From edmaktub at edmaktub.com Fri Jan 1 03:27:48 2021 From: edmaktub at edmaktub.com (edmaktub) Date: Fri, 1 Jan 2021 12:27:48 +0100 Subject: [MARMAM] 2021 Fin Whale Project on the coast of Barcelona Message-ID: *2021 Fin Whale Project on the coast of Barcelona** * *EDMAKTUB is offering a position and looking for research trainee assistants** * EDMAKTUB Association is a non-profit organization studying fin whale presence and behaviour, since 2013; and the conditions why fin whales come in great number to feed on the coast between Barcelona and Tarragona, norteastern Spain. Not only whales but also many other species of cetaceans, sea birds, fish and sea turtles visit the area from mid-February to mid-June. EDMAKTUB collects information about their presence and behavior, as well as biological and oceanographic data. You can find more information here: http://www.edmaktub.org/en/fin-whale-project/ In order to complete its research team for the 2021 season, EDMAKTUB is looking for two types of collaborators: 1) Researcher (one paid position), 2) Research Assistants (training program). You will find the description and requirements of each position below. 1) RESEARCHER - Graduates (minimum) in biology, veterinary, marine sciences and other fields related to the study of cetaceans and the oceanic conditions. excellent scientific writing skills. Number of positions available: 1 Collaborating period: 3 to 4?months (with a possible extension) Physical presence: Mid February 2021 ? (Virtual contact: as soon as possible) *Salary*?based on experience but with a low fix and extra variable depending on results. Acomodation will be included Tasks to be undertaken: ?Preparation and participation in the 2021 marine surveys of the Fin Whale Project. Researchers need to be based in Vilanova i la Geltr? (Barcelona, Spain) from mid-February to mid-June ? Coordination of one of the research lines (download dossier for details: link below) ? Collaborate in the logistical and organizational tasks of the Project ?Writing reports and papers to publish in peer review journals. What do you get? ? Involvement in all the activities carried out in the Fin Whale Project, especially daily whale monitoring,observation and publication. ? A platform in which to gain experience in the field study of cetaceans. ? The possibility of developing your own research work: whether it is an article for publication, an end-of-course assignment or work as part of a master's degree. ? Professional visibility in the field of cetacean research. What do we ask in return? ? Dedication and commitment ? You will need to cover your accommodation and living expenses (from February to June in Vilanova i la Geltr?). We can provide a shared flat. How to apply? Send your detailed CV as well as a motivation letter in which you propose the line of research you want to develop and the ideas you have regarding it. Indicate as subject: ?PR2021? It is essential to read the Fin Whale Project dossier (link below) beforehand to find out about the available infrastructure and the studies that have been developed during previous seasons. Link: http://www.edmaktub.org/en/annual-report/ Email: Info at edmaktub.org 2) TRAINING PROGRAM: RESEARCH ASSISTANTS ?Graduates, students or people wishing to acquire practical experience in the field study of cetaceans and oceanographic conditions Number of positions available: 15 | Participating period: 7 days (one week to choose from mid-March to mid-May) What do you get? ? The chance to participate in all the activities developed by the Fin Whale Project during the seven days of the program, especially in daily whale monitoring and observation. ? Training and practical experience in the field of cetacean study. ? The opportunity of spending quality time at sea observing cetaceans in the rich environment of the coast of Barcelona (Garraf Coast). What do we ask in return? ? To collaborate financially to the project with a donation of ?800, which also?covers your accommodation and food during the seven days of the program. How to apply? Fill out the form you will find in our website: http://www.edmaktub.org/en/rap/ If you want to collaborate as a VOLUNTEER, please take a look at our website: http://www.edmaktub.org/en/volunteers/ -- ???????------------------- Eduard Degollada Bastos DVM PhD President Associaci? EDMAKTUB www.edmaktub.org Fb edmaktub Youtube edmaktub Emailedmaktub at edmaktub.org Ph +34630038829 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From joannakershaw at hotmail.com Mon Jan 4 02:13:31 2021 From: joannakershaw at hotmail.com (Joanna Kershaw) Date: Mon, 4 Jan 2021 10:13:31 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New paper: Decline in humpback whale reproductive success in the Gulf of St. Lawrence Message-ID: Dear MARMAM Members, My colleagues and I are pleased to share our new publication ?Declining reproductive success in the Gulf of St Lawrence?s humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) reflects ecosystem shifts on their feeding grounds?, now available in Global Change Biology. ?Abstract ?Climate change has resulted in physical and biological changes in the world?s oceans. How the effects of these changes are buffered by top predator populations, and therefore how much plasticity there is at the highest trophic levels is largely unknown. Here, endocrine profiling, longitudinal observations of known individuals over 15 years between 2004 and 2018, and environmental data are combined to examine how the reproductive success of a top marine predator is being affected by ecosystem change. The Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada, is a major summer feeding ground for humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the North Atlantic. Blubber biopsy samples (n = 185) of female humpback whales were used to investigate variation in pregnancy rates through the quantification of progesterone. Annual pregnancy rates showed considerable variability, with no overall change detected over the study. However, a total of 457 photo-identified adult female sightings records with / without calves were collated, and showed that annual calving rates declined significantly. The probability of observing cow-calf pairs was related to favourable environmental conditions in the previous year; measured by herring spawning stock biomass, Calanus spp. abundance, overall copepod abundance and phytoplankton bloom magnitude. Approximately 39% of identified pregnancies were unsuccessful over the 15 years, and the average annual pregnancy rate was higher than the average annual calving rate at ~37% and ~23% respectively. Together, these data suggest that the declines in reproductive success could be, at least in part, the result of females being unable to accumulate the energy reserves necessary to maintain pregnancy and / or meet the energetic demands of lactation in years of poorer prey availability rather than solely an inability to become pregnant. The decline in calving rates over a period of major environmental variability may suggest that this population has limited resilience to such ecosystem change. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15466 Best wishes, Jo Kershaw -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From yo_mitani at fsc.hokudai.ac.jp Sun Jan 3 18:57:40 2021 From: yo_mitani at fsc.hokudai.ac.jp (Yoko Mitani) Date: Mon, 4 Jan 2021 11:57:40 +0900 Subject: [MARMAM] New Paper: Estimation of sexual maturity based on morphometrics of genital organs in male northern fur seals, Callorhinus ursinus Message-ID: Dear All, We are pleased to announce publication of our latest paper on genital morphometrics of northern fur seal males: Yukino Hirakawa, Takanori Horimoto, Ippei Suzuki, and Yoko Mitani "Estimation of Sexual Maturity Based on Morphometrics of Genital Organs in Male Northern Fur Seals, Callorhinus ursinus," Mammal Study 46(1), 1-11, (21 December 2020). https://doi.org/10.3106/ms2020-0004 Abstract It's not always possible to obtain samples from dead male pinnipeds that are fresh enough to determine the histological characteristics of spermatogenesis and their stage of sexual maturity. We propose that the morphometrics of genital organs of northern fur seals, Callorhinus ursinus, can be used as a new indicator of sexual maturity. We analyzed data from collected records of male fur seals around Hokkaido during 2011?2017 to examine morphometrics of genital organs and their stage in histological characteristics of spermatogenesis. First, we investigated ontogenetic and seasonal variation in three genital organs: testes, epididymides, and bacula. Second, we classified the stages of histological characteristics of spermatogenesis into three groups (Stage A?C) using non-linear discriminant analysis, based on the stage in histological characteristics of spermatogenesis determined by histological observation of seminiferous tubules. Testicular size, testicular mass, and epididymal mass showed seasonal variation associated with spermatogenesis. From our analysis, the stage in histological characteristics of spermatogenesis could be estimated using testicular mass with high accuracy of predicting spermatogenesis. And measurement of baculum was suggested to be an indicator of predicting sexual maturity. We conclude that this simple estimation may be used to determine sexual maturity based on individual growth patterns. Kind regards, Yoko -- ?????Yoko Mitani ????????????????????? ??? HokkaidOcean Mammal Team ?040-0051 ?????????20?5? ???????????????????219?? Tel: 0138-85-6558; Fax: 0138-85-6625 Email: yo_mitani at fsc.hokudai.ac.jp Yoko MITANI HokkaidOcean Mammal Team Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University Hakodate Research Center for Fisheries and Oceans 20-5 Benten-cho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 040-0051, JAPAN TEL: +81-138-85-6558; FAX: +81-138-85-6625 E-mail: yo_mitani at fsc.hokudai.ac.jp From Arnaud.Mosnier at dfo-mpo.gc.ca Tue Jan 5 10:32:44 2021 From: Arnaud.Mosnier at dfo-mpo.gc.ca (Mosnier, Arnaud) Date: Tue, 5 Jan 2021 18:32:44 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Post-doctoral fellowship - Modelling the population dynamics of beluga in the waters adjoining northern Quebec, Canada Message-ID: <36b1dfe7629a4d288ac7b54cce533a50@dfo-mpo.gc.ca> The Department of Fisheries and Oceans is responsible for the conservation and management of marine mammals in Canadian waters. A post-doctoral candidate is sought to develop a model aiming to describe the population dynamics of beluga in the waters adjoining northern Quebec, Canada. The candidate would expand on current modeling efforts by including information such as age structure, genetic structure, and environmental variables, while clearly integrating the sources of uncertainty into the model structure. The model will be used to provide harvest advice for the Inuit subsistence harvest as well as providing insights into impacts of development and climate change on population trends. The successful candidate will also be involved in the development of a Precautionary Approach framework and Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) related to the Inuit subsistence harvest. A suitable candidate should possess an internationally recognised doctoral degree from an accredited institution. He/She should be self motivated, able to work independently but also within a team framework. The candidate should have ecological training and a proven ability in statistical modelling including Bayesian inference methods. Abilities in ecosystem modelling approaches and programming in statistical software such as R, JAGS, STAN, and TMB. This is a 2-year position anticipated to begin 1st April 2021. This position will be held at the Maurice Lamontagne Institute - Fisheries and Oceans Canada in Mont-Joli (Quebec, Canada). The official working language at the Institute is French, although both English and French are used. Salary is around $60,000 CAD/year. The project will be conducted under the supervision of Dr. Arnaud Mosnier in collaboration with Drs. Mike Hammill (DFO, Research Scientist, marine mammal biology) and Genevi?ve Parent (DFO, Research Scientist, genetic). Candidates interested in the position should email Arnaud.mosnier at dfo-mpo.gc.ca and submit a resume including a list of publications and contact information for references. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Arnaud Mosnier arnaud.mosnier at dfo-mpo.gc.ca P?ches et Oc?ans Canada / Fisheries and Oceans Canada Institut Maurice Lamontagne / Maurice Lamontagne Institute Mont-Joli, QC, Canada -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From DiscourseMap at live.com Wed Jan 6 07:22:29 2021 From: DiscourseMap at live.com (Discourse Maps) Date: Wed, 6 Jan 2021 15:22:29 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Marine mammal bycatch webinar (OneNOAA) Message-ID: Dear MARMAM community, I will be sharing preliminary results chapters from my PhD dissertation on Monday, 11 January as part of the NOAA Science Seminar series. Below is a short advert for the webinar. Warm regards, _________________________ Gregg Verutes Doctoral Student Department of Applied Economy University of Santiago de Compostela gregory.verutes at usc.es ------------ OneNOAA Seminar Title: An evaluation of international policies and local management strategies to mitigate cetacean bycatch in data-limited fisheries Presenter: Gregg Verutes, Biogeographer, University of Santiago de Compostela Date/time: 11 January 2021 from 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm ET Outline of talk: 1. Science - building seasonal habitat models of marine mammal distribution 2. Management tool - leveraging GIS and stakeholder engagement to map bycatch risk and data uncertainty in small-scale fisheries 3. Policy analysis - comparing the effectiveness of EU and US legislation to conserve small cetaceans through case studies More information and to sign up: https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/star/OneNOAASeminars_ListOnly.php -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jessarah19 at yahoo.com Tue Jan 5 13:08:54 2021 From: jessarah19 at yahoo.com (Jessica Taylor) Date: Tue, 5 Jan 2021 21:08:54 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [MARMAM] Bottlenose Dolphin Photo-ID Internship Position for Summer 2021 References: <401867312.7511444.1609880934153.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <401867312.7511444.1609880934153@mail.yahoo.com> Bottlenose DolphinPhoto-ID Internship Position for Summer 2021 The Outer Banks Centerfor Dolphin Research (OBXCDR)/Nags Head Dolphin Watch are currently acceptingapplications for the 2021 summer season. The research season is May 3rd-October22nd. Three internship positions are available for the followingdates: May 3rd-September 20th, May 10th-August15th, May 17th-October 22nd. Start/end datesare flexible but successful applicants must be able to commit for the entireinternship period. The Outer Banks Centerfor Dolphin Research is a 501 c(3) non-profit organization dedicated to theconservation of bottlenose dolphins in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Ourprogram?s goal is to gain an understanding of the population dynamics, movementpatterns, and behavioral ecology of coastal bottlenose dolphins in the soundsand coastal waters near the Outer Banks. The OBXCDR conducts a long-term photo-identificationmonitoring study of bottlenose dolphins in Roanoke, Croatan, Albemarle, Pamlicoand Currituck Sounds. Data is collected via dedicated small boat surveys aswell as opportunistically from a local dolphin watch. Information from themonitoring study is used to examine annual population trends, habitatutilization, social associations, and ecology of the dolphins as well as aid inefforts to examine bottlenose dolphin stock structure and movement patternsalong the U.S. Atlantic coast. Interns will gain experience in field datacollection, photo-identification of dolphins, and environmental education. Formore information about the OBXCDR, please visit: obxdolphins.org. The internshipposition will consist of bottlenose dolphin photo-identification,opportunistic/dedicated field research, and environmental education.Responsibilities include: ?? Mate/naturalistduties aboard the Nags Head Dolphin Watch: This involves the implementation of educational programs,including public speaking aboard the eco-tours (using a microphone andone-on-one) to educate others about local dolphin biology and marineconservation, as well as additional mate duties. The mate/naturalist will alsocollect opportunistic photo-identification data aboard the eco-tours(photographing dorsal fins, measuring environmental parameters, and recordingsighting data), organize opportunistic data for inclusion in thephoto-identification catalog, and assist in general maintenance of fieldequipment.? For additional information about the Nags Head Dolphin Watch,please see www.nagsheaddolphinwatch.com (50% of time) ? ?? Photo-identificationof dolphins in the lab:This includes photo sorting, grading, and matching, sighting data entry, andassisting in maintenance of the long-term OBX catalog using the MS Accessdatabase FinBase. ?Additional time willalso be spent completing an independent project in which the intern will matchthe OBX catalog to the Mid-Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin Catalog (MABDC) toexamine seasonal movement patterns. The MABDC is a long-term collaborativeeffort to gain a greater understanding of the stock structure and movementpatterns of bottlenose dolphins along the U.S. Atlantic coast. This independentproject should be completed within the span of the internship. The finalproduct of this project will be a final project report. This work will becompleted in our lab space at the local Coastal Studies Institute. (40% oftime) ? ?? Boat-basedphoto-identification: The intern willassist with dedicated boat-based photo-identification surveys to examine abundances,site fidelity, and progression of skin lesions of bottlenose dolphins inRoanoke Sound.? Responsibilities include operating a small vessel duringtransect surveys and sightings, assisting with photo-identification, collectingsighting data for dolphin groups, and general maintenance of field equipment.(10% of time) ? This internshiprequires a minimum commitment of 36 hours per week, consisting of eco-tours,lab photo-identification, and dedicated surveys. The intern will carry out mate/naturalistduties and opportunistic photo-identification aboard the Nags Head DolphinWatch for 3-4 days per week throughout the field season while 1-2 days per weekwill be spent conducting photo-identification in the lab. Abundance surveyswill be conducted 2-3 times per month from May through October. Salary:? Thisinternship is a paid position. Applicants will receive an hourly salary for thenaturalist position on the dolphin watch. Tips aboard the dolphin tours areexpected, but not guaranteed. Housing:?Although housing is not provided, we will assist you in finding housingaccommodations in the Outer Banks. Interns are responsible for their owntransportation to and from the Outer Banks as well as to and from the fieldsites and lab. The successfulapplicant would ideally have the following qualifications: ?? Minimum of 18 years of age and recentlygraduated with an undergraduate degree in marine biology, biology, zoology, orrelated field ?? Strong interest in the marine environment andconservation ?? Ability to swim ?? Basic proficiency in MS Access, Word, Excel,and Picture Manager as well as digital photography ?? Enthusiasm, attention to detail, responsible, independent,focused, and dedicated ?? Works well in a team environment as well asindividually ?? Experience in boating and marine field datacollection ?? Experience in environmental outreach preferred ?? Experience in photo-identification preferred ?? First AID/CPR certification preferred ?? Due to employment aboard the dolphin eco-tours,all candidates must be U.S. citizens ? NOTE: The UnitedStates Coast Guard requires all passenger vessels to be drug free workenvironments. In order to work aboard the dolphin eco-tours, the intern will berequired to pass a pre-employment drug test and to participate in random drugtesting during the period of the research season. Application Process: Please submit coverletter, resume, and contact information for 3 references via email to:obxcdr at hotmail.com?Use ?Dolphin photo-id internship? in thesubject line of the email. Applicants must apply by February 12th tobe considered for this position. Applications will be reviewed in the orderreceived. ? Jessica Taylor Executive Director,Outer Banks Center for Dolphin Research P.O. Box 7721 Kill Devil Hills, NC27948 Obxdolphins.org ? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jalcazar at ull.edu.es Wed Jan 6 02:18:04 2021 From: jalcazar at ull.edu.es (=?UTF-8?B?SmVzw7pzIEFsY8OhemFyIFRyZXZpw7Fv?=) Date: Wed, 6 Jan 2021 10:18:04 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: Deep-diving beaked whales dive together but forage apart Message-ID: Dear MARMAM Members, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of our new paper: Alc?zar-Trevi?o, J., Johnson, M., Arranz, P., Warren, V.E., P?rez-Gonz?lez, C.J., Marques, T., Madsen, P.T. and Aguilar de Soto, N. 2021. Deep-diving beaked whales dive together but forage apart.* Proc. R. Soc. B.* *288*: 20201905. Abstract Echolocating animals that forage in social groups can potentially benefit from eavesdropping on other group members, cooperative foraging or social defence, but may also face problems of acoustic interference and intra-group competition for prey. Here, we investigate these potential trade-offs of sociality for extreme deep-diving Blainville?s and Cuvier's beaked whales. These species perform highly synchronous group dives as a presumed predator-avoidance behaviour, but the benefits and costs of this on foraging have not been investigated. We show that group members could hear their companions for a median of at least 91% of the vocal foraging phase of their dives. This enables whales to coordinate their mean travel direction despite differing individual headings as they pursue prey on a minute-by-minute basis. While beaked whales coordinate their echolocation-based foraging periods tightly, individual click and buzz rates are both independent of the number of whales in the group. Thus, their foraging performance is not affected by intra-group competition or interference from group members, and they do not seem to capitalize directly on eavesdropping on the echoes produced by the echolocation clicks of their companions. We conclude that the close diving and vocal synchronization of beaked whale groups that quantitatively reduces predation risk has little impact on foraging performance. The article is available at https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2020.1905 Please, feel free to contact me via email to jalcazar at ull.edu.es if you have any questions regarding our study or if you want a PDF copy of the paper. Kind regards, Jes?s Alc?zar-Trevi?o -- Jes?s Alc?zar Trevi?o Doctorando FPU Grupo de Investigaci?n BIOECOMAC Departamento de Biolog?a Animal, Edafolog?a y Geolog?a Facultad de Ciencias - Secci?n Biolog?a Avenida Astrof?sico Francisco S?nchez, s/n Apartado 456 38200 La Laguna. S/C de Tenerife ull.es ------------------------------ Aviso de confidencialidad Por favor, ten en cuenta el medio ambiente antes de imprimir este e-mail. Please, keep in mind the environment before printing this e-mail. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From interns at aimm-portugal.org Mon Jan 4 07:35:52 2021 From: interns at aimm-portugal.org (AIMM Internships) Date: Mon, 4 Jan 2021 15:35:52 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] DOLPHIN RESEARCH INTERNSHIP IN PORTUGAL Message-ID: *DOLPHIN RESEARCH INTERNSHIP IN PORTUGAL* *BACKGROUND: *The Marine Environment Research Association - AIMM, is a non-profit, non-governmental organization focused on the research and conservation of marine species, running an ongoing study of cetaceans in southern Portugal (Algarve). This project aims to obtain baseline information on species occurrence, behavior, and social structure of the local cetacean populations in order to obtain scientific data to support conservation measures and inform marine management policies. The main species observed are Short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), and Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), although other species such as Minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) and Fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) can also be sighted. AIMM Interns are young, hard-working individuals who are willing to contribute to the association and support on-going activities, while experiencing fieldwork at sea, learning data collection and processing methodologies, and being a part of AIMM's team of researchers and marine biologists for a period of time. All team members and participants share accommodation, house tasks, knowledge and experience in an environmental friendly and multicultural environment. Interns have the additional option to enrich their time with AIMM by beginning or improving their SCUBA skills with a PADI-certified instructor. *WHERE:* Albufeira, Algarve, Portugal *WHEN:* The field season lasts from 1st of May to 30th November 2021. The minimum internship attendance is 14 days, preferably starting on a Monday. *FIELDWORK: *The field trips are conducted in AIMM's research vessel, Ketos, or in opportunistic platforms (commercial dolphin-watching boats). Fieldwork is dependent on weather conditions and seat availability in the dolphin-watching boats. Field days can be intense, especially in the peak of summer, but are fulfilling and good fun. The interns will be trained to: ? Conduct on-board surveys of marine species occurrence; ? Record effort tracks on a handheld GPS; ? Collect data on behavior, group size, species, etc.; ? Collect photos to photo-identification, acoustic recording, and underwater videos while on-board; ? Secchi disk methodology; ? Help to collect of drone footage from the marine mammals. *DATA ANALYSIS: *This will be conducted on a daily basis and will entail entering data into established databases and spreadsheets, photo-identification processing, and preliminary data interpretation. *INTERNSHIP FEES:* AIMM is a non-profit organization that relies on donations from our volunteers, partners, and conservation-minded people like you so that we may continue our important research and education programs in the Algarve. This internship requires a monetary contribution which is used to off-set the cost of accommodation and running a non-profit. For more information on internship fees for the 2020 season, please contact: interns at aimm-portugal.org *Included* in the fee is: ? Accommodation in the research house; ? Transportation to/from the marina; ? Meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner); ? Fieldwork in the research vessel or commercial dolphin-watching vessels. *Not included* in the fee is: ? Transportation to/from Albufeira; ? Meals in restaurants and snacks; ? Free time activities; ? Personal insurance (all participants should have health and/or travel insurance); ? Personal expenses. *INTERNS ARE EXPECTED TO:* ? Be above the age of 16; ? Have a mature attitude towards marine mammal research and environment; ? Be autonomous and flexible; ? Be able to live and work in an international team and mainly outdoors at sea; ? Speak English; ? Participate for minimum 7 days. *Preference will be given* to those who have: ? Relevant marine mammal field experience ? Working experience on research vessels ? Experience working from dolphin/whale watching platforms ? Experience in photo-identification ? Professional cameras that can be used for photo-ID ? Availability to stay for longer periods of time *INTERNSHIP APPLICATION: * Applicants should fill up the online application at: https://www.aimmportugal.org/application-form AIMM will send a confirmation e-mail with all the details about the internship and asking for your Resume/CV, motivation letter (small statement on which are your expectations and why do you want to work with AIMM) and the period of time that you want to do the program. OR Applicants should send an e-mail to: interns at aimm-portugal.org, with the subject ?*DOLPHIN RESEARCH INTERNSHIP*?. You will receive and e-mail with the availability and all the other details. Applications will be accepted during all season. However, early application is recommended due to limited vacancies. The follow links are a shorts videos about the internship in Albufeira. You get a different perspective and feedback from old participants about it: https://youtu.be/hTJJQPHBdI0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zTIEQEsftA *Contacts*: interns at aimm-portugal.org | www.aimmportugal.org | -- *AIMM Portugal* - Ass. Investiga??o do Meio Marinho | Marine Environment Research Association *Website*: www.aimmportugal.org [image: AIMM Portugal | facebook] [image: AIMM Portugal | twitter] [image: AIMM Portugal | instagram] [image: AIMM Portugal | youtube] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From traciemerrill at hotmail.com Tue Jan 5 15:13:07 2021 From: traciemerrill at hotmail.com (tracie merrill) Date: Tue, 5 Jan 2021 23:13:07 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Registration now open for The Whale Museum's 2021 Virtual Spring Marine Naturalist Training Program! Message-ID: The Whale Museum in Friday Harbor, WA, has been training marine naturalists since 1994. Due to the pandemic, and back by popular demand, we have decided to offer our 2021 marine naturalist training program (MNTP) spring session virtually. Dates for this session are: April 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17. Our marine naturalist training course is an intensive 7-day overview of the natural history of the San Juan Islands and the marine waters of Washington and Southern British Columbia (known as the Salish Sea). These will be mostly full days, usually running from around 10:00 am-5:00 pm Pacific Time. This course includes an in-depth treatment of the ecology and conservation of local marine species, including cetaceans (especially Southern Resident killer whales), pinnipeds, mustelids, and marine invertebrates and birds. Not only will participants learn identification and biology of species but also about TWM's marine mammal research (San Juan County Marine Mammal Stranding Network, Marine Mammals Sighting Network/Database, Be Whale Wise laws and guidelines and Soundwatch Boater Education Program, and collaboration in shore based observation/acoustic research at Lime Kiln Point State Park). Presentations will be given by highly trained local naturalists, environmental educators, and scientists. Participants can be certified as Naturalists through this program upon completion of 10 practicum hours, which can include, but not limited to, volunteering with TWM's research programs. The upcoming spring session will be a dynamic, high-quality virtual experience that leaves graduates qualified as a regional professional or volunteer naturalist. Most presentations will be recorded but a few will not. Tuition is $425 for members of The Whale Museum/Orca Adopters or $475 for non-members. A deposit (half-tuition) can be made to secure your spot in the program with the remaining balance due a month before the session starts. More information as well as course registration can be found at https://whalemuseum.org/pages/marine-naturalist-training Sent from Outlook -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From vwar775 at aucklanduni.ac.nz Wed Jan 6 13:43:49 2021 From: vwar775 at aucklanduni.ac.nz (Victoria Warren) Date: Thu, 7 Jan 2021 10:43:49 +1300 Subject: [MARMAM] Passive acoustic monitoring reveals spatio-temporal distributions of Antarctic and pygmy blue whales around central New Zealand - new publication Message-ID: Dear colleagues, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of the following article: Passive acoustic monitoring reveals spatio-temporal distributions of Antarctic and pygmy blue whales around central New Zealand. Victoria E. Warren, Ana Sirovic, Craig McPherson, Kimberly T. Goetz, Craig A. Radford and Rochelle Constantine. Frontiers in Marine Science, 2021, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.575257 IN A NUTSHELL We've known for a long time that two sub-species of blue whale occur in New Zealand waters (Antarctic blue whales and pygmy blue whales), but they've often been lumped together as it's tricky to tell the difference between them by eye. Luckily they produce very different sounds, so using acoustic monitoring we were able to distinguish between them and uncover the differences in their distributions over time and space. ABSTRACT Effective management of wild animal populations relies on an understanding of their spatio-temporal distributions. Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) is a non-invasive method to investigate the distribution of free-ranging species that reliably produce sound. Critically endangered Antarctic blue whales (*Balaenoptera musculus intermedia*) (ABWs) co-occur with pygmy blue whales (*B. m. brevicauda*) (PBWs) around New Zealand. Nationally, both are listed as ?data deficient? due to difficulties in access and visual sub-species identification. PAM was used to investigate the distributions of blue whales *via* sub-species specific song detections in central New Zealand. Propagation models, incorporating ambient noise data, enabled the comparison of detections among recording locations in different marine environments. ABW detections peaked during austral winter and spring, indicating that New Zealand, and the South Taranaki Bight (STB) in particular, is a migratory corridor for ABWs. Some ABW calls were also detected during the breeding season (September and October). PBW calls were highly concentrated in the STB, particularly between March and May, suggesting that an aggregation of PBWs may occur here. Therefore, the STB is of great importance for both sub-species of blue whale. PBW detections were absent from the STB during parts of austral spring, but PBWs were detected at east coast locations during this time. Detection area models were valuable when interpreting and comparing detections among recording locations. The results provide sub-species specific information required for management of critically endangered ABWs and highlight the relative importance of central New Zealand for both sub-species of blue whale. The open-access article can be downloaded from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2020.575257 You are very welcome to contact me via email (vwar775 at aucklanduni.ac.nz) if you have any questions. Kind regards, Victoria Warren -- Victoria Warren PhD Candidate, University of Auckland +64-4-386-0526 NIWA, 301 Evans Bay Parade, Greta Point, Wellington, New Zealand -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From andy_szabo at hotmail.com Wed Jan 6 15:36:52 2021 From: andy_szabo at hotmail.com (Andy Szabo) Date: Wed, 6 Jan 2021 15:36:52 -0800 Subject: [MARMAM] Alaska Whale Foundation 2021 Research Program - Call for Volunteers Message-ID: HUMPBACK WHALE RESEARCH IN SOUTHEAST ALASKA Alaska Whale Foundation (AWF) is seeking volunteers to participate in a series of research projects at its field station on Baranof Island, Southeast Alaska (latitude 57.0877 N, longitude 134.8342 W). Successful applicants will assist in collecting and/or analyzing data for projects examining humpback whale health, foraging ecology, and social biology. Responsibilities: Volunteers will work in a team of 5 individuals and will split their time between on-the-water activities and data work. AWF?s field station is a cooperative living environment so volunteers will also be responsible for cooking, cleaning and basic equipment maintenance. Volunteers are expected to cover the costs of getting to/from either Petersburg or Sitka, Alaska and to supply their own foul-weather gear (rain gear, boots, etc.) appropriate for work in the Alaskan temperate rainforest and marine environment. Compensation: In return for participation, AWF will provide travel within Southeast Alaska to AWF?s field station, room and board, and Mustang-style survival suits and additional safety gear. AWF can also assist students that wish to develop for-credit independent projects through their own academic institutions. Schedule: Volunteers are asked to participate in one of two ?blocks?. The tentative dates for these are: i) May 22 ? July 24; and, ii) July 24 ? September 19. Volunteers should plan to arrive in Southeast Alaska no later than noon on the first day and depart no sooner than noon on the final day of the appropriate block. Because of the logistics involved with travel to/from the field station, we cannot accommodate arrival and departure outside of these dates/times. Qualifications: All applicants will be considered; however, preference will be given to individuals that are pursing or have recently been awarded a BS/BA degree or higher in biology, environmental science or similar field, and who have basic first aid training. Additionally, the following will be viewed favorably: - Desire to pursue a career in marine sciences - Experience operating small boats, especially in marine waters - Experience working in remote field settings - An ability to work well with colleagues in both research and cooperative living situations Interested individuals should apply through Alaska Whale Foundation?s website: www.alaskawhalefoundation.org/call-for-volunteers Please include a link to a single PDF file that includes your CV, a brief cover letter (no more than 500 words) and contact information for two references. Applications should be submitted no later than January 15. Qualified candidates will be contacted shortly thereafter to set up interviews, and final decisions will be made no later than February 1. Further announcements ? including notification that positions have been filled - will be posted on Alaska Whale Foundation?s Facebook page. For more information on Alaska Whale Foundation, please visit: www.alaskawhalefoundation.org. From arserrano at uv.mx Thu Jan 7 17:51:40 2021 From: arserrano at uv.mx (Serrano Solis Arturo) Date: Fri, 8 Jan 2021 01:51:40 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New Article on Prevalence and relative abundance of barnacles Xenobalanus globicipitis Message-ID: <86FC7370-CB9C-4680-8CF3-5DE91FE42BE2@uv.mx> Dear Marmamers, The following paper has been published: Go?mez-Herna?ndez, I., Serran, A., Becerril-Go?mez, C., Basan?ez-Mun?oz, A. & Naval-A?vila, C. 2020. Prevalence and relative abundance of barnacles Xenobalanus globicipitis of the bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus populations in the southern Gulf of Mexico. Revista de Biologi?a Marina y Oceanograf?a. 55 (2): 172-176. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22370/rbmo.2020.55.2.2503 Abstract Xenobalanus globicipitis is a commensal barnacle located on cetacean fin edges. The commensal-host interaction between Xenobalanus globicipitis and the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) has been poorly studied in Mexico. The main objective was to estimate the relative barnacle prevalence and abundance in bottlenose dolphins in three areas and seasons of the Gulf of Mexico. Tamiahua zone showed the higher prevalence (42.4%) and relative abundance (0.60 barnacles/individual/hr-1) compared to Tuxpan and Nautla zones. Whereas, in dry season there were higher prevalence (55.6%) and relative abundance (0.53 barnacles/ individual/hr-1) than rainy and winter storm seasons. Therefore, zones and seasons of the Gulf of Mexico influence the barnacle- dolphin interactions. Best wishes, ____ Arturo Serrano, Ph.D. Director School of Biological & Agricultural Sciences Universidad Veracruzana Tel.: (783) 834 8979 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Dominik.Andre.Nachtsheim at tiho-hannover.de Thu Jan 7 01:12:26 2021 From: Dominik.Andre.Nachtsheim at tiho-hannover.de (=?iso-8859-1?Q?Nachtsheim=2C_Dominik_Andr=E9?=) Date: Thu, 7 Jan 2021 09:12:26 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New paper: Trends in harbor porpoise abundance in the North Sea over two decades Message-ID: Dear MARMAM readers, my co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of the following article in Frontiers in Marine Science: Marine Megafauna, Research Topic "Small Cetacean Conservation: Current Challenges and Opportunities": Nachtsheim DA, Viquerat S, Ram?rez-Mart?nez NC, Unger B, Siebert U, Gilles A (2021) Small cetacean in a human high-use area: Trends in harbor porpoise abundance in the North Sea over two decades. Frontiers in Marine Science: Marine Megafauna 7:606609. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2020.606609. Abstract The North Sea is one of the most heavily used shelf regions worldwide with a diversity of human impacts, including shipping, pollution, fisheries and offshore constructions. These stressors on the environment can have consequences for marine organisms, such as our study species, the harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), which is regarded as a sentinel species and hence has a high conservation priority in the European Union (EU). As EU member states are obliged to monitor the population status, the present study aims to estimate trends in absolute harbor porpoise abundance in the German North Sea based on almost two decades of aerial surveys (2002-2019) using line-transect methodology. Furthermore, we were interested in trends in three Natura2000 Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), which include the harbor porpoise as designated feature. Trends were estimated for each SAC and two seasons (spring and summer) as well as the complete area of the German North Sea. For the trend analysis we applied a Bayesian framework to a series of replicated visual surveys, allowing to propagate the error structure of the original abundance estimates to the final trend estimate and designed to deal with spatio-temporal heterogeneity and other sources of uncertainty. In general, harbor porpoise abundance decreased in northern areas and increased in the south, such as in the SAC Borkum Reef Ground. A particularly strong decline with a high probability (94.9%) was detected in the core area and main reproduction site in summer, the SAC Sylt Outer Reef (-3.79% per year). The overall trend for the German North Sea revealed a decrease in harbor porpoise abundance over the whole study period (-1.79% per year) with high probability (95.1%). The assessment of these trends in abundance based on systematic monitoring should now form the basis for adaptive management, especially in the SAC Sylt Outer Reef, where the underlying causes and drivers for the large decline remain unknown and deserve further investigation, also in a regional North Sea wide context. The open access article can be accessed under this link: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.606609 . Also, the article is featured in a Frontiers blog post, which gives a nice summary of our work: https://blog.frontiersin.org/2021/01/07/frontiers-marine-science-population-census-harbor-porpoises-phocoena-north-sea-germany-decline/ Do not hesitate do contact me (Dominik.Nachtsheim at tiho-hannover.de) or Anita Gilles (Anita.Gilles at tiho-hannover.de) in case of further questions! All the best and Happy New Year Dominik --- Dominik A. Nachtsheim, M.Sc. University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research (ITAW) Werftstr. 6 25761 B?sum Germany Dominik.Nachtsheim at tiho-hannover.de Tel: +49 511 856-8159 Fax: +49 511 856-8181 ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Dominik_Nachtsheim -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From info at thebdri.com Fri Jan 8 03:19:11 2021 From: info at thebdri.com (BDRI information) Date: Fri, 8 Jan 2021 11:19:11 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [MARMAM] Research assistant - Intern coordinator: dolphin and otter behaviour project References: <1634177815.8535767.1610104751339.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <1634177815.8535767.1610104751339@mail.yahoo.com> Dear all, The Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute (BDRI) , a marine science centre dedicated to promote the conservation of marine mammal species and their habitat through research and education, is currently accepting applications for the following: RESEARCH ASSISTANT - INTERN COORDINATOR This position is responsible for assisting the BDRI biologists in the running of the research projects focused on the study of the impact of marine vessels on bottlenose dolphin behaviour and on the foraging ecology of the Eurasian otter, and coordinating the interns participating in the projects. The intern coordinator will be responsible for the daily activities of the interns, and contributing to the daily functioning of the institute, participating both to field and lab work. In return the intern coordinator will receive accommodation, equipment and logistics support as well as constant supervision from Dr. Bruno Diaz Lopez, director, chief biologist; Dr. Severine Methion, principal investigator, marine ecologist; and Ms. Olga Mosca, MSc candidate, research staff, marine biologist. The project is based in O Grove, North-western coast of Spain and offers the chance to work during many steps of the field research and data analysis. The main purpose of this program is to contribute towards a more detailed understanding of the ecology and behaviour of bottlenose dolphins with a focus on the behavioural changes induced by the presence of vessels and on the foraging ecology of the Eurasian otter living in a marine environment. Start Date: March 1st 2021 End Date: August 31st 2021 (start and end dates could be flexible) Responsibilities will include (but are not limited to): - Assisting the BDRI's biologists in all phases of the research and organization. - Coordinate between the BDRI's biologists and the interns - in charge of the intern shared house. - Assisting the BDRI's biologists in intern basic training of land-based surveys and lab work (photo-identification analysis, database entry, GIS, and more). - Responsible of land-based surveys of wild cetaceans and otters. REQUIREMENTS - An academic background in biology, veterinary or natural science, coupled with motivation, willingness to work hard and interest in marine mammal research make the most qualified individuals. The successful applicant is expected to have a BSc degree (or higher) and able to demonstrate previous experience in marine mammal research. - The preferred candidate should have a proven track record as a team player as the project will involve working closely with other participants but also must be able to supervise small groups of people as they will be coordinating up to 10 interns. They must also be self-motivated with the drive and determination to work independently and responsibly. - Must be of good physical fitness, be able to lift/carry 35lbs (16 kg), walk long distances in difficult terrain, be comfortable on boats in nearshore/offshore waters, able to swim, and work in harsh weather conditions at times. - The intern coordinator must be able to follow written and oral staff directions and protocols effectively. - The intern coordinator must be able to spend many hours on shore, and working in the lab. Laboratory work days typically last 6 hours and field days typically exceed 4 hours and occur approximately 2 or 3 times per week. There will be two days off per week. Please keep in mind that field work is weather dependent, unpredictable, and changes seasonally. - Fluent in English. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION This position brings the opportunity to be trained and to undertake a personal research project supervised by the BDRI principal investigators (Dr. Bruno Diaz Lopez and? Dr. Severine Methion) as part of the land-based studies carried out during this period about the impact of vessels on dolphin behaviour and otter foraging behaviour. If the candidate intends to receive academic credit, she/he will be responsible for making all arrangements with her/his educational institution. This position is unpaid but accommodation in the intern shared house will be covered. Successful applicants will be responsible of their own expenses, including food and travelling to and from the research centre in O Grove (Galicia, Spain). TO APPLY Interested candidates should submit an application with the following: - A cover letter including your availability, i.e. preferred time period (1 page only); - A resume describing training, experience and relevant skills (2 pages only); - Names and contact information of at least one reference (preferred). Please send these items as e-mail attachments (PDF preferred) to: info at thebdri.com Please specify BDRI INTERN COORDINATOR into your subject title. If they are not European citizens, applicants must be authorized to legally remain in Europe for more than 3 months. International applicants will be considered, but it is the responsibility of the applicant to acquire necessary visas and documentation. DEADLINE January 30th, 2021 Interviews (via Skype) will be arranged for selected candidates. For more information about BDRI's research and conservation work, please visit http://www.thebdri.com?and our Facebook page (BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN RESEARCH INSTITUTE - BDRI). Scientific articles recently published by the BDRI (for a full list of publications please visit: ): - Diaz Lopez B. 2020. When personality matters: personality and social structure in wild bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus. Animal Behaviour 163:73-84. - Giralt Paradell O, Diaz Lopez B, Methion S. 2020. Food-web interaction in a coastal ecosystem influenced by upwelling and terrestrial runoff off North-West Spain. Marine Environment Research 157:104933. - Methion S, Diaz Lopez B. 2020. Individual foraging variation drives social organization in bottlenose dolphins. Behavioral Ecology. DOI:10.1093/beheco/arz160 - Methion S, 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. - 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 104836 - 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. DOI: 10.1002/aqc.3116. - Diaz Lopez B, Methion S. 2019. Habitat drivers of endangered rorqual whales in a highly impacted upwelling region. Ecological Indicators 103:610?616. - 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. - 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 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary162 Best regards, Severine Methion, PhD The Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute BDRI Avenida Beiramar 192, O Grove 36980, Spain www.thebdri.com 0034 684 248552 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 physeter0809 at gmail.com Fri Jan 8 08:24:20 2021 From: physeter0809 at gmail.com (Hayao Kobayashi) Date: Sat, 9 Jan 2021 01:24:20 +0900 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: Long-term associations among male sperm whales Message-ID: Dear MARMAM Readers, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of our article: Citation: Kobayashi H, Whitehead H, Amano M (2020) Long-term associations among male sperm whales (*Physeter macrocephalus*). PLoS ONE 15(12): e0244204. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0244204 Abstract Little is known about the social structure of male sperm whales (*Physeter macrocephalus*) after they leave their natal units. While previous studies found no evidence for preferred associations among males, the observation of mass-strandings consisting exclusively of males, suggest that they have strong social bonds. To investigate the social associations among male sperm whales, we used half-weight index of association, permutation tests and standardized lagged association rate models on a large photo-identification database collected between 2006 and 2017 in Nemuro Strait, Japan. Our results suggest that while male sperm whales are not as social as females, they do form long-term associations, have preferred companionship, and forage in social proximity to each other. The best-fitting model to the standardized lagged association rate showed that associations among males last for at least 2.7 years and as most males leave the area after 2 years, associations may last for longer. Twenty dyads were observed associating over more than 2 years, for a maximum 5 years. One dyad was observed associating on 19 different days and clustered on 7 different days. Male associations may function to enhance foraging or to fend off predators. Such relationships seem to be adapted to a pelagic habitat with uncertain resource availability and predation pressure. The open-access article can be downloaded from https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0244204 Kind regards, Hayao Kobayashi ********************************************************** Hayao Kobayashi PhD. candidate Graduate School of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences, Nagasaki University 1-14, Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, JAPAN Marine Mammal Research Lab. TEL?080-5270-9906 Mail?physeter0809 at gmail.com ********************************************************** -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From sfire at fit.edu Thu Jan 7 07:56:26 2021 From: sfire at fit.edu (Spencer Fire) Date: Thu, 7 Jan 2021 15:56:26 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New article: HAB toxin trends in New England marine mammals Message-ID: Happy new year MARMAM-ers! My collaborators and I are pleased to announce the publication of our recent article, "An assessment of temporal, spatial and taxonomic trends in harmful algal toxin exposure in stranded marine mammals from the U.S. New England coast", in PLOS ONE. Abstract: Despite a long-documented history of severe harmful algal blooms (HABs) in New England coastal waters, corresponding HAB-associated marine mammal mortality events in this region are far less frequent or severe relative to other regions where HABs are common. This long-term survey of the HAB toxins saxitoxin (STX) and domoic acid (DA) demonstrates significant and widespread exposure of these toxins in New England marine mammals, across multiple geographic, temporal and taxonomic groups. Overall, 19% of the 458 animals tested positive for one or more toxins, with 15% and 7% testing positive for STX and DA, respectively. 74% of the 23 different species analyzed demonstrated evidence of toxin exposure. STX was most prevalent in Maine coastal waters, most frequently detected in common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), and most often detected during July and October. DA was most prevalent in animals sampled in offshore locations and in bycaught animals, and most frequently detected in mysticetes, with humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) testing positive at the highest rates. Feces and urine appeared to be the sample matrices most useful for determining the presence of toxins in an exposed animal, with feces samples having the highest concentrations of STX or DA. No relationship was found between the bloom season of toxin-producing phytoplankton and toxin detection rates, however STX was more likely to be present in July and October. No relationship between marine mammal dietary preference and frequency of toxin detection was observed. These findings are an important part of a framework for assessing future marine mammal morbidity and mortality events, as well as monitoring ecosystem health using marine mammals as sentinel organisms for predicting coastal ocean changes. Citation: Fire SE, Bogomolni A, DiGiovanni RA Jr, Early G, Leighfield TA, Matassa K, Miller GA, Moore KMT, Moore M, Niemeyer M, Pugliares K, Wang Z, Wenzel FW. (2021) An assessment of temporal, spatial and taxonomic trends in harmful algal toxin exposure in stranded marine mammals from the U.S. New England coast. PLoS ONE 16(1): e0243570. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0243570 Feel free to contact me directly for any comments or questions. Best regards, SF --------------- Spencer Fire, Ph.D. Asst. Professor of Biological Sciences Florida Institute of Technology 150 W. University Blvd. Melbourne, FL 32901 321.674.7138 sfire at fit.edu The Fire Lab website The Fire Lab on Instagram -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From SMccormack at virginiaaquarium.com Fri Jan 8 11:26:28 2021 From: SMccormack at virginiaaquarium.com (Sarah R. Mccormack) Date: Fri, 8 Jan 2021 19:26:28 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Summer Internship - Virginia Aquarium's Stranding Response Program Message-ID: The Virginia Aquarium?s Research & Conservation Division is now accepting Stranding Response Intern applications for summer 2021. The application deadline is February 12, 2021. Internships will be approximately three months long, starting between May and June. Internships will be fulfilled in accordance with COVID-19 safety guidelines and positions are subject to change based on the most current recommendations. Please note that all positions are non-compensatory and housing is not provided by the Virginia Aquarium. Interns are fully responsible for fulfilling all requirements of their home institutions to receive academic credit. Position Overview Virginia Aquarium Stranding Response Program (VAQS) interns promote the conservation of marine animal species through research, rescue, rehabilitation, and education. Once accepted, interns will be assigned to a focus area of either necropsy or rehabilitation. Interns will be cross-trained in all aspects of stranding response, however, daily tasks will be assigned to interns according to focus area. Stranding work is unpredictable, therefore experiences will vary by internship session. VAQS staff will provide as many learning opportunities as possible during each session. Duties * Respond to live and dead marine mammals and sea turtles in the field. * Participate in all aspects of post-mortem examinations: cutting and sampling, data collection, photographing, carcass removal, and cleaning. * Perform daily husbandry tasks, including food preparation, feeding, and cleaning the rehab area, kitchen and associated supplies. * Assist staff with new admits and daily treatments of patients. Restrain animals for exams, collect vitals (heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature) and morphometrics, take photographs, administer medications, and perform wound care. * Ensure response preparedness by stocking response bags, fueling vehicles, and cleaning gear. * Assist with releases of rehabilitation patients, public outreach events, and volunteer/cooperator trainings. * Assist staff with daily administrative tasks, including answering hotline calls, data entry, and completing response paperwork. * Complete other projects and tasks as assigned by VAQS staff. Qualifications * Must be at least 18 years old. * Must be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program, or have recently graduated (within last two years). * Must be physically fit with the ability to lift 50lbs and walk long distances on the beach in adverse conditions such as extreme heat and cold, humidity, rain, and wind. * Must be self-motivated, articulate, mature, reliable, and responsible. Should work well independently as well as with a team. * Should be comfortable around dead and decomposing animals. * Should be comfortable driving large pick-up trucks and vans (preferred). Willing to learn how to drive response vehicles, if accepted (required). * Background in biology and familiarity with stranding response (preferred). * Experience with DSLR cameras and Microsoft Access (preferred). Position Requirements * Attend VAQS orientation and City of Virginia Beach Defensive Driving. * Possess a valid driver?s license. * Pass a City of Virginia Beach background check. * Wear a mask and comply with all organizational COVID-19 preventative measures. Internship Learning Objectives Develop fundamental hands-on stranding response and rehabilitation skills: * Perform post-mortem examinations on sea turtle and marine mammals. * Perform basic health assessments of rehabilitation patients, including vitals collection, wound treatment, administering medications, and blood processing. * Complete Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN) and Level A forms. * Enter stranding data in Microsoft Access. Intern Schedule Intern is expected to be available 3-4 days per week, 8am-4:30pm. Weekend and holiday coverage is expected. Minimum Commitment Required 24 hours per week for the duration of the internship. Intern Supervisor/Mentor VAQS Volunteer Manager and project supervisor. Work Location Virginia Aquarium?s Darden Marine Animal Conservation Center Application Requirements If applying via email, please send application to interns at virginiaaquarium.com and copy vaqstranding at gmail.com. A complete Stranding Response Intern packet must include the following components. Incomplete applications will not be considered. * Cover letter including preferred focus area (necropsy or rehabilitation) and internship expectations. While we will do our best to accommodate intern preferences, staff will make the final focus area determination. There is some flexibility with internship start/end dates; please include any known schedule conflicts in your cover letter. * Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center internship application form. * Two letters of recommendation; one must be an academic reference. Letters can be sent separately to vaqstranding at gmail.com * Resume * College transcript(s) For more information about the application process, please visit: https://www.virginiaaquarium.com/about-us/Pages/internship-application.aspx Sarah McCormack Stranding & Research Scientist: Field Response & Volunteer Manager P: (757) 385-6485 C: (917) 880-2160 SMccormack at VirginiaAquarium.com Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Stranding Response Hotline: (757) 385-7575 717 General Booth Blvd. Virginia Beach, Virginia 23451 [cid:7fa14f16-e796-4b49-8714-a86f4383d9b5] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Outlook-xb10pd2n.png Type: image/png Size: 16035 bytes Desc: Outlook-xb10pd2n.png URL: From akaramanlidis at gmail.com Mon Jan 11 04:16:21 2021 From: akaramanlidis at gmail.com (Alexandros A. Karamanlidis) Date: Mon, 11 Jan 2021 14:16:21 +0200 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication on genetic and demographic history of Mediterranean monk seals Message-ID: Dear MARMAM Readers, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of our recent article in Scientific Reports Karamanlidis, A. A., T. Skrbin?ek, G. Amato, P. Dendrinos, S. Gaughran, P. Kasapidis, A. Kopatz and A. V. Stronen (2021). "Genetic and demographic history define a conservation strategy for Earth?s most endangered Pinniped, the Mediterranean monk seal *Monachus monachus*." Scientific Reports. 11:373. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-79712-1 ABSTRACT: The Mediterranean monk seal *(Monachus monachus) *is a flagship species for marine conservation, but important aspects of its life history remain unknown. Concerns over imminent extinction motivated a nuclear DNA study of the species in its largest continuous subpopulation in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Despite recent evidence of partial subpopulation recovery, we demonstrate that there is no reason for complacency, as the species still shares several traits that are characteristic of a critically endangered species: Mediterranean monk seals in the eastern Mediterranean survive in three isolated and genetically depauperate population clusters, with small effective population sizes and high levels of inbreeding. Our results indicated male philopatry over short distances, which is unexpected for a polygynous mammal. Such a pattern may be explained by the species? unique breeding behavior, in which males defend aquatic territories near breeding sites, while females are often forced to search for new pupping areas. Immediate action is necessary to reverse the downward spiral of population decline, inbreeding accumulation and loss of genetic diversity. We propose concrete conservation measures for the Mediterranean monk seal focusing on reducing anthropogenic threats, increasing the population size and genetic diversity, and thus improving the long-term prospects of survival. The article can be accessed via the link: https://rdcu.be/cdnqj Do not hesitate to contact me (akaramanlidis at gmail.com) if you have any comments or questions. Kind regards, Alexandros A. Karamanlidis, PhD Scientific Coordinator MOm/Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk seal -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From davide.ascheri at gmail.com Sun Jan 10 03:45:47 2021 From: davide.ascheri at gmail.com (Davide Ascheri) Date: Sun, 10 Jan 2021 12:45:47 +0100 Subject: [MARMAM] CETACEANS AND MARINE FAUNA INTERNSHIP 2021 Message-ID: *DELFINI DEL PONENTE ASSOCIATION, IMPERIA, ITALY* *Cetaceans and Marine Fauna research project * *Delfini del Ponente is currently looking for and accepting interns to join our research project on bottlenose dolphins and other marine fauna in the Western Ligurian Sea, Imperia (Italy) from March to October**.* *The project* The dolphin research project ?Delfini del Ponente?, started in 2018, is the first project focused on monitoring bottlenose dolphins (*Tursiops truncatus*) occurrence and distribution in the Western Ligurian Sea. The project is structured on an annual basis, to obtain data not only on the distribution during the Summer, but also changes during the different seasons. The study is already providing very interesting information about this community inside the study area, especially about its social organisation, abundance of individuals, distribution, and movements also outside the region. Moreover, our dataset includes data on several cetaceans species and also about other marine fauna such as Mediterranean shearwaters (*Puffinus yelkouan)*, Scopoli?s shearwaters (*Calonectris diomedea*), Northern gannets (*Morus bassanus*), Sandwich terns (*Thalasseus sandvicensis*), sunfish (*Mola mola*) among others. Surveys are carried out in coastal waters onboard a dedicated zodiac (6 m inflatable boat) around 10 times per month. Training will focus on collecting photo for photo-ID purposes, environmental, marine traffic, geographical (GPS) and dolphins' behavioural data. Land-based surveys take place in Imperia, in 2 different locations with the aim of collecting data on the presence/absence of dolphins, fishing boats in activity and marine birds. Fieldwork is a great opportunity to get involved and improve skills on cetaceans? and marine biodiversity?s research. Both land-based and zodiac surveys are weather dependent, and their number can change each month. Office work (6 hours per day) includes training and lessons to the interns and supervision of all the activities (photo-id work, transcription of data, data entry, QGIS work, etc...) *Where:* Imperia, Italy *When:* 1 March-30 October 2021 (minimum 30 days) Number of interns for month: 2 /3 Activities: ? boat-based surveys monitoring the presence and distribution of bottlenose dolphins ? data collection of other cetaceans, fishes, seabirds, turtles ? classwork, database updating ? photo-id matching and analysis ? land-based surveys /opportunistic surveys ? lessons and training about cetacean ecology, biology and research techniques This is a great opportunity to get involved in cetacean research, encounter marine biodiversity while gaining fieldwork experience, travel and explore the beautiful Liguria region and support cetacean research and conservation . Interns will be involved 5 days a week, 6-8 hours/day (depending on fieldwork or lab work) During free time, interns will have the opportunity to experience all sorts of activities: swimming, diving, hiking, exploring historical sites, visit museums, sailing. *Skills/qualification: * ? Minimum age of 18 ? Prior experience in cetaceans or boat-based surveys is not required ? Degree or on-going studies in biology, natural science, veterinary or similar (preferred) ? Strong motivation and interest in cetaceans and research ? Speak, read and write in fluent English ? Be adaptable as fieldwork is weather dependent ? Be prepared to spend many hours on a small zodiac (5-6 m) and under the sun, be able to swim and work in harsh weather conditions both in nearshore and offshore waters ? Be prepared to spend many hours in the office (generally 6 hours/day) ? Be sociable and with a positive attitude as he/she is expected to live and work in an international team *Internship fee * Delfini del Ponente is a self-funded research project, so participation in this programme requires a tuition fee. Fee includes the accommodation in an apartment in Imperia, tuition, and all associated field costs during the internship period (use of research vessel, training, use of equipment, field trips, insurance). Transportation expenses to and from Imperia (Italy) and food costs during the stay are not included in the fee. *How to apply: * Send your CV with a letter of interest to delfinidelponente at gmail.com For any further enquiries and details, please send an email to delfinidelponente at gmail.com Davide Ascheri and Elena Fontanesi *Delfini Del Ponente APS* Via Regione Bussi, 18100 Imperia (Italy) http://delfinidelponente.costabalenae.it/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From nthometz at usfca.edu Sat Jan 9 16:02:34 2021 From: nthometz at usfca.edu (Nicole Thometz) Date: Sat, 9 Jan 2021 16:02:34 -0800 Subject: [MARMAM] New Publication: Molting strategies of Arctic seals drive annual patterns in metabolism Message-ID: Dear Colleagues, My co-authors and I are very pleased to announce the publication of the following article in Conservation Physiology: Thometz, NM, Hermann-Sorensen, H, Russell, B., Rosen, DAS, Reichmuth, C (2021) ?Molting strategies of Arctic seals drive annual patterns in metabolism.? Conservation Physiology. 9(1): coaa112; doi:10.1093/conphys/coaa112. Abstract: Arctic seals, including spotted (*Phoca largha*), ringed (*Pusa hispida*) and bearded (*Erignathus barbatus*) seals, are directly affected by sea ice loss. These species use sea ice as a haul-out substrate for various critical functions, including their annual molt. Continued environmental warming will inevitably alter the routine behavior and overall energy budgets of Arctic seals, but it is difficult to quantify these impacts as their metabolic requirements are not well known?due in part to the difficulty of studying wild individuals. Thus, data pertaining to species-specific energy demands are urgently needed to better understand the physiological consequences of rapid environmental change. We used open-flow respirometry over a four-year period to track fine-scale, longitudinal changes in the resting metabolic rate (RMR) of four spotted seals, three ringed seals and one bearded seal trained to participate in research. Simultaneously, we collected complementary physiological and environmental data. Species-specific metabolic demands followed expected patterns based on body size, with the largest species, the bearded seal, exhibiting the highest absolute RMR (0.48 ? 0.04 L O2 min?1) and the lowest mass-specific RMR (4.10 ? 0.47 ml O2 min?1 kg?1), followed by spotted (absolute: 0.33 ? 0.07 L O2 min?1; mass-specific: 6.13 ? 0.73 ml O2 min?1 kg?1) and ringed (absolute: 0.20 ? 0.04 L O2 min?1; mass-specific: 7.01 ? 1.38 ml O2 min?1 kg?1) seals. Further, we observed clear and consistent annual patterns in RMR that related to the distinct molting strategies of each species. For species that molted over relatively short intervals?spotted (33 ? 4 days) and ringed (28 ? 6 days) seals?metabolic demands increased markedly in association with molt. In contrast, the bearded seal exhibited a prolonged molting strategy (119 ? 2 days), which appeared to limit the overall cost of molting as indicated by a relatively stable annual RMR. These findings highlight energetic trade-offs associated with different molting strategies and provide quantitative data that can be used to assess species-specific vulnerabilities to changing conditions. This is an open access article that can be found at the following link: https://academic.oup.com/conphys/article/9/1/coaa112/6064174 Please feel free to contact me (nthometz at usfca.edu) should you have any questions. Best, Nicole -- Nicole M. Thometz, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Department of Biology University of San Francisco 2130 Fulton Street, San Francisco, CA 94117 Phone: (415) 422-4083 Office: Harney 219H -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From afhender at gmail.com Mon Jan 11 14:31:02 2021 From: afhender at gmail.com (Angus Henderson) Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2021 09:31:02 +1100 Subject: [MARMAM] Seeking MMOs for deployment on expedition tour vessels in the Antarctic Peninsula. Message-ID: These positions are unpaid at this stage, however, all travel to and from departure locations, food and accommodation costs will be covered. Deployments are across the Antarctic summer period, for a period of 8-12 weeks (further details below). *Brief Background* Representing the most rapidly warming region of Antarctica, the western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) has a rapidly growing tourist industry and krill fishery (Bender et al., 2016; Schumann et al., 2013; Spence et al., 2017). Its ecological significance has been recognised internationally and is the focus of efforts to establish a Marine Protected Area. As many species recover from past exploitation, it is important to understand the patterns of distribution and relative abundance of marine predators on regional scales. While considerable effort has been expended on understanding key land-based krill predators such as penguins and seals (e.g., Boyd, 2002), there has been wide acknowledgement that information on the temporal and spatial distribution and abundance of cetaceans and other marine mammals not amenable to land-based study is lacking (IWC Report 2019). Antarctic whale stocks were hunted to commercial extinction in 20th century (Rocha et al., 2014) and are understood to be recovering variably (e.g., for humpback whales, *see* Constantine et al., 2014; Fleming and Jackson, 2011; Noad et al., 2019; Olavarr?a et al., 2007). Yet relatively little is known of the abundance and distribution of baleen whales in the Southern Ocean foraging grounds. Distance sampling sets a gold standard for estimating marine mammal abundance and distribution (Williams et al., 2006). Yet broad-scale distance sampling surveys are prohibitively expensive in remote Southern Ocean waters and often produces only one survey estimate per season, that is subsequently used to characterise the entirety of that season. With commitments from several Antarctic tour operators, we set out to build on the pilot survey program initiated during the 2019-2020 season by standardising a scientifically peer-reviewed distance sampling protocol for estimation of at-sea cetacean abundance and distribution. Specific Aims: (i) Can platforms of opportunity-based distance sampling efforts be improved and standardised in order to contribute to understanding Southern Ocean cetacean status and trends. (ii) What physical ocean properties, environmental variables and/or krill predictors drive cetacean abundance and distribution at temporal scales ranging from within-season to interannual. (iii) What is the total consumption rate of krill by baleen whales relative to land-based krill predators and human krill harvest, and how does this relate to what we know of krill abundance and distribution in time and space? *The roles* We are seeking expressions of interest and commitments (where possible) from volunteers with experience as marine mammal observers or those interested in becoming one. This is your opportunity to be one of the very few people in the world that go to Antarctica. You will have exposure to the wealth of wildlife and stunning landscapes that make this part of the Southern Ocean so special and the opportunity to ?be a tourist? at times during the voyage (potentially including landings). Sets of two observers (one trained/experienced lead MMO and one in training MMO) will be deployed from Ushuaia and Punta Arenas on expedition tour vessel (200-500 passengers) across the Antarctic summer (Nov-March) in the 2021/22 and 2022/23 season. We are seeking a commitment of 8-12 weeks; this will include several (3-6) voyages to the Antarctic Peninsula (potentially via South Georgia, the Falkland islands/ Islas Malvinas and/or South Orkney Islands), aboard tour vessels. Preference will be given to residents of Chile and Argentina, and those in closer proximity to voyages departure locations (Ushuaia and Punta Arenas). Observers will take distance sampling measurements of whales and other marine mammals from the bridge of the vessels. MMOs will need to remain focused and on task for many hours, and at times work to weather windows across an 18-hour day. It is critical MMOs are organised, focused, take accurate field recording, and remain on task. Lead MMOs will be responsible for dictating field effort in response to weather, ensuring quality control and data management. Both MMOs will also be required to give a seminar/lecture to guests on board the vessel as part of our agreement in securing berths for observers. MMOs will be required to complete a basic level of induction and training (provided), including the study of marine mammals and birds of the south-east Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean. *Requirements* ? Professional attitude ? Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills ? Self-motivated with attention to detail ? Must have the ability to conduct tasks independently ? Ability to maintain focus and input accurate data ? Knowledge of marine ecosystems ? High stamina and enthusiasm for the role ? Tertiary education in marine science (or another related field) ? Fluent in English, writing and speaking. Preference for those with experience ? In taking distance sampling measurements ? In marine mammal/sea-bird observation at-sea ? Identifying Southern Ocean seabirds ? At sea Preference to residents of Argentina and Chile and they are encouraged to apply. To register your expression of interest/apply please reply with a cover letter stating why you want the role, how your skills and experience apply and what you hope to get out of it (300-500 words) and a resume detailing your experience (1 page) including the name and contact details of 2 references and/or a short letter of recommendation. If you have any questions or want to know more about the role, please contact me, angus.henderson at utas.edu.au -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ashley.blawas at duke.edu Mon Jan 11 07:41:55 2021 From: ashley.blawas at duke.edu (Ashley Blawas) Date: Mon, 11 Jan 2021 15:41:55 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication on respiratory sinus arrhythmia in bottlenose dolphins Message-ID: Hi MARMAM-ers! My co-authors and I are pleased to share our recently published article: Respiratory sinus arrhythmia and submersion bradycardia in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Ashley M. Blawas, Douglas P. Nowacek, Austin S. Allen, Julie Rocho-Levine, Andreas Fahlman. Journal of Experimental Biology 2021 224: jeb234096 doi: 10.1242/jeb.234096. Link: https://jeb.biologists.org/content/224/1/jeb234096 Abstract: Among the many factors that influence the cardiovascular adjustments of marine mammals is the act of respiration at the surface, which facilitates rapid gas exchange and tissue re-perfusion between dives. We measured heart rate (fH) in six adult male bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) spontaneously breathing at the surface to quantify the relationship between respiration and fH, and compared this with fH during submerged breath-holds. We found that dolphins exhibit a pronounced respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) during surface breathing, resulting in a rapid increase in fH after a breath followed by a gradual decrease over the following 15?20?s to a steady fH that is maintained until the following breath. RSA resulted in a maximum instantaneous fH (ifH) of 87.4?13.6?beats?min?1 and a minimum ifH of 56.8?14.8?beats?min?1, and the degree of RSA was positively correlated with the inter-breath interval (IBI). The minimum ifH during 2?min submerged breath-holds where dolphins exhibited submersion bradycardia (36.4?9.0?beats?min?1) was lower than the minimum ifH observed during an average IBI; however, during IBIs longer than 30?s, the minimum ifH (38.7?10.6?beats?min?1) was not significantly different from that during 2?min breath-holds. These results demonstrate that the fH patterns observed during submerged breath-holds are similar to those resulting from RSA during an extended IBI. Here, we highlight the importance of RSA in influencing fH variability and emphasize the need to understand its relationship to submersion bradycardia. A limited number of free downloads of the PDF may be found here: http://jeb.biologists.org/cgi/reprint/224/1/jeb234096.pdf?ijkey=2TgUIdT4w7lHu5V&keytype=finite Please feel free to contact me via email with any questions: ashley.blawas at duke.edu Best, Ashley Blawas Ph.D. Student, Marine Science and Conservation Nicholas School of the Environment Duke University Marine Lab -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From justine.cole at alumni.ubc.ca Tue Jan 12 04:09:03 2021 From: justine.cole at alumni.ubc.ca (justine.cole at alumni.ubc.ca) Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2021 12:09:03 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New Publication - Sink or swim: Risk stratification of preweaning mortality in harbor seal pups (Phoca vitulina richardii) admitted for rehabilitation Message-ID: Dear MARMAM Subscribers, We are very pleased to share the recent publication of our research in Marine Mammal Science! In short, to further understand what determines if a pup will ?sink? or ?swim?, we examined the age, physical condition, growth, injuries, and blood results of newborn harbour seal pups admitted for rehabilitation. From these factors, we built a decision tree able to identify pups at greater risk of mortality. We hope that this, in turn, may help rehabilitators direct care toward pups with the poorest prognosis. Full Abstract: "To date, few consistent relationships between survival in rehabilitation programs and diagnostic measures recorded upon admission have been identified for harbor seal pups. Veterinary records for 718 unweaned Pacific harbor seal pups (Phoca vitulina richardii) admitted to a rehabilitation center were examined to identify clinical factors associated with preweaning survival and develop a triage tool to stratify pups according to their risk of mortality. Physical, serum chemical, and hematological variables were examined and their relationship with survival to weaning was assessed by logistic regression and classification and regression tree (CART) analysis. Survival to weaning was 85.1% and many clinical variables reflecting the pups? age, size, growth, injuries, and blood parameters were associated with the likelihood of survival. A decision tree model, consisting of serum concentrations of phosphorus, sodium, and calcium, successfully stratified harbor seal pups into clinical subgroups according to their preweaning mortality risk. For both the derivation and validation cohorts, pups classified as ?high risk? had significantly lower odds of survival, while those classified as ?low risk? had significantly greater odds of survival. This simple decision tree could serve as a practical triage tool to help identify and direct care towards pups at higher risk of preweaning mortality." The article has not yet been assigned to an issue of the journal, but is available online (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/mms.12777). Please feel free to contact me at any time if you have any questions! [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/cms/asset/ab30ef19-47c9-450d-8f3e-5ae680e9b03b/mms.v37.1.cover.gif] Sink or swim: Risk stratification of preweaning mortality in harbor seal pups (Phoca vitulina richardii) admitted for rehabilitation - Cole - - Marine Mammal Science - Wiley Online Library onlinelibrary.wiley.com To date, few consistent relationships between survival in rehabilitation programs and diagnostic measures recorded upon admission have been identified for harbor seal pups. Veterinary records for 718... Best regards, Justine Justine Cole B.Sc. Applied Animal Biology (Honours) The University of British Columbia | Vancouver Campus Phone (0) 793 803 8538 justine.cole at alumni.ubc.ca http://www.linkedin.com/in/justine-cole [UBC E-mail Signature] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Abbo.van.Neer at tiho-hannover.de Tue Jan 12 13:05:20 2021 From: Abbo.van.Neer at tiho-hannover.de (van Neer, Abbo) Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2021 21:05:20 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Two new publications on assessing seal and porpoise carcasses potentially predated by grey seals Message-ID: <28fa9a036b6f4806a076bc660ffb6a5c@tiho-hannover.de> Dear MARMAM community, on behalf of my co-authors, I?m very happy to finally share our two recent publications dealing with the assessment of wound patterns originating from grey seal predation. Both publications suggest parameters frequently recorded in seal and porpoise carcasses and are regarded as typical for grey seal predation. In addition to the catalogue of parameters respective decision trees are suggested which can be used as a guide. These suggested methods are considered as a start and will hopefully be kept up to date in a joint effort by all researchers working in the field and added to as new knowledge emerges. Assessing seal carcasses potentially subjected to grey seal predation van Neer, A., Gross, S., Kesselring, T., Grilo, M. L., Ludes-Wehrmeister, E., Roncon, G., & Siebert, U. Abstract: In order to conduct an objective evaluation of potential ecological effects of grey seal predation on marine mammals, it is essential to establish a broad knowledge base helping in the thorough identification of such cases during post-mortem examination. The aim of this work is to report and discuss outcomes resulting from a retrospective evaluation of harbour (Phoca vitulina) and grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) stranding and necropsy data (n = 3274). In addition, the results are compared to a recent case of definite grey seal predation from Germany as well as reports from other countries. Carcasses potentially subjected to grey seal predation show severe lacerations with a circular pattern leaving a smooth, linear and cut-like wound margin. Large parts of skin and underlying tissue are detached from the body and loss of blubber is common. Occurrence frequencies of encountered lesions are presented and a list of parameters to be used for the assessment of similar cases as well as a complementary decision tree are suggested. With the proposed parameters, categories and tools, a baseline can be built in order to facilitate the standardised recognition of predation cases during post-mortem examinations of seals between groups working with populations across several geographic ranges. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-80737-9 Assessing harbour porpoise carcasses potentially subjected to grey seal predation van Neer, A., Gross, S., Kesselring, T., Grilo, M. L., Ludes-Wehrmeister, E., Roncon, G., & Siebert, U. Abstract: As a follow-up on the data presented for seals, we herein report and discuss outcomes resulting from a retrospective evaluation of harbour porpoise stranding and necropsy data from Schleswig?Holstein, Germany (n = 4463) to enable an objective evaluation of potential ecological effects of grey seal predation on porpoises. Results are compared to a recent case of definite grey seal predation as well as to reports from other countries. Porpoise carcasses potentially subject to grey seal predation show severe lacerations, with large parts of skin and underlying tissue being detached from the body. Loss of blubber tissue is common. Based on the occurrence frequencies of encountered lesions, a list of parameters as well as a complementary decision tree are suggested to be used for future assessments. The results shown add to an increasingly standardised assessment protocol of suspected grey seal predation cases making respective results comparable between different areas and countries. The usage of a standardised protocol may increase the awareness of grey seal predation and the reporting of such cases. By this, differences in the predation and feeding patterns as well as the potential ecological relevance of this behaviour may be elucidated. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-73258-y If you have any questions about these two publications, the methods described or any potential case you would like to discuss, please feel free to get in touch and I?ll be happy to help wherever I can. Best regards Abbo van Neer ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ Dr. Abbo van Neer Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research (ITAW) University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation Werftstr. 6 25761 B?sum Germany ? +49 5 11 - 8 56 - 81 62 Fax: +49 5 11 - 8 56 - 81 81 abbo.van.neer at tiho-hannover.de https://www.tiho-hannover.de/itaw SAVE FORESTS - Please do not print this e-mail unless absolutely necessary -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ali_bor at hotmail.com Tue Jan 12 07:20:23 2021 From: ali_bor at hotmail.com (Alicia Borque Espinosa) Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2021 15:20:23 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication on lung function in the Pacific walrus Message-ID: Dear MarMamers, We are pleased to share our new publication titled "Lung function assessment in the Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) while resting on land and submerged in water", which is now available in the Journal of Experimental Biology (http://jeb.biologists.org/lookup/doi/10.1242/jeb.227389) Abstract: In the present study, we examined lung function in healthy resting adult (born in 2003) Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) by measuring respiratory flow ([Embedded Image]) using a custom-made pneumotachometer. Three female walruses (670?1025?kg) voluntarily participated in spirometry trials while spontaneously breathing on land (sitting and lying down in sternal recumbency) and floating in water. While sitting, two walruses performed active respiratory efforts, and one animal participated in lung compliance measurements. For spontaneous breaths, [Embedded Image] was lower when walruses were lying down (e.g. expiration: 7.1?1.2?l?s?1) as compared with in water (9.9?1.4?l?s?1), while tidal volume (VT, 11.5?4.6?l), breath duration (4.6?1.4?s) and respiratory frequency (7.6?2.2?breaths?min?1) remained the same. The measured VT and specific dynamic lung compliance (0.32?0.07?cmH2O?1) for spontaneous breaths were higher than those estimated for similarly sized terrestrial mammals. VT increased with body mass (allometric mass-exponent=1.29) and ranged from 3% to 43% of the estimated total lung capacity (TLCest) for spontaneous breaths. When normalized for TLCest, the maximal expiratory [Embedded Image] ([Embedded Image]exp) was higher than that estimated in phocids, but lower than that reported in cetaceans and the California sea lion. [Embedded Image] exp was maintained over all lung volumes during spontaneous and active respiratory manoeuvres. We conclude that location (water or land) affects lung function in the walrus and should be considered when studying respiratory physiology in semi-aquatic marine mammals. Below is a link to access the full manuscript for a limited number of downloads: http://jeb.biologists.org/cgi/reprint/224/1/jeb227389.pdf?ijkey=nRGTbA16WKbeJJ6&keytype=finite If you have any question or would like a pdf copy of the article, please email: ali_bor at hotmail.com Best wishes A. Borque-Espinosa ** Alicia Borque Espinosa ** -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jmadeiracastro at gmail.com Tue Jan 12 08:52:54 2021 From: jmadeiracastro at gmail.com (Joana Castro) Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2021 16:52:54 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication on Behavioural Responses of Small Cetaceans to Drones Message-ID: Dear all, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce and share our recent paper titled* Assessing the Behavioural Responses of Small Cetaceans to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. * Castro, J.; Borges, F.O.; Cid, A.; Laborde, M.I.; Rosa, R.; Pearson, H.C. Assessing the Behavioural Responses of Small Cetaceans to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. *Remote Sens.* *2021*, *13*, 156. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs13010156 Abstract: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), or drones, have recently emerged as a relatively affordable and accessible method for studying wildlife. Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) UAVs are appropriate for morphometric, behavioural, abundance and demographic studies of marine mammals, providing a stable, nonintrusive and highly manoeuvrable platform. Previous studies using VTOL UAVs have been conducted on various marine mammal species, but specific studies regarding behavioural responses to these devices are limited and scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the immediate behavioural responses of common (Delphinus delphis) and bottlenose (Tursiops truncatus) dolphins to a VTOL UAV flown at different altitudes. A multirotor (quadcopter) UAV with an attached GoPro camera was used. Once a dolphin group was located, the UAV was flown at a starting height of 50 m directly above the group, subsequently descending 5 m every 30 s until reaching 5 m. We assessed three behavioural responses to a VTOL UAV at different heights: (i) direction changes, (ii) swimming speed and (iii) diving. Responses by D. delphis (n = 15) and T. truncatus (n = 10) groups were analysed separately. There were no significant responses of T. truncatus to any of the studied variables. For D. delphis, however, there were statistically significant changes in direction when the UAV was flown at a height of 5 m. Our results indicate that UAVs do not induce immediate behavioural responses in common or bottlenose dolphins when flown at heights > 5 m, demonstrating that the use of VTOL UAVs to study dolphins has minimal impact on the animals. However, we advise the use of the precautionary principle when interpreting these results as characteristics of this study site (e.g., high whale-watching activity) may have habituated dolphins to anthropogenic disturbance. The full paper is available via open access: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/13/1/156/htm Feel free to email me if you have any questions. Best regards, Joana Castro Sem v?rus. www.avast.com <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2> -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jrichardson at miami.edu Tue Jan 12 07:32:28 2021 From: jrichardson at miami.edu (Richardson, Jill L) Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2021 15:32:28 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] SEAMAMMS 2021 Cancelled Message-ID: The 2021 Southeast and Mid-Atlantic Marine Mammal Symposium (SEAMAMMS) has been cancelled due to COVID-19. However, the University of Miami-Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (UM-RSMAS) will be hosting SEAMAMMS in spring 2022 in Miami, Florida. We hope to see you next year! Warm Regards, Jill Jill Richardson, Ph.D. Department of Marine Ecosystems and Society (MES) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (305) 421-4340 jrichardson at miami.edu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From krissisteinmetz at aol.com Tue Jan 12 06:39:22 2021 From: krissisteinmetz at aol.com (krissisteinmetz at aol.com) Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2021 14:39:22 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [MARMAM] =?utf-8?q?New_paper_-_Enabling_pinniped_conservation_by_?= =?utf-8?q?means_of_non=E2=80=91invasive_genetic_population_analysis_=28St?= =?utf-8?q?einmetz=29?= In-Reply-To: <1939932330.449457.1610389196276@mail.yahoo.com> References: <1939932330.449457.1610389196276.ref@mail.yahoo.com> <1939932330.449457.1610389196276@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <19828075.638519.1610462362698@mail.yahoo.com> Dear MARMAM readers, we are pleased to announce the recent publication of the following article in Conservation Genetics Resources: Enabling pinniped conservation by means of non?invasive genetic population analysis. Steinmetz, K., Murphy, S., ? Cadhla, O.?et al.?Enabling pinniped conservation by means of non-invasive genetic population analysis.?Conservation Genet Resources?(2021).?https://doi.org/10.1007/s12686-020-01182-4 Abstract:Conservation and management of protected species, particularly of elusive species such as pinnipeds, is hampered by knowledge gaps. In the case of studies using genetic data these are often attributed to a lack of representative samples. Therefore, there is a pressing need for the development of minimally invasive sampling protocols suitable for genetic analyses of pinnipeds. The present study evaluated the applicability of various protocols for the collection and processing of samplesfrom harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) and grey seals (Halichoerus grypus), encompassing seven source sample types (blood, skin, hair (plucked/moulted), urine, buccal swabs, scat) and three different extraction methods. Protocols were designed for minimally invasive sampling, but also to evaluate differences in their performance based on cost and time of execution in comparison to traditional sampling approaches. The performance of each protocol was measured following successful DNA isolation, molecular sex determination and sequencing of a mitochondrial DNA fragment (control region). Protocols using plucked hair, urine and buccal swab samples proved effective for collection from individuals in captivity, whereas scat was most applicable for non-invasive sampling in the wild. Furthermore, following a pilot study on scat samples, DNA was found to be viable for genetic analysis after exposure to ambient conditions for up to four weeks. This study provides a useful assessment of the suitability of various minimal and non-invasively collected samples for DNA isolation, amplification and mitochondrial sequencing, enabling the effective design of future sampling strategies and a significant increase of samples?available for genetic analysis of pinnipeds. The article is available via the DOI link above or as a read only via the following link:?https://rdcu.be/cc0P9. Please don't hesitate to contact me (kristina.steinmetz at research.gmit.ie) for any further questions! All the best,Kristina Steinmetz -------------------------Kristina Steinmetz, PhD candidateMarine and Freshwater Research CentreGalway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Ireland E-Mail: kristina.steinmetz at research.gmit.ieResearchGate:?https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kristina_Steinmetz2Project Facebook page:?@SealResearchIrelandProject website:?https://sealresearchireland.wixsite.com/srpi------------------------- -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From selina at dmad.org.tr Tue Jan 12 05:45:30 2021 From: selina at dmad.org.tr (Selina Brouwer) Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2021 14:45:30 +0100 Subject: [MARMAM] Online Internship at Marine Mammal Research Association Message-ID: Dear all, *Please find below details of our Remote Internship with the Marine Mammal Research Association - **Deniz Memelileri Ara?t?rma Derne?i (DMAD).* Unfortunately many countries still have their borders closed or going in lockdown again. This makes it currently almost impossible to travel safely due to the outbreak of COVID-19, but that doesn't mean that you can't benefit from our knowledge and develop your career or get help with your thesis remotely. Students, graduates, career changers etc can receive both research and public outreach experience working with the DMAD team. http://www.dmad.org.tr/remote-internships WHO ARE DMAD AND WHAT DO WE DO? DMAD - Marine Mammals Research Association have scientific projects running in Turkey, Montenegro and Albania. We conduct long-term studies of marine mammals in Istanbul, Antalya, the Levantine sea, Montenegrin coastal waters and the northern coastline of Albania. We aim to address questions about marine mammal abundance, distribution and behaviour, define critical habitats and investigate the impact of major threats, ranging from tourism to hydrocarbon exploration. Our wider attention focuses on the promotion and implementation of awareness initiatives targeted at the local community. More details on the projects can be found here: http://www.dmad.org.tr/our-projects ABOUT THE INTERNSHIP: The DMAD team provides lectures and training as well as constant supervision. You will be given the chance to learn the most popular methodologies used in marine mammal research including: -Cetacean species identification within the Mediterranean -Population statuses and threats to marine mammals within the Mediterranean -Software used in the field (Pythagoras, Logger 2010) -Data analysis using GIS, R, Distance, Mark -Passive Acoustic Monitoring using PamGuard -Residency Pattern Analysis -Population Estimation -Scientific support on manuscript and technical report writing including thesis supervision PARTICIPATION FEE: The internship is for 2 months and is about 100 hours and requires a contribution fee of 560euro, which fully goes to supporting the project. WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THE FEE: -Video recordings -Scientific support through weekly Skype calls -Real data and practical examples to work through -Certification of participation HOW TO APPLY Our Remote Internship is an ongoing project, and the next one starts on the 1st of February; the number of places has a limit. Email your CV and cover letter to info at dmad.org.tr, giving details of your specific interests so that we can help you to develop a personal project. If you wish to have more info about our other internships and work please take a look at some of our web pages and social media: Our research: http://www.dmad.org.tr/our-projects Our remote internships: http://www.dmad.org.tr/remote-internships Our publications: http://www.dmad.org.tr/our-publications All the best and stay safe, -- DMAD-Team *info at dmad.org.tr * *www.dmad.org.tr * *Follow us on: Instagram & **Facebook * -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pavale03 at evergreen.edu Tue Jan 12 11:13:20 2021 From: pavale03 at evergreen.edu (Pavlinovic, Alexander) Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2021 19:13:20 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Internship Posting In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: I am looking for three research assistants for a project this spring (expected dates: February 27th-May 31st, 2021) to study the impacts of boats on gray whales in Washington. There will also be at least two days of equipment training before the dates listed above/fieldwork. This position is through The Evergreen State College. During and before this time, there will be specific protocols for limiting the risks of COVID. These protocols will require spending the whole period, listed above, living, and working together without the opportunity to leave the field site, short of emergencies. These plans can change due to the COVID situation. While the current budget does not allow for a salary, living fees will be covered at the research site (food, housing, travel expenses around the research site) for approximately three months. This opportunity is a great experience for anyone interested in studying marine mammals. You will be gaining field experience with a theodolite, taking identification pictures, identifying different species of marine mammals, and learning other necessary field skills. To be considered as a serious candidate, you will be required to be proficient in Excel and be able to type. Preference will be given to individuals with any of the following skills or experiences: GIS, fieldwork, R, and theodolite. The work will be conducted outside rain or shine, and the team will live and work in close quarters. These efforts will require people to stand for up to 12 hours a day. The ability to get along with others is critical. If you are interested, please send me a resume/CV, cover letter, and contact information for two references to the email listed below. Please put in the subject of the email Gray Whale Position Application. Applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis. The deadline for submitting is January 24th. Also, if you have any questions, feel free to contact me. Sincerely, Alexander (Alex) Pavlinovic Master of Environmental Studies Student The Evergreen State College pavale03 at evergreen.edu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Delphine.Chabanne at murdoch.edu.au Wed Jan 13 23:33:41 2021 From: Delphine.Chabanne at murdoch.edu.au (Delphine Chabanne) Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2021 07:33:41 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: Inconsistency between socio-spatial and genetic structure in a coastal dolphin population Message-ID: Dear Colleagues, We are pleased to announce the recent publication of the following paper in Frontiers in Marine Science: Chabanne DBH, Allen SJ, Sherwin WB, Finn H and Kr?tzen M (2021) Inconsistency Between Socio-Spatial and Genetic Structure in a Coastal Dolphin Population. Frontiers in Marine Science 7:617540. Doi: 10.3389/fmars.2020.617540 The abstract is as follows: Identifying population structure and boundaries among communities of wildlife exposed to anthropogenic threats is key to successful conservation management. Previous studies on the demography, social and spatial structure of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) suggested four nearly discrete behavioral communities in Perth metropolitan waters, Western Australia. We investigated the genetic structure of these four communities using highly polymorphic microsatellite markers and part of the hypervariable segment of the mitochondrial control region. Overall, there was no evidence of spatial genetic structure. We found significant, yet very small genetic differentiation between some communities, most likely due to the presence of highly related individuals within these communities. Our findings of high levels of contemporary migration and highly related individuals among communities point toward a panmictic genetic population with continuous gene flow among each of the communities. In species with slow life histories and fission-fusion dynamics, such as Tursiops spp., genetic and socio-spatial structures may reflect different timescales. Thus, despite genetic similarity, each social community should be considered as a distinct ecological unit to be conserved because they are exposed to different anthropogenic threats and occur in different ecological habitats, social structure being as important as genetic information for immediate conservation management. The estuarine community, in particular, is highly vulnerable and appropriate conservation measures are needed in order to maintain its connectivity with the adjacent, semi-enclosed coastal communities. This genetic connectivity research follows on from: Chabanne DBH, Finn H and Bejder L (2017) Identifying the relevant local population for environemental impact assessments of mobile marine fauna. Frontiers in Marine Science 4:148. Doi: 10.3389/fmars.2017.00148 To view the online publication or download a PDF (open access), please click here: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2020.617540/full Kind regards, Delphine Delphine Chabanne PhD | Researcher Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems | Harry Butler Institute | Murdoch University South St, Murdoch WA 6105, Australia (+61) 447 134 824 |@DChabanne |ORCID iD: 0000-0002-8391-7505 [HBI-white-left-align_for signatures] Recent papers: Inconsistency between socio-spatial and genetic structure in a coastal dolphin population. Frontiers in Marine Science 7:617540. Doi: 10.3389/fmars.2020.617540 Identifying the relevant local population for environemental impact assessments of mobile marine fauna. Frontiers in Marine Science 4:148. Doi: 10.3389/fmars.2017.00148 Applying the multistate capture-recapture robust design to characterize metapopulation structure. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 8: 1547-1558. Doi: 10.1111/2041-210X.12792 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 16007 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: From info at eos-oilandgas.com Tue Jan 12 05:49:57 2021 From: info at eos-oilandgas.com (info desk) Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2021 15:49:57 +0200 Subject: [MARMAM] New paper - Numerical Modeling of the Exposure on Radiofrequency Radiation of Marine Mammal Observers During Their Shift: A Case Study In-Reply-To: <176e1416946.ffe0a766934359.970213326965078917@eos-oilandgas.com> References: <176e1416946.ffe0a766934359.970213326965078917@eos-oilandgas.com> Message-ID: <176f6dc3f13.107fe55881116551.147090513826014086@eos-oilandgas.com> Dear MARMAM Members,? My colleagues and I are pleased to share our new publication titled:?Numerical Modeling of the Exposure on Radiofrequency Radiation of Marine Mammal Observers During Their Shift: A Case Study Abstract:?Following the standard numerical modeling approach for Electromagnetic Field (EMF) radiation exposure prediction, we intend to provide an analytical framework to Marine Mammal Observers (MMOs) for dynamic risk assessment; enhancing thus occupational health and safety awareness. The analysis is based on power levels and antenna characteristics reported by MMOs for two systems (VHF and UHF) located close to the working environment. Whilst occupational exposure limits apply for MMOs, as for the rest crew (seismic and maritime), evaluation of exposure levels against general public limits is presented as well. At present we have restricted our study to single-source radiation, as well as we did not consider any irregularities due to system malfunction. The worst-case scenario of continuous RF transmission was considered. Risk assessment indicated regions where radiation exposure is higher than the permissible limits. Uncertainty due to the operational environment is inserted in methodology using an uncertainty coefficient. A list of control measures is proposed, to support both MMO?s and Operators? decision making. https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsse.100605 Please do not hesitate to contact us for any further information,? Best wishes,? Arvaniti Kyriakoula,? EOS Energy Solutions and Support Ltd -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jeremy.kiszka at gmail.com Thu Jan 14 04:52:00 2021 From: jeremy.kiszka at gmail.com (Jeremy KISZKA) Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2021 07:52:00 -0500 Subject: [MARMAM] 24th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals - West Palm Beach, December 2021 Message-ID: Dear MARMAM community The 24th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals will be held in West Palm Beach, Florida, USA at the Palm Beach County Convention Center from December 13-17th, 2021. It will be the very first fully hybrid, live-virtual conference of the Society for Marine Mammalogy. The theme of the conference will be ?A Sea of Change: Transforming Science into Stewardship?. We are enthusiastic to announce the opening of abstract and workshop proposal submission, as well as conference registration on January 14th, 2021. https://www.smmconference.org Despite these challenging times, the organizing committee and the board of the Society for Marine Mammalogy are working very hard to make this conference safe, diverse, and inclusive. Our top priority is to provide a safe and healthy environment for all participants at SMM2021. The SMM2021 organizing committee, Amy C. Hirons, Conference co-chair Jeremy J. Kiszka, Conference co-chair Stephen Trumble, Scientific Program co-chair Sascha Usenko, Scientific Program co-chair ---------------------------- Jeremy Kiszka (PhD) Florida International University Department of Biological Sciences & Coastlines and Oceans Division Institute of Environment 3000 NE 151st Street, North Miami, FL33181, USA Tel: +1 (305)-919-5234 Website: https://ccor.fiu.edu - Marine Conservation Ecology Lab. Principal Investigator https://marineconservationecologylab.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From K.Peters at massey.ac.nz Wed Jan 13 21:23:41 2021 From: K.Peters at massey.ac.nz (Peters, Katharina) Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2021 05:23:41 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: Cetacean sighting records in the New Caledonia Basin, Tasman Sea, New Zealand Message-ID: <76E938E4-8A5D-4BFA-B559-F2BC964436D4@massey.ac.nz> Dear MARMAM community, Prof Karen Stockin and I are very happy to share the publication of our paper ?Cetacean sighting records in the New Caledonia Basin, Tasman Sea, New Zealand? in New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater. Abstract: The distribution of marine mammal species in many areas remains poorly understood, especially as observations for some taxa are rare and large-scale surveys are time consuming and extremely costly. Here, we present 36 records of 7 cetacean species (Balaenoptera brydei, B. musculus subspp., Delphinus delphis, Globicephala sp., Grampus griseus, Physeter macrocephalus, Pseudorca crassidens) in the New Caledonia Basin, Tasman Sea, along with their associated biological and environmental data. Data were derived from a platform of opportunity during a seismic survey that ran between December 2015 and March 2016, inclusively. The two most frequently encountered species were sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus, 13 sightings, 5 acoustic detections) and blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus subspp., 8 visual detections). All encountered species are known to occur in New Zealand waters at least occasionally, based on historical sightings and stranding records. However, data presented here are the first cetacean records for this specific area and demonstrate that seismic vessels can act as a platform of opportunity for studying cetacean distribution in poorly accessible areas. Such data will aid future research efforts including species distribution models on cetaceans in the South Pacific. Citation: Peters, K. J. and K. A. Stockin (2021). "Cetacean sighting records in the New Caledonia Basin, Tasman Sea, New Zealand." New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research: 1-15. The paper is available at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00288330.2020.1867201 Alternatively, please email me at k.peters at massey.ac.nz to request a pdf. All the best, Katharina Katharina J. Peters, PhD Postdoctoral Researcher Cetacean Ecology Research Group | School of Natural and Computational Sciences | Massey University Private Bag 102 904, North Shore, Auckland 0745, New Zealand ? k.peters at massey.ac.nz [A picture containing drawing Description automatically generated][A close up of a logo Description automatically generated][A picture containing drawing Description automatically generated][A picture containing drawing Description automatically generated][A picture containing object, kit, drawing Description automatically generated][A picture containing drawing Description automatically generated][A picture containing game, table Description automatically generated][A picture containing drawing Description automatically generated] [A picture containing knife Description automatically generated] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... 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References: <265230449.915341.1610556309195.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <265230449.915341.1610556309195@mail.yahoo.com> Information and Public Hearings announced by NOAAfor Draft Plan aimed at reducing risk of entanglement of critically endangeredNA Right Whales and other large whales. On?Dec. 30th, 2020 NOAA announced?therelease of proposed rulemaking (357 pages)?to reducethe risk of entanglement for North Atlantic Right, finback and humpback whaleentanglements in fixed fishing gear along the eastern seaboard of the USA. ??The public comment period will last 60days and close on March 1st. NOAA will be holding four?informational sessions?that takeplace on Jan 12, 13, 18 and 19 to provide information about the rule making andanswer questions. NOAA protected species staff will also hold four publichearings to receive and consider?public comments?on the alternatives,including NOAA?s preferred alternatives, that will take place on February 16,17, 23 and 24. Please register ahead to participate. Some of the highlights outlined in the announcementfrom Chris Oliver, NOAA Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, include thefollowing proposed modifications to the Atlantic Large Whale TakeReduction Plan: - Modify gear configurations to reduce the number of vertical lines by requiring more traps between buoy lines and by introducing weak insertions or weak rope into buoy lines. - Modify existing seasonal restricted areas to be closed to buoy lines. - Add up to two new seasonal buoy line closures. - Modify gear marking to introduce state-specific marking colors and increase the number of and area of marked lines. ProposedPot/Trap Fisheries Regulations to Help Save North Atlantic Right WhalesAvailable for Public Comment | NOAA Fisheries DraftEnvironmental Impact Statement, Regulatory Impact Review, and InitialRegulatory Flexibility Analysis for Amending the Atlantic Large Whale TakeReduction Plan: Risk Reduction Rule Volume I (noaa.gov) Events| Register for NOAA Fisheries January Informational Sessions Events| Register for NOAA Fisheries February Public Comment Hearings R. Zack Klyver, Science Director Blue Planet Strategies, LLC PO Box 917 / Bar Harbor / ME 04609 (207) 460-9575? - cell zack at blueplanetstrategy.com www.blueplanetstrategy.com ? ? ? ? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From avancise at gmail.com Wed Jan 13 16:14:15 2021 From: avancise at gmail.com (Amy Van Cise) Date: Wed, 13 Jan 2021 16:14:15 -0800 Subject: [MARMAM] community survey on collaborative sample sharing Message-ID: Dear MARMAM community, In an effort to estimate the frequency and extent of collaborative sample sharing in marine mammal research, I and my colleagues have generated a short (3-5 minute) survey and are hoping for responses from a representative sample of the marine mammal research community. The survey comes in two sections: the first section documenting published studies that have involved sample sharing and is intended for analysis to be included in an upcoming literature review of best practices in sample collection, processing, and archival; the second (optional) section assessing individual interest in sharing samples or data for collaborative studies and is intended only to gauge community opinion on this topic and the potential for future workshops or discussion of the topic. We appreciate your support in completing this survey . Please complete the survey by *January 29, 2021*. Although response time may vary, we expect it to take an average of *3-5 minutes* to complete both sections of the survey. survey url: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1AZ83WLb6OZehrXUkf_IPytopcfgiCBE0eQ5Mo2egs2I/edit?usp=sharing Thank you all for your help, and best wishes in 2021. Sincerely, Kim Parsons, Alix Switzer, and Amy Van Cise <*)))>< <*)))>< <*)))>< <*)))>< <*)))>< <*)))>< <*)))>< <*)))>< Amy M. Van Cise, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) Research Associate, North Gulf Oceanic Society Visiting Scientist, Genetics and Evolution Program NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center 2725 Montlake Blvd E Seattle, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kdudzinski at dolphincommunicationproject.org Fri Jan 15 06:03:14 2021 From: kdudzinski at dolphincommunicationproject.org (Kathleen Dudzinski) Date: Fri, 15 Jan 2021 09:03:14 -0500 Subject: [MARMAM] Aquatic Mammals issue 47.1 available online Message-ID: Dear MARMAM and ECS Talk subscribers, Happy New Year! I hope everyone reading this email is healthy and will have a positive 2021! Apologies to those of you who will receive duplicate emails due to cross-posting. The titles listed below represent the contents of the most recent issue (Volume 47, issue 1, 2021) of Aquatic Mammals that is published online. 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 Volume 47, Issue 1 (Items preceded by an * are open access) *Fernando R. Elorriaga-Verplancken, Aurora Paniagua-Mendoza, Claudia J. Hern?ndez-Camacho, Marc A. Webber, Romyna Cruz-Vallejo, Corey R. Nevels, and Irma Gonz?lez-L?pez. (2021). A New Guadalupe Fur Seal Colony in the Gulf of California? Ecological and Conservation Implications. Aquatic Mammals, 47(1), 1-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.1 Sergio Cobarrubia-Russo, Shannon Barber-Meyer, Guillermo R. Barreto, and Alimar Molero-Lizarraga. (2021). Historic Population Estimates for Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Aragua, Venezuela, Indicate Monitoring Need. Aquatic Mammals, 47(1), 10-20. DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.10 *Lucy W. Keith-Diagne, Pablo Fernandez de Larrinoa, Tomas Diagne, and Luis Mariano Gonzalez. (2021). First Satellite Tracking of the African Manatee (Trichechus senegalensis) and Movement Patterns in the Senegal River. Aquatic Mammals, 47(1), 21-29. DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.21 Sagida Nah-Balam, Gaspar Poot-L?pez, and Ra?l E. D?az-Gamboa. (2021). Habitat Characterization of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) Along the Coast of Yucatan, Mexico. Aquatic Mammals, 47(1), 30-35. DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.30 Alexander A. Zaytsev, Yuri V. Litvinov, Miron V. Pahomov, Alexander R. Troshichev, Andrey P. Yakovlev, and Pavel A. Zavoloka. (2021). Birth of a Halichoerus grypus atlantica (Nehring, 1866) Pup at the Biotechnical Aquacomplex of MMBI RAS. Aquatic Mammals, 47(1), 36-42. DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.36 Qianhui Zeng, Xianyan Wang, and Qian Zhu. (2021). Preliminary Study on the Reproductive Ecology of a Threatened Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin (Sousa chinensis) Population in Xiamen Bay, China. Aquatic Mammals, 47(1), 43-52. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.43 Renan C. de Lima, Juliana C. Di Tullio, Eduardo R. Secchi, Franciele R. Castro, and Genyffer C. Troina. (2021). Delphinid Mixed-Species Associations in the Oceanic Waters of the Western South Atlantic. Aquatic Mammals, 47(1), 53-62. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.53 Simon D. Berrow, Nick Massett, P?draig Whooley, Beatrice V. M. Jann, Pedr? Lopez-Su?rez, Peter T. Stevick, and Frederick W. Wenzel. (2021). Resightings of Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) from Ireland to a Known Breeding Ground: Cabo Verde, West Africa. Aquatic Mammals, 47(1), 63-70. DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.63 Anmari Alvarez-Aleman, Daniel Gonzalez-Socoloske, Boris Garcia-Dulzaides, and Leandro Rodriguez-Viera. (2021). First Report of Pygmy Killer Whales (Feresa attenuata) in Cuba. Aquatic Mammals, 47(1), 71-75. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.71 *Garrett C. Crooks, Sarah M. Sharp, Constance Merigo, Kathleen M. Moore, and Charles J. Innis. (2021). Hematologic and Serum Biochemical Data from Mass Stranded Long-Finned Pilot Whales (Globicephala melas), Cape Cod, USA, 2002. Aquatic Mammals, 47(1), 76-85. DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.76 Tetsuya Endo, Osamu Kimura, Masaru Terasaki, and Mari Kobayashi. (2021). Body Length, Stable Carbon, and Nitrogen Isotope Ratios and Mercury Levels in Common Minke Whales Stranded Along the Coast of Hokkaido, Japan. Aquatic Mammals, 47(1), 86-95. DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.86 Historical Perspectives Essay: *William Ralph Winhall. (2021). Evolution of Reinforcement and Relationships. Aquatic Mammals, 47(1), 96-110. DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.96 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From lucywkeith at hotmail.com Thu Jan 14 08:15:43 2021 From: lucywkeith at hotmail.com (Lucy Keith Diagne) Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2021 16:15:43 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: First Satellite Tracking of the African Manatee (Trichechus senegalensis) and Movement Patterns in the Senegal River Message-ID: Dear MARMAM, My co-authors and I are very happy to share the Open Access publication of our paper "First Satellite Tracking of the African Manatee (Trichechus senegalensis) and Movement Patterns in the Senegal River" in Aquatic Mammals (Volume 47 - Issue 1 (aquaticmammalsjournal.org). Abstract: The African manatee (Trichechus senegalensis) is found in 21 countries, but very little is known about its movement patterns and habitat use. A unique opportunity to study the species occurred in January 2009, when five manatees were rescued from behind a new dam in a seasonal tributary of the Senegal River in eastern Senegal, and released back into the main river. Three adults were satellite tagged (two males, one female), and during tracking periods that lasted between 86-325 days, they used over 308 km of the river. Both male manatees spent significant portions of their tracking periods (30% and 90%) in the same section of the river, where abundant aquatic vegetation is found. The female manatee spent 74% of her tracking period making three long distance round trips from the Matam release area south to the region of Bakel, and each one-way trip was over 100 km. During the following rainy season, the female moved back to the Senegal River floodplain in the same region where she had been rescued the previous year. As a result of the rescue of the trapped manatees, the grates at the Navel dam were removed in October 2009, and no other manatees have become entrapped since. This study is a first step in understanding manatee behavior and habitat use in the Senegal River. The paper is available at (1) (PDF) First Satellite Tracking of the African Manatee (Trichechus senegalensis) and Movement Patterns in the Senegal River (researchgate.net) Cheers, Lucy 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 michellecaputo3 at gmail.com Fri Jan 15 01:38:04 2021 From: michellecaputo3 at gmail.com (Michelle Caputo) Date: Fri, 15 Jan 2021 11:38:04 +0200 Subject: [MARMAM] New paper Message-ID: <4915BECE-74AD-432A-A675-A51C77C5FCF6@gmail.com> New Publication: Common dolphin Delphinus delphis occurrence off the Wild Coast of South Africa (Michelle Caputo) Dear MARMAM community, On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to announce the publication of our new paper on the occurrence of common dolphins off the south-eastern coast of South Africa. Abstract: Despite their typical large group sizes, limited research exists on the occurrence of common dolphins Delphinus delphis because of the pelagic, offshore nature of this species and the lack of barriers to their movement in this environment. The main purpose of our study was to investigate the occurrence of common dolphins off the Wild Coast of South Africa (western Indian Ocean) and whether spatiotemporal and environmental conditions affected their encounter rate, relative abundance and mean group size. The annual sardine run in this region, during austral winter (May to July), is considered a main driver of dolphin occurrence; however, our boat-based surveys over the period 2014?2016 indicated that common dolphins occur and feed in this area outside of this time-frame. In terms of environmental factors, the largest group (~1 250 animals) was found in the deepest waters. Additionally, at Hluleka, dolphins were observed primarily feeding, which could suggest that this coastal area is highly productive. As common dolphin distribution is thought to be correlated with prey distribution, our findings suggest that sufficient prey exists along the Wild Coast both during and outside the annual sardine run to sustain large groups of the dolphins and that their presence in the area is not solely a function of the sardine run. The article is available here: https://doi.org/10.2989/1814232X.2020.1841676 or by email: michellecaputo3 at gmail.com . Kind Regards, Michelle ---------------------------- Dr. Michelle Caputo Post-Doctoral Research Fellow Rhodes University, South Africa & Florida International University, USA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mithriel.mackay at gmail.com Mon Jan 11 14:59:41 2021 From: mithriel.mackay at gmail.com (Mithriel MacKay) Date: Mon, 11 Jan 2021 17:59:41 -0500 Subject: [MARMAM] Manatee Citizen Science Project - participation and distribution request Message-ID: The Marine and Coastal Ecology Research Center (MCERC) has developed an application which enables citizen scientists to participate in collecting data for the Manatee Research Project. The application is via EpiCollect5 which is available by following the instructions provided at the end of this post. We request your help in distributing the information and instructions to contacts in all areas where manatee occur. The app is easy to use. The fields are designed to be straightforward and quick for users without any experience or experienced field biologists. Thank you in advance for sharing this information. Questions can be directed to: Annabelle Stevenson Research Assistant The Marine and Coastal Ecology Research Center MCERC.mail at gmail.com Instructions: 1. Download and open the free "EpiCollect5" app onto your Android or Apple (iPhone, etc.) device. 2. Click on the "+Add Project" box in the upper right corner and search for "MCERC 2021". Select MCERC 2021 MANATEE CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT 3. Open the project, click on the box that says +Add Entry, and follow the prompts. 4. Upload your data after each entry, as a group, or when you are back in Internet service areas by completing the last step indicated in the app. Stay tuned for the MCERC 2021 apps for whale, marine mammal, and other data projects designed to incorporate citizen scientists. website www.Marine-Eco.org Facebook www.Facebook.com/researchcenter Twitter @MCERCMarineEco -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Patrick_Charapata1 at baylor.edu Thu Jan 14 14:45:48 2021 From: Patrick_Charapata1 at baylor.edu (Charapata, Patrick) Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2021 22:45:48 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New Publication: Whiskers as a novel tissue for tracking reproductive and stress-related hormones in North Pacific otariid pinnipeds Message-ID: Hello MARMAM Members, On behalf of my colleagues and myself, I am pleased to share with you all our new research article: ?Whiskers as a novel tissue for tracking reproductive and stress-related hormones in North Pacific otariid pinnipeds?, now available in Conservation Physiology. The article is Open Access and can be found here. ?Keogh MJ, Charapata P, Fadely BS, Zeppelin T, Rea L, Waite JN, Burkanov V, Marshall C, Jones A, Sprowls C, Wooller MJ (2021) Whiskers as a novel tissue for tracking reproductive and stress-related hormones in North Pacific otariid pinnipeds. Conserv Physiol 9(10): coaa134; doi:10.1093/conphys/coaa134. Abstract ??Keratinized tissues, including whiskers, are ideal for acquiring a record of physiological parameters. Most tissues provide a snapshot of physiological status; however, whiskers may support longitudinal sampling for reproductive and stress-related hormones, if hormones are incorporated as whiskers grow and concentrations change with physiological state. Whiskers from female Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) and northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) were serially sectioned and pulverized and steroid hormones were extracted. Standard methods were used to validate enzyme immunoassay kits for cortisol, progesterone, 17?-estradiol and testosterone. All hormones were measurable in whisker segments from both species with progesterone concentrations showing cyclical patterns, which appear to signify previous pregnancies or luteal phases. Yearly progesterone concentrations were greater in years a pup was produced compared with years when no pup was observed. Free-ranging female Steller sea lions had reproductive rates between 0 and 1.0 (0.53???0.33, n?=?12) using a yearly progesterone concentration of 30 pg/mg or greater to classify a reproductive year as producing a pup and below 30 pg/mg as non-reproductive. Cortisol concentrations were greater near the root and rapidly declined, lacking any obvious patterns, throughout the rest of the whisker. Progesterone and testosterone concentrations were able to help determine sex of unknown individuals. Immunohistochemistry revealed that steroid hormones most likely do not leach out of whiskers based on the deposition patterns of progesterone and cortisol being present throughout the whisker length. Overall, measuring steroid hormones in whiskers can reveal individual reproductive histories over multiple years in sea lions and fur seals. Cyclical patterns of ?15N were useful for identifying periods of up to ~10 years of growth within whiskers, and measuring both stable isotopes and hormones may be useful for differentiating periods of active gestation from diapause and potentially track multi-year reproductive histories of female otariids. Please email lead and corresponding author (Mandy Keogh, mandyjkeogh at gmail.com) if you have any questions or are interested in the manuscript. If for any reason you do not have access to the article through the link, I would be happy to provide a PDF of the manuscript upon request (Patrick_charapata1 at baylor.edu). Cheers, Patrick Charapata PhD Candidate, Baylor University Patrick_charapata1 at baylor.edu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From renancdl at gmail.com Thu Jan 14 17:37:02 2021 From: renancdl at gmail.com (Renan Lima) Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2021 22:37:02 -0300 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication on dolphins mixed-species associations in Brazil Message-ID: On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to announce the publication of our new research article on the current issue of Aquatic Mammals: Lima, RC, Di Tullio JC, Secchi ER, Castro FR, and Troina, GC. Delphinid mixed-species associations in the oceanic waters of the Western South Atlantic. https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.53 Abstract Dolphins are highly social animals usually reported in large groups comprised of individuals of a single species, although they are often reported associating with other species as well. The drivers for the formation of these mixed-species associations (MSAs) are poorly understood, and records in Brazilian waters are scarce. To better understand their occurrence in the region, we assessed seasonal and spatial distribution of MSAs in waters over the outer continental shelf and slope off Brazil (22 to 33? S). Data were collected during spring and autumn between 2009 and 2014. >From a total of 187 Delphinidae sightings, 28 consisted of MSAs. Tursiops truncatus was the most frequently sighted species in an MSA (n = 22 sightings) and was mostly found in lower numbers than its associated counterparts: Globicephala melas, Stenella frontalis, Grampus griseus, and Pseudorca crassidens. MSAs between Stenella attenuata and Stenella longirostris or Delphinus delphis and S. frontalis were also reported. Our data did not show any seasonal or spatial trends in overall MSA frequency; nevertheless, the widely distributed T. truncatus appears to shift its associates according to their local abundance (e.g., associating with G. melas in the southern region of the study area and with S. frontalis in the southeastern region). Although a lot remains to be investigated regarding the ecological drivers for such associations between sympatric dolphins in Brazilian waters, this was the first effort to describe their occurrence and distribution patterns using cetacean dedicated surveys. The article is available at https://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2114:delphinid-mixed-species-associations-in-the-oceanic-waters-of-the-western-south-atlantic&catid=199&Itemid=326 Please feel free to contact me via email (renancdl at gmail.com) for any questions or a pdf copy of the paper. Best regards, Renan Lima -- MSc Renan Costa de Lima Doutorando do Programa de P?s-Gradua??o em Oceanografia Biol?gica Laborat?rio de Ecologia e Conserva??o da Megafauna Marinha - EcoMega Instituto de Oceanografia Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG) Fone: +55(53)99718994 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shannonbarbermeyer at gmail.com Thu Jan 14 17:52:31 2021 From: shannonbarbermeyer at gmail.com (Shannon Barber-Meyer) Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2021 19:52:31 -0600 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: bottlenose dolphins in Venezuela Message-ID: Dear MARMAM community, My colleagues and I are pleased to announce our new publication Historic population estimates for bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Aragua, Venezuela, indicate monitoring need Authors: Sergio Cobarrubia-Russo, Shannon Barber-Meyer, Guillermo R. Barreto, and Alimar Molero-Lizarraga Abstract: This study reports historic, capture-mark-recapture survival and abundance estimates of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) based on photo-identification surveys of coastal Venezuela (along the Aragua coast between Turiamo Bay and Puerto Colombia). We used the most recent data available: dolphins identified by unique dorsal fin marks during wet and dry season surveys conducted from 2004-2008. Dolphin encounter histories were analyzed in the Closed Capture Robust Design framework, with the top model including random movement, constant survival, and capture-recapture probabilities that varied by secondary periods. Survival of marked adults was estimated at 0.99 (95% CI = 0.97-1.00). Population estimates for all adults (marked and unmarked) averaged 31 animals (SD = 13.8), and for all dolphins (all adults and calves), 41 animals (SD = 17.2). Coastal bottlenose dolphins face numerous threats including ship strikes, oil spills, conflict with recreational and industrial fisheries, other negative human interactions, biotoxins, chemicals, noise, freshwater discharge, and coastal development. Further, small populations are, in general, at increased risk due to reduced resiliency and recovery potential when exposed to such threats and to expected environmental and demographic stochasticity. These historic estimates of abundance and survival are critical for establishing a reference state and indicate a need for ongoing monitoring of the small dolphin population while the Aragua coast is still, as-of-yet relatively little-impacted by humans. Should coastal development increase (as is the global trend) and / or environmental catastrophes occur (e.g., harmful algal blooms, hurricanes, oil spills), these historic estimates will be essential for assessing impacts and guiding management and conservation interventions. Our results show year-round dolphin presence and highlight the Venezuelan coastal-oceanic landscape as an area of both future research and conservation importance. Citation: Cobarrubia-Russo, S., S.M. Barber-Meyer, G. Barreto, and A. Molero-Lizarraga. 2021. Historic population estimates for bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Aragua, Venezuela indicate monitoring need. Aquatic Mammals, 47(1):10-20, DOI: 10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.10. The article is available at: https://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2119:historic-population-estimates-for-bottlenose-dolphins-tursiops-truncatus-in-aragua-venezuela-indicate-monitoring-need&catid=199&Itemid=326 Sincerely, Shannon Barber-Meyer sbarber-meyer at usgs.gov Research Wildlife Biologist USGS Ely, MN 55731 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From traciemerrill at hotmail.com Thu Jan 14 09:45:26 2021 From: traciemerrill at hotmail.com (tracie merrill) Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2021 17:45:26 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Registration open for 2021 TWM Virtual Workshop: Species in the Spotlight Message-ID: The Whale Museum in Friday Harbor, WA, is holding a virtual ?Species in the Spotlight? workshop in partnership with NOAA. Taking place the weekend of February 10-12, 2021, the intent is to learn about the species highlighted by NOAA that are most likely going to go extinct in the near future and what on-going recovery efforts, research, and education efforts are underway to prevent their extinction. This workshop is ideal for those wishing to continue their education as a naturalist or for those who simply love marine life and want to know more! Presentations will be given virtually (through Zoom) by NOAA researchers and managers on: Atlantic Salmon Gulf of Maine Distinct Population Segment (DPS), Central California Coast Coho Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU), Cook Inlet Beluga Whale (DPS), Hawaiian Monk Seal, Pacific Leatherback Sea Turtle, Sacramento River Winter-run Chinook (ESU), Southern Resident Killer Whale (DPS), White Abalone, and North Atlantic Right Whale. This workshop will include 3 half-day sessions going from approximately 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (Pacific Time) each day. Zoom link(s) and agenda will be emailed to registrants closer to the start of the course. Tuition is $90 for Museum/SSAMN members/Orca Adopters or $115 for non-members. Registration is available via The Whale Museum?s website, https://whalemuseum.org/products/twmvwspeciesinthespotlight . For more information, contact Tracie Merrill via email at tracie at whalemuseum.org. Sent from Outlook -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kfazioli at gmail.com Sat Jan 16 10:06:08 2021 From: kfazioli at gmail.com (Kristi F) Date: Sat, 16 Jan 2021 12:06:08 -0600 Subject: [MARMAM] Summer 2021 Internship - Galveston Bay Dolphin Research Program Message-ID: Link to online posting: https://galvestonbaydolphin.org/summer-research-internship/ The Environmental Institute of Houston is seeking a dedicated intern to assist with collection, entry and analysis of bottlenose dolphin population and health data in Galveston Bay, Texas. The position will entail a combination of field and office work during May ? August 2021 (start and end dates may be flexible to accommodate school schedules). Previous wildlife management and/or marine mammal coursework, field and photo-identification experience are highly desirable. Salary: $1,200 per month (temporary full-time, not benefits eligible) Education requirements: Bachelor?s degree in marine/wildlife/conservation biology, ecology, or similar field. COVID-19 NOTICE: Candidate must be willing to follow applicable covid-19 protocols to keep themselves and their team members safe and be prepared to potentially work virtually for a portion of internship duties. The qualified candidate must: -Commit to a full time Monday through Friday work schedule and maintain flexibility for potentially long field days and occasional weekend work. -Provide own lodging and transportation for office located in the Clear Lake area of Houston, TX. -Have the ability to carefully follow instructions, work independently on sometimes tedious tasks and pay close attention to detail. -Have the ability to work long field days on a small boat in Texas heat, often in inclement or challenging conditions. -Be experienced and comfortable using word, data and image processing software including Microsoft Office and Adobe products. -Be willing to occasionally work on other environmental research related projects at EIH. -Provide contact information for three references (from a faculty member, advisor or employer). -Pass a criminal background and motor vehicle background check prior to hiring. To Apply: Submit a cover letter, resume and contact information for three references to Kristi Fazioli at fazioli at uhcl.edu. APPLICATION DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 19, 2021 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kkasper at ifaw.org Fri Jan 15 12:07:31 2021 From: kkasper at ifaw.org (Kasper, Kira) Date: Fri, 15 Jan 2021 20:07:31 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] IFAW Marine Mammal Stranding Internships - Summer 2021 Message-ID: The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is currently accepting applications for summer 2021 Marine Mammal Stranding Internships. IFAW Marine Mammal Stranding Internship Summer Session 2021 (First Week of June, 2021 - Last week of August, 2021) Complete Applications Due: February 15th, 2021 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 261 strandings occurring each year. These strandings include live and dead seals, whales, porpoises, and dolphins. Stranding Intern Duties * Stranding hotline coverage: answer calls, document reports, educate callers, dispatch volunteers, complete associated paperwork and enter data. * Marine mammal stranding response and necropsy: assist staff with all aspects of marine mammal stranding response, including live animal health assessment and supportive care, biological data collection, post-mortem examinations and sampling in both field and laboratory settings. * Stranding / necropsy readiness: cleaning, organizing and maintaining stranding response and necropsy gear, equipment and facilities, restocking kits and supplies. * Data entry / sample processing: assist in entry of stranding data. Assist in organizing, cataloging, disseminating and archiving of photos, videos, datasheets, samples, etc. * Outreach: assist staff with training and outreach material preparation and organization, participate in opportunistic outreach at stranding sites, participate in community events. Please see the following link for the full posting and to apply: https://recruiting.ultipro.com/INT1059IFFA/JobBoard/17b588a3-808b-4bc9-aea8-c3385a35ec51/OpportunityDetail?opportunityId=fe9d4610-6ed8-4b11-9455-9cb86c86ef2b Kira Kasper Stranding Technician Marine Mammal Rescue and Research 290 Summer Street Yarmouth Port, MA 02675 United States Please note: my schedule varies regularly and I often work outside of the M-F 9-5 timeframe. +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 smithkerrij at gmail.com Fri Jan 15 12:01:05 2021 From: smithkerrij at gmail.com (Kerri J. Smith) Date: Fri, 15 Jan 2021 14:01:05 -0600 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: Specimens of opportunity provide vital information for research and conservation regarding elusive whale species Message-ID: Dear MARMAM community, My colleagues and I are pleased to share our new publication, "Specimens of opportunity provide vital information for research and conservation regarding elusive whale species." *Summary*: Elusive species are challenging to study and conserve because basic elements of their biology may be unknown. Specimens of opportunity provide a means of collecting information on these species and may be critical for elusive species? conservation. We used snowball sampling to identify Sowerby?s beaked whale (Mesoplodon bidens) specimens in museums and research institutions. Snowball sampling proved highly effective: we located 180 specimens from 24 institutions in North America and Europe, 62 of which were not listed in online collections databases, resulting in the largest collated dataset for this species. Analysis of these data resulted in several new findings for this species, including significant morphological variation between specimens from different collection regions, suggesting the presence of previously unidentified population structuring in this species. These data provide critical information regarding this species and demonstrate the effectiveness of specimens of opportunity for elusive species research and conservation. We recommend other researchers consider snowball sampling when designing research projects utilizing specimens of opportunity. Our results demonstrate the usefulness of snowball sampling and specimens of opportunity to elusive species research and conservation, and the methods of our study can be readily adapted for other species. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0376892920000521 Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions! Cheers, Kerri *--Kerri J. Smith, Ph.D.* Postdoctoral Researcher, Biology and Environmental Science, Baylor University Research Fellow - Smithsonian Institution Website -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From alisongill at intelligentocean.com Sun Jan 17 03:43:27 2021 From: alisongill at intelligentocean.com (Alison Gill) Date: Sun, 17 Jan 2021 11:43:27 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] JNCC MMO and PAM eLearning Courses Message-ID: Intelligent Ocean Ltd is pleased to offer two eLearning courses JNCC Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) eLearning Training Course (GBP 150 per person) Passive Acoustic Monitoring and PAMGUARD Software eLearning Training Course (GBP 150 per person) The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) MMO registered course is required for you to work as a Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) in UK Continental Shelf waters during offshore projects such as seismic surveys, pile-driving and projects involving the use of explosives. This course has been created in response to the coronavirus crisis and has been approved by the JNCC as a valid alternative to the usual classroom taught course. Alternatively, project managers or interested parties may wish to complete this course for awareness of how MMOs work or for Continuous Professional Development (CPD). The Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) course is designed to introduce this technique of monitoring for marine mammals to MMOs, researchers, project managers or any other interested parties. It covers basic acoustic theory, the use of a spectrogram to view example marine mammal vocalisation types and other ocean noise, PAM equipment components, assembly and deployment and finally an exercise in configuring the industry standard PAM software - PAMGUARD. To complete the eLearning courses you simply log in, read, learn and then pass assessments based on the course content. You set the pace of your learning. You will have access to the course for 12 months. Full details of how to purchase these courses is available on our website at the following link where you can also find details of the course contents https://www.intelligentocean.com/ Companies wishing to sign up members of their staff please email info at intelligentocean.com for registration and invoicing. Intelligent Ocean?s staff have extensive experience of working offshore as MMOs and PAM operators in addition to marine mammal survey work and nature guiding. Our training experience and client list can be viewed here https://www.intelligentocean.com/clientlist.htm Alison Gill Intelligent Ocean Ltd www.intelligentocean.com -- This email has been checked for viruses by AVG. https://www.avg.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From avancise at gmail.com Sat Jan 16 16:45:43 2021 From: avancise at gmail.com (Amy Van Cise) Date: Sat, 16 Jan 2021 16:45:43 -0800 Subject: [MARMAM] CORRECTION: community survey on collaborative sample sharing Message-ID: ***Please note that the original email used a link to an incorrect version of this survey. The link has been corrected in the email that is below, and can also be found here . Dear MARMAM community, In an effort to estimate the frequency and extent of collaborative sample sharing in marine mammal research, I and my colleagues have generated a short (3-5 minute) survey and are hoping for responses from a representative sample of the marine mammal research community. The survey comes in two sections: the first section documents published studies that have involved sample sharing and is intended for analysis to be included in an upcoming literature review of best practices in sample collection, processing, and archival; the second (optional) section assesses individual interest in sharing samples or data for collaborative studies and is intended only to gauge community opinion on this topic and the potential for future workshops or discussion of the topic. We appreciate your support in completing this survey . Please complete the survey by *January 29, 2021*. Although response time may vary, we expect it to take an average of *3-5 minutes* to complete both sections of the survey. survey url: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdhNckKcgfcWijZRLs6mJi0KMzPnTSp9xRMGKfvu8iBDsVeUA/viewform?gxids=7628 Thank you all for your help, and best wishes in 2021. Sincerely, Kim Parsons, Alix Switzer, and Amy Van Cise <*)))>< <*)))>< <*)))>< <*)))>< <*)))>< <*)))>< <*)))>< <*)))>< Amy M. Van Cise, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) Research Associate, North Gulf Oceanic Society Visiting Scientist, Genetics and Evolution Program NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center 2725 Montlake Blvd E Seattle, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jason at wildme.org Sun Jan 17 21:08:54 2021 From: jason at wildme.org (Jason Holmberg) Date: Sun, 17 Jan 2021 21:08:54 -0800 Subject: [MARMAM] Flukebook.org: Release v.2020-12-31 Message-ID: We are pleased to announce the Wildbook software release v.2020-12-31, which is reflected in the Flukebook.org platform for cetacean photo ID. - Wildbook DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4443984Related - Wildbook Image Analysis (WBIA) DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4390992 Release notes for December 2020 For all Wildbooks - Improved loading time of data summary on My Account page. - Improved error handling around matching results. - Added the ability to remove an annotation. - Clarified the remove image option and the impact on related annotations. - Transitioned all ia.properties files to json to allow for a consistent and flexible method of setting species, classes, and subclasses. - Added a simplified export based on the OBIS export. For spot mapping users, new export indicates if left and/or right side images are available per encounter. - Update the spot mapping tool to relate the created annotations to their mediaAssets. Flukebook-specific updates - New location IDs (study sites) have been added. - Orca individual ID machine learning models have been retrained to with clarified data. - Released a new lightnet detection model for humpback whales with a balance of fluke and dorsal annotations. Related Resources - Documentation: https://docs.wildme.org - Community support: https://community.wildbook.org Jason Holmberg (he/him/his) Executive Director, Wild Me -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From joris.laborie at gmail.com Sun Jan 17 12:52:12 2021 From: joris.laborie at gmail.com (Laborie Joris) Date: Sun, 17 Jan 2021 21:52:12 +0100 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication : Behavioural impact assessment of unmanned aerial vehicles on Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) Message-ID: Dear MARMAM community, My collaborators, Karine Heerah and I are pleased to share our new publication, "Behavioural impact assessment of unmanned aerial vehicles on Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii)" *Summary *: The rapid increase in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in wildlife research has raised concerns about its potential negative impact on animals. The paucity of studies and the variability of responses of pinnipeds to UAVs prompts the need for species-specific impact assessments. Here we assessed the potential behavioural impact of low altitude UAVs on Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii). This is a preliminary step to envisage the feasibility of replacing and/or complementing traditional ground-based behavioural and morphometric measurements by potentially less invasive UAV aerial images. We flew a small UAV (DJI Mavic 2 zoom fitted with a phocid seal audiogram weighted source level of 84 dB re 20 ? Pa (rms)) over 37 Weddell seals (3 adult males, 12 adult females and 22 mother-pup pairs) during the breeding season at Dumont D?Urville, East Antarctica. For each individual, we assessed the level of reaction during UAV overflights at three altitudes (25, 20 and 15 m) while factoring in pup presence and wind speed. For all altitudes and observations pooled together, Weddell seals predominantly (88%) showed little (vigilant) or no (resting) reactions towards the UAV. Moreover, only 27% of all individuals changed their initial activity during the sampling periods, and mothers rarely ended their nursing bouts (3%). While reactions were low overall, the probability of a stronger reaction occurring increased at lower altitudes, and varied among individuals. Neither the presence of pups nor a change in wind speed appear to influence individuals? response to the UAV significantly. However, on simpler histogram representations of the dataset, we observed the strongest reactions for females (n = 5) with a pup at wind speeds below 5 m.s ?1 when ambient noise levels were lowest. While Weddell seals are likely to hear the UAV at 25 to 15 m altitude in low wind speeds, the low-level responses we observed are unlikely to negatively impact their energetic budget and/or reproductive success. Our results suggest a low impact of small UAV overflights of Weddell seals during the breeding season when flying ?25 m. This allows for collection of high resolution images for behavioural and morphometric studies that can potentially replace more invasive data collection when capturing and handling the animals. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2020.151509 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022098120305153?via%3Dihub Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions ! Cheers, Joris -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From memoriarty at ucdavis.edu Sun Jan 17 13:44:12 2021 From: memoriarty at ucdavis.edu (Megan Moriarty) Date: Sun, 17 Jan 2021 13:44:12 -0800 Subject: [MARMAM] New Publication: Exposure to domoic acid is an ecological driver of cardiac disease in southern sea otters (Megan Moriarty) Message-ID: Dear colleagues, My collaborators and I are excited to announce the publication of our new paper "Exposure to domoic acid is an ecological driver of cardiac disease in southern sea otters" in *Harmful Algae*. The abstract is below and the full article is available open-access here https://authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S1568-9883(20)30252-3 Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions. Happy New Year! Megan Moriarty *Abstract* Harmful algal blooms produce toxins that bioaccumulate in the food web and adversely affect humans, animals, and entire marine ecosystems. Blooms of the diatom Pseudo-nitzschia can produce domoic acid (DA), a toxin that most commonly causes neurological disease in endothermic animals, with cardiovascular effects that were first recognized in southern sea otters. Over the last 20 years, DA toxicosis has caused significant morbidity and mortality in marine mammals and seabirds along the west coast of the USA. Identifying DA exposure has been limited to toxin detection in biological fluids using biochemical assays, yet measurement of systemic toxin levels is an unreliable indicator of exposure dose or timing. Furthermore, there is little information regarding repeated DA exposure in marine wildlife. Here, the association between long-term environmental DA exposure and fatal cardiac disease was investigated in a longitudinal study of 186 free-ranging sea otters in California from 2001 ? 2017, highlighting the chronic health effects of a marine toxin. A novel Bayesian spatiotemporal approach was used to characterize environmental DA exposure by combining several DA surveillance datasets and integrating this with life history data from radio-tagged otters in a time-dependent survival model. In this study, a sea otter with high DA exposure had a 1.7-fold increased hazard of fatal cardiomyopathy compared to an otter with low exposure. Otters that consumed a high proportion of crab and clam had a 2.5- and 1.2-times greater hazard of death due to cardiomyopathy than otters that consumed low proportions. Increasing age is a well-established predictor of cardiac disease, but this study is the first to identify that DA exposure affects the risk of cardiomyopathy more substantially in prime-age adults than aged adults. A 4-year-old otter with high DA exposure had 2.3 times greater risk of fatal cardiomyopathy than an otter with low exposure, while a 10-year old otter with high DA exposure had just 1.2 times greater risk. High Toxoplasma gondii titers also increased the hazard of death due to heart disease 2.4-fold. Domoic acid exposure was most detrimental for prime-age adults, whose survival and reproduction are vital for population growth, suggesting that persistent DA exposure will likely impact longterm viability of this threatened species. These results offer insight into the pervasiveness of DA in the food web and raise awareness of under-recognized chronic health effects of DA for wildlife at a time when toxic blooms are on the rise. -- Megan Moriarty, DVM, MPVM, PhD Free-ranging Wildlife Health Resident Veterinarian California Department of Fish and Wildlife Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center | One Health Institute University of California Davis memoriarty at ucdavis.edu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shazzamcc at gmail.com Sun Jan 17 18:34:01 2021 From: shazzamcc at gmail.com (Shannon McCluskey) Date: Sun, 17 Jan 2021 18:34:01 -0800 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication announcement Message-ID: Dear Marmam Community, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of our paper on stomach content and stable isotope analysis of a population of bottlenose dolphins off the west coast of Australia. McCluskey, S.M., K.R. Sprogis, J.M. London, L. Bejder, and N.R. Loneragan. 2021. ?Foraging Preferences of an Apex Marine Predator Revealed through Stomach Content and Stable Isotope Analyses?. *Global Ecology and Conservation* 25 (January): e01396. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01396. Abstract Insights into the food habits of predators are essential for maintaining healthy predator populations and the functioning of ecosystems. Stomach content and stable isotope analyses were used to investigate the foraging habits of an apex predator, the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (*Tursiops aduncus*) in south-western Australia. A total of 2,594 prey items from 26 families were identified from the stomachs of 10 deceased stranded dolphins. Fish otoliths from stomach contents were used to identify fish to family or species level. Ninety-three percent of identified stomach contents were perciforme fishes, however, perciformes comprised only 30% of the catch during prey sampling. Gobiidae species, small fish generally <100 mm in total length, were the most prevalent family identified in dolphin stomachs, accounting for 82% of identified prey, yet Gobiidae accounted for 12.7% of the catch during prey sampling. For stable isotope analyses, tissue samples from 14 free-ranging dolphins were analyzed for nitrogen (?15N) and carbon (?13C) ratios. From stable isotope analyses and boat-based dolphin photo-identification surveys (n = 339, 2007?2011), results indicated niche differentiation between coastal and inshore (bay and estuarine habitat) dolphins. Carbon signatures showed that coastal dolphins had a more pelagic diet compared to a benthic diet observed in the inshore dolphins. Whereas, nitrogen signatures of inshore dolphins showed higher nitrogen levels than coastal dolphins, likely attributed to feeding on enriched prey typical of estuarian environments. Overall, these results indicated that bottlenose dolphins in the study area were selective foragers and that their foraging is specialized by the habitats most frequently used. The article is open-access and can be found here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989420309379?via%3Dihub Thank you very much for sharing, Shannon -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Lance.Miller at CZS.org Thu Jan 14 11:07:05 2021 From: Lance.Miller at CZS.org (Miller, Lance) Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2021 19:07:05 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Special Issue - Extended Deadline Message-ID: Dear Colleagues, I am writing to inform everyone that the deadline for the special issue has been extended. The new deadline is May 1, 2021 and accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. If you have an article that could significantly contribute to the special issue, please email me an abstract for consideration and if approved, the APC can be waived. If you have any questions please reach out to me directly. https://www.mdpi.com/journal/JZBG/special_issues/cetaceans Sincerely, Lance Miller, Ph.D. Vice President of Conservation Science and Animal Welfare Research Chicago Zoological Society - Brookfield Zoo 3300 Golf Road, Brookfield, IL 60513 Phone: 708-688-8433 Email: Lance.Miller at CZS.org Website: https://www.czs.org/Centers-of-Excellence/Center-for-Animal-Welfare Cetaceans: Conservation, Health, and Welfare Research on cetaceans is of continued importance to help ensure the sustainability, health, and welfare of both wild and professionally managed populations. With the sustained increase in anthropogenic factors impacting wild cetaceans, determining strategies to help to conserve populations while monitoring their health and welfare is critical. Similarly, it is also essential to continuously look for new ways to enhance the health and welfare of cetaceans under professional care. The Special Issue is dedicated to research on cetaceans both in the wild and under professional care that advances our understanding of their conservation, health, and welfare. Examples of potential submissions include: * Studies of population abundance, distribution, and behavior; * Impact of anthropogenic factors and conservation management strategies; * Statistical, technological, and methodological advancements; * Validation and reference values for positive and negative indicators of health and welfare; * Factors impacting health and welfare; * Conservation education research and visitor studies; * Review articles on conservation, health, or welfare. Dr. Lance Miller Guest Editor Manuscript Submission Information Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website. Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI. Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions. Keywords * animal behavior, animal welfare, conservation biology, conservation education, population abundance, population management, sustainability, veterinary medicine -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: cetaceans.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 136204 bytes Desc: cetaceans.pdf URL: From c.vendl at unsw.edu.au Tue Jan 19 04:17:49 2021 From: c.vendl at unsw.edu.au (Catharina Vendl) Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2021 12:17:49 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New paper on airway microbiota in dolphins Message-ID: Dear colleagues, I would like to announce the publication of our new open access paper in BMC microbiology: Highly abundant core taxa in the blow within and across captive bottlenose dolphins provide evidence for a temporally stable airway microbiota https://rdcu.be/cdkfW Check out the UNSW press release: https://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/science-tech/how-study-dolphin-airways-could-help-save-endangered-whales Abstract: Background The analysis of blow microbiota has been proposed as a biomarker for respiratory health analysis in cetaceans. Yet, we lack crucial knowledge on the long-term stability of the blow microbiota and its potential changes during disease. Research in humans and mice have provided evidence that respiratory disease is accompanied by a shift in microbial communities of the airways. We investigate here the stability of the community composition of the blow microbiota for 13 captive bottlenose dolphins over eight months including both sick and healthy individuals. We used barcoded tag sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. Four of the dolphins experienced distinct medical conditions and received systemic antimicrobial treatment during the study. Results We showed that each dolphin harboured a unique community of zero-radius operational taxonomic units (zOTUs) that was present throughout the entire sampling period (?intra-core?). Although for most dolphins there was significant variation over time, overall the intra-core accounted for an average of 73% of relative abundance of the blow microbiota. In addition, the dolphins shared between 8 and 66 zOTUs on any of the sampling occasions (?inter-core?), accounting for a relative abundance between 17 and 41% of any dolphin?s airway microbiota. The majority of the intra-core and all of the inter-core zOTUs in this study are commonly found in captive and free-ranging dolphins and have previously been reported from several different body sites. While we did not find a clear effect of microbial treatment on blow microbiota, age and sex of the dolphins did have such an effect. Conclusions The airways of dolphins were colonized by an individual intra-core ?signature? that varied in abundance relative to more temporary bacteria. We speculate that the intra-core bacteria interact with the immune response of the respiratory tract and support its function. This study provides the first evidence of individual-specific airway microbiota in cetaceans that is stable over eight months. Thanks, Catharina -- Catharina Vendl | DVM | PhD | Inter-Disciplinary Ecology and Evolution Lab | School of Biology, Earth & Environmental Sciences | University of New South Wales Sydney | Australia | Phone +61 4 1655 2101 https://cvendl.wixsite.com/catharina @ScienceCath -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Figure.Intro_Drivers_2.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 79824 bytes Desc: Figure.Intro_Drivers_2.jpg URL: From ddiancrain at gmail.com Tue Jan 19 09:27:23 2021 From: ddiancrain at gmail.com (Dani Crain) Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2021 09:27:23 -0800 Subject: [MARMAM] =?utf-8?q?New_article=3A_=22Using_claws_to_compare_repro?= =?utf-8?q?duction=2C_stress_and_diet_of_female_bearded_and_ringed_?= =?utf-8?q?seals_in_the_Bering_and_Chukchi_seas=2C_Alaska=2C_betwee?= =?utf-8?b?biAxOTUz4oCTMTk2OCBhbmQgMTk5OOKAkzIwMTQuIg==?= Message-ID: My co-authors and I would like to announce our recent publication in Conservation Physiology, "Using claws to compare reproduction, stress and diet of female bearded and ringed seals in the Bering and Chukchi seas, Alaska, between 1953?1968 and 1998?2014." *This article is open access and available here: https://bit.ly/38WDZg5 * *Abstract: *Rapid climate warming is decreasing sea ice thickness, extent and duration. Marine mammals such as bearded (Erignathus barbatus) and ringed (Pusa hispida) seals, which use sea ice for pupping, molting and resting, may be negatively affected. Claws from bearded and ringed seals store up to 14 and 12 years of sequential analyte data, respectively. These data can be used to compare reproduction, stress and diet across decades. In this study, we compare progesterone, cortisol and carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in female bearded and ringed seals during 1953?1968 (pre-1968, a period prior to sea ice decline) to 1998?2014 (post-1998, a period during sea ice decline). When comparing these periods, bearded seals had statistically higher cortisol concentrations post-1998, and for both species ?13C was more negative post-1998, while progesterone and ?15N did not change. There was a positive relationship between progesterone and cortisol Z-scores for both species, except for ringed seals post-1998. There was a negative relationship between cortisol Z-scores and ?13C for bearded seals evident in post-1998 indicating that higher cortisol Z-scores are associated with more negative ?13C in bearded seals in recent years. This negative relationship between cortisol and ?13C in bearded seals suggests a shift to higher prey diversity, possibly due to changes in sea ice in the Pacific Arctic evident post 1998. Progesterone Z-scores corresponded to expected differences among non-pregnant, unimplanted, implanted and post-partum individuals. Using these data, pregnancy history was determined for reproductive years for each individual female sampled, which could allow for yearly pregnancy rates to be calculated given a large enough representative sample of the population. These results combine decades of observational studies with hormones and stable isotopes to infer changes in reproduction, stress and diet, as well as the connection between these life history parameters. Should you have any questions or have trouble accessing the article, please email the corresponding author, Dani Crain, at ddiancrain at gmail.com Dani -- Danielle Crain Baylor University | PhD candidate 2021 Duke University | MEM, 2012 UC Santa Cruz | B.Sc, 2009 E-mail: ddiancrain at gmail.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From denise.risch at gmail.com Mon Jan 18 12:44:20 2021 From: denise.risch at gmail.com (Denise Risch) Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2021 20:44:20 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: Current Knowledge Already Justifies Underwater Noise Reduction Message-ID: Dear Colleagues, On behalf of my co-authors I would like to share the recent publication of the following letter: Denise Risch, Susannah Calderan, Russell Leaper, Lindy Weilgart, Stefanie Werner, "Current Knowledge Already Justifies Underwater Noise Reduction", in which we discuss management of anthropogenic underwater noise impacts on marine mammals, and other marine species and ecosystems. We argue that in many circumstances engineering solutions that will greatly reduce risk to individuals and populations of marine mammals and other species already exist, and that their application may be the best use of resources in addressing anthropogenic sound on an ecosystem scale. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1cPKPcZ3Wn%7E9u Best wishes, Denise ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dr Denise Risch, SAMS Oban, Argyll Scotland, UK, PA37 1QA email: denise.risch at sams.ac.uk phone: +44/(0)1631-711850 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From echou at wcs.org Mon Jan 18 10:31:43 2021 From: echou at wcs.org (Chou, Emily) Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2021 18:31:43 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] =?utf-8?q?Recommendations_and_mitigation_of_anthropogeni?= =?utf-8?q?c_underwater_noise_=E2=80=93_implications_for_marine_mammal_con?= =?utf-8?q?servation?= Message-ID: On behalf of my co-authors, I?m pleased to announce the publication of our article in Ocean & Coastal Management on international efforts to address anthropogenic underwater noise, including recommended policies, actions and mitigation measures for marine mammals: Chou E, Southall BL, Robards M, and Rosenbaum HC. 2021. International policy, recommendations, actions and mitigation efforts of anthropogenic underwater noise. https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1cNz13RKK-nkZl Abstract Anthropogenic underwater noise levels have generally increased as industrial activities in the ocean have become more prevalent. Because of the central nature of sound in the lives of many marine animals, and the known and potential adverse impacts of noise, it is also gaining increased international recognition as an important global conservation issue. Here, a current compilation and synthesis of official documents, reports, and strategic plans from various intergovernmental, governmental, and international organizations, and noise-related projects and programs, demonstrate increasing efforts to understand anthropogenic underwater noise, and the mitigation and management measures that are being considered to reduce noise. While some entities aim to better understand and quantify underwater noise and its impacts, others have recommended explicit mitigation measures including spatio-temporal approaches to managing noise sources, and vessel quieting technologies. New approaches also include the development of certification or voluntary noise-reduction programs and agreements. We highlight four considerations that will better link the potential impacts of noise with corresponding mitigation and noise reducing efforts: 1) collaboration to address the transboundary and cumulative nature of underwater noise; 2) differing countries? implementation capabilities for addressing noise; 3) time and intensity tradeoffs (e.g., louder noise for a shorter time period versus quieter but for longer); and 4) variable noise impacts depending on specific life history stages and life functions. Our review affirms the international consensus that anthropogenic underwater noise is a currently pervasive yet relatively transient form of pollution, the effects of which can be significantly reduced through effective mitigation and regulatory action. The article is available for free at the above link until end of February 2021. Best regards, Emily Chou Research Assistant, Ocean Giants Program Wildlife Conservation Society 2300 Southern Blvd. Bronx, NY 10460 USA office: +1 (718) 741-1455 skype: echou. -- [signature_916422070] Emily Chou Research Assistant, Ocean Giants Program Wildlife Conservation Society 2300 Southern Blvd. Bronx, NY 10460 USA office: +1 (718) 741-1455 skype: echou. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 15377 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: From kzagzebski at nmlc.org Tue Jan 19 09:47:00 2021 From: kzagzebski at nmlc.org (Kathy Zagzebski) Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2021 17:47:00 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Job Opportunity: President & Executive Director, National Marine Life Center, Massachusetts, USA Message-ID: PRESIDENT & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (full-time): The National Marine Life Center, a non-profit marine animal hospital and science and education center in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, seeks a mission-driven and experienced nonprofit business leader skilled in successfully executing strategic plans and empowering a high performing team. Reporting to the Board of Trustees, the President & Executive Director will be based at its facility in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, USA, and have overall management responsibility for growing an impactful organization. This full-time position is for immediate hire and reports to the Board of Trustees. This impactful leadership position is responsible for overseeing the administration, programs, fundraising, and strategic plan of the organization. This position requires a dynamic, mission-driven leader who is passionate about leading hands-on operations, fostering growth, as well as developing and managing programs. For information and a job description, visit http://nmlc.org/about/staff/job-opportunities. Send cover letter, resume, and the names of three professional references to Beth Jones, Interim Executive Director, NMLC-Search-Committee at nmlc.org. Position open until filled. The National Marine Life Center rehabilitates and releases stranded marine mammals and sea turtles in order to advance science and education in marine wildlife health and conservation. We are a small, independent, non-profit organization. To learn more, visit our website at www.nmlc.org. The National Marine Life Center is an equal opportunity employer. *********************************** Kathy Zagzebski President & Executive Director National Marine Life Center P.O. Box 269, 120 Main Street Buzzards Bay, MA 02532 kzagzebski at nmlc.org www.nmlc.org FB/Insta: NationalMarineLifeCenter Twitter: @MarineLifeCtr YouTube: SaveMarineLife 508-743-9888 x301 Fax 508-759-5477 Cell 774-313-8850 I Goodsearch.com for the National Marine Life Center! I #shopwithasmile for the National Marine Life Center at https://smile.amazon.com/ch/04-3290276 ********************************** -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Michael.Daehne at meeresmuseum.de Tue Jan 19 03:04:17 2021 From: Michael.Daehne at meeresmuseum.de (=?utf-8?B?RMOkaG5lIE1pY2hhZWwgRHIu?=) Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2021 11:04:17 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] The Animal Audiogram Database, a ressource for marine mammal specialists - Open Workshop Message-ID: <58800e51b88d42a593da8ef2a050fe54@meeresmuseum.de> Dear MARMAM community and marine mammal noise experts, we have developed a web based, interactive database to make audiogram data, especially of marine mammals and seabirds, more accessible to the public, but especially to serve as a tool and data repository for further research. Currently audiogram data and relevant background information are reported in heterogeneous formats and are only embedded in individual scientific publications. Furthermore, differences between in-air and underwater hearing capabilities and measurement units have led to confusion especially about conservation issues. This makes it hard to access, compare and integrate audiograms into other research, impact assessments and decision making processes. Based on a systematic survey of the scientific literature and manual data curation, the Animal Audiogram Database (https://animalaudiograms.museumfuernaturkunde.berlin) assembles audiogram data, metadata about the corresponding experiments, and links to original publications in a consistent format established by community involvement. Focusing currently on vertebrates and underwater environments, the database is drafted as a free resource whose structure and content can be extended collaboratively for audiogram data from any taxonomic group and habitat. We are aiming at establishing this database also as a data repository to serve as a quality check and allow for easy access to this very necessary information. The database now contains 269 underwater audiograms (mostly marine mammals) and 110 in-air audiograms from the published literature. It contains behavioral audiograms and auditory evoked potential research. We hope you will like our idea! If you would like to support the project of developing the database further collaboratively with regard to both structure and content, based on community input, let us know your comments and suggestions. We would also greatly appreciate being notified of publications and audiogram data which haven?t yet been included in the audiogram database. There is also the need for a quality check of our work from independent researchers to ensure that this effort serves as a useful scientific tool. We are inviting experts and potential users to a half-day virtual workshop on 25 Jan 2021, 1 ? 4:30 PM (Central European Standard Time), in which we will introduce and develop the audiogram database by means of a joint discussion and an online survey, which can be carried out in advance. The workshop will also be an opportunity for us to gather a first feedback from you on the audiogram database. Please contact us at audiograms at mfn.berlin and let us know until 23 Jan 2021 whether you would be interested in attending the workshop. You will then receive a zoom link to attend and a survey link. If you are interested and if, due to short announcement schedule cannot make it, please also indicate that. We will then give considerations to a repetition of the workshop. Best regards, Michael D?hne, on behalf of the project ?Hearing in Penguins? and the especially the audiogram database developers at the Museum f?r Naturkunde Berlin, Denise J?ckel, Alvaro Ortiz Troncoso and Christian B?lling The Animal Audiogram Database was developed as part of the project "Hearing in Penguins" funded by the German Environment Agency (UBA) with means of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU, FKZ3777182440). +++apologies for cross posting, this mail unfortunately was delayed+++ __ Dr. Michael D?hne Kurator f?r Meeress?ugetiere / Curator of Marine Mammals Deutsches Meeresmuseum Museum f?r Meereskunde und Fischerei ? Aquarium Stiftung des b?rgerlichen Rechts Tel.: +49 (0) 3831 2650-310 Fax: + 49 (0) 3831 2650-309 michael.daehne at meeresmuseum.de https://www.deutsches-meeresmuseum.de/wissenschaft/mitarbeiter/daehne-michael/ Direktorium Dr. Harald Benke Andreas Tanschus Ust. ID Nr.: DE 162 772 269 Steuernr.: 082/126/00068 Hinweis zum Datenschutz: www.deutsches-meeresmuseum.de/datenschutz Mailing address: Katharinenberg 14 - 20 18439 Stralsund Office: Neue Badenstra?e 4 18439 Stralsund -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From rosen at zoology.ubc.ca Mon Jan 18 13:34:34 2021 From: rosen at zoology.ubc.ca (David Rosen) Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2021 13:34:34 -0800 Subject: [MARMAM] M.Sc. position at UBC - pinniped navigation Message-ID: <5010A49E-D0E4-4C67-810D-D8E36A51F57E@zoology.ubc.ca> Dr. David Rosen is seeking a M.Sc. student to join The Marine Mammal Energetics and Nutrition Lab, part of the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries (IOF) at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, Canada). The student will be working on aspects of pinniped navigation and at-sea movement. The position ideally starts Spring 2021, although consideration will be given to a Fall 2021 start. The position is open to both Canadian and international applicants, and students will be registered in the IOF graduate program. As per IOF regulations, the two-year degree program has independent financial support which includes some work as a teaching assistant. Additional information about the lab is available at https://mmeanlab.oceans.ubc.ca/ . The bulk of the project involves analyzing tag location data, so previous experience in this type of analysis or skills in GIS/spatial analysis would be helpful, but not essential. Applications should contain a cover letter, CV, unofficial academic transcripts, and contact information for 2-3 academic/personal references (you do not need to send actual letters). Deadline for applications is noon PST February 15th, 2021 and should be sent to Dr. David Rosen at rosen at zoology.ubc.ca . -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From simo.pani at inwind.it Wed Jan 20 06:50:45 2021 From: simo.pani at inwind.it (simo.pani at inwind.it) Date: Wed, 20 Jan 2021 15:50:45 +0100 (CET) Subject: [MARMAM] =?utf-8?q?Call_for_Submissions=3A_Areas_of_Interest_to_i?= =?utf-8?q?nform_the_regional_identification_of_Important_Marine_Mammal_Ar?= =?utf-8?q?eas_=28IMMAs=29_in_the_=E2=80=9CBlack_Sea=2C_Turkish_Straits_Sy?= =?utf-8?q?stem=2C_and_Caspian_Sea=E2=80=9D_Regions?= Message-ID: <1600225126.1261161.1611154245364@mail1.libero.it> **Deadline for Proposals ? February 7th 2021** The IUCN Joint SSC/WCPA Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force (MMPATF) would like to remind those interested of the final opportunity to submit Areas of Interest to inform the future identification of IMMAs in the ?Black Sea, Turkish Straits System, and Caspian Sea? Regions. The aim of the IMMA classification is to identify discrete habitat areas that are judged to be important for one or more marine mammal species and that have the potential to be delineated and managed for conservation. This will be achieved by the use of the IMMA selection criteria which have been developed in partnership with the marine mammal science and conservation community. These criteria will be used as part of a process of regionally convened expert workshops, where information on marine mammals and potential Areas of Interest for IMMAs will be critically assessed. The MMPATF would now like to remind those interested to submit their Areas of Interest, and other relevant information on marine mammals, which could be of assistance to identify IMMAs in the ?Black Sea, Turkish Straits System, and Caspian Sea? Regions at the next virtual IMMA Regional Workshop of experts, 22-26 February 2021. Please follow the link below to submit your IMMA Area of Interest for consideration by the MMPATF (information and additional instructions are provided on each page of the standard submission form). https://forms.gle/VRgALmJskvzxRALz9 For further information about the IMMA initiative, the IMMA selection criteria, or the other activities of the MMPATF, please visit the Task Force websitehttp://www.marinemammalhabitat.org If you require any further assistance or information about the use of the submission form, or would prefer an alternative means of submitting your IMMA areas of interest, please contact me AND Caterina Lanfredi (simone.panigada at imma-network.org, caterina.lanfredi at imma-network.org) Looking forward to hearing from you, best regards and thanks you for your support and cooperation, Simone Panigada IUCN Joint SSC-WCPA Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force (MMPATF) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From emiii at buffalo.edu Thu Jan 21 07:02:22 2021 From: emiii at buffalo.edu (Mercado, Eduardo) Date: Thu, 21 Jan 2021 15:02:22 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New paper on song culture? in humpback whales Message-ID: <01c5d739741440f0b58262ab0c8ffa7a@MBX-LS3.itorg.ad.buffalo.edu> Greetings, For those readers interested in the inner workings of whale minds, I offer the following: Song Morphing by Humpback Whales: Cultural or Epiphenomenal? by Eduardo Mercado III Published online 15 January 2021 Frontiers in Psychology 11:574403 (2021); https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.574403/full Abstract: Singing humpback whales (Megaptera noavaengliae) collectively and progressively change the sounds and patterns they produce within their songs throughout their lives. The dynamic modifications that humpback whales make to their songs are often cited as an impressive example of cultural transmission through vocal learning in a non-human. Some elements of song change challenge this interpretation, however, including: (1) singers often incrementally and progressively morph phrases within and across songs as time passes, with trajectories of change being comparable across multiple time scales; (2) acoustically isolated subpopulations singing similar songs morph the acoustic properties of songs in similar ways; and (3) complex sound patterns, including phrases, themes, and whole songs, recur across years and populations. These properties of song dynamics suggest that singing humpback whales may be modulating song features in response to local conditions and genetic predispositions rather than socially learning novel sound patterns by copying other singers. Experimental and observational tests of key predictions of these alternative hypotheses are critical to identifying how and why singing humpback whales constantly change their songs. Cheers, Eddie From giovanni.bearzi at gmail.com Wed Jan 20 22:44:59 2021 From: giovanni.bearzi at gmail.com (Giovanni Bearzi) Date: Thu, 21 Jan 2021 07:44:59 +0100 Subject: [MARMAM] Two papers on Adriatic bottlenose dolphins In-Reply-To: <2ED170CA-8AE9-4FBE-B1A3-2261DAC384F8@gmail.com> References: <2ED170CA-8AE9-4FBE-B1A3-2261DAC384F8@gmail.com> Message-ID: Dear colleagues, recently, we published two contributions on the abundance, spatial distribution and interactions with trawling of bottlenose dolphins in the north-western Adriatic Sea. Titles and abstracts are copied below. Pdf copies are available upon request to silvia.bonizzoni at gmail.com or giovanni.bearzi at gmail.com. Bonizzoni S, Furey NB, Bearzi G (2020) Bottlenose dolphins in the north-western Adriatic Sea: spatial distribution and effects of trawling. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3433 Abstract 1. Many species and populations of odontocetes have modified their behaviour to take advantage of feeding opportunities provided by fishing activities, with depredation of fishing gear being the most common type of adaptation. 2. The northern Adriatic Sea has been identified as an important marine mammal area because of a regular occurrence of common bottlenose dolphins. Boat surveys were conducted within a 3,000 km2 sector of the Adriatic Sea off the coast of Veneto, Italy, between April and October 2018?2019. Based on 76 days at sea, 10,711 km of navigation, and 81 h 26 min of dolphin tracking, this study contributes novel quantitative information on dolphin spatial distribution, and on their occurrence in the wake of beam trawlers, otter trawlers, and midwater pair trawlers. 3. A combined generalized additive model and generalized estimation equation framework indicated that trawling?along with other physiographic, biological and anthropogenic variables?influenced dolphin distribution. In days of trawling, the chance of encountering dolphins increased by ~4.5 times (95% confidence interval 1.8?11.0) near active beam trawlers, by ~16.0 times (7.1?36.0) near otter trawlers, and by ~28.9 times (12.0?69.6) near midwater pair trawlers. 4. Spatial modelling was used to create maps of predicted distribution, suggesting differences in habitat use between trawling and no-trawling days. Spatial modelling for all days identified a dolphin distribution hotspot of 832 km2, situated off the Po river delta. 5. Evidence contributed by this study can be used to inform management action within one of the world's areas most heavily impacted by fishing and other human encroachment. Such management action would help enforce the European Union's Habitats Directive and Marine Strategy Framework Directive, while also informing EU's Maritime Spatial Planning. Bearzi G, Bonizzoni S, Riley MA, Santostasi NL (2020) Bottlenose dolphins in the north-western Adriatic Sea: abundance and management implications. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3450 Abstract 1. The Adriatic Sea is one of the Mediterranean areas most heavily impacted by fishing and other human stressors. The northern part of the basin has been certified as an Important Marine Mammal Area because of the regular occurrence of common bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus. 2. Boat surveys, totalling 76 days at sea and 10,711 km of navigation, were conducted between April 2018 and October 2019 to assess cetacean abundance within a 3,000-km2 area off Veneto, Italy. Bottlenose dolphins ? the only marine mammal species observed ? were encountered on 52 days and were tracked for 81 h and 26 min, resulting in 15,066 dorsal fin photographs of high quality and resolution. 3. Various capture?recapture models were applied on individual photo-identification datasets. Model-based estimates indicate that approximately 600 individuals occurred within the study area during the sampling period in both years. Abundance varied monthly: minimum estimates were obtained in May 2018 (291 individuals; 95% CI 134?630) and May 2019 (121; 95% CI 20?721), whereas maximum estimates were obtained in September 2018 (385; 95% CI 310?477) and October 2019 (494; 95% CI 378?645). 4. Evidence provided by this study can be used to complement and validate coarse ?snapshot? information from recent aerial surveys of the entire Adriatic Sea, and to enforce management action mandated by the European Community (EC) Habitats Directive and Marine Strategy. Cheers, Giovanni - - - - - - - Giovanni Bearzi -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pirotts at libero.it Thu Jan 21 01:00:26 2021 From: pirotts at libero.it (Enrico Pirotta) Date: Thu, 21 Jan 2021 10:00:26 +0100 (CET) Subject: [MARMAM] New publication on the daily energetic costs of disturbance for blue whales Message-ID: <848841099.1276867.1611219626959@mail1.libero.it> Dear MARMAM colleagues, We are pleased to announce that the following paper is now available online: Enrico Pirotta, Cormac G. Booth, David E. Cade, John Calambokidis, Daniel P. Costa, James A. Fahlbusch, Ari S. Friedlaender, Jeremy A. Goldbogen, John Harwood, Elliott L. Hazen, Leslie New and Brandon L. Southall. 2021. Context-dependent variability in the predicted daily energetic costs of disturbance for blue whales. Conservation Physiology 9(1): coaa137. Abstract: Assessing the long-term consequences of sub-lethal anthropogenic disturbance on wildlife populations requires integrating data on fine-scale individual behavior and physiology into spatially and temporally broader, population-level inference. A typical behavioral response to disturbance is the cessation of foraging, which can be translated into a common metric of energetic cost. However, this necessitates detailed empirical information on baseline movements, activity budgets, feeding rates, and energy intake, as well as the probability of an individual responding to the disturbance-inducing stressor within different exposure contexts. Here, we integrated data from blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) experimentally exposed to military active sonar signals with fine-scale measurements of baseline behavior over multiple days or weeks obtained from accelerometry loggers, telemetry tracking and prey sampling. Specifically, we developed daily simulations of movement, feeding behavior and exposure to localized sonar events of increasing duration and intensity, and predicted the effects of this disturbance source on the daily energy intake of an individual. Activity budgets and movements were highly variable in space and time and among individuals, resulting in large variability in predicted energetic intake and costs. In half of our simulations, an individual?s energy intake was unaffected by the simulated source. However, some individuals lost their entire daily energy intake under brief or weak exposure scenarios. Given this large variation, population-level models will have to assess the consequences of the entire distribution of energetic costs, rather than only consider single summary statistics. The shape of the exposure-response functions also strongly influenced predictions, reinforcing the need for contextually explicit experiments and improved mechanistic understanding of the processes driving behavioral and physiological responses to disturbance. This study presents a robust approach for integrating different types of empirical information to assess the effects of disturbance at spatio-temporal and ecological scales that are relevant to management and conservation. Keywords: data integration, behavioral response studies, energy budget, population consequences of disturbance, navy sonar, marine mammals. A PDF copy of the paper can be downloaded for free from: https://academic.oup.com/conphys/article/9/1/coaa137/6102278 Please do not hesitate to contact me for any question regarding our work. Best Regards, Enrico Pirotta -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Steve.Ferguson at dfo-mpo.gc.ca Thu Jan 21 05:33:15 2021 From: Steve.Ferguson at dfo-mpo.gc.ca (Ferguson, Steve) Date: Thu, 21 Jan 2021 13:33:15 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] FW: New publication: Reproductive Parameters for Female Beluga Whales (Delphinapterus leucas) Message-ID: <09737bbd30e04569808effe85c28a931@dfo-mpo.gc.ca> Dear colleagues, My co-authors and I would like to share our recently published paper on beluga whale reproduction: Ferguson, Steven H., Cornelia Willing, Trish C. Kelley, David A. Boguski, David J. Yurkowski and Cortney A. Watt. 2020. Reproductive Parameters for Female Beluga Whales (Delphinapterus leucas). Arctic 73(4): 405 ? 420 https://doi.org/10.14430/arctic71435 ABSTRACT: Monitoring marine mammal populations and their habitats is crucial for assessing population status and defining realistic management and conservation goals. Environmental and anthropogenic changes in the Arctic have prompted the pursuit for improved understanding of female beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) spatial and temporal reproductive patterns. There are relatively few estimates for female reproductive parameters of beluga whale populations across the Arctic, and those few that are available are outdated. Here we summarize female reproductive data from samples collected through Inuit subsistence hunts of three eastern Canadian Arctic beluga populations: High Arctic/Baffin Bay (HA), Western Hudson Bay (HB), and Cumberland Sound (CS) from 1989 to 2014. We grouped the CS and HA populations into a Baffin Bay region (BB) population based on similar body growth patterns and genetic similarity. Asymptotic body length of BB beluga whales (370.9 cm) was greater than HB whales (354.4 cm) as established from Gompertz growth curves fitted for whales ranging in age from 1 ? 89 y. We did not detect a significant difference in average number of pseudocervices (8.6) between regions. Differences in average age of sexual maturity (ASM) and length at sexual maturity (LSM) were identified, with evidence of BB females maturing earlier than females from HB (probability method BB = 9.9 y versus HB = 11.0 and logistic method ASM50% HB = 9.99 and BB unresolved). BB females were also longer than HB females at maturing age (logistic LSM50%: BB = 314.5 cm vs HB = 290.3). Total corpora counts were strongly correlated with age, although the number of corpora (= 10 mm) suggests reproductive senescence between 40 and 50 y. Improved understanding of female reproductive patterns and knowledge of changes in the spatial and temporal timing of reproductive processes are fundamental for effective conservation and sustainable management of beluga whale populations. Please let me know if you'd like a PDF copy. Thanks, Steven Ferguson, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, University of Manitoba: steve.ferguson at dfo-mpo.gc.ca -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From interns at aimm-portugal.org Thu Jan 21 04:33:38 2021 From: interns at aimm-portugal.org (AIMM Internships) Date: Thu, 21 Jan 2021 12:33:38 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] DOLPHIN RESEARCH INTERNSHIP IN PORTUGAL Message-ID: *DOLPHIN RESEARCH INTERNSHIP IN PORTUGAL* *BACKGROUND:* The Marine Environment Research Association - AIMM, is a non-profit, non-governmental organization focused on the research and conservation of marine species, running an ongoing study of cetaceans in southern Portugal (Algarve). This project aims to obtain baseline information on species occurrence, behavior, and social structure of the local cetacean populations in order to obtain scientific data to support conservation measures and inform marine management policies. The main species observed are Short-beaked common dolphins (*Delphinus* * delphis*), Bottlenose dolphins (*Tursiops truncatus*), and Harbour porpoises (*Phocoena phocoena*), although other species such as Minke whales (*Balaenoptera acutorostrata*) and Fin whales (*Balaenoptera physalus*) can also be sighted. AIMM Interns are young, hard-working individuals who are willing to contribute to the association and support on-going activities, while experiencing fieldwork at sea, learning data collection and processing methodologies, and being a part of AIMM's team of researchers and marine biologists for a period of time. All team members and participants share accommodation, house tasks, knowledge and experience in an friendly and multicultural atmosphere. Interns have the additional option to enrich their time with AIMM by beginning or improving their SCUBA skills with a PADI-certified instructor, hiking, kayaking, surf classes and others. *WHERE:* Albufeira, Algarve, Portugal *WHEN:* The field season lasts from 1st of May to 30th November 2021. The minimum internship attendance is 14 days, preferably starting on a Monday. *FIELDWORK: *The field trips are conducted in AIMM's research vessel, Ketos, or in opportunistic platforms (commercial dolphin-watching boats). Fieldwork is dependent on weather conditions and seat availability in the dolphin-watching boats. Field days can be intense, especially in the peak of summer, but are fulfilling and good fun. The interns will be *trained to*: - Conduct on-board surveys of marine species occurrence; - Record effort tracks on a handheld GPS; - Collect data such as behavior, group size and species; - Collect photos for photo-identification, acoustic recording and underwater videos; - Secchi disk methodology; - Help to collect drone footage and data from the marine mammals. *DATA ANALYSIS:* This will be conducted on a daily basis and will entail entering data into established databases and spreadsheets, photo-identification processing, and preliminary data interpretation. *INTERNSHIP FEES:* AIMM is a non-profit organization that relies on donations from our volunteers, partners, and conservation-minded people like you so that we may continue our important research and education programs in the Algarve. This internship requires a monetary contribution which is used to off-set the cost of accommodation and running a non-profit organization. For more information on internship fees for the 2021 season, please contact: interns at aimm-portugal.org *INCLUDED IN THE FEE IS:* - Accommodation in the research house; - Transportation to/from the marina; - Meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner); - Fieldwork in the research vessel or commercial dolphin-watching vessels. *NOT INCLUDED IN THE FEE IS:* - Transportation to/from Albufeira; - Meals in restaurants and snacks; - Free time activities; - Personal insurance (all participants should have health and/or travel insurance); - Personal expenses. *INTERNS ARE EXPECTED TO:* - Be above the age of 16; - Have a mature attitude towards marine mammal research and the environment; - Be autonomous and flexible; - Be able to live and work in an international team, specially outdoors at sea; - Speak English; - Participate for minimum 14 days. *PREFERENCE WILL BE GIVEN TO THOSE WHO HAVE:* - Relevant marine mammal field experience - Working experience on research vessels - Experience working from dolphin/whale watching platforms - Experience in photo-identification - Professional cameras that can be used for photo-ID - Availability to stay for longer periods of time *INTERNSHIP APPLICATION:* Applicants should fill up the online application at: https://www.aimmportugal.org/application-form Applicants should send an e-mail to: interns at aimm-portugal.org, with the subject: DOLPHIN RESEARCH INTERNSHIP. You will receive and e-mail with the availability and all the other details. Applications will be accepted during all season. However, early application is recommended due to limited vacancies. The follow links are shorts videos about the internship in Albufeira, where you get a different perspective and feedback from old participants about it: https://youtu.be/hTJJQPHBdI0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zTIEQEsftA *CONTACTS: * interns at aimm-portugal.org | www.aimmportugal.org | *AIMM Portugal* - Ass. Investigacao do Meio Marinho | Marine Environment Research Association *Website*: www.aimmportugal.org [image: AIMM Portugal | facebook] [image: AIMM Portugal | twitter] [image: AIMM Portugal | instagram] [image: AIMM Portugal | youtube] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From f.christiansen at live.se Thu Jan 21 07:19:04 2021 From: f.christiansen at live.se (Fredrik Christiansen) Date: Thu, 21 Jan 2021 15:19:04 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New paper on gray whale body condition in relation to the current unusual mortality event Message-ID: Dear Colleagues, In relation to the unusual mortality event currently experienced by the eastern North Pacific gray whale population, my co-authors and I wish to announce our recent article published in MEPS: Christiansen, F., Rodr?guez-Gonz?lez, F., Mart?nez-Aguilar, S., Urb?n, J., Swartz, S., Warick, H., Vivier, F. & Bejder, L. (2021). Poor body condition associated with an unusual mortality event in gray whales. Marine Ecology Progress Series 658: 237-252. Abstract: The eastern North Pacific gray whale Eschrichtius robustus experienced an unusual mortality event (UME) in 2019?2020, with 384 whales found dead along the Pacific coasts of Mexico, USA and Canada. A similar UME in 1999?2000 was speculated to have been caused by starvation, but body condition data were not available to test this hypothesis. Between 2017 and 2019, we used unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) and photogrammetry methods to measure the body condition of gray whales in San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Body condition was calculated from the residual of the relationship between body volume and length. The body condition of gray whales was significantly lower in 2018 (?11.1%, SE = 1.74, n = 531) and 2019 (?9.7%, SE = 1.76, n = 628) compared to 2017 (n = 59) for all reproductive classes (calves, juveniles, adults and lactating females). Overall, lactating females were in good body condition. The reduction in body condition of whales in 2018?2019 is unlikely to have affected their survival, but could have reduced their reproductive rate by prolonging the post-weaning recovery time. This could explain the low number of mother?calf pairs observed in the San Ignacio Lagoon in 2018 and 2019. For juveniles and adults that arrived in the lagoons with less energy reserves, their reduced body condition may have been close to their survival threshold. This could explain the high proportion of juveniles and adults among the stranded dead whales in 2019?2020. Although the underlying cause of the reduction in gray whale body condition is unknown, starvation likely contributed to the 2019?2020 UME. Please follow this link to access the full article: https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v658/p237-252/ Best regards, Fredrik Christiansen Assistant Professor/Postdoctoral Research Fellow Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies Aarhus University, Denmark +4531332367 f.christiansen at aias.au.dk http://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=vkA5Y3EAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=sra http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Fredrik_Christiansen3/?ev=hdr_xprf -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From katrin.lohrengel at seawatchfoundation.org.uk Mon Jan 18 08:02:43 2021 From: katrin.lohrengel at seawatchfoundation.org.uk (katrin.lohrengel at seawatchfoundation.org.uk) Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2021 16:02:43 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Education & Outreach Assistant internship Message-ID: <44be5daada91a0ba003af55b8b6bff19@seawatchfoundation.org.uk> Subject to Covid-19 restrictions, the Sea Watch Foundation is seeking an?Education and Outreach Assistant?for the 2021 season at its field office in Cardigan Bay. This position will suit a volunteer who has a strong interest in marine conservation and recognises the importance of educating and raising awareness by involving the public from all age groups. This position can be very busy, so applicants will need to demonstrate their ability to deal with varied and heavy workloads, and to multi-task. They will be encouraged to take initiatives with education & outreach activities in the region which due to its natural beauty and accessible dolphin population receives large numbers of visitors during the summer. Important Note: We have a wide-ranging Education & Outreach Programme beyond Cardigan Bay which we are continually trying to improve and develop. For that, we welcome remote-working volunteers from the education sector and related interests. For the past 20 years, Sea Watch Foundation (http://www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk/) has been monitoring the dolphins, porpoises and whales that inhabit Cardigan Bay in West Wales, documenting abundance trends, identifying conservation threats, and advising on the best ways to protect the populations both within and outside the Special Areas of Conservation. Alongside its own scientific surveys and research, Sea Watch has for more than a quarter of a century pioneered citizen science as well as run a range of education and outreach programmes. The assistant will be responsible for the following duties: Running the Visitor Centre/Education Hub. This is your workspace (your domain); you will be based here during your time with us, and will need to keep it clean and presentable for the public. Become familiar with it, the content, displays, merchandise etc. so you can talk easily to the public about what goes on here Raising Sea Watch Foundation?s profile locally (organising events, organising & manning the Sea Watch stand on the pier, liaising with local boat operators to produce educational materials) Working closely with our main boat operator in New Quay, Dolphin Spotting Boat Trips, on occasions presenting our Boat Talk on their 1 & 2hr trips, and otherwise organising interns to do so, and visiting their office regularly to check that our leaflets and cards are displayed properly and stocked up Promoting and organising the National Whale and Dolphin Watch education and outreach activities in New Quay (24th?July ? 1st?August 2021) Participating in presentations and creating activities to take to local schools/groups, as well as using our specialised talks within the Visitors Centre and within schools/groups Creating educational/promotional materials (posters, displays, flyers), and maintaining external signage and a daily sightings board? Social networking (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, blogs, website) on a routine basis Interacting with the media (radio, TV and newspapers), including preparing press releases Participating in training courses in New Quay Representing Sea Watch at public events in New Quay Liaising with the Sightings Officer, Chiara, and Adopt a Dolphin Coordinator, Kirsten, for the promotion of NWDW and our Adopt a Dolphin scheme, respectively. Kirsten and Chiara will provide training and supervise the chosen EA for the duration of their stay. The field season will run from?April to October 2021?and for Research Interns it has been split into four periods of seven weeks. Our Education and Outreach Assistant is required to stay for at least half of the season (choosing Period 1-2 or 3-4) but can also choose to stay the whole season. The assistant will be based in New Quay, West Wales. Accommodation can be provided in a house shared with the Research Interns (in those circumstances, cost of accommodation for the Education & Outreach Assistant will be subsidised by Sea Watch).?The assistant is responsible for their own travel and other living expenses. However, local volunteers with an interest in education and outreach are strongly encouraged to apply, particularly given the possibility of the covid-19 situation extending through 2021. Education & Outreach Assistant periods for summer 2021:? Period 1 & 2: 12/04 ? 18/07 Periods 3 & 4:?19/07 ? 24/10 Important skills/qualifications Essential: a strong interest in marine conservation and education outgoing personality, confidence and experience in public awareness some experience of working with children/young people excellent verbal and writing skills and some experience of public speaking experience with postings on social media must have initiative, motivation, the ability to bring their own ideas and personality to the position and be able to think on your feet strong commitment to volunteering work work independently, in an organised and reliable manner and to manage a variable workload. the ability to delegate, get on well with others in a small team and within shared accommodation should always represent SWF and AAD professionally, always wear branded clothing when at work (in the centre and when involved in outreach work) Desirable: a background in marine biology/environmental science or similar a strong interest and some knowledge of British marine mammals good IT skills (Office package) willingness to work long hours, sometimes outdoors in very changeable Welsh weather To apply:? Please send your CV and a cover letter reporting any relevant experience you have,?specifying the period(s) for which you would prefer to volunteer,?as well as contact details of two referees,?to: Dr Chiara Giulia Bertulli (Sightings Officer) - chiara.bertulli at gmail.com and Kirsten Hintner (Adopt a Dolphin Manager) - kirsten.hintner at seawatchfoundation.org.uk. Deadline: 1st?February 2021.? Please specify ?EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ASSISTANT APPLICATION? in your subject title. Applicants must be available for interview via Skype between the 8th?and 12th?February and will be notified of the outcomes by the 15th?February 2021. From eduardo.morteo at gmail.com Fri Jan 22 19:05:42 2021 From: eduardo.morteo at gmail.com (Eduardo Morteo) Date: Fri, 22 Jan 2021 21:05:42 -0600 Subject: [MARMAM] FinShape Web App Message-ID: Dear All, On behalf of the Development Team, I?m proud to present to you the FinShape web App: http://finshape.morteo.mx This is the evolution of the FinShape v0.1 Desktop App, that appeared on the research paper by "Morteo et al. (2017), entitled ?Phenotypic variation in dorsal fin morphology of coastal bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) off Mexico": https://peerj.com/articles/3415/ Based on the Weller (1998) method, it uses semi-automatic standardized and very precise (pixel) measurements on photographs to compute 2D ratios and fin?s surface area, which may be potentially useful to distinguish stocks and populations. Please give it a try and let us know what you think. The User Guide should be sufficient to operate the App; but if not, you may find details on the image selection criteria, and the full measuring process in the MSc thesis by Morteo (2004) (pages 20-24): https://www.researchgate.net/publication/200836165_Dorsal_fin_morphological_differentiation_in_bottlenose_dolphins_Tursiops_truncatus_along_Mexican_coasts_an_adaptive_approach If you find any issues, we?ll be more than glad to help you in any way we can to make the best use for this App. We hope you enjoy it! E. References: Morteo, E. 2004. Dorsal fin morphological differentiation in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) along Mexican coasts: an adaptive approach. MSc thesis, Centro de Investigaci?n Cient?fica y de Educaci?n Superior de Ensenada. 131 pp. doi: 10.13140/2.1.1554.3360 Morteo E., Rocha-Olivares A., Morteo R., Weller D.W. 2017. Phenotypic variation in dorsal fin morphology of coastal bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) off Mexico. PeerJ5:e3415. ISSN 2167-8359, doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3415 Weller,D.W. 1998. Global and regional variation in the biology and behavior of bottlenose dolphins. Ph D thesis. University of Texas A&M. TX., USA.142 pp. 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 jonas.fl.schwarz at gmail.com Sun Jan 24 13:28:20 2021 From: jonas.fl.schwarz at gmail.com (Jonas Schwarz) Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2021 22:28:20 +0100 Subject: [MARMAM] New paper: A novel approach to foraging strategies in sea lions Message-ID: Dear all, My co-authors and I are happy to present our new paper titelt: Individuality counts: A new comprehensive approach to foraging strategies of a tropical marine predator The PDF is available open-access on Researchgate or direct from Oecologia: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/348735245_Individuality_counts_A_new_comprehensive_approach_to_foraging_strategies_of_a_tropical_marine_predator https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00442-021-04850-w Abstract Foraging strategies are of great ecological interest, as they have a strong impact on the fitness of an individual and can affect its ability to cope with a changing environment. Recent studies on foraging strategies show a higher complexity than previously thought due to intraspecific variability. To reliably identify foraging strategies and describe the different foraging niches they allow individual animals to realize, high-resolution multivariate approaches which consider individual variation are required. Here we dive into the foraging strategies of Gal?pagos sea lions (Zalophus wollebaeki), a tropical predator confronted with substantial annual variation in sea surface temperature. This affects prey abundance, and El Ni?o events, expected to become more frequent and severe with climate change, are known to have dramatic effects on sea lions. This study used high-resolution measures of depth, GPS position and acceleration collected from 39 lactating sea lion females to analyze their foraging strategies at an unprecedented level of detail using a novel combination of automated broken stick algorithm, hierarchical cluster analysis and individually fitted multivariate hidden Markov models. We found three distinct foraging strategies (pelagic, benthic, and night divers), which differed in their horizontal, vertical and temporal distribution, most likely corresponding to different prey species, and allowed us to formulate hypotheses with regard to adaptive values under different environmental scenarios. We demonstrate the advantages of our multivariate approach and inclusion of individual variation to reliably gain a deeper understanding of the adaptive value and ecological relevance of foraging strategies of marine predators in dynamic environments. Please do not hesitate to contact me with questions at jonas.fl.schwarz at gmail.com Best regards, __ Jonas Schwarz PhD Student Galapagos Sea Lion Project Department of Animal Behaviour Bielefeld University -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From pjbouchet at gmail.com Sun Jan 24 07:45:35 2021 From: pjbouchet at gmail.com (Phil Bouchet) Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2021 15:45:35 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New paper on the conservation status of snubfin dolphins in Western Australia Message-ID: <914CC2B5-8E15-491A-A3AF-84BF61FA1B34@gmail.com> Dear colleagues, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce that the following paper is now available online: Bouchet PJ, Thiele D, Marley SA, Waples K, Weisenberger F, Balanggarra Rangers, Bardi Jawi Rangers, Dambimangari Rangers, Nyamba Buru Yawuru Rangers, Nyul Nyul Rangers, Uunguu Rangers and Raudino H (2021) Regional Assessment of the Conservation Status of Snubfin Dolphins (Orcaella heinsohni) in the Kimberley Region, Western Australia. Front. Mar. Sci. 7:614852. DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2020.614852 This work is the outcome of a long-term collaborative effort involving many dedicated individuals, including staff at the Western Australian Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) and numerous Traditional Owners / Indigenous Ranger Groups from the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia. Importantly, it is the reflection of the tireless efforts of Dr. Deborah Thiele, who has spent over a decade conducting surveys of snubfin dolphins to gain a better understanding of their ecology, distribution, and conservation needs. The paper was published as part of the Frontiers Research Topic entitled ?Small Cetacean Conservation: Current Challenges and Opportunities? and can be downloaded freely from: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2020.614852/full Abstract: Implementing conservation measures for data-limited species is a fundamental challenge for wildlife managers and policy-makers, and proves difficult for cryptic marine animals occurring in naturally low numbers across remote seascapes. There is currently scant information on the abundance and habitat preferences of Australian snubfin dolphins (Orcaella heinsohni) throughout much of their geographical range, and especially within the Kimberley region of northern Western Australia. Such knowledge gaps curtail rigorous threat assessments on both local and regional scales. To address this and assist future conservation listings, we built the first comprehensive catalog of snubfin dolphin sightings for the Kimberley. We used these data to estimate the species? extent of occurrence (EOO) and area of occupancy (AOO) along the region?s 7,000 km coastline, following a simple Bootstrap bivariate kernel approach to combine datasets of varying quality and quantify uncertainty. Our catalog consists of 1,597 visual detections of snubfin dolphins made over a period of 17 years (2004?2020) and collated from multiple sources, including online biodiversity repositories, peer-reviewed scientific articles, citizen science programs, as well as dedicated marine wildlife surveys with local Indigenous communities and Ranger groups. Snubfin dolphins were consistently encountered in shallow waters (<21 m depth) close to (<15 km) freshwater inputs, with high detection rates in known hotspots (e.g., Roebuck Bay, Cygnet Bay) as well as in coastal habitats suspected to be suitable (e.g., Prince Regent River and surrounds, King Sound, Doubtful Bay, Napier Broome Bay and the upper Cambridge Gulf). Bootstrap estimates of EOO and AOO were 38,300 (95% CI: 25,451?42,437) km2 and 700 (656?736) km2 respectively, suggesting that snubfin dolphins in the Kimberley are likely Vulnerable under IUCN criteria B2 at a regional scale, in keeping with their global classification. Our study offers insights into the distribution of a vulnerable coastal cetacean species and demonstrates the value of integrating multiple data sources for informing conservation assessments in the face of uncertainty. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions regarding our work. Best wishes and stay safe, Phil Bouchet Postdoctoral Research Fellow Centre for Research into Ecological & Environmental Modelling (CREEM) The Observatory, Buchanan Gardens University of St Andrews, St Andrews Fife KY16 9LZ, Scotland (UK) E pjbouchet at gmail.com | pb282 at st-andrews.ac.uk Twitter @pjbouchet ? Web pjbouchet.github.io -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From romeu.bianca at gmail.com Sat Jan 23 10:37:30 2021 From: romeu.bianca at gmail.com (Bianca Romeu) Date: Sat, 23 Jan 2021 15:37:30 -0300 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication - Boats affect a dolphin-fisher cooperation Message-ID: Dear colleagues, We would like to share with you the last article from our research group, published in Animal Conservation: "Boat disturbance affects the acoustic behaviour of dolphins engaged in a rare foraging cooperation with fishers" Link to the full article: https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/acv.12667 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/acv.12667 Abstract Acoustic behaviour is a key component of specialized foraging tactics for many aquatic species, especially cetaceans. However, in recent decades the natural environment has been increasingly exposed to a variety of anthropogenic noise sources, with the potential to impact natural foraging specializations dependent on acoustic communication. Here we evaluated whether boat noise has the potential to impact a rare foraging tactic used by individuals from a small population of the vulnerable Lahille?s bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus gephyreus) specialized in cooperation with artisanal fishers in southern Brazil. We tested whether the presence of boats changed the acoustic behaviour of dolphins when engaged in this cooperative foraging. We found that whistles and echolocation click rates were lower when boats were present, suggesting that cooperative foraging may potentially be reduced or interrupted by the presence of boats. Whistle parameters changed in response to the number, type and speed of boats, indicating a behavioural change and acoustic masking. Locally, our results reinforce the need for boat traffic regulations to minimize their impacts on these endangered dolphins and their rare cooperative tactic. From a broad perspective, we demonstrate how nonlethal impacts such as vessel disturbance can manifest subtle changes in animals? natural behaviour and, in this case, present an insidious threat to a unique foraging specialization. PDF requests can be sand to: romeu.bianca at gmail.com -- *Bianca Romeu * CRBio 88562/03-D ^ | \ __ - | - \ __ _ _/ -- -- \ __ _/ -- \ / @ ) _ / __-- ===> / _ __ -- _ _ _ _ -- -- / / | / / / |/ __/ /__ /__^__ / -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From billing at avtelsa.com Fri Jan 22 09:32:34 2021 From: billing at avtelsa.com (MARMAM) Date: Sat, 23 Jan 2021 01:32:34 +0800 Subject: [MARMAM] Fifth International Orca Symposium will take place in Tarifa Message-ID: <202101221732.10MHWhVA033730@mako.comp.uvic.ca> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 1847_22_V_8425024.zip Type: application/x-zip-compressed Size: 91050 bytes Desc: not available URL: From afhender at gmail.com Fri Jan 22 15:25:15 2021 From: afhender at gmail.com (Angus Henderson) Date: Sat, 23 Jan 2021 10:25:15 +1100 Subject: [MARMAM] Seeking MMOs for deployment on expedition tour vessels in the Antarctic Peninsula Message-ID: RE: Seeking MMOs for deployment on expedition tour vessels in the Antarctic Peninsula. To all those that applied to these previously advertised positions, thank you for your application, we were overwhelmed with interest in these positions. These positions are now filled, however, there are still some applicants to be contacted as we work through the process. This message to notify interested parties that applications have now closed. The exception remains those applicants from Argentina or Chile. If you are a resident of Argentina or Chile, please put through your application. Cheers, Angus -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From amarcalo at gmail.com Mon Jan 25 07:12:26 2021 From: amarcalo at gmail.com (=?UTF-8?B?QW5hIE1hcsOnYWxv?=) Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2021 15:12:26 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] RAAlg - Regional Algarve Stranding Network (Southern Portugal) Message-ID: Dear all Marmam members, On behalf of our team, I would like to announce that the regional Algarve Stranding Network (RAAlg) has been re-activated. We therefore attend any stranded cetaceans or marine turtles that strand dead along the Algarve coast in Southern Portugal. We also developed a responsive webpage, which allows citizens to register information on any seen stranded animal. The alert is communicated to the team via email, and provides a faster response so we can access the animal and sample it. This unique page also provides information regarding our team, our work, results and ID of species of animals that strand in our coast. Check our website at www.raalg.pt. We hope you enjoy our page. Best wishes, Ana Mar?alo, PhD Fisheries biologist; Post Doc; Invited Assistant Professor email: amarcalo at ualg.pt; amarcalo at gmail.com CCMAR - Centro de Ci?ncias do Mar, Universidade do Algarve Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal http://ccmar.ualg.pt Office: L 23 Tlf: +351 289 800 051 (ext. 7394) https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ana_Marcalo2 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0485-341X Project iNOVPESCA - Reducing bycatch of cetaceans in Algarve ( https://www.facebook.com/inovpesca) Project RAAlg - Algarve Stranding Network (www.raalg.pt) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From interns at aimm-portugal.org Mon Jan 25 07:35:00 2021 From: interns at aimm-portugal.org (AIMM Internships) Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2021 15:35:00 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Cetacean Research Assistant position in Portugal Message-ID: *Cetacean Research Assistant ? Portugal* *BACKGROUND: * The Marine Environment Research Association ? AIMM, is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation founded in Portugal in 2010, focused on the research and conservation of marine species and running an ongoing study of cetaceans in southern Portugal (Algarve). This project aims to obtain baseline information on species occurrence, behaviour and social structure of the local cetacean populations. Each year, from the 1st of May until the 31st of October, AIMM operates a Dolphin Research Internship Programme during our summer field season. We receive interns of all ages from across the globe to participate in this programme and are currently looking for applicants to fill two Volunteer Research Assistant positions for the forthcoming field season in 2021. You will be joining a small and dedicated team of scientists and researchers to provide vital support to the ongoing success of our data collection and internship programme. All team members and participants share accommodation, house tasks, knowledge and experience in an environmentally friendly and multicultural environment. *WHAT WE REQUIRE:* Ideal candidates for this *volunteer position* will: ? be at least 21 years of age; ? be fluent in English (*mandatory*) and Portuguese (*highly desirable*); ? have previous experience with cetaceans and/or marine sciences ( *mandatory*); ? hold a full, manual Driving License, valid in the EU (*mandatory*); ? have a valid skippers powerboat license and boating experience (*highly desirable*); ? be able to commit to until the end of the season (October); ? have proven experience in team leadership and group supervision; ? be highly motivated, responsible and organised with genuine attention to details; ? have a friendly, patient and tolerant personality, and be capable of dealing with people from different cultures, beliefs, and backgrounds. *WHAT WE OFFER: * The Research Assistants will participate directly in our fieldwork and will receive training and supervision in species identification, research & data collection methods, photo-identification and the use of GPS and camera equipment. In turn, you will be responsible for supervising the interns while conducting surveys in AIMM's research vessel, Ketos, and on the commercial dolphin watching boats. You will also have to ensure that data is collected and entered accurately and according to AIMM's established methodologies. Field days can be long and intense, especially in the peak of summer, but are always fulfilling and good fun! Additionally, you will also receive 3 meals a day and accommodation in AIMM's shared research house with all the other members of the team. Each assistant will be entitled to 1 day off per week when you may explore the local area or simply rest with a good book by the pool! More Info: www.aimmportugal.org/cetacean-research-assistant To apply please send CV and motivation letter to info at aimm-portugal.org with the subject "*RA Albufeira 2021*". Thank you! -- *AIMM Portugal* - Ass. Investiga??o do Meio Marinho | Marine Environment Research Association *Website*: www.aimmportugal.org [image: AIMM Portugal | facebook] [image: AIMM Portugal | twitter] [image: AIMM Portugal | instagram] [image: AIMM Portugal | youtube] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From sclymene at aol.com Mon Jan 25 08:52:59 2021 From: sclymene at aol.com (Thomas Jefferson) Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2021 16:52:59 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [MARMAM] Request for help in findig an old paper References: <1770439568.1132407.1611593579450.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <1770439568.1132407.1611593579450@mail.yahoo.com> Dear Colleagues,? I have been searching long and hard for a copy of this very elusive paper, but with no luck: Burmeister, H. 1865. Relaci?n preliminar sobre un cet?ceo nuevo (Ziphiorrhynchus cryptodon) tomado en la playa de Buenos Aires. Revista Farmaceutica, Buenos Aires 4:363-368. If anyone has a copy they could send me, or knows where I might be able to find a copy, I would really appreciate the help.Best wishes,Thomas A. Jefferson, Ph.D.Clymene Enterprises sclymene at aol.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From stephanie at marine-med.com Mon Jan 25 08:03:07 2021 From: stephanie at marine-med.com (Stephanie Norman) Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2021 08:03:07 -0800 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication in the journal Oceans Message-ID: My co-authors and I would like to announce the publication of our recent article: Antibiotic Resistance of Bacteria in Two Marine Mammal Species, Harbor Seals and Harbor Porpoises, Living in an Urban Marine Ecosystem, the Salish Sea, Washington State, USA by Stephanie A. Norman, Dyanna M. Lambourn, Jessica L. Huggins, Joseph K. Gaydos, Sandra Dubpernell, Susan Berta, Jennifer K. Olson, Victoria Souze, Alysha Evans, Betsy Carlson, Mandi Johnson, Rachel Mayer, Cathy King, Alyssa Scott Abstract The pervasive use of antibiotics in human medicine, veterinary medicine, and agriculture can result in a significant increase in the spread and environmental persistence of antibiotic resistance in marine ecosystems. This study describes the presence and distribution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in Salish Sea harbor seals (*Phoca vitulina*) and harbor porpoises (*Phocoena phocoena*) and evaluates species, age class, and geographic differences in resistance patterns. Isolates from 95 dead-stranded animals (74 seals/21 porpoises) were tested for resistance to a suite of 15 antibiotics. Of the 95 sampled, 85 (89%) (67 seals/18 porpoises) successfully yielded 144 isolates, with 37% resistant to at least one antibiotic and 26% multi-drug resistant (24% and 39% of seal and porpoise isolates, respectively). Overall, and by study region, porpoises were significantly more likely to harbor resistant organisms compared to seals. Significant differences between age classes were noted for the antibiotics amoxicillin, cephalexin, and cefovecin. Overall isolate resistance was significantly greater in porpoises than seals for several individual antibiotics. Multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) indices greater than 0.2 were observed in 55% of multi-drug resistant isolates, suggesting seal and porpoise exposure to anthropogenic pollution. The relatively high and disparate prevalence of antibiotic resistance in these common, but ecologically dissimilar, marine mammals reflects a potentially large environmental pool of antibiotic resistant organisms in the Salish Sea or inherently different resistance gene patterns between the two species. Full text .pdf available here: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-1924/2/1/6/pdf Thank you, Stephanie Norman Stephanie A. Norman, DVM, MS, PhD Marine-Med: Marine Research, Epidemiology, and Veterinary Medicine E-mail: stephanie at marine-med.com Phone: 206-321-0249 Marine-Med website | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn [image: Click here to visit Marine-Med] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From robert.schick at duke.edu Tue Jan 26 13:21:05 2021 From: robert.schick at duke.edu (Dr Robert Schick, Ph.D.) Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2021 21:21:05 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New Paper: Continuous-time Discrete-State Modeling for Deep Whale Dives Message-ID: Hi All - On behalf of my co-authors, I?m please to announce the publication of our new paper: Hewitt, J., Schick, R.S. & Gelfand, A.E. Continuous-Time Discrete-State Modeling for Deep Whale Dives. JABES (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13253-020-00422-2 Abstract: Understanding unexposed/baseline behavior of marine mammals is required to assess the effects of increasing levels of anthropogenic noise exposure in the marine environment. However, quantifying variation in the baseline behavior of whales is challenging due to the fact that they spend much of their time at depth, and therefore, their diving behavior is not directly observable. Data collection employs tags as measurement devices to record vertical movement. We focus here on satellite tags, which have the advantage of collection over a time window of weeks. The type of data we analyze here suffers the disadvantage of being in the form of depths attached to an arbitrarily created set of depth bins and being sparse in time. We provide a multi-stage generative model for deep dives using a continuous-time discrete-space Markov chain. Then, we build a likelihood, incorporating dive-specific random effects, in order to fit this model to a set of satellite tag records, each consisting of a temporally misaligned collection of deep dives with sparse binned depths for each dive. Through simulation, we demonstrate the ability to recover true model parameters. With real satellite tag records, we validate the model out of sample and also provide inference regarding stage behavior, inter-tag record behavior, dive duration, and maximum dive depth. Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13253-020-00422-2 Please feel free to contact me with follow up questions: rss10 ?at? duke.edu Best, Rob -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From burnhamr at uvic.ca Tue Jan 26 07:55:18 2021 From: burnhamr at uvic.ca (burnhamr) Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2021 07:55:18 -0800 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication, Using gliders to explore fin whale habitat in coastal and offshore waters Message-ID: My co-authors and I are pleased to share our latest publication from our use of gliders to explore whale habitat: _Remote sensing and mapping habitat features pertinent to fin whale life histories in coastal and offshore waters of Vancouver Island, British Columbia_ Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 537, 151511 Abstract: Current knowledge of the population size and movement of fin whales in the northeast Pacific is lacking, but is critical in implementing effective management actions. Here we used ocean gliders to survey the deep-coastal and offshore waters of Vancouver Island to add to what is known about fin whale habitat use in the Canadian Pacific. Passive acoustic recordings were made continuously, from which fin whale vocalizations were used as a proxy to presence. Oceanographic and preyscape variables were also taken to better delineate habitat units in horizontal and vertical space. Comparisons were made between on-shelf and shelf-break zones, and measures taken in- and out-side submarine canyons. Temporal comparisons between winter and spring were also possible. An on-shelf and shelf-break divide was seen, with cooler, fresher waters present closer to the coast for both deployments. The spring deployment showed fin whale acoustic presence focused around topographical features, including the shelf-break and canyons. The most prevalent cue was their 40-Hz call, which suggests foraging. Echosounder readings suggested denser aggregations of larger bodied zooplankton prey were present at canyon heads and along the shelf break. During the winter, calls in the acoustic record were more numerous than in the spring, and dominated by the 20-Hz call. A proportion of the recordings also showed 'song' patterning, which suggests breeding activity. Interpolated surfaces were used to examine the spatiotemporal relationships between the high-resolution habitat point data and presence of far-propagating fin whale calls. The predicted use of habitat by fin whales, as represented by their calls, was examined through Random Forest machine learning models using oceanographic and preyscape measures as input variables from these interpolations. Distance from the shelf break and preyscape variables were determined important in predicting whale habitat use in the spring, with model accuracy exceeding 80%. Call presence showed a much weaker relationship to environmental var-iables for the winter recordings with reduced accuracy of model predictions (13%). An understanding of habitat selection by fin whales may also aid in determining the importance of habitat units and areas that may critical to life history functions. The paper is free to read/download from JEMBE online at https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1cThA51aUfmHA [1] until March 16, 2021 Please feel free to contact me if you have questions, or for a PDF after that time Best, Rianna Burnham, PhD Links: ------ [1] https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1cThA51aUfmHA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From iain.staniland at iwc.int Tue Jan 26 07:45:47 2021 From: iain.staniland at iwc.int (Iain Staniland) Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2021 15:45:47 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] IWC Job opportunity - Ship Strikes and Strandings Data Manager Message-ID: Employment opportunity- IWC Ship Strikes and Strandings Data Manager The role will develop the IWC's capacity in data collation, management and provision focussing on Ship Strikes and Cetacean Strandings. In addition, the postholder will contribute to the development of a coherent approach to reporting, databases and data management across the IWC and its work programmes, enhancing both the useability of IWC data holdings and sharing of these data with other organisations. The successful applicant will have excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to develop effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders in a politically sensitive environment. They will have demonstrable professional experience in data management and the management of databases in addition to awareness of marine conservation issues and threats to cetaceans. They will be fluent in English. This post is advertised on a fixed term basis for 12 months from the date of appointment, with a possibility of extension subject to approval by the Commission and funding. Given the current restrictions on travel, remote working, will be considered for the initial year of the post, including from outside the UK. Applications should be sent to secretariat at iwc.int by 19 February. For further information see candidate application pack. Equal opportunities statement We are an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their sex; religious or similar philosophical belief; political opinion; race; age; sexual orientation; or, whether they are married or are in a civil partnership; or, whether they are disabled; or whether they have undergone, are undergoing or intend to undergo gender reassignment Iain Staniland Lead for Science INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION The Red House, 135 Station Road, Impington, Cambridge, CB24 9NP, UK t. +44 (0) 1223 233971 d. +44 (0) 1223 XXXXXX m. +44 (0) XXXX XXXXXX www.iwc.int Working hours: X am - X pm, Monday-Friday [cid:image001.png at 01D6F3FA.5010A510] This e-mail and any files transmitted with it may contain confidential or legally privileged information and is intended only for the use of the intended recipient(s). If you are not the named addressee you should delete the email and notify the sender immediately. E-mails are not secure and cannot be guaranteed to be error free as they can be intercepted, amended, or contain viruses. Any opinion and other statement contained in this message and any attachment are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the International Whaling Commission. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 26005 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: From marguerite.tarzia at iwc.int Tue Jan 26 07:22:34 2021 From: marguerite.tarzia at iwc.int (Marguerite Tarzia) Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2021 15:22:34 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] IWC Scientific Committee - request for papers on bycatch Message-ID: Dear colleagues, The International Whaling Commission's (IWC) Scientific Committee meeting is taking place virtually from April 27 - May 14, 2021. The IWC's Bycatch Mitigation Initiative is encouraging the submission of papers focused on cetacean bycatch, or directly relevant to this topic. We would be interested in research addressing bycatch in all types of fisheries, although particularly in small-scale fisheries and gillnet gears. This could include: bycatch assessments, monitoring approaches, technical mitigation and community or socio-economic approaches to bycatch management as well as other topics. In particular, any papers relevant to Peru, Republic of Congo, Thailand, Pakistan, Kenya, Indonesia, Malaysia, and India would be particularly welcomed. These countries have been identified by the Bycatch Mitigation Initiative as priority countries to develop a series of collaborative bycatch 'pilot projects'. If you have any relevant information on our priority countries, or would like to submit a paper please send a suggested title and a very brief abstract to marguerite.tarzia at iwc.int by 1st February 2021 . We can then discuss with you whether a full paper submission or a brief summary would be most appropriate to share with the Scientific Committee meeting, and explain the registration and paper review process in detail. Please do get in touch with any questions or suggestions. Kind regards, Marguerite Tarzia Bycatch Coordinator INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION The Red House, 135 Station Road, Impington, Cambridge, CB24 9NP, UK t. +44 (0) 1223 233971 d. +44 (0) 1223 209 316 m. +44 (0) 429904062 www.iwc.int Working hours: 9 am - 5 pm, Monday-Friday [cid:image003.png at 01D6F3F7.101B8900] This e-mail and any files transmitted with it may contain confidential or legally privileged information and is intended only for the use of the intended recipient(s). If you are not the named addressee you should delete the email and notify the sender immediately. E-mails are not secure and cannot be guaranteed to be error free as they can be intercepted, amended, or contain viruses. Any opinion and other statement contained in this message and any attachment are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the International Whaling Commission. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image003.png Type: image/png Size: 84079 bytes Desc: image003.png URL: From dwalk at mmome.org Tue Jan 26 08:35:41 2021 From: dwalk at mmome.org (Walk, Dominique) Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2021 11:35:41 -0500 Subject: [MARMAM] Marine Mammals of Maine Internship: Application Deadline Approaching Message-ID: Marine Mammals of Maine (MMoME) is now accepting applications through February 3rd for the summer 2021 harbor seal pup season internship. MMoME is a non-profit organization federally authorized to respond to live and dead marine mammals and sea turtles between Kittery and Rockland, Maine, covering some of the busiest seal stranding activity on the East Coast. MMoME also operates a unique triage and rehabilitation center which provides critical care to sick and injured pinnipeds. Additionally, our mission heavily encompasses marine mammal research, education, and outreach. MMoME is seeking up to 4 motivated, flexible, positive, and independent interns who will be given the unique opportunity to participate in a variety of activities. Interns will learn marine mammal field health assessment, handling, basic husbandry and clinical care of pinnipeds, as well as Level A data collection, necropsy, and sampling of deceased marine mammals. The internship is based out of Midcoast Maine (town of Brunswick area), though travel throughout our response region and New England will be necessary. Interns will work as a team alongside veterinary preceptors to accomplish MMoME?s broad scope of work during our busiest time of year, and will be required to dedicate a minimum of 40-50 hours per week to the internship (minimum of 4 days/week). These hours will include holidays, weekends, and late nights and early mornings. This internship is unpaid, though seasonal job opportunities are available in the area. Housing is not provided but staff may be able to assist with sourcing options. *KEY TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES: * ? *STRANDING RESPONSE:* respond to live and dead cetacean, pinniped and sea turtle strandings to collect Level A data, perform health assessments, and monitor, relocate, and collect for humane euthanasia or rehabilitation. Carcass collection for disposal or necropsy will also be required; ? *PATIENT CARE:* assist with all aspects relating to the care of sick, injured and abandoned pinnipeds (primarily harbor seal pups) undergoing short, or long-term care at MMoME?s center. Tasks include primarily cleaning, but also meal prep, tube-feeding, assisting with medical procedures, animal restraint for exams, running lab samples, medical record maintenance, and transport to other long-term care facilities; ? *NECROPSY:* transport carcasses to necropsy and compost sites, assist staff with necropsy of fresh dead pinnipeds and cetaceans, archive necropsy samples, and maintain and clean necropsy equipment; ? *EDUCATION AND OUTREACH:* give presentations to the public about the organization, attend outreach events, and help create educational materials; ? *OTHER TASKS:* additional time will be spent on data entry, fundraising, extensive cleaning, and other tasks as needed. *REQUIREMENTS: * ? Must be 18 years of age or older to apply. This internship is open to undergraduate students currently enrolled in, or recently graduated (within two years) from an accredited college or university; ? The ideal candidate is working towards a career in marine mammal science, veterinary technology, marine biology, environmental education, or related field; ? Must commit to at least three months, and be available from May 10th to August 15th, or October 15th. *All interns must be able to start on May 10th* , preference given to those that can stay through the end of August or later. ? Must have a valid driver?s license, a good driving record, a reliable vehicle, and comfortable driving a full-size truck in urban and rural areas; ? Must be able to work independently and as part of a team with other veterinary and non-veterinary interns, and be adaptable to a changing and unpredictable schedule; ? Must be able to lift at least 50 pounds; ? Individuals that are passionate, responsible, hardworking, eager to learn, flexible, able to work under minimal supervision, able to work well with others as a team member, and detail-oriented are encouraged to apply; ? Preference given to individuals with a demonstrated interest in marine mammals, and are specifically interested in marine mammal response and care. Previous marine mammal experience or animal husbandry a plus. *HOW TO APPLY: *Please send a letter of interest which addresses the following questions: why you would like to be considered for this internship, how you meet the requirements, what your expectations are of this internship, what you think MMoME?s expectations are of interns, what you hope to gain from this internship and the start and end dates you can commit to. Your application must also include a resume and one professional letter of recommendation. Completed applications can be sent to info at mmome.org by 11:59 PM EST February 3rd, 2021. *Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.* For more information on MMoME and our internship programs, visit https://www.mmome.org/internship/. We look forward to your application for this exciting experience! *Dominique Walk* *Assistant Stranding Coordinator* *Marine Mammals of MaineOffice: 207-844-8718* *Reporting Hotline: 1-800-532-9551* *www.mmome.org * -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dwalk at mmome.org Tue Jan 26 08:50:53 2021 From: dwalk at mmome.org (Walk, Dominique) Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2021 11:50:53 -0500 Subject: [MARMAM] Marine Mammals of Maine Veterinary Preceptorship: Application Deadline Approaching Message-ID: Marine Mammals of Maine (MMoME) is now accepting applications through February 3rd, 2021 for marine mammal veterinary preceptorship positions. MMoME is a non-profit organization federally authorized to respond to live and dead marine mammals and sea turtles between Kittery and Rockland, Maine, covering some of the busiest seal stranding activity on the East Coast. MMoME also operates a unique triage and rehabilitation center which provides critical care to sick and injured pinnipeds. Additionally, our mission heavily encompasses marine mammal research, education, and outreach. We are seeking to fill up to 3 positions to assist with the upcoming harbor seal pup season. Preceptors, interns, and volunteers are critical in fulfilling our mission and are given the unique opportunity to participate in a variety of activities. On a day-to-day basis, preceptors work under the supervision and direction of core MMoME staff and join our marine mammal veterinarian for regular patient rounds and a mentored project. Additionally, preceptors work daily alongside non- veterinary interns as a team to accomplish our broad scope of work during our busiest time of year. Preceptors will learn marine mammal field health assessment, handling, basic husbandry, and clinical care of pinnipeds, as well as Level A data collection, necropsy, and sampling of deceased marine mammals. The preceptorship is based out of Midcoast Maine (town of Brunswick), though travel throughout our response region and New England will be necessary. Preceptors will be required to dedicate a minimum of 40-50 hours per week (minimum of 4 days/week), and will include holidays, weekends, late nights, early mornings, and overnight care for critical patients as needed. This opportunity is unpaid, though seasonal job opportunities are available in the area. Housing is not provided but staff may be able to assist with sourcing options. KEY TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES SHARED AMONG ALL PRECEPTORS AND NON-VETERINARY INTERNS: STRANDING RESPONSE: respond to live and dead cetacean, pinniped, and sea turtle strandings in the field to collect Level A data, perform health assessments, and monitor, relocate, and collect for humane euthanasia or rehabilitation. Carcass collection for disposal or necropsy will also be required; PATIENT CARE: assist with all aspects relating to the care of sick, injured, and abandoned pinnipeds (primarily harbor seal pups) undergoing short, or long-term care at MMoME?s center. Tasks include primarily cleaning, as well as meal prep, tube-feeding, assisting with medical procedures, animal restraint for exams, running lab samples, medical record maintenance, cleaning, and transport to other long-term care facilities; NECROPSY: transport carcasses to necropsy and compost sites, assist staff with necropsy of fresh dead pinnipeds and cetaceans, archive necropsy samples, and maintain and clean necropsy equipment; EDUCATION AND OUTREACH: give presentations to the public about the organization, attend outreach events, and help create educational materials; OTHER TASKS: additional time will be spent on data entry, fundraising, extensive cleaning, and other tasks as needed. PRECEPTOR-SPECIFIC TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES: -Collect and process biological and diagnostic samples from stranded marine mammals, as well as from triage and rehabilitation pinniped patients in MMoME?s care. For example, blood samples from live marine mammals for diagnostic health evaluation, swabs from live and dead marine mammals for disease monitoring with partner research labs and patient health testing, culture samples from live and dead cases, necropsy tissue samples for histology or PCR testing, etc.; -Clinical rounds with MMoME?s veterinarian; -Assist staff and veterinarian with, and carry out clinical procedures such as IV, IM, or SQ injections and intravenous fluid therapy; -Provide after-hours medical care of triage or rehab patients in need of extended critical care as needed, and as directed by staff and veterinarian; -Conduct a project mentored by MMoME?s veterinarian (case study, nutritional study, etc.) to be completed during the preceptorship and presented to MMoME staff, veterinarian, and community. Research opportunities may be available depending on student interest, time, and permitting. REQUIREMENTS: -Must be actively enrolled in a veterinary program pursuing a DVM or similar degree. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year domestic and international students are encouraged to apply. -Must be available to start no later than May 17th, 2021 and commit to the full period extending through August 15th. Preference given to those that can start prior to May 17th. -Must have demonstrated experience with physical restraint of animals in a clinical setting. Wildlife handling is preferred, though not required. -Must be able to work well as a positive team member with other preceptors and non-veterinary interns, staff, and veterinarian, work well with limited supervision, and be adaptable to a changing and unpredictable schedule; -Must be able to lift 50 pounds; -Must have a valid driver?s license, a good driving record, a reliable vehicle, and comfortable driving a full-size truck in urban and rural areas; -Preference given to applicants with marine mammal or other wildlife husbandry experience, and a demonstrated interest in marine mammal or conservation medicine; -Proof of Rabies vaccination or current titer. HOW TO APPLY: Please send a letter of interest which addresses the following questions: why you would like to be considered for this internship, how you meet the requirements, what your expectations are, what you think MMoME? s expectations are, what you hope to gain from this opportunity, and the start and end dates you can commit to. Your application must also include a resume, one professional letter of recommendation, a copy of your current transcripts, and proof of rabies vaccine or current titer. Completed applications can be sent to info at mmome.org by 11:59 PM EST February 3rd, 2021. *Incomplete or late applications will not be considered*. For more information on MMoME or the preceptorship, visit www.mmome.org/veterinary-preceptorship/. We look forward to your application for this exciting experience! *Dominique Walk* *Assistant Stranding Coordinator* *Marine Mammals of MaineOffice: 207-844-8718* *Reporting Hotline: 1-800-532-9551* *www.mmome.org * -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From iain.staniland at iwc.int Wed Jan 27 01:37:08 2021 From: iain.staniland at iwc.int (Iain Staniland) Date: Wed, 27 Jan 2021 09:37:08 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] CORRECTION - IWC Ship Strikes and Strandings Data Manager position Message-ID: My apologies the advert for the IWC data manager position contained an incorrect link. The correct information is below and can also be found at: https://iwc.int/vacancies Employment opportunities within the IWC Secretariat IWC Ship Strikes and Strandings Data Manager The role will develop the IWC's capacity in data collation, management and provision focussing on Ship Strikes and Cetacean Strandings. In addition, the post-holder will contribute to the development of a coherent approach to reporting, databases and data management across the IWC and its work programmes, enhancing both the usability of IWC data holdings and sharing of these data with other organisations. The successful applicant will have excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to develop effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders in a politically sensitive environment. They will have demonstrable professional experience in data management and the management of databases in addition to awareness of marine conservation issues and threats to cetaceans. They will be fluent in English. This post is advertised on a fixed term basis for 12 months from the date of appointment, with a possibility of extension subject to approval by the Commission and funding. Given the current restrictions on travel, remote working, will be considered for the initial year of the post, including from outside the UK. Applications should be sent to secretariat at iwc.int by 19 February 2021. For further information see application pack here. Equal opportunities statement We are an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their sex; religious or similar philosophical belief; political opinion; race; age; sexual orientation; or, whether they are married or are in a civil partnership; or, whether they are disabled; or whether they have undergone, are undergoing or intend to undergo gender reassignment Iain Staniland Lead for Science INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION The Red House, 135 Station Road, Impington, Cambridge, CB24 9NP, UK t. +44 (0) 1223 233971 d. +44 (0) 1223 XXXXXX m. +44 (0) XXXX XXXXXX www.iwc.int Working hours: X am - X pm, Monday-Friday [cid:image001.png at 01D6F48F.FA915EE0] This e-mail and any files transmitted with it may contain confidential or legally privileged information and is intended only for the use of the intended recipient(s). If you are not the named addressee you should delete the email and notify the sender immediately. E-mails are not secure and cannot be guaranteed to be error free as they can be intercepted, amended, or contain viruses. Any opinion and other statement contained in this message and any attachment are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the International Whaling Commission. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 26014 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: From uko at ukogorter.com Wed Jan 27 17:25:48 2021 From: uko at ukogorter.com (Uko Gorter) Date: Wed, 27 Jan 2021 17:25:48 -0800 Subject: [MARMAM] Expanded registration for American Cetacean Society - Virtual Conference (Jan. 30) Message-ID: Dear All, As registration for our American Cetacean Society (ACS) ? Virtual Conference (Saturday, January 30 - 9:30am to 5pm US Pacific Time) filled up quickly, we have expanded our registration capacity (an additional 2000!) Registration is FREE! To register, click the link below: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_5z9MkdjOT0CQLT4S51QLLg For more information and our schedule, go to the homepage of our ACS website: acsonline.org Here you can find direct links to our schedule. Note that times are indicated at US Pacific Time. Speakers are: Erich Hoyt, Gianna Minton, Peter Corkeron, J.G.M. ?Hans? Thewissen, Lori Marino, Michelle Fournet, Louisa Ponnampalam. You can also find a direct link to our Bonfire storefront for exciting conference merchandise. ??? We hope you can join us this coming Saturday! Regards, Uko Gorter, president AMERICAN CETACEAN SOCIETY acsonline.org PO Box 51691 Pacific Grove, CA 93950 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: ACS-logo small.png Type: image/png Size: 5987 bytes Desc: not available URL: From agj at bios.au.dk Thu Jan 28 09:03:31 2021 From: agj at bios.au.dk (Anders Galatius) Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2021 17:03:31 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] 2 year Post Doc position: modelling effects of ship noise on marine mammals Message-ID: Dear MARMAMers, We are pleased to announce a 2-year Post Doc position regarding modelling the population effects of ship noise on marine mammals at Section for Marine Mammal Research, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University. For more information, please visit https://international.au.dk/about/profile/vacant-positions/job/2-year-postdoc-on-effects-of-ship-noise-on-marine-mammal-populations/ and please forward to those potentially interested. Best regards on behalf of the section, Anders Galatius ___________________________________________ Anders Galatius, PhD Senior scientist, Biologist Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University Section for Marine Mammal Research Frederiksborgvej 399, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark Phone: +45 87158694 Mobile: +45 28710372 http://person.au.dk/en/agj at bios.au.dk [sender_logo_uk] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 4236 bytes Desc: image001.jpg URL: From chloe.e.malinka at bio.au.dk Thu Jan 28 06:09:19 2021 From: chloe.e.malinka at bio.au.dk (Chloe Elizabeth Malinka) Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2021 14:09:19 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] new publication: Optimal Localization Hypothesis Message-ID: Dear MARMAM community, We'd like to let you know about a new publication in JASA where we re-evaluate optimal localization hypothesis as an echolocation strategy used by odontocetes: Beedholm, K., Malinka, C., Ladegaard, M., and P. T. Madsen. (2021). Do echolocating toothed whales direct their acoustic gaze on- or off-target in a static detection task? The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 149, 581-590. Abstract: Echolocating mammals produce directional sound beams with high source levels to improve echo-to-noise ratios and reduce clutter. Recent studies have suggested that the differential spectral gradients of such narrow beams are exploited to facilitate target localization by pointing the beam slightly off targets to maximize the precision of angular position estimates [maximizing bearing Fisher information (FI)]. Here, we test the hypothesis that echolocating toothed whales focus their acoustic gaze askew during target detection to maximize spectral cues by investigating the acoustic gaze direction of two trained delphinids (Tursiops truncatus and Pseudorca crassidens) echolocating to detect an aluminum cylinder behind a hydrophone array in a go/no-go paradigm. The animals rarely placed their beam axis directly on the target, nor within the narrow range around the off-axis angle that maximizes FI. However, the target was, for each trial, ensonified within the swath of the half-power beam width, and hence we conclude that the animals solved the detection task using a strategy that seeks to render high echo-to-noise ratios rather than maximizing bearing FI. We posit that biosonar beam adjustment and acoustic gaze strategies are likely task-dependent and that maximizing bearing FI by pointing off-axis does not improve target detection performance. The PDF is also available on the Bioacoustics Aarhus lab website. Kindest regards, Chloe Chloe Malinka, PhD Fellow Marine Bioacoustics Lab . Zoophysiology, Dept. Biology Aarhus University C.F. M?llers All? 3, Building 1131 DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark . Email: chloe.e.malinka at bios.au.dk Twitter: @c_malinka [AU_Logo] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 5380 bytes Desc: image001.jpg URL: From jlsumich1 at gmail.com Wed Jan 27 09:26:40 2021 From: jlsumich1 at gmail.com (James Sumich) Date: Wed, 27 Jan 2021 09:26:40 -0800 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: Why Baja? A bioenergetic model for comparing metabolic rates and thermoregulatory costs of gray whale calves (Eschrichtius robustus) Message-ID: <9F83166B-330B-4FD5-B4AA-716968A297E1@gmail.com> I?m pleased to announce the publication of my new paper: Sumich JL. Why Baja? A bioenergetic model for comparing metabolic rates and thermoregulatory costs of gray whale calves (Eschrichtius robustus). Mar Mam Sci. 2021;1?18. ABSTRACT A bioenergetic model is developed from empirically derived equations of morphometric, ventilatory, and thermoregulatory variables to compare estimated field metabolic rates (FMR) of gray whale calves to estimates of unregulated body heat losses and consequent required thermogenesis at birth, natal lagoon departure, and weaning. Estimates of FMR are based on rates of oxygen consumption. Body surface and ventilatory heat fluxes are evaluated separately, then combined to estimate minimum total heat losses from birth to weaning at three ambient water temperature regimes typical of winter natal lagoons and Oregon coastal waters and arctic conditions during summer. Modelled heat losses of neonates in winter lagoons are half their estimated mean FMR. Neonates in good body condition appear to be capable of tolerating heat losses experienced in 10 ? C water without additional thermogenic activities above their estimated resting metabolic rates. This study provides new evidence that no thermoregulatory advantage accrues to neonates or to their mothers by being born in warm winter natal lagoons or by remaining there several weeks longer than other gray whales. Consequently, avoidance or reduced risk of killer whale predation seems a more likely candidate than reduced heat loss as the principal fitness benefit of low-latitude winter migrations. Link to the paper: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/mms.12778 Please feel free to contact me: jlsumich1 at gmail.com Jim -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jonathan.syme at flinders.edu.au Wed Jan 27 20:47:58 2021 From: jonathan.syme at flinders.edu.au (Jonathan Syme) Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2021 04:47:58 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Volunteer field assistant opportunity for tropical dolphin research, North West Cape, Australia, 2021 (Aus/NZ applicants only) Message-ID: Dear all, I am looking for experienced field assistants to conduct boat-based observations and photo-identification of Australian humpback dolphins and Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins around the North West Cape in Western Australia for 4 months beginning on the 1st May 2021. **Please note** that unfortunately due to the current Australian Government COVID-19 travel restrictions, only applicants that are currently in Australia or New Zealand will be considered. Overview: This research aims to investigate the behavioural ecology of mixed-species groups of Australian humpback, Sousa sahulensis, and Indo-Pacific bottlenose, Tursiops aduncus, dolphins around the North West Cape as part of a larger study of these dolphin populations. This is an opportunity to gain experience in field techniques for small cetacean research and contribute to a project with very high conservation and management value. Furthermore, it provides assistants the opportunity to conduct research in a truly unique natural setting along the World Heritage Listed Ningaloo Coast, home to one of the longest near-shore reefs in the world, Ningaloo Reef. The region is highly abundant with marine life, including seasonal visits from whale sharks (April-August), humpback whales (June-November), orcas (July-August) and manta rays (June-October). Location: Exmouth, Western Australia Fieldwork dates: 1st May 2021 - 31st August 2021 (commitment to the full 4 month period is preferred) Application deadline: 28th February 2021 Duties: The season will be split into "boat days" and "land days" which is purely dependent on weather. "Boat days": Boat work is conducted 7 days a week (often for extended hours) throughout the entire field season weather permitting. Boat days consist of preparing and cleaning the boat and field equipment, boat-based transect surveys searching for dolphin groups, taking images of dorsal fins, and recording information on group size, composition, behaviour, as well as recording environmental data. At times, there will be opportunities to drive the boat. At the conclusion of the day, photo-ID images will be loaded onto the computer and cameras will be charged and set up for the next morning. In order to keep on top of data entry, it is expected that some work will be done in the evenings on returning to the house. A structured schedule will be set up with rotations of field duties, time off, and specific duties for each person. "Land days": when conditions are less than ideal, expect to spend time in the office doing data entry, scoring photographs, and fin matching. During these days, there will also be plenty of opportunity to explore the surrounding area, which is an ideal location for those who enjoy diving, surfing, hiking, and wildlife. We will be staying in a rented house in Exmouth, Western Australia, for the duration of the field season and cooking and housekeeping duties will be shared equally among all team members. What to expect: Field assistants need to be available full-time, including weekends, and be prepared for early morning departures (6-7AM), long days (8-10 hours) on the water in warm weather for multiple consecutive days, and lengthy days working with the collected data. Fieldwork is weather dependent. If the weather is unsuitable, we will not conduct surveys and could spend several days in a row on land, however, if the weather is good, it could be several days before we get a day on land. Bring some books to read or movies to watch in the down time. Ningaloo is home to a large array of marine fauna so expect to see whales, sea turtles, whale sharks, dugongs, manta rays, sharks, and crystal clear waters over beautiful tropical reefs. Most of all, expect to learn a lot while having an awesome time. Prerequisites: * Enrolled in or completed a degree in marine science, ecology, biology, animal behaviour, life sciences or a related field (highly desirable); * Experience in working on a small boat and no history of sea sickness (highly desirable); * Experience driving a boat (highly desirable); * Experience in photo-ID survey techniques (highly desirable); * Experience in field research on small cetaceans (highly desirable); * Experience in working in remote areas (highly desirable); * Be team-oriented and have an enthusiastic and proactive attitude to hard work, long hours and collecting data on the natural environment (essential); * Be flexible as weather dependent fieldwork requires flexibility and involves plans changing, sometimes at the last minute (essential); * Proficient use of Microsoft Excel (highly desirable); * Experience in using DISCOVERY photo identification software (desirable); * Fluent in English (essential) Expenses: Unfortunately, we are unable to provide monetary compensation or living provisions and field assistants will be responsible for their own travel to Exmouth (direct flights available from Perth) and living expenses. Costs for accommodation and food will be split among the research leader and assistants ($100-$200 a week each). Applications: If you are interested in being part of the team, please send a CV (max. 3 pages), a 1-page cover letter outlining your relevant experience in regards to the above prerequisites, and contact details of two relevant referees to jonathan.syme at flinders.edu.au by 28th February 2021. Short-listed candidates will be contacted to schedule an interview. Kind regards, Jonathan Syme PhD Candidate Cetacean Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution Lab (CEBEL), Flinders University, South Australia jonathan.syme at flinders.edu.au @jonathan_syme @CEBELresearch -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From nkobayashi13 at gmail.com Thu Jan 28 06:22:50 2021 From: nkobayashi13 at gmail.com (Nozomi Kobayashi) Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2021 23:22:50 +0900 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication on a newborn neonate of Longman's beaked whale stranded in Okinawa, Japan Message-ID: Dear MARMAM community, My co-authors and I are pleased to share our new publication titled ?The first record of a Longman?s beaked whale (*Indopacetus pacificus*) newborn neonate found on Miyako Island, Okinawa, Japan? which is now available in the open-access journal of Marine Biodiversity Records. by Nozomi Kobayashi, Sachie Ozawa, Nozomi Hanahara, Koji Tokutake, Takaaki Kaneshi, Ken Inoue, Haruna Okabe, Kei Miyamoto and Keiichi Ueda Abstract The Longman?s beaked whale (*Indopacetus pacificus*) is one of the rarest cetaceans worldwide. Since it was first described as its own species in 1926, they have been observed alive at sea on several occasions, and less than 20 strandings have been reported worldwide to date. Thus, basic information regarding this species, such as the maximum size of adult individuals or body length at birth, remains unknown. In this study, the external appearance and DNA analysis of a female Longman?s beaked whale stranded on Miyako Island, Okinawa, Japan, are reported. The external appearance of the specimen matched the features of the Longman?s beaked whale presented in previous studies. The mitochondrial DNA control-region sequences obtained from the specimen also matched the reference sequences of the species deposited in GenBank. Based on these features, the specimen was confirmed as a Longman?s beaked whale. The specimen was estimated to be neonate because of its body length (235 cm) and the clear several fetal folds observed on its body surface. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a confirmed new born neonate of Longman?s beaked whale in the world. The article is open-access, and full text PDF is available here: https://mbr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s41200-021-00201-z Please feel free to contact us if you have questions! Best, Nozomi Kobayashi ************************************************************* Nozomi Kobayashi, Ph. D. Zoological Lab. Okinawa Churashima Research Center Okinawa Churashima Foundation https://churashima.okinawa/en/ocrc/marine_organisms Okinawa, Japan E-mail?n-kobayashi at okichura.jp ************************************************************* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Patrick_Charapata1 at baylor.edu Thu Jan 28 10:24:09 2021 From: Patrick_Charapata1 at baylor.edu (Charapata, Patrick) Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2021 18:24:09 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New Publication: Steroid hormones in Pacific walrus bones collected over three millennia indicate physiological responses to changes in estimated population size and the environment Message-ID: Hello MARMAM Members, On behalf of my colleagues and myself, I am excited to share with you all our new research article: ?Steroid hormones in Pacific walrus bones collected over three millennia indicate physiological responses to changes in estimated population size and the environment?, now available in Conservation Physiology. The article is Open Access and can be found here. ?Charapata P, Horstmann L, Misarti N (2021) Steroid hormones in Pacific walrus bones collected over three millennia indicate physiological responses to changes in estimated population size and the environment. ConservPhysiol 9(1): coaa135; doi:10.1093/conphys/coaa135. Abstract The Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) is an iconic Arctic marine mammal and an important resource to many Alaska Natives. A decrease in sea ice habitat and unknown population numbers has led to concern of the long-term future health of the walrus population. There is currently no clear understanding of how walrus physiology might be affected by a changing Arctic ecosystem. In this study, steroid hormone concentrations (progesterone, testosterone, cortisol and estradiol) were analysed in walrus bones collected during archaeological [3585?200 calendar years before present (BP)], historical [1880?2006 common era (CE)] and modern (2014?2016 CE) time periods, representing ~?3651 years, to track changes in reproductive activity and cortisol concentrations (biomarker of stress) over time. Our results show that modern walrus samples have similar cortisol concentrations (median?=?43.97???standard deviation 904.38 ng/g lipid) to archaeological walruses (38.94???296.17 ng/g lipid, P?=?0.75). Cortisol concentrations were weakly correlated with a 15-year average September Chukchi Sea ice cover (P?=?0.002, 0.02, r2?=?0.09, 0.04, for females and males, respectively), indicating a possible physiological resiliency to sea ice recession in the Arctic. All steroid hormones had significant negative correlations with mean walrus population estimates from 1960 to 2016 (P?) if you have any questions or are interested in the manuscript. If for any reason you do not have access to the article through the link, I would be happy to provide a PDF of the manuscript upon request. Cheers, Patrick Charapata PhD Candidate, Baylor University Patrick_charapata1 at baylor.edu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From peter.madsen at bio.au.dk Thu Jan 28 12:52:55 2021 From: peter.madsen at bio.au.dk (Peter Teglberg Madsen) Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2021 20:52:55 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Graphical reviews of marine mammal physiology In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear All, To celebrate the centennial of August Kroghs Nobel Prize in physiology, a special volume of Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry has been put together with a series of graphical reviews on animal physiology, including several om marine mammals that may be of interest to some of you. You can find them all here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/comparative-biochemistry-and-physiology-part-a-molecular-and-integrative-physiology/special-issue/10XD4F4R26W Enjoy and best Peter Zoophysiology, Department of Biology CF Mollers Alle 3, 8000 Aarhus C Aarhus University, Denmark www.marinebioacoustics.com https://www.facebook.com/MarineBioacoustics/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From peter.madsen at bio.au.dk Fri Jan 29 03:05:28 2021 From: peter.madsen at bio.au.dk (Peter Teglberg Madsen) Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2021 11:05:28 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] post doctoral position available to study the effects of vessel noise on marine mammals using Dtags Message-ID: Dear All, The Marine bioacoustics lab at Aarhus university has a post-doctoral position available to study the effects of vessel noise on marine mammals using Dtags. Please find the details here: https://www.au.dk/om/stillinger/job/post-doctoral-position-in-vessel-noise-effects-on-marine-mammals/ Best, Peter Zoophysiology, Department of Biology CF Mollers Alle 3, 8000 Aarhus C Aarhus University, Denmark www.marinebioacoustics.com https://www.facebook.com/MarineBioacoustics/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mmoore at whoi.edu Fri Jan 29 14:53:34 2021 From: mmoore at whoi.edu (Michael Moore) Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2021 17:53:34 -0500 Subject: [MARMAM] North Atlantic right whale conservation event Feb 10, 730 pm US eastern Message-ID: FYI - stuck at home - not enough screen time yet? https://www.whoi.edu/ocean-encounters/ February 10, 2021? |? 7:30 - 8:30 EDT Saving the North Atlantic Right Whale Exploring partnerships and solutions for survival Speakers: Michael Moore, Whale Trauma Specialist, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution; Rob Martin, Commercial Fisherman; Michael Asaro, Ecological Economist, NOAA Fisheries, and host V?ronique LaCapra, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered whales in the world, with an estimated 360 left on the planet. These animals are often found on the Continental Shelf of the East Coast of North America, making them vulnerable to human activities including fishing gear entanglements. In recent years, more whales have died than have been born. Join us as we examine the top threats facing North Atlantic right whales, and discuss the crucial efforts by the scientific community, fishing industry, and policy makers to develop the most effective and viable solutions to ensure the long-term survival of this critically endangered species. Michael Moore Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution From albatracu at gmail.com Fri Jan 29 11:27:01 2021 From: albatracu at gmail.com (Ana M Garcia Cegarra) Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2021 16:27:01 -0300 Subject: [MARMAM] =?utf-8?q?New_publication=3A_role_of_pollutants_in_long-?= =?utf-8?q?finned_pilot_whale_mass_strandings_=28Ana_Garc=C3=ADa=29?= Message-ID: Hi everyone! On behalf of my co-authors I am pleased to announce the publication of our new paper: Ana M. Garcia-Cegarra, Jean-Luc Jung, Rodrigo Orrego, Janeide de A. Padilha, Olaf Malme, Bernardo Ferreira-Braz, Ricardo E. Santelli, Karla Pozo, Petra Pribylova, Mario Alvarado-Rybak, Claudio Azati, Karen A. Kidd j, Winfred Espejo, Gustavo Chiang, Paulina Bahamonde. *Persistence, bioaccumulation and vertical transfer of pollutants in long-finned pilot whales stranded in Chilean Patagonia*. Science of the Total Environment, 770. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145259. Abstract Long-finned pilot whales (LFPW) are cetaceans with strong social groups often involved in mass strandings worldwide. However, these beachings occur for reasons that are not fully understood. In 2016, 124 LFPW were stranded on the Chilean Patagonian islands, offering a unique opportunity to obtain crucial information on the ecology, biology, and genetics of this population. In addition, we examined whether persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and trace elements (TEs) were responsible for this mass mortality. Stable isotopes (?13C & ?15N) and genetic analyses were used to reconstruct the trophic ecology, social structure, and kinship of LFPW and compared to POPs and TEs levels found in LFPW. Mitochondrial DNA analyses on 71 individuals identified four maternal lineages within the stranded LFPW. Of these animals, 32 individuals were analyzed for a suite of POPs, TEs, and lipid content in blubber. The highest levels were found for ?DDXs (6 isomers) (542.46 ? 433.46 ng/g, lw) and for total Hg (2.79 ? 1.91 mg/kg, dw). However, concentrations found in these LFPW were lower than toxicity thresholds and those reported for LFPW stranded in other regions. Evidence was found of ?DDX, ?7PCBs, and Cd bioaccumulation and maternal transfer of POPs in mother/offspring groups. Nevertheless, no clear relationship between contaminant concentrations and LFPW mortality was established. Further research is still needed to assess LFPW populations including conservation status and exposure to chemicals in remote areas such as Patagonia. Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969721003259?via%3Dihub Please feel free to contact me if you need a pdf copy: *albatracu at gmail.com * All the best Ph.D. Ana M. Garcia Centro de Investigaci?n de Fauna Marina y Avistamiento de Cet?ceos, CIFAMAC, Chile -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From fannie.shabangu at yahoo.com Fri Jan 29 12:45:11 2021 From: fannie.shabangu at yahoo.com (Fannie Shabangu) Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2021 20:45:11 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: Circumpolar acoustic occurrence of Ross and leopard seals References: <1518737588.253358.1611953111019.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <1518737588.253358.1611953111019@mail.yahoo.com> Dear MARMAM Colleagues My co-author and I are?delighted to announce the publication of our new paper published in Polar Biology. Shabangu, F.W., Rogers, T.L. Summer circumpolar acoustic occurrence and call rates of Ross, Ommatophoca rossii, and leopard, Hydrurga leptonyx, seals in the Southern Ocean. Polar Biol (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-021-02804-9 Abstract Two of the Antarctic pack ice seals, Ross, Ommatophoca rossii, and leopard, Hydrurga leptonyx, seals, are extremely difficult to study via traditional visual survey techniques, yet are ideal for an acoustic survey as they are highly vociferous and produce an array of underwater sounds during the austral summer. To determine their acoustic occurrence in the Antarctic pack ice, we use their calls, detected within 680 acoustic recordings made between 1999 and 2009 as part of two multinational programmes. Siren calls of Ross seals were detected mainly in January, and 9.88 calls per minute from low siren calls was the highest call rate for this species. High numbers of Ross seal calls were detected close to the ice edge in areas between 0? and 20? E and 60? and 130? E, suggesting these are important summer habitats. Leopard seal calls were detected mainly in December and January, and December had the highest percentage of calls. Call rate of 11.93 calls per minute from low double trills was the highest call rate for leopard seals. Leopard seal calls were detected throughout the Southern Ocean with more calls detected throughout the pack ice. There was little spatio-temporal overlap in call occurrence of Ross and leopard seals, but both species were more vocally active during the day. Longitude and latitude were the most important predictors of Ross seal occurrence, and month of the year highly predicted leopard seal occurrence. This is the first study to examine the circumpolar acoustic occurrence of Ross and leopard seals in the Southern Ocean pack ice. The publication is open access and downloadable at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00300-021-02804-9 Best regards, Fannie _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Fannie W. Shabangu, PhD Marine Biologist Fisheries Management Branch Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries Cape Town, South Africa Email: FannieS at daff.gov.za; fannie.shabangu at yahoo.com Mobile: +27 74 220 0210 Tel: +27 21 402 3553 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Jill.Lewandowski at boem.gov Fri Jan 29 12:48:45 2021 From: Jill.Lewandowski at boem.gov (Lewandowski, Jill K) Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2021 20:48:45 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] BOEM hiring marine mammal bioacoustician Message-ID: JOB OPPORTUNITY for MARINE MAMMAL BIOACOUSTICIAN ... Must apply no later than February 22, 2021. BOEM is advertising for a marine mammal bioacoustician(s) to join its new Center for Marine Acoustics (CMA). Note that the position(s) will be filled as a biologist (marine) at the GS-11, 12 or 13 level(s). Closing date to apply is February 22, 2021. As per U.S. Federal government requirements, the position is only open to U.S. citizens. See the link below for more information and instructions to apply. Also, be sure any resume submitted clearly shows the experience and education required in the job announcement. BOEM-MMGG-21-KN-034(DH): https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/590752000 BOEM is a small agency with a big mission and a fantastic group of colleagues. The marine mammal bioacoustician(s) will join BOEM's Center for Marine Acoustics. When fully built, the center will develop in-house, customized underwater acoustic models and ecological risk assessment frameworks for the sources we regulate (e.g., related to offshore energy and minerals mining). It will target priority science gaps, drive policy development, and improve how BOEM communicates acoustic impact risk to all stakeholders. It will also partner with domestic and international organizations addressing these same issues. Please forward this announcement to any interested parties. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From lclance at disl.org Fri Jan 29 07:22:40 2021 From: lclance at disl.org (Lauren Clance) Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2021 09:22:40 -0600 Subject: [MARMAM] Graduate Student Symposium April 16-18 2021 - marine mammal session topics included Message-ID: Hello everyone, The Dauphin Island Sea Lab (DISL) Marine Science Graduate Student Organization would like to announce that we will be hosting a Graduate Student Symposium (GSS 2021) during the weekend of April 16th-18th! GSS is an annual conference of marine science graduate students from around the Gulf Coast who meet to present research, provide feedback, and network with others. Due to COVID-19, we have opted to hold the event virtually this year; however, this allows us to expand our range of opportunities to *all* grad students (not just those from Gulf Coast institutions) and to a wider variety of research topics, *including sessions for marine mammal research, *such as megafauna conservation. We will be holding the event as a* live virtual conference, *meaning that students will present in real-time in front of virtual audiences and receive live questions and feedback. To achieve this goal, we encourage all students, faculty and staff at research institutions and members of the press and general public to join us and participate throughout the weekend. To be a presenter, you must be either a graduate student or undergraduate, but you do not have to be a student to attend. The cost to register as a student or faculty member is $45, which will include a welcome packet and t-shirt (and abstract fee if you are a student). If you are a member of the general public or a technician or researcher that is not faculty, registration is $7.50. Included in this email is a flyer with general information and a graphic that contains session topics. Please feel free to distribute these materials to anyone that may be interested. Registration forms can be accessed at our conference website: https://whova.com/web/msgss_202104/ If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out at msgso.gss2021 at gmail.com . We look forward to hosting y'all in April! Sincerely, The DISL Marine Science Graduate Student Organization -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: GSS session topics.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 235647 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: GSS Logo flyer.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 97835 bytes Desc: not available URL: From er26 at st-andrews.ac.uk Sun Jan 31 23:55:13 2021 From: er26 at st-andrews.ac.uk (Eric Rexstad) Date: Mon, 1 Feb 2021 07:55:13 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Introductory distance sampling training 12-23April 2021; registration now open Message-ID: <58f484dc-4e82-e2aa-69f4-146b1e049852@st-andrews.ac.uk> *Interactive introductory distance sampling training* The University of St Andrews has been training marine mammalogists in design and analysis of distance sampling studies for decades.? Distance sampling methodology is widely used for population assessment of a variety of cetacean and pinniped species. ? We are offering the training workshop in 10 2.5-hour blocks in mid-April.? You will be invited to interact in short lectures on distance sampling principles. ??? Exercises analysing data sets in R will reinforce those principles and the lecturer will be available to assist during the practical session via screen sharing.? The block will conclude with a summary of the exercise and question/answer session for both lecture and exercise. ? You can participate in polls during the workshop to assess your comprehension of topics discussed. ? In addition to questions at any time during the lectures and practicals, an optional additional half hour will be set aside each session for discussion. ? The workshop will be delivered using Zoom web conferencing software along with R-Studio "in the cloud".?? You will need (free) accounts for both pieces of software. I encourage you to experiment with Zoom (at https://zoom.us) and https://rstudio.cloud before the course begins. ???? There will be an internet connection testing session prior to the first meeting on 12 April. Companion online training workshops We are planning an additional advanced distance sampling workshops in August 2021 (imperfect detection on the transect workshop and spatial modelling workshop).? These workshops will require knowledge of basic distance sampling principles derived from this introductory training workshop. Important details * ??? Workshop dates and time:? 12-23 April 2021; 1500-1730 Greenwich Mean Time. For the time of day in your zone, consult https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?msg=Introductory+Distance+Sampling+workshop&iso=20210412T15&p1=3853&ah=2&am=30 ?? * ??? Registration deadline: 23 March 2021? * ??? Enrolment limit: 15 * ??? Cost: 215 British pounds ? * ??? What is included: Lectures, exercises, code, data all available online? What they are saying I would like to say I really liked RStudio Cloud and it is working just fine and I am really enjoying using it as a student. I'm looking forward to using it as an instructor too. I really liked the first half of the course. I love distance sampling and I am enjoying every second of the course! The only thing I can say about this particular workshop is it deserves more time. -- Kaan ?zgencil, PhD student, Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara Further details are available: http://workshops.distancesampling.org/intro-apr-2021.html At this page you will find a link to the St Andrews online shop where payment is made.? After registration, I will contact you with additional details regarding workshop electronic materials, etc. Feel free to contact me with questions. Please share this notice with interested colleagues. Information regarding all distance sampling workshops can be found at https://workshops.distancesampling.org -- Eric Rexstad Centre for Ecological and Environmental Modelling University of St Andrews St Andrews is a charity registered in Scotland SC013532 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From intern at sealrescueireland.org Sun Jan 31 03:37:50 2021 From: intern at sealrescueireland.org (Brigitte Walsh) Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2021 11:37:50 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Seal Rescue Ireland Operations Manager Position Message-ID: *Seal Rescue Ireland - Operations Manager* *Background* Seal Rescue Ireland (SRI) is a registered charity (RCN 20108519) that works around the clock to rescue, rehabilitate and release seal pups found sick, injured or orphaned across the coast of Ireland. Based in Courtown, Co Wexford, as the only seal rescue centre in the Republic of Ireland, they respond to reports nationwide and aim to rehabilitate the pups back to full health so they can be returned to the wild. SRI promotes ocean conservation and sustainability through active education, community engagement and research programmes, in order to protect our marine environment and all life within. Position SRI is currently accepting applications for the Operations Manager position for a start date of *1st March 2021*. This is a full-time position with a salary, and food/accommodation in staff and volunteer housing is provided free of charge. The Operations Manager is responsible for overseeing the daily operations at Seal Rescue Ireland (SRI). SRI is a small organisation so candidates must be extremely versatile with the ability to take on multiple roles. Duties will include but are not limited to overseeing the finances, office administration, HR, Health & Safety, delegating out duties, recruiting/training new staff and volunteers, networking, programme development, and execution of its mission. The successful candidate will supervise Animal Care Managers, interns, & volunteers and will work closely with the Executive Director and senior managers to help the organisation to be as productive and efficient as possible through continuous review, problem solving and improvement of key processes, policies and procedures. This person must be passionate about the mission and be self-motivated with the ability to juggle multiple projects/tasks at once. Although the Animal Care Managers are responsible for the daily care of the seals, the Operations Manager will be involved in planning releases and other aspects that deal with animal care - yet it must be noted this position is expected to be overseeing the departments rather than directly being involved in animal care daily - but stepping in when needed or being there for advice or training new management. This position must be available to work on site. *Reporting Relationship *This position reports to the Executive Director *Full Time Position: *40 hrs/week Responsibilities - General Management Ensure smooth running of daily operations of the animal hospital, gift shop/education centre, and staff/volunteer housing. - Work closely with management team to identify improvement opportunities and create action plans - Utilise Salesforce CRM for programme management and animal database - Oversee programme management and development - Represent SRI positively at public facing and networking events - Aid in fundraising and administrative tasks - Participate in educational talks, tours and events - Assist on animal care, research, conservation projects when needed - Human Resources -Oversee scheduling, timesheets and annual leave requests of staff/volunteers -Implementing Company Handbook and employee/volunteer policies -Team Management - Schedule and facilitate team meetings and check ins - Aid in Intern/volunteer recruitment, training, evaluations and management - Delegate duties as needed - Health & Safety - Oversee, review and ensure compliance with existing policies and procedures to ensure safety of staff, volunteers and visitors - Serve as COVID-19 Health & Safety Representative - Finances -Oversee invoicing, bill payment and cash handling -Utilise Sage One accounting programme -Monitor and report on budgets across programmes -Liaise with SRI's bookkeeper, accountant and auditors to oversee and maintain financial compliance The above is not an exhaustive list of duties and you will be expected to perform different tasks as necessitated by your changing role within the organisation and the overall business objectives of the organisation. Experience and Qualities required: *Essential* - Minimum of 2 years management experience; track record of effectively leading organisations and staff. Prior experience managing volunteers is desired. - Qualification in Business Administration, Operation Management, Project Management, Communication Management, HR or similar - Experience in a growing organisation with complex processes and structures - Driven to work under own initiative with the ability to problem solve complex issues and find workable solutions - Ability to create clear measurable plans and communicate them effectively to audiences at all levels - Must be proficient in Microsoft programs such as Excel, Word and PowerPoint. - Public speaking skills are required - Ability to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people - Action-oriented, entrepreneurial, adaptable, and innovative approach to program management - Passion, idealism, integrity, positive attitude, mission-driven and self-directed. - Excellence in organisational management with the ability to coach staff, manage and develop high-performance teams, set and achieve strategic objectives and manage a budget. - The ability to multitask and handle multiple projects at once is a requirement. - Must be able and willing to delegate duties since a successful operation depends on this. - Strong written and verbal communication skills; a persuasive and passionate communicator with excellent interpersonal and multidisciplinary project skills. Fluency in English is required. - Willingness to work long, irregular hours, weekends and holidays when needed. - The role involves lifting of animals, feed and equipment. Applicant could be lifting up to 25 kg when covering for animal care. - Must be eligible to work within Ireland/EU and must be physically based in Ireland at time of hiring due to Covid-19 travel restrictions. - The Operations Manager must be thoroughly committed to SRI's mission. Desired - Interest/experience in the field of conservation, environmental protection and/or animal care - Full, clean driving license - Experience event planning, marketing, or fundraising is desired. - Advanced Degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Project Management, Communication Management, HR or similar Role details The position is full-time, 40-hour workweeks within a dynamic team. The position will be based in Courtown, Co. Wexford. Onsite accommodation is required for the first 6 months of the position. In order to facilitate this, the successful candidate will be provided with accommodation in our volunteer & staff housing at no cost. Utilities and basic groceries will also be provided. The salary will be in the region of ?22.000-?25.000 (negotiable depending on skills and experience). SRI requires flexibility around the role and staff may be asked to move between departments and locations. All staff support fundraising, communications and campaigns. These terms are subject to change. You must undergo garda vetting. The deadline for applying is February 14th and the starting date for the job would be March 1st. All applications can go to info at sealrescueireland.org *Application form:* file:///Users/mac/Downloads/2021%20Operations%20Manager%20-%20Application%20Form/2021OperationsManagerApplicationForm.html *Brigitte Walsh* Intern Coordinator | Seal Rescue Ireland Phone: 053 942 4980 Rescue hotline: 087 195 5393 Site: www.sealrescueireland.org Email: intern at sealrescueireland.org Registered Charity Number (RCN): 20108519 Address: Courtown Harbour, Co. Wexford, Ireland Visit North Wexford this Summer! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: