November 2005 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

3rd Biennial Marine Mammal Garage Sale
by Volker Deecke 03 Nov '05

03 Nov '05

Well, friends… …it’s hard to believe that two more years have passed. Florida’s manatees have spent two more winters snuggled up in the warm water plumes of nuclear power plants. California’s male sea otters have wasted two more breeding seasons trying to copulate with anything that moves. Rogue packs of killer whales have brought everything in the North Pacific two years closer to extinction. And what do we have to show for it? Two more years’ worth of clutter on our computer monitors and our mantelpieces. Two more years’ worth of thoughtful gifts from your neighbours’ trip to Cabo and your mum’s troubling addiction to eBay. Two more years for the charming objets d’art that you bought in Greensboro to begin to seem, well, not so much fun and charming, as sad, really, and two years older. Sound familiar? Do you have the very pieces of cetacean clutter described? Looking for a sucker to foist them upon and run? Search no further, and allow us to introduce: Third International Marine Mammal Extravaganza: The Orderly Garage (sale) Opportunity (TIMME: TO GO) http://www.marinemammalogy.org/conference2005/GarageSale.htm to be held at the 16th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals this December. Bring your marine mammal merchandise to our table at the conference. And, of course, when you drop off your blue whale lava lamp, who could blame you if something else catches your eye? Get in touch with your inner bower bird, and snatch up a tropical delphinid snowglobe with which to decorate your desk. Come find the very holiday gifts you are praying to eschew and give them to other, less suspecting and more vulnerable “friends” and colleagues. Volker Deecke Marine Mammal Research Unit, UBC Ari Shapiro, WHOI, Rob Williams, SMRU, University of St. Andrews P.S.: After all, we didn't go into marine mammal science for the money or the glory. Clearly, it’s for the accessories ============================================================== Volker Deecke, Ph.D. Marine Mammal Research Unit Cetacean Research Lab University of BC Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre AERL Bldg., 2202 Main Mall P.O. Box 3232 Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4 Vancouver, BC V6B 3X8 Canada Canada Phone: +1.604.822.9150 +1.604.659.3429/3430 Fax: +1.604.822.8180 +1.604.659.3599 WWW: http://www.marinemammal.org/MMRU ==============================================================

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34th EAAM Symposium
by Odobenus 02 Nov '05

02 Nov '05

Posted on behalf of Niels van Elk, President-Elect of the EAAM. Terveisin, Jaap -- Jaap van der Toorn mail: odobenus(a)rosmarus.com web: http://rosmarus.com ---- Dear Friends and Colleagues, The 34th annual conference of the European Association of Aquatic Mammals (EAAM) is scheduled from 17th until 20th of March 2005. Oltremare will host the conference on its premises in Riccione, Italy. The EAAM is an organization of people interested in marine mammals in human care, in a zoological environment or in the wild, and includes veterinarians, biologists, zoo and marine park directors and managers, trainers (husbandry professionals), researchers, students and other persons who devote a significant amount of time to the welfare of marine mammals through research, medical care, training, education, conservation, management and related activities. During the conference you can present the results of your work with marine mammals during a fifteen minute presentation or by a poster presentation. All topics related to marine mammal science and husbandry will be acceptable: conservation, education, medicine, practical aspects of husbandry, et cetera. However, for the 34th Symposium, EAAM specially encourages presentations that highlight the benefits science has from the possibility to research marine mammal populations under human care. The deadline for abstract submission is the 23rd of December 2005. An electronic abstract submission form is available on the conference website. Details on the conference program, the location, the workshop, guest speakers (Dr Sam Ridgway, Dr Joseph Geraci and Professor Guido Dehnhard), hotel reservations, registration and transportation are available on the conference website http://www.parcoltremare.it/commonfiles/eaam/eaam.php . For all your further questions please contact: Mrs Rita Tornari Oltremare Srl Via Ascoli Piceno 6 47838 Riccione (RN) Tel. ++ 39 0541-4271 Fax.++ 39 0541-427101 Looking very much forward to meeting you next spring in Riccione! Niels van Elk President Elect EAAM Strandboulevard Oost1 3841 AB Harderwijk The Netherlands Tel: ++ 31 341 467 456 E mail: eaam(a)dolfinarium.nl

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New paper on right whales off Brazil
by Karina Groch 02 Nov '05

02 Nov '05

Dear all, The following new paper is now available: Groch, K.R., J. T. Palazzo Jr., P.A.C. Flores, F.R. Adler and M.E. Fabian (2005). Recent increases in the right whale (Eubalaena australis) population off southern Brazil. LAJAM (4)1: 41-47. Abstract Right whales that gather on a wintering ground off southern Brazil have been aerial surveyed and photographically identified since 1987. As of 2003 the Brazilian Right Whale Catalogue has 315 different individual whales of which 31 were resighted in other years (23 females, 3 yearlings and 5 whales of unknown age/sex). No resightings occurred before 1994 and 71% (n=24) were recorded in 2003. The modal observed interval between calving events is 3 years, consistent with successful reproduction. From 1997 to 2003 the number of reproductive females in the Central Survey Area off Brazil increased at a rate of 29.8% per year (95% CL 15.7, 44.0) and at 14% per year (95% CL 7.1, 20.9) from 1987 to 2003. These rates are significantly different from zero (t=4.133, p<0.009 and t=4.06, p<0.004, respectively) and the increase from 1997 to 2003 is higher than the rates observed for right whales in other wintering grounds in the South Atlantic. The right whales on the Brazilian wintering ground are not just transients. Ten percent of the whales have been resighted. If the number of whales continues to increase they will probably expand their distribution throughout their historical 2,400 km range and come into increasing conflict with human activities. The pdf reprint can be downloaded from this website: http://www.baleiafranca.org.br/oprojeto/oprojeto_publicacoes.htm Karina Groch _____________________________________________ Karina R. Groch, Ph.D. Coordinator, Brazilian Right Whale Project, Projeto Baleia Franca - IWC/ Brasil Centro Nacional de Conservação da Baleia Franca Av. Atlântica, s/no., Itapirubá Norte, Caixa Postal 201 Imbituba, SC, 88780-000 Brasil Ph. +55 48 99711161 Fax. +55 48 32552922 www.baleiafranca.org.br krgroch(a)terra.com.br pesquisa(a)baleiafranca.org.br

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travel bursary for the 16th SMM Biennial Conference - San Diego
by PostmaL＠DFO-MPO.GC.CA 02 Nov '05

02 Nov '05

Call for Applications S. Innes Memorial Student Travel Bursary On May 21, 2000, the world of marine mammal research lost two talented scientists and cherished colleagues, Stuart Innes and Malcolm Ramsey. Drs. Innes and Ramsey were conducting field research near Resolute Bay, Nunavut, Canada when their helicopter crashed. Both Stuart and Malcolm are remembered with affection and admiration for their boundless energy and devotion to their scientific endeavours in the Arctic. Stuart was a vocal advocate for supporting students in their efforts to develop a career in Arctic marine mammal research. He believed that the Biennial Marine Mammal Conferences hosted by the Society for Marine Mammalogy were a good opportunity for young researchers to learn, network, and develop enthusiasm from the leaders in the field. As a tribute to Stuart, friends and colleagues have established the "S. Innes Memorial Student Travel Bursary" to help support a student's travel to this conference each time it is held. The award is open to post-secondary students conducting marine mammal research in the Arctic. Applications should consist of the following: the student's name, affiliated institution, name and address of supervisor plus one additional reference, level (MSc or PhD) and year of study, and a letter of no more than 400 words describing the project and how the student would benefit from the award. A selection committee of Stuart's colleagues will review the applications and select one winner. The committee's decision is final. After the conference, a brief report should be submitted summarizing how the student benefited from the conference experience. The award this year is $1000.00 CDN. Also, in honor of the award of this bursary, the student will be presented with a commemorative plaque at the conference. Questions and applications should be sent by email to Lianne Postma at <mailto:PostmaL@dfo-mpo.gc.ca> PostmaL(a)dfo-mpo.gc.ca or mailed to the address below no later than November 16, 2005. Lianne Postma 204-984-4628 ï fascimile/télécopieur 204-984-2403 <mailto:PostmaL@dfo-mpo.gc.ca> PostmaL(a)dfo-mpo.gc.ca Population Genetics/Stock Assessment Biologist ï Biologiste de la génétique moléculaire Central and Arctic Region ï Région du Centre et de l'Arctique Fisheries and Oceans Canada ï Pêche et Océans Canada 501 University Crescent Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3T 2N6

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