From jlewis at queseraserafilms.com Sun Sep 1 23:29:40 2019 From: jlewis at queseraserafilms.com (Jennifer Lewis) Date: Mon, 2 Sep 2019 06:29:40 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Workshop on Science Communication, Marine Mammal Conference, Barcelona Message-ID: Want to save the marine mammals you care about? Want to convince others that the science you are doing is interesting and important? Want the public (donors and law makers) to support your work? Then you need to understand how we have evolved to communicate and then how to use that to do a better job getting people to listen to your message. We have moved from a period where scientists could rely on journalists to carry the load for us. That day doesn?t exist anymore. And if you can?t effectively communicate, then all your hard work will go nowhere. In this workshop we will explain and demonstrate how to catch and maintain the attention of your audiences (from social media to conference presentations to board meetings). We may not be able to transform you into Mark Twain, but we can get everyone to a place where their reach can be significantly increased and where they can move that further by then teaching others. Join us on December 7 for half a day and leave armed to better protect the species you care about. Register for ?Win More Battles for Marine Mammals!!! Science Communication for REAL Impact?: And please feel free to contact Jennifer Lewis if you have any questions at: jlewis33 at gmu.edu Jennifer Lewis, PhD Que Sera Sera Films 703-975-2661 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From nicola.hodgins at whales.org Mon Sep 2 01:26:40 2019 From: nicola.hodgins at whales.org (Nicola Hodgins) Date: Mon, 2 Sep 2019 08:26:40 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Keep On Gramping 2 Workshop Message-ID: 'Keep On Gramping 2' Calling all of those interested in Risso's dolphins. Nova Atlantis and WDC are hosting a Risso's dolphin workshop at the World Marine Mammal Conference in Barcelona and invite anyone with an interest to sign-up and come along! The workshop is intended to be relatively small, to allow for discussion, and will be held in the Centre de Convencions Internacional de Barcelona from 1.30pm - 5.30pm on the 7th December 2019. Background to the Workshop Following on from our 'Keep on Gramping' workshop held in 2012 at the 26th ECS Conference in Galway, 'Keep on Gramping 2' aims to bring together Risso's researchers from around the world to find out what we've collectively learnt over the past seven years and to ultimately help further our knowledge and understanding of this little-known and lesser-studied species. We want to share new breakthroughs, new discoveries and old allegiances, and for the workshop to be a driving force in understanding how this charismatic species are faring in a changing world. We're looking to showcase a series of presentations focusing on different areas of Risso's dolphin research, from their social structure and their genetic make-up, their health status and their habitat use to effective conservation and management measures. This will be followed by an interactive discussion as to how we can help each other get the most out of our study subjects and ensure we are striving to do the best we can to ensure the future conservation of Risso's dolphins around the world. The anticipated outcome is for a 'Special Conference Proceedings' publication, and although the Workshop will predominantly be directed towards all scientists and conservationists, either researching or working to protect Risso's dolphins throughout their range, we anticipate that our species-specific focus will be of interest and use to a wide diversity of people. Please feel free to email us if you have any questions or are interested in showcasing your own Risso's research - oceanwatch at gmail.com / nicola.hodgins at whales.org and we hope to see you in Barcelona! Nicola Hodgins Telephone: +44 (0)1249 449 537 WDC, Whale and Dolphin Conservation Brookfield House 38 St Paul Street Chippenham Wiltshire SN15 1LJ United Kingdom whales.org [WDC - Protecting Whales and Dolphins for over 30 years] [WDC on Facebook] [WDC on Twitter] [WDC on Instagram] [WDC on YouTube] [WDC News and Blogs] [WDC E-Newsletter] [Registered with Fundraising Regulator] [https://secure.whales.org/secure/images/ESM/CampaignImages/UK/UKNZExtinction.png] ________________________________ Whale and Dolphin Conservation ("WDC") is a company registered in England and Wales (No. 02737421) and a registered charity (in England and Wales No. 1014705, in Scotland No. SC040231) WDC Shop is a trading name of WDC (Trading) Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales (No. 02593116) Registered office : Brookfield House, 38 St. Paul Street, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 1LJ. Tel: +44 (0)1249 449 500 This message is private and confidential. If you have received this message in error, please notify us and remove it from your system. ________________________________ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 15371 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image002.png Type: image/png Size: 758 bytes Desc: image002.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image003.png Type: image/png Size: 946 bytes Desc: image003.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image004.png Type: image/png Size: 1139 bytes Desc: image004.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... 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Name: image009.png Type: image/png Size: 4193 bytes Desc: image009.png URL: From smit at m-e-e-r.de Mon Sep 2 13:32:52 2019 From: smit at m-e-e-r.de (Volker Smit) Date: Mon, 2 Sep 2019 22:32:52 +0200 Subject: [MARMAM] =?utf-8?q?=223rd_announcement_-_Workshop_on_=22Arts=22_a?= =?utf-8?q?s_a_tool_for_communicating_marine_mammal_science_to_the_general?= =?utf-8?q?_public_-World_Marine_Mammal_Science_Conference_-_Joint_SMM_and?= =?utf-8?q?_ECS_conference_in_Barcelona=2C_Dec_2019=E2=80=9D=2E?= Message-ID: <9402d66c-5784-e34a-dad6-94e048d35dce@m-e-e-r.de> Dear MARMAMers! This is a further anouncement to our WMMC workshop "Arts" as a tool for communicating marine mammal science to the general public. The workshop will be held prior to the 2nd World Marine Mammal Science Conference that will take place in Barcelona in December 2019 jointly organized by the European Cetacean Society (ECS) and the Society for Marine Mammalogy (SMM). The workshop is scheduled as a*full day workshop on Sunday, December 8 from 8.30am-5.30 pm*. For more information on the workshop please also visit https://www.wmmconference.org/workshops/ and scroll down to the Sunday full day workshop section. At the end of the workshop description you also find a link to a draft programme. Please also notice that early bird registration for conference and workshop is September 4th (this Wednesday). Many regards, Luigi and Volker -- Volker Smit 2.Vorsitzender - vice-president T +49-(0)2041-4629243 smit at m-e-e-r.de www.m-e-e-r.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From o.manlik at unsw.edu.au Mon Sep 2 12:43:32 2019 From: o.manlik at unsw.edu.au (Oliver Manlik) Date: Mon, 2 Sep 2019 19:43:32 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New book chapter, highlighting case study of dolphin conservation Message-ID: Dear MARMAM, I am pleased to announce the publication of my new book chapter, "The Importance of Reproduction for the Conservation of Slow-Growing Animal Populations", which features cases studies on cetaceans dolphin populations (bottlenose dolphins, Orcas). The chapter was published in the book "Reproductiive Sciences in Animal Conservation" and is available here: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-23633-5_2 Anyone interested in the chapter can contact me to request a private copy at: o.manlik at unsw.edu.au Abstract: Both survival and reproduction are important fitness components, and thus critical to the viability of wildlife populations. Preventing one death (survival) or contributing one newborn (reproduction), has arguably the same effect on population dynamics?in each instance the population grows or is maintained by one additional member. However, for the conservation of slow-growing animal populations, the importance of reproduction is sometimes overlooked when evaluating wildlife management options. This has to do with the use of demographic sensitivity analyses, which quantify the relative contribution of vital rates to population growth. For slow-growing populations, the results of such analyses typically show that growth rates are more sensitive to changes in survival than to equal proportional changes in reproduction. Consequently, for slow-growing taxa, survival has been labelled a better fitness surrogate than reproduction. However, such a generalization, derived from conventional sensitivity analyses, is based on flawed approaches, such as omitting appropriate scaling of vital rates, and sometimes misinterpretations. In this chapter, I make the case that for the conservation of slow-growing species the role of reproduction is considerably greater than conventional sensitivity analyses would suggest. This is illustrated by case studies on wildlife populations that underscore the importance of reproduction for the conservation of slow-growing birds, ungulates, carnivores, and cetaceans. Greetings, Oliver Manlik Get Outlook for Android -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From recruitment at osc.co.uk Tue Sep 3 02:30:57 2019 From: recruitment at osc.co.uk (Recruitment) Date: Tue, 3 Sep 2019 09:30:57 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] PAM vacancy on seismic survey in the North Sea In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear MMOs and PAMOs, OSC has the following vacancy in the North Sea: 1 x PAMO to mobilise around 10 September for a seismic survey with an estimated duration of 5-6 weeks. The duration might be shortened, tbc, but on request, any applicants seeking continuous/further rotations could be switched to other ongoing surveys. We are also filling numerous short-notice vacancies at present, some with 1-2 days? notice only, with durations varying from a few days to months, so if personnel are available and seeking work for any duration, it?s worthwhile dropping us an email to see if any projects are aligned. These vacancies are restricted to EU citizens, or overseas citizens in possession of a current work visa. If you have not worked for OSC previously or recently, we will require scans/copies of your CV, passport, degree certificate(s), MMO and PAM, survival and medical. If you learn about the above vacancies through membership forums or forwarded emails, and have previously requested to be on OSC?s contractor mailing list, please remind us. Kind regards, -- Recruitment Ocean Science Consulting Limited (OSC) Spott Road, Dunbar, East Lothian, EH42 1RR, Scotland, UK T: +44 (0)1368 865 722 W: www.osc.co.uk -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From sergio.cobarrubia at gmail.com Tue Sep 3 06:41:04 2019 From: sergio.cobarrubia at gmail.com (Sergio Cobarrubia) Date: Tue, 3 Sep 2019 09:41:04 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] Bottlenose Dolphin - Atlantic Spotted Dolphin Project Research In Venezuela. Interns and Volunteer Program 2019 (Sergio Cobarrubia-Russo). Message-ID: BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN - ATLANTIC SPOTTED DOLPHIN PROJECT RESEARCH IN VENEZUELA. INTERNS AND VOLUNTEER PROGRAM 2019. Laboratory of Ecosystems and Global Change (LEGC-IVIC) and Provita. BACKGROUND: The Laboratory of Ecosystems and Global Change (LEGC) of the Venezuelan Institute of Scientific Research (IVIC, www.ivic.gob.ve) invites the first season of internships-volunteering (2019) in the study of coastal dolphins. LEGC is a scientific team that among its research lines on the fauna of coastal and riparian ecosystems, it has established the first one on aquatic mammals in Venezuela. On the other hand, Provita is an important NGO that contributes to the research and conservation in Venezuela. This research will begin with a project focused on sociobiology (social structure, social networks and bioacoustics) of resident groups of the coastal bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and the Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) in the central coast of Venezuela. This, after an experience of 5 years in that locality studying ecological aspects of T. truncatus (https://doi.org/10.1007/s13364-018-0401-1). The coast of Aragua not only houses these species, but also the Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera edeni), the common dolphin (Delphinus sp.) and the spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris). Of which basic information is collected too. LEGC interns and volunteers are young, hard-working who are willing to contribute to research by learning as they experience fieldwork in teams, field techniques for collecting and processing data and methodologies. All team members and interns share academic space, housing in the Institute, housework in the study area, knowledge and experience in a friendly and multicultural environment. The internship consists of three weeks: The first week of theoretical-practical introduction (24 theoretical hours and 16 practicals hours) at the IVIC Ecology Center ( www.ivic.gob.ve/es/investigacion-3/centros-31/ecologia-316). The second week of seven field surveys for data collection (42 h) on the Cata Bay (Aragua state) and the third week for data processing and analysis at the IVIC Ecology Center (40 h). The volunteering consist of the second and third weeks. WHERE: Theory: LEGC, Center of Ecology (IVIC) Miranda State, Caracas (10 23 N - 66 58 W). Practice: Cata Bay, western coast of the (rain forest) National Park Henry Pittier, Aragua state (central coast of Venezuela) 150 km from Caracas (DC) (10 29 N - 67 44 W). PROGRAM: Interns (Three weeks), Volunteers (Two weeks). 1st WEEK (LEGC-Ecology Center, 40 hours. For Interns). - Monday: What is a cetacean? The cetaceans and the human in history. Origin, evolution and diversity. Adaptations for aquatic life: Anatomy and Physiology. Life histories. Biogeography Distribution. Ecology Behavior. Conservation. - Tuesday: Identification of species reported for Venezuela. Basic logistics for the study of cetaceans on the mainland, sea and air. Basic equipment to collect information. - Wednesday: How to detect cetaceans and record an effective sighting? Basic data to collect during a sighting, calibration and use of GPS. Configuration and use of the SLR cameras. Download of sightings (GIS). Download pictures and selection (software). - Thursday: Daily encounter ratio. Photo-identification as a tool for ecological and behavioral studies. Estimates of abundance. Local distribution and areas of action. - Friday: Residential patterns. Behavior (deployments, states, daily budget). Habitat use. Social structure and social networks. Bioacoustics. Saturday: Break. Sunday: Transfer to the Cata Bay. 2nd WEEK (Cata Bay-Provita, 42 hours. For Interns and Volunteers). The field surveys will be carried out in a fishing vessel of 9 m in length by 2 of beam. The field work will depend on the climatic conditions, however, the Aragua coast offers few climatic inconveniences throughout the year. There will be 7 mornings of field surveys in the week, after each survey is lunch, rest and then proceed to download the data of sightings and then interpret them preliminarily and discuss them. In the field surveys, it will be implemented: - The identification and recognition of the elements of the marine landscape and the method of tracking and detection of cetaceans. - Ethical navigation mode to study cetaceans. - The basic data collection / sighting. - Use of GPS. - Use of SRL camera. - Counting of individuals and composition of a group. - Identification of the behavioral states that configure group behavior and its recording. - Use of hydrophone. In the afternoon the information of the sightings will be downloaded: - Sighting forms. - Latitude and longitude. - Photographs and their selection. - Voice recordings (behavior). - Recordings of vocalizations. 3rd WEEK (LEGC-Ecology Center, 40 hours. For Interns and volunteers). PRACTICAL FEES: Accomodation (IVIC students residence and apartment in Cata Bay), food and transport (airport-IVIC-Cata Bay-IVIC-airport) are paid. The cost of internships and volunteers is US $ 690 for the compensation of logistical expenses of the field surveys. For more information, please contact:sergio.cobarrubia at gmail.com. *Ask all your questions, especially to mitigate your concerns regarding Venezuela. Since our nation is the object of an intense media campaign where opinion matrices project false dystopian scenarios.* WHEN: During the year there will be 6 internships-volunteering sessions (February, April, June, August, October, November). For interns, second, third and fourth week of the months scheduled. For volunteers, third and fourth week of the scheduled months. VACANTS: 4 people / session. Not included in the rate: - Meals in restaurants - Free time activities - Personal insurance (all participants must have health and / or travel insurance) - Personal expenses. INTEREST IS EXPECTED: - Being over 18 years - Iterns: Preference will be given to undergraduate students and professional students (biology, marine biology, environmental, conservation and plus). - Volunteer: No preferences. - Have a mature attitude towards the investigation of marine mammals and environment - Be autonomous and flexible - To be able to live and work in an international team and mainly outdoors in the sea - Speak Spanish, English or Portuguese. ACADEMIC CREDITS: The LEGC will certify the work performed by intern or volunteer through a diploma with the recognition of the hours (academic-practical) worked. APPLICATION AND QUESTIONS: Applicants must write to sergio.cobarrubia at gmail.com with the subject "DOLPHINS PROJECT_Name". You will be sent a confirmation email with all the details about the study area and the species present, the practices and requesting your CV resume, motivation letter (small statement about what your expectations are and why you want to work with LEGC) and the internship month of your choice. Applications will be accepted throughout the year, however, early application is recommended due to limited vacancies. PLUS: The possibility of making a second expedition to the sea is open, but for Chichiriviche de la Costa, there is the logistics to study two oceanic species of dolphins such as the spinner dolphin and pilot whale (usually, other species are sighted even shark whale). This second expedition would consist of 5 field surveys to a pelagic zone where the same techniques would be applied. The costs of this logistics are US $ 650. -- *Sergio Enrique Cobarrubia Russo* Laboratorio de Ecosistemas y Cambio Global Centro de Ecolog?a Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Cient?ficas Venezuela. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From adimey22 at gmail.com Tue Sep 3 19:49:24 2019 From: adimey22 at gmail.com (nicole adimey) Date: Tue, 3 Sep 2019 22:49:24 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] Second announcement-early registration discount ends October 1st! Message-ID: Greetings- This is the second announcement for the *Ninth International Sirenian Symposium,* which will be held in conjunction with the World Marine Mammal Conference in Barcelona, Spain. *Workshop Details:* Date: Sunday, December 8, 2019 Time: 08:30 to 17:30 Cost:* $35 USD before October 1, 2019, $110 after October 1, 2019* *Workshop Information:* The purpose of the Ninth International Sirenian Symposium is to support and promote Sirenian conservation. Scientists from around the globe are encouraged to present *new science and address how their work contributes to the global conservation of the Sirenians and supports regional initiatives or pressing management challenges*. Topics can include human interactions, physiology, monitoring applications, modeling, genetics, captive care and rehabilitation, management, general biology, stranding response and education and outreach. This Symposium is intended to foster communication between researchers, managers, and environmental organization on all aspects of Sirenian research and conservation. The symposium will include presentations, a poster session, and a panel discussion on current topics surrounding Sirenian conservation and management. Those interested in presenting research (either poster or talk) should submit an abstract (300 word limit, 12pt font) to Nicole Adimey (adimey22 at gmail.com) by October 1, 2019. Preference will be given to speakers conducting research or addressing conservation issues outside the United States of America. For more information please contact Nicole Adimey at: adimey22 at gmail.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From JPost at imms.org Tue Sep 3 12:19:52 2019 From: JPost at imms.org (Jessica Post) Date: Tue, 3 Sep 2019 19:19:52 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] IMMS Winter/Spring Research Internship Message-ID: The IMMS Research Internship Program is designed as a way for students interested in a career in marine science to gain valuable research experience in a real-world setting. Interns may participate in projects involving bottlenose dolphins, sea turtles, and diamondback terrapins. As an intern, you will be trained in all aspects of dolphin photo-ID research as well as any other current research projects at IMMS. Interns will also participate in other operations at IMMS including stranding response, education, and animal care. Our goal is to give interns a well-rounded experience in a variety of areas while providing expert training and experience in marine science research. Interns must: - Commit to a minimum of 12 weeks. The internship can be extended depending on work performance - Be available to work Mon-Fri and must be available for all boat trips. Some field days may fall on the weekends. - Have a strong sense of responsibility, work ethic, attention to detail, and ability to admit mistakes. - Produce high quality research efforts and exhibit strong interpersonal skills Principle Duties include: data entry, learning all research protocols, cropping and sorting photo-ID fin images, learning to use photo-ID programs such as Darwin (fin matching software) and FinBase (Microsoft Access), boat based field research (21' boat), and learn how to use ArcGIS Secondary Duties include: assisting animal care staff, attending marine mammal necropsies, responding to marine mammal and sea turtle strandings, and assisting educational staff Field Days: Interns must be able to spend many hours on the water and on shore in sometimes extreme seasonal conditions. Seasonal temperatures range from over 100 ?F in summer to 30 ?F in winter. Field days typically exceed eight hours and occur at least two or three times a week. Eligibility Requirements Applicants must be 18 or older and must have a genuine interest in marine research. Applicants should be actively pursuing a college degree or be a recent graduate in oceanography, marine science/biology, biology, or a related field. Previous research experience in any capacity is a plus. Applicants must be able and willing to fulfill all duties outlined for this internship program. This is an unpaid position and interns are responsible for their own housing and transportation. Once accepted, IMMS staff will assist interns in finding rooms available to rent, usually with other staff members. The deadline to apply for the winter/spring sessions (January 6-March 27, 2020 or March 2-May 22, 2020) is November 1, 2019. For application and full details on how to apply please visit our website at http://imms.org/internship/ Jessica Post Research Assistant Research Intern Coordinator The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies 10801 Dolphin Lane Gulfport, MS 39503 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From charlotte.anne.lambert at hotmail.fr Wed Sep 4 05:24:28 2019 From: charlotte.anne.lambert at hotmail.fr (Charlotte Lambert) Date: Wed, 4 Sep 2019 12:24:28 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Newly published paper Message-ID: Dear Marmamers, We are pleased to announced you the publication of a new paper entitled "The effect of a multi-target protocol on cetacean detection and abundance estimation in aerial surveys" in Royal Society Open Science. C. Lambert, M. Authier, G. Dor?mus, A. Gilles, P. Hammond, S. Laran, A. Ricart, V. Ridoux, M. Scheidat, J. Spitz and O. Van Canneyt. 2019. The effect of a multi-target protocol on cetacean detection and abundance estimation in aerial surveys. R. Soc. open sci. 6: 190296. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.190296 Abstract: A double-platform protocol was implemented in the Bay of Biscay and English Channel during the SCANS-III survey (2016). Two observation platforms using different protocols were operating on board a single aircraft: the reference platform (Scans), targeting cetaceans, and the ?Megafauna? platform, recording all the marine fauna visible at the sea surface (jellyfish to seabirds). We tested for a potential bias in small cetacean detection and density estimation when recording all marine fauna. At a small temporal scale (30 s, roughly 1.5 km), our results provided overall similar perception probabilities for both platforms. Small cetacean perception was higher following the detection of another cetacean within the previous 30 s in both platforms. The only prior target that decreased small cetacean perception during the subsequent 30 s was seabirds, in the Megafauna platform. However, at a larger scale (study area), this small-scale perception bias had no effect on the density estimates, which were similar for the two protocols. As a result, there was no evidence of lower performance regarding small cetacean population monitoring for the multi-target protocol in our study area. Because our study area was characterized by moderate cetacean densities and small spatial overlap of cetaceans and seabirds, any extrapolation to other areas or time requires caution. Nonetheless, by permitting the collection of cost-effective quantitative data for marine fauna, anthropogenic activities and marine litter at the sea surface, the multi-target protocol is valuable for optimizing logistical and financial resources to efficiently monitor biodiversity and study community ecology. Hope it will be of interest to most of you, Regards, Charlotte Lambert -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From livingmarineresources at gmail.com Wed Sep 4 12:20:54 2019 From: livingmarineresources at gmail.com (LMR Program) Date: Wed, 4 Sep 2019 12:20:54 -0700 Subject: [MARMAM] U.S. Navy Living Marine Resource Program Need Topics - call for pre-proposals Message-ID: The U.S. Navy Living Marine Resources (LMR) applied research program is seeking pre-proposals pertaining to three need topics. The FY20 need topics include: 1) marine mammal acoustic software application enhancements, 2) marine mammal conditioned attenuation of hearing sensitivity, and 3) frequency-dependent, underwater, temporary threshold shift in California sea lions. Details regarding the need topics mentioned above and what information is required in a pre-proposal can be found at https://www.navfac.navy.mil/lmr/proposals. All pre-proposals should be submitted via email to exwc_lmr_program at navy.mil. Pre-proposals pertaining to these need topics will be accepted until 11:59 PM PST on 12 November 2019. If invited, offerors will be asked to submit a full proposal. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From rtysonmoore at mote.org Tue Sep 3 10:42:55 2019 From: rtysonmoore at mote.org (Reny Tyson Moore) Date: Tue, 3 Sep 2019 13:42:55 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] WMMC Workshop Invitation: Rise of the machines - Application of automated systems for matching dolphin dorsal fins Message-ID: Dear colleagues, We invite you to attend the "Rise of the machines - Application of automated systems for matching dolphin dorsal fins: current status and future directions? workshop to be held at the World Marine Mammal Conference in Barcelona on Sunday, December 8, 2019. The focus of the workshop is to bring together photo-ID researchers and algorithm developers to discuss best practices for using fin recognition technology, and to assess whether a single ?standard? system can be developed for automated dorsal fin photo-ID. Prior to the workshop, attendees (and relevant researchers or research groups) will be asked to participate in a mini-experiment to evaluate a test set of bottlenose dolphin dorsal fin images so that we can assess the performance of the current methods and systems used for matching dorsal fin images. Results of this experiment as well as those obtained from a survey previously distributed on the methods used to conduct matching of dorsal fin images for photo-identification studies will be presented during the workshop and used to help frame workshop discussions. More information regarding this mini-experiment and our project goals can be found here: *https://sites.google.com/mote.org/evaluation-of-photo-id-methods *. The workshop is scheduled as a *full day workshop on Sunday, December 8 from 0830-1730*. For more information on the workshop and registration please visit https://www.wmmconference.org/workshops/ and scroll down to the Sunday full day workshop section. If you are unable to attend the workshop, but are still interested in participating in our mini-experiment, please provide your contact information here: *https://sites.google.com/mote.org/evaluation-of-photo-id-methods/test-your-system/request-for-test-data * to gain access to the test data. We will ask that all results be submitted by *October 4, 2019* to give us time to collate all responses before the workshop in December. We hope that you can join us! The Workshop Organizers, Reny Tyson Moore (Chicago Zoological Society?s Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, Sarasota, FL USA) rtysonmoore at mote.org Kim Urian (Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, NC USA) kim.urian at gmail.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From oliverhooker at prstatistics.com Wed Sep 4 11:11:49 2019 From: oliverhooker at prstatistics.com (Oliver Hooker) Date: Wed, 4 Sep 2019 19:11:49 +0100 Subject: [MARMAM] SEPTEMBER STATISTICS, BIOINFORMATICS AND DATA SCIENCE Message-ID: SEPTEMBER STATISTICS, BIOINFORMATICS AND DATA SCIENCE COURSES FOR BIOLOGISTS AND PSYCHOLOGISTS. Most courses are multidisciplinary and will be of relevance to a range of research areas related to marine mammals. Free accommodation packages available with early registration! Please ask about free accommodation if you are a full time student. Please share. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- R Package design and development and reproducible data science for biologists (RPKG01) 16 SEPTEMBER 2019 - 20 SEPTEMBER 2019 https://www.prstatistics.com/course/r-package-design-and-development-and-reproducible-data-science-for-biologists-rpkg01/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Structural Equation Models, Path Analysis, Causal Modelling and Latent Variable Models Using R 16 SEPTEMBER 2019 - 20 SEPTEMBER 2019 https://www.psstatistics.com/course/structural-equation-modelling-and-path-analysis-smpa01/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Practice of RADseq: Population Genomics Analysis with Stacks (RDSQ01) 23 SEPTEMBER 2019 - 27 SEPTEMBER 2019 https://www.prinformatics.com/course/the-practice-of-radseq-population-genomics-analysis-with-stacks-rdsq01/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Python for data science, machine learning, and scientific computing (PDMS01) 23 SEPTEMBER 2019 - 27 SEPTEMBER 2019 https://www.psstatistics.com/course/python-for-data-science-machine-learning-and-scientific-computing-pdms01/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Introduction to Bioinformatics using Linux (IBUL04) 30 SEPTEMBER 2019 - 4 OCTOBER 2019 https://www.prinformatics.com/course/introduction-to-linux-workflows-for-biologists-ibul04/ -- Oliver Hooker PhD. PR statistics 2019 publications; A way forward with eco evo devo: an extended theory of resource polymorphism with postglacial fishes as model systems. Biological Reviews (2019). prstatistics.com facebook.com/prstatistics/ twitter.com/PRstatistics groups.google.com/d/forum/pr-statistics-post-course-forum prstatistics.com/organiser/oliver-hooker/ 6 Hope Park Crescent Edinburgh EH8 9NA +44 (0) 7966500340 From lucywkeith at hotmail.com Wed Sep 4 14:45:35 2019 From: lucywkeith at hotmail.com (Lucy Keith Diagne) Date: Wed, 4 Sep 2019 21:45:35 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New African manatee publication Message-ID: Dear Marmam, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce our new publication: Mayaka, T.B., J.P. Koh-Dimbot and L.W. Keith-Diagne. 2019. Occurrence patterns of African manatees, conflicts with humans, and local perception in the Southern Korup Area, Cameroon. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, Early Release, pages 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3210 Abstract: 1. The African manatee has been poorly studied throughout its range and is heavily hunted. This study aimed at discerning patterns in manatee sightings and emerging conflicts with humans, as well as the local perception of manatees, outside the southern periphery of Korup National Park, Cameroon. 2. The study investigated whether patterns in manatee sightings and manatee?related conflicts differ between aquatic systems in southern Korup, and which demographic variables determine perceptions of the manatee in the study area. For this purpose, the study used a three?stage stratified random sampling design with a structured questionnaire to survey 101 local fishers. 3. The reported patterns of manatee sightings and manatee?related conflicts were as follows: in the Nyangorobe River during the wet season only, where crop raiding and net destruction by manatees were reported; in the Ndian River and the mangrove estuary only during the dry season, where fish theft and net damage were reported; and in the Moko River during both seasons, where crop raiding, fish theft, and net destruction were reported. Reducing these conflicts is likely to increase local support for the conservation of manatees, because fishermen kill them in response to net destruction and fish loss. 4. Most reported sightings were at waterway intersections and river bends, suggesting that waterway connectivity is important to manatees for dispersal, foraging, and escape from danger. 5. The log?odds probability of negative perception decreased significantly with awareness of manatee protected status but increased with age and primary or higher education level. These findings have implications for community outreach focused on raising awareness of the importance of manatee conservation by schoolchildren and the public. Lucy Keith-Diagne, PhD Executive Director African Aquatic Conservation Fund 1(508) 388-9824 Global business phone https://africanaquaticconservation.org/ Facebook AfricanAquaticConsFund Twitter @AfricanAquatic -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From acsla.grants at gmail.com Wed Sep 4 17:06:01 2019 From: acsla.grants at gmail.com (ACS-LA.Grants) Date: Wed, 4 Sep 2019 17:06:01 -0700 Subject: [MARMAM] Request for Proposals - ACS-LA Student Travel Grants to World Marine Mammal Conference in Barcelona, Spain Dec 9-12, 2019. Message-ID: <1B843108-F558-40DE-8962-4D5D35882603@gmail.com> The American Cetacean Society, Los Angeles Chapter (ACS-LA) is happy to announce the opening of applications for 2019 Student Travel Grants. Deadline for Submission is 1-October-2019, Awards Announced 15-October. The American Cetacean Society protects cetaceans and their habitats though conservation, education and research. Working with world-class scientists, ACS funds students traveling to conferences that address some of the most pressing issues facing cetaceans. ACS-LA is pleased to announce the availability of two student travel grants, in the amount of $500.00 each, to students traveling to the World Marine Mammal Conference in Barcelona, Spain, 9-12 December 2019 (https://www.wmmconference.org). Guidelines for Research Grants: The two $500 travel grants will be awarded to two students exhibiting outstanding commitment to research on marine mammals. Students should either be attending school in California and/or conducting their marine mammal research in California. Presenting at the WMMC is not a requirement for applying for the student travel grant, but priority will be given to students presenting a poster at the conference. Eligibility: 1. Applicant needs to be a student (undergraduate or graduate) and be attending the World Marine Mammal Conference in Barcelona Spain in December 2019. Proof of registration will be required prior to receiving your award. Preference will be given to those presenting a poster or oral talk at the WMMC. 2. Applicant should be a student attending an accredited institution and living in California or who?s research focus is on Marine Mammals located in or around California. Applications: Applications should include the following: 1. Cover letter summarizing why you are qualified to receive this award and how this grant will help you. Cover letter must include the following: a) Title of poster presentation being given at the WMMC (if presenting) and the abstract submitted to WMMC. Note: presenting is not required to receive a travel grant award. If not presenting, write ?not presenting?. b) Your area of interest or area of research c) Applicant Contact Information (Name, Address, E-mail, and Phone numbers) d) Current school and major including current supervisor and department. If you are an undergraduate please indicate special areas of interest for you and give the name of your supervising professor if you have one. 2. Proof that applicant is a student (photo of the front and back of current student ID card). 3. A one-page CV or Resume. 4. Note: Upon acceptance of the award, proof of W<. To join ACS-LA, please go to http://acsonline.org/support-acs/become-member/ and specify the Los Angeles Chapter. For further information about specific chapters and other grant-making programs, please visit the Chapter page of the National American Cetacean Society website: www.acsonline.org . ========================== ACS-LA Grants Coordinator Christina Tombach Wright American Cetacean Society-Los Angeles Chapter acsla.grants at gmail.com www.acs-la.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From elena.schall at awi.de Thu Sep 5 02:37:51 2019 From: elena.schall at awi.de (Elena Schall) Date: Thu, 5 Sep 2019 11:37:51 +0200 Subject: [MARMAM] New paper on blue whale reproductive competition and D-Calls Message-ID: <82508094-95a2-5617-ca43-ae0df9dc1f95@awi.de> We are pleased to announce our new paper in Marine Mammal Science on blue whale reproductive competition and the use of D-Calls: *Visual and passive acoustic observations of blue whale trios from two distinct populations* Elena Schall, Lucia Di Iorio, Catherine Berchok, Diego Fil?n, Luis Bedri?ana?Romano, Susannah J. Buchan, Ilse Van Opzeeland, Richard Sears & Rodrigo Hucke?Gaete This note is available as an early view version with open access under the following link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mms.12643 Best regards, Elena Schall -- Elena Schall PhD Student Ocean Acoustics Lab Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research Klu?mannstr. 3d 27570 Bremerhaven email: elena.schall at awi.de Phone: +49(471)4831-2157 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From v.e.rivera.leon at rug.nl Thu Sep 5 02:50:58 2019 From: v.e.rivera.leon at rug.nl (Rivera Leon, V.E.) Date: Thu, 5 Sep 2019 11:50:58 +0200 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: Long-term isolation at a low effective population size greatly reduced genetic diversity in Gulf of California fin whales Message-ID: Dear Colleagues, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the following open-access publication: Long-term isolation at a low effective population size greatly reduced genetic diversity in Gulf of California fin whales https://rdcu.be/bPDXv Abstract The Gulf of California, Mexico is home to many cetacean species, including a presumed resident population of fin whales, *Balaenoptera physalus*. Past studies reported very low levels of genetic diversity among Gulf of California fin whales and a significant level of genetic differentiation from con-specifics in the eastern North Pacific. The aim of the present study was to assess the degree and timing of the isolation of Gulf of California fin whales in a population genetic analysis of 18 nuclear microsatellite genotypes from 402 samples and 565 mitochondrial control region DNA sequences (including mitochondrial sequences retrieved from NCBI). The analyses revealed that the Gulf of California fin whale population was founded ~2.3 thousand years ago and has since remained at a low effective population size (~360) and isolated from the eastern North Pacific (*Nem* between 0.89?1.4). The low effective population size and high degree of isolation implied that Gulf of California fin whales are vulnerable to the negative effects of genetic drift, human-caused mortality and habitat change. Please email me if you have any questions about this work ( v.e.rivera.leon at rug.nl). All my best, Vania -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From rcabprieto at gmail.com Thu Sep 5 04:10:26 2019 From: rcabprieto at gmail.com (Rui Prieto) Date: Thu, 5 Sep 2019 11:10:26 -0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Sources for suction cups Message-ID: <159801d563da$8633f4f0$929bded0$@gmail.com> Dear Marmaners, Some days ago I posted a request for information on suction cups vendors, for cetacean tagging work. First, I would like to show my appreciation to all who took time to respond. Below is a list of the suggestions I received, in alphabetical order, in case it is useful to someone else out there. Best regards, Rui Prieto 1900 engineering (https://www.researchmicrospeckle.com/) Andrew Cannon runs 1900 engineering. Among other things they developed and produce multi-material anti-skid suction cups for 'slippery' species (such as blue whales), reportedly with encouraging results. (Thanks to Lars Kleivane from lkarts.no for this tip). CATs (www.CATs.is). CATs produces customized tags, including their own suction cups that can be sold separately. Tags and cups have been extensively tested on several species. (Thanks to Elliot Hazen and Jeremy Kiszka for mentioning CATs). EHEIM (https://www.eheim.com) EHEIM is a distributor of equipment for aquariums, including suction cups. Suction cups from them have been tested for short-term (couple of hours) deployments on dolphins. (Thanks to Klaus Lucke from jasco.com for this tip). Vi-cas (https://vi-cas.com/). The Crittercam people use suction cups from vi-cas, reportedly with good results. Vis-cas is an industrial suction cup manufacturer but they seem to be receptive to work with researchers and modify designs to accommodate special needs (Thanks to Kyler Abernathy from NG Labs for this info). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From clare_owen at hotmail.co.uk Thu Sep 5 11:20:51 2019 From: clare_owen at hotmail.co.uk (Clare Owen) Date: Thu, 5 Sep 2019 18:20:51 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication on humpback whale song in the South Pacific Message-ID: Dear MARMAM, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the following publication in Royal Society Open Science: Migratory convergence facilitates cultural transmission of humpback whale song. Clare Owen, Luke Rendell, Rochelle Constantine, Michael J. Noad, Jenny Allen, Olive Andrews, Claire Garrigue, M. Michael Poole, David Donnelly, Nan Hauser and Ellen C. Garland. Abstract: Cultural transmission of behaviour is important in a wide variety of vertebrate taxa from birds to humans. Vocal traditions and vocal learning provide a strong foundation for studying culture and its transmission in both humans and cetaceans. Male humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) perform complex, culturally transmitted song displays that can change both evolutionarily (through accumulations of small changes) or revolutionarily (where a population rapidly adopts a novel song). The degree of coordination and conformity underlying song revolutions makes their study of particular interest. Acoustic contact on migratory routes may provide a mechanism for cultural revolutions of song, yet these areas of contact remain uncertain. Here, we compared songs recorded from the Kermadec Islands, a recently discovered migratory stopover, to multiple South Pacific wintering grounds. Similarities in song themes from the Kermadec Islands and multiple wintering locations (from New Caledonia across to the Cook Islands) suggest a location allowing cultural transmission of song eastward across the South Pacific, active song learning (hybrid songs) and the potential for cultural convergence after acoustic isolation at the wintering grounds. As with the correlations in humans between genes, communication and migration, the migration patterns of humpback whales are written into their songs. The paper is available with open access at: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.190337 Kind regards, Clare Owen -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From paula.mendez_fernandez at univ-lr.fr Thu Sep 5 07:58:49 2019 From: paula.mendez_fernandez at univ-lr.fr (pmende01) Date: Thu, 5 Sep 2019 16:58:49 +0200 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication Message-ID: <67843654-8be7-7065-ffad-cafb36779974@univ-lr.fr> Dear all MARMAM suscribers, On behalf of my co-author, I am please to announce our new publication: Paula M?ndez-Fernandez, Satie Taniguchi, Marcos C. O. Santos, Irma Casc?o, Sophie Qu?rouil, Vidal Mart?n, Marisa Tejedor, Manuel Carrillo, Caroline Rinaldi, Renato Rinaldi, Dalia C. Barrag?n-Barrera, Nohelia Far?as-Curtidor, Susana Caballero, Rosalinda C. Montone (2019) Population structure of the Atlantic spotted dolphin (/Stenella frontalis/) inferred through ecological markers. Aquat Ecol https://doi.org/10.1007/s10452-019-09722-3. The publication is available from the authors or at the link below for four weeks: http://www.springer.com/home?SGWID=0-0-1003-0-0&aqId=3838926&download=1&checkval=a7c2dc6d82019fb3bffcf50cb0cb09d2 Abstract: Population structure studies play an increasingly integral role in conservation and management of marine mammal species. Genetic markers are commonly used; however, ecological markers (i.e. chemical compounds) are a fairly recent and useful tool to investigate ecological management units. The objective of this study is to investigate the population structure of the Atlantic spotted dolphin (/Stenella frontalis/) within its distribution in the Atlantic Ocean using data from stable isotopes of d13C and d15N and persistent organic pollutants as ecological markers. Based on previous studies that addressed distribution, morphometric analyses and molecular and ecological markers, we hypothesize that there are several ecological management units within the Atlantic Ocean. Our results confirmed population differentiation previously detected using genetic markers. Additionally, dolphins from the south-eastern coast of Brazil do not show complete ecological segregation from the Caribbean ones, while molecular analyses suggested genetic differentiation between the two regions. In the light of these results, we propose that at least two ecological management units should be considered, east and west of the Atlantic Ocean; however, the presence of one or two management units along the Atlantic coast of Central and South America needs further investigation. Best regards, Paula M?ndez-Fernandez http://observatoire-pelagis.cnrs.fr -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From rwbaird at cascadiaresearch.org Thu Sep 5 15:47:56 2019 From: rwbaird at cascadiaresearch.org (Robin Baird) Date: Thu, 5 Sep 2019 22:47:56 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Recent publications: beaked whales, Hawaii odontocetes, use of Navy ranges Message-ID: Hello all, There are several recent publications from our Hawai?i research program that I thought folks would be interested in, listed below. PDFs are available on our Hawai?i publication page http://www.cascadiaresearch.org/hawaiian-cetacean-studies/publications or by request Robin Baird, R.W. 2019. Behavior and ecology of not-so-social odontocetes: Cuvier's and Blainville's beaked whales. In: Ethology and Behavioral Ecology of Toothed Whales and Dolphins, the Odontocetes. Edited by B. W?rsig. Springer. Information on the book can be found at https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783030166625 and the abstract of this chapter is below. While beaked whales are the poorest-known family of cetaceans overall, the behavior and ecology of two species of beaked whales, Cuvier?s (Ziphius cavirostris) and Blainville?s (Mesoplodon densirostris), have been studied extensively for more than 15 years in multiple areas around the world. This research was largely initiated as a result of the susceptibility of both species to react to high-intensity navy sonars, sometimes resulting in the death of individuals. In this chapter long-term studies of both species in Hawai?i are reviewed, informed by research on these species elsewhere. Both species have small populations that are resident to the island slopes, evidenced by a combination of long-term photoidentification and shorter-term satellite tag deployments. The two species coexist by partitioning their habitat in three dimensions, with Cuvier?s beaked whales being found in deeper water, and diving deeper, than Blainville?s beaked whales. Diving and acoustic behavior of the two species appears to be driven in part by predator avoidance. Both species echolocate only at depth, foraging deep in the water column during the day and at night, with less time spent near the surface during the day in between the deep foraging dives. Ascent rates are also slower than descent rates. All of these factors are likely ways of minimizing detection from near-surface visually or acoustically oriented predators such as large sharks and killer whales. There appears to be no strong selective pressure for grouping in these species. Both are often found alone and on average are found in very small groups (medians: Cuvier?s = 2; Blainville?s = 3). Groups that do form appear to function in part to avoid predators (for females with small calves) and allow for mating opportunities (for adult males seeking mates). Individuals of both species tend to have ephemeral social relations, although one pair of subadult Cuvier?s have been documented together over an 11-year period. Blainville?s beaked whale males exhibit female defense polygyny, while sperm competition may play a role in the mating system of Cuvier?s beaked whales. Studies of these species in multiple areas spanning the tropics to temperate waters in two different oceans are beginning to earn them an important place in our overall understanding of cetacean ethology and behavioral ecology. Baird, R.W. 2019. How we learn about Hawai'i's dolphin and whale populations: do scientists really know what they are talking about? Hawaii Fishing News 44(9):31-32. A PDF copy is available at http://www.cascadiaresearch.org/files/publications/Baird_2019_HFN.pdf Baird, R.W., D.L. Webster, S.M. Jarvis, E.E. Henderson, S.L. Watwood, S.D. Mahaffy, B.D. Guenther, J.K. Lerma, C.J. Cornforth, A.W. Vanderzee, and D.B. Anderson. 2019. Odontocete studies on the Pacific Missile Range Facility in August 2018: satellite-tagging, photo-identification, and passive acoustic monitoring. Prepared for Commander, Pacific Fleet, under Contract No. N62470-15-D-8006 Task Order 6274218F0107 issued to HDR Inc., Honolulu, HI. A PDF copy is available at http://www.cascadiaresearch.org/files/publications/Bairdetal2019_Kauai.pdf and the executive summary is below. As part of a long-term U.S. Navy-funded marine mammal monitoring program, in August 2018 a combination of vessel-based field effort and passive acoustic m onitoring was carried out on and around the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) off Kaua?i prior to a Submarine Command Course scheduled for mid-August 2018. The purpose of the monitoring effort was to assess the spatial movement patterns and habitat use of cetaceans that are exposed to mid-frequency active sonar and how those patterns influence exposure and potentially responses. The U.S. Navy funded 13 days of small-vessel effort and the National Marine Fisheries Service funded an additional 2 days of effort. Results from this effort were compared with previous Cascadia Research Collective (CRC) survey effort and photo-identification and tag data from Kaua?i and Ni?ihau, based on surveys in 10 different years since 2003. During the survey, the Marine Mammal Monitoring on Navy Ranges (M3R) system was used both to direct the research vessel to potential high-priority species, and to inform the research vessel when only low-priority species were detected on the range, allowing it to survey off the range and thus increasing overall encounter rates with high-priority species. Over the course of the 15-day project, there were 1,597 kilometers (100.0 hours) of small-vessel survey effort, resulting in 57 sightings of seven species of odontocetes. Of the 57 sightings, 24 were on PMRF representing five of the seven species, and of those, five were directed by M3R acoustic detections. During the encounters, we took 33,452 photographs for individual identification, with photographs added to long-term CRC regional photo-identification catalogs for short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhyncus), bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), and rough-toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis). As expected based on previous CRC efforts off Kaua?i and Ni?ihau, rough-toothed dolphins were the most frequently encountered species, with 34 of 57 encounters (59.6 percent) being of this species. Nineteen of the 34 encounters were on PMRF, and three of those groups were found in response to acoustic detections from M3R (60 percent of all responses to acoustic detections). One sighting was of a mixed group of rough-toothed and bottlenose dolphins, only the third sighting of a mixed-species group involving those two species in a combined 780 sightings of the two species in CRC?s Hawai?i dataset. One location-only tag was deployed on a rough-toothed dolphin. During the five days of location data from the functioning tag, the tagged individual remained off the west coast of Kaua?i, moving off and on PMRF on four occasions. A social network analysis of photo-identification data of rough-toothed dolphins indicated that the tagged individual was part of the resident, island-associated population. Short-finned pilot whales were encountered on five occasions over a three-day period, and represented three different social groups. Depth-transmitting satellite tags that included Fastloc-GPS capability were deployed on individuals in two of the three groups, with tag deployments on 17 and 19 August 2018 (the latter group cued by an acoustic detection from M3R). The group tagged on 17 August was linked by association with the main cluster of short-finned pilot whales known to be resident off the island of Hawai?i, but re-sighted individuals have only been seen on one occasion off that island, so the group does not appear to exhibit strong fidelity to that area. The group tagged 19 August was linked by association with the western community of short-finned pilot whales known to be resident to Kaua?i, Ni?ihau, and O?ahu. The third, untagged group (seen both on 17 and 18 August) had been previously tagged off Ni?ihau in September 2015 and was thought to be from the resident western community, based on movements from tag data. The Fastloc-GPS tags were programmed to maximize obtaining Fastloc-GPS locations and dive data for a 10-day window spanning the Submarine Command Course scheduled to start on 21 August 2018. These tags produced more than twice as many Fastloc-GPS locations than Argos locations during the 10-day window, and behavior (i.e., dive and surfacing) data coverage during that period ranged from 77.4 to 99.3 percent. This programming regime was successful at producing high resolution information over a shorter-period of time in order to allow a detailed assessment of exposure and response to mid-frequency active sonar. Over a 37-day period the group associated with the eastern community (tagged 17 August) spent most of its time in deep water far offshore (median depth=4,215 meters [m], median distance from shore=73.3 kilometers [km]), with the track ending in slope waters off Hawai?i Island. By contrast, the group associated with the western community (tagged 19 August) remained in slope waters (median depth=906 m; median distance from shore=6.9 km) around Kaua?i over the 23 days the tag transmitted. This group remained in the area during the surface component of the Submarine Command Course, and location and behavior data will be used to assess exposure and response of the tagged individual to mid-frequency active sonar. There were two encounters with melon-headed whales (Peponocephala electra) 10 days apart. Based on a photo-identification match between the two encounters, they appeared to be the same group seen on two different occasions. Two Fastloc-GPS dive satellite tags were deployed during the first encounter, although location data were only obtained from one individual for just over nine days. This is only the third time that melon-headed whales have been satellite-tagged off Kaua?i or Ni?ihau. Over the 9 days of tag data, the individual moved 830 km, with a median depth and distance from shore of 2,220 m and 14.8 km, respectively. Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) were encountered on one occasion, with the vessel directed to the group based on acoustic detections from M3R, as the sperm whale group approached the range from the south. This was only Cascadia?s fourth encounter with sperm whales off Kaua?i or Ni?ihau. This group was widely dispersed (>4 km) and included at least one adult male, with long dives of approximately 1 hour in duration. Individuals were not approachable for tagging. There was one sighting of pantropical spotted dolphins (Stenella attenuata), south of PMRF. One individual was satellite-tagged, although only a single location was received from the tag. Four biopsy samples were obtained, and will be analyzed for genetics to further understand population structure of this species in the islands. Bottlenose dolphins were encountered on six occasions, and good quality identifications of 36 distinctive individuals were obtained. Of those, 32 had been previously documented, and all were linked by association with the resident community of bottlenose dolphins from Kaua?i and Ni?ihau. Spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) were seen on eight occasions but this was a low-priority species so limited efforts were expended to work with them. Probability-density analyses were undertaken using 12-hour locations from switching state-space models of tag-location data obtained for the three species for which tag data were available from this effort. Core areas (50 percent kernel densities) were identified for the resident populations of rough-toothed dolphins (1,642 square kilometers [km2]), the Hawaiian Islands stock of melon-headed whales (82,431 km2), and the western community of short-finned pilot whales (7,517 km2). While the core areas for all three populations overlap with at least part of PMRF, the differences in the proportion of the core area that overlaps with PMRF suggests that the likelihood of exposure to mid-frequency active sonar on PMRF varies substantially between populations. Continued collection of photo-identification, movement, and habitat-use data from these species allows for a better understanding of the use of the range and surrounding areas, as well as estimation of abundance and examination of trends in abundance for resident populations. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Robin W. Baird, Ph.D. Research Biologist, Cascadia Research Collective Affiliate Faculty, Hawai?i Institute of Marine Biology Mailing address: Cascadia Research 218 ? W. 4th Avenue Olympia, WA 98501 USA Hawai?i Cetacean Studies on the web Follow us on Facebook Watch us on YouTube -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From holly_morin at uri.edu Thu Sep 5 11:49:09 2019 From: holly_morin at uri.edu (Holly Morin) Date: Thu, 5 Sep 2019 14:49:09 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] Upcoming underwater sound source webinars Message-ID: ***apologies for cross-postings*** As part of the *2019 Underwater Sound Sources Webinar Series* , the* Discovery of Sound in the Sea (DOSITS) * Team will host two additional webinars in *September and October 2019*. These *60-minute webinars* will focus on *commercial shipping, sonar, and echosounders *as underwater sound sources. Each webinar will provide an overview of the sound source, an update on current research efforts, and a review of noise mitigation measures. An extended period of facilitated discussion will also be included at the end of each webinar. Prior to each webinar, an outline of the presentation(s), with links to relevant background content on DOSITS, will be made available. *Participants are encouraged to review these outlines, as well as archived webinars on the potential effects of underwater sound on marine animals, before each sound source webinar.* All webinars will be recorded and archived on the DOSITS website (Decision Makers Webinars ). The first webinar will be led by *Michelle Sanders (Transport Canada)* and will focus on *commercial vessel noise as an underwater sound source*. This webinar will take place at *12:00 pm EDT on Wednesday, September 18, 2019*. The second webinar will be led by *Frans-Peter Lam (TNO) and Kelly Benoit-Bird (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute), *and will focus on *sonars and echosounders*, respectively. This webinar will take place at *12:00pm EDT on Thursday, October 10, 2019. * *Interested individuals must register in advance for each webinar.* To register please visit: https://dosits.org/decision-makers/webinar-series/webinars-2019/ To learn more about this webinar series or to view previous webinars, please visit the DOSITS webpage, Decision Makers Webinars . Associated webinars and their resources were conducted in 2018, and have been archived here . Questions? Please contact Holly Morin at holly_morin at uri.edu. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From joelle.de.weerdt at gmail.com Thu Sep 5 15:47:31 2019 From: joelle.de.weerdt at gmail.com (=?UTF-8?Q?Jo=C3=ABlle_De_Weerdt?=) Date: Thu, 5 Sep 2019 16:47:31 -0600 Subject: [MARMAM] Research assistants needed - Cetacean Conservation of Nicaragua Message-ID: *About Association ELI-S* ELI-S is a small nonprofit organization based in France that has been created in 2013. Our organization aims at promoting, protecting and conserving cetaceans in Central America. We are running the Cetacean Conservation Project of Nicaragua since 2016. This pioneer project aims to generate knowledge on cetacean presence, population size, distribution and habitat use patterns. The expected output is to generate:1) scientific data on cetaceans in Nicaragua, 2) environmental awareness to the local communities in order to create a socio-economic relevance in conserving and protecting their natural environment and 3) responsible eco-tourism. ELI-Scientific is recruiting volunteer research assistants for field work, photo-identification and data entry from between January and April 2020 in Padre Ramos and San Juan del Sur. All team members will have a training beforehand on field methodologies and protocols as well as data entry and data management. Research assistants should expect to spend time on the computer for data analysis but also to spend some days on the field to gather data during the 16-week field study. The Research Assistant have a unique opportunity to participate to a pioneer research project under the supervision of experienced marine biologists, which gives the opportunity for the assistant to develop both professionally but also personally thanks to the unique experience to live within local communities. A commitment of minimum 1 month is expected. *Location: *San Juan del Sur South-West of Nicaragua and Padre Ramos North-West of Nicaragua *Period: *Between January and April with a start on the first of each month (1 month commitment) *Type of agreement: *Full time. *Duties:* - Assist in Boat based and land based surveys in collecting data on cetaceans - Photo-identification of whale and dolphin species - Update photo-ID catalogue - Data entry of collected data - Participate to public outreach and events *Desirable Skills and qualifications:* - *Bsc or Mc in biology / environmental sciences* - *Fluency in Spanish (!)* - *Enthusiastic, conscientious and hard working (!)* - Experience of working in developing countries - Proactive with ability to work unsupervised - Interest in wildlife and conservation - Being comfortable on a small boat and spend long hours on a boat in the sun - Excellent verbal and written communication skills - Being able to work in a small team - Being able to live in basic living conditions - An interest and knowledge of marine life - A background in science (chemistry, physics or biology) - Be able to swim *Successful candidate will:* - Gain valuable experience in cetacean survey techniques and behavioral studies - Work in a very dynamic environment - Get insight in running a research project in developing countries This position is an *unpaid position* and requires a participation fee of 900 euros per month *This fee includes:* - Accommodation in a shared room - All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and cook - Water and electricity - Fieldwork expenses - One week Training to marine mammal survey material and methodologies - Membership to the organization for a year - 2 t-shirts *Fee does not include:* - Flights to the country - Personal expenses: restaurants, bars, telephone, internet, cleaning clothes, etc. *To apply:* Please email a CV, 2 references and cover letter outlining your experience and motivations. Send this to victoria.pouey at eli-s.com and eliscientific at gmail.com in copy with "Research assistant 2020" in the subject line. Interviews via Skype. Deadline: 15th of October 2019. *Contact:* For further information and any queries, please contact *Joelle De Weerdt, Project Director* Website: www.nicacetacea.org Find us on : Facebook , Instagram , Twitter -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kkasper at ifaw.org Fri Sep 6 11:32:00 2019 From: kkasper at ifaw.org (Kasper, Kira) Date: Fri, 6 Sep 2019 18:32:00 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] IFAW Marine Mammal Stranding Internships - Winter 2020 Message-ID: The International Fund for Animal Welfare is accepting applications for Winter 2020 Marine Mammal Stranding Internships. Winter Session (Mid-January, 2020-Last week of May, 2020) Complete Applications due: October 1st, 2019 Program Background IFAW is an international non-profit organization. This internship is based out of our International Operations Center in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts, USA. IFAW's Marine Mammal Rescue and Research program is a federally authorized program dedicated to marine mammal stranding response on Cape Cod and southeastern Massachusetts. Our program strives to promote the conservation of marine mammal species and their habitat by improving the rescue and humane care of stranded marine mammals, advancing stranding science, and increasing public awareness through education. Cape Cod is a marine mammal stranding "hot spot," with an average of over 251 strandings occurring each year. These strandings include live and dead seals, whales, porpoises, and dolphins. Only complete applications will be considered. Please click on the link below for more information and to submit an application. https://recruiting.ultipro.com/INT1059IFFA/JobBoard/17b588a3-808b-4bc9-aea8-c3385a35ec51/OpportunityDetail?opportunityId=a0fdddff-546f-4790-83fc-bd1be2ed8d2f Kira Kasper Stranding Technician Marine Mammal Rescue and Research 290 Summer Street Yarmouth Port, MA 02675 United States +1 508 744 2265 (office) +1 508 743 9548 (stranding hotline) www.ifaw.org [ifaw] The content of this email is intended only for the use of the above-named addressee and may contain information that is confidential, proprietary, and/or legally privileged. Please notify the sender if you received this email in error. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mac64 at st-andrews.ac.uk Fri Sep 6 05:43:11 2019 From: mac64 at st-andrews.ac.uk (Monica Arso Civil) Date: Fri, 6 Sep 2019 12:43:11 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Aq Cons Special Issue to mark SMRU's 40th anniversary Message-ID: Dear all, The Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) at the University of St Andrews celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2018. A Special Issue of Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems has been published to mark SMRU?s anniversary. This issue comprises a collection of papers that showcase some of the recent marine mammal conservation research undertaken by the Unit's staff and students. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems Sea Mammal Research Unit 40th Anniversary: Advances in Marine Mammal Science informing policy Guest editors: Bennet, K., Hall, A., McConnell, B., Thompson, P., & Twiss. S. Volume 29, Issue S1 Pages: 1-304 September 2019 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/10990755/2019/29/S1 The body of work presented in this Special Issue represents a cross-section of the research carried out at SMRU, from long-term UK-based science to shorter-term studies on marine mammals from pole to pole. Topics reported in this collection of 19 papers range widely and include: * Thomas, L, Russell, DJF, Duck, CD, et al. Modelling the population size and dynamics of the British grey seal. Aquatic Conserv: Mar Freshw Ecosyst. 2019; 29( S1): 6? 23. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3134 * Russell, DJF, Morris, CD, Duck, CD, Thompson, D, Hiby, L. Monitoring long?term changes in UK grey seal pup production. Aquatic Conserv: Mar Freshw Ecosyst. 2019; 29( S1): 24? 39. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3100 * Thompson, D, Duck, CD, Morris, CD, Russell, DJF. The status of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) in the UK. Aquatic Conserv: Mar Freshw Ecosyst. 2019; 29( S1): 40? 60. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3110 * Hall, AJ, Mackey, B, Kershaw, JL, Thompson, P. Age?length relationships in UK harbour seals during a period of population decline. Aquatic Conserv: Mar Freshw Ecosyst. 2019; 29( S1): 61? 70. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3104 * Wilson, LJ, Hammond, PS. The diet of harbour and grey seals around Britain: Examining the role of prey as a potential cause of harbour seal declines. Aquatic Conserv: Mar Freshw Ecosyst. 2019; 29( S1): 71? 85. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3131 * Robinson, KJ, Hall, AJ, Scholl, G, et al. Investigating decadal changes in persistent organic pollutants in Scottish grey seal pups. Aquatic Conserv: Mar Freshw Ecosyst. 2019; 29( S1): 86? 100. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3137 * Caillat, M, Cordes, L, Thompson, P, Matthiopoulos, J, Smout, S. Use of state?space modelling to identify ecological covariates associated with trends in pinniped demography. Aquatic Conserv: Mar Freshw Ecosyst. 2019; 29( S1): 101? 118. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3130 * Hastie, GD, Wu, G?M, Moss, S, et al. Automated detection and tracking of marine mammals: A novel sonar tool for monitoring effects of marine industry. Aquatic Conserv: Mar Freshw Ecosyst. 2019; 29( S1): 119? 130. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3103 * Hanson, N, Smout, S, Moss, S, Pomeroy, P. Colony?specific differences in decadal longitudinal body composition of a capital?breeding marine top predator. Aquatic Conserv: Mar Freshw Ecosyst. 2019; 29( S1): 131? 143. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3093 * Paterson, WD, Russell, DJF, Wu, G?M, et al. Post?disturbance haulout behaviour of harbour seals. Aquatic Conserv: Mar Freshw Ecosyst. 2019; 29( S1): 144? 156. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3092 * Gordon, J, Blight, C, Bryant, E, Thompson, D. Measuring responses of harbour seals to potential aversive acoustic mitigation signals using controlled exposure behavioural response studies. Aquatic Conserv: Mar Freshw Ecosyst. 2019; 29( S1): 157? 177. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3150 * Arso Civil, M, Quick, NJ, Cheney, B, Pirotta, E, Thompson, PM, Hammond, PS. Changing distribution of the east coast of Scotland bottlenose dolphin population and the challenges of area?based management. Aquatic Conserv: Mar Freshw Ecosyst. 2019; 29( S1): 178? 196. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3102 * Nyk?nen, M, Louis, M, Dillane, E, et al. Fine?scale population structure and connectivity of bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, in European waters and implications for conservation. Aquatic Conserv: Mar Freshw Ecosyst. 2019; 29( S1): 197? 211. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3139 * Heinrich, S, Genov, T, Fuentes Riquelme, M, Hammond, PS. Fine?scale habitat partitioning of Chilean and Peale's dolphins and their overlap with aquaculture. Aquatic Conserv: Mar Freshw Ecosyst. 2019; 29( S1): 212? 226. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3153 * Servidio, A, P?rez?Gil, E, P?rez?Gil, M, Ca?adas, A, Hammond, PS, Mart?n, V. Site fidelity and movement patterns of short?finned pilot whales within the Canary Islands: Evidence for resident and transient populations. Aquatic Conserv: Mar Freshw Ecosyst. 2019; 29( S1): 227? 241. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3135 * Tyack, PL, Thomas, L. Using dose?response functions to improve calculations of the impact of anthropogenic noise. Aquatic Conserv: Mar Freshw Ecosyst. 2019; 29( S1): 242? 253. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3149 * Palmer, KJ, Brookes, KL, Davies, IM, Edwards, E, Rendell, L. Habitat use of a coastal delphinid population investigated using passive acoustic monitoring. Aquatic Conserv: Mar Freshw Ecosyst. 2019; 29( S1): 254? 270. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3166 * Kershaw, JL, Brownlow, A, Ramp, CA, Miller, PJO, Hall, AJ. Assessing cetacean body condition: Is total lipid content in blubber biopsies a useful monitoring tool? Aquatic Conserv: Mar Freshw Ecosyst. 2019; 29( S1): 271? 282. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3105 * Gordine, SA, Fedak, MA, Boehme, L. The importance of Southern Ocean frontal systems for the improvement of body condition in southern elephant seals. Aquatic Conserv: Mar Freshw Ecosyst. 2019; 29( S1): 283? 304 https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3183 If you have questions regarding any of the individual papers, please get in touch with the correspondent author (details can be found through each DOI). Kind regards, M?nica Dr M?nica Arso Civil Research Fellow Sea Mammal Research Unit Scottish Oceans Institute University of St Andrews St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB Harbour Seal Decline Project: https://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/harbourseals/ Twitter: @monicaarso -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Moidjio at hotmail.com Wed Sep 4 20:29:40 2019 From: Moidjio at hotmail.com (Moidjio CRCAD) Date: Thu, 5 Sep 2019 03:29:40 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] High qualified MMO/PAM course Savona Italy, october. Message-ID: Dear marine mammals observers community, Menkab el respiro del mare in partnership with Moidjio CRCAD is welcoming you in the Pelagos sanctuary, in Savona for an ACCOBAMS accredited course to become an observer of excellence ! Our has develop a complete course with a big emphasis on PAM and field practice with our expert team of both organisation. This is one of the best place to train as you will have the opportunity to observe for Cuvier Beaked whales, Spermwhales, fin whales, striped dolphins and bottlenose dolphins plus more if lucky. We are planning a 6 days course with plenty of sea time (4days) and practice with Pam gears and PAMGUARD software file setting to built your own !!!! The cost is of 650 Euros. Please contact violi.biagio at gmail.com or moidjio at hotmail.com Space are limited and demand high! Book asap. Benjamin Wambergue and Biagio Violi. Sent from Outlook Mobile -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From srichardson at coastalstudies.org Thu Sep 5 11:25:31 2019 From: srichardson at coastalstudies.org (Stephanie Richardson) Date: Thu, 5 Sep 2019 14:25:31 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] Right Whale Ecology Program - Habitat Internship Message-ID: Right Whale Ecology Program - Habitat Internship Center for Coastal Studies (CCS), Provincetown MA USA The Center for Coastal Studies (CCS), a nonprofit institution dedicated to the understanding and protection of our coastal environment and marine ecosystems, is seeking a seasonal Right Whale Ecology Program intern from January 2 - May 31, 2020. This long-term project focuses on documenting the abundance, distribution, and behavior of North Atlantic right whales and their food resource in Cape Cod Bay and adjacent Massachusetts waters. The intern will assist the habitat research associate in the collection and processing of zooplankton in the field and lab. Fieldwork responsibilities include zooplankton collection through tow and pump techniques, marine observer, and environmental data collector. Lab responsibilities include zooplankton species identification and counts, plastics analysis, archiving samples, data entry and maintenance, and maintaining field equipment. Minimum Requirements - A college degree, preferably in biological/ environmental sciences - Good memorization skills and strong attention to details - Basic computer literacy and experience using Microsoft Office programs (Excel, Word, PowerPoint). Experience with database entry and management is preferred - Experience working on boats, ability to withstand harsh elements, and not be prone to serious seasickness - Must be able to live and work well in a team - Enthusiasm and willingness to learn field and lab-based research methods - Strong attention to detail and ability to work well under pressure Preferred Qualifications: - Plankton identification - Microscopy and laboratory experience - Not prone to seasickness - A valid US driver?s license The successful applicant will be required to work a minimum of four full days per week and will need to be flexible for research cruises due to weather constrictions. The intern will often process zooplankton samples independently in the lab, thus responsible, detail-oriented applicants are encouraged to apply. Applicants must be available for the full five months and must be willing to work weekends, holidays and evenings as needed. Housing will be provided, as well as a small stipend to cover general living expenses. CCS has a long history of conservation and research work with the North Atlantic right whale and Cape Cod Bay has been a major critical habitat for over 50% of the estimated population in recent years. This is an excellent opportunity for anyone wishing to expand their skills in marine mammal survey techniques and zooplankton analysis; and will offer the successful applicant the unique chance to work with one of the world?s most endangered cetaceans. This internship will afford the successful applicant an invaluable opportunity to work within a well-established institution, with highly-qualified scientists, and to gain experience in boat-based research, zooplankton and environmental collections, plankton identification, plastic analysis, and data entry and analysis. Details of our work can be found on our website: http://coastalstudies.org/right-whale-research/ How to Apply: The application package should include the following attachment(s): 1) A cover letter describing your specific interests in marine mammal science, internship qualifications, and how the experience would assist you in reaching career goals 2) CV/resume 3) College transcripts (unofficial are sufficient) 4) The names and contact information of two references Please email application materials to Stephanie Richardson, srichardson at coastalstudies.org with the following text in the subject line: 2020 RW habitat internship. *Deadline for submissions: September 30th, 2019.* -- Stephanie Richardson Human Resource Manager Center for Coastal Studies 5 Holway Avenue Provincetown, MA 02657 t. (508) 487-3622 Ext. 113 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From srichardson at coastalstudies.org Thu Sep 5 11:43:03 2019 From: srichardson at coastalstudies.org (Stephanie Richardson) Date: Thu, 5 Sep 2019 14:43:03 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] Observer Internship - Right Whale Ecology, Provincetown MA USA Message-ID: Right Whale Ecology Program - Observer Internship Center for Coastal Studies (CCS), Provincetown MA USA The Center for Coastal Studies (CCS), a nonprofit institution dedicated to the understanding and protection of our coastal environment and marine ecosystems, is seeking a seasonal Right Whale Ecology Program intern from 2 January ? 31 May 2019. This long-term project focuses on documenting the abundance, distribution and behavior of North Atlantic right whales and their food resource in Cape Cod Bay and adjacent Massachusetts waters. The intern will be the primary vessel observer for the project and will participate in research cruises up to four days a week. Fieldwork responsibilities include photographing critically endangered North Atlantic right whales, collecting behavioral and environmental data, recording other sightings events (species, vessels and fishing gear), and working with a habitat research team both in the field and office. Office responsibilities include photo-analysis (downloading images, inputting sightings information, matching individuals to known animals using an online and in-house catalog, cataloging), database entry and maintenance, assisting the aerial team and maintaining vessel field equipment. Minimum Requirements: ? A college degree, preferably in biological/ environmental sciences ? Previous marine mammal survey experience, including experience in photo-identification of large cetaceans ? Experience with digital SLR cameras, lenses, and filters ? Basic computer literacy and experience using Microsoft Office programs (Excel, Word, PowerPoint). Experience with database entry and management is preferred ? Experience working on boats, ability to withstand harsh elements, and not be prone to serious seasickness ? Must be able to live and work well in a team ? Enthusiasm and willingness to learn field and lab-based research methods ? Strong attention to detail and ability to work well under pressure Preferred Qualifications: ? Experience using iMatch image database software ? Experience using GPS equipment ? Ability to estimate object ranges from a vessel ? Not prone to seasickness ? A valid US driver?s license The successful applicant will be required to work a minimum of four full days per week and will need to be flexible for research cruises due to weather constrictions. The intern will often collect data independently in the field, thus responsible, detail-oriented applicants are encouraged to apply. Applicants must be available for the full field season and must be willing to work weekends, holidays and evenings as needed. Housing will be provided, as well as a small stipend to cover general living expenses. International applicants must secure their own visas or other required documentation. CCS has a long history of conservation and research work with the North Atlantic right whale and Cape Cod Bay has been a major critical habitat for over 50% of the estimated population in recent years. This is an excellent opportunity for anyone wishing to expand their skills in marine mammal survey techniques, and will offer the successful applicant the unique chance to work with one of the world?s most endangered cetaceans. This internship will afford the successful applicant an invaluable opportunity to work within a well-established institution, with highly-qualified scientists, and to gain experience in photo-identification, matching, and data entry and analysis. Experience in oceanographic sampling can also be gained. Details of our work can be found on our website: http://coastalstudies.org/right-whale-research/ How to Apply: The application package should include the following attachment(s): 1. A cover letter describing your specific interests in marine mammal science, internship qualifications, and how the experience would assist you in reaching career goals 2. CV/resume 3. College transcripts (unofficial are sufficient) 4. The names and contact information of two references Please email application materials to Stephanie Richardson, srichardson at coastalstudies.org with the following text in the subject line: 2019 RW Observer Internship. *Deadline for submissions: September 30, 2019.* -- Stephanie Richardson Human Resource Manager Center for Coastal Studies 5 Holway Avenue Provincetown, MA 02657 t. (508) 487-3622 Ext. 113 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tom.brereton at marine-life.org.uk Fri Sep 6 09:51:19 2019 From: tom.brereton at marine-life.org.uk (Tom Brereton) Date: Fri, 6 Sep 2019 17:51:19 +0100 Subject: [MARMAM] MARINElife EXCITING OPPORTUNITY: RESEARCH CRUISE Message-ID: <019501d564d3$4eeab7a0$ecc026e0$@marine-life.org.uk> MARINElife EXCITING OPPORTUNITY: Volunteer cetacean and seabird survey opportunity - in the Western English Channel, Celtic and Irish Sea: In partnership with CEFAS, MARINElife will once again be joining the Peltic survey this autumn from Swansea, through the Celtic Sea and Irish Sea and English Channel, ending in Lowestoft. Two survey legs 14 days each. (1) 30th September or 3rd October to the 14th October (2) 14th October to the 28th October. A total of 28 days - part or both survey legs available. An excellent variety of cetacean and seabird species are likely to be encountered on this trip, with the opportunity to join and learn from a multidisciplinary team carrying out pelagic fish and plankton surveys and collecting oceanographic data. It is a great opportunity to contribute to analyses linking mammals and seabird sightings to prey availability. Please let us know if you are an experienced seabird and/or cetacean surveyor and have availability on these dates. Or are available for the first or second part of the survey, as there may be opportunity to split teams dependent on the level of response. All meals are provided on board the vessel; specific dietary requirements must be specified in your application. Bunks have a bed, en-suite bathroom, TV, desk and internet access. There is also access to the communal areas of the ship. Requirements: * Experienced in cetacean and/or seabird identification at sea. * A valid ENG1 medical certificate (see www.dft.gov.uk/mca/mcga-mgn264.pdf and http://www.dft.gov.uk/mca/mcga07-home/workingatsea/mcga-medicalcertandadvice /mcga-ml5-medicalinfo/mcga-approved-docs-list.htm ) * Personal Sea Survival Certificate (MCA approved Personal Survival Techniques (according to STCW 95 convention). Along with being able to attend a Working on or near the water course in Lowestoft in July or September. It is really important that you have or obtain the correct PST certificate to be able to join this trip. OR A BOSIET Offshore survival certificate OR STCW10 Sea survival course (Neither of the latter two would require the additional training in Lowestoft). If you would like to join the research team as a Marine Mammal & Seabird Surveyor, please email tom.brereton at marine-life.org.uk including a CV or brief summary of experience. I look forward to hearing from you. Tom Brereton -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From simon.ingram at plymouth.ac.uk Fri Sep 6 04:51:08 2019 From: simon.ingram at plymouth.ac.uk (Simon Ingram) Date: Fri, 6 Sep 2019 11:51:08 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Lectureship vacancy in Animal Biology, University of Plymouth, UK Message-ID: Lectureship vacancy in Animal Biology at the University of Plymouth, UK. Full-time permanent post - vertebrate biologists encouraged to apply! https://www.nature.com/naturecareers/job/lecturer-in-animal-biology-plymouth-university-pu-703551 The University of Plymouth is a centre of excellence in Marine Science and the post will be within the School of Biological and Marine Sciences https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/schools/school-of-biological-and-marine-sciences A fantastic opportunity to join our exciting, interdisciplinary marine vertebrate research group https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/marine-biology-and-ecology-research-centre/marine-vertebrates Simon Ingram, Associate Professor of Marine Conservation, University of Plymouth, UK ________________________________ [http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/images/email_footer.gif] This email and any files with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the recipient to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient then copying, distribution or other use of the information contained is strictly prohibited and you should not rely on it. If you have received this email in error please let the sender know immediately and delete it from your system(s). Internet emails are not necessarily secure. While we take every care, University of Plymouth accepts no responsibility for viruses and it is your responsibility to scan emails and their attachments. University of Plymouth does not accept responsibility for any changes made after it was sent. Nothing in this email or its attachments constitutes an order for goods or services unless accompanied by an official order form. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From gnicoletta at nmlc.org Thu Sep 5 06:38:05 2019 From: gnicoletta at nmlc.org (Gabbie Nicoletta) Date: Thu, 5 Sep 2019 09:38:05 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] National Marine Life Center Marine Animal Rehabilitation and Environmental Education Internship Message-ID: <002d01d563ef$2598eb90$70cac2b0$@nmlc.org> MARINE ANIMAL REHABILITATION & ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION INTERNSHIP The National Marine Life Center is now accepting applications for the Marine Animal Rehabilitation and Environmental Education Internship for Spring 2020. The application deadline is November 1, 2019. The internship will run from the first week of January through the third week of May. Animal Care Responsibilities: Depending on need and case load, interns will assist with the care of the NMLC rehabilitation patients including seals, sea turtles, and a variety of native turtle species. Animal Care duties will include animal restraint; cleaning; disinfecting tanks, equipment, and environmental enrichment devices; diet preparation; administering feeds (including tube feeding); record keeping; facility maintenance; and water quality testing. Interns will also assist animal care staff with medical procedures, admission exams, animal necropsies, and release events. Education Responsibilities: Interns will assist with environmental education programs, including on-site programs, off-site programs, fairs, and festivals. Programs will focus on marine animals, rehabilitation practices, conservation, and STEM activities. Interns will learn how to effectively interpret and educate guests of NMLC on marine animals and conservation. Interns may be asked to work in the gift shop and assist with various office projects such as fundraising and data entry. Opportunities may be available to create displays for the Discovery Center and help create lesson plans and activities that are aligned with the Massachusetts State Frameworks and Ocean Literacy Principles. Other Responsibilities: Each intern is assigned to multiple projects in different areas of the organization, e.g. research, fundraising, rehabilitation, marketing, social media or education. A weekly chore will be delegated to each intern to assist with the upkeep of the facility and equipment. Each intern is required to attend regularly scheduled meetings throughout their time at NMLC. At the end of the internship, each intern will deliver a presentation about their experience and projects to staff, volunteers, and members of the public. Positions are unpaid. Interns must have their own transportation. Housing is not provided, but NMLC will offer suggestions. Qualifications * Must be currently enrolled in, or recently graduated from an accredited college or university; preference will be given to students or recent graduates working towards biology, environmental studies, marine science, education, or other related fields. * Must demonstrate strong written and verbal communication skills. * Must be adaptable, responsible, hard working, willing to learn, and have attention to detail. * Must be able to work independently and as part of a team. * Must be willing to engage in a positive and informative manner with members of the public on a regular basis. * Must be willing to participate in and receive constructive feedback. * Must expect to work 30-40 hours per week, which can include early morning and/or late night seal feedings depending on the season. * If an intern plans to receive school credit for an internship they must notify staff prior to the start date, and it will be the responsibility of the intern to ensure all required paperwork is completed and submitted. To Apply: Send your resume, cover letter, and one letter of reference to internship at nmlc.org or P.O. Box 269, Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts 02532. Due to the high number of applications, only qualified candidates will be contacted. Gabriella Nicoletta Animal Care Assistant National Marine Life Center P.O. Box 269, 120 Main Street Buzzards Bay, MA 02532-0269 Office: (508)-743-9888 x306 Email: gnicoletta at nmlc.org www.nmlc.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmcinnes at uvic.ca Sat Sep 7 10:10:26 2019 From: jmcinnes at uvic.ca (jmcinnes at uvic.ca) Date: Sat, 7 Sep 2019 10:10:26 -0700 Subject: [MARMAM] Into the Kill: A Deeper Look at Bigg's Orcas Message-ID: <2e777487bd9a24648be57d0137be539f.squirrel@wm3.uvic.ca> I am pleased to announce the following article in Nature Aware Magazine: Into the Kill: A Deeper Look at Bigg's Orcas by Josh McInnes. Summer (2019). I first started investigating the ecology of transient (Bigg?s) killer whales in the early 2000?s off Southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Having grown up watching these killer whales hunting off the neighborhood pier, I was primarily interested in the relationship between the Salish Sea?s top predator and the numerous species of marine mammal prey they specialize in hunting. Over the years I have spent countless hours, sitting and observing from a small five meter boat, as groups of killer whales foraged in kelp beds throughout secluded bays. Often the transients would circle small islands and reefs, eyeing the seals basking meters from the water. Over time I began to recognize particular foraging routes or ?trap lines? that the whales would follow, linking multiple seal haulouts along southern Vancouver Island. Predation events on harbor seals were usually successful, and sometimes lasted only three to five minutes, with little evidence the hunt had even taken place. These short duration hunts were generally performed by solitary males. On other occasions, with larger groups, hunts would last longer with members actively circling, ramming, and slapping a seal with their flukes. These prolonged harbor seal hunts were presumably utilized as training exercises for juveniles and new calves. Once the seal was killed, members would quickly dispatch the prey by grasping onto it and pulling it apart into pieces, which would be then shared by all members of a group. The efficiency of how killer whales hunt harbor seals was historically noted by the Tlingit First Nations Peoples in Southeastern Alaska. They believed through legend that the killer whale was the teacher of all the uses of the harbor seal. According to one legend, hunters would call upon the help of killer whales when times were lean. By placing tobacco leaves in the mouths of killer whales, the whales would in return provide seals to a hungry community. You can find a PDF copy at or email me at jmcinnes at uvic.ca: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iwduBxrD1WZVWLUFkEiJE2Q5pZjFEXYJ/view?fbclid=IwAR2pBw3aVQojLAbUz-mMTxvVBSUdGGI14V3OZkkJRbE7qgzwmsIGWSfVraQ Josh McInnes, BSc Biology Research Coordinator Marine Life Studies P. O. Box 163 Moss Landing, CA 95039 jmcinnes at uvic.ca From abostwick at psocertifications.com Sat Sep 7 10:40:34 2019 From: abostwick at psocertifications.com (Angela Bostwick) Date: Sat, 07 Sep 2019 07:40:34 -1000 Subject: [MARMAM] PSO Training in Galveston TX Sept 28-29, 2019 Message-ID: <78ab574f76aa589dae33e7873a8f1706@psocertifications.com> MPSC is holding a training course in Galveston, TX which provides Protected Species Observer (also known as Marine Mammal Observer) certification on September 28-29. This class will include a tour of the Texas A&M University at Galveston's Sea Life Facility, a marine research and sea turtle rehabilitation laboratory, and also a private vessel trip. During the tour of the Sea Life Facility, we will discuss care of sea turtles and identifying traits of the different species of sea turtles found in the Gulf. The vessel trip will provide opportunity to practice the protected species monitoring identification techniques discussed in class; students will also be able to practice manual settings for wildlife photography using digital SLR cameras, and will learn to estimate distance using binoculars with reticles. This training is approved by the federal agencies Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) in coordination with National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to provide Protected Species Observer certification for seismic surveys, and is a long-standing industry standard which is often accepted in various regions or industries (such as renewable energy, construction, dredging) where monitoring and mitigation for protected species is needed. The course examines the regulations for reducing seismic survey impacts to marine mammals and sea turtles, how to visually locate and identify the animals, and objective documentation of animal behavior for reporting to regulatory agencies. A discounted rate is available for students/recent graduates, members of non-profit organizations and government/veterans. Lunch is provided each day, along with various identification guides and regulatory documents (yours to keep), advice on applying to PSO positions, the tour of the sea turtle rehabilitation facility, the vessel trip, and the professional certification. MPSC is also holding a PSO Certification course in Newport, Oregon on October 5th-6th. Additional information may be found on the MPSC website at http://www.protectedspeciesobservers.com/, by contacting me at ABostwick at PSOCertifications.com, or by phone at 832-523-2402. Thank you, Angela Bostwick Founder / Marine Protected Species Consulting ProtectedSpeciesObservers.com https://Facebook.com/ProtectedSpeciesObservers/ From research at cetalingua.com Sat Sep 7 13:26:02 2019 From: research at cetalingua.com (Cetalingua Research) Date: Sat, 07 Sep 2019 16:26:02 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] New Participatory Platform for Citizen Scientists: Citizen Science & AI to decipher marine mammal signals Message-ID: <20190907162602.Horde.bm5D8ERaCEMQ-t2UNnDZv0R@server217.web-hosting.com> Hello everyone, We are happy to announce our platform launch. We are Cetalingua Project, a membership-based participatory platform for citizen scientists. Our platform combines citizen science and artificial intelligence with the goal to crack the communication code of marine mammals. We are building a community of like-minded individuals bound by our love of oceans and their inhabitants, our curiosity, and our desire to solve the mysteries of this world. Our platform is designed to involve, to educate, and to practically train citizen scientists so they can tackle the more advanced data collection and analysis tasks that are needed if we are ever going to successfully crack the marine mammal communication code. With thousands of people participating in all kinds of water activities every week (paddle-boarding, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, fishing, boating, snorkeling, etc.), it becomes possible to collect a large body of behavioral, environmental, and acoustic data with our CetaKits and the CetaScript web app. These data sets can be used to train artificial intelligence models to first identify, classify, and categorize marine mammal vocalizations, then later, to attempt to crack the code. Machine learning has been used to decipher Linear B and could also be used to try and crack other undeciphered languages, like Linear A, rongorongo, even the Voynich manuscript. Deciphering complex non-human communication systems is important to better understand and to preserve marine life. Please check our platform out! Natalija Lace, PhD Founder/Principal Investigator Cetalingua Project cetalingua.com @cetalingua research at cetalingua.com From maca.agrelo at gmail.com Mon Sep 9 11:23:43 2019 From: maca.agrelo at gmail.com (Macarena Agrelo) Date: Mon, 9 Sep 2019 15:23:43 -0300 Subject: [MARMAM] New Paper: Spatial behavioural response of coastal bottlenose dolphins to habitat disturbance in southern Brazil In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear Colleagues, We are pleased to announce the publication of the following paper "Spatial behavioural response of coastal bottlenose dolphins to habitat disturbance in southern Brazil" in Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystem. Abstract: 1. A small population of coastal bottlenose dolphins (*Tursiops truncatus gephyreus*) inhabits the inland waters of Laguna, southern Brazil. A subset of this population interacts with artisanal fishermen. This specialized foraging tactic structures dolphin society into ?cooperatives??participants of the interaction?and ?non-cooperatives??non-participants. 2. Between 2012 and 2015, a bridge was constructed in Laguna over an important core area for dolphins. Photo-identification and georeferenced data collected on boat surveys, conducted both before and during bridge construction, were used to evaluate changes in both ?cooperative? and ?non-cooperative? dolphin distribution. 3. Changes in dolphin distribution were analysed with kernel densities and hurdle models. A grid of 120 1-km? cells was used to model dolphin distribution and the minimum distance from the grid cell centre to the bridge and to the area of gillnet use were defined as explanatory variables of human activities. Habitat descriptor (depth and distance) from the lagoon margin were also considered in the model procedure. 4. Dolphin distribution patterns shifted between periods. A core area used by ?non-cooperative? dolphins near the bridge construction works disappeared. The effects of habitat descriptor and anthropogenic activity on dolphin distribution also differed between periods. Before bridge construction, the abundance of ?non-cooperative? dolphin was higher close to the bridge area (p < 0.05). During bridge construction, the presence of ?cooperative? and ?non-cooperative? dolphins decreased significantly with the distance from gillnet fishing activity (p < 0.01; p < 0.001). 5. This study highlights the importance of accounting for individual variations in response when assessing the effects of a habitat disturbance, or when implementing conservation plans. Keywords: anthropic impacts, bottlenose dolphin, conservation, distribution, habitat disturbance, hurdle models Agrelo, M., Daura?Jorge, F. G., Bezamat, C., Silveira, T. C., Volkmer de Castilho, P., Rodrigues Pires, J. S., & Sim?es?Lopes, P. C. (2019). Spatial behavioural response of coastal bottlenose dolphins to habitat disturbance in southern Brazil. *Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems* . The article is available at the link below: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/aqc.3188 Best regards, Macarena Agrelo *Macarena Agrelo *[image: ?] Doutoranda em Ecologia Laborat?rio de Mam?feros Aqu?ticos - LAMAq Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina - UFSC - Brasil -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From RCarini at mmc.gov Mon Sep 9 08:08:46 2019 From: RCarini at mmc.gov (Roxanne Carini) Date: Mon, 9 Sep 2019 15:08:46 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] LAST CHANCE-- Survey: Communicating Science for the Conservation of Marine Mammals Message-ID: LAST CHANCE-- Survey: Communicating Science for the Conservation of Marine Mammals https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RJCsurvey Disclaimer: This survey is part of a study being conducted by Roxanne J Carini, PhD (the principal investigator), independent of her one-year Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship at the Marine Mammal Commission. Participation is voluntary and anonymous. The purpose of this survey is to better understand attitudes/opinions and levels of engagement of those who work on marine mammal issues regarding how scientific results are applied to marine mammal conservation, policy, and management. A similar survey was originally designed and conducted in 2007 by Vicki Cornish and Raychelle Daniel, while working for the Ocean Conservancy. The survey is re-administered, with minor changes for modernization, to assess current attitudes and how they might have changed since 2007. The results of this survey will be shared as a poster presentation at the World Marine Mammal Conference in Barcelona, Spain, in December 2019 (Abstract 1121). The results will also be distributed to the MARMAM list-serve and shared broadly with interested government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and others interested in improving communication efforts related to the conservation of marine mammals. This survey will be open on SurveyMonkey for a period of six weeks (until 20 September 2019). https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RJCsurvey Thank you, Roxanne J Carini Roxanne J Carini, PhD John A Knauss Marine Policy Fellow Marine Mammal Commission rcarini at mmc.gov | 301-504-0087 Twitter: @MarineMammalCom Website: www.mmc.gov -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From severine at thebdri.com Mon Sep 9 10:56:17 2019 From: severine at thebdri.com (Severine Methion) Date: Mon, 9 Sep 2019 17:56:17 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: foraging behavior and social organization in dolphins References: <311264863.4514496.1568051777391.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <311264863.4514496.1568051777391@mail.yahoo.com> Dear MARMAM colleagues, We are pleased to announce our new publication: Methion S, Diaz Lopez B (2019) Individual foraging variation drives social organization in bottlenose dolphins. doi:10.1093/beheco/arz160? Abstract Identifying foraging variation within a population and assessing its relationship with social structure is essential to increase knowledge about the evolution of social systems. Here, we investigated individual foraging variation in bottlenose dolphins and its potential influence on their social organization. We used generalized affiliation indices and applied social network analysis to data collected over four consecutive years of research in a coastal area subject to significant use and pressure by humans. Our findings revealed variation in foraging behavior among individual bottlenose dolphins, which in turn shapes their social organization. Our results indicated that individuals that frequently foraged within human-altered areas (i.e., shellfish farms) exhibited weaker Strength, Reach, and Affinity compared to others. These bottlenose dolphins profit from a reliable and easily located food source, which may increase their energy intake and interindividual competition. In contrast, individuals that foraged less frequently within the shellfish farms occupied a central position within the network and exhibited strong associations. These individuals may benefit from increased cooperation and reduced intragroup competition, thus increasing learning and information sharing, as they may face a patchy and irregular distribution of prey. We also demonstrated that bottlenose dolphins preferred to affiliate with other individuals with similar foraging strategies (i.e., homophily), which could promote, through time, a segregation of the population into behaviorally distinct groups. These findings provide valuable insight into the evolution of bottlenose dolphin social systems and their response to human-induced changes in the marine environment. The article can be found at the following link:?https://academic.oup.com/beheco/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/beheco/arz160/5566206 Feel free to contact me to request a pdf or for any question regarding our work at:?severine at thebdri.com Best regards, S?verine Methion, MSc PhD candidate, Universit? de Bordeaux Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute BDRI Av. Beiramar 192, 36980, O Grove, Pontevedra, Spain www.thebdri.com From c.hoeschle at bioconsult-sh.de Tue Sep 10 09:14:46 2019 From: c.hoeschle at bioconsult-sh.de (=?UTF-8?Q?Caroline_H=c3=b6schle?=) Date: Tue, 10 Sep 2019 18:14:46 +0200 Subject: [MARMAM] WMMC Workshop in Barcelona: Marine mammal surveys from satellite imagery: Applications, automation, and challenges Message-ID: <0a295a52-06c5-e91e-38fb-3b9460e9d207@bioconsult-sh.de> Dear all, the workshop "Marine mammal surveys from satellite imagery: Applications, automation, and challenges" will take place in Barcelona: with this workshop we aim to show the latest findings in the emerging field of satellite imagery, applied to great whale species. The workshop will provide participants with manual and automated detection methods, shedding light on high performance computing and automatization performance. We will start with an overview of satellite products leading to species- and region-specific proofs-of concepts. Details: https://www.wmmconference.org/workshops/#Marine%20mammal%20surveys%20from%20satellite%20imagery:%20Applications,%20automation,%20and%20challenges Workshop Leaders: Caroline Hoeschle: c.hoeschle at bioconsult-sh.de (BioConsult SH, Germany) Hannah Cubaynes: hannah.cubaynes at gmail.com (British Antarctic Survey (BAS), UK) Workshop Date & Time: Saturday, December 7, 2019, 08:30-17:30 (full day) We look forward to seeing you in Barcelona, cheers, Caro and Hannah -- Caroline H?schle BioConsult SH GmbH & Co.KG Schob?ller Str. 36 25813 Husum Tel: +49 (0) 48 41 66329 14 Fax: +49 (0) 48 41 66329 19 www.bioconsult-sh.de BioConsult SH GmbH & Co.KG. Sitz der Gesellschaft: Husum. Amtsgericht Flensburg: HRA 6160 FL. Gesch?ftsf?hrer: BioConsult SH Verwaltungs-GmbH. Sitz der Gesellschaft: Husum. Amtsgericht Flensburg: HRB 7148 FL. Gesch?ftsf?hrer: Dr. Georg Nehls. Hinweis: Die Speicherung und Verarbeitung Ihrer Daten erfolgt gem?? der DSGVO. N?heres dazu k?nnen Sie der Datenschutzinformation auf unserer Homepage entnehmen. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jason.mulsow at nmmpfoundation.org Tue Sep 10 12:59:57 2019 From: jason.mulsow at nmmpfoundation.org (Jason Mulsow) Date: Tue, 10 Sep 2019 12:59:57 -0700 Subject: [MARMAM] WMMC 2019: Coll Perske Memorial Fund for Marine Mammals Student Presentation Awards Message-ID: <38C8E8E1-D554-46CB-A48D-8D891EA77A2D@nmmpfoundation.org> WMMC 2019: Coll Perske Memorial Fund for Marine Mammals Student Presentation Awards Call for Applications (Due October 1, 2019) On April 28, 2014, we lost an amazing friend and colleague, Coll Gordon Perske. To honor Coll?s life and unwavering dedication to marine mammals, the National Marine Mammal Foundation established the Coll Perske Memorial Fund for Marine Mammals. The mission of the fund is to improve the lives of marine mammals, with a focus on California sea lions, through scientific research, education, and promotion of ocean stewardship. Award Description The Coll Perske Memorial Fund will be providing two $200 awards for the World Marine Mammal Conference (WMMC) in Barcelona, Spain (December 9-12, 2019). Awards will be given to student members (undergraduate or graduate) of the Society for Marine Mammalogy (SMM) or European Cetacean Society (ECS) that are selected for oral presentations regarding research with pinnipeds. Award winners will be chosen based on the quality of their abstracts, and the alignment of their research with the interests of the Coll Perske Memorial Fund (see https://www.cgpfund.org). Special consideration will be given to research projects with California sea lions, which were of special importance to Coll. To apply, please send the following material to cgpfund at gmail.com by October 1, 2019: 1. A copy of the abstract submitted to the WMMC 2. Proof of student registration for the WMMC 3. Proof of acceptance for an oral presentation Award winners will be notified in October 2019. For more information please visit https://www.cgpfund.org On behalf of the committee, Jason Jason Mulsow, Ph.D. Deputy Director, Biologic and Bioacoustic Sciences National Marine Mammal Foundation jason.mulsow at nmmf.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Molly.Schubert at MyFWC.com Wed Sep 11 06:22:00 2019 From: Molly.Schubert at MyFWC.com (Schubert, Molly) Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2019 13:22:00 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] MARINE MAMMAL INTERNSHIP IN PORT CHARLOTTE, FL Message-ID: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Marine Mammals section at the Charlotte Harbor Field Lab in Port Charlotte, FL is accepting applications for fall interns. The Southwest Field Lab is offering two internships to driven, self-motivated individuals for the Spring 2020 season. The expected start date for the internship is mid to late January, however, start dates will be flexible. Working hours are typically four to five days a week, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Some additional night and weekend hours may be required. The position is located in Port Charlotte on the west coast of Florida, just north of Fort Myers. The intern's duties would include assisting with manatee and cetacean carcass salvage, necropsies, research projects (temperature monitoring, Photo ID, etc.), public outreach, and occasional rescues. The intern will also assist with office duties including mortality reports, upkeep of databases, and other office work as needed. To perform the tasks mentioned, interns will operate FWC trucks and dependent upon experience, trailers and boats up to 22' in length. At the end of the internship, interns are required to complete a project and a 10-15 minute presentation on a marine mammal topic of their choosing. Unfortunately, this is an unpaid position and FWC cannot provide housing or transportation. Qualifications: * College juniors, seniors, recent graduates, and graduate students are eligible * Interns must have some research field experience * Interns must be comfortable operating large trucks and speaking to the public * Familiarity with digital cameras, telephoto lenses, and filters is preferred, but can be trained * Computer literacy * Previous animal handling experience is desirable but not necessary * Ability to trailer and operate watercrafts up to 22' in length and experience with radio telemetry tracking gear is desirable, but not necessary * Interns must be able to lift 50 lbs., swim, and possess a valid US driver's license * Interns should understand that this job will require them to be wet, dirty and outdoors in all weather conditions for long periods of time Application Process: If you are interested in applying for an internship with FWRI, please provide the following information: * A cover letter describing area(s) of interest and the dates, days, and hours of availability * A resume describing training and experience * Names and contact information for at least three references * An unofficial copy of your academic transcript Please send these items as e-mail attachments to: Interns at MyFWC.com If electronic submission is not possible, hard copies can be mailed to: Internship Coordinator 585 Prineville Street Port Charlotte, FL 33954 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From peter.boveng at noaa.gov Tue Sep 10 17:48:40 2019 From: peter.boveng at noaa.gov (Peter Boveng - NOAA Federal) Date: Tue, 10 Sep 2019 17:48:40 -0700 Subject: [MARMAM] Alaska pinnipeds research position Message-ID: A marine mammal-related job opening has just been posted by the University of Washington Joint Institute for the Study of Atmosphere and Oceans (JISAO). The position, located in Seattle, Washington, contributes to several projects conducted cooperatively by JISAO and the NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Marine Mammal Laboratory. The duties are primarily focused on instrument-based assessment of remote pinniped populations in Alaska. The announcement, instructions for applying, and more details are available on the web at https://uwhires.admin.washington.edu/ENG/Candidates/default.cfm?szCategory=jobprofile&szOrderID=171484 *Peter Boveng, PhD* *Polar Ecosystems Program Leader* Marine Mammal Laboratory NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center +1.206.526.4244 peter.boveng at noaa.gov https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/about/marine-mammal-laboratory -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From william.p.kay at swansea.ac.uk Wed Sep 11 05:01:24 2019 From: william.p.kay at swansea.ac.uk (Kay William.P.) Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2019 12:01:24 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Minimizing the impact of biologging devices - Research Article in Methods in Ecology and Evolution Message-ID: Dear MARMAM, I am pleased to share with you all our paper in Methods in Ecology and Evolution on minimizing the impact of biologging devices. We think that this paper will be of broad interest to marine mammologists and particularly those conducting their research using biologging devices: Kay WP, Naumann DS, Bowen HJ, Withers SJ, Evans BJ, Wilson RP, Stringell TB, Bull JC, Hopkins PW, B?rger L (2019) Minimizing the impact of biologging devices: Using computational fluid dynamics for optimizing tag design and positioning. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 10(8), 1222-1233. URL: https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/2041-210X.13216 Summary: In this paper we sought to find the best way to minimize the drag of biologging tags. We used Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to model how drag changed with tag size, shape and positioning. Our results showed that improving tag shape is more important than reducing size, suggesting that the persistent aim to ?miniaturize? biologging devices may be too simplistic. We also observed that having a hydrodynamic design can reduce the effect of positioning on tag-induced drag. This is important as it is of course not always possible to place a device in the optimum position on an animal with respect to minimizing drag. We also provide a step-by-step guide for ecologists to repeat our method and we hope this will encourage future partnerships. There is also an associated blog piece, published yesterday, which provides a more informal overview of the work. You can find this here: https://methodsblog.com/2019/09/10/biologging-cfd/ For any correspondence, please email: william.p.kay at swansea.ac.uk. Best, William Kay and co-authors -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From AHarnish at cascadiaresearch.org Thu Sep 12 12:02:25 2019 From: AHarnish at cascadiaresearch.org (Annette Harnish) Date: Thu, 12 Sep 2019 19:02:25 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Recent Publication: Survival of a Common Bottlenose Dolphin Calf with a Presumptive Gunshot Wound Message-ID: Dear colleagues, On behalf of my coauthors, I am excited to announce the publication of the following short note, "Survival of a Common Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Calf with a Presumptive Gunshot Wound to the Head" in Aquatic Mammals. No abstract is available, so we've included this short summary: Documented gunshot wounds in odontocetes are a rare occurrence, but have been previously reported in several locations within the United States. Depredation of bait or catch from fishermen has been identified through anecdotal accounts as a reason behind shootings, though confirmation of the circumstances behind any gunshot wound is difficult. We report the apparent shooting and short-term survival of a dependent common bottlenose dolphin calf from the resident O?ahu insular population, based on community science photo contributions. The calf was first documented in November 2017 and from the sighting history of its mother it was at most 4.5 months old when first documented. Photographs from 30 June and 14 July 2018 show a wound characteristic of a gunshot injury on the melon, with a small, round wound with inverted margins on the right side, and a larger, more irregular wound with an extruded margin on the left side, consistent with entry and exit wounds, respectively. Throughout both encounters, the calf did not display any unusual behaviors, swimming alongside its mother and surfacing at regular intervals. Subsequent encounters over the following eleven months show that the wound gradually healed over, eventually leaving only a small depigmented scar and area of visibly healed tissue over the original entry wound on the right side, and a single larger depigmented scar and area of lighter pigmentation over the area of the original exit wound on the left side. While the calf did not display any obvious changes in body condition or behavior, it was estimated to be at most 23 months of age when last seen and thus still dependent upon its mother. It is not known whether the calf will be able to echolocate and feed independently following weaning, and therefore further encounters will be required to assess long-term survival and body condition. The full text is available for purchase from Aquatic Mammals at the following link, or feel free to contact us for a copy. https://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1950%3Asurvival-of-a-common-bottlenose-dolphin-tursiops-truncatus-calf-with-a-presumptive-gunshot-wound-to-the-head&catid=177&Itemid=326 Regards, Annette Harnish Research Assistant Cascadia Research Collective http://www.cascadiaresearch.org/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From eduardo.morteo at gmail.com Wed Sep 11 11:48:21 2019 From: eduardo.morteo at gmail.com (Eduardo Morteo) Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2019 13:48:21 -0500 Subject: [MARMAM] New paper: Bottlenose dolphins' behavior towards artisanal fisheries Message-ID: <55E67975-0095-40B7-81CF-DC5B810BD50A@gmail.com> Dear All, On behalf of my co-authors, I'm pleased to announce the publication of our article: Morales-Rincon, N., Morteo, E., & Delf?n-Alfonso, C. (n.d.). Influence of artisanal fisheries on the behaviour and social structure of Tursiops truncatus in the South-western Gulf of Mexico. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 1-9. doi:10.1017/S002531541900078X Abstract Behavioural plasticity in animals is tested whenever competitive interactions for space and/or food resources occur between wildlife and human activities. This study uses the concepts of operational and non-operational interactions between bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and artisanal fisheries in Alvarado, to search for differences in behaviour, age structure and group size. We conducted 20 surveys between 2015 and 2016, and recorded 64 groups by means of scan sampling from either a research boat or a fixed vantage point. Average dolphin group size was small (x= 3.2, SD = 2.2 individuals) and fewer individuals were commonly present when interaction with fisheries occurred. Operational interactions were defined within the first 30 m and occurred mainly with lone individuals (54% recorded from the lighthouse and 82% during surveys); this benchmark also accounted for higher frequencies in locomotion and feeding (X2= 83.10; df = 7; P< 0.001). We found a higher rate of new behavioural events for dolphin groups furthest from human activities, as well as a decrease in behaviours that imply greater body exposure as dolphins approach the fishing spots. Age structure and dolphin group size were not different during and in the absence of interaction with fisheries, but most interactions involved male dolphins. Behavioural variations in the dolphins' repertoire are likely a strategy to reduce the risk of injuries or death when interacting with human activities; these dolphins seem to have habituated to or at least tolerate fishing activities within the study area, possibly constituting a sex-biased pressure. The article is available at: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-the-marine-biological-association-of-the-united-kingdom/article/influence-of-artisanal-fisheries-on-the-behaviour-and-social-structure-of-tursiops-truncatus-in-the-southwestern-gulf-of-mexico/B20E3B49C090BBA3C135110FD3A82B5C?fbclid=IwAR1WgFkzNDPwBBseFyGjAejep0SuoGo2U9LpWOiX2Tmv1142qHSnv0jNE1Q To request a PDF copy, please email me at eduardo.morteo at gmail.com Cheers, Eduardo Morteo, Dr. Head Researcher Level C Marine Mammal Laboratory (LabMMar, IIB-ICIMAP) Institute of Biological Research Universidad Veracruzana Calle Dr. Castelazo Ayala S/N, Col. Industrial ?nimas, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico, CP 91190. Ph/Tel: +52 (228) 841 89 00 E-mail: emorteo at uv.mx http://www.uv.mx/personal/emorteo/ http://uv-mx.academia.edu/EMorteo https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Eduardo_Morteo/?ev=hdr_xprf http://scholar.google.com.mx/citations?user=fDUl-IIAAAAJ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jon.kurland at noaa.gov Wed Sep 11 22:09:31 2019 From: jon.kurland at noaa.gov (Jon Kurland - NOAA Federal) Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2019 21:09:31 -0800 Subject: [MARMAM] Protected Resources Job Opportunity Message-ID: NOAA Fisheries Alaska Region, Protected Resources Division, is advertising to fill a second Marine Mammal Specialist position (different from the marine mammal stranding coordinator job posted last month). This is a ZP-401-2/3 position (GS 7/9 or 11/12 equivalent) located in Anchorage, and involves co-management of subsistence use of northern fur seals with our Alaska Native partners on the Pribilof Islands, as well as opportunities to work on other marine mammal conservation issues. The job is posted three ways: MAP (status applicants) and DE (non-status applicants) at the ZP-2 level, and Direct Hire (all qualified applicants) at the ZP-3 level. The announcements open on Thursday, September 12, 2019, and close on Wednesday, September 25, 2019. Please encourage qualified people to apply, and forward this email to anyone who may be interested. Anyone with questions should contact Greg Balogh (907-271-3023 or greg.balogh at noaa.gov) or me (907-586-7638 or jon.kurland at noaa.gov). Thanks! *Job Announcement # (MAP): * NMFS-AKR-2019-0022 https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/545354300 *Job Announcement # (DE/CR):* NMFS-AKR-2019-0020 https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/545354400 *Job Announcement # (DHA):* NMFS-AKR-2019-0030 https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/545354500 Jon Kurland Assistant Regional Administrator for Protected Resources NOAA Fisheries, Alaska Region -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kate.goggin at noaa.gov Fri Sep 13 09:27:08 2019 From: kate.goggin at noaa.gov (Kate Goggin - NOAA Federal) Date: Fri, 13 Sep 2019 12:27:08 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] =?utf-8?q?Comments_requested=3A_Proposed_Rule_-_to_issue?= =?utf-8?q?_seven-year_regulations_under_the_Marine_Mammal_Protecti?= =?utf-8?q?on_Act_=28MMPA=29_to_govern_the_incidental_take_of_marin?= =?utf-8?q?e_mammals_by_the_U=2ES=2E_Navy=E2=80=99s_in_the_Hawaii-S?= =?utf-8?q?outhern_California_Training_and_Testing_=28HSTT=29_Study?= =?utf-8?q?_Area?= Message-ID: NOAA Fisheries is proposing to issue seven-year regulations under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to govern the incidental take of marine mammals by the U.S. Navy?s in the Hawaii-Southern California Training and Testing (HSTT) Study Area. The regulations would be valid from the publication date of the final rule (if issued) through December 20, 2025. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was recently amended to allow for seven-year authorizations under the MMPA for military readiness activities. The Navy?s activities qualify as military readiness activities pursuant to the MMPA. This seven-year rule and subsequent Letters of Authorization would replace the existing five-year rule published on December 27, 2018 (83 FR 66846) and Letters of Authorization. NOAA Fisheries? proposed regulations and the subsequent Letters of Authorization include identical required mitigation and monitoring measures that are expected to reduce adverse impacts to marine mammals as those required under the existing five-year final rule and Letters of Authorization. The Navy?s activities are likely to result in the incidental take of marine mammals by exposing them to sonar, in-water detonations, airguns, and pile driving/removal activities. The proposed takes authorized by this action are Level B harassment in the form of behavioral disturbance and temporary threshold shift takes and Level A harassment in the form of permanent threshold shift and other injury from exposure to explosives. A small number of serious injury or mortality takes are also proposed for this action from ship explosives and vessel strikes. The HSTT Study Area includes existing range complexes and testing ranges and additional areas located in the Pacific Ocean along southern California and Hawaii. The HSTT Study Area includes three existing range complexes: the Southern California (SOCAL) Range Complex, Hawaii Range Complex (HRC), and the Silver Strand Training Complex (SSTC). Range complexes include established operating areas (OPAREAs) and special use airspace. In addition, the Study Area includes Navy pierside locations and areas on the high seas where maintenance, training, or testing may occur. The public is invited to comment on the proposed regulations here: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/09/13/2019-18850/taking-and-importing-marine-mammals-taking-marine-mammals-incidental-to-the-us-navy-training-and Please visit our HSTT webpage for more information about this action or https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/node/23111 for more information on NOAA?s incidental take program under the MMPA. Kate Goggin HQ Office of Protected Resources Lead Communications Specialist (301) 427-8400 Main (301) 427-8411 Direct Kate.Goggin at noaa.gov -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Ladd.Irvine at oregonstate.edu Thu Sep 12 14:58:02 2019 From: Ladd.Irvine at oregonstate.edu (Irvine, Ladd) Date: Thu, 12 Sep 2019 21:58:02 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New paper on scales of blue and fin whale feeding behavior Message-ID: <2B335812A381FA4997712E835EAA256F0135AED5B4@ex4.oregonstate.edu> Hello everyone, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the open-access publication of our paper in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution: Irvine LM, Palacios DM, Lagerquist BA and Mate BR (2019) Scales of Blue and Fin Whale Feeding Behavior off California, USA, With Implications for Prey Patchiness. Front. Ecol. Evol. 7:338. doi: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00338 Abstract: Intermediate-duration archival tags were attached to eight blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus; four females, three males, one of unknown sex), and five fin whales (B. physalus; two females, one male, two of unknown sex) off southern California, USA, in summer 2014 and 2015. Tags logged 1-Hz data from tri-axial accelerometers, magnetometers, and a depth sensor, while acquiring Fastloc GPS locations. Tag attachment duration ranged from 18.3 to 28.9 d for blue whales and 4.9-16.0 d for fin whales, recording 1,030-4,603 dives and 95-3,338 GPS locations per whale across both species. Feeding lunges (identified from accelerometer data) were used to characterize "feeding bouts" (i.e., sequences of feeding dives with <60 min of consecutive non-feeding dives), within-bout behavior, and to examine the spatial distribution of feeding effort. Whales fed near the tagging locations (Point Mugu and San Miguel Island) for up to 7 d before dispersing as far south as Ensenada, Mexico, and north to Cape Mendocino, California. Dispersal within southern California waters differed by sex in both species with males undertaking offshore, circuitous excursions, while females remained more coastal, suggesting that movement patterns on the feeding grounds may not be exclusively related to energy gain. Feeding bout characteristics were similar for both species, with the median bout having 24 dives and lasting 3.3 h for blue whales (n = 242), and 19 dives while lasting 2.7 h for fin whales (n = 59). Bout duration was positively correlated with the number of feeding lunges per dive within a bout for both species, suggesting whales left poor-quality prey patches quickly but fed intensively for up to 34.9 h when prey was abundant. Feeding bouts occurred further apart as the distance from shore increased, but there was no corresponding difference in the number of feeding lunges per dive, suggesting the whales were feeding at the same rate throughout their range, but that prey was more dispersed in offshore waters. This may be evidence of two feeding strategies, with spatially aggregated foraging around highly localized, topographically forced upwelling centers nearshore, and more dispersed foraging in larger areas of elevated, but patchy, productivity offshore. The underlying data are being published as a Movebank Repository under a Creative Commons Zero license as: Irvine, L. M., Palacios, D. M., Lagerquist, B. A., Mate, B. R., and Follett, T. M. (2019). Data from: scales of blue and fin whale feeding behavior off California, USA, with implications for prey patchiness. Movebank Data Repos. doi: 10.5441/001/1.47h576f2 (Note: this is not quite active yet but will be soon) Finally, a press release accompanying the article has also been prepared by the OSU News & Research Communications Office: https://today.oregonstate.edu/news/how-long-does-whale-feed-new-data-gives-insight-blue-and-fin-whale-behavior Cheers, Ladd Irvine Sr. Faculty Research Assistant Oregon State University Marine Mammal Institute Hatfield Marine Science Center 2030 S Marine Science Dr. Newport, OR 97365 Phone: 541-867-0394 http://mmi.oregonstate.edu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From laura.joan at gmail.com Thu Sep 12 15:00:21 2019 From: laura.joan at gmail.com (Laura Joan Feyrer) Date: Thu, 12 Sep 2019 19:00:21 -0300 Subject: [MARMAM] First record of XXY in marine mammals and intersex sequencing method: new publication Message-ID: On behalf of my co-authors I'm excited to announce our publication in the Journal of Mammalogy which describes: (1) the first records of genetically intersex cetaceans and (2) the sequencing method for determining XXY chromosome condition in mammals. Please contact Dr. Einfeldt (tony.einfeldt at gmail.com) for a PDF. Einfeldt, A. Orbach, D., & Feyrer, L.J. A method for determining sex and chromosome copy number: sex-by-sequencing reveals the first two species of marine mammals with XXY chromosome condition, Journal of Mammalogy, gyz131, https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyz131 Abstract Molecular assays of sex determination typically rely on qualitative evaluation of sex-linked markers, which can lead to uncertainty when results contradict morphological identifiers of sex. To investigate whether disagreement between phenotypic and genotypic assays of sex could be underpinned by variation in sex chromosome copy number, we developed a quantitative genetic method to determine sex that is broadly applicable to mammals with XY sex determination. We sequenced a region of the zinc-finger gene ZF, which has fixed genetic differences between the X and Y chromosomes, and screened 173 cetacean specimens for ZFX?ZFY haplotype identity and read depth. Using a subset of 90 male specimens, we demonstrate that haplotype read depth is an accurate estimator of chromosome copy number. We identified three specimens representing two different cetacean species that had external female morphological traits, Y chromosome haplotypes, and ratios of ZFX:ZFY haplotypes that were above the 1:1 value expected for genetic males. These results provide the first evidence of XXY aneuploidy in cetaceans. Investigation of the reproductive tract of one specimen, a True?s beaked whale (Mesoplodon mirus), revealed an intersex phenotype; despite having external characteristics typically diagnostic for the female sex, a penis and testes were present. Our results suggest that intersex phenotypes may be associated with XXY aneuploidy, and that this phenomenon may be underestimated due to it not being detectable by qualitative assays for determining sex. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Stephen_Trumble at baylor.edu Fri Sep 13 05:49:49 2019 From: Stephen_Trumble at baylor.edu (Trumble, Stephen) Date: Fri, 13 Sep 2019 12:49:49 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Faculty position mammalian physiology, Baylor University, Waco Texas Message-ID: Baylor seeks to fill the following tenure-track faculty position in the Department of Biology: Assistant Professor of Comparative Mammalian Physiology The Department of Biology in the College of Arts & Sciences (www.baylor.edu/artsandsciences/) seeks applications to fill a tenure-track faculty position (Assistant Professor) in the area of comparative mammalian physiology. We are specifically seeking a candidate whose research is relevant to mammalian disease and health with training in vertebrate physiology including (but not limited to) integrative physiology, metabolic physiology, environmental physiology, endocrinology or stress physiology. The Department of Biology keenly values diversity amongst its faculty and students and believes it is essential to achieving excellence. Successful candidates will show a strong record of innovative and integrative research and will establish a competitive and externally funded research program that contributes to broader departmental goals as well as emerging and existing university-wide initiatives in Global Health. Further, this candidate will teach at undergraduate and graduate levels and contribute to service and leadership within the department, the university, and the scientific community. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, but to ensure full consideration, complete applications must be submitted by 10/15/2019. Visit apply.interfolio.com/67105 for more details about this position or contact the Search Committee Chair, Dr. Stephen Trumble, at Mammalian_Physiology at baylor.edu. Baylor University is a private not-for-profit university affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. As an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer, Baylor is committed to compliance with all applicable anti-discrimination laws, including those regarding age, race, color, sex, national origin, marital status, pregnancy status, military service, genetic information, and disability. As a religious educational institution, Baylor is lawfully permitted to consider an applicant's religion as a selection criterion. Baylor encourages women, minorities, veterans, and individuals with disabilities to apply Stephen J. Trumble, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Biology Baylor University 101 Bagby Ave Waco, Texas 76706 Phone: 254-710-2128 Fax: 254-710-2969 E-mail: Stephen_Trumble at baylor.edu LEAP: http://sites.baylor.edu/trumblelab/ [cid:D8384ADC-CFFC-42AA-A6F4-ACA2FC35F03B] -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: winmail.dat Type: application/ms-tnef Size: 31118 bytes Desc: not available URL: From carissa.cabrera at h-mar.org Sat Sep 14 11:38:45 2019 From: carissa.cabrera at h-mar.org (Carissa Cabrera) Date: Sat, 14 Sep 2019 08:38:45 -1000 Subject: [MARMAM] HAWAII MARINE ANIMAL RESPONSE EDUCATION & ENGAGEMENTINTERNSHIP Message-ID: Hawaii Marine Animal Response is now accepting applications for our Education and Engagement internship. Our Education and Engagement Program visits classrooms, attends community events, develops educational resources, assists in educating tour operators on conservation, and works closely with students and the public. Education and Engagement Intern Responsibilities: Interns will be responsible for assisting and contributing to educational events in the classroom, at the local aquarium, and other scheduled outreach events. As part of your internship, you will develop an educational resource or project that can be used in K-12 classrooms and contribute to our organization?s newsletter. Other Responsibilities: Interns can be assigned to other projects in different areas of the organization to gain a wider variety of skills, e.g. field response, rescue support, and/or social media depending on the needs of the organization. Internship Information: Internship dates are flexible but a commitment of 12 weeks is required. Positions are unpaid. Interns should have their own transportation. Housing is not provided. A minimum commitment of 20 hours per week is expected of volunteers. We do offer 40 hour per week internships as well. Qualifications: Must demonstrate strong written and verbal communication skills. Must be willing to be trained on effective conservation communication. Must be able to work independently and as part of a team. Remote work is expected as part of this internship. Must be able to speak in front of crowds. Must be adaptable, responsible, hard working, willing to learn, and have attention to detail. Must be willing to engage in a positive and informative manner with volunteers and members of the public on a regular basis. Must be willing to engage with different viewpoints on conservation in a respectful manner. Past education or outreach experience is preferred but not required. Internship dates are flexible but a commitment of 12 weeks is required. Must expect to work 20 hours per week, some of which can be remote. To Apply: Visit http://h-mar.org/apply and fill out your internship application. Additional materials including cover letter, CV and references are also required. Due to the high number of applications, only qualified candidates will be contacted and applications will be reviewed and offers extended on a first-in basis. Carissa Cabrera Programs Manager Carissa.cabrera at h-mar.org 602-717-6186 Learn more at h-mar.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From carissa.cabrera at h-mar.org Sat Sep 14 11:38:06 2019 From: carissa.cabrera at h-mar.org (Carissa Cabrera) Date: Sat, 14 Sep 2019 08:38:06 -1000 Subject: [MARMAM] HAWAII MARINE ANIMAL RESPONSE: MARINE DEBRIS & MARINE OPERATIONS INTERNSHIP Message-ID: Hawaii Marine Animal Response is now accepting applications for our new Marine Debris and Marine Operations Internship. Our operations in the fields of marine debris and marine operations support two primary missions: (1) conducting marine debris surveys and removal operations, and (2) building and maintaining capacity to support offshore marine animal response and stranding support. Internship dates are flexible but a commitment of 12 weeks is required. Marine Debris Responsibilities: MDP interns will be play a significant role in the execution of marine debris program activities such as underwater cleaning of near-shore waters to remove hazardous marine debris on snorkel and SCUBA, data collection and management, and supporting volunteer dive teams throughout the island of Oahu. At least 50% of this internship is in-water activities, meaning successful applicants will have strong understanding and confidence in dive safety and small boat operations. Marine Operations Responsibilities: HMAR?s marine operations assets include access and two small vessels to clean Oahu nearshore areas. A 14-foot inflatable boat and a WaveRunner jetski with tow boards are used to execute offshore dives. Experience with small boat operation is highly desired to ensure the safety and efficiency of dives. Other Responsibilities: Each intern can be assigned to other projects in different areas of the organization to gain a wider variety of skills, e.g. education and outreach, field response, rescue support, and/or social media depending on the needs of the organization. Positions are unpaid. Interns must have their own transportation. Housing is not provided. A minimum commitment of 20 hours per week is expected of volunteers. We do offer 40 hour per week internships as well. Qualifications: Must be at least Rescue certified on SCUBA with DAN dive insurance at the ?Preferred,? level. Small boat operation experience is highly desired. Must be comfortable on small boats and in marine operations environments including open-ocean conditions. Must be able to work independently and as part of a team. Must be able to demonstrate your diving and physical ability. Must be adaptable, responsible, hardworking, willing to learn, and have attention to detail. Must demonstrate strong written and verbal communication skills. Must be willing to engage in a positive and informative manner with volunteers and members of the public on a regular basis. Must expect to work 20 hours per week, which can include scheduling dives, data entry, executing dives, categorizing debris, and summarizing findings. To Apply: Visit http://h-mar.org/apply and fill out your internship application. Additional materials including cover letter, CV and references are also required. Due to the high number of applications, only qualified candidates will be contacted and applications will be reviewed and offers extended on a first-in basis. For questions, reach out to Carissa Cabrera, Programs Manager at Carissa.cabrera at h-mar.org. Learn more at http://h-mar.org" -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kdudzinski at dolphincommunicationproject.org Mon Sep 16 05:21:17 2019 From: kdudzinski at dolphincommunicationproject.org (Kathleen Dudzinski) Date: Mon, 16 Sep 2019 08:21:17 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] Aquatic Mammals issue 45.5 is available online Message-ID: <5C4EB48A-A7B3-40D3-88E0-C456A95C0B51@dolphincommunicationproject.org> Dear MARMAM and ECS Talk subscribers, Apologies to those of you who will receive duplicate emails due to cross-posting. The following titles represent the contents of the most recent issue (Volume 45, issue 5, 2019) of Aquatic Mammals. For individuals with a print subscription, the double print copy of 45.5/45.6 will be mailed in late November. I encourage you to visit the website not only for the recent issue but also because we have a new ?Meet the Editorial Team? page under the ?About Us? menu option. With this new feature, our readers and authors can virtually meet our editorial team. Aquatic Mammals is the longest running peer-reviewed journal dedicated to research on aquatic mammals and is published quarterly with manuscripts available as published PDFs in real time. Further information about the journal can be found at: http://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/ To submit a manuscript for publication consideration, please visit: http://am.expressacademic.org/actions/author.php Thank you for your continued interest in the journal and abstract postings. With regards, Kathleen M. Dudzinski, Ph.D. Editor, Aquatic Mammals Journal business at aquaticmammalsjournal.org Fletcher M. J. Mingramm, Tamara Keeley, Deanne J. Whitworth, and Rebecca A. Dunlop. (2019). Relationships Between Blubber and Respiratory Vapour Steroid Hormone Concentrations in Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). Aquatic Mammals 45(5), 465-477. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.45.5.2019.465 Agathe Serres, Yujiang Hao, and Ding Wang. (2019). Agonistic Interactions and Dominance Relationships in Three Groups of Captive Odontocetes: Method of Assessment and Inter-Species/Group Comparison. Aquatic Mammals 45(5), 478-499. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.45.5.2019.478 Alexander Werth, Peter van de Graaf, and Rebecca Desjardins. (2019). A Method to Replace Whale Gingival Tissue for Long-Term Study or Exhibition of Full Baleen Racks. Aquatic Mammals 45(5), 500-506. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.45.5.2019.500 H?ctor P?rez-Puig, Gisela Heckel, and Lorayne Meltzer. (2019). First Leucistic Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Sighting Registered in the Gulf of California, Mexico. Aquatic Mammals 45(5), 507-512. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.45.5.2019.507 Lauren T. Harshaw, Iskande V. Larkin, Charles R. Staples, Karen C. Scott, and Richard C. Hill. (2019). In Vivo Apparent Digestibility of Fiber in Florida Manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) Under Human Care. Aquatic Mammals 45(5), 513-524. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.45.5.2019.513 Ting Li, Hao Wu, Caiwen Wu, Guang Yang, and Bingyao Chen. (2019). Molecular Identification of Stranded Cetaceans in Coastal China. Aquatic Mammals 45(5), 525-532. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.45.5.2019.525 Adam M. Schaefer, Gregory D. Bossart, Tyler Harrington, Patricia A. Fair, Peter J. McCarthy, and John S. Reif. (2019). Temporal Changes in Antibiotic Resistance Among Bacteria Isolated from Common Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida, 2003-2015. Aquatic Mammals 45(5), 533-542. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.45.5.2019.533 Annette E. Harnish, Jim Ault, Chuck Babbitt, Frances M. D. Gulland, Paul C. Johnson, Noelle L. Shaughnessy, Kimberly A. Wood, and Robin W. Baird. (2019). Survival of a Common Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Calf with a Presumptive Gunshot Wound to the Head. Aquatic Mammals 45(5), 543-548. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.45.5.2019.543 Ronald A. Kastelein, Lean Helder-Hoek, Suzanne Cornelisse, L?onie A. E. Huijser, and Robin Gransier. (2019). Temporary Hearing Threshold Shift in Harbor Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) Due to One-Sixth-Octave Noise Band at 32 kHz. Aquatic Mammals 45(5), 549-562. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.45.5.2019.549 Sarah E. Tubbs, Aylin Akkaya Ba?, Gabrielle C?t?, Amy L. Jones, and Gillian Notman. (2019). Sighting and Stranding Reports of Irrawaddy Dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris) and Dugongs (Dugong dugon) in Kep and Kampot, Cambodia. Aquatic Mammals 45(5), 563-568. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.45.5.2019.563 Brandon L. Southall, James J. Finneran, Colleen Reichmuth, Paul E. Nachtigall, Darlene R. Ketten, Ann E. Bowles, William T. Ellison, Douglas P. Nowacek, and Peter L. Tyack. (2019). Errata: Marine Mammal Noise Exposure Criteria: Updated Scientific Recommendations for Residual Hearing Effects. Aquatic Mammals 45(5), 569-572. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.45.5.2019.569 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From solveig.enoksen at nammco.no Mon Sep 16 07:45:38 2019 From: solveig.enoksen at nammco.no (Solveig Enoksen) Date: Mon, 16 Sep 2019 14:45:38 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: Estimates of the abundance of cetaceans in the central North Atlantic based on the NASS Icelandic and Faroese shipboard surveys conducted in 2015 Message-ID: <74FC21A7-7A71-4601-9A7A-E1FCF35FD581@nammco.no> Dear MARMAM community, The North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission is pleased to announce the early online publication of the third article of Volume 11 in our Scientific Publication Series, ?Estimates of the abundance of cetaceans in the central North Atlantic based on the NASS Icelandic and Faroese shipboard surveys conducted in 2015? by Daniel G. Pike, Thorvaldur Gunnlaugsson, Bjarni Mikkelsen, Sverrir D. Halld?rsson and G?sli V?kingsson. Abstract: The North Atlantic Sightings Survey (NASS), the sixth in a series of surveys conducted between 1987 and 2015, was conducted in June/July 2015 and covered a large area of the northern North Atlantic. The Icelandic and Faroese ship survey component of the NASS covered the area between the Faroe Islands and East Greenland from latitude 52? to 72? N. The survey used 3 vessels and an independent double-platform configuration with each platform staffed by a minimum of 2 observers. Here we present both uncorrected abundance estimates derived using Multiple Covariates Distance Sampling, and corrected abundance estimates derived using Mark-Recapture Distance Sampling, for the following species: fin (Balaenoptera physalus), common minke (B. acutorstrata), humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae), blue (B. musculus), sei (B. borealis), sperm (Physeter macrocephalus), long-finned pilot (Globicephala melas) and northern bottlenose (Hyperoodon ampullatus) whales as well as white-beaked (Lagenorhynchus albirostris) and white-sided (L. acutus) dolphins. We then compare these estimates to those from previous NASS and put them into context with estimates from adjoining areas of the North Atlantic. The article is open access and available here: https://doi.org/10.7557/3.4941 Volume 11 - Sightings Surveys in the North Atlantic: 30 years of counting whales will consist of a series of articles dealing with the results of NASS, a series of internationally coordinated cetacean surveys that were conducted in the North Atlantic in 1987, 1989, 1995, 2001, 2007 and 2015. It will also include articles dealing with other surveys done in the North Atlantic in the period 1987-2016. Best, Solveig Enoksen Editorial Assistant, NAMMCO Scientific Publications Series Scientific & Communication Assistant NAMMCO - North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission POB 6453, N-9294 Troms?, Norway +47 77 68 73 71, solveig.enoksen at nammco.no, http://www.nammco.org/, http://www.facebook.com/nammco.org/ https://twitter.com/NAMMCO_sec [NammRGB email] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 1989 bytes Desc: image001.jpg URL: From gabrielsky22 at gmail.com Sat Sep 14 17:12:00 2019 From: gabrielsky22 at gmail.com (Machovsky Capuska Gabriel) Date: Sun, 15 Sep 2019 10:12:00 +1000 Subject: [MARMAM] New paper entitled the Nutritional Ecology of Marine Apex Predators In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear Marmam, We are pleased to announce the publication of our paper entitled ?The Nutritional Ecology of Marine Apex Predators? Gabriel E. Machovsky-Capuska & David Raubenheimer *https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev-marine-010318-095411 * Abstract Apex predators play pivotal roles in marine ecosystems, mediated principally through diet and nutrition. Yet, compared with terrestrial animals, the nutritional ecology of marine predators is poorly understood. One reason is that the field has adhered to an approach that evaluates diet principally in terms of energy gain. Studies in terrestrial systems, by contrast, increasingly adopt a multidimensional approach, the nutritional geometry framework, that distinguishes specific nutrients and calories. We provide evidence that a nutritional approach is likewise relevant to marine apex predators, then demonstrate how nutritional geometry can characterize the nutrient and energy content of marine prey. Next, we show how this framework can be used to reconceptualize ecological interactions via the ecological niche concept, and close with a consideration of its application to problems in marine predator research. Please feel free to contact me for the pdf including the name of the paper in the subject area (to avoid spam emails!). We also welcome enquiries regarding to the possibility of exploring new research collaborations on this field. Regards, Gabriel Dr. GABRIEL MACHOVSKY-CAPUSKA Adjunct Senior Research Fellow Level 4 East | D17 - Education and Research Hub, The Charles Perkins Centre| The University of Sydney | NSW | 2006 *T* +61 2 9351 8020 | *F* +61 2 9351 3056 | *M *+61 406 419 396 *http://gabrielmachovsky.com/ * http://sydney.edu.au/perkins/research/current-research/human-animal-interactions.shtml https://sydney.edu.au/charles-perkins-centre/our-research/current-research/nutrition/human-food-chain.html -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From holly_morin at uri.edu Tue Sep 17 08:30:55 2019 From: holly_morin at uri.edu (Holly Morin) Date: Tue, 17 Sep 2019 11:30:55 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] Reminder: Anthropogenic Sound Source Webinar on Commercial Vessel Noise, September 18, 2019, 12pm EDT Message-ID: *apologies for cross-postings** As part of the 2019 Underwater Sound Sources Webinar Series , the Discovery of Sound in the Sea (DOSITS) Team will host a free, 60-minute webinar on commercial vessel noise as an underwater sound source, tomorrow, Wednesday, September 18, 2019, at 12pm EDT. This webinar, led by Michelle Sanders and Tabitha Takeda (Transport Canada), will provide an overview of the sound source, an update on current research efforts, and a review of noise mitigation measures. An extended period of facilitated discussion will also be included. Interested individuals must register in advance for this webinar. To register please visit: https://dosits.org/decision-makers/webinar-series/webinars-2019/ An outline of for this webinar presentation, with links to relevant DOSITS content, is available on the Decision Makers Webinars page. Participants are encouraged to review this outline, as well as archived webinars on the potential effects of underwater sound on marine animals, before each sound source webinar. All webinars will be recorded and archived on the DOSITS website (Decision Makers Webinars ). A second anthropogenic sound source webinar will be led by Frans-Peter Lam (TNO) and Kelly Benoit-Bird (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute), and will focus on military sonars and echosounders, respectively. This webinar will take place at 12:00pm EDT on Thursday, October 10, 2019. To learn more about this webinar series or to view previous webinars, please visit the DOSITS webpage, Decision Makers Webinars . Associated webinars and their resources were conducted in 2018, and have been archived here . Questions? Please contact Holly Morin at holly_morin at uri.edu . -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jeffrey.bernus at afbiodiversite.fr Mon Sep 16 07:16:44 2019 From: jeffrey.bernus at afbiodiversite.fr (BERNUS Jeffrey) Date: Mon, 16 Sep 2019 16:16:44 +0200 (CEST) Subject: [MARMAM] CARI'MAM inscription 3rd Meeting and PAM training (Caribbean Marine Mammal Preservation Network). Dead line 22/09/2019 - Message-ID: <921772675.33017097.1568643404246.JavaMail.zimbra@afbiodiversite.fr> Hello everyone, The CARI'MAM (Caribbean Marine Mammal Preservation Network) team is organizing a Passive Acoustic Monitoring training/Workshop (31 October & 1st November) and the 3rd CARI'MAM meeting (2nd & 3rd November) . All the MPA managers, scientists and NGOs working on marine mammals especially in the Caribbean are welcome to register. (DEAD LINE -> 22/09/2019). The registration form is available here: [ https://formulaires.afbiodiversite.fr/carimam-inscription-caribbean-marine-mammal-preservation-network-1567714418 | https://formulaires.afbiodiversite.fr/carimam-inscription-caribbean-marine-mammal-preservation-network-1567714418 ] Please check that you have received an email confirming you registration. You will also find the program of these 4 days and the last meeting's report at this address. These two events are organized in Dominican Republic (presumably in La Romana) in order to be more sustainable and save flights for those participating in the GFCI conference the following week ( [ https://www.gcfi.org/gcfi-72-conference/ | https://www.gcfi.org/gcfi-72-conference/ ] ). The passive acoustic monitoring workshop is a mandatory prerequisite to participate to the CARI'MAM passive acoustic monitoring observatory project (Caribbean scale), including the possibility of partnership with the Agoa Sanctuary to benefits of hydrophones loans. This training will include underwater practice, don't forget your swimwear. It is open to junior biologist as well. The CARI'MAM meeting itself will include workshops about communication and awareness raising, data management and citizen science tools, and relation between human activities and marine mammals (including whale watching). The Agoa Sanctuary, through the CARI'MAM project, is offering the accommodation (all inclusive) for all participants of the workshop and CARI'MAM meeting. To let us organize this offer the best way possible, please register for the 22th September at the latest. Do not hesitate to extend this invitation to your colleagues and partners. And if you have any question, feel free to contact G?rald Mannaerts (Head of the project - gerald.mannaerts at afbiodiversite.fr) or myself ( scientific coordinator- jeffrey.bernus at afbiodiversite.fr). Best regards Jeffrey Bernus Coordinateur scientifique Mammif?res Marins Projet CARI'MAM [ callto:+596 (0)6 96 33 19 15 | +596 (0)6 96 33?1 ] 8 32 Sanctuaire Agoa - Agence Fran?aise pour la Biodiversit? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Logo AGOA_rvb.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 473060 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: interreg_CARAIBES_FR_RGB.png Type: image/png Size: 41661 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Logo AFB_HD.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 53909 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Element graphique_HD.png Type: image/png Size: 625566 bytes Desc: not available URL: From T.Clay at liverpool.ac.uk Mon Sep 16 04:37:24 2019 From: T.Clay at liverpool.ac.uk (Clay, Thomas) Date: Mon, 16 Sep 2019 11:37:24 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New paper on responses of Burmeister's porpoise to pingers Message-ID: Hi all, We are pleased to share with you our new paper: Clay TA, Alfaro-Shigueto J, Godley BJ, Tregenza N, Mangel JC (2019) Pingers reduce the activity of Burmeister?s porpoises around small-scale gillnet vessels. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 626:198-208 - https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v626/p197-208/ Abstract: Incidental mortality (bycatch) in gillnet fisheries is a major threat to many cetacean populations. Acoustic alarms or pingers are a widely adopted management tool used to deter dolphins and porpoises from nets; however, their efficacy is largely species- and fishery-dependent. As such, results from experimental trials may have limited transferability to poorly studied species or fisheries. Here, we investigated the effect of pingers on the behaviour of Burmeister?s porpoise Phocoena spinipinnis in the vicinity of the Peruvian small-scale driftnet fleet. Over a 4 yr period (2009-2012), 116 control (without pingers) and 94 experimental (with pingers) fishing sets were observed, and porpoise acoustic activity around nets was recorded using passive acoustic loggers (C-PODs). We modelled variation in detection rates as a function of pinger use and habitat covariates, and found that in regions of preferred habitat associated with cooler (17-18?C), shallow waters (within the 100 m isobath), the use of pingers lead to an 86% reduction in porpoise activity around nets. Our results suggest that pingers are likely to be particularly effective at deterring Burmeister?s porpoises from fishing nets, and given the vast capacity of this and other fleets in the region, may substantially reduce mortality. This study also emphasizes the potential of passive acoustic monitoring to determine the effectiveness of bycatch mitigation measures, both for species for which visual observations are scarce, and also in regions where gathering statistically meaningful bycatch rates is logistically challenging. This work is part of an ongoing collaboration between ProDelphinus and the University of Exeter. Best regards, Tommy Clay Postdoctoral Research Associate School of Environmental Sciences University of Liverpool Liverpool L69 3GP, UK -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tbouveroux at gmail.com Tue Sep 17 12:18:05 2019 From: tbouveroux at gmail.com (Bouveroux Thibaut) Date: Tue, 17 Sep 2019 14:18:05 -0500 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: The first assessment of social organisation of the Indian Ocean humpback dolphin (Sousa plumbea) along the south coast of South Africa (Thibaut Bouveroux) Message-ID: <992CFA83-3167-42F9-9DCB-ACC38FE1CD62@gmail.com> Dear colleagues, We are pleased to announce the publication of the following article: Thibaut Bouveroux, Stephen P. Kirkman, Danielle Conry, O. Alejandra Vargas-Fonseca, Pierre A. Pistorius (2019) The first assessment of social organisation of the Indian Ocean humpback dolphin (Sousa plumbea) along the south coast of South Africa. Canadian Journal of Zoology pp. 855-865 | https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2018-0244 Abstract: The Indian Ocean humpback dolphin (Sousa plumbea (G. Cuvier, 1829)) is the most endangered marine mammal species in South Africa, and the overall decline of its abundance and group size may affect the social organisation of the species, potentially accentuating its vulnerability. Understanding the social organisation is therefore particularly relevant to conservation efforts. From photo-identification surveys along the south coast of South Africa from March 2014 to June 2015, we quantified association patterns and investigated the social organisation of Indian Ocean humpback dolphins using the half-weight index, social cluster, and network analyses. During the 101 surveys conducted and 553 h of survey effort, 98 sightings of dolphins were recorded and 65 individuals identified. Using individuals seen at least three times, this study reveals that the social network is well differentiated, as strong social divisions exist between individuals that seem to be split into four distinctive social clusters. Network strength was low; approximately half of the associations were low to moderate, whereas some individuals were strongly associated, especially between four pairs of individuals. Although this study is based on a limited number of individuals, our study nevertheless suggests that the atypical strong social bonds recorded here could result from behavioural responses following the decline in group size and abundance. For more information, you can access to this paper using the following link: https://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/full/10.1139/cjz-2018-0244?fbclid=IwAR0wDnaZuWoI0v37NdvHn5d0DwBgkGaa3HWH1RZj8kzewQPvN4iJfGOX_RU#.XYEtAZNKhE5 For a PDF copy, you can also send an email at: tbouveroux at gmail.com Enjoy the read! Best regards, ------------------------------------------------------ Thibaut Bouveroux, PhD Postdoctoral Fellow University of South Alabama Dauphin Island Sea Lab 101 Bienville Blvd Dauphin Island, AL 36528 +1 (251) 895 3090 tbouveroux at disl.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From wendy.vangool at worldcetaceanalliance.org Tue Sep 17 03:51:39 2019 From: wendy.vangool at worldcetaceanalliance.org (wendy.vangool at worldcetaceanalliance.org) Date: Tue, 17 Sep 2019 12:51:39 +0200 Subject: [MARMAM] Travel deals for the World Whale Conference, Hervey Bay, Australia Message-ID: <024c01d56d45$e2ed6f40$a8c84dc0$@worldcetaceanalliance.org> A final call for any MARMAMers wishing to attend the World Whale Conference and see the whales in magnificent Hervey Bay from 7-11 October. Qantas, our airline partner, is offering great flight deals for conference delegates and Budget are offering discounted car rental. Please visit this link to take advantage: https://www.worldwhaleconference.com/Travel/Getting-There There is an exciting line up of speakers and great activities being arranged by World Cetacean Alliance's conference co-host Fraser Coast Tourism and Events including: * Scientific programme focusing on cetacean migrations and ecotourism. * Responsible whale watching programme (including captivity and sanctuaries update). * Whale Heritage Sites Summit. * Community and arts initiatives that relate people to cetaceans. * Human behaviour change training to help ensure effective messaging for marine conservation. * Whale watching trips in World Class Hervey Bay. * Stranding event - rescue training. Please refer to the conference website for more detail and regular updates. https://www.worldwhaleconference.com/ We look forward to hosting you in Australia, Kind regards WCA Conference Organising Team World Cetacean Alliance Studio 3, Lower Promenade Madeira Drive, Brighton, BN2 1ET, UK. +44 1273 355011 +32 494405 4379 UK Charity No:1160484 --- This email has been checked for viruses by AVG. https://www.avg.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.gif Type: image/gif Size: 70 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image002.png Type: image/png Size: 66757 bytes Desc: not available URL: From abostwick at psocertifications.com Sat Sep 21 11:22:28 2019 From: abostwick at psocertifications.com (Angela Bostwick) Date: Sat, 21 Sep 2019 08:22:28 -1000 Subject: [MARMAM] Protected Species Observer Training in Newport, OR Oct 5-6 Message-ID: <8268d4858655ed1bdc7c51d8d8adb172@psocertifications.com> MPSC is holding a training course in Newport, Oregon which provides Protected Species Observer (also known as Marine Mammal Observer) certification on October 5th and 6th, 2019. This class will include a vessel trip and admission to the Oregon Coast Aquarium, where the course will be taking place. The vessel trip will provide opportunity to practice the protected species monitoring identification techniques discussed in class; students will also be able to practice manual settings for wildlife photography using digital SLR cameras, and will learn to estimate distance using binoculars with reticles (cameras and binoculars provided for use). This course will also include a special guest speaker from National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), who will discuss life as an observer and different types of wildlife observer work. This training is approved by the federal agencies Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) in coordination with NMFS to provide Protected Species Observer certification for seismic surveys, and is a long-standing industry standard which is often accepted in various other regions or industries (such as renewable energy, dredging, construction, blasting, and pile driving) where monitoring and mitigation for protected species is needed. The course examines the regulations for reducing impacts to marine mammals and sea turtles, how to visually locate and identify the animals, and objective documentation of animal behavior for reporting to regulatory agencies. A discounted rate is available for students/recent graduates, government/veterans, and non-profit organizations. Lunch is provided each day, along with various identification guides and regulatory documents (yours to keep), advice on applying to PSO positions, admission to the aquarium, the vessel trip, and the professional certification. MPSC will also be holding a PSO course in Galveston, TX on September 28-29, which will include a vessel trip and a tour of the TAMUG sea turtle care facility. Additional information may be found on the MPSC website at http://www.protectedspeciesobservers.com/, by contacting me at ABostwick at PSOCertifications.com, or by phone at 832-523-2402. Thank you, Angela Bostwick Founder / Marine Protected Species Consulting ProtectedSpeciesObservers.com https://Facebook.com/ProtectedSpeciesObservers/ From bruno at thebdri.com Fri Sep 20 02:11:39 2019 From: bruno at thebdri.com (Bruno Diaz Lopez) Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2019 09:11:39 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [MARMAM] 2020 - Internships at Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute References: <847611705.10085587.1568970699862.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <847611705.10085587.1568970699862@mail.yahoo.com> The Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute, a research institution dedicated since 2005 to the understanding and conservation of marine mammals and the marine environment in which they live, is now accepting applications for its Internship Program 2020.? Our scientific research experience and commitment to research, education, and conservation make our center an important source of knowledge about marine biodiversity and the environment for scientists, undergraduate and postgraduate students, and the public. This training experience provides the opportunity for highly motivated individuals to work with and learn from a multidisciplinary team of marine mammal scientists, including internationally renowned investigators. We offer participants their first experience of a marine megafauna long-term project by involving them in the routine activities associated with different research projects. The position is located in O Grove (Galicia, NW Spain). The BDRI is a very international environment, and the everyday working language is English. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION - An internship period at the BDRI offers an excellent opportunity for interested and motivated people to obtain field and laboratory experience in marine megafauna (cetaceans, marine birds, sharks, and otters) field research methodology and data analysis. With state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, participants are trained to get involved with multiple research projects involving a combination of boat-based surveys onboard research vessels, land-based observations, laboratory work (photo-identification, GIS, bioacoustics, diet analysis, diving behaviour, video analysis, database work, etc), and strandings (response, rescue, necropsy, and data collection). While you?ll benefit from specialized research training, you?ll need the drive to make the most of our research programs working side by side with the chief biologist (Dr. Bruno Diaz Lopez), and other experienced researchers (Severine Methion, PhD candidate & marine ecologist and Oriol Giralt, PhD candidate & marine biologist). The incredible diversity of cetaceans present in Galician waters allows the BDRI team to have several ongoing research projects focused on the study of the ecology and behaviour of cetaceans (bottlenose dolphins, harbour porpoises, Risso?s dolphins, common dolphins, striped dolphins, pilot whales, humpback whales, minke whales, sei whales, fin whales, and blue whales), marine birds, Eurasian otters, and sharks. ? ADDITIONAL INFORMATION - Internships are open to applicants 18 years of age or older. An academic background in biology, veterinary or natural science, coupled with motivation and interest in marine research make the most qualified individuals. Start and end dates are flexible depending on the needs of the institute and the intern?s availability, but the position requires a minimum of 30 days continuous commitment sometime between January 2020 through to November 2020. Approved applications are accepted on a first-come, first serve basis. BDRI internships are not paid and this training experience requires a tuition fee which is used to off-set the cost of training, use of research equipment, facilities and research vessels, shared accommodation, and other expenses. The fee reflects the real world costs and expenses that go into making the research program possible and the BDRI Internship Program worthwhile. HOW TO APPLY - Interested candidates should submit an e-mail to info at thebdri.com, and we will provide you further information about the program. Approved applications are accepted on a first-come, first serve basis. Positions are open until filled (maximum 15 vacancies). For more information and details, please visit: ? Some of our ex-interns shared their BDRI internship experience at: ? For regular updates with photos and videos about our programs and research activities feel free to visit BDRI?s reputation for success rests solidly on its ability to carry out studies published in prestigious scientific journals. Scientific articles published by the BDRI team in 2019 (for a full list of publications please visit: ): - Methion S, Diaz Lopez B (2019) Individual foraging variation drives social organization in bottlenose dolphins. Behavioral Ecology. doi:10.1093/beheco/arz160? - Diaz Lopez B, Methion S (2019) Habitat drivers of endangered rorqual whales in a highly impacted upwelling region. Ecological Indicators 103, 610 ? 616.? - Methion B, Diaz Lopez B (2019) First record of atypical pigmentation pattern in fin whale Balaenoptera physalus in the Atlantic Ocean. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, 135:121-?125.? - Diaz Lopez B, Methion S, Giralt Paradell O (2019) Living on the edge: Overlap between a marine predator?s habitat use and fisheries in the Northeast Atlantic waters (NW Spain). Progress in Oceanography 175, 115 ? 223.? - Methion S, Diaz Lopez B (2019) Natural and anthropogenic drivers of foraging behaviour in bottlenose dolphins: influence of shellfish aquaculture. Aquatic Conservation Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 29(6), 927-937.? - Giralt Paradell O, Diaz Lopez B, Methion S, (2019) Modelling common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) coastal distribution and habitat use: insights for conservation. Ocean and Coastal Management 179, 104836.? - Diaz Lopez B (2019) "Hot deals at sea": responses of a top predator (Bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus) to human-induced changes in the coastal ecosystem. Behavioural Ecology 2(3), 291-300. Bruno Diaz Lopez Ph.D Chief biologist and Director The Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute BDRI Avenida Beiramar 192, O Grove 36980, Pontevedra, Spain www.thebdri.com 0034 684248552 Like us on?Facebook (thebdri). Follow us on?Instagram (thebdri). Mention us on?Twitter (thebdri). This email is confidential to the intended recipient(s) and the contents may be legally privileged or contain proprietary and private informations. It is intended solely for the person to whom it is addressed. If you are not an intended recipient, you may not review, copy or distribute this email. If received in error, please notify the sender and delete the message from your system immediately. Please note that neither the Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute BDRI nor the sender accept any responsibility for any viruses and it is your responsibility to scan the email and the attachments (if any). Thank you for your cooperation. From djt at smruconsulting.com Thu Sep 19 08:59:01 2019 From: djt at smruconsulting.com (Dominic Tollit) Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2019 15:59:01 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Job Vacancies at SMRU Consulting North America for senior acoustician and software engineer Message-ID: Job Vacancies at SMRU Consulting North America for senior acoustician and software engineer SMRU Consulting NA are looking for a senior acoustician and a software engineer. Posts are full-time and permanent with salary commensurate with experience. Please see the details in the relevant job postings found here: http://www.smruconsulting.com/job-vacancies/ * Software Engineer * Senior Acoustician Apply: Please send us a covering letter telling us why you would be a great hire together with a copy of your resume to: info at smruconsulting.com Closing date: 15th October 2019 Thanks for your response. Dr Jason Wood Operations Manager SMRU Consulting NA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jeremy.kiszka at gmail.com Thu Sep 19 03:16:58 2019 From: jeremy.kiszka at gmail.com (Jeremy KISZKA) Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2019 13:16:58 +0300 Subject: [MARMAM] Call for potential contributors - Special issue on small cetacean conservation in Frontiers in Marine Science Message-ID: <959382D4-4F07-46BF-9223-14A2A599037D@gmail.com> Dear MARMAM subscribers A number of colleagues and I are conducting an initial survey of interest to identify potential contributors for a Research Topic for the journal Frontiers in Marine Science (https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science ) entitled Small Cetacean Conservation: current challenges and opportunities. With their unique mixes of varied contributions from Original Research to Review Articles, Research Topics unify the most influential researchers, the latest key findings and historical advances in a hot research area. Here is a description of this Research Topic. Small Cetacean Conservation: current challenges and opportunities There are currently 47 extant species of dolphins and porpoises worldwide. They occur throughout a range of ecosystems, from freshwater habitats to the open ocean and from polar regions to the tropics. Despite decades of research and public awareness, an increasing number of these species have become threatened with significant population declines and, in some cases, extinction due to anthropogenic threats such as fisheries interactions (particularly bycatch), water-borne pollution, coastal development and noise. This new topic will aim to publish the most up-to-date research on the conservation status of small cetaceans around the globe. We welcome papers that address critical conservation issues, but also reviews with a broad scope (e.g. global patterns of threats, mitigation to reduce human impacts, effects of climate change, current knowledge gaps and future directions in research). Contributions from developing countries, where research and conservation challenges are particularly important are strongly encouraged. Although low-cost methods to reduce human impacts on populations will be of particular interest, Frontiers in Marine Science Marine Megafauna will welcome any contributions on ecology, genetics, evolution and behavior that will contribute to a better understanding of the impact that human activities have on populations of small cetaceans around the globe. Please contact me to submit a provisory title and the list of authors for a potential contribution as soon as possible. The deadline to submit manuscript via the online system of Frontiers in Marine Science will be March 15th, 2020. Thank you very much! Best, Jeremy Kiszka, Randall Davis, Lars Bejder, Robert Harcourt and Mark Meekan (Special Topic Editors and Guest Editors) -------------------------------------------- Jeremy Kiszka (PhD) Florida International University Department of Biological Sciences Center for Coastal Oceans Research (InWE) & Tropical Conservation Institute Tel. (305) 919 5234 (office) Mobile. (786) 717 9797 (cell) Skype: jeremy.kiszka Website: https://ccor.fiu.edu -------------------------------------------- -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jpowell at cmaquarium.org Fri Sep 20 05:27:56 2019 From: jpowell at cmaquarium.org (James Powell) Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2019 12:27:56 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Sirenews call for articles due 1 October Message-ID: <114B56C7-51D1-49A9-8CAD-3DA2B6499A78@contoso.com> Sirenews call for articles. The editors of Sirenews, the IUCN newsletter for the Sirenia Specialist Group, wish to invite authors to submit short articles related to sirenian research and conservation to sirenews at sea2shore.org. Material should be submitted in MS Word, less than 500 words in length and may contain photographs, tables and graphs. Recent literature, abstracts, announcements, and news of general interest may also be submitted. Deadline for submission is 1 October 2019. Buddy Powell Bob Bonde Editors -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mia.wege at gmail.com Wed Sep 18 17:01:51 2019 From: mia.wege at gmail.com (Mia Wege) Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2019 12:01:51 +1200 Subject: [MARMAM] =?utf-8?q?New_paper=3A_Preferred=2C_small=E2=80=91scale_?= =?utf-8?q?foraging_areas_of_two_Southern_Ocean_fur_seal_species_ar?= =?utf-8?q?e_not_determined_by_habitat_characteristics?= In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear MARMAM, On behalf of all co-authors, I am pleased to announce the publication of our article about habitat use by three closely situated fur seal colonies at sub-Antarctic Marion Island and how environmental drivers that are known to commonly influence fur seal foraging behaiviour, does not explain their small-scale spatial segregation. *Citation: * Wege, M., de Bruyn, P.J.N., Hindell, M.A., Lea, M.A. & Bester, M.N. (2019). Preferred, small-scale foraging areas of two Southern Ocean fur seal species are not determined by habitat characteristics. *BMC Ecol.* *19*, Article number: 36 This article, published in BMC Ecology is freely available at: https://bmcecol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12898-019-0252-x Abstract: Background To understand and predict the distribution of foragers, it is crucial to identify the factors that affect individual movement decisions at different scales. Individuals are expected to adjust their foraging movements to the hierarchical spatial distribution of resources. At a small local scale, spatial segregation in foraging habitat happens among individuals of closely situated colonies. If foraging segregation is due to differences in distribution of resources, we would expect segregated foraging areas to have divergent habitat characteristics. Results We investigated how environmental characteristics of preferred foraging areas differ between two closely situated Subantarctic fur seal (*Arctocephalus tropicalis*) colonies and a single Antarctic fur seal (*A. gazella*) colony that forage in different pelagic areas even though they are located well within each other?s foraging range. We further investigated the influence of the seasonal cycle on those environmental factors. This study used tracking data from 121 adult female Subantarctic and Antarctic fur seals, collected during summer and winter (2009?2015), from three different colonies. Boosted Regression Tree species distribution models were used to determine key environmental variables associated with areas of fur seal restricted search behaviour. There were no differences in the relative influence of key environmental variables between colonies and seasons. The variables with the most influence for each colony and season were latitude, longitude and magnitude of sea-currents. The influence of latitude and longitude is a by-product of the species? distinct foraging areas, despite the close proximity (< 25 km) of the colonies. The predicted potential foraging areas for each colony changed from summer to winter, reflecting the seasonal cycle of the Southern Ocean. The model predicted that the potential foraging areas of females from the three colonies should overlap, and the fact they do not in reality indicates that factors other than environmental are influencing the location of each colony?s foraging area. Conclusions The results indicated that small scale spatial segregation of foraging habitats is not driven by bottom-up processes. It is therefore important to also consider other potential drivers, e.g. competition, information transfer, and memory, to understand animal foraging decisions and movements. Thank you, Mia -- Mia Wege, PhD Postdoctoral Fellow Gateway Antarctica School of Earth and Environment College of Science University of Canterbury https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mia_Wege?ev=hdr_xprf http://www.marionseals.com/mia-wege -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From recruitment at osc.co.uk Wed Sep 18 10:19:14 2019 From: recruitment at osc.co.uk (Recruitment) Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2019 17:19:14 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] 2 x dual MMO/PAM vacancies: short-duration In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear MMOs and PAMOs, OSC has two imminent positions available, which are on two separate projects. Each of these independent positions requires 1 x dual MMO/PAM, for which the primary role will be MMO, but in the event of poor visibility (e.g. fog), then the MMO will set up the PAM equipment and revert to PAM duties. A summary of project details are as follows: Offshore windfarm survey in Scotland from 25th September (latest schedule) for an estimated 12 days. Offshore windfarm survey in England from 24th September (latest schedule) until 01st October (estimated), so about 7 days. This vacancy is restricted to EU citizens, or overseas citizens in possession of a current work visa. Please feel free to share this email with any colleagues who might be seeking work, and for any applicants who have not worked for OSC previously or recently, we will require scans/copies of your CV, passport, degree certificate(s), MMO and PAM, survival and medical. Kind regards, -- Recruitment Ocean Science Consulting Limited (OSC) Spott Road, Dunbar, East Lothian, EH42 1RR, Scotland, UK T: +44 (0)1368 865 722 W: www.osc.co.uk -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From rwallace at ursinus.edu Sat Sep 21 07:48:37 2019 From: rwallace at ursinus.edu (Wallace, Richard) Date: Sat, 21 Sep 2019 14:48:37 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Ocean ethics, and John Reynolds' last work Message-ID: <31A17476-7128-4AD7-A95B-D2FB798D0144@ursinus.edu> Dear Marmam folks, I thought it would be of general enough interest to the Marmam community to share with you some of the work that John E. Reynolds, III was doing when he passed away in December 2017, and which has just now been published. For those who didn?t know John, he was senior scientist at Mote Marine Laboratory, and long-time chair of the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission and (before that) chair of MMC?s Committee of Scientific Advisors. John, Sherryl Gilbert, and I were working on an analysis of lessons learned from the Deepwater Horizon disaster, and were in the process of writing it up when he passed. The resulting article, a forum piece in the journal BioScience, is entitled ?Improving the integration of restoration and conservation in marine and coastal ecosystems: Lessons from the Deepwater Horizon disaster.? It was published online this week, is open access, and is available here: https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biz103. The paper describes the challenges of learning and applying conservation lessons from the Deepwater Horizon and previous oil industry disasters, and culminates in our joining with the many voices in our community who have long called for an ocean ethic. Though it may seem pie-in-the-sky to pit calls for an ?ocean ethic? against the neoliberal forces of oil exploration, John was forever optimistic about soldiering on, despite the odds. We honor and remember him with this publication and hope that it contributes to further consideration of the values and advocacy needed to protect our marine and coastal species and ecosystems. Sincerely, Rich Wallace -- Richard L. Wallace Professor, Department of Environmental Studies Co-Director, Whittaker Environmental Research Station Ursinus College 601 E. Main Street Collegeville, PA 19426 USA (610) 409-3730 https://www.ursinus.edu/live/profiles/103-richard-wallace P Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From hector.perez at prescott.edu Sun Sep 22 21:00:35 2019 From: hector.perez at prescott.edu (Hector Perez) Date: Mon, 23 Sep 2019 04:00:35 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: First Leucistic Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Sighting Registered in the Gulf of California, Mexico. In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear MARMAM colleagues, On behalf of my co-authors I'm excited to announce our publication (short note) in Aquatic Mammals, which describes the first leucistic event of Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) registered in the Gulf of California. P?rez-Puig, H., Heckel, G., & Meltzer, L. (2019). First Leucistic Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Sighting Registered in the Gulf of California, Mexico. Aquatic Mammals, 45(5), 507?512. https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.45.5.2019.507 Short summary: As with all mammals, coloration patterns of the skin, and of the eyes in cetaceans, depends almost entirely on the quantity of melanin in the organism. Leucism can result when the production of melanin is minimal but not completely absent; the deficiency of pigmentation of the skin results in an abnormally white appearance, while the eyes maintain a normal color. Abnormal pigmentation has been recorded in at least 25 cetacean species, including bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus. Few sightings of those cetaceans with abnormally white pigmentation have been recorded in Mexico. The majority of bottlenose dolphin sightings with this abnormally white pigmentation have been recorded on the Atlantic coasts from Texas to North Carolina. Therefore, the sighting reported and described herein represents the second odontocete in Mexico and the first confirmed sighting of a leucistic bottlenose dolphin in the Gulf of California. This atypical coloration has never been reported in other studies on this species in the same or adjacent regions in the Gulf of California. For more information, the article is now available to the public on The Aquatic Mammals Web site using the following link: https://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1954:first-leucistic-bottlenose-dolphin-tursiops-ttus-sighting-registered-in-the-gulf-of-california-mexico&catid=177&Itemid=326 For a PDF copy, please you can also send a email: hector.perez at prescott.edu Best regards, H?ctor. _______________________________________ M.C. H?ctor P?rez Puig Investigador Residente - Programa de Mam?feros Marinos Centro de Estudios Culturales y Ecol?gicos Prescott College A.C. Resident Researcher - Marine Mammal Program Prescott College Kino Bay Center for Cultural and Ecological Studies w. www.prescott.edu/kino-bay-center/index.html e. hector.perez at prescott.edu t. (01662)-242-0024 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From vales at cenpat-conicet.gob.ar Mon Sep 23 05:15:18 2019 From: vales at cenpat-conicet.gob.ar (Damian Vales) Date: Mon, 23 Sep 2019 09:15:18 -0300 (ART) Subject: [MARMAM] ARGENTINA COURSE: Introduction to Isotopic Ecology for the Study of Marine Mammals ### LAST WEEK FOR REGISTRATIONS ### In-Reply-To: <1775662290.9642.1569240706002.JavaMail.zimbra@cenpat-conicet.gob.ar> Message-ID: <541261689.9862.1569240918484.JavaMail.zimbra@cenpat-conicet.gob.ar> COURSE: Introduction to Isotopic Ecology for the Study of Marine Mammals ### LAST WEEK FOR REGISTRATIONS ### This course will be delivered by Drs Seth D Newsome (UNM, USA), Luciana Riccialdelli (CADIC-CONICET), Dami?n G Vales (CESIMAR-CONICET), and Roc?o Loizaga (CESIMAR-CONICET) in Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Patagonia Argentina, from 8th ? 12th November 2019. The course is intended to anyone using stable isotope analysis to study marine mammals' ecology. Course overview: The course will cover the theoretical concepts that underlie the application of stable isotopes as natural tracers for the study of the ecology of marine mammals. The use of different sampling designs, data collection, and sample preparations in accordance to the research question posed will be addressed. The use of specific software for the statistical analysis of isotopic results and their corresponding interpretation will also be taught. Finally, the course will cover an introduction to the ecological application of compound-specific stable 15N and 13C isotope analysis of amino acids. Participants are encouraged to bring their own data sets and problems to discuss during the course. Language: The course will be taught in English (SDN) and in Spanish (LR, DGV, RL). Attendance will be limited to a maximum of 35 people, and the course will cost 2,500 ARS per person. Please visit the following links for further details: https://jam.sarem.org.ar/introduccion-a-la-ecologia-isotopica-para-el-estudio-de-los-mamiferos-marinos/ http://www.madryn.unp.edu.ar/index.php/facultad-ciencias-naturales/posgrado/1430-curso-de-posgrado-introduccion-a-la-ecologia-isotopica-para-el-estudio-de-los-mamiferos-marinos Inscription (web form): https://goo.gl/forms/uzSp7H6MW5hwDUjR2 If you have any questions please email: posgrado.fcn.madryn at gmail.com Kind regards, Seth, Luciana, Rocio and Dami?n Dr. Dami?n G. Vales Investigador Asistente CONICET Laboratorio de Mam?feros Marinos (LAMAMA) Centro Para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos (CESIMAR, CONICET) Boulevard Brown 2915, (U9120ACD) Puerto Madryn, Argentina Tel: 54 (280) 4883184 Int 1252 Fax: 54 (280) 4883543 E-mail: vales at cenpat-conicet.gob.ar http://www.conicet.gov.ar/new_scp/detalle.php?id=29848&datos_academicos=yes -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: flyer DIFUSION WEB 2.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 1210304 bytes Desc: not available URL: From pjbouchet at gmail.com Mon Sep 23 08:03:59 2019 From: pjbouchet at gmail.com (Phil Bouchet) Date: Mon, 23 Sep 2019 16:03:59 +0100 Subject: [MARMAM] New report: Assessing extrapolation in models of cetacean density/abundance Message-ID: Dear colleagues, On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to announce the release of a new report on extrapolation in density surface models of cetacean populations. Bouchet PJ, Miller DL, Roberts JJ, Mannocci L, Harris CM and Thomas L (2019). From here and now to there and then: Practical recommendations for extrapolating cetacean density surface models to novel conditions. CREEM Technical Report 2019-01, 59p. The report summarises current approaches to extrapolation detection and diagnosis, with an emphasis on spatial models of cetacean density/abundance such as those typically resulting from line transect surveys. This work is an output from the Living Marine Resources (LMR)-funded DenMod project, and is a collaboration between the University of St Andrews, Duke University, and the University of Montpellier. The report is freely available and can be accessed here: https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/handle/10023/18509. In addition, relevant R code for extrapolation assessments can be downloaded from our Github site. https://densitymodelling.github.io/model-extrapolation/ Note that this work will be presented at the upcoming World Marine Mammal Conference in Barcelona (Pre-conference workshop on advancing marine species density surface modelling: Saturday 7th 1:30 PM -5:30 PM; Main conference talk: Mon 9th 3:15 PM - 3:30 PM), and that a dedicated R package is currently being developed to capture the methods described in the report (and more). Future releases/updates will be announced on this list. Best wishes, Phil --------------------------------------------------- Dr. Phil Bouchet Postdoctoral Research Fellow School of Mathematics and Statistics Centre for Research into Ecological & Environmental Modelling (CREEM) The Observatory, Buchanan Gardens University of St Andrews, St Andrews Fife KY16 9LZ, Scotland (UK) --------------------------------------------------- pjbouchet at gmail.com | pb282 at st-andrews.ac.uk Twitter @pjbouchet? ?? Web pjbouchet.github.io ? ResearcherID K-5365-2012 ? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From klomacmacnair at gmail.com Mon Sep 23 17:06:38 2019 From: klomacmacnair at gmail.com (Kate Lomac-MacNair) Date: Mon, 23 Sep 2019 16:06:38 -0800 Subject: [MARMAM] New Publication: Seal and Polar Bear Behavioral Response to an Icebreaker Vessel in Northwest Greenland Message-ID: We are pleased to announce the publication of a the following paper: Lomac-MacNair, Kate; Andrade, Jos? Pedro; and Esteves, Eduardo (2019) "Seal and Polar Bear Behavioral Response to an Icebreaker Vessel in Northwest Greenland," *Human?Wildlife Interactions*: Vol. 13: Iss. 2, Article 13. ABSTRACT Icebreaker vessels are important scientific tools, enabling access and research within the polar regions of the world, including the High Arctic. These vessels have the potential to overlap with marine mammal habitats in infrequently studied areas. Marine mammal behavioral responses to icebreaker vessel presence and distance at which responses occur are not well documented or understood. During the Petermann 2015 Expedition on the icebreaker *Oden*, seal and polar bear (*Ursus maritimus*) data were collected in Petermann Fjord (Northwest Greenland), the adjacent Nares Strait region, and transit to and from Thule, Greenland over 31 days (July 30 to August 30, 2015). We examined behavioral responses from 4 pinniped species: bearded seal (*Erignathus barbatus*), ringed seal (*Pusa hispida*), harp seal (*Pagophilus groenlandicus*), and hooded seal (*Crystophora cristata*), as well as the polar bear to an icebreaker vessel in a rarely studied region of northwest Greenland. We investigated the rate of flush response, entering the water from a previously hauled out (i.e., resting) location on ice in relation to seal distance to the vessel. Our results showed a significant difference (independent *t*-test, *P *? 0.001) between seal distance to the vessel when a flush response occurred (mean = 467.1 m, SD = 212.39 m) and when no flush response occurred (mean = 1334.0 m, SD = 433.89 m). There were fewer flush responses by seals to the icebreaker at distances >600 m and no flush responses by seals to the icebreaker at distances >800 m. We used a logistic model to describe the relationship between the proportion of seals that flushed and distance from the icebreaker. Results of the logistical model showed the estimated distance at which 50% of the seals flushed to be 709.45 m (SE = 9.24, *t* = 76.8, *P *< 0.0001). Three polar bears were recorded during the transit, and a behavioral response (e.g., look, approach, move away) was recorded for all 3 sightings. Our preliminary findings are relevant to assess potential impacts of increasing vessel activity in the High Arctic and to assist in the development of effective monitoring and mitigation strategies. Our paper is available online at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/hwi/vol13/iss2/13 Or via e-mail request to klomacmacnair at gmail.com Cheers, Kate Lomac-MacNair PhD Candidate Center of Marine Sciences (CCMAR) University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal klomacmacnair at gmail.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From lbejder at hawaii.edu Mon Sep 23 15:12:11 2019 From: lbejder at hawaii.edu (Lars Bejder) Date: Mon, 23 Sep 2019 12:12:11 -1000 Subject: [MARMAM] Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship: Estimating abundance of insular cetaceans in Hawaiian waters Message-ID: Dear Marmam Readers, We have a post-doctoral fellowship available. For details, please read below. *Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship:* *Estimating abundance of insular cetaceans in Hawaiian waters* *Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa* *Fellowship description and duties:* The Marine Mammal Research Program (MMRP) (www.mmrphawaii.org) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa?s Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology ( https://www.hawaii.edu/himb/), in close collaboration with NOAA?s Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) ( https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/pacific-islands), is seeking to recruit a postdoctoral fellow in the area of marine mammal population assessment (including abundance estimation and demographic modelling), to join our lab. The successful candidate will design, lead and implement research investigating the abundance of insular cetaceans, with a main emphasis on spinner dolphins, off the Main Hawaiian Islands. *Research context and specific focus:* Hawaii has an unparalleled richness of natural resources and biodiversity that includes 30 species of whales and dolphins in its State and Federal waters. Cetaceans serve an important educational, economic and cultural role in Hawaii. Hawaii also hosts a rich cultural history, strong industries based on tourism and fisheries, vast renewable energy resources (e.g. wind and solar), and a significant strategic contingent of our Nation?s defence ? with some of these having the potential to negatively impact Hawaii's cetaceans. While cetaceans are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act, many of their current and emerging threats are not well-understood. Given the important value of marine mammals throughout the Hawaiian Archipelago and coupled with the current levels of human pressures, it is important to manage cetaceans sustainably through informed science. NOAA?s National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) Pacific Islands Region is mandated to assess, study and manage over 140 stocks of cetaceans across >2 million square miles across the North, South and Western Pacific basins. The scope and scale of NOAA?s significant mandate unfortunately leaves some important species and emerging problems unaddressed. The MMRP is a research laboratory whose specific mission is to bridge rigorous science with management and implementation into policy. The MMRP is working closely with PIFSC to help address some of their needs. The successful candidate will be tasked to specifically focus on developing robust quantitative assessments of abundance (and potentially demography, and/or human-impacts) for insular cetacean species in the Main Hawaiian Islands. The post may involve working at the cutting edge of current population estimation methods, and potentially developing new methods if current approaches do not suffice. Potential exists for collaboration with leading statistical ecologists based at St Andrews University, Scotland. It is expected that the successful candidate will liaise and collaborate with local, regional, and international scientists and stakeholders to ensure maximum applicability and utility of the research findings. *Required qualifications:* ? A Ph.D. in either (1) ecology with strong quantitative component, (2) statistics/ mathematics with a strong ecological component; (3) bioacoustics with demonstrable components of ecology and statistics; ? An excellent track record demonstrating advanced skills in wildlife population assessment (i.e. estimation of abundance and/or other demographic parameters; ? An excellent publication record illustrating ability to conduct novel, independent research. ? Demonstrated proficiency with R (or related programming languages) and with software tools for wildlife population assessment; ? Demonstrated aptitude for applying advanced computational tools in a research setting; ? Considerable experience processing, manipulating, and analyzing large datasets; ? Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills; ? Strong attention to detail, and meticulous work style, as evidenced by previous research; ? Excellent time management skills, including the ability to meet project goals in a timely manner, and follow through on projects to completion; ? Demonstrated ability to mentor, or an interest in mentoring, junior laboratory members; ? Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to work both independently and collaboratively, and to communicate research findings at professional meetings and in high-quality peer-reviewed journals. *Desirable qualifications:* ? PhD on marine mammals. ? An excellent track record in the design, successful execution, analysis and publication of wildlife population assessment surveys, particularly for abundance estimation, and in the context of marine mammal surveys. ? Demonstrable understanding of advanced abundance estimation methods including distance sampling, capture-recapture, spatial capture-recapture, and other emerging approaches. ? Demonstrated ability to develop new statistical methods, or work closely with those developing such methods. ? Experience in the use of passive acoustic monitoring. ? Experience as a small boat operator. ? Ability to travel for fieldwork and conferences. *Research Environment:* The postdoc will be based in the lab of Lars Bejder (www.mmrphawaii.org) at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB). HIMB is within the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST; www.soest.hawaii.edu) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. HIMB provides unparalleled research opportunities, in particular due to its unique location on Moku o Loe Island (Coconut Island) in Kaneohe Bay on the windward side of the island of Oahu (~ 24 km from the main university campus in Manoa). The successful candidate will work in close collaboration with the NOAA?s Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Centre (PIFSC). It is expected that the candidate will contribute to mentoring graduate students in the MMRP lab, and actively engage, participate and contribute to other areas of research and administration in the program. The MMRP is rapidly developing a supportive and stimulating research environment with a group of highly collegial scientists who are committed to scientific outreach and policy, to open science, and to enhancing diversity in STEM. We offer a family-friendly, flexible work environment where work-life balance is encouraged. *Appointment and application:* The postdoc fellowship is initially for one year, renewable for up to three-four years based on performance. Fellowship stipend is commensurate with experience within guidelines set by the university. The start date is negotiable, but preferably in early 2020. *To apply:* Candidates should submit the following materials via email to Dr Bejder (lbejder at hawaii.edu) in a single PDF document, with your last name in the file name and the subject heading ?MMRPpostdoc application? by *20 October 2019 *(Hawaii?Aleutian Standard Time): ? A letter explaining your motivation for applying for this fellowship, how your prior research experience qualifies you for the fellowship, how you satisfy the required and desirable qualifications, and your career goals; ? A CV (including publication list, which may include publications in advanced stages of preparation that will be likely in the review process by the above postdoctoral fellowship deadline date); ? Names and contact details for three references. Individual qualifications and background, academic excellence, and collegiality will be the primary criteria in selecting the successful candidate. We are committed to equality and diversity and encourage applications from women, underrepresented minorities, indigenous peoples, and persons with disabilities. -------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [image: University of Hawaii at Manoa] Lars Bejder | Director, Marine Mammal Research Program | University of Hawaii at Manoa | Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology | *Website*: www.mmrphawaii.org | mobile: ++ 1 808 892 9490 | email: lbejder at hawaii.edu | skype: lbejder1971 | address: 46-007 Lilipuna Rd, Box 1346 Kaneohe, HI 96744 [image: facebook] [image: twitter] Recent publications: * Bejder, L., Videsen, S., Hermannsen, L., Simon, M., Hanf, M. and Madsen, 2019. Low energy expenditure and resting behaviour of humpback whale mother-calf pairs highlights conservation importance of sheltered breeding areas. *Scientific Reports *. 9:771 * van Aswegen, M., Christiansen, F., Symons, J., Mann, J., Nicholson, K., Sprogis, K. and Bejder, L. 2019. Morphological differences between coastal bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) populations identified using non-invasive stereo-laser photogrammetry. *Scientific Reports *. 9: 12235 * Senigaglia, V., Christiansen, F., Sprogis, K., Symons, J. and Bejder, L. 2019. Food-provisioning negatively affects the reproductive success of female bottlenose dolphins and calf survival. *Scientific Reports *. 9:8981 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From gregsilber2 at gmail.com Mon Sep 23 09:32:57 2019 From: gregsilber2 at gmail.com (Greg Silber) Date: Mon, 23 Sep 2019 12:32:57 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] New Publication: Vessel Operations in the Arctic, 2015-2017 Message-ID: MARMAM Colleagues: This is to note the availability of our recently published paper on "Vessel Operations in the Arctic, 2015-2017". Arctic waters are inhabited by numerous marine mammal species. Human activities expose these species to potential impacts from introduced underwater noise, ship strikes, oil spills, and entanglement in fishing gear. Receding ice levels in the rapidly changing region will increase vessel accessibility to Arctic waters compounding exposure of marine mammals and their habitats to negative anthropogenic influences. In this study we quantified Arctic-wide vessel activities in a three-year period including inter-year changes in features of commercial shipping, cruise ship, and energy extraction operations. We discuss implications for Arctic marine ecosystems and organisms reliant on them and conservation efforts aimed at reducing the threats. The paper is available at: at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2019.00573/full; and https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335887725_Vessel_Operations_in_the_Arctic_2015-2017 Silber, G.K., and J.D. Adams. 2019. Vessel Operations in the Arctic, 2015?2017. Front. Mar. Sci., 18 September 2019 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00573 ABSTRACT The Arctic is among the most rapidly-changing regions on Earth. Diminishing levels of sea-ice has increased opportunities for maritime activities in historically inaccessible areas such as the Northern Sea Route and Northwest Passage. Degradation of Arctic marine ecosystems may accompany expanding vessel operations through introduced underwater noise, potential for large oil spills, among other things; and may compound stressors already effecting biological populations due to climate change. Assessments are needed to track changes in vessel traffic patterns and associated environmental impacts. We analyzed Arctic-wide vessel Automatic Identification System data 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2017 to quantify the amount and spatial distribution of vessel operations, assess possible changes in these operations, and establish a baseline for future monitoring. Nearly 400,000 vessel transits were analyzed. Number of trips, hours of operation, and amount of sea surface exposed to vessel traffic were used to compare operations between 14 delineated waterways. Operations were extensive and diverse: an average of 132,828 trips were made annually by over 5,000 different vessels. Transits were made in all areas studied and all months of the year. Maritime activities were intensive in some areas, but ice-limited in others. Amount of sea surface exposed to vessel traffic exceeded 70% in all but three areas. Bulk carriers, cargo ships, passenger/cruise ships, research survey ships, and vessels supporting oil/gas-related activities were represented. However, fishing vessels, primarily in the Barents, Bering, and Norwegian Seas, surpassed operations of all other vessel types and comprised about one-half of all voyages each year. We observed no overt increasing or decreasing trends in vessel traffic volume in our limited study period. Instead, inter-year variation was evident. While the number of unique vessels and transits increased year-to-year, hours of operation declined in the same period. Abundance/distribution of fisheries resources, economic feasibility of Arctic marine travel as weighed against inherent risks, and other factors likely accounted for inter-year variation in regional activity levels. Measures have been established to protect Arctic marine ecosystems but may need strengthening to address potential ecosystem threats from existing and growing commercial and industrial activities in the region. Gregory Silber Smultea Environmental Sciences Washington Grove, MD, USA gregsilber2 at gmail.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From acsla.grants at gmail.com Tue Sep 24 11:55:18 2019 From: acsla.grants at gmail.com (ACS-LA.Grants) Date: Tue, 24 Sep 2019 16:25:18 -0230 Subject: [MARMAM] Reminder - Deadline for Grant Submission 1-October - Midnight Pacific Time (GMT -8). Los Angeles Chapter of American Cetacean Society Student Travel Grants to WMMC Barcelona Dec 2019. Message-ID: The American Cetacean Society, Los Angeles Chapter (ACS-LA) is happy to announce the opening of applications for 2019 Student Travel Grants. Deadline for Submission is 1-October-2019, Awards Announced 15-October. The American Cetacean Society protects cetaceans and their habitats though conservation, education and research. Working with world-class scientists, ACS funds students traveling to conferences that address some of the most pressing issues facing cetaceans. ACS-LA is pleased to announce the availability of two student travel grants, in the amount of $500.00 each, to students traveling to the World Marine Mammal Conference in Barcelona, Spain, 9-12 December 2019 (https://www.wmmconference.org ). Guidelines for Research Grants: The two $500 travel grants will be awarded to two students exhibiting outstanding commitment to research on marine mammals. Students should either be attending school in California and/or conducting their marine mammal research in California. Presenting at the WMMC is not a requirement for applying for the student travel grant, but priority will be given to students presenting a poster at the conference. Eligibility: 1. Applicant needs to be a student (undergraduate or graduate) and be attending the World Marine Mammal Conference in Barcelona Spain in December 2019. Proof of registration will be required prior to receiving your award. Preference will be given to those presenting a poster or oral talk at the WMMC. 2. Applicant should be a student attending an accredited institution and living in California or who?s research focus is on Marine Mammals located in or around California. Applications: Applications should include the following: 1. Cover letter summarizing why you are qualified to receive this award and how this grant will help you. Cover letter must include the following: a) Title of poster presentation being given at the WMMC (if presenting) and the abstract submitted to WMMC. Note: presenting is not required to receive a travel grant award. If not presenting, write ?not presenting?. b) Your area of interest or area of research c) Applicant Contact Information (Name, Address, E-mail, and Phone numbers) d) Current school and major including current supervisor and department. If you are an undergraduate please indicate special areas of interest for you and give the name of your supervising professor if you have one. 2. Proof that applicant is a student (photo of the front and back of current student ID card). 3. A one-page CV or Resume. 4. Note: Upon acceptance of the award, proof of W<. Applications should be sent by E-mail to ACSLA.Grants at gmail.com . Information about the Los Angeles Chapter of ACS can be found on our website: www.acs-la.org . To join ACS-LA, please go to http://acsonline.org/support-acs/become-member/ and specify the Los Angeles Chapter. For further information about specific chapters and other grant-making programs, please visit the Chapter page of the National American Cetacean Society website: www.acsonline.org . ========================== ACS-LA Grants Coordinator Christina Tombach Wright American Cetacean Society-Los Angeles Chapter acsla.grants at gmail.com www.acs-la.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From amylaurajones1 at gmail.com Fri Sep 27 00:49:50 2019 From: amylaurajones1 at gmail.com (Amy J) Date: Fri, 27 Sep 2019 14:49:50 +0700 Subject: [MARMAM] Call for Marine Mammal Research Interns in Kep, Cambodia. Message-ID: <5d8dbf1f.1c69fb81.d0aa8.54d1@mx.google.com> Call for Marine Mammal Research Interns in Kep, Cambodia. Marine Conservation Cambodia (MCC) is an NGO based on the island of Koh Ach Seh, in Cambodia's Kep Archipelago. The organisation has many facets, including working to stop illegal fishing practices, ecological and social science research and collecting data to use in the implementation of conservation legislation. In September 2017, MCC introduced The Cambodian Marine Mammal Conservation Project,?in collaboration with the Royal Government of Cambodia?s Fisheries Administration.?The project's primary aim is to collect data on abundance, distribution and residency to delineate and protect critical habitats for the endangered Irrawaddy dolphin in Cambodia's Kep Archipelago.?? At present, we are looking for marine mammal research interns to join the team between February and July 2019, for 3 to 6-month internships. Project activities: ? ? a minimum of 3 observational land surveys per week using a Theodolite and Pythagoras software; ? a minimum of 1 observational boat survey per week; ? photo-identification techniques using Discovery software; ? acoustic monitoring using a real-time hydrophone and a passive acoustic monitoring device- C-POD and CPOD.exe software; ? social science techniques; ? data entry, processing and analysis; ? education and outreach;? ? marine mammal stranding network; ? scientific writing for peer-reviewed journals and government reports; ? designing marine mammal legislation. Basic internship training schedule Session 1: Introduction to MCC and The Cambodian Marine Mammal Conservation Project. Session 2: Research method training on observational land and boat surveying techniques. Session 3: Marine mammal identification and behaviour training. Session 4: Marine vessel identification training. Session 5: Data sheet and data entry training. Session 6: Drone footage analysis training. Session 7: Research techniques theory test, followed by feedback and debrief. Session 8: Theodolite and Pythagoras introduction and training. You will also become involved in other project related activities, depending on your interest, skill set and length of stay. Internship requirements: We are looking for dedicated, motivated and hard-working interns, able to commit for a minimum internship period of one month. We are looking for those who will commit to early mornings and late nights, with a keen interest in marine mammals and their conservation. Ideally, we are looking for university students or recent graduates. Project site description: The project is based on the island of Koh Ach Seh, a 40-minute boat trip from Kep Town, Cambodia. The island is inhabited only by MCC, a team made up of a mixture of interdisciplinary international and local staff. The accommodation and facilities on the island are basic but well-maintained. You will be in shared and catered accommodation with fellow interns and staff members. All project related resources are provided. Application process and fees: There is a fee associated with this internship, which covers the following: ? all food, water, accommodation; ? transport to and from the mainland to the project island; ? marine mammal research training; ? scuba diving (if qualified); ? and the opportunity to get involved in activities and training at MCC, such as seahorse research or artificial reef development and management. If you are interested in this internship and would like to know more, please email Amy Jones at: amylaurajones1 at gmail.com ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Amy L. Jones, Assistant Coordinator, The Cambodian Marine Mammal Project BSc. Marine and Freshwater Conservation, University of Cumbria ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 3933418166F54DB58F60361CA78032F7[2853554].png Type: image/png Size: 34644 bytes Desc: not available URL: From cmenchaca at fcien.edu.uy Wed Sep 25 22:15:00 2019 From: cmenchaca at fcien.edu.uy (Carolina Menchaca) Date: Thu, 26 Sep 2019 02:15:00 -0300 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: ocial structure of Lahille's bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus gephyreus (Cetacea: Delphinidae) off the uruguayan marine coast. In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear MARMAMers, We are pleased to announce the following publication in Mastozoolog?a Neotropical: Social structure of Lahille's bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus gephyreus (Cetacea: Delphinidae) off the uruguayan marine coast. Carolina Menchaca, Paula Laporta and Bettina Tassino. Abstract: Information about the social relations among individuals is essential to define and develop management plans for a socially structured population. Association data for 25 adult Lahille's bottlenose dolphins were obtained from 189 photo-identification surveys that took place between January 2007 and May 2009 in La Coronilla-Cerro Verde and Cabo Polonio, Rocha, Uruguay. Group size averaged 5.22 individuals (SD= 3.77, n= 255). Coefficients of association were calculated using the Half-Weight Index. Most of the associations were weak (79.7%) and variation of real association indices was greater than would be expected by chance. Thus, the null hypothesis that individuals associated randomly was rejected. Standardized Lagged Association Rate analysis also indicated that nonrandom associations between individuals persisted over the study period. The exponential decay model that fits best to the data suggested the existence of constant companions and casual acquaintances. This study is the first report about the social structure of the population of Lahille?s bottlenose dolphin inhabiting the Uruguayan marine coasts. Cerro Verde and Cabo Polonio were the first marine protected areas selected by the government of Uruguay. However, information about the ecology and behavior of the species in these areas is still insufficient. It is recommended that the results of this study be taken as baseline information to assess the conservation status of this population, as well as for the development of adequate conservation and management plans. The paper is available with open access at: https://doi.org/10.31687/saremMN.19.26.2.0.15 Kind regards, Carolina Menchaca -- MSc. Carolina Menchaca Mag?ster en Ciencias Biol?gicas, opci?n Ecolog?a y Evoluci?n. Investigador asociado Asociaci?n Civil Yaqu Pacha Uruguay Punta del Diablo, Rocha, Uruguay. -- MSc. Carolina Menchaca Mag?ster en Ciencias Biol?gicas, opci?n Ecolog?a y Evoluci?n. Investigador asociado Asociaci?n Civil Yaqu Pacha Uruguay Punta del Diablo, Rocha, Uruguay. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From cnau at mote.org Tue Sep 24 05:36:18 2019 From: cnau at mote.org (Christina Nau) Date: Tue, 24 Sep 2019 08:36:18 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] Mote Marine Laboratory, Manatee Research Program Internships (New deadline) Message-ID: <8ffedec0-9ac7-d08b-b230-0b40e4e54a13@mote.org> *Program Description* The Manatee Research Program studiesseveral aspects of the biology of manatees inhabiting the waters of southwestern Florida, including population dynamics, population genetics, habitat use, distributional patterns and social behavior. Field data and samples are collected using photo-identification, aerial surveys, and non-invasive genetic sampling. >From spring through early fall, photo-identification, genetic, and behavioral sampling are conducted primarily in Sarasota and Manatee counties.During the winter, field work is conducted primarily in Charlotte Harbor and the Ft. Myers area.Aerial surveys are conducted twice per month (during the non-winter) in Sarasota County to assess relative abundance and distribution of manatees in those waters.The long-term database of the program contributes to management and conservation measurements for Florida manatees. Additionally, the program collaborates with manatee researchers throughout the state of Florida and the Caribbean.For more information about, please visit: https://mote.org/research/program/manatee-research. *WE ARE CURRENTLY SEEKING INTERNS TO BEGIN IN**January or February 2020**, WITH APPLICATIONS DUE BY **November 1st 2019**.* *Internship Description* Internships are available during all four seasons and must be a MINIMUM of 12 weeks.Hours are typically Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, although some longer days may be required for field work (especially during the winter season). Interns should expect to spend about 20% of their time in the field and about 80% of their time in the office/lab.Field work duties include assisting with data collection, boat handling, and equipment use and maintenance.Field work requires spending long hours in the field, sometimes in uncomfortable weather conditions.Office/Lab duties include data entry, processing, matching images to known animals, equipment maintenance, and miscellaneous tasks and errands. There is no financial compensation for these internship positions, and successful applicants will be responsible for their own living and transportation expenses. Shared housing opportunities near Mote Marine Laboratory may be available. A few scholarships may be available from Mote Marine Laboratory through a competitive application process (US citizens only). *Required Qualifications* ?Minimum of 18 years of age and engaged in or recently completed undergraduate studies ?A background or degree in Biology, Marine Biology, Ecology, Zoology, or a related field is preferred ?Basic computer proficiency in Microsoft Office (especially Excel and Access); previous experience using ArcMap GIS is a plus but not required ?Excellent communication skills; fluent in English ?Must be physically able to stand for long periods of time and lift heavy objects ?Knowledge of photography/SLR camera use and/or drawing skills are a plus ?Desire and willingness to acquire knowledge and skills related to marine mammal field work and capable of working well as a team ** *To apply for a Manatee Research Program internship:* ?Fill out an application form at Mote Marine Laboratory?s website (https://mote.org/research/internships/college-internship-program-overview) and be sure to select ?Manatee Research Program? as your first choice ?Complete and provide to Mote?s intern office all other application materials including: *a statement of interest, current college transcript, letter of recommendation, and */*curriculum vitae* /_(incomplete applications will not be considered)_ Applicants may contact the Manatee Research Program?s intern coordinator, Christina Nau, (cnau at mote.org ) with questions regarding the internship. -- Christina Nau Manatee Research Program Mote Marine Laboratory 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway Sarasota FL 34236 Phone: (941) 388-4441 ext. 471 cnau at mote.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From djusufovski at gmail.com Thu Sep 26 10:32:36 2019 From: djusufovski at gmail.com (Dunja Jusufovski) Date: Thu, 26 Sep 2019 19:32:36 +0200 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication on marine mammal-fisheries biological competition Message-ID: Dear MARMAM colleagues, My co-authors and myself are pleased to announce our recent publication of a literature review entitled "Competition between marine mammals and fisheries in contemporary harvested marine ecosystems". The abstract is available below. The paper can be accessed from the Marine Ecology Progress Series via this link (Subscriber access only): https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v627/p207-232 For any further enquiries regarding the article or research, please send me an email to djusufovski at gmail.com. Best regards, -- Dunja Jusufovski, PhD student Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme HELSUS - Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science University of Helsinki e-mail: djusufovski at gmail.com ; dunja.jusufovski at helsinki.fi ABSTRACT: Competitive interactions between marine mammals and fisheries represent some of the most complex challenges in marine resource management worldwide. The development of commercial fisheries and recovering marine mammal populations have contributed to a decrease in fish availability. Whilst ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) can counteract this decrease, achieving the EBFM objectives faces certain major obstacles including insufficient or unreliable data, inapplicable assessment models, as well as inadequate management decisions that do not account for fisheries-induced morphological alterations (FIMA) and marine mammal management. Despite a body of evidence addressing various aspects of marine mammal?fisheries competition, little is known about the effects of marine mammal?fisheries biological interactions affecting the fish viability and food web stability. We review the research on marine mammal?fisheries competitive biological interactions (hereafter biological competition) by focussing on (1) the prerequisites for marine mammal?fisheries biological competition and the relevant methodologies to explore them and (2) recent studies revealing the implications of FIMA and trophic interactions for the biological competition. We also discuss the implications of FIMA, eco-evolutionary feedback and prey?predator dynamics for EBFM implementation in contemporary harvested ecosystems. Our main findings reveal a lack of data about marine mammals? prey choice and selectivity, the need for better representation of marine mammals in modelling approaches and lastly, the necessity for additional research linking FIMA, trophic interactions and the EBFM objectives. To conclude, interdisciplinary approaches may serve to link all of the efforts needed to effectively and holistically support the implementation of EBFM. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From francesco at idsse.ac.cn Thu Sep 26 02:20:34 2019 From: francesco at idsse.ac.cn (Francesco Caruso) Date: Thu, 26 Sep 2019 17:20:34 +0800 (GMT+08:00) Subject: [MARMAM] Acoustic recordings of rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis) offshore Eastern Sicily (Mediterranean Sea) Message-ID: <43eaed3c.df8.16d6cdf43d0.Coremail.francesco@idsse.ac.cn> Dear MARMAM readers, we are pleased to announce the publication of our Letter in JASA Express Letters: F. Caruso, V. Sciacca, I. Parisi, S. Viola, G. de Vincenzi, A. Bocconcelli, T. A. Mooney, L. Sayigh, S. Li, F. Filiciotto, A. Moulins, P. Tepsich, and M. Rosso. Acoustic recordings of rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis) offshore Eastern Sicily (Mediterranean Sea). The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 146, EL286 (2019). ABSTRACT: Rough-toothed dolphin?s abundance and distribution is largely unknown worldwide and evaluation of its conservation status in the Mediterranean Sea is necessary. A rough-toothed dolphin was sighted offshore Eastern Sicily (Mediterranean Sea) in July 2017 and acoustic data were acquired in the same area of Watkins, Tyack, Moore, and Notarbartolo di Sciara [(1987). Mar. Mamm. Sci. 3, 78?82]. An automatic detection algorithm was developed to identify the echolocation clicks recorded within both datasets and a recurrent inter-click interval value was identified during the new encounter. Distinctive whistle classes were also identified with similar contour shapes within both datasets. The Letter is available at: https://doi.org/10.1121/1.5126118. Best, Francesco -- Francesco Caruso, Ph.D. - Postdoctoral Researcher Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering Chinese Academy of Sciences 28 Luhuitou Road, Sanya, 572000, China -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/png Size: 43103 bytes Desc: not available URL: From kita_camara at hotmail.com Fri Sep 27 02:25:29 2019 From: kita_camara at hotmail.com (=?iso-8859-1?Q?Kita_C=E2mara?=) Date: Fri, 27 Sep 2019 09:25:29 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: Stress Cardiomyopathy in stranded cetaceans: a histological, histochemical and immunohistochemical study Message-ID: Dear MARMAMers, We are delighted to announce the publication of the following article in Veterinary Record: Stress cardiomyopathy in stranded cetaceans: a histological, histochemical and immunohistochemical study Nakita C?mara1, Eva Sierra1, Carolina Fern?ndez-Maldonado2, Antonio Espinosa de los Monteros1, Manuel Arbelo1, Antonio Fern?ndez1 and Pedro Herr?ez1 1. Departamento de Histolog?a y Patolog?a Animal, Instituto Universitario de Sanidad Animal y Seguridad Alimentaria (IUSA), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Facultad de Veterinaria, Arucas, Spain 2. Seashore Environment and Fauna, C?diz, Spain DOI: 10.1136/vr.105562 Abstract Background Free-living cetaceans are exposed to a wide variety of stressful situations, including live stranding and interaction with human beings (capture myopathy), vessel strikes, and fishing activities (bycatch), which affect their wellbeing and potentially lead to stress cardiomyopathy (SCMP). Methods Here, the authors aimed to characterise SCMP of stranded cetaceans as an injury resulting from extreme stress responses, based on pathological analyses (histological, histochemical and immunohistochemical). Specifically, the authors examined heart samples from 67 cetaceans found ashore (48 live strandings, seven dead from ship collision and 12 dead from bycatch) on the coast of Spain, more specifically in the Canary Islands from 2000 to 2016 and Andalusia from 2011 to 2014. Results The microscopic findings were characterised by vascular changes, acute or subacute cardiac degenerative necrotic lesions, interstitial myoglobin globules, and infiltration of inflammatory cells. Immunohistochemically, cardiac troponin I, cardiac troponin C and myoglobin were depleted, along with fibrinogen being expressed in the degenerated/necrotic cardiomyocytes. A perivascular pattern was also identified and described in the damaged cardiomyocytes. Conclusions This study advances current knowledge about the pathologies of cetaceans and their implications on conserving this group of animals by reducing mortality and enhancing their treatment and subsequent rehabilitation to the marine environment. The paper is available online at http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/vr.105562 or you can contact me for a pdf version or for any questions at kita_camara at hotmail.com or nakita.camara101 at alu.ulpgc.es Best regards, Nakita C?mara Nakita C?mara DVM, PhD Student Centro Atl?ntico de Investigaci?n de Cet?ceos, Instituto Universitario de Sanidad Animal y Seguridad Alimentaria (IUSA), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC). Campus Universitario Cardones de Arucas, Trasmonta?a s/n 35416 Arucas, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Espa?a Telephone: +34 928 45 97 16 Mobile: +34 611 05 00 08 Email: nakita.camara101 at alu.ulpgc.es -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From simon.elwen at gmail.com Thu Sep 26 22:19:44 2019 From: simon.elwen at gmail.com (Simon Elwen) Date: Fri, 27 Sep 2019 07:19:44 +0200 Subject: [MARMAM] Final call - marine mammal research techniquese course, Cape Town South Africa Nov 2019 Message-ID: Dear Colleagues A final announcement as we have a few spaces have become available. Sea Search Research and Conservation are running a 4 week course on marine mammal research techniques - see below and attached flyer. We would greatly appreciate if you could please pass this information around your departments and to potentially interested students, and colleagues. Please note it is possible to take only certain components of the course set at weekly intervals. Priced Pro rata. Kind regards, Dr Simon Elwen and Dr Tess Gridley Information below and attached and contact info at seasearch.co.za for more details: --- --- --- --- *Where *- Cape Town,South Africa *When *- 04 to 29 November 2019 (or sign up for specific weeks) *Target audience* - students and early career researchers engaging or interested in research on marine mammals and other large marine vertebrates. Price GBP 1100 for full course. Individual weeks: pro rata. 50% Discount for SADC Residents ---- ---- ---- Course Summary. This academically intensive course is targeted at students, postgraduates and researchers with a strong interest in a career in marine mammal and marine top-predator research Based on decades on cumulative team experience this course will provide you with a sound knowledge of survey design, research tools, data collection and analytical methods to enable you to effectively set up and conduct a research study on whales and dolphins and efficiently analyse your data. Course leaders: Dr Simon Elwen & Dr Tess Gridley. Date: 04 to 29 Nov. Flyer and more details available here: http://seasearch.co.za/training/ Course Content Week 1. Survey & Experimental Design (one week) Focusing the goal / Abundance estimation (mark-recapture and line transect including acoustic / Impact & rapid assessment studies / Platforms of Opportunity / Citizen Science Week 2 - Photographic & Video Methods Camera function and use / Data collection goals / Mark-recapture analysis & considerations (image quality, mark type, distinctiveness, databases, input etc) / Photogrammetry / Automated methods Week 3 - Acoustic research methods Introduction to Bioacoustics / Physics of Sound / Equipment?types and limitations / Study design / Software and sound analysis / Automated methods Week 4 - Mixed methods overview *- Shore based tracking - Behavioural data collection - Intro to GIS / Telemetry / Strandings / Boat skills* Modules consist of a combination of lectures, discussion, computer based and field-based practical exercises. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Simon Elwen Ph.D. - Director Sea Search Research & Conservation and the Namibian Dolphin Project Research Associate: Department of Zoology and Botany - Stellenbosch University & Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Blake.Faucett at MyFWC.com Fri Sep 27 10:15:00 2019 From: Blake.Faucett at MyFWC.com (Faucett, Blake) Date: Fri, 27 Sep 2019 17:15:00 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Internship post Message-ID: Manatee Internships-Blake Faucett Southeast manatee field station is currently seeking candidates for one Winter/Spring 2020 internship! Application deadline is November 1st, 2019 Interns will assist with manatee rescue, carcass salvage, and research in South Florida. The Southeast Field lab is offering one internship: one 6 month term for the Winter/Spring 2020 session. The expected start date for the Winter/Spring 2020 internship is January 6th, 2020. Start dates will be flexible. Working hours are typically Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with some nights and weekends required. The position is located in Tequesta (east coast of Florida, just north of Palm Beach). The intern's duties include assisting with manatee rescue, carcass salvage, and research in South Florida. Interns will assist with manatee and cetacean field necropsies, temperature monitoring research, and conduct manatee photo ID. Interns will also complete mortality and rescue reports and assist with other office and public outreach work as needed. To perform the duties of the position, interns will operate trucks, trailers, and boats up to 22' in length. The intern is required to complete a project and present a 10-15 minute presentation at the end of their internship. Qualifications: Junior or senior college students and recent graduates are eligible. Applicants should have some research field experience; be able to drive large trucks; be computer literate; be comfortable speaking to the public; and be proficient in the use of digital cameras, telephoto lenses, and filters. Previous animal-handling experience is preferred. Ability to trailer flatbeds and boats, as well as operate watercraft up to 22' in length is desirable. Interns must possess a valid driver's license, be able to lift 50 pounds, and be able to swim. Applicants should understand that this internship will require them to be wet, dirty, and outdoors in all weather conditions. Housing is not provided. Interns must provide their own transportation to and from the field station. If you are interested in applying for an internship with the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, the following information is required: * A cover letter describing area(s) of interest and the dates, days, and hours of availability * A r?sum? describing training and experience * A list of three references * An unofficial copy of your academic transcript Please send these items as e-mail attachments to: Interns at MyFWC.com Or mail hard copies to: Internship Coordinator Fish and Wildlife Research Institute 100 Eighth Avenue SE St. Petersburg, FL 33701-5020 https://myfwc.com/research/manatee/research/internships/se-fl-intern/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jon.gelman at h-mar.org Sat Sep 28 09:56:57 2019 From: jon.gelman at h-mar.org (Jon Gelman) Date: Sat, 28 Sep 2019 06:56:57 -1000 Subject: [MARMAM] JOB OPENING in HAWAII: Hawaii Marine Animal Response - Field Support & Outreach Lead (Part Time) Message-ID: <8C30D71D-AE92-47BC-9DA8-3E0AFB104075@h-mar.org> ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION: Hawaii Marine Animal Response (HMAR) is the largest Hawaii-based nonprofit marine species conservation and response organization. We operate on the islands of Oahu and Molokai with our team of dedicated volunteers, interns and staff that are supported by private donations, corporate funding and government grants. We work to achieve our mission through activity every day of the year that impacts our core objectives: (1) growing an active and engaged public, (2) species management and recovery, and (3) saving animals that need help. Thousands of times each year, our field response, escalations, rescue, outreach and education activities help us move towards our vision of Hawaii?s ocean ecosystem shared in harmony by humans and protected marine species. Through agreements and relationships with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the State of Hawaii, our work is focused on the endangered Hawaiian monk seal, endangered and threatened sea turtles, protected seabird species and our nearshore ocean ecosystem. ABOUT THE JOB OPENING: We have an immediate opening for a part-time Field Support & Outreach Lead on the island of Oahu in the State of Hawaii. This job is a part-time position (20 hours per week) and is exempt from requirements to provide paid health care insurance. The position is responsible for the following duties: - Training and managing volunteers and interns to ensure needed field activity is performed to high standards. - Performing field response, surveys and outreach activity. - Perform or assist with escalated response actions, animal intervention activity, marine animal rescue and stranding support. - Engage with the public to educate people about protected marine species and the ocean ecosystem. - Assist other staff with gaps in personnel coverage and on completing key projects. NEEDED CORE COMPETENCIES: - Possess excellent oral and written command of the English language. - Have excellent interpersonal communications skills and the interest and ability to teach and mentor others. - Be a person with a professional and open personal demeanor that enjoys contact with the public, volunteers and fellow staff. - Possess effective personnel management skills. - Ability to thrive in a highly dynamic environment and the flexibility to navigate changing organizational needs. - Ability to maintain a calm demeanor in stressful conditions. - Schedule flexibility and a sense of urgency that matches the unpredictable and critical nature of marine animal response. - Some field response activity will involve interaction with animals that are expired and in various stages of decomposition. Candidates must be able to see and do unpleasant things without feeling sick. - Possess a team-based work ethic and attitude. - Ability to work in a virtual environment most often without direct supervision. - Have a passion for and an understanding of environmental, conservation or wildlife issues. REQUIRED MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: - 21 years of age or older. - College degree or equivalent. - Willingness to commit to this position for a period of at least 2 years. - U.S. citizenship. - A least 1 year in prior supervisory positions or other relevant experience. - Relevant work experience, preferably in marine animal management, conservation or environmental matters. - Full-time access to a reliable vehicle (candidates with full-time access to a truck will be given priority). - Valid drivers license with clean driving record. - Proof of insurance with Hawaii minimum liability coverage. - Ability to swim in open ocean conditions. - Access to a cellular phone with 4G data service. - Access to a digital camera (not a smartphone) with at least 35X zoom and Wi-Fi capabilities. - Access to binoculars with at least 10X magnification. - Access to a personal computer with Internet access. - Ability to walk at least 3 miles over shoreline conditions including rocky and unstable substrate. - Ability to lift and carry at least 70 pounds over 100 feet. - Be available for emergency response anywhere on the Island of Oahu. - Physical abilities to support strenuous activities associated with restraint or transport of heavy marine animals in difficult shoreline terrain and challenging environmental conditions. - Pass a background check. ADDITIONAL DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS: - Experience with small boat operations and open ocean in-water environments. - HAZWOPER Operations level certification (24-hour course) or higher. - American Red Cross or equivalent first aid, CPR and AED certification. - American Red Cross or equivalent lifeguard certification. INTERESTED APPLICANTS AND DEADLINE: Please send a letter of interest, your resume or CV with three references for consideration to info at h-mar.org. The deadline to receive these items is October 31, 2019 however candidates applying earlier will be given priority and an offer of employment may be made prior to October 31, 2019. To learn more about HMAR please visit our website at http://h-mar.org. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From info at marinemammaltranslocation.org Sat Sep 28 12:11:56 2019 From: info at marinemammaltranslocation.org (Marine Mammal Translocations) Date: Sat, 28 Sep 2019 09:11:56 -1000 Subject: [MARMAM] Update on Marine Mammal Conservation Translocation Workshop at WMMC - Space is limited Message-ID: Greetings Marine Mammal Conservation Community- Just a quick update on First International Workshop on Marine Mammal Conservation Translocation which will be held in the lead up to the World Marine Mammal Conference in Barcelona, Spain. We are getting close to the maximum participation for the workshop. Registration and abstract submission is still open but we will be capping it soon. We want to emphasize this workshop is the Thursday and Friday prior to conference workshop weekend so it won't conflict with other workshop. *Workshop Details:* Date: Dec 5-6, 2019 Time: 9 AM - 5 PM Venue: Hotel Barcelona Princess (subject to change) Cost: $30 USD for Students and $50 USD for Professionals To register please visit: https://www.marinemammaltranslocation.org/registration *Topic Updates:* The agenda is filling up with presentations on river dolphins, monk seals, Maui's dolphins, sea otters, and more. There will also be a presentation by representatives of the IUCN Conservation Translocation Specialist Group. To see the draft agenda please visit: https://www.marinemammaltranslocation.org/projects Let us know if you have any questions. See you in Barcelona. Marine Mammal Conservation Translocation Advisory Group -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From karina.sorrell at gmail.com Sun Sep 29 17:54:27 2019 From: karina.sorrell at gmail.com (Karina Sorrell) Date: Mon, 30 Sep 2019 10:54:27 +1000 Subject: [MARMAM] New paper on using drones to monitor Australian Fur Seals Message-ID: Dear MARMAM community, On behalf of my colleagues and co-authors from Monash University and Phillip Island Nature Parks, I am pleased to announce the online publication of our paper titled ?Remotely piloted aircraft improve precision of capture-mark-resight population estimates of Australian fur seals? by Karina Sorrell, Rohan Clarke, Ross Holmberg and Rebecca McIntosh in the journal *Ecosphere*. The article is open access and available here: https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.2812 ABSTRACT Remotely piloted aircraft (RPA or ?drones?) have become a powerful tool for use in spatial and temporal ecology. Major benefits for environmental management, including improved accuracy and precision for population monitoring of fauna are being realized. We used Australian fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus) as a model system to assess how counts and capture-mark-resight estimates derived from RPA surveys compared with both traditionally used ground counts, and capture-mark-resight abundance estimates at two colonies in south-eastern Australia. To manage the large volume of data, we implemented a citizen science portal ?SealSpotter? to screen RPA-imagery for animals of the target age classes. Capture-mark-resight estimates and direct counts using RPA-imagery provided measurable improvement in monitoring precision when compared with traditional techniques. A key methodological assumption of capture-mark-resight estimates is that there is uniform mixing of marked animals across the focal area. This was also validated using spatial data derived from images and linear models, a novel capability of the RPA technique. Our findings have the potential to improve wildlife monitoring techniques for fur seals, and are broadly transferable to a wide range of other animal taxa where capture-mark-resight techniques are employed. Furthermore, they add to the growing body of evidence that demonstrate the benefits of RPAs for wildlife monitoring exceed those of traditional techniques. All the best, Karina Sorrell *Karina Sorrell | Research AssistantSchool of Geography | Faculty of Science* The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Mobile: +61 432 553 696 Email: karina.sorrell at unimelb.edu.au -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ori_g_inal at yahoo.com Mon Sep 30 06:34:54 2019 From: ori_g_inal at yahoo.com (Ori) Date: Mon, 30 Sep 2019 13:34:54 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [MARMAM] Seeking Researchers Working with Drones in the Mediterranean and Black Sea for Short Inquiry References: <509548852.1393259.1569850494564.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <509548852.1393259.1569850494564@mail.yahoo.com> Dear Colleagues, As part of an ACCOBAMS project that is evaluating thefeasibility of area-wide unmanned aerial surveys (both droneand fixed wing) we are looking to get in touch with researchers who have workedwith drones for cetacean research in the Mediterranean or Black Sea. Mainly, we would like to inquire about legislation forflying drones in different regions/countries. *** Please get in touch: ori_g_inal at yahoo.com *** ? Many Thanks, Dr. Aviad Scheinin - Head, Top Predators Lab Eyal Bigal - Manager, Top Predators Lab Ori Galili - M.Sc. student, Top Predators Lab ? Top Predators Lab Morris Kahn Marine Research Station Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences University of Haifa, Israel -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From il32 at st-andrews.ac.uk Mon Sep 30 10:11:39 2019 From: il32 at st-andrews.ac.uk (Izzy Langley) Date: Mon, 30 Sep 2019 17:11:39 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] UKIRSC conference announcement: 10th-11th January 2020 Message-ID: Dear MARMAM community, The committee of the UK and Ireland Regional Student Chapter (UKIRSC) of the Society for Marine Mammalogy are pleased to announce our 14th annual conference. This year our meeting will be held on the 10th and 11th January 2020 at the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology in Galway, Republic of Ireland. This is a free conference which aims to bring together students interested in marine mammals from across the UK and Ireland. We encourage students to present their work in the form of posters, speed talks and 15 minute slots, along with the opportunity to network. We will also be running workshops and organising talks by invited experts within the field. The event will kick-off with an ice-breaker event on Thursday 9th January, and will close with a conference dinner on Saturday 11th January. Registration and abstract submission will be opening soon! Deadline for this will be the 20th December 2019. For more information please visit our website: https://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/ukrsc/conference-2020/ follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UKIRSC/ and on Twitter: https://twitter.com/UKIRSC_SMM Any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch. The 2020 committee can be contacted by emailing: ukrsc at st-andrews.ac.uk Please circulate among your labs ? this is a great experience for students! Best wishes, Cynthia, Izzy, Laura, Mar?a, Becky & Natalie UKIRSC 2020 committee ---------------------------------------------------- Izzy Langley Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) Scottish Oceans Institute University of St Andrews St Andrews, Fife, KY16 8LB Twitter: @LangleyIzzy @_SMRU_ The University of St Andrews is a charity registered in Scotland: No SC013532 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ashley.barratclough at nmmpfoundation.org Mon Sep 30 12:27:00 2019 From: ashley.barratclough at nmmpfoundation.org (Ashley Barratclough) Date: Mon, 30 Sep 2019 12:27:00 -0700 Subject: [MARMAM] New Bottlenose Dolphin Publications Message-ID: <56A2E60D-A872-43AC-924C-8A022ECC26F7@nmmpfoundation.org> Dear All, We are pleased to announce the following publications on bottlenose dolphins, one as a clinical tool to estimate age radiographically and a second showing normal reference ranges for biochemistry and haematology during successful dolphin pregnancy: Article 1: Barratclough, Ashley, Roberto Sanz-Requena, Luis Marti-Bonmati, Todd L. Schmitt, Eric Jensen, and Daniel Garc?a-P?rraga. "Radiographic assessment of pectoral flipper bone maturation in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), as a novel technique to accurately estimate chronological age." PloS one 14, no. 9 (2019): e0222722. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0222722 <>Abstract: Accurate age estimation in wildlife conservation is an important diagnostic tool in the interpretation of biological data, necropsy examination, reproductive status and population demographics. The most frequently utilized methods to age bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) include tooth extraction; counting dental growth layer groups and dental radiography. These methods are inaccurate in dolphins > 13 years old, due to overlapping of the growth layer groups in dolphins and worn teeth. Establishing a non-invasive method of accurately aging bottlenose dolphins across the entire age range is important to long term conservation efforts to understand health status, lifespan, reproduction and survivability. A database of 126 radiographs from 94 dolphins of known chronological age was utilized to establish the stages of skeletal ossification over time. A numerical score from -1 to 8 was assigned to 16 anatomic locations on the pectoral radiograph, to create a formula to estimate age. The most informative areas to evaluate morphologically were the metaphyseal regions of the radius and ulna, and the proximal and distal epiphysis of metacarpals II and III. Third order polynomial regression calculated separate age predictor formulas for male and female dolphins, with females reaching sexual maturity earlier than males. Completion of epiphyseal closure of the long bones correlated with average sexual maturity. Managed care dolphin ages could be properly estimated with decreasing precision from within 3 months in animals < 5 years old, to within 5 years in animals > 30 years old. This diagnostic tool could also be applied to diagnose atypical ossification patterns consistent with nutritional, developmental or growth abnormalities, and identifying subclinical health issues. In conclusion, knowledge of the lifespan and the onset of sexual maturity for each species will allow this model to be applied to other cetaceans, facilitating age estimation via pectoral radiography in future research. Article 2: Barratclough, Ashley, Forrest M. Gomez, Jeanine S. Morey, Alissa Deming, Celeste Parry, Jennifer M. Meegan, Kevin P. Carlin et al. "Pregnancy profiles in the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus): Clinical biochemical and hematological variations during healthy gestation and a successful outcome." Theriogenology (2019). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0093691X19304200 Abstract The physiological demands of pregnancy inevitably result in changes of both biochemical and hematological parameters as the fetus develops. Alterations in blood parameters have been observed to shift according to both trimester and species, to support fetal physiological needs and maternal basal requirements. Establishing normal reference ranges for each stage in gestation is important to facilitate diagnosis of underlying health concerns and prevent over-diagnosing abnormalities. Despite bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) being one of the most highly studied cetaceans, the blood profile changes occurring as a result of pregnancy have not been previously described. A retrospective analysis was performed from blood samples obtained from 42 successful pregnancies from 20 bottlenose dolphins in a managed population over 30 years. Samples were compared to non-pregnant states and among trimesters of pregnancy. Blood profile fluctuations occurred throughout gestation, however significant alterations predominantly occurred between the 2nd and 3rd trimester. Hematological changes from the 2nd to the 3rd trimester included a decrease in lymphocytes, decrease in platelet count, and hemoconcentration with increased hematocrit and hemoglobin. Biochemical changes in the 3rd trimester included significant reductions in ALKP (alkaline phosphatase), ALT (alanine aminotransferase) and AST (aspartate aminotransferase) with significant increases observed in albumin, globulins, total protein, cholesterol, triglycerides and CO2. It's important to note that despite significant shifts occurring between the 2nd and 3rd trimester, there was no significant change in platelets, hematocrit, hemoglobin, lymphocytes or CO2 between non-pregnant and 3rd trimester blood samples. The normal reference ranges for each trimester established herein, will enable future identification of abnormalities occurring during pregnancy and help improve our understanding of factors potentially influencing a failed or successful pregnancy outcome. Please email me (ashley.barratclough at nmmpfoundation.org) if you would like a PDF copy of the papers (both will be open access) or if you have any questions. Cheers, Ashley -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From cambodiadolphinproject at gmail.com Mon Sep 30 19:44:58 2019 From: cambodiadolphinproject at gmail.com (The Cambodian Marine Mammal Conservation Project) Date: Tue, 1 Oct 2019 09:44:58 +0700 Subject: [MARMAM] New Paper: Marine Mammals in Cambodia Message-ID: Dear MARMAMers, The Cambodian Marine Mammal Conservation Project is excited to announce the release of the following paper: 'Sighting and Stranding Reports of Irrawaddy Dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris) and Dugongs (Dugong dugon) in Kep and Kampot, Cambodia' SUMMARY: The Cambodian Marine Mammal Conservation Project was established in September 2017 to fill Cambodian marine mammal knowledge gaps for the purposes of conservation. The current study provides initial sighting and occurrence records of Irrawaddy dolphins and dugongs in Cambodia's Kep and Kampot region. Additionally, regional marine mammal threats were identified, and an Irrawaddy dolphin photo-identification catalogue was created as part of ongoing survey work in the region. The full article can be found in the latest issue of Aquatic Mammals, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.45.5.2019.563 < https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.45.5.2019.563> Kind regards, Sarah Tubbs Founder and Coordinator of The Cambodian Marine Mammal Conservation Project Marine Conservation Cambodia m: +447403732632 a: Koh Ach Seh, Kep Province, 22101, Cambodia e: sarahtubbs123 at gmail.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: