienceconsulting.com> Dear MARMAMs, I am pleased to announce the publication of the following open access paper on porpoise echolocation: Todd, V. L. G., Pearse, W. D., Tregenza, N. C., Lepper, P. A., and Todd, I. B. (2009): Diel echolocation activity of harbour porpoises (/Phocoena phocoena/) around North Sea offshore gas installations. ICES Journal of Marine Science Advance Access published March 4, 2009, doi: 10.1093/icesjms/fsp035, 12 pp. A PDF of the abstract or the full article can be downloaded from the following links. Alternatively, if you have any problems accessing the site, please email me (v.todd at oceanscienceconsulting.com) for a copy. Kind regards, Victoria Todd Ocean Science Consulting Ltd. Abstract: http://icesjms.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/fsp035?ijkey=ob2Y7WRohw7w1Dp&keytype=ref Full Text: http://icesjms.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/fsp035?ijkey=ob2Y7WRohw7w1Dp&keytype=ref PDF: http://icesjms.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/fsp035?ijkey=ob2Y7WRohw7w1Dp&keytype=ref The full citation for your article is: /Diel echolocation activity of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) around North Sea offshore gas installations / Victoria L. G. Todd; William D. Pearse; Nick C. Tregenza; Paul A. Lepper; Ian B. Todd 2009; doi: 10.1093/icesjms/fsp035 -- Dr. Victoria Todd Director OSC Limited Ocean House 4 Brewery Lane Belhaven, Dunbar East Lothian, Scotland EH42 1PD Mob: +44 (0)7719 489 415 Tel: +44 (0)1368 865 722 - Switchboard (upgrading; expect disruption) Fax: +44 (0)1368 865 729 www.oceanscienceconsulting.com From mstocker at ocr.org Wed Mar 4 09:18:42 2009 From: mstocker at ocr.org (Michael Stocker) Date: Wed, 4 Mar 2009 09:18:42 -0800 Subject: [MARMAM] FW: Philippines melon headed whale stranding Message-ID: <200903041720.n24HIee26627570@cascara.comp.uvic.ca> Dear MARMAM folks, Does anyone know the current disposition the February 11 Manila Bay melon-headed whale stranding event? There are a few conflicting reports form the area from the press, but so far I have not found any unambiguous account or clear hypotheses on the potential cause. Apparently there were necropsies on four individuals performed by Dr. Lemnuel Aragones of Ocean Adventure in Subic Freeport, and tissues were sent out to the Philippines Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. Any additional information would be deeply appreciated. Please contact me directly at mstocker at OCR.org Regards, Michael Stocker www.OCR.org From IBalderas at fircroft.com Wed Mar 4 12:42:24 2009 From: IBalderas at fircroft.com (Iris Balderas) Date: Wed, 4 Mar 2009 20:42:24 -0000 Subject: [MARMAM] 2 MMO Positions Message-ID: Hello - I was referred to this email to post my two Marine Mammal Observer positions. Both positions are available immediately. Please feel free to call me with any questions. Sr. Marine Mammal Observer: 7-10 years experience A Marine Mammal Observer shall be the individual who keeps watch for mammals during seismic operations. This individual must be trained at observing and identifying marine mammals in compliance with the most recent NTL issued by the Minerals Management service. This individual will maintain proper records and documentation, and communicate findings to Company. This position shall have knowledge of industry Safety, Health, and Environmental (SHE) standards and Company reporting requirements. Associate Marine Mammal Observer 3-5 years experience A Marine Mammal Observer shall be the individual who keeps watch for mammals during seismic operations. This individual must be trained at observing and identifying marine mammals in compliance with the most recent NTL issued by the Minerals Management service. This individual will maintain proper records and documentation, and communicate findings to Company. This position shall have knowledge of industry Safety, Health, and Environmental (SHE) standards and Company reporting requirements. Thank you so much!!! Iris Balderas Recruitment Consultant Fircroft Group Tel: +1 713 235 8100 Fax: +1 713 235 8199 Email: IBalderas at fircroft.com Web: www.fircroft.com Address: 5100 Westheimer Road, Suite 430, Houston, Texas, TX 77056 ********************************************************************* The information in this e-mail is intended for the addressee only. If you have received this e-mail in error please notify us immediately, destroy any copies and delete it from your computer system. Whilst we run anti-virus software on all internet e-mails we are not liable for any loss or damage. The recipient is advised to run their own anti-virus software. We reserve the right to monitor and record e-mail messages sent to and from this address for the purposes of investigating or detecting any unauthorised use of its system and ensuring its effective operation. ********************************************************************** -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From nwssmm at gmail.com Thu Mar 5 11:27:01 2009 From: nwssmm at gmail.com (Sasha McFarland) Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2009 11:27:01 -0800 Subject: [MARMAM] 2009 NW Student Chapter of SMM conference/annual meeting Message-ID: The Northwest Student Chapter of the Society of Marine Mammalogy (NWSSMM) will be held on Saturday, May 2 2009 at Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA. The meeting focuses on exchanging ideas and constructive feedback between fellow students from the Pacific Northwest community involved in marine mammal research. Presentations are 12 minutes long with 3 minutes for feedback and can concentrate on a research proposal, a progress report (what data you have and what is left to be done), a rehearsal for your defense, or a summary of a summer research project. If you don?t have a presentation, you are welcome to attend, learn about current research, provide feedback, and network with other student researchers in our field. Undergraduate students are also encouraged to attend. Regardless of the stage of your work, you can contribute to and benefit from this meeting! The day will begin with a plenary talk by Steve Jeffries from Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, followed by a full day of presentations and an optional group dinner/happy hour somewhere local. For those of you who will be traveling to get to Bellingham and would like to stay the night, we are offering limited accommodation with local students. We can also suggest some relatively cheap rooms in which to stay. The registration fee will be small and covers lunch, snacks, and printing of abstract books for the attendees. While the exact amount will depend on the number of people that register, for the past four years it has been less than $20, and we expect the same to be true again this year. We will let you know the cost, which can be paid on the day of the conference. REGISTRATION FORMS: A registration form is attached with this e-mail, and will also be available on the NWSSMMwebsite (*http://www.marinemammalscience.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=127&Itemid=163* ). Please fill it out electronically and email it to Sasha McFarland at NWSSMM at gmail.com <2009NWSSMM at gmail.com> by April 10, 2009. SIGN UP NOW: The sooner you register the better. Give yourself a deadline to share your research and/or collaborate with your peers. We look forward to seeing you in May! Sasha McFarland Please contact me (NWSSMM at gmail.com ) if you need clarification on meeting details. If you have any questions about the NWSSMM, please check out the website (http://www.marinemammalscience.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=127&Itemid=163) . -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From sarahw-thankyouocean at hotmail.com Thu Mar 5 09:28:35 2009 From: sarahw-thankyouocean at hotmail.com (Sarah Wilson) Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2009 10:28:35 -0700 Subject: [MARMAM] Thank You Ocean Report features Tagging of Pacific Predators In-Reply-To: References: <6F75F6D9D5980342829251F8289652F907F06C@ex01.ad.resources.ca.gov> Message-ID: Dear Marmam Members, In this week's Thank You Ocean Report, Policy Coordinator Shana Miller from the Tag-A-Giant Foundation discusses the Tagging of Pacific Predators (TOPP) program. Through the TOPP program, scientists are now able to track species that travel all over the Pacific with the latest electronic tagging technology. (Photo of tagged Laysan albatross; (c)Michelle Kappes, courtesy of TOPP) The TOPP program features marine mammals, such as Northern elephant seals http://www.topp.org/species/elephant_seals We invite you to listen to the podcast by going to http://www.thankyouocean.org/podcast/. A new Thank You Ocean Report podcast will be posted approximately every two weeks. You can subscribe to the podcast by visiting http://www.thankyouocean.org/podcast and clicking on the podcast feed of your choice (iTunes, Yahoo, Google, etc.) The Thank You Ocean Report focuses on interesting and exciting California ocean topics such as marine mammals, the latest news on ocean health, timely ocean issues and fascinating ocean facts. Stories feature interviews with ocean experts, explorers, scientists, conservationists, government and business leaders. Listeners learn about ocean activities and recreation, surfing, fishing, boating, and the many ways we all can thank the ocean through conservation and stewardship. Many thanks to the Ernest F. Hollings Ocean Awareness Trust Fund and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation for their support of the Thank You Ocean Report podcasts. Sincerely, Brian Baird Assistant Secretary for Ocean and Coastal Policy, California Resources Agency Co-Chair, California Thank You Ocean Campaign and Matt Stout Communications Branch Chief, NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Co-Chair, California Thank You Ocean Campaign ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sincerely, Sarah Wilson Educator M/Y Seven C's www.sevencsadventure.com andThank You Ocean Web Coordinator www.thankyouocean.org National Marine Sanctuaries Foundation sarahw-thankyouocean at hotmail.com Get LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah4ocean Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 14520 bytes Desc: not available URL: From DRappapo at ngs.org Wed Mar 4 14:11:27 2009 From: DRappapo at ngs.org (DRappapo at ngs.org) Date: Wed, 4 Mar 2009 17:11:27 -0500 Subject: [MARMAM] Proceedings of the Animal-Borne Imaging Symposium Message-ID: National Geographic?s Remote Imaging Department would like to announce the publication of the Proceedings from the first Animal-Borne Imaging Symposium. Animal-borne imaging is a growing discipline that integrates video, audio, environmental, geospatial and physiological data collection in an animal-borne instrument. Recording from the animal's point of view, without human presence, it enables unobtrusive study of difficult-to-observe animal behavior. In recent years, ever-miniaturizing video and digital technologies have enabled smaller, more streamlined, and more robust data-rich systems to be developed. This progression has led to more deployments on more species, which has resulted in an expanding body of statistically-supported assertions of novel behaviors and ecological relationships that have far-reaching conservation and management implications. We wanted to provide a venue for researchers to share and celebrate their experiences using these imaging systems, so in October 2007, the National Geographic Society hosted the first-ever Animal-Borne Imaging Symposium at its headquarters in Washington DC. More than fifty researchers from around the world participated in this inaugural conference, and over the three days, delegates gave some 50 presentations, and hosted two dozen additional panels, films, and student/teacher activities exploring this concept. To encapsulate this knowledge, and make it available for reference, we've published our Animal-Borne Imaging Symposium Proceedings. Those interested in obtaining a free copy of the book can download the PDF (14MB) by clicking on the ?Animal-Borne Imaging Symposium Proceedings? link from the following webpage: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/abis/. Regards, Danielle Rappaport Program Coordinator Remote Imaging Department National Geographic Society -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jgaspard at mote.org Fri Mar 6 08:57:40 2009 From: jgaspard at mote.org (Joe Gaspard) Date: Fri, 6 Mar 2009 11:57:40 -0500 Subject: [MARMAM] Rehabilitation Animal Care Specialist Position Message-ID: <1DE940F7CDA94B8FB2FA2E39BF8233A2@Trainer> Dolphin and Whale Hospital and Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital Rehabilitation Animal Care Specialist The position of Rehabilitation Animal Care Specialist at Mote Marine Laboratory requires advanced knowledge in the care, feeding, and husbandry of marine mammals and sea turtles. The Rehabilitation Animal Care Specialist should have advanced knowledge in animal welfare, food acquisition and preparation, and maintaining non-medical facilities and equipment. The Rehabilitation Animal Care Specialist should be familiar with National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) requirements for housing marine mammals and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC) for housing sea turtles. The Rehabilitation Animal Care Specialist will assist in the training of other animal care employees, interns, and volunteers. All employees must comply with the requirements outlined in the MML employee manual. General Duties: Under the direction of the Medical Care Coordinator, the Rehabilitation Animal Care Specialist is responsible for but not limited to the following tasks: preparing the daily diet for animals undergoing rehabilitation in the hospital, assisting in administering the feeds and medications, assisting in medical examination, and coordinating the handling of animals undergoing rehabilitation. This position will also be responsible for maintaining food, supplies, and facilities in strict accordance with NMFS and FFWCC requirements. The Rehabilitation Animal Care Specialist is responsible for assisting with the training of staff, interns, and volunteers in the feeding of animals undergoing rehabilitation. This may include acting as shift leader on some designated shifts for round the clock care of critical rehabilitated animals. The Rehabilitation Animal Care Specialist may be required to participate in beach rescue and/or animal transport operations, and should be familiar with the procedures for transporting marine mammals and sea turtles by land, sea, and air. The Rehabilitation Animal Care Specialist is responsible for maintaining life support systems for marine mammals and sea turtle medical tanks including water quality monitoring, water exchanges, backwashing of filters, and cleaning fractionators. The Rehabilitation Animal Care Specialist will assist with routine medical care of marine mammals and sea turtles undergoing rehabilitation. Such activities may include acquiring radiographs, ultrasound, or other veterinary diagnostics. Working Hours: Working hours will be dictated by the needs of animals requiring care. Animals undergoing rehabilitation typically require specialized care 24 hours a day. This position requires a flexible schedule and may involve any hour of the day or night. Late night, early morning and weekend hours are common. Minimum Requirements: -Bachelor?s degree -Experience with care and food preparation for marine mammals and sea turtles undergoing rehabilitation, including requirements specified by NMFS and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission -US citizenship or foreign citizen?s U.S. work permit appropriate for the work -Valid Florida driver?s license or ability to obtain in one month -Ability to work flexible schedule, including late nights and weekends -Ability to lift/carry/move heavy objects (100+ pounds) -Excellent swimming abilities -Good verbal/communication skills -Work well with others -Scuba certification is preferred Application: The closing date to apply for this position is March 13, 2009. Applications should include a letter of interest, resum?, and the contact information for three references. Please submit application materials to Human Resources at humanresources at mote.org or: Mote Marine Laboratory 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway Sarasota, FL 34236 Joseph Gaspard Manatee Care, Training, and Research Coordinator Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway Sarasota, FL 34236 Phone - (941) 388-4441 x460 Fax - (941) 388-4317 jgaspard at mote.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From manuela.gonzalez at asu.edu Mon Mar 9 03:06:23 2009 From: manuela.gonzalez at asu.edu (Manuela Gonzalez) Date: Mon, 9 Mar 2009 11:06:23 +0100 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: genetic population structure in California sea lions In-Reply-To: <93ad4f040903090208h5d88652i152fb53fb288d945@mail.gmail.com> References: <93ad4f040903090208h5d88652i152fb53fb288d945@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <93ad4f040903090306h1045b7a4k33b9dc63555f72c6@mail.gmail.com> Dear colleagues, A new paper describing the genetic population structure of the Mexican populations of the California sea lion has been recently published. You can send PDF requests to: manuela.gonzalez at snv.jussieu.fr Gonz?lez-Su?rez, M; Flatz, R; Aurioles-Gamboa, D; Hedrick, P; Gerber LR. (2009) Isolation by distance among California sea lion populations in Mexico: redefining management stocks. *Molecular Ecology*, 18:1088-1099. DOI:10.1111/j.1365-294X.2009.04093.x* * *Abstract*: Understanding the spatial structure of a population is critical for effective assessment and management. However, direct observation of spatial dynamics is generally difficult, particularly for marine mammals. California sea lions (*Zalophus californianus*) are polygynous pinnipeds distributed along the Pacific coast of North America. The species? range has been subdivided into three management stocks based on differences in mitochondrial DNA, but to date no studies have considered nuclear genetic variation, and thus we lack a comprehensive understanding of gene flow patterns among sea lion colonies. In light of recent population declines in the Gulf of California, Mexico, it is important to understand spatial structure to determine if declining sea lion colonies are genetically isolated from others. To define population subdivision and identify sex biases in gene flow, we analysed a 355-bp sequence of the mitochondrial DNA control region and 10 polymorphic microsatellite loci from 355 tissue samples collected from six colonies distributed along Mexican waters. Using a novel approach to estimate sex biases in gene flow, we found that male sea lions disperse on average 6.75 times more frequently than females. Analyses of population subdivision strongly suggest a pattern of isolation by distance among colonies and challenge current stock definitions. Based on these results, we propose an alternative classification that identifies three Mexican management units: Upper Gulf of California, Southern Baja Peninsula, and Upper Pacific Coast of Baja. This revised classification should be considered in future assessment and management of California sea lion populations in Mexican waters. Thank you Manuela -- "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." Mark Twain Manuela Gonzalez Suarez, Ph.D. CNRS - UMR 7625 Fonctionnement et ?volution des syst?mes ?cologiques Universit? Pierre et Marie Curie Case 237, B?timent A, 7 Quai St Bernard 75005 Paris, France http://ecologie.snv.jussieu.fr/eem/manuela_gonzalez_suarez -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From MarineMammal.MarineMammalRescue at vanaqua.org Fri Mar 6 10:50:29 2009 From: MarineMammal.MarineMammalRescue at vanaqua.org (Marine Mammal Rescue) Date: Fri, 6 Mar 2009 10:50:29 -0800 Subject: [MARMAM] FW: Marine Mammale Rescue Internship Program In-Reply-To: <1B93A7E1940DE740A613F0ECB0E32CD523F210A1AF@EMC1.uvic.ca> References: <8CD24DD0878D9644A478A2AD1FAF4EBD41CD59BD1A@va-email01.vanaqua.local>, <8CD24DD0878D9644A478A2AD1FAF4EBD41CD59BD1E@va-email01.vanaqua.local>, <8CD24DD0878D9644A478A2AD1FAF4EBD41CD59BD1F@va-email01.vanaqua.local>, <1B93A7E1940DE740A613F0ECB0E32CD523F210A1AF@EMC1.uvic.ca> Message-ID: <8CD24DD0878D9644A478A2AD1FAF4EBD41CD59BD20@va-email01.vanaqua.local> Please post on behalf of the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Centre Thank you Marine Mammal Rescue (MMR) Internship Program Mission Statement of the Vancouver Aquarium: The Vancouver Aquarium is a self-supporting, non-profit association dedicated to the conservation of aquatic life through display and interpretation, education, research, and direct action. About the Marine Mammal Rescue Centre One of the Vancouver Aquarium?s direct action programs, the Marine Mammal Rescue Centre, works to rescue, rehabilitate and successfully release abandoned, injured, or standed marine mammals. Located approximately 15 minutes east of the Vancouver Aquarium, patients are brought to the Marine Mammal Rescue Centre?s hospital facility from all over the B.C. coast and cared for until they are well enough to be released into the wild. Since the Aquarium started helping distressed marine mammals in the 1960s, MMR has treated elephant seals, sea otters, Steller sea lions, harbour porpoises, common dolphins, and killer whales. Harbour seals are the most common patient at the facility and the facility can care for over 100 animals at a time. MMR Internship Program The MMR Internship is an unpaid internship. It will provide students with hands-on experience in marine mammal rescue, rehabilitation and the conservation of marine life. Students will engage in laboratory procedures, rescue techniques and help with the veterinary care of marine mammals. MMR presents a unique internship opportunity for: * Pre-veterinary students enrolled in a biology or similar university program * Veterinary technician students * Veterinary students Requirements Successful candidate will be: ? Full time students enrolled in, a college or university, in zoology, marine biology, or related animal science, or completed all or part of a course study in veterinary technology from a recognized institution ? Interested in a career as a veterinary technician, veterinarian, or a marine biology ? Extremely self motivated with a desire for continuing education ? Experienced in the animal care field either paid work or volunteer ? Appling for position in a timely manor with resume and letter of interest outlining why you are interested in the program, your availability, educational background and where you heard about the program ? Able to provide 2 letters of reference ? Able to secure the necessary funds for relocation, accommodations and living expenses for the entire placement ? Able to lift 20kg, be in good physical shape and be able to work both inside and outside in various weather conditions Intern shifts will be approximately 8 hours long, 5 days a week for a total of 40 hours per week. Work schedules will include week-ends, evenings and holidays. Responsibilities (applicant responsibilities may include, but are not limited to): * Food preparation and animal feeding * General cleaning duties and animal habitat maintenance * Receiving animals when rescued including ability to weigh, assist in physical examinations, and animal record keeping * Assisting the veterinarian and staff in surgical and medical cases when required * Assist in researching information to aid in animal care * Limited laboratory procedures * May assist with rescues and releases Accommodation All candidates are expected to find their own accommodations in Vancouver. Placement dates and application procedures: There are six (6) internship positions over the summer, each 6 weeks in length and one (1) full-time position offered for the full summer. Early summer placement: three (3) students between June 25th ? Aug 7th, 2009 Late summer placement: three (3) students between July 24th ? Sept 4th, 2009 Full summer placement: one (1) student between June 25th and Sept 4th, 2009 Placement Application deadline Telephone Interview Period Notification period Start date Early/Full Summer March 20th March 20th ? 31st April 10th, 2009 June 25th Late Summer March 20th March 20th - 31st April 10th, 2009 July 24th Applications will be processed by the MMR Coordinator. Please send resume, letter of intent and two references to rescue at vanaqua.org with "MMR Internship Application" in the subject line OR mail to the attention of: MMR Internship Application Vancouver Aquarium PO Box 3232 Vancouver, BC V6B3X8. Good luck to all our applicants. Thank you for your interest in the Vancouver Aquarium?s Marine Mammal Rescue Internship program. ________________________________ CONFIDENTIALITY WARNING - THIS MESSAGE IS INTENDED ONLY FOR THE ADDRESSEE, IT MAY CONTAIN PRIVILEGED OR CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. ANY UNAUTHORIZED DISCLOSURE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED THIS MESSAGE IN ERROR, PLEASE NOTIFY US IMMEDIATELY SO THAT WE MAY CORRECT OUR INTERNAL RECORDS. PLEASE THEN DELETE THE ORIGINAL MESSAGE. THANK YOU -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From lammers at hawaii.edu Mon Mar 9 10:23:20 2009 From: lammers at hawaii.edu (Marc Lammers) Date: Mon, 09 Mar 2009 07:23:20 -1000 Subject: [MARMAM] Publication on beluga echolocation Message-ID: <001001c9a0db$c242ced0$3302a8c0@LAPTOP> Dear colleagues, The following article was recently published online: Lammers, M.O. and Castellote, M. (2009). "The beluga whale produces two pulses to form its sonar signal" Biology Letters, doi:10.1098/rsbl.2008.0782 Odontocete cetaceans use biosonar clicks to acoustically probe their aquatic environment with an aptitude unmatched by man-made sonar. A cornerstone of this ability is their use of short, broadband pulses produced in the region of the upper nasal passages. Here we provide empirical evidence that a beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) uses two signal generators simultaneously when echolocating. We show that the pulses of the two generators are combined as they are transmitted through the melon to produce a single echolocation click emitted from the front of the animal. Generating two pulses probably offers the beluga the ability to control the energy and frequency distribution of the emitted click and may allow it to acoustically steer its echolocation beam. A PDF copy of the article is available at http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/early/2009/02/27/rsbl.2008.0782.abstract or by request from lammers at hawaii.edu. Best wishes, ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Marc O. Lammers, Ph.D. Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology P.O. Box 1106 Kailua, HI 96734 Tel: +1(808) 375-0010 Fax: +1(808) 247-5831 lammers at hawaii.edu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From sotalia at gmail.com Mon Mar 9 09:11:54 2009 From: sotalia at gmail.com (Marcos Santos) Date: Mon, 9 Mar 2009 13:11:54 -0300 Subject: [MARMAM] skin diseases in Guiana dolphins Message-ID: <4205744c0903090911u4e070adesdfa24beb1dcb4c22@mail.gmail.com> Dear Colleagues: It is a nice pleasure to share another manuscript with you all. Anyone interested, please, get in touch and I'll promptly send the pdf file. Cheers, Marcos Santos Van Bressem, M-F; Santos, M. C. de O. & Oshima, J.E.F. 2009. Skin diseases in Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) from the Paranagu? estuary, Brazil: A possible indicator of a compromised marine environment. Marine Environmental Research, 67: 63-68. Abstract: We report on the presence of lobomycosis-like disease (LLD) and nodular skin disease (NSD) in a community of Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) inhabiting the biologically and chemically contaminated Paranagua estuary (Brazil) and on their absence in the community living in the cleaner Cananeia estuary. Prevalence rates of LLD and NSD were 3.9% and 12.6%, respectively, in 103 photo-identified (PI) dolphins from the Paranagua estuary in the period 2006?2007. Adults and calves were affected. Lobomycosis-like lesions may be extensive and form large plaques. Skin nodules were sometimes ulcerated and associated with cutaneous traumas suggesting that traumatic injuries may play a role in the pathogenesis of this condition. In two adult dolphins, NSD evoked the beginning of LLD. In 1996?2007 none of the 200 PI Cananeia S. guianensis had LLD or NSD, a highly significant difference. Interestingly, these dolphins were reported to harbour relatively low concentrations of organochlorines. LLD and NSD are possibly indicators of environmental changes. -- Dr Marcos C?sar de Oliveira Santos Laborat?rio de Ecologia de Mam?feros Programa de P?s-Gradua??o em Biologia: Diversidade e Manejo de Vida Silvestre Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS), Avenida Unisinos, 950, S?o Leopoldo, RS, Brasil, 93022-000 E-mail: mcos at unisinos.br Telefone/Phone: 51-3590-1229 & Projeto Atlantis, Laborat?rio de Biologia da Conserva??o de Cet?ceos PROGRAMA JOVEM PESQUISADOR - FAPESP Programa de P?s-Gradua??o em Zoologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Bioci?ncias, Universidade Estadual Paulista "J?lio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP), Campus Rio Claro Av 24-A, 1515, Bela Vista, Rio Claro, SP, Brasil, 13506-900. E-mail: sotalia at rc.unesp.br Endere?o Residencial/Home Address: Rua Jo?o Alfredo Panitz, 204, apto 602, Centro, S?o Leopoldo, RS 93010-150 E-mail: sotalia at gmail.com Telefone/Phone: 3037-2128 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Stacie.Koslovsky at MyFWC.com Mon Mar 9 09:39:54 2009 From: Stacie.Koslovsky at MyFWC.com (Koslovsky, Stacie) Date: Mon, 9 Mar 2009 12:39:54 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] FWRI Florida Manatee GIS Research Internship - Summer 2009 Message-ID: Any questions regarding the internship and applications should be directed to ManateeInterns at myfwc.com Manatee GIS Research Intern Interns' primary responsibilities are assisting with various GIS-related tasks related to ongoing projects by FWRI scientists in their research on manatee ecology and behavior. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's (FWC) Manatee Geographic Information System (GIS) section is looking for a detail-oriented intern or volunteer to work during the upcoming summer in St. Petersburg, Florida. The intern's primary responsibilities will involve assisting staff members in GIS tasks such as digitization; creation and modification of shapefiles and geodatabases; database management and development; and Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) of spatial data. Other responsibilities may include data entry and special projects. For the current project, the intern will be digitizing manatee sightings from recent aerial surveys and comparing the locations of sightings to existing FWRI manatee datasets. Qualifications: * Working knowledge of ArcGIS 8.x or 9.x * Knowledge of GIS theories and methods, as demonstrated by coursework or training * Basic database knowledge; Microsoft Access literacy preferred * Ability to work independently and as part of a group Application Process: We are currently accepting applications for the summer of 2009 (May-August). Internships require a minimum two-month commitment. Starting and ending dates are flexible; hours are also somewhat flexible. Please indicate in your cover letter the position for which you are applying. Send a hard copy of your resum? with your cover letter, college transcripts (unofficial copies are sufficient if not applying for internship credit), a list of three references, and contact information to the following address: Dr. William S. Arnold-Internship Coordinator Fish and Wildlife Research Institute 100 Eighth Avenue SE St. Petersburg, FL 33701-5020 Applications may also be submitted as an e-mail attachment to: ManateeInterns at myfwc.com. This intern position is open until filled. All positions are unpaid. Housing and transportation are NOT provided. For more information on internships, please visit the FWRI Internships section. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ericr at mcs.st-and.ac.uk Wed Mar 11 02:53:18 2009 From: ericr at mcs.st-and.ac.uk (Eric Rexstad) Date: Wed, 11 Mar 2009 09:53:18 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Introductory distance sampling workshop, La Jolla CA 12-15 July 2009 Message-ID: <49B78A0E.1080404@mcs.st-and.ac.uk> Staff from the Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, Univ. of St. Andrews will deliver this workshop hosted by the Scripps Institute of Oceanography (SIO) this coming summer (12-15 July). The workshop instructors will be Drs. David Borchers, Len Thomas, and Tiago Marques. Over 3.5 days, we will focus on distance sampling methods, as described in the standard reference book Introduction to Distance Sampling (book will be provided). The workshop will be a blend of theory and practice and participants will learn how to use the program Distance. Space is limited to 40 places and we expect this workshop to fill more quickly than did last year's North America workshop, so if you are interested, please visit the website (http://www.cetus.ucsd.edu/Distance.html) and register soon. This site also contains information on accommodation (campus housing at UCSD as well as other negotiated rates) along with information on the location and other details. Those interested in the application of passive acoustics in abundance estimation may also attend a SIO symposium the following day (http://www.cetus.ucsd.edu/Density.html). -- Eric Rexstad Research Unit for Wildlife Population Assessment Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling University of St. Andrews St. Andrews Scotland KY16 9LZ +44 (0)1334 461833 The University of St Andrews is a charity registered in Scotland : No SC013532 From mccallka at eckerd.edu Tue Mar 10 16:59:22 2009 From: mccallka at eckerd.edu (Kimberly Ann McCallister) Date: Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:59:22 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] Moray Firth Dolphins and Organochlorine Paper Message-ID: <20090310195922.l7sxem35lw08o4g4@webmail.eckerd.edu> Hi MARMAM, Does anyone have access to the following paper? I have had trouble locating a full pfd and would appreciate anyone who could send it my way. I am hoping to use it for a research assignment in my Marine Mammal Biology class due Friday March 13th. Organochlorine residues in harbour porpoise and bottlenose dolphins stranded on the coast of Scotland, 1988-1991. SCIENCE of the TOTAL ENVIRONMENT, 151, 77-99 David E. Wells Corresponding Author Contact Information, a, Lesley A. Campbella, Harry M. Rossb, Paul M. Thompsonc and Christina H. Lockyerd Thanks, Kim McCallister Eckerd College mccallka at eckerd.edu --------------------------------------------------------------------- This mail sent via Eckerd College Webmail : https://webmail.eckerd.edu From Per.Palsboll at gmt.su.se Wed Mar 11 03:14:50 2009 From: Per.Palsboll at gmt.su.se (=?iso-8859-1?Q?Per_Palsb=F6ll?=) Date: Wed, 11 Mar 2009 11:14:50 +0100 Subject: [MARMAM] Anybody sequencing a baleen whale genome ? Message-ID: <5EE86FA83421D343BA6DFAADEDE3172449FF9C7929@arwen.ad.big.su.se> Hi Marmammer's; We are a group of people considering putting a proposal to sequence a baleen whale genome. We are aware of the fact that the bottlenose dolphin is up for low coverage (x2) sequencing, but feel that a baleen whale genome would complement that effort well (as would a sperm whale genome for that matter). To avoid duplicate efforts, though, we are asking if somebody else already have started on such an endeavor, or know somebody who has? Although I am preaching to the choir here, then it seems odd that only a dolphin genome is on the list giving how unique cetacean are amongst mammals, and the reason why we'd like to go ahead with a baleen whale genome now that prices are becoming "reasonable". Please respond to: Per.Palsboll at gmt.su.se Cheers, Per ----------------------------------------------- Prof. Per J. Palsboll Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Toxicology Stockholm University 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden Visiting address: Svante Arrheniusv?g 16 E, room 545 Phone: +46 (0)8 16 1998 Mobile: +46 (0)73 518 2364 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Veronique.Lesage at dfo-mpo.gc.ca Wed Mar 11 07:32:21 2009 From: Veronique.Lesage at dfo-mpo.gc.ca (Lesage, Veronique) Date: Wed, 11 Mar 2009 10:32:21 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] Biennial conference of the SMM - Quebec City October 2009 - reminder to workshop/symposia proponents Message-ID: The deadline to submit workshop proposals for consideration at the 18th Biennial Marine Mammal Conference is fast approaching - it's less than a week away. We have received 11 workshop proposals so far, with additional expressions of interest. If you want us to consider your proposal for a workshop prepare your application and submit it soon! Application forms are available through the SMM website (http://marinemammalogy.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id =74&Itemid=65). On the morning of March 16th 2009 the Committee will consider all of the proposals and make consensus decisions regarding approval, date, and venue. We will then notify successful proponents, and begun the process of confirming contacts, costs, and other logistics. I know that myself, and many of my colleagues, have enjoyed the workshops at previous conferences. I look forward to seeing another great ensemble in Quebec. Good luck, and don't miss the deadline! Jack Lawson, Workshop Committee Chairman (jack.lawson at dfo-mpo.gc.ca) Veronique Lesage, Ph.D., Scientific program co-chair NEW EMAIL ADDRESS: Veronique.Lesage at dfo-mpo.gc.ca Chercheur, Cetaces/Cetacean research scientist Biologie et conservation des mammiferes marins/Marine mammal biology and conservation Peches et Oceans Canada/Fisheries and Oceans Canada Institut Maurice-Lamontagne/Maurice Lamontagne Institute C.P. 1000/P.O. Box 1000 850 Route de la Mer Mont-Joli, QC G5H 3Z4 http://www.qc.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/iml/en/sci/LesageV http://www.osl.gc.ca/mm/en/index.html TEL (418) 775-0739 FAX (418) 775-0740 Email: Veronique.Lesage at dfo-mpo.gc.ca -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ryan.j.campbell at navy.mil Thu Mar 12 09:05:08 2009 From: ryan.j.campbell at navy.mil (Campbell, Ryan J CIV NUWC NWPT) Date: Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:05:08 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] JOB POSTING-BIOLOGIST POSITION, NEWPORT, RI Message-ID: BIOLOGIST POSITIONS The Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Newport, Rhode Island is seeking qualified candidates with outstanding marine biological research, written and oral communication, and Geographic Information System (GIS) skills to serve as biologists in support of U.S. Navy environmental planning projects. Individuals selected for these positions will directly support environmental planning for U.S. Navy testing and training. Individuals will team with the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) within the Marine Resources Support Group (MRSG) to support the U.S. Fleet Forces and the U.S. Pacific Fleet. The MRSG is a group of Navy biologists, scientists, and environmental planners who have particular expertise or experience in environmental planning and regulatory compliance in the marine environment. The incumbents will prepare and review marine related documentation including endangered species and marine mammal consultation packages, Environmental Assessments (EAs)/Overseas Environmental Assessments (OEAs), Categorical Exclusions (CATEXs), mitigation and monitoring plans, and related special environmental studies or technical reports assessing the environmental impacts of proposed Navy actions involving at-sea operations, training, and testing. The incumbents selected will be expected to participate in consultations with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), coordinate projects with a multi-disciplinary team, and participate in project management for research and compliance documents. Experience or knowledge of the following is highly desirable: marine mammal, sea turtle, seabird or fisheries biology; research design for marine species monitoring programs; principals of underwater acoustics; statistical principles and methods; ESRI GIS products; environmental legislation and DoD/Navy policy. This is not a field biologist position, but there are numerous opportunities for travel. The positions are located onsite at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Newport, Rhode Island and are open to all U.S. citizens. USAJOBS links: http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/ftva.asp?seeker=1&JobID=79225132, http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/ftva.asp?seeker=1&JobID=79835853 If further information is needed, please do not hesitate to contact Carole James at 401-832-1020. From mbearzi at earthlink.net Thu Mar 12 20:34:42 2009 From: mbearzi at earthlink.net (Maddalena Bearzi) Date: Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:34:42 -0700 Subject: [MARMAM] New paper: Skin lesions and physical deformities of coastal and offshore common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) Message-ID: Dear Colleagues, This is to announce a new paper in the current issue of Ambio entitled " Skin lesions and physical deformities of coastal and offshore common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Santa Monica Bay and adjacent areas, California?. Abstract Skin lesions and physical deformities on coastal and offshore bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) were assessed during a photo-identification study conducted between 1997-2007 in Santa Monica Bay and adjacent areas, California. During 425 boat surveys, 647 individuals were identified based on marks on their dorsal fins. On 637 individuals examined for skin lesions and deformities, 79.0% exhibited at least one type of lesion. Offshore animals showed more lesions than coastal animals (offshore: 87.8%, n = 209; coastal: 73.4%, n = 270). Only one individual showed a physical deformity. Results show that skin lesions affect a large portion of the coastal and offshore dolphin populations in the study area. When considering that lesions and physical deformities can be a sign of disease and may be related to anthropogenic factors, their high presence on dolphins must be a cause of concern. For a PDF copy please visit Ambio: A Journal of the Human Environment at http://ambio.allenpress.com/perlserv/?request=get-toc&issn=0044-7447& ;volume=38&issue=2 or send requests to: mbearzi at earthlink.net Best Regards, Maddalena Bearzi ______________________________ Maddalena Bearzi, Ph.D. Ocean Conservation Society, President P.O. Box 12860 Marina del Rey, CA 90295 - USA ph.310.8225205, fax 310.8225729 mbearzi at earthlink.net http://www.oceanconservation.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Skin Lesions - Bearzi et al. 2009.pdf Type: application/octet-stream Size: 2107969 bytes Desc: not available URL: From sue.gibbs at bigpond.com Sat Mar 14 17:29:40 2009 From: sue.gibbs at bigpond.com (Sue Gibbs) Date: Sun, 15 Mar 2009 10:59:40 +1030 Subject: [MARMAM] FW: Pufferfish and cetaceans Message-ID: <84CCF738CC17443085FA3A800FDC5A02@SGIBBS> We have recently necropsied a dolphin that had a porcupinefish stuck in its mouth and I am looking for a reference for, report of, or anecdotal information regarding small odontocetes consuming puffer-type fish e.g porcupine fish, globe fish etc, particularly from the families diodontidae and tetradontidae. Apparently there is a reference to killer whale and dolphin predation in the book "Encylopedia of fishes" by Paxton etal. but I have been unable to access this book. Other references I have found are unclear if it is dolphins or dolphinfish. I would appreciate the list ' s help if you have any information . Thanks Sue Sue Gibbs, BSc, MEnvS PhD Candidate Marine Mammal Research Group Macquarie University Sydney, Australia Email: sgibbs at gse.mq.edu.au or sue.gibbs at bigpond.com If this e-mail was sent to you in error, please accept my apologies. I would appreciate a return e-mail so that I can prevent the rror occurring again. I ask that you do not distribute or print any part of this wrongly sent e-mail message, or take any action as a result of knowing its contents, but that you destroy all copies and any attachment(s). Your cooperation is appreciated. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From sarahc at rogue.com Mon Mar 16 14:48:28 2009 From: sarahc at rogue.com (Sarah Courbis) Date: Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:48:28 -0700 Subject: [MARMAM] Navy Grant Opportunity Message-ID: <220A8311B150744F9B869CB15DE7D5C1011797D1@internal.rogue.com> I wasn't sure if this opportunity had been posted on MARMAM. Deadline is coming up quickly. Thought it might be of interest to MARMAM subscribers. Title Infra-Red Detection of Marine Mammals From Ship-Based Platforms - ONRBAA09-015 URL for more info http://fedbizopps.cos.com/cgi-bin/getRec?id=20090312a5 Sponsor United States Department of Defense (DOD) Department of the Navy Office of Naval Research (ONR) Sponsor Type Federal, U.S. Amount Note Deadline Mar 23, 2009 Deadline Note Activity Location United States Citizenship or Residency United States Requirements Commercial Ph.D./M.D./Other Professional Small Business Abstracts ***Rapid deadline notice. The application deadline for this opportunity will expire within four weeks of its inclusion in the COS database.*** The ONR is interested in receiving proposals for research into the use of infra-red (IR) band technology as a potential means of detecting marine mammals. The goal is to evaluate the efficacy of IR imagery (still or video) for near-real-time detection of marine mammals from ship-based platforms. Ultimately IR detection might be optimized by use of high-incident angle views of the sea surface via unmanned aerial vehicles or other platforms. However, to minimize initial investment costs while ONR evaluates the potential of this detection technology ONR will not here invest in studies using a costly autonomous flying platform. Rather ONR seeks to invest in research using ship-based, more oblique-angle techniques coupled with visual observation of marine mammals, which offers validation opportunities. At the discretion of the proposer, ship-based measurements might utilize tethered balloons, kites or tall masts to increase incident viewing angles of the imagery system, and might be preceded by land (cliff)-based evaluations that could cost effectively develop and test the proposed technology. The interest is in developing and testing a small, light weight, low power IR imagery (still or video) system that may be adaptable to diverse platforms. Therefore the focus of this BAA is on uncooled (microbolometric) IR systems, and not cooled systems. Proposers should describe and defend the proposed sensors and imagery systems, the nature and stability of the deployment system as it relates to expected image quality, the sampling protocol for marine mammal detection, the time responsiveness and need for human control of the proposed systems, and goals for detection in terms of range and spatial resolution. Work funded under a BAA may include basic research, applied research and some advanced technology development. more.. Eligibility COS Keywords Marine Zoology Tracking or Detection Devices (Defense) Funding Type Research Sponsor Contact Info Angela Bruce-Dunson, Senior Contracting Officer more.. Address Department of the Navy, Office of Naval Research Code 02 875 North Randolph Street Suite 1425 City Arlington Province/State VA Zip 22203-1995 Country United States Phone +1 (703) 696-2577 Fax +1 (703) 696-0066 Email angela.bruce-dunson at navy.mil Bookmark Url http://fundingopps.cos.com/cgi-bin/fo2/getRec?id=117939 Sarah Courbis Ph.D. Candidate Portland State University sarahc at rogue.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From barthval at t-online.de Tue Mar 17 02:31:14 2009 From: barthval at t-online.de (Klaus Barthelmess) Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2009 10:31:14 +0100 Subject: [MARMAM] International Whaling History Conference EIGHTH COLOGNE WHALING MEETING, November 2009 Message-ID: EIGHTH COLOGNE WHALING MEETING Cologne, Germany Friday, 13 ? Sunday, 15 November, 2009 The triennial Cologne Whaling Meetings are one of only two regular international conferences on the cultural history of human-cetacean relations, worldwide, from prehistoric times to the present day. Presentations traditionally cover topics from mythology, literature, art, archaeology, music, law, technology of whale products and whaling methods, the history and maintenance of whaling collections and monuments, historical strandings, early cetology, whaling history, personal recollections of whaling veterans, to current whaling policy. In the past, they have attracted between 60 and 80 participants from up to 13 countries. The program customarily starts on Friday evening with the traditional ?greasy gossip?, a casual warm-up reunion in a Cologne pub, where you can meet old friends and make new ones from all over the whaling world. Saturday will feature an all-day conference programme of eight presentations, with coffee and lunch breaks in between. There will be a Saturday night dinner (at participants? own expense), followed by a concert of whaling-related music. Sunday morning will be devoted to four more presentations. The conference will close between noon and 1:30 PM. As usual, participants can expect to see a specially arranged exhibition. Current plans aim at compiling a pioneering, ambitious exhibition on ?Tales of humans and whales as told by the Dieter Kuesgen collection of whaling postcards?. This year, speakers from seven European and overseas countries have volunteered to give the following presentations: 1. Matthias Bode, Marburg, Germany: ?Mediterranean cetacean lore and whale use in Antiquity? 2. Susan A. Lebo, PhD, Honolulu, Hawaii: ?Photographic evidence of whale bone architecture among I?upiat communities of Arctic Alaska, 1880 ? 1960? 3. Dr. Uwe Schnall, German Maritime Museum (retired): ?Witches, sorcerers, and whales. The marine monsters of old Norse literature? 4. Prof. Bernhard Stonehouse, Scott Polar Research Institute, Cambridge: ?Triumph and disaster: British whalers in Baffin Bay, 1817-1840? 5. Dinah Molloy Thompson, Scott Polar Research Institute, Cambridge: ?Whalers forecasting our climate" 6. Dale Chatwin, Brisbane, Australia: ??A Trade so Uncontrollably Uncertain?. English whaling in the South Pacific, 1815-1860? 7. Thierry du Pasquier, Paris, France: ?The last French involvements in whaling, 1860s ? 1960s? 8. Seiji Ohsumi, PhD, Taiji Whale Museum, Taiji, Japan: ?History and present status of dolphin fisheries in Japan? 9. Ole Sparenberg, University of G?ttingen: ?New research on German whaling in the 1930s? 10. Dale Vinnedge, Director, and past president of the Friends of the National Maritime Museum Library, San Francisco, California: ?The Onassis connection to northern California whaling? 11. Dr. Rip Bulkeley, Exeter College, Oxford: ?Cold War whaling: the origin and early deployment of the SLAVA flotilla? 12. Dr. Joost Schokkenbroek, Dutch Maritime Museum, Amsterdam: ?Moving a whaling collection. The transfer of the Zuiderzeemuseum?s whaling artefacts and books to the Dutch Maritime Museum? Dinner talk: Nick Redman, Whales? Bones Worldwide, London: ?The whales? bones of Germany? After-dinner concert: Sigrid Alvestad, Bergen, Norway: Tunes on the Hardanger fiddle. The CONFERENCE FEE will be 100 Euros per person, regardless of the duration of your participation, student status, personal, professional or institutional affiliation. The fee i.a. covers snacks and beverages during conference breaks, and conference lunch on Saturday, as well as your conference package with name badge, handouts, and a souvenir. Not included in this fee is the optional buffet-style dinner on Saturday night. PLEASE NOTE THAT PARTICIPATION IS BY PERSONAL INVITATION ONLY! If you are not already known to the convener, Klaus Barthelmess, you have to apply for an invitiation, outlining your interest in the history in human-cetacean relations, naming institutional affiliations & websites, giving references, etc., in an email without attachments. The convener reserves the right to refuse participation. Upon invitation, participants hitherto unknown may be expected to remit the non-refundable conference fee by bank transfer or Paypal (no checks, no credit cards). Upon receipt of payment, you will be sent directions, list of conference hotels, etc. Thank you for your understanding! Cheers Klaus Barthelmess Cologne, Germany barthval at t-online.de From Kim.Raum-suryan at oregonstate.edu Wed Mar 18 10:33:13 2009 From: Kim.Raum-suryan at oregonstate.edu (Raum-suryan, Kim) Date: Wed, 18 Mar 2009 10:33:13 -0700 Subject: [MARMAM] Steller sea lion entanglement video available for viewing Message-ID: Dear colleagues, The Alaska Department of Fish and Game and Sea Gypsy Research teamed up with Moore and Moore Films and Marni Productions to produce this 11-minute educational video that introduces the problem of Steller sea lion entanglement in marine debris. The video describes how sea lions become entangled, the most common sources of entangling debris, and what one could do to help reduce the number of entanglements. Title: Entanglement of Steller Sea Lions in Marine Debris: Identifying Causes and Finding Solutions Watch the Video - WMV format (requires Windows Media Player**) http://www.multimedia.adfg.alaska.gov/ If you are interested in a DVD of the video, please contact Lauri.jemison at alaska.gov. We have a LIMITED number available. Another short video (3 min) was produced by "Assignment Earth" using footage and information from the entanglement video above. If interested in viewing, see: http://news.yahoo.com/video/2714 Thank you, Kim Raum-Suryan ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kim Raum-Suryan Pinniped Ecology Applied Research Lab (PEARL) Marine Mammal Institute, Hatfield Marine Science Center 2030 S.E. Marine Science Dr., Newport, OR 97365 Phone 541-867-0393 / Fax 541-867-0128 Kim.Raum-Suryan at oregonstate.edu http://mmi.oregonstate.edu/pearl -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From P.A.Lepper at lboro.ac.uk Wed Mar 18 16:02:16 2009 From: P.A.Lepper at lboro.ac.uk (Paul Lepper) Date: Wed, 18 Mar 2009 23:02:16 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] BIOACOUSTICS2009 conference Loughborough 31st March - 2nd April Message-ID: <5627b7ee11095443838adec0ed9c3c06@staff-mail.lboro.ac.uk> Dear All, A notice about the Fifth International Conference on Bio-Acoustics, to be held at Holywell Park, Loughborough University, UK on the 31st March - 2nd April 2009. The conference has over 50 scheduled presentations and posters covering a extremely diverse series of topics on bioacoustics including sessions on Insects and Amphibians, Fish, Noise and Hearing, Birds, Detection and Assessment, Classification, Bio-inspired and Marine Mammal Behaviour. Keynote presentations include: Layered biosonar images with unified spatial dimensions in bat echolocation J A Simmons, Brown University Automatically identifying animal species from their vocalizations I Agranat, Wildlife Acoustics, Inc and Robot models of cricket auditory behaviour B Webb, University of Edinburgh Registration for attendance is now open. Details of the registration and programme can be found on the conference website at : http://bioacoustics2009.lboro.ac.uk/ Hope you can make it, Best regards, Paul Paul Lepper, PhD Senior Research Fellow, Underwater Acoustics Research, Loughborough University, LE11 3TU, UK On behalf of the bioacoustics2009 organizing committee From clacey at ifaw.org Tue Mar 17 05:00:17 2009 From: clacey at ifaw.org (Lacey, Claire) Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2009 12:00:17 -0000 Subject: [MARMAM] FW: Job vacancy - Research assistant. Message-ID: <0FC557B272E25F45AEE8484101B4015B018DB4E4@uk00sm01.ifaw.net> Apologies for cross-posting The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) works to improve the welfare of wild and domestic animals throughout the world by reducing commercial exploitation of animals, protecting wildlife habitats, and assisting animals in distress. Song of the Whale (SOTW) is a 22m purpose built British registered sailing vessel designed to provide a flexible working platform for our onboard research team. Using passive acoustic and visual techniques, the team carries out studies of threatened and endangered marine mammals and their habitats, educates students, trains scientists and develops and disseminates non-invasive research techniques around the world. We seek an enthusiastic and well qualified RESEARCH ASSISTANT to join our multidisciplinary team on a 6 month Fixed Term Contract. Salary c. ?22,000 (pro rata). The post holder will participate in the design, implementation, analysis and reporting of research projects from RV Song of the Whale in addition to taking part in outreach and advocacy work carried out by the team. For further information about the SOTW team and projects please see www.ifaw.org/sotw. Requirements ? Education to university higher degree level in a relevant scientific/technical subject. ? A broad knowledge of cetacean research techniques, such as passive acoustics, signal processing techniques and concepts, and statistics ? A good working knowledge of computing including relational database design, and experience of a relational database system, preferably Microsoft Access, as well as preferably appropriate programming languages such as Matlab, Visual Basic and/or SPLUS. ? Excellent communication and personal skills to work with a diverse team of colleagues often in challenging conditions; and to communicate with variety of audiences including media and general public. Multi-lingual skills an advantage. Experience ? At least three years experience in the field of cetacean science or field research would be advantageous. ? Experience and background knowledge of marine mammal acoustics and vocalisations both in the field and in analysis of acoustic data ? Experience of working in a team and with researchers in other institutions both nationally and internationally. ? Experience of working on and handling small boats would be very useful. How to apply Complete the application form which can be downloaded with the full job description from www.ifaw.org/uk/employment Return the application form together with your cv by: (a) email to recruituk at ifaw.org or (b) post to RecruitUK, IFAW, 89 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7UD. CVs will not be accepted without the completed application form. Applications to be received no later than 4pm on the 31st March 09. Interviews will likely be conducted during the week 20th April. The successful candidate would be required to take up the post by the beginning of June 09. Please note that these posts do not necessarily qualify for a UK work permit. Claire Lacey Program Assistant Song of the Whale team International Fund for Animal Welfare www.ifaw.org/sotw --------------------------------------------------------- DISCLAIMER: The International Fund for Animal Welfare works to improve the welfare of wild and domestic animals throughout the world by reducing commercial exploitation of animals, protecting wildlife habitats, and assisting animals in distress. IFAW seeks to motivate the public to prevent cruelty to animals and to promote animal welfare and conservation policies that advance the well-being of both animals and people. This transmission is intended only for use by the addressee(s) named herein and may contain information that is proprietary, confidential and/or legally privileged. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From taylor at wildlifetrust.org Tue Mar 17 09:57:59 2009 From: taylor at wildlifetrust.org (Cynthia Taylor) Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2009 12:57:59 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] REQUEST FOR ARTICLES - SIRENEWS Message-ID: <200903171759.n2HHxc0A7135232@cascara.comp.uvic.ca> The editors of Sirenews, the newsletter of the IUCN Sirenia Specialist Group, would like to request articles for the upcoming edition. Updates on manatee and dugong research, management, education, and conservation activities from around the world are encouraged. The deadline for submissions is APRIL 1, 2009. Please submit articles to taylor at wildlifetrust.org. Thank you - Cynthia Taylor, Director - Aquatic Conservation Program, Wildlife Trust, 941-232-4587, taylor at wildlifetrust.org, www.wildlifetrust.org James A. Powell Ph.D., Director, Sea to Shore Alliance, 941-322-8809 (office), 941-661-2941 (cell), jpowell at sea2shore.org, www.sea2shore.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From B.J.Godley at exeter.ac.uk Fri Mar 20 08:15:40 2009 From: B.J.Godley at exeter.ac.uk (Godley, Brendan) Date: Fri, 20 Mar 2009 15:15:40 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] FW: New ESR Article: Marine mammal conservation Message-ID: <1B0336B2F3DEBA4A8D866E31C061B58B4AA61D806C@EXCHMBS06.isad.isadroot.ex.ac.uk> Please see article of interest below. The hotlink should take you straight through to it Best Brendan Dr. Brendan J. Godley Senior Lecturer in Conservation Biology Centre for Ecology & Conservation School of Biosciences University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus TR10 9EZ, UK Tel: +44 1326 371 861 Homepage: http://www.seaturtle.org/mtrg/ Editor-in-Chief, Endangered Species Research http://www.int-res.com/journals/esr/ A new article has been published in ESR Vol. 7, No. 1: Reynolds JE III , Marsh H, Ragen TJ AS WE SEE IT: Marine mammal conservation ESR 7:23-28 | Full text in pdf format A new article has also been published in the forthcoming ESR Special, Bats: Status, Threats and Conservation Successes Ruffell J, Parsons S Assessment of the short-term success of a translocation of lesser short-tailed bats Mystacina tuberculata ESR:Bats_pp8 | Full text in pdf format -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Jenelle_Gilding at alaskasealife.org Fri Mar 20 17:23:51 2009 From: Jenelle_Gilding at alaskasealife.org (Jenelle Gilding) Date: Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:23:51 -0800 Subject: [MARMAM] Job Posting at the Alaska SeaLife Center - Chief Scientist Message-ID: <90DE6706D8A7F2479D11846B9B48623E02F265AC@SEAOTTER.ALASKASEALIFE.ORG> The Alaska SeaLife Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to marine research, rehabilitation, conservation, and public education is seeking applications for the following: Chief Scientist The Alaska SeaLife Center is entering its second decade of operations. We are expanding our marine research and education programs to meet the ever increasing need for better scientific information to underpin marine policy and to help Alaskan communities manage the State's vast marine resources sustainably. The Alaska SeaLife Center plays a leading role in marine science research in partnership with the University of Alaska, Alaska Pacific University, fishing, tourism, transportation and oil and gas industries, local, State and federal government agencies, foundations, community groups, education institutions and non-profit organizations. We are seeking a visionary and proven science leader to broaden our marine research horizons - someone who is capable of leading studies of the key issues confronting the North Pacific ecosystem such as endangered species recovery, ocean acidification, marine diseases and arctic resource management. We expect to attract a talented scientist who can both lead highly skilled multidisciplinary teams and communicate results to the public with equal skill. We have a strong preference to recruit a scientist with experience working on marine projects in Alaska. Summary: This position will be responsible for overall Alaska SeaLife Center scientific leadership, reporting to the President and CEO. Responsibilities (include but are not limited to): * Lead in the development and coordination of research at the Center; generate funding for research. * Provide catalytic leadership to all scientific programs and staff, even when there is no supervisory relationship. * Make recommendations to the Center's President and CEO, the Scientific Advisory Committee, and the Board of Directors regarding overall scientific direction and opportunities for enhancing the Center's scientific program. * Provide scientific oversight of all research/science conducted at the Center, with a focus on the applicability of research to conservation issues and the quality of science. * Play a key mentorship role to all scientific staff, especially PIs. * Serve as the external scientific lead, promoting the scientific program at the Center. * Establish, develop and manage the scientific partnerships and agency relationships of the Center. * Develop a personal research program at the Center. * Provide scientific guidance to the Education and Visitor programs at the Center, as requested. Requirements: Ph.D. degree in ecology, zoology, wildlife or conservation biology, marine science, oceanography, fisheries, engineering or a related field, and 10 years experience in field or laboratory marine research, including project budgeting and management, with 7 years at a supervisory level preferred. Open until filled. This is a full-time position. The SeaLife Center offers a competitive wage (DOE) with great benefits, in a beautiful setting. Full position description is available at our website. Send CV to President and CEO Dr. Ian Dutton ian_dutton at alaskasealife.org . Call Dr. Dutton or Dr. Tara Riemer Jones for more information (907) 224-6349. Seward is a tourist destination, located on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula, boasting incredible recreation opportunities. Imagine partaking in world-class halibut and salmon fishing, rafting, and kayaking in Resurrection Bay and on the Kenai River. Experience icebergs calving from glaciers in Kenai Fjords National Park. Hike the 200 miles of trail in the Chugach National Forest, viewing wildlife like moose, black and brown bears, bald eagles, and Dall sheep. www.alaskasealife.org The ASLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: oledata.mso Type: application/octet-stream Size: 17473 bytes Desc: oledata.mso URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image002.gif Type: image/gif Size: 5450 bytes Desc: image002.gif URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 15435 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: From Stacey.Horstman at noaa.gov Mon Mar 16 08:54:51 2009 From: Stacey.Horstman at noaa.gov (Stacey Horstman) Date: Mon, 16 Mar 2009 11:54:51 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] "Don't Feed Wild Dolphins" animated PSA and website Message-ID: <49BE764B.7010601@noaa.gov> Dear MARMAM readers, Last week, NOAA issued a press release on the official debut of the new "Don't Feed Wild Dolphins" animated Public Service Announcement (PSA) and website. The PSA provides an innovative approach to remind viewers that feeding wild dolphins is not only illegal but harmful to dolphins as well. This project was 4 years in the making and accomplished thanks to the hard work and perseverance of numerous folks at NOAA Fisheries Service Southeast Region and Headquarters working in partnership with the Marine Mammal Commission, the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution's Protect Wild Dolphins License Plate fund, Mote Marine Laboratory, and members of the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums. The PSA can viewed at the following web site, which also has more information on wild dolphin conservation and responsible viewing: http://www.dontfeedwilddolphins.org. The press release can be viewed at: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2009/20090311_dolphinpsa.html. Please feel free to distribute this widely and use it as educational tool. Thank you! Best, Stacey Horstman -- *************************************************** Stacey C. Horstman Bottlenose Dolphin Conservation Coordinator National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Regional Office 263 13th Avenue South St. Petersburg, FL 33701 727-824-5312 727-824-5309 FAX *************************************************** -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From gigi.wong at oceanpark.com.hk Mon Mar 16 17:51:03 2009 From: gigi.wong at oceanpark.com.hk (Gigi Wong) Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2009 08:51:03 +0800 Subject: [MARMAM] Contract Research Assistant Message-ID: <24F8231842FBC94495A541BBA1EF60A1682679C4@MS01.oceanpark.com.hk> Contract Research Assistant The incumbent will be responsible for conducting the daily cognitive and behavioral research sessions with bottlenose dolphins. He/she will need to collect and analyze the acoustic and video data. He/she is also required to set up, maintain and conduct safety check on equipment and keep good record of all research inventories. Requirements: * Degree or above in animal sciences or related subjects * Experience in animal handling and training is preferable but not essential * Manual handling of research equipment (weighted 25 kg) required * Computer literacy in MS Office * Good command of both written and spoken in English and Chinese * Team player and able to lead a group of volunteers * Willing to work outdoor, on shifts and during weekends and public holidays Applications giving details of qualifications, working experience, present and expected salary, contact telephone number and address should be sent to the Human Resources Division, Ocean Park, Aberdeen, Hong Kong or via email: hrd at oceanpark.com.hk (Please quote reference) Ocean Park Website : www.oceanpark.com.hk Applicants not contacted within six weeks may consider their applications unsuccessful. Personal data collected will be used for recruitment-related purpose only. Thanks & With Regards Gigi Wong Recruitment & Employee Relations Human Resources Division Tel : 3923 2864 Fax : 25530777 -------------- next part -------------- Please think GREEN before printing this e-mail. Disclaimer: The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is strictly prohibited. If you have received this in error, please delete it from your system. If you require assistance, please contact us at opc at oceanpark.com.hk Beginning 1 January 2006, Ocean Park raises its conservation commitment further by donating part of the admission to Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong (www.opcf.org.hk) to support its research projects and public awareness programmes for wildlife conservation in Asia. From aquaticmammals at gmail.com Mon Mar 23 05:50:58 2009 From: aquaticmammals at gmail.com (Jeanette Thomas) Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2009 07:50:58 -0500 Subject: [MARMAM] New Feature in Aquatic Mammals-Historical Perspectives-written articles and DVD interviews of key marine mammalogists Message-ID: <4b2ea9d30903230550l772d2337v997011365d3a16b@mail.gmail.com> To celebrate 35 years of publication and to acknowledge the contributions of key contributors to the field of marine mammal science, *Aquatic Mammals *has a new feature called *Historical Perspectives. * This feature includes written histories and companion high-definition video interviews of key people in marine mammal science. The work is funded by the Marine Mammal Commission and the video interviews and editing are performed by John Anderson of Terramar Productions. The feature kick-off was an outstanding article and video-interview by Dr. Victor Scheffer, written on his 100th birthday!!! In 2008 (vol 34 issue 4), Drs. Sam Ridgway and William E. Evans provided written histories and video interviews related to research and veterinary care of dolphins in the US Navy. The first issue for 2009 (35.1) features a written history by Ian Boyd highlighting his research and Robert Hofman on the Legacy of the Marine Mammal Commission. Also in 2009, Historical Perspective articles will be published by Bob Gisiner on the history of marine mammal studies by the Office of Naval Research, by William Perrin on the history of the conflicts between the tuna purse seine fishery and dolphin by-catch, and by Gerald Kooyman on a history of marine mammal studies in Antarctica. Dudok Van Heel will publish an article on the history of the EAAM. Interviews have been conducted or are scheduled to be conducted this year with several key marine mammalogists Karen Pryor, Ken Balcomb, Bruce Mate, Randy Wells, John Reynolds, Dan Odell, Roger Gentry, Ronald Schusterman, Whitlow Au, Paul Nachtigall, Louis Herman, Bill Tavolga, and Bernd Wursig. Their written articles will follow in the journal. Copies of the DVDs and articles (as a .pdf or hard copy) are available at the Aquatic Mammals website. Please see the URL below. Proceeds from these sales will support graduate student assistants for the journal. Sincerely, Jeanette Thomas and Kathleen Dudzinski -- Dr. Jeanette Thomas Department of Biological Sciences Western Illinois University-Quad Cities 3561 60th St. Moline, IL 61265 E-mail: aquaticmammals at gmail.com and Editor of Aquatic Mammals same address See Aquatic Mammals website at: http://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/ Manuscript Fast Track website at: http://am.expressacademic.org/actions/author.php Because I teach at two locations, email is the best method of communication -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From lchilvers at doc.govt.nz Sun Mar 22 20:44:28 2009 From: lchilvers at doc.govt.nz (Louise Chilvers) Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2009 16:44:28 +1300 Subject: [MARMAM] Defining how many pups you need to be classified as an otariid breeding colony Message-ID: Hello I am looking for definitions of how many pups (and/or breeding females) need to be born at a site over how many years (with or without a specific underlying age structure) for it to be defined as a breeding site or colony or rookery (i.e. as classified by IUCN or a species or countries own classification system). I am specifically looking for published references for Otariid breeding areas. If anyone can help please contact me - lchilvers at doc.govt.nz Thank you Louise Dr. B. Louise Chilvers Marine Mammal Scientist Aquatic & Threats Unit Department of Conservation P.O. Box 10-420 Wellington Ph 04 4713073 Fax 04 3813057 Email lchilvers at doc.govt.nz ############################################## This e-mail (and attachments) is confidential and may be legally privileged. ############################################## -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From janiger at almaak-01.usc.edu Tue Mar 24 08:04:04 2009 From: janiger at almaak-01.usc.edu (David S. Janiger) Date: Tue, 24 Mar 2009 07:04:04 -0800 Subject: [MARMAM] New Articles Message-ID: <3.0.1.32.20090324070404.011ab488@email.usc.edu> Hi, All Here's the latest posting of new PDF's that are available. File sizes have been included. Abstracts also available on request. Please don't hit the reply button. Make all requests to: janiger at bcf.usc.edu Cheers! David Janiger - Curatorial Assistant (Mammals) Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County 900 Exposition Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90007 (213) 763-3369 janiger at bcf.usc.edu djaniger at nhm.org Janiger Journals BAILEY, HELEN and PAUL M. THOMPSON. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES 378:279-287. 2009. Using marine mammal habitat modelling to identify priority conservation zones within a marine protected area. 0.403 MB BEARZI, GIOVANNI; CATERINA MARIA FORTUNA and RANDALL R. REEVES. MAMMAL REVIEW 39(2):92-123. 2009. Ecology and conservation of common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus in the Mediterranean Sea. 0.307 MB BHUIYAN, M. M. U.; Y. SUZUKI; H. WATANABE; K. MATSUOKA; Y. FUJISE; H. ISHIKAWA; S. OHSUMI and Y. FUKUI. ZYGOTE 17(1):19-28. 2009. Attempts at in vitro fertilization and culture of in vitro matured oocytes in sei (Balaenoptera borealis) and Bryde's (B. edeni) whales. 0.210 MB CASTELLINI, M. A.; S. J. TRUMBLE; T. L. MAU; P. K. YOCHEM; B. S. STEWART and M. A. KOSKI. PHYSIOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL ZOOLOGY 82(2):113-120. 2009. Body and blubber relationships in Antarctic pack ice seals: Implications for blubber depth patterns. 0.313 MB CHERRY, SETH G.; ANDREW E. DEROCHER; IAN STIRLING and EVAN S. RICHARDSON. POLAR BIOLOGY 32(3):383-391. 2009. Fasting physiology of polar bears in relation to environmental change and breeding behavior in the Beaufort Sea. 0.470 MB CHILVERS, B. LOUISE and IAN S. WILKINSON. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES 378:299-308. 2009. Diverse foraging strategies in lactating New Zealand sea lions. 0.303 MB COLTRAIN, JOAN BRENNER. JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE 36(3):764-775. 2009. Sealing, whaling and caribou revisited: Additional insights from the skeletal isotope chemistry of eastern Arctic foragers 0.518 MB COOPER, LISA NOELLE and SUSAN D. DAWSON. ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY 155(3):722-735. 2009. The trouble with flippers: A report on the prevalence of digital anomalies in Cetacea. 0.481 MB CORKERON, PETER J. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES 375:305-309. 2009. Reconsidering the science of scientific whaling. 0.073 MB DAILEY, MURRAY D. JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 95(1):156-159. 2009. A new species of Parafilaroides (Nematoda: Filaroididae) in three species of fur seals (Carnivora: Otariidae) from the Southern Hemisphere. 0.365 MB DE MUIZON, CHRISTIAN. COMPTES RENDUS PALEVOL 8(2-3):295-309. 2009. L'origine et l'histoire ?volutive des C?tac?s. (Origin and evolutionary history of cetaceans) 1.820 MB DELARUE, JULIEN; SEAN K. TODD; SOFIE M. VAN PARIJS and LUCIA DI LORIO. JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 125(3):1774-1782. 2009. Geographic variation in northwest Atlantic fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) song: Implications for stock structure assessment. 0.449 MB DO NASCIMENTO, LIDIO FRANCA; PRISCILA IZABEL A. P. MEDEIROS and MARIA EMILIA YAMAMOTO. PSICOLOGIA: REFLEXAO E CRITICA 21(3):509-517. 2008. Descricao do comportamento de superficie do boto cinza, Sotalia guianensis, na Praia de Pipa - RN. (Description of the surface behaviour of marine tucuxi, Sotalia guianensis, at Pipa Beach - RN) 1.210 MB DOYLE, LAURANCE R.; BRENDA MCCOWAN; SEAN F. HANSER; CHRISTOPHER CHYBA; TAYLOR BUCCI and J. ELLEN BLUE. ENTROPY 10(e10020033):33-46. 2008. Applicability of information theory to the quantification of responses to anthropogenic noise by southeast Alaskan humpback whales. 0.362 MB DUBEY, J. P.; J. MERGL; E. GEHRING; N. SUNDAR; G. V. VELMURUGAN; O. C. H. KWOK; M. E. GRIGG; C. SU and D. MARTINEAU. JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 95(1):82-85. 2009. Toxoplasmosis in captive dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and walrus (Odobenus rosmarus). 0.250 MB DURNER, G. M.; D. C. DOUGLAS; R. M. NIELSON; S. C. AMSTRUP; T. L. MCDONALD; I. STIRLING; M. MAURITZEN; E. W. BORN; O. WIIG; E. DEWEAVER; M. C. SERREZE; S. E. BELIKOV; M. M. HOLLAND; J. MASLANIK; J. AARS; D. A. BAILEY and A. E. DEROCHER. ECOLOGICAL MONOGRAPHS 79(1):25-58. 2009. Predicting 21st-century polar bear habitat distribution from global climate models. 2.705 MB EINARSSON, NIELS. POLAR RESEARCH 28(1):129-138. 2009. >From good to eat to good to watch: Whale watching, adaptation and change in Icelandic fishing communities. 0.553 MB EZER, TAL; RODERICK HOBBS and LIE-YAUW OEY. OCEANOGRAPHY 21(4):186-195. 2008. On the movement of beluga whales in Cook Inlet, Alaska: Simulations of tidal and environmental impacts using a hydrodynamic inundation model. 0.946 MB FEWSTER, RACHEL M.; STEPHEN T. BUCKLAND; KENNETH P. BURNHAM; DAVID L. BORCHERS; PETER E. JUPP; JEFFREY L. LAAKE and LEN THOMAS. BIOMETRICS 65(1):225-236. 2009. Estimating the encounter rate variance in distance sampling. 2.288 MB GALATIUS, ANDERS; CHRISTIAN SONNE; CARL CHRISTIAN KINZE; RUNE DIETZ and JENS-ERIK BECK JENSEN. JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES 45(1):19-28. 2009. Occurrence of vertebral osteophytosis in a museum sample of white-beaked dolphins (Lagenorhynchus albirostris) from Danish waters. 1.366 MB GILPATRICK, JR., JAMES W. and WAYNE L. PERRYMAN. JOURNAL OF CETACEAN RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT 10(1):9-21. 2008. Geographic variation in external morphology of North Pacific and Southern Hemisphere blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus). 3.933 MB GOLDSTEIN, TRACEY; TANJA S. ZABKA; ROBERT L. DELONG; ELIZABETH A. WHEELER; GINA YLITALO; SIBEL BARGU; MARY SILVER; TOD LEIGHFIELD; FRANCES VAN DOLAH; GREGG LANGLOIS; INGA SIDOR; J. LAWRENCE DUNN and FRANCES M. D. GULLAND. JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES 45(1):91-108. 2009. The role of domoic acid in abortion and premature parturition of California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) on San Miguel Island, California. 0.569 MB GONZALEZ-SUAREZ, M.; R. FLATZ; D. AURIOLES-GAMBOA; P. W. HEDRICK and L. R. GERBER. MOLECULAR ECOLOGY 18(6):1088-1099. 2009. Isolation by distance among California sea lion populations in Mexico: Redefining management stocks. 0.574 MB GRANT, REBECCA J.; ASHLEY C. BANYARD; TOM BARRETT; JEREMIAH T. SALIKI and CARLOS H. ROMERO. JOURNAL OF VIROLOGICAL METHODS 156(1-2):117-123. 2009. Real-time RT-PCR assays for the rapid and differential detection of dolphin and porpoise morbilliviruses. 1.081 MB GRAVENA, WALESKA; TOMAS HRBEK; VERA M. S. DA SILVA; SPARTACO ASTOLFI-FILHO and IZENI P. FARIAS. MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES 9(2):600-603. 2009. Microsatellite loci for population and parentage analysis in the Amazon River dolphin (Inia geoffrensis de Blainville, 1817). 0.064 MB GRAVES, JEFF A.; ALICE HELYAR; MARTIN BIUW; MART JUSSI; IVAR JUSSI and OLLE KARLSSON. CONSERVATION GENETICS 10(1):59-68. 2009. Microsatellite and mtDNA analysis of the population structure of grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) from three breeding areas in the Baltic Sea. 0.342 MB HARAGUCHI, KOICHI; YOHSUKE HISAMICHI and TETSUYA ENDO. SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 407(8):2853-2859. 2009. Accumulation and mother-to-calf transfer of anthropogenic and natural organohalogens in killer whalesnext term (Orcinus orca) stranded on the Pacific coast of Japan. 0.518 MB HERR, HELENA; M. SCHEIDAT; K. LEHNERT and U. SIEBERT. MARINE BIOLOGY (BERLIN) 156(5):811-820. 2009. Seals at sea: modelling seal distribution in the German bight based on aerial survey data. 0.446 MB IBSEN, STUART D.; WHITLOW W. L. AU; PAUL E. NACHTIGALL and MARLEE BREESE. JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 125(2):1214-1221. 2009. Functional bandwidth of an echolocating Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). 0.307 MB IMAEDA, DAISUKE; TATSUYA KUNISUE; YOKO OCHI; HISATO IWATA; OYUNA TSYDENOVA; SHIN TAKAHASHI; MASAO AMANO; EVGENY A. PETROV; VALERIY B. BATOEV and SHINSUKE TANABE. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION 157(3):737-747. 2009. Accumulation features and temporal trends of PCDDs, PCDFs and PCBs in Baikal seals (Pusa sibirica). 0.304 MB ISOBE, TOMOHIKO; YOKO OCHI; KARRI RAMU; TAKAHITO YAMAMOTO; YUKO TAJIMA; TADASU K. YAMADA; MASAO AMANO; NOBUYUKI MIYAZAKI; SHIN TAKAHASHI and SHINSUKE TANABE. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 58(3):396-401. 2009. Organohalogen contaminants in striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) from Japan: Present contamination status, body distribution and temporal trends (1978-2003). 0.469 MB JOHNSON, CHRISTINE K.; MARTIN T. TINKER; JAMES A. ESTES; PATRICIA A. CONRAD; MICHELLE STAEDLER; MELISSA A. MILLER; DAVID A. JESSUP and JONNA A. K. MAZET. PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 106(7):2242-2247. 2009. Prey choice and habitat use drive sea otter pathogen exposure in a resource-limited coastal system. 0.644 MB JOLY, DAMIEN O.; DENNIS M. HEISEY; MICHAEL D. SAMUEL; CHRISTINE A. RIBIC; NANCY J. THOMAS; SCOTT D. WRIGHT and IRENE E. WRIGHT. JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES 45(1):122-127. 2009. Estimating cause-specific mortality rates using recovered carcasses. 0.243 MB KASAMATSU, MASAHIKO; RIEKO KAWAUCHI; MASATOSHI TSUNOKAWA; KEIICHI UEDA; EIJI UCHIDA; SHIN OIKAWA; HIDETOSHI HIGUCHI; TAKAAKI KAWAJIRI; SENZO UCHIDA and HAJIME NAGAHATA. RESEARCH IN VETERINARY SCIENCE 86(2):216-222. 2009 Comparison of serum lipid compositions, lipid peroxide, a-tocopherol and lipoproteins in captive marine mammals (bottlenose dolphins, spotted seals and West Indian manatees) and terrestrial mammals. 0.308 MB KASTELEIN, RONALD A.; PAUL J. WENSVEEN; LEAN HOEK; WILLEM C. VERBOOM and JOHN M. TERHUNE. JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 125(2):1222-1229. 2009. Underwater detection of tonal signals between 0.125 and 100 kHz by harbor seals (Phoca vitulina). 0.406 MB KIERS, A.; A. KLARENBEEK; B. MENDELTS; D. VAN SOOLINGEN and G. KOETER. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TUBERCULOSIS AND LUNG DISEASE 12(12):1469-1473. 2008. Transmission of Mycobacterium pinnipedii to humans in a zoo with marine mammals. 0.265 MB KYHN, LINE A.; J. TOUGAARD; F. JENSEN; M. WAHLBERG; G. STONE; A. YOSHINAGA; K. BEEDHOLM and P. T. MADSEN. JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 125(3):1783-1791. 2009. Feeding at a high pitch: Source parameters of narrow band, high-frequency clicks from echolocating off-shore hourglass dolphins and coastal Hector's dolphins. 0.191 MB LEE, DEREK E. and WILLIAM J. SYDEMAN. JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY 90(1):1-8. 2009. North Pacific climate mediates offspring sex ratio in northern elephant seals. 0.246 MB LINDQVIST, CHARLOTTE; LUTZ BACHMANN; LISELOTTE W. ANDERSEN; ERIK W. BORN; ULFUR ARNASON; KIT M. KOVACS; CHRISTIAN LYDERSEN; ALEXEI V. ABRAMOV and OYSTEIN WIIG. ZOOLOGICA SCRIPTA 38(2):113-127. 2009. The Laptev Sea walrus Odobenus rosmarus laptevi: An enigma revisited. 0.464 MB LOWRY, MARK S.; JAMES V. CARRETTA and KARIN A. FORNEY. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME 94(4):180-193. 2008. Pacific harbor seal census in California during May-July 2002 and 2004. 0.642 MB MAY-COLLADO, LAURA J. and DOUGLAS WARTZOK. JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 125(2):1202-1213. 2009. A characterization of Guyana dolphin (Sotalia guianensis) whistles from Costa Rica: The importance of broadband recording systems. 0.608 MB MCDONALD, MARK A.; JOHN A. HILDEBRAND; SEAN M. WIGGINS; DAVID W. JOHNSTON and JEFFREY J. POLOVINA. JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 125(2):624-627. 2009. An acoustic survey of beaked whales at Cross Seamount near Hawaii. 0.248 MB MIKSIS-OLDS, JENNIFER L. and PETER L. TYACK. JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 125(3):1806-1815. 2009. Manatee (Trichechus manatus) vocalization usage in relation to environmental noise levels. 0.509 MB MIRIMIN, LUCA; ANDREW WESTGATE; EMER ROGAN; PATRICIA ROSEL; ANDREW READ; JAMIE COUGHLAN and TOM CROSS. MARINE BIOLOGY (BERLIN) 156(5):821-834. 2009. Population structure of short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) in the North Atlantic Ocean as revealed by mitochondrial and nuclear genetic markers. 0.672 MB MOONEY, T. ARAN; PAUL E. NACHTIGALL; MARLEE BREESE; STEPHANIE VLACHOS and WHITLOW W. L. AU. JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 125(3):1816-1826. 2009. Predicting temporary threshold shifts in a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus): The effects of noise level and duration. 0.297 MB MOORE, JEFFREY E.; BRYAN P. WALLACE; REBECCA L. LEWISON; RAMUNAS ZYDELIS; TARA M. COX and LARRY B. CROWDER. MARINE POLICY 33(3):435-451. 2009. A review of marine mammal, sea turtle and seabird bycatch in USA fisheries and the role of policy in shaping management. 0.459 MB NATER, ALEXANDER; ANNA M. KOPPS and MICHAEL KRUETZEN. MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES 9(2):531-534. 2009. New polymorphic tetranucleotide microsatellites improve scoring accuracy in the bottlenose dolphin Tursiops aduncus. 0.065 MB NOTARBARTOLO-DI-SCIARA, GIUSEPPE; MAHMOUD H. HANAFY; MOUSTAFA M. FOUDA; AYMAN AFIFI and MARINA COSTA. JOURNAL OF THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM 89(1):211-216. 2009. Spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) resting habitat in Samadai Reef (Egypt, Red Sea) protected through tourism management. 0.166 MB OCHOA-ACUNA, HUGO G.; BRIAN K. MCNAB and EDWARD H. MILLER. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 152(3):341-350. 2009 Seasonal energetics of northern phocid seals. 0.850 MB OKSANEN, A.; K. ASBAKK; K. W. PRESTRUD; J. AARS; A. E. DEROCHER; M. TRYLAND; O. WIIG; J. P. DUBEY; C. SONNE; R. DIETZ; M. ANDERSEN and E. W. BORN. JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 95(1):89-94. 2009. Prevalence of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from Svalbard and East Greenland. 0.207 MB PACK, ADAM A.; LOUIS M. HERMAN; SCOTT S. SPITZ; SIRI HAKALA; MARK H. DEAKOS and ELIA Y. K. HERMAN. ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR 77(3):653-662. 2009. Male humpback whales in the Hawaiian breeding grounds preferentially associate with larger females. 0.375 MB PARK, JUNE-SOO; OLGA IOANNA KALANTZI; DIANNE KOPEC and MYRTO PETREAS. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 67(3):129-135. 2009. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and their hydroxylated metabolites (OH-PCBs) in livers of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) from San Francisco Bay, California and Gulf of Maine. 0.322 MB PARKS, SUSAN E.; ILDAR URAZGHILDIIEV and CHRISTOPHER W. CLARK. JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 125(2):1230-1239. 2009. Variability in ambient noise levels and call parameters of North Atlantic right whales in three habitat areas. 0.722 MB PENDLETON, DANIEL E.; ANDREW J. PERSHING; MOIRA W. BROWN; CHARLES A. MAYO; ROBERT D KENNEY; NICHOLAS R. RECORD and TIMOTHY V. N. COLE. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES 378:211-225. 2009. Regional-scale mean copepod concentration indicates relative abundance of North Atlantic right whales. 0.655 MB PERELBERG, AMIR and RICHARD SCHUSTER. JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE PSYCHOLOGY 123(1):45-55. 2009. Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) prefer to cooperate when petted: Integrating proximate and ultimate explanations II 0.341 MB PERSHING, ANDREW J.; NICHOLAS R. RECORD; BRUCE C. MONGER; CHARLES A. MAYO; MOIRA W. BROWN; TIMOTHY V. N. COLE; ROBERT D. KENNEY; DANIEL E. PENDLETON and LINDA A. WOODARD. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES 378:245-257. 2009. Model-based estimates of right whale habitat use in the Gulf of Maine. 0.707 MB PRACA, EMILIE; ALEXANDRE GANNIER; KRISHNA DAS and SOPHIE LARAN. DEEP SEA RESEARCH PART I: OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH PAPERS 56(4):648-657. 2009. Modelling the habitat suitability of cetaceans: Example of the sperm whale in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. 0.827 MB QUAKENBUSH, LORI and JOHN J. CITTA. JOURNAL OF MARINE BIOLOGY 2009: Article ID 275040. 9pp. 2009. Trace element concentrations in bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus) near Red Dog Mine compared to other locations in Alaska. 0.715 MB REEVES, R. R. and R. L. BROWNELL, JR. (eds). Occasional Paper of the IUCN Species Survival Commission No. 40. Gland, Switzerland. ISBN 978-2-8317-1143-0. ii + 53pp. 2009. Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin assessment workshop report: Solomon Islands case study of Tursiops aduncus. 0.782 MB REISINGER, RYAN R.; N. THOMAS MUFANADZO; P. J. NICO DE BRUYN and MARTHAN N. BESTER. POLAR BIOLOGY 32(3):509-511. 2009. Leucistic southern elephant seal at Marion Island. 0.304 MB RICHLEN, MICHAEL F. and JEANETTE A. THOMAS. AQUATIC MAMMALS 34(4):448-457. 2008. Acoustic behavior of Antarctic killer whales (Orcinus orca) recorded near the ice edge of McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. 0.818 MB RIDGWAY, SAM H. and DORIAN S. HOUSER. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 58(2):312-313. 2009. Correspondence Marine mammal auditory research: Mischaracterization of published results. 0.102 MB RUIZ, CAROLINA L.; HENDRIK H. NOLLENS; STEPHANIE VENN-WATSON; LINDA G. GREEN; RANDALL S. WELLS; MICHAEL T. WALSH; ELIZABETH C. NOLAN; JAMES F. MCBAIN and ELLIOTT R. JACOBSON. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 33(4):449-455. 2009. Baseline circulating immunoglobulin G levels in managed collection and free-ranging bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). 0.338 MB SCHULZ, TYLER M.; HAL WHITEHEAD and LUKE RENDELL. JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 125(3):1768-1773. 2009. Off-axis effects on the multi-pulse structure of sperm whale coda clicks. 0.283 MB SHARPLES, RUTH J.; MONIQUE L. MACKENZIE and PHILIP S. HAMMOND. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES 378:289-298. 2009. Estimating seasonal abundance of a central place forager using counts and telemetry data. 0.231 MB SMITH, B. D.; G. BRAULIK; S. STRINDBERG; R. MANSUR; M. A. A. DIYAN and B. AHMED. AQUATIC CONSERVATION: MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS 19(2):209-225. 2009. Habitat selection of freshwater-dependent cetaceans and the potential effects of declining freshwater flows and sea-level rise in waterways of the Sundarbans mangrove forest, Bangladesh. 0.511 MB SMITH, BRIAN D.; MYA THAN TUN; AUNG MYO CHIT; HAN WIN and THIDA MOE. BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION 142(5):1042-1049. 2009. Catch composition and conservation management of a human-dolphin cooperative cast-net fishery in the Ayeyarwady River, Myanmar. 0.619 MB TORRES DE LA RIVA, GRETEL; CHRISTINE KREUDER JOHNSON; FRANCES M. D. GULLAND; GREGG W. LANGLOIS; JOHN E. HEYNING; TERI K. ROWLES and JONNA A. K. MAZET. JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES 45(1):109-121. 2009. Association of an unusual marine mammal mortality event with Pseudo-nitzschia spp. blooms along the southern California coastline. 0.786 MB VALENZUELA, LUCIANO O.; MARIANO SIRONI; VICTORIA J. ROWNTREE and JON SEGER. MOLECULAR ECOLOGY 18(5):782-791. 2009. Isotopic and genetic evidence for culturally inherited site fidelity to feeding grounds in southern right whales (Eubalaena australis). 0.208 MB VAN BRESSEM, M.-F.; MARCOS CESAR DE OLIVEIRA SANTOS and JULIA EMI DE FARIA OSHIMA. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 67(2):63-68. 2009. Skin diseases in Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) from the Paranagu? estuary, Brazil: A possible indicator of a compromised marine environment. 0.338 MB VASSILAKOS, DEMETRIOS; ADA NATOLI; MARILYN DAHLHEIM and A. RUS HOELZEL. MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION 26(3):681-689. 2009. Balancing and directional selection at Exon-2 of the MHC DQB1 locus among populations of odontocete cetaceans. 0.222 MB WANG, ZHE; LIHONG YUAN; STEPHEN J. ROSSITER; XUEGUO ZUO; BINGHUA RU; HUI ZHONG; NAIJIAN HAN; GARETH JONES; PAUL D. JEPSON and SHUYI ZHANG. MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION 26(3):613-622. 2009. Adaptive evolution of 5'HoxD genes in the origin and diversification of the cetacean flipper. 0.411 MB WISE, SANDRA S.; FARIBA SHAFFIEY; CAROLYNE LACERTE; CAROLINE E. C. GOERTZ; J. LAWRENCE DUNN; FRANCES M. D. GULLAND; ABOUEL-MAKARIM ABOUEISSA; TONGZHANG ZHENG and JOHN PIERCE WISE, SR. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM) 91(4):329-335. 2009. Particulate and soluble hexavalent chromium are cytotoxic and genotoxic to Steller sea lion lung cells. 0.367 MB WOOD, MATTHEW PETER and LIONEL CARTER. IEEE JOURNAL OF OCEANIC ENGINEERING 33(4):445-450. 2008. Whale entanglements with submarine telecommunication cables. 0.538 MB From Jennifer.Johnson at MyFWC.com Mon Mar 23 10:08:40 2009 From: Jennifer.Johnson at MyFWC.com (Johnson, Jennifer) Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:08:40 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] Florida Manatee Photo-identification Internship Message-ID: Manatee Photo-identification Internship The manatee photo-identification program is based in St. Petersburg, Florida at the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI). FWRI is the research arm of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), a state agency of Florida. For more information about FWRI, please visit: http://Research.MyFWC.com. FWRI's manatee photo-identification research focuses on the long-term monitoring of Florida manatees in southwest Florida. The primary goal of our program is to document individual manatees. These capture histories are used to estimate annual adult survival rates and to model population dynamics for state and federal assessments of Florida manatee status and recovery. Photo-identification data also provide insight regarding manatee movements, site fidelity, habitat use, behavior, intra- and inter- specific associations, and reproductive parameters such as calving intervals and length of calf dependency. Interns will primarily assist staff members with photographing manatees and collecting behavioral and environmental data at sites around Tampa Bay. Interns will also be responsible for a number of lab-based photo-identification tasks, such as downloading images, database entry, and matching images to known animals. Interns often collect data independently in the field, thus responsible, detail oriented applicants are encouraged to apply. Most field work is land-based, however during the winter session opportunities are available to assist with boat-based manatee photo-identification. Other responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, data entry, special projects, and outreach activities. This internship provides a great opportunity to gain valuable field and lab experience at a government agency. We have one position available this year for the fall (August-November). Start and end dates are flexible. There is no compensation for these internship positions and successful applicants will be responsible for their own housing and transportation to and from the Institute. Positions are open until filled. Qualifications: * Basic computer proficiency; Microsoft Access literacy preferred; * Working knowledge of SLR digital cameras, filters, and lenses preferred, but not required; * The ability to lift approximately 50 pounds of equipment; * A valid U.S. Driver's License; * Enthusiasm and willingness to learn field and lab based research methods; * A willingness to spend a minimum of three months working four days per week with our program. Application process: Please submit your cover letter, resume, college transcripts (unofficial are sufficient), and the contact information for three references via hardcopy to FWRI's Intern Coordinator, Dr. William Arnold, at the address listed below. Alternatively, application materials may be submitted via email to ManateeInterns at MyFWC.com. Please indicate in your cover letter the position for which you are applying and the dates you are available. Dr. William S. Arnold - Internship Coordinator Fish and Wildlife Research Institute 100 8th Avenue SE St. Petersburg, FL 33701 Applicants may contact FWRI's Manatee Photo-identification Project Manager, Kari Rood, (Kari.Rood at MyFWC.com, 727-896-8626 x1912) with questions regarding the internship. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From alb992 at u.washington.edu Mon Mar 23 11:21:16 2009 From: alb992 at u.washington.edu (Amanda Bradford) Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2009 11:21:16 -0700 (Pacific Daylight Time) Subject: [MARMAM] Northwest SMM Student Chapter updates Message-ID: Hi all - Recently an email was sent announcing the upcoming annual meeting of the Northwest Student Chapter of the Society for Marine Mammalogy (NWSSMM) that is being held on 2 May 2009 at Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA. The NWSSMM serves the community of marine mammal graduate and undergraduate students in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Alaska, and British Columbia. More information about our meeting can be found at: We also wanted to let you know that the NWSSMM has a listserv, which you can join if you are interested in events of the NWSSMM and other local activities. Information about the upcoming NWSSMM annual meeting will only be posted on the listserv from now on, so please do join if you're planning to attend. Instructions for joining the listserv can be found here: Thanks, Amanda Bradford NWSSMM member From Nick.Robinson at gardline.co.uk Wed Mar 25 03:47:48 2009 From: Nick.Robinson at gardline.co.uk (Nick Robinson) Date: Wed, 25 Mar 2009 10:47:48 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Marine Mammal Scientist and Passive Acoustic Monitoring System (PAMS) Operational Technician Vacancies Message-ID: <0C12D9846D7A29448E6CA5B25618BCF18A0A7E98E1@MBOX.gardline.co.uk> Gardline Environmental Ltd is a member of the Gardline Marine Sciences Limited Group of Companies and are a successful Environmental contractor, operating a fleet of inshore boats, conducting major integrated offshore projects on a worldwide basis and inshore projects for major clients in the UK and overseas. As part of our continued growth there are immediate vacancies for the following positions: PAMS OPERATIONAL TECHNICIAN As a PAMS Operational Technician you will be responsible for the maintenance, despatch and receipt of all PAMS equipment. In addition, you will be expected to keep up to date with national and international development of PAMS and implement accordingly. Applicants will ideally be of degree calibre or equivalent in a relevant discipline and possess a full comprehension with the technical composition and use of PAMS. Ideally the candidate would have an understanding of marine mammals, their biology and identification and previous marine survey experience would be advantageous. MARINE MAMMAL SCIENTIST Reporting to the current Marine Wildlife Business Manager, you will be expected to undertaken and develop the application of marine mammal observations, monitoring and recording systems, the compilation and preparation of reports and the processing of observational data and possess a sound knowledge marine mammals, their biology and identification. Ideally you will be of degree calibre or equivalent, and demonstrate the ability to lead and develop projects from implementation to completion and illustrate sound commercial awareness. You will need to be a confident individual with a can do attitude and enjoy being challenged. Previous relevant marine oil and gas or renewable energy industry experience is advantageous. Both positions require the individual to spend in the region of 60 days at sea, dependent on project requirements, with the remaining time being office based (Great Yarmouth). As well as a competitive salary, these roles also include offshore allowances and a range of employee benefits, such as; personal and professional development, a further range of employee benefits and world wide travel opportunities. To apply for these positions please email your CV and covering letter to Allan Tucker, Recruitment Officer on recruitment at gardline.com. Closing date: 8th April 2009 Nick Robinson ________________________________ CONFIDENTIALITY - This e-mail and any attached files contain information that is confidential and/or may be subject of legal privilege, intended only for use by the addressee(s). If you are not the intended recipient or the person responsible for delivering the message to the intended recipient, please be advised that you have received this message in error and that any dissemination, copying or use of this message or attachment is strictly forbidden, as is the disclosure of the information therein. If you have received this message in error please notify the sender immediately and preserve this confidentiality by deleting the message. No binding contract will result from this e-mail until and unless an officer, on behalf of the sender, signs a written document. Sender accepts no responsibility for the completeness or accuracy of this message as it has been transmitted over public networks. Unless otherwise specifically stated any views or opinions are solely those of the author and do not represent those of the sender Company. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From whalelab at gmail.com Tue Mar 24 19:18:12 2009 From: whalelab at gmail.com (UVIC WhaleLab) Date: Tue, 24 Mar 2009 19:18:12 -0700 Subject: [MARMAM] Gray Whale Research - Internship Opportunities May & June 2009 Message-ID: <53AF3BBF-2C66-4C3C-ACC0-198B08A61853@office.geog.uvic.ca> SEACR MARINE RESEARCH INTERNSHIPS ? SUMMER 2009 Gain Valuable Field Experience Working on Scientific Research Projects With Gray Whales This Summer ? May & June!!! The Society for Ecological and Coastal Research - SEACR - is a non- profit organization, established in 1998, dedicated to scientific research on the ecology of nearshore marine systems. SEACR is sponsoring several longterm ongoing research projects on gray whale ecology in Clayoquot Sound, British Columbia, Canada. The projects are organized and run by the Whale Research Lab of the University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. http://www.geog.uvic.ca/whalelab/ INTERNSHIPS (to apply, see link: http://www.geog.uvic.ca/whalelab/seacr-application.html) Enthusiastic individuals with a keen interest in nature and science are invited to discover the challenges of marine field research along Canada's coastal rainforest through SEACR's Marine Research Intern Program! MRIP is a volunteer program where Research Interns assist experienced and dedicated marine biologists and ecologists with their field research. Through MRIP, Research Interns will live and work at a remote research field-station in the coastal rainforest of Clayoquot Sound, British Columbia, to aid researchers with ongoing field research related to coastal and marine ecology. Internships are offered on a competitive basis, at cost and provide invaluable exposure to boat based field work, the Pacific coastal ocean environment, marine mammal research, intensive training and mentoring in marine ecology, and encouragement to work and play hard! We are offering 2 or 4 week Marine Research Internships for May and June 2009. There is no deadline to apply. However, approved applications are reviewed and accepted on a first-come, first serve basis. QUALIFICATIONS This internship is an excellent opportunity for an individual working toward a career in marine science to gain practical experience in the field. Ideal candidates possess a personal interest in marine ecology and a commitment to conservation research. Marine research is difficult and challenging work, so being a Research Intern is not for everyone! Those who wish to participate in MRIP must be in good physical health, especially free of back and leg injuries, as the field hours (in the boat and in the lab) can be long - though very satisfying! This is not a program that certifies individuals in field research. It is, however, an experience that delivers a unique opportunity for education, development of field ecology research skills, travel, and enjoyment of wildlife. THE RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT Flores Island is the home of the Ahousaht First Nations peoples and is nestled in world-famous Clayoquot Sound, in the Pacific Coast rainforest. Flores is an excellent place to learn about marine ecology and the study of nature. Along with learning field and technical skills during the course of work, when the opportunity arises Research Interns may engage in informal talks with graduate students, take hikes along the Wild Side Trail, have beach campfires, and interact with the Ahousaht First Nations peoples. Professors from the University of Victoria, local scientists and previous MRIP researchers will be frequent visitors to the field research station. Flores Island's natural beauty, sandy beaches, and abundant wildlife will keep you enthralled. Being here is the experience of a lifetime. APPLICATION PROCESS & COSTS To qualify as a candidate for the MRIP, see the preaplication process on our website: http://www.geog.uvic.ca/whalelab/seacr-application.html Unlike many other volunteer internship opportunities, SEACR provides and organizes the room and board for our interns at cost. The internship package includes basic accommodations and three meals per day at the research station. Interns and research staff live together and are responsible for cooking and cleaning duties. Rooms are shared with at least one other person. The internship costs do not include transportation to and from the research camp on Flores Island, personal items, or special dietary requirements. A non-refundable $500 deposit is required upon acceptance to MRIP. Two week Internship - $ 2000 Cdn Four week Internship - $ 3000 Cdn If you are interested in applying for a position, please see the details of our application process on our website http://www.geog.uvic.ca/whalelab/seacr-application.html Questions regarding the MRIP application or internships can be directed by email to: whalelab at mail.geog.uvic.ca **************************** Society for Ecological and Coastal Research P.O. Box 35052 Victoria, British Columbia CANADA V8T 5G2 whalelab at mail.geog.uvic.ca -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Veronique.Lesage at dfo-mpo.gc.ca Wed Mar 25 11:09:09 2009 From: Veronique.Lesage at dfo-mpo.gc.ca (Lesage, Veronique) Date: Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:09:09 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] TR: Formal call for abstracts - Biennial conference of the SMM, Quebec City 2009 Message-ID: > SOCIETY FOR MARINE MAMMALOGY 18th BIENNIAL CONFERENCE, 12-16 October > 2009 in quebec city, Canada > > The conference webpage is now open to abstract submission and > registration. Early-bird preferred registration rates will be offered > until 20 July 2009. Abstract submissions will be accepted until 30 > April 2009, at Midnight. > The conference webpage will serve as the primary resource for all of > the deadlines and information related to the conference. To learn > more, go to the Society for Marine Mammalogy website > (http://marinemammalogy.org/conference). We encourage you to visit the > conference webpage regularly to find out about new additions to the > program, including social events, tours, souvenirs, pre-conference > workshops or symposia. The organization committee is working hard to > offer you an outstanding scientific program but also, exciting social > events during the week, such as circus and magician performances > during the icebreaker. Preferred rates have also been negotiated for > an evening dinner cruise on the St Lawrence River during the > conference, as well as for pre- and post-conference whale-watching > tours and other exciting activities to conduct in the vicinity of > Quebec City. > > TRAVEL AND ACCOMODATION > Experient has negotiated room rates for Biennial participants at the > Hilton and Delta hotels. Both hotels are right beside the conference > centre and a block away from the walls of the Old City and its > restaurants, pubs, etc. > (http://www.marinemammalscience.org/index.php?option=com_content&view= > article&id=227&Itemid=211). We strongly urge you to stay at one of > these hotels as these preferred rates were negotiated based on filling > a minimum number of rooms. If we do not achieve the minimums, then the > society will have to pay a penalty. If we exceed the block booking, > then the conference is able to collect free rooms that it can then > make available for third world participants. > > STUDENT AND NON-STUDENT TRAVEL GRANTS > The Society for Marine Mammalogy encourages student participation in > the 18th Biennial Conference and has committed funds in the form of > Student Travel Grants to help defray travel expenses. Students must be > members of the Society and have an abstract that has been reviewed and > accepted (either oral or poster) for the meeting to be considered for > a travel grant. More information on applying for these grants is > available on the conference web site > (http://www.marinemammalscience.org/index.php?option=com_content&view= > article&id=216&Itemid=216). Deadline for application is 17 July, 2009. > > Similarly, the Society has a programme of conference grants to a > limited number of colleagues in developing and soft-currency > countries. The purpose is to promote international scientific > participation in the biennial conferences. More information on > applying for these grants is available on the conference web site > (http://www.marinemammalscience.org/index.php?option=com_content&view= > article&id=244&Itemid=243). Deadline for application is 31 May 2009. > > We are looking very much forward to see you in the Old City of Quebec > for a conference to be remembered!!! > > Mike Hammill > Conference chair > > congres_smm2009 at dfo-mpo.gc.ca > > Veronique Lesage, Ph.D. > NEW EMAIL ADDRESS: Veronique.Lesage at dfo-mpo.gc.ca > Chercheur, Cetaces/Cetacean research scientist > Biologie et conservation des mammiferes marins/Marine mammal biology > and conservation > Peches et Oceans Canada/Fisheries and Oceans Canada > Institut Maurice-Lamontagne/Maurice Lamontagne Institute > C.P. 1000/P.O. Box 1000 > 850 Route de la Mer > Mont-Joli, QC G5H 3Z4 > http://www.qc.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/iml/en/sci/LesageV > http://www.osl.gc.ca/mm/en/index.html > TEL (418) 775-0739 > FAX (418) 775-0740 > Email: Veronique.Lesage at dfo-mpo.gc.ca > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From flachleo at hotmail.com Tue Mar 24 12:33:05 2009 From: flachleo at hotmail.com (leonardo flach) Date: Tue, 24 Mar 2009 19:33:05 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Publications, reports, suggestions and opinions about the possible effects of ships anchorage towards dolphins Message-ID: Dear Colleagues, I d?like to know if there is any report or publication on effects of ships anchorage towards cetaceans, specially dolphins. The main concern is about the noise from the ship, while it is anchored and spilling ballast water, since it keeps the secondary engine on. In Sepetiba Bay, the Brazilian Navy has created two areas of ship anchorage right on the main area of dolphins' aggregations. >From three year analyses of distribution of the dolphins we found that 54% of the large aggregations sightings were inside the new areas of ship anchorage. Besides, there was no sightings of dolphins' aggregations on the areas were ships anchorage already existed, during this three year monitoring. The Brazilian environmental government is trying to move those areas, but we are afraid of the lack of studies to support our concern about the long-term effects on the distribution and activities of the dolphin?s aggregations. Please any reports, suggestions or opinions will be greatly appreciated. Best regards, Leonardo Flach Projeto Boto Cinza Rua St. Terezinha, 531 - Mangaratiba Rio de Janeiro-Brazil -CEP 23860000 Tel:21 7846-6364 E-mail: flachleo at hotmail.com www.projetobotocinza.com.br _________________________________________________________________ Windows Live? SkyDrive: Get 25 GB of free online storage. http://windowslive.com/online/skydrive?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_skydrive_032009 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From koakley at usgs.gov Wed Mar 25 09:26:06 2009 From: koakley at usgs.gov (Karen L Oakley) Date: Wed, 25 Mar 2009 08:26:06 -0800 Subject: [MARMAM] Vacancy--Research Ecologist (Quantitative)--USGS Alaska Message-ID: Permanent Position Research Ecologist (Quantitative) U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center Anchorage, AK This position is open until May 1, 2009. For further information, please go to: http://alaska.usgs.gov Or contact: Karen Oakley, Branch Chief, Marine & Freshwater Ecology koakley at usgs.gov The incumbent will model spatial and temporal dynamics of wildlife populations, with results to be published in peer-reviewed journals. Research will meet strategic science goals of the USGS to understand ecosystems and predict ecosystem change. The initial assignment will focus on population dynamics of polar bears. Some field work is required. Candidates should have a Ph.D. in wildlife ecology, statistics, biomathematics or a related field; specific expertise in theory and application of population dynamics models (including capture-recapture models), generalized linear and nonlinear mixed effects models, and Bayesian methods; facility with statistical programming languages such as Matlab, SAS and/or R; and a strong interest in the application of statistical methods to ecological data. U.S. citizenship required. To apply, go to: http://www.usajobs.gov/ WR-2009-0259 for the DEU/non-status, WR-2009-0260 for the MP/status. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Kovacs at npolar.no Thu Mar 26 06:51:32 2009 From: Kovacs at npolar.no (Kit Kovacs) Date: Thu, 26 Mar 2009 14:51:32 +0100 Subject: [MARMAM] 2 jobs at Norwegian Polar Institute Message-ID: <8CDF74583B1EAA4D80E84A3C050A5D85375C0319F8@anton> Applications due MARCH 27th Please see www.npolar.no for more details. The Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI) is seeking: 1) a well qualified ecologist (with a PhD) for a permanent research position at the institute's head office in Troms?. The position is made available through the newly established Centre for Ice, Climate & Ecosystems (ICE), and the candidate will be working with marine ice-dependent ecosystems, or the marginal ice zone. This research will be an important contribution to implementation of ecosystem-based management in this area. Arctic experience is desirable but not a prerequisite, and a broad background in quantitative research connected to biodiversity and ecosystems is preferable. The application deadline is 27 March 2009. 2) An ectoxicologist with competence on the effects of contaminants (with special emphasis on oil and oil components) on marine ecosystems in ice-filled waters. . The position is made available through the newly established Centre for Ice, Climate & Ecosystems (ICE), and the candidate will be working with marine ice-dependent ecosystems, or the marginal ice zone. This research will be an important contribution to implementation of ecosystem-based management in this area. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From putu.liza at jcu.edu.au Wed Mar 25 20:42:45 2009 From: putu.liza at jcu.edu.au (Putu Mustika) Date: Thu, 26 Mar 2009 11:42:45 +0800 Subject: [MARMAM] New paper available on whale stranding records in Indonesia Message-ID: <200903260343.FBO59012@jcu.edu.au> Dear all, The following paper is already available on the Volume 57(1) of the Raffles Bulletin of Zoology on 28 February 2009. The PDF is also available upon request to putu.liza at jcu.edu.au or putuliza at yahoo.com. Mustika, P. L. K., Hutasoit, P., Madusari, C. C., Purnomo, F. S., Setiawan, A., Tjandra, K. & Prabowo, W. E. 2009, 'Whale strandings in Indonesia, including the first record of a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Archipelago', The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, vol. 57, no. 1, pp. 199-206. http://rmbr.nus.edu.sg/rbz/biblio/57/57rbz199-206.pdf Abstract: The paper presents whale stranding records in Indonesia from 1987 to 2007. Most identified stranding species were sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), followed by short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus). In total, almost half of all stranding events involved unidentified cetaceans, indicating the need of more training on proper procedures of managing stranded whales and dolphins. Yet, despite an insufficient stranding network in the country, there was a well-recorded stranding of a young humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) on 2 and 9 October 2007 in Bali, Indonesia. Colouration of the upper side of the pectoral fin, calf length and time of stranding suggest that the calf belonged to a Southern Hemisphere population, possibly Australia's. The humpback whale stranding in Bali was one of the first recorded incidences of the species' presence in the Archipelago, hence signifying the importance of a good stranding network in Indonesia. Sincerely, Putu Liza Kusuma Mustika ('Icha') PhD Candidate - SEES, James Cook University, Australia email: putu.liza at jcu.edu.au, putuliza at yahoo.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From rohan.currey at gmail.com Wed Mar 25 22:01:07 2009 From: rohan.currey at gmail.com (Rohan Currey) Date: Thu, 26 Mar 2009 18:01:07 +1300 Subject: [MARMAM] Publication illustrating IUCN regional threat assessment for bottlenose dolphins in Fiordland, N.Z. Message-ID: <826B1E42-0515-4CAB-882B-C81A7290A0D8@gmail.com> Dear colleagues, The following article was recently published online: Currey, R.J.C., Dawson, S.M. and Slooten, E. 2009. ?An approach for regional threat assessment under IUCN Red List criteria that is robust to uncertainty: The Fiordland bottlenose dolphins are critically endangered? Biological Conservation, doi: 10.1016/j.biocon. 2009.02.036 Numerous globally abundant species are exposed to human impacts that threaten the viability of regional populations. Assessing and characterising the risks faced by these populations can have significant implications for biodiversity conservation, given the ecological importance of many such species. To address these risks, the IUCN is starting to conduct assessments of regional populations in addition to species-level assessments of conservation status. Here, we demonstrate a threat assessment process that is robust to uncertainty, applying the IUCN criteria to a regional population of bottlenose dolphins in Fiordland, New Zealand. We compiled available population-specific information to assess the population under the five Red List criteria. We estimated there were 205 Fiordland bottlenose dolphins (CV = 3.5%), using current estimates of abundance for two sub-populations and stochastic modelling of an earlier estimate for the third sub-population. Population trajectory and extinction risk were assessed using stochastic age-structured Leslie matrix population models. The majority of model runs met the criteria for classification as critically endangered (C1: 67.6% of runs) given the number of mature individuals (123; CV = 6.7%) and the predicted rate of population decline (average decline: 31.4% over one generation). The evidence of isolation of the population confirms this was an appropriate regional classification. This approach provided an assessment that was robust to uncertainty. A PDF copy of the article is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/ j.biocon.2009.02.036 or send requests to rohan.currey at gmail.com. Best wishes, Rohan Currey PhD Candidate Marine Mammal Research Group Department of Marine Science University of Otago From annett at myboomerang.com.au Wed Mar 11 21:45:46 2009 From: annett at myboomerang.com.au (Annett Finger) Date: Thu, 12 Mar 2009 04:45:46 -0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Request for help: heavy metal in variable, unmeasured blood Message-ID: <9ffc9c750903112138h4b896b5am1a827b2bb77b6db2@mail.gmail.com> Hello, I'm in the first year of my PhD project "Toxicology of Little Penguins". And while not technically a marine mammal, the little penguin is a top preditor and as such is susceptible to bioaccumulation of toxins. Particularily, we are interested in heavy metals. The study colony is at St. Kilda pier in Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne, Australia. The shipping channels within the bay are currently undergoing major dredge works which is thought to release toxins into the food chain. We plan to sample blood, feather, scats, eggs and carcasses. We are also very fortunate to have 150 pre-dredging blood samples from this colony from known-sex penguins, which were spare samples collected as part of a different project two years ago. Since the samples were not taken specifically for heavy metal determination we have the following challenges: - variable, unmeasured amount of full blood (around 60 to 80 microgram) stored in variable, unmeasured amount of 70% ethanol - stored in plastic vials at room temperature. - we know the sex and the ID of the donor penguin Does anyone in the Marmam community have any ideas on how to go about measuring the amount of blood in each vial within these constraints? My understanding is that it's not as easy as evaporating the ethanol and weighting the blood. Any help is greatly appreciated! Best regards, *Annett Finger* *PhD Candidate* Ecology and Sustainability School of Engineering and Science Victoria University PO BOX 14428 (St Albans Campus) MCMC 8001 Victoria, Australia Phone 61 3 9919 2601 Fax 61 3 9919 2465 Email Annett.Finger *@live.vu.edu.au* Web www.vu.edu.au -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From astecken at gse.mq.edu.au Fri Mar 27 21:20:38 2009 From: astecken at gse.mq.edu.au (Steckenreuter) Date: Sat, 28 Mar 2009 15:20:38 +1100 Subject: [MARMAM] Volunteers for dolphin research in Australia Message-ID: <49CE40460200003A00012948@gwc2cn01.its.mq.edu.au> Hi all, The Marine Mammal Research Group of Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, is currently looking for volunteers during the winter season 2009. The boat-based surveys will be carried out in the Port Stephens - Great Lakes Marine Park, 200 km north of Sydney, from 3rd to 31st August 2009. The minimum stay of volunteers is two weeks but volunteers staying the entire time are preferred. Interns will participate in the field on a daily basis collecting behavioural data of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) in conjunction with the impact of dolphin-watching boats. Additionally, data on habitat use of this resident population will be collected. The internship offers an excellent opportunity for qualified and motivated individuals to obtain field training in photo-identification methodology and analysis with experienced dolphin researchers. Ideal internship applicants are at least undergraduates of a scientifically oriented university subject. Preferably, participants should have a motor boat driving license and/or experience in marine mammal observation and photo-ID. Accommodation and food are provided during the stay but applicants are responsible for all travelling expenses to and from the field site. Interested applicants should contact Andre Steckenreuter: astecken at gse.mq.edu.au Regards, Andre ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Andre Steckenreuter, PhD Candidate Marine Mammal Research Group Graduate School of the Environment Macquarie University 2109 NSW Australia E-mail: astecken at gse.mq.edu.au Ph.: 0410 862 189 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From emily at dolphins.org Mon Mar 23 10:51:09 2009 From: emily at dolphins.org (Emily Guarino) Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:51:09 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] Course Announcement - Dolphin Research Center Message-ID: <003601c9abdf$f30e30e0$8e01a8c0@DRCID142> Dolphin Research Center, a not-for-profit research and educational organization, would like to announce a summer course in Cognitive and Behavioral Marine Mammal Research. The program is a seven-day, in-depth, hands-on immersion into the field of marine mammal science. The course material surveys a wide-range of knowledge, theories and ongoing research concerning dolphins. By working with staff on DRC research studies, students gain a greater understanding of dolphins' cognitive abilities and social behavior, as well as deeper insight into research concepts and methodology. Seminar Topics & Focused Activities Include: Review of Dolphin Anatomy & Physiology, Physiological Research, Research Project Design, DRC's Current Research, Marine Mammal Cognition, Research Law Requirements, Behavior & Ecology, and Research in Acoustics & Communication. Hands-On Activities Include: Assisting research staff in conducting current cognitive research sessions, learning and conducting observation sessions, participating in additional research activities. Cost: The cost of the course is $1700.00 (US). Tuition includes all seminars, activities, meals and lodging Dates: 6/20/09 - 6/26/09 or 8/22/09 - 8/28/09 For more information please visit http://www.dolphins.org/dolphin_lab_campAdult_careerFocused.php , or contact us at 305/289-1121 x 225 or education at dolphins.org. DRC Publications: Jaakkola, K., Fellner, W., Erb, L., Rodriguez, A. M., & Guarino, E. (2005). Understanding the concept of numerically "less" by bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Journal of Comparative Psychology. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From RWBaird at cascadiaresearch.org Sat Mar 28 15:39:36 2009 From: RWBaird at cascadiaresearch.org (Robin W Baird) Date: Sat, 28 Mar 2009 15:39:36 -0700 Subject: [MARMAM] Abstract: evidence of a possible decline of false killer whales in Hawaii Message-ID: <21701FB12DB4B648921199BC4614914C78281D@server1.cascadia.local> New publication: Reeves, R.R., S. Leatherwood, and R.W. Baird. 2009. Evidence of a possible decline since 1989 in false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens) around the main Hawaiian Islands. Pacific Science 63:253-261. The abstract is below. A pdf can be downloaded from www.cascadiaresearch.org/robin/falsekillerwhale.htm >From Randy Reeves: Steve Leatherwood died 12 years ago, at the age of 53, leaving behind not just an aggrieved family and a host of cherished friends and colleagues, but also a great deal of "unfinished business." A small item in the last category was a set of observations made during a one-off aerial survey project in Hawaii. Next to other, weightier projects, the task of bringing this one to the publication stage kept getting put off. In fact, both Steve and I had basically forgotten about it by the time he died. When, about a year ago, Robin raised the idea of publishing our findings, I was able to locate only the data sheets and a handwritten narrative describing methods and results of the 1989 surveys. The photographs, which would provide very useful confirmation of both the species and the numbers, are still missing. Maybe some day they will surface. Meantime, we welcome this chance not only to complete this little item of unfinished business, but also to remind others in the field of marine mammal science and conservation of Steve's many contributions to it. The American Cetacean Society published a tribute issue to Steve in their journal Whalewatcher in 1999. They have made pdf copies of the articles from that issue available on their web site free of charge - http://www.acsonline.org/publications/whalewatcher/ww-catalog1994.html Abstract Recent evidence indicates there is a small, demographically isolated, island-associated population of false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens) around the main Hawaiian Islands. Although it is known that false killer whales in Hawai'i are sometimes killed or seriously injured in the Hawai'i-based long-line fishery, it is not known whether such interactions have resulted in a reduction in population size, or whether other factors have been negatively influencing population size. We report the results of an aerial survey in June and July 1989, the purpose of which was to obtain a minimum count of the number of false killer whales around the main Hawaiian Islands. The false killer whale was the third most commonly seen species of odontocete off the island of Hawai'i during the survey, representing 17% of sightings. Groups of more than 300 individuals were seen on three different days, with minimum counts of 380, 460, and 470 individuals in these groups. The encounter rate, relative species ranking, and average group size from the 1989 survey were all substantially greater than those from more recent aerial and ship-based surveys. The largest group observed in 1989 (470) contained almost four times as many whales as estimated for the entire main Hawaiian Islands from recent aerial surveys (121 individuals, CV = 0.47) or mark-recapture analyses (123 individuals, CV = 0.72). Therefore, the population of false killer whales around the main Hawaiian Islands may have declined substantially since 1989. The cause or causes of such a decline are uncertain. ======================================================== Robin W. Baird, Ph.D. Research Biologist Cascadia Research Collective 218 1/2 W. 4th Avenue Olympia, WA 98501 USA Fax 1-360-943-7026 e-mail: rwbaird at cascadiaresearch.org www.cascadiaresearch.org/robin/hawaii.htm www.cascadiaresearch.org/robin/kwindex.htm -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From llippsett at whoi.edu Fri Mar 27 10:29:35 2009 From: llippsett at whoi.edu (Lonny Lippsett) Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:29:35 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] Article of interest to your readers Message-ID: <49CD0CFF.1040903@whoi.edu> Dear sirs or madams, Here is a just published article that may interest your readers: * Supreme Court Weighs in on Whales and Sonar* Research offers best way to balance needs of marine mammals and the Navy http://www.whoi.edu/oceanus/viewArticle.do?id=56252§ionid=1000 Sincerely, Lonny Lippsett Managing editor Oceanus magazine From gsoljak at doc.govt.nz Mon Mar 30 18:35:37 2009 From: gsoljak at doc.govt.nz (Greg Soljak) Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 14:35:37 +1300 Subject: [MARMAM] Advice or ideas on sea burial/sinking of dead Brydes Whale Message-ID: Hi Everybody, We are dealing with a dead ship-struck (intact) male Bryde's Whale. The whale is 14m long and has been dead since at least 23.03.2009. It's current position as at 12:56hrs on 31 March 2009 is 36? 33.970 South, 174? 00.840 East. We cannot leave the whale to decompose on local beaches as we are located in a highly urbanised coastal region of New Zealand (Auckland, East Coast Bays). Recreational and commercial vessel use is very high in this area. We have nearly run out of burial plots for dead cetaceans on uninhabited offshore islands in the Hauraki Gulf. There is also some developing scientific opinion that burying large cetaceans on these islands is affecting the local ecology adversely. 1. Does anyone have experience with sinking dead cetaceans as a disposal method? 2. Does anyone have any methods used to calculate buoyancy of dead whales based on species, gender, length, girth? Is days since death another factor that needs to be considered when calculating buoyancy? 3. We also need to consider environmentally friendly methods and materials when sinking the whale. I understand that concrete blocks take a long time to degrade in the marine environment; we may also need biodegradable ropes/attachment options when attaching any weights to the whale. 4. We have tried attaching about 5 tonnes of concrete blocks (weight in air) to the Brydes whale's tail and lancing open various sections of the body cavity. This has been inadequate and the whale is still floating. 5. Does anyone have any idea of the time it takes for a whale of this size to decompose naturally in marine environment? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. I am hoping that someone has already dealt with this issue... Many thanks, Greg Greg Soljak Ranger Marine Reserves North Head Historic Reserve, Takarunga Road P.O. Box 32-026, Devonport North Shore City, NZ Ph +64 09 445 9142 Fax + 64 09 445 9637 Mob 027 490 3330 Email: gsoljak at doc.govt.nz ############################################## This e-mail (and attachments) is confidential and may be legally privileged. ############################################## -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From lighthouse at abdn.ac.uk Tue Mar 31 04:53:29 2009 From: lighthouse at abdn.ac.uk (Thompson, Professor Paul M.) Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 12:53:29 +0100 Subject: [MARMAM] Summer Fieldworkers required for Moray Firth Dolphin Research Message-ID: We are seeking two experienced fieldworkers to work from early May on six-month contracts to support studies of the distribution and behaviour of bottlenose dolphins and other cetaceans in the Moray Firth, NE Scotland. Candidates should have experience of conducting boat-based marine fieldwork projects, and of using computer packages to organise and analyse field data. Experience of photo-identification techniques, use of electronic data recorders such as T-PODS and boat handling qualifications would all be highly desirable. Crucially, you must have proven ability to work effectively in small groups, good problem solving skills and a willingness to engage in the full range of field and lab-based tasks required to support a project of this kind. The post will be based at the University's Lighthouse Field Station in Cromarty (www.abdn.ac.uk/zoology/lighthouse). Small boat work will be based from the Field Station in Cromarty, but you may also be required to spend longer periods at sea on larger vessels. PLEASE NOTE - we are unable to consider applications from candidates for this post who require a work permit to work in the UK. Salary will be at the appropriate point on the Grade 3 salary scale (?17,026 per annum). To obtain further particulars and apply online for this position visit www.abdn.ac.uk/jobs or alternatively you may request an application pack by emailing your name and contact details to jobs at abdn.ac.uk or by telephoning our 24 hour answer service on (01224) 272727 quoting the job reference number YZY193S. The closing date for the receipt of applications is Friday 17 April 2009. The University of Aberdeen is a charity registered in Scotland, No SC013683. From pabsta at uncw.edu Tue Mar 31 08:16:26 2009 From: pabsta at uncw.edu (Pabst, D. Ann) Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:16:26 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] Job announcement: Marine Mammal Coordinator/Observer and Observer Positions Message-ID: The University of North Carolina Wilmington will be hiring a Coordinator/Observer and an Observer for a marine mammal and sea turtle bio-monitoring project. The team will conduct aerial and shipboard surveys for marine mammals and sea turtles in a proposed Navy training range off Jacksonville FL. Surveys will commence in May 2009, following a training period in North Carolina, and be conducted year-round. The research team will be stationed in northern Florida. The Coordinator will be expected to possess a 4-year degree (preferred in biology or marine biology), marine mammal survey experience, strong data management and photographic skills, scientific report writing experience and exceptional leadership and communication skills. Proficiency with ArcGIS 9, ArcView 3, or other GIS software is desirable. The observer will be expected to have marine mammal experience, strong data management and photographic skills, scientific report writing experience, graduation from high school and three years of related experience in laboratory work or an equivalent combination of training and experience (Bachelor's degree in biology and marine mammal survey experience preferred). UNC Wilmington actively fosters a diverse and inclusive working and learning environment and is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified men and women from all racial, ethnic, or other minority groups are strongly encouraged to apply. The closing date for these positions is April 8. For application information for these positions, please see: Marine Mammal Coordinator/Observer (Research Specialist): https://jobs.uncw.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=51144 Marine Mammal Observer (Research Technician): https://jobs.uncw.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=51142 D. Ann Pabst Biology and Marine Biology University of North Carolina Wilmington 601 S. College Rd. Wilmington, NC 28403 Phone: 910-962-7266 Fax: 910-962-4066 pabsta at uncw.edu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dagmar_fertl at hotmail.com Mon Mar 30 20:49:27 2009 From: dagmar_fertl at hotmail.com (Dagmar Fertl) Date: Mon, 30 Mar 2009 22:49:27 -0500 Subject: [MARMAM] Abstracts - Aquatic Mammals, vol. 35(1); 2009 Message-ID: Dear Marmam and ECS-mailbase subscribers, Apologies to those of you who will get duplicate emails due to cross-posting. The following are abstracts from the most recent issue of Aquatic Mammals, the scientific peer-reviewed journal of the European Association for Aquatic Mammals (EAAM). Abstracts are presented as a courtesy to the EAAM and the journal editors ? Drs. Jeanette Thomas (managing editor; aquaticmammals at gmail.com) and Kathleen Dudzinski (co-editor; kdudzinski at dolphincommunicationproject.org). The journal publishes papers dealing with all aspects of the care, conservation, medicine and science of aquatic mammals. The journal receives support of the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums and the International Marine Animal Trainers' Association (IMATA). For more information on the journal, please go to: http://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/. Contact information is provided for the corresponding author for each article. Please do not contact the listserve editors or me for pdfs or copies of the articles. Thank you for your continued interest in the journal and these postings. With regards, Dagmar Fertl Ziphius EcoServices dfertl at gmail.com http://www.ziphiusecoservices.com Neale, J. C. C.*, K. R. Schmelzer, J. T. Harvey, E. A. Berg, R. J. Small, E. K. Grigg, S. G. Allen, and R. S. Tjeerdema. 2009. PCB and DDE contamination in harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) from north-central California and Bristol Bay, Alaska. Aquatic Mammals 35 (1):1-11. *Department of Natural Resources, American River College, 4700 College Oak Drive, Sacramento, CA 95841, USA; E-mail: nealej at arc.losrios.edu In recent years, concerns have increased regarding accumulation of persistent, lipophilic contami?nants by marine mammals. We quantified blood levels of the two most prevalent organochlorine (OC) contaminants of the marine ecosystem in a model species, the harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) from three north-central California populations and a population in Bristol Bay, Alaska. Intensive sampling (n = 190) produced robust quantifica?tion of blood concentrations of selected PCBs and DDE, and allowed us to investigate factors affecting levels of these contaminants in seal pop?ulations with distinct environments and exposure histories. In the Alaskan samples, PCB and DDE levels were most strongly related to sex and age; OCs increased with age in males and decreased with age in females, likely due to cumulative exposure in males and load-dumping during lac?tation in females. Among females, an inverse relationship was observed between condition and PCB blood levels. In contrast, in the California seals, in which loads were generally much greater, pups had greater levels of PCBs and DDE than subadults and adults, suggesting stable to decreas?ing environmental contaminant levels. Spatial het?erogeneity and seasonal differences also contrib?uted substantially to variation among harbor seals in contaminant loads. These findings underscore the importance of accounting for demographic, geographic, seasonal, and physiological effects in toxicological studies of marine mammals. ************* Galindo, J. A.*, A. Serrano, L. V?zquez-Cast?n, c. Gonz?lez-G?ndara, and M. L?pez-Ortega. 2009. Cetacean diversity, distribution, and abundance in northern Veracruz, Mexico. Aquatic Mammals 35 (1):12-18. *Laboratorio de Mam?feros Marinos, Universidad Veracruzana, Tuxpan, Veracruz, Mexico, CP 92850; E-mail: arserrano at uv.mx or arturoserrano at prodigy.net.mx The distribution and abundance of marine mam?mals along the United States coast of the Gulf of Mexico are well-documented, but similar studies for the Mexican coast of the Gulf of Mexico are lacking. Furthermore, these animals are important indicators of the marine ecosystem health, and sci?entific research is needed to develop appropriate conservation strategies. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the diversity, distribution, and relative abundance of marine mammals in the northern coasts of Veracruz, Mexico. Boat-based surveys and aerial surveys were carried out from March 2005 to August 2006. The following spe?cies were observed: bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), spotted dolphin (Stenella attenu?ata), spinner dolphin (S. longirostris), rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis), pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus), and an uniden?tified species of a dolphin. Also, the remains of a sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) and a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) were observed. The Margalef Diversity Index showed a value of 1.82 for the entire study area. There were differences in the species sightings across seasons. The abundance for the entire study area was 10,824 (%CV 25.05); the density was 1.45 cetaceans/km2 (%CV 25.05), and the cluster den?sity was 0.71 cetaceans/km2 (%CV 15.25). The dry season showed a relative abundance of 1.98 cetaceans/h; the rainy season, 1.07 cetaceans/h; and the cold front season, 1.28 cetaceans/h. This is a first glimpse of cetacean population sizes in Mexico. Mexican authorities consider all marine mammal species to be under some conservation status, but they do not have population estimates. Supplementary studies will extend the information presented here for further refinement of cetacean diversity and distribution in Mexican waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Special effort is needed in deeper waters of the Mexican part of the Gulf of Mexico since there is no information about diversity and abundance of marine mammals for those areas. ********************** Richmond, J. P., and S. A. Zinn. 2009. Validation of heterologous radioimmunoassays (RIA) for growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I in phocid, otariid, and cetacean species. Aquatic Mammals 35 (1):19-31. University of Connecticut, Department of Animal Science, 3636 Horsebarn Road Ext., Unit 4040, Storrs, CT 06269, USA; E-mail: julie.richmond at uconn.edu Growth hormone (GH) is a homeorhetic hormone that coordinates diverse physiological processes to partition nutrients toward lean tissue accretion and milk production, and to inhibit utilization of nutri?ents by adipose tissue, especially during periods of energy deficiency. Due to age-related declines in GH, GH is negatively correlated with overall growth rate and lipid accretion but positively asso?ciated with protein accretion. Circulating GH influ?ences peripheral tissues directly or indirectly and is primarily mediated via an insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I. Similar to GH, age and nutrition influence IGF-I secretion. In general, IGF-I is positively associated with growth rate and accre?tion of protein. Since purified pinniped or cetacean GH and IGF-I are not available, heterologous assay techniques must be employed to quantify concen?trations of these hormones. Critical to the reliabil?ity of heterologous assays are the proper execution of validations to demonstrate the accuracy and pre?cision of the assay for each new species of interest. In this study, we developed and validated heterolo?gous radioimmunoassays for seven marine mammal species using porcine and human antisera for GH and IGF-I quantification, respectively. Sensitivity, recovery of mass, assay precision, parallelism, and dilution linearity were determined for each assay and species. Both assays exhibited excellent paral?lelism and linearity. Appropriate concentrations of hormone were quantified throughout the range of the standard curve. Importantly, using these assays, we have demonstrated that serum concentrations of GH and IGF-I change with age and nutrient intake in these species. Validation of these assays allows evaluation of metabolic hormones that may provide unique perspectives on physiological regulation of differential growth and nutrient allocation for diverse marine mammal species. ************************ Kastelein, R. A.*, M. F. van Dooren, and D. Tibboel. 2009. A case study of congenital diaphragmatic hernia in a juvenile striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba). Aquatic Mammals 35 (1):32-35. *SEAMARCO (Sea Mammal Research Company), Julianalaan 46, 3843 CC Harderwijk, The Netherlands; E-mail: Researchteam at zonnet.nl Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) was observed in a stranded juvenile male striped dol?phin. The 2- to 3-y-old animal had survived with its stomachs and intestines in the thoracic cavity, which had caused a large size difference between its two lungs. The animal also had a relatively small penis. The animal?s combination of anoma?lies was either due to a genetic syndrome or caused by maternal exposure to toxic agents. ******************** Dennison, S. E.*, L. Forrest, and F. M. D. Gulland. 2009. Normal thoracic radiographic anatomy of immature California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) and immature northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris). Aquatic Mammals 35 (1):36-42. * Department of Surgical Sciences (Radiology), School of Veterinary Medicine, 2015 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA; E-mail: dennison at svm.vetmed.wisc.edu Immature California sea lions (Zalophus califor?nianus) and northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) without evidence of thoracic disease were radiographed under anesthesia. Important species-specific variations were noted on thoracic radiographs. For the California sea lions, the mean vertebral heart score was 8.65 from the left lat?eral view, and the cardiac silhouette occupied a mean of 66% of the internal thoracic width. The tracheal bifurcation in California sea lions was located at the level of the first thoracic vertebral body. For the northern elephant seals, there was variation in the number of thoracic vertebrae and ribs from 12 to 15, a lack of pulmonary lobation, and an indistinct cardiac silhouette. Cardiac mea?surements could only be made on ventrodorsal (VD) and dorsoventral (DV) digital radiographs where the cardiac silhouette occupied a mean of 62% of the internal thoracic width. The combina?tion of smooth to rounded lung lobe margins with border effacement of the cardiac silhouette and diaphragmatic margin is an important, normal, species-specific finding of the northern elephant seal that could be easily mistaken for pleural effu?sion. The carina in the northern elephant seals was at the level of the fifth thoracic vertebral body. In both species, the aortic bulb was evident as a focal, fairly symmetrical cranial mediastinal widening cranial to the cardiac silhouette on the VD and DV views, resulting in the aorta being identifiable on both the right and the left. This is an important normal finding in marine mammals that should not be mistaken for pathology. Both species had a diffuse bronchointerstitial pulmonary pattern that was slightly more prominent in California sea lions. This finding was consistent with variation between these species in the tissues supporting the small airways.This prospective study serves as a normal refer?ence for immature California sea lions and north?ern elephant seals in veterinary care. ********************* Howells, E. M.*, J. S. Reif, S. E. Sarah E. Bechdel, M. E. Murdoch, G. D. Bossart, S. D. McCulloch, and M. S. Mazzoil. 2009. A novel case of non-offspring adoption in a free-ranging Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) inhabiting the Indian River Lagoon, Florida. Aquatic Mammals 35 (1):43-47. *Center for Marine Ecosystem Health, Marine Mammal Research and Conservation, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University, 5600 U.S. 1 North, Ft. Pierce, FL 34946, USA; E-mail: ehowells at hboi.fau.edu Wild and captive epimeletic care has been reported worldwide in many different species of cetaceans. Epimeletic care can be described as nurturant or succorant in nature. While adoption can be con?sidered an example of nurturant behavior, to date there have been no reported cases of permanent adoption among wild cetaceans. During routine photo-identification surveys, an adult female bot?tlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) was found in the presence of a young calf that was not her own. This mother-calf-like relationship lasted nearly 2 y until the death of the allomother. This paper documents a novel case of free-ranging bottlenose dolphin adoption that occurred in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida. ************** Mignucci-Giannoni, A. A.*, R. J. Rosario-Delestre, M. M. Alsina-Guerrero, L. Falc?n-Matos, L. Guzm?n-Ram?rez, J. Williams, E.H., G. D. Bossart, and J. S. Reidenberg. 2009. Asphyxiation in a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) from Puerto Rico due to choking on a black margate (Anisotremus surinamensis). Aquatic Mammals 35 (1):48-54. *Red Caribe?a de Varamientos, P.O. Box 361715, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936; E-mail: mignucci at manatipr.org Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are found in the coastal and offshore waters of Puerto Rico. However, little is known about causes of their mortal?ity in the Caribbean. On 18 February 2002, a female bottlenose dolphin was found dead in Bah?a de San Juan, Puerto Rico. Remarkably, a black margate (Anisotremus surinamensis) was firmly lodged in the dolphin?s oral cavity and the pharynx. The throat of the dolphin was markedly swollen; the larynx was dislocated; and signs of agonal death were evi?dent. Grossly, the cause of death was determined to be asphyxiation due to choking. Fifty strandings of bottlenose dolphins have been reported between 1937 and 2006 in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. In those for which a cause of death was determined, four were human related and 11 died of natural causes (including this case). The present case study fits the definitions of ?choking? and ?asphyxia?tion.? The evolved respiratory anatomy of cetaceans in which the larynx is inserted into the nasal pas?sages leading to the blowhole makes asphyxiation due to choking unlikely in odontocetes. However, if the larynx is irreversibly dislodged from its normal position during swallowing, this may cause the dol?phin to stop breathing or even drown. Thus, respira?tory blockage from a natural prey item represents an uncommon mortality factor associated with piscivo?rous cetaceans and is the first record of such marine mammal mortality in the Caribbean. ************ Rivas, M.*, and M. Trimble. 2009. Aggregation behaviour in South American sea lion (Otaria flavescens) pups at Isla de Lobos, Uruguay. Aquatic Mammals 35 (1):55-61. *Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la Rep?blica, Igu? 4225, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay; E-mail: rivas.mayda at gmail.com When otariid females leave the colony to forage at sea, pups stay in the rookery and gather in groups in which they rest and play. The major selective benefits of these groups are to develop social skills and physical abilities, as well as to reduce the risk of aggression by adults. The aim of this research was to study the aggregation behaviour in South American sea lion (Otaria flavescens) pups at Isla de Lobos, Uruguay, during the first 2 mo of life. During the breeding season of 2007 (January to March), from 0800 to 1800 h, instantaneous scan-samples were conducted every 2 h to record the number of groups in the area, number of pups per group, behavioral state, and location (land or sea). The number of groups increased during the first month, being positively correlated with the total number of pups in the area. A group size of two pups was most frequent (60.2%), followed by three pups (20.1%). Rest was the most frequent activity during most of the study period, and pup group activity did not vary over the weeks. The type of activity varied according to the time of day, with pups most active early in the morning, and also according to group size (the larger the group size, the higher the proportion of individuals rest?ing in the group). The proportion of groups at sea increased with pup age, and interactions in a large group were more frequent at sea than on land. This research represents one of the first detailed analy?ses about aggregation behaviour in otariid pups. **************** Bacchus, M.-L. C., S. G. Dunbar, and C. Self-Sullivan. 2009. Characterization of resting holes and their use by the Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus) in the Drowned Cayes, Belize. Aquatic Mammals 35 (1):62-71. * Department of Earth and Biological Sciences, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA; E-mail: mlbacchus at gmail.com In the Drowned Cayes area of Belize, manatees (Trichechus manatus manatus) are commonly observed resting in depressions in the substrate, locally referred to as manatee resting holes. To understand why manatees prefer locations with resting holes, the physical and environmental attributes of the depressions were characterized and diurnal and nocturnal use by manatees at four resting hole sites were documented over two sum?mers. Twelve resting hole sites were compared with 20 non-resting hole sites in the Drowned Cayes, using water depth, substrate type, vegeta?tion, water velocity, salinity, and water tempera?ture. Four resting holes were chosen for repeated diurnal and nocturnal observations, during which sea and weather conditions were recorded in addi?tion to the presence/absence of manatees. Resting holes were significantly deeper and had slower surface water velocity than areas without resting holes. A total of 168 point scans were conducted over 55 d, resulting in 39 manatee sightings over two summers. There was a significant difference in the number of sightings between research years and between day and night scans. Given the large number of resting holes in the Drowned Cayes, many of which are in sheltered areas with slow currents, it is possible that manatees select these spots based on the tranquility of the water and environment. The combination of slow currents, protection from waves, low numbers of boats, and nearby seagrass beds would make these ideal rest?ing areas. These findings have implications for the conservation of important manatee habitat. ******** Hoson, O.*, S. Kawada, and S. Oda. 2009. Ossification patterns of cranial sutures in the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) (Sirenia, Trichechidae). Aquatic Mammals 35 (1):72-81. *Laboratory of Animal Management and Resources, Graduate School of Bio-Agricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan; E-mail: osasonosa at yahoo.co.jp Although morphological skull characters are used to identify species or subspecies of the genus Trichechus, little information is available on the growth of the manatee skull. We examined the ossification of the skull of the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) with regard to its growth pattern. We observed ten sutures in 137 crania (70 males and 67 females). Based on these results, the sutures can be classified into two groups by their ossification pattern. The first group contains the maxilloincisive suture, median palatine suture, frontal suture, and coronal suture. This group begins to ossify early in growth. The age of suture closure does not differ among the sexes. The second group consists of sutures related to the basicranium. This group is characterised by slower ossification compared to the first group. Suture ossification in this group proceeds from anterior to posterior. In this suture series, ossifica?tion occurred at later ages in males than in females. A notable feature is the formation of the occipital bone. Ossification of the spheno-occipital syn?chondrosis occurred earlier than that of the occipi?tal condyle. This pattern is unique among mam?mals, including the dugong. Osteological maturity was determined by the status of the sutures. The sutures of the basicranium ossify slowly, and thus they are more valuable in evaluating the growth status of the skull than those of the viscerocranium and calvaria. The supraoccipital-exoccipital syn?chondrosis was the last to begin ossification, start?ing when individuals were more than 15 y old and 11 y old in males and females, respectively. We conclude that the ossification of the basicranium exhibits a unique pattern in the Florida manatee and that it is possible to determine the osteological maturity of the skull from the ossification of the supraoccipital-exoccipital synchondrosis. ************ Boyd, I. L. 2009. The history of marine mammal research in the United Kingdom: An exploration of the interaction of human socioeconomics and marine mammal ecology. Aquatic Mammals 35 (1):82-93. Dr. Ian Boyd reviews the history of marine mammal research in the UK. ******* Hofman, R. 2009. The continuing legacies of the Marine Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors on Marine Mammals. Aquatic Mammals 35 (1):94-129. Dr. Robert Hofman reviews the legacy of the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission. ************* Fertl, D. 2009. Book Review: Marine Wildlife and Tourism Management: Insights from the Natural and Social Sciences. Editors: James Higham and Michael L?ck. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, 2008. Aquatic Mammals 35(1):130-131. Ziphius EcoServices, 8112 Springmoss Drive, Plano, TX 75025, USA; E-mail: dfertl at gmail.com _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail? is up to 70% faster. Now good news travels really fast. http://windowslive.com/online/hotmail?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_HM_70faster_032009 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From S.A.Dible at lboro.ac.uk Tue Mar 31 09:54:40 2009 From: S.A.Dible at lboro.ac.uk (Simon Dible) Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 17:54:40 +0100 Subject: [MARMAM] Publication on periodic structures in the Bottlenose Dolphin Message-ID: <49D24AD0.6030503@lboro.ac.uk> Dear colleagues, We are pleased to announce a new paper published recently in IOP Bioinspiration & Biomimetics Dible, S.A., Flint, J.A., Lepper, P.A. *On the role of periodic structures in the lower jaw of the Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin* (/Tursiops Truncatus/) Bioinspir. Biomim. 4 (2009) 015005 This article is available from http://stacks.iop.org/1748-3190/4/015005. if you have any problems downloading the article please contact me. ABSTRACT This paper proposes the application of band-gap theory to hearing in the atlantic bottlenose dolphin (/Tursiops truncatus/). Using the transmission line modelling (TLM) technique and published computed tomography (CT) data of an atlantic bottlenose dolphin (/Tursiops truncatus/), a series of sound propagation experiments have been carried out. It is shown that the teeth in the lower jaw can be viewed as a periodic array of scattering elements which result in the formation of an acoustic stop band (or /band gap/) that is angular dependent. It is shown through simple and complex geometry simulations that performance enhancements such as improved gain and isolation between the two receive paths can be achieved. This mechanism has the potential to be exploited in direction-finding sonar. Dr Simon Dible Applied Signal Processing Research Group Loughborough University Loughborough UK s.a.dible at lboro.ac.k From simo_liste at tiscali.it Mon Mar 30 08:54:13 2009 From: simo_liste at tiscali.it (simo_liste at tiscali.it) Date: Mon, 30 Mar 2009 17:54:13 +0200 (CEST) Subject: [MARMAM] Volunteer field helper for elephant seal research Message-ID: <22879893.531601238428453574.JavaMail.defaultUser@defaultHost> PROJECT: Long term study of southern elephant seals POSITION: Volunteer field helper for elephant seal research DURATION: 3 months, September-November 2009 Various volunteer field helpers are required for the 2009 field season of a long term project on southern elephant seals carried out by the Elephant Seal Research Group. The field work site is Sea Lion Island (Falkland Islands). More details on the project are available on the research team web site: www.eleseal.org. Successful applicants will receive adequate training and will help with tagging, marking, counts, behavioral observations, handling of pups, and collection of biological sampling. Volunteers will be supervised by the PIs and/or by trained technicians. Previous experience of field work is appreciated but not essential. The field season runs for approximately 3 months, from the beginning of September to the end of November. Only applicants who can stay for the whole season can be taken into consideration. Applicants should pay all expenses required to get to the field work site, and telephone/Internet expenses while at Sea Lion Island. Accommodation at Sea Lion Island is rather basic and self-catering. Applicants will be required to work for the whole length of the day, seven days per week (with half day per week of rest). The work is physically demanding, and it is often carried out in rather bad weather conditions. People without a good tolerance to cold are discouraged to apply. The island is a wonderful place with a rich and tame wildlife. To apply please send a cover letter describing your interest in the position and a CV or resume to Filippo Galimberti at fil_esrg at eleseal. org, and copy to fil_esrg at prodigy.net.mx. Contact information for one or more references is appreciated but not essential. Thanks. The ESRG team Con Tutto Incluso chiami e navighi senza limiti e hai 4 mesi GRATIS.L'attivazione del servizio ? gratis e non paghi pi? Telecom! L'offerta ? valida solo se attivi entro il 31/03/09 http://abbonati.tiscali.it/promo/tuttoincluso/ From tilen.genov at gmail.com Tue Mar 31 11:16:51 2009 From: tilen.genov at gmail.com (Tilen Genov) Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 20:16:51 +0200 Subject: [MARMAM] Summer Dolphin Research Courses in Slovenia In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear list members, apologies for cross-posting. Summer Dolphin Research Courses in Slovenia Morigenos ? marine mammal research and conservation society is organizing Summer Dolphin Research Camps in July, August and September 2009, where you can assist in the research programme of the Slovenian Dolphin Project. This is not dolphin-watching or ecotourism. Morigenos is a non-profit non-governmental organization from Slovenia, dedicated to cetacean research and conservation and to the preservation of the marine environment. More information on Morigenos can be found at www.morigenos.org. The list of scientific publications by Morigenos can be seen at http://www.morigenos.org/index.php?path=Publications Slovenian Dolphin Project is a long-term study on the ecology and conservation of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Slovenian and adjacent waters of the northern Adriatic Sea, carried out since 2002 by Morigenos. Summer Dolphin Research Camps offer people to join Morigenos team for 10 days and participate in its research activities. The camps include fieldwork (boat- and land-based, photo-identification), lectures, visits of natural monuments, etc. Anyone above the age of 16 can participate, regardless of nationality or field of expertise. No previous experience is required. Apart from research activities, the participants share everyday duties and chores with the team members. This includes cooking, washing up and general maintenance of the research base. Out in the field, the participants help searching for dolphins and collecting data. Detailed information on Summer Dolphin Research Camps can be found at http://www.morigenos.org/index.php?path=Raziskovalni_tabori Food, accommodation and fee The participation fee is 300 EUR. This helps us cover part of our fieldwork expenses. Food and accommodation are included in the fee. Participants will be accommodated in Morigenos' research base (sleeping, cooking and working facility). They must arrange their own travel to and from Morigenos base. Applications There is no selection. Applications are treated on a "first-come, first-served" basis. Please send an e-mail to morigenos at morigenos.org for registration, preferred dates and possible questions. Detailed information can also be found at http://www.morigenos.org/index.php?path=Raziskovalni_tabori ********************************************* Tilen Genov Morigenos - marine mammal research and conservation society Jarska cesta 36/a SI-1000 Ljubljana Slovenia morigenos at morigenos.org www.morigenos.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: