April 2006 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

How Baleen Whales Eat
by Catherine Fox 06 Apr '06

06 Apr '06

To Whom It May Concern: I am an educator at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, CA. I had a quick question regarding how baleen whales feed. There have been questions from some aquarium guests about how baleen whales actually eat - how they strain the water out through the baleen. Apparently a few new studies have come out that indicate these whales don't push the water out with their tongue (which is what I was taught), but that they actually open and close their ventral grooves - like an accordion - to passively push the water out through the baleen. Would you know if these new findings are true? Is there anyone else you recommend I speak with? Thanks for your help! Sincerely, Catherine Fox Education Specialist Aquarium of the Pacific 100 Aquarium Way Long Beach, CA 90802 Tel: (562) 951-1704 Fax: (562) 951-3152 cfox(a)lbaop.org www.aquariumofpacific.org ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º>¸. `·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸·´¯`·.. ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> --------------------------------- Blab-away for as little as 1¢/min. Make PC-to-Phone Calls using Yahoo! Messenger with Voice.

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Aquatics Symposium at Tufts Veterinary School
by Emily F Christiansen 04 Apr '06

04 Apr '06

Greetings MARMAMers! For those of you in the New England area, we'd like to extend an invitation to our annual symposium at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in Grafton, Massachusetts. Our theme this year is Marine and Aquatic Medicine and Conservation, and we have some terrific speakers coming in for it. This is a one-day symposium held on Saturday, April 22, from 8am until around 5pm, followed by a short reception. The student fee for attendance is $5, and non-students is $10. Continental breakfast, lunch, and the reception is included - we only ask that you pre-register by emailing waze.symposium(a)yahoo.com so we can make sure we have enough for everyone. See speakers and additional information below. Please contact the email address above or myself directly with any questions. Directions to campus can be found at the website http://vet.tufts.edu Hope to see you there! Emily ChristiansenDVM/MPH Class of 2008 Vice President, WAZE (Wildlife, Aquatics, Zoo, Exotics Club) emily.christiansen(a)tufts.edu CUMMINGS SCHOOL OF VETERINARY MEDICINE AT TUFTS UNIVERSITY WAZE and Veterinarians for Global Solutions Keynote address: Martin Haulena, DVM, MS Vancouver Aquarium Vancouver, BC, Canada Steven Roberts, PhD Marine Biological Laboratory Woods Hole, MA Erica Miller, DVM TriState Bird Rescue & Research Newark, DE Helen Roberts, DVM Aquatic Veterinary Services of WNY Orchard Park, NY Michael Moore, MA,VetMB, MRCVS, PhD Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Woods Hole, MA Roxanna Smolowitz, DVM, PhD Marine Biological Laboratory Woods Hole,MA Scott Weber, MSc,VMD New England Aquarium Boston, MA REGISTRATION FEE: $5 FOR TUFTS STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF / $10 GENERAL PUBLIC Continuing education credits for veterinarians available for additional fee Please contact waze.symposium(a)yahoo.com with questions. To pre-register, please email name, address, institution and phone number to: waze.symposium(a)yahoo.com WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO THE DR. SCHOLL FOUNDATION FOR THEIR GENEROUS FINANCIAL SUPPORT.

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"Los Farallones" Farallon Islands blog from PRBO
by Russ Bradley 04 Apr '06

04 Apr '06

I thought folks might be interested in our new web log for the Farallones: www.losfarallones.blogspot.com/ This focuses on PRBO's long term research on the Farallon Islands, 27 miles west off San Francisco - a component of which involves demographic studies of northern elephant seals, with work on other pinnipeds as well. This is an attempt to get more Farallon info out in the public forum and hopefully help with fundraising. There is updated info about research and "island living", pictures, and video from the field. There are great video clips of elephant seal bull fights and a pup being born from this past winter. Most of the current content is from the winter, focusing on elephant seals, but we will continue to update directly from the island through the seabird season - about once every 2 weeks. (Likely no more than that due to schedule constraints) Russ Bradley ********************************** Russell Bradley, M.Sc. Farallon Program Manager Marine Ecology Division PRBO Conservation Science 4990 Stinson Beach, CA 94970 Tel: 415-868-1221 ext.314 Fax: 415-868-1946

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seal water quality
by richard saunders 04 Apr '06

04 Apr '06

Following installation of new pumping equipment, we are currently reevaluating our water quality testing protocols, and wondered what is new and exciting in this field. We rehabilitate up to 150 seals per year, and have the option of both fresh and salt water pools for them, of varying sizes. What parameters are people measuring to assess water quality? What test kits do people use? If anyone deals with similar systems in zoos, rehab facilities or aquaria, ie fairly large numbers of (very messy eating) seals/sealions and wouldn't mind if I picked their brains, please would they contact me off list? Richard Saunders RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre

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New publications week 12
by Jan Herrmann 03 Apr '06

03 Apr '06

Dear all, here are some new publications of week 12 / 2006, which haven't been announced on MARMAM earlier AFAIK. By clicking the following link you are guided to a website, where the following references are linked to their according journal homepages. There you can find abstracts and contact information: http://www.mmbib.com/news.html Please do not contact MARMAM, the MARMAM editors or me for reprints. Thank you. Kindest Regards, Jan Herrmann CETACEA McKinney, M.A. et al. (2006): Biotransformation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polychlorinated biphenyls in beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) and rat mammalian model using an in vitro hepatic microsomal assay. Aquatic Toxicology 77(1): 87-97. Bailey, H. and P. Thompson (2006): Quantitative analysis of bottlenose dolphin movement patterns and their relationship with foraging. Journal of Animal Ecology 75(2): 456-465. Huggenberger, S. et al. (2006): Histological analysis of the nasal roof cartilage in a neonate sperm whale ( Physeter macrocephalus - Mammalia, Odontoceti). Zoologischer Anzeiger - A Journal of Comparative Zoology 244(3-4): 229-238. PINNIPEDIA Austin, D. et al. (2006): Stomach temperature telemetry reveals temporal patterns of foraging success in a free-ranging marine mammal. Journal of Animal Ecology 75(2): 408-420. Fowler, S.L. et al. (2006): Ontogeny of diving behaviour in the Australian sea lion: trials of adolescence in a late bloomer. Journal of Animal Ecology 75(2): 358-367. -- --> jan.herrmann -at - cetacea.de

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Marine mammal samples available for research.
by Katie R. Pugliares 03 Apr '06

03 Apr '06

The Cape Cod Stranding Network, Inc. (CCSN) in Massachusetts responds to hundreds of marine mammal strandings every year. The high species diversity in the surrounding waters off the Cape allows for the unique opportunity to collectinvaluable information on the biology and ecology of many marine animals. CCSNhas collected an ample amount of samples suitable for life history, genetic, and contaminants research. Samples are available for the following species: Atlantic white sided dolphin, L. acutus Common dolphin, D. Delphis Harbor porpoise, P. phocoena Humpback whale, M. novaeangliae (limited samples) Long finned pilot whale, G. melas Minke whale, B. acutorostrata (limited samples) Risso's dolphin, G. griseus (limited samples) Gray seal, H. grypus Harbor seal, P. vitulina Harp seal, P. groenlandica Hooded seal, C. cristata If interested in using any of these samples in future research please contact: Katie Pugliares Necropsy Coordinator The Cape Cod Stranding Network, Inc Buzzard's Bay, MA 02532 katiep(a)capecodstranding.net (774) 836- 5573

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Book announcement: Whale by Joe Roman
by Harriett Green 03 Apr '06

03 Apr '06

New from Reaktion Books' Animal Series: WHALE by Joe Roman ISBN: 1-86189-246-2 US$19.95 25 color plates, 75 halftones Publication date: May 1, 2006 Published by Reaktion Books, distributed by the University of Chicago Press WHALE explores the role cetaceans have played in history, the human imagination, and the oceans themselves. The largest animals to have lived on earth, whales inspire awe: the longest individual on record measured more than 33 meters, and a blue whale's tongue alone can weigh more than an African elephant. Whales have also inspired greed. At the height of industrial whaling, more than 60,000 whales were removed from the oceans each year. It wasn't until humans brought these diving mammals to the brink of extinction that we truly appreciated their charisma, intelligence, even culture as revealed in song. This book shows how our perceptions and relationships regarding this animal have changed over the centuries. From the tales of Jonah and Brendan the Navigator to Moby Dick and the modern debate over whaling, WHALE considers the role of cetaceans in human history, mythology, art, literature, commerce, and science. The illustrations range from Stone Age carvings to Victorian whaling prints to the latest full-color underwater photographs. This book will appeal to whale watchers as well as marine historians and anyone studying cultural history and the natural sciences. For more information: http://www.press.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/hfs.cgi/00/167706.ctl Maria Kilcoyne, maria(a)reaktionbooks.co.uk Harriett Green, hg(a)press.uchicago.edu Joe Roman is available for readings, lectures, and interviews. Please contact Harriett Green at hg(a)press.uchicago.edu or (773) 702-4217, or Maria Kilcoyne at maria(a)reaktionbooks.co.uk or +44 (0)20 7253 1071 for more information.

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Bottlenose dolphin Photo-id Catalogue Officer
by CBMWC 01 Apr '06

01 Apr '06

Bottlenose dolphin Photo-id Catalogue Officer - Volunteer position with the Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre We require a dedicated, responsible volunteer to help manage the Bottlenose dolphin photo-identification catalogue for 2006. This will involve analysing and comparing a large number of photo-id images and matching these to our existing database. This position is available from mid/late April until October 2006, a commitment for a minimum of 5 Months is preferred for this position. . Main responsibility will be to oversee the cataloguing of the bottlenose dolphin photo-id catalogue and matching individuals to previous year's images. (Our 2005 catalogue is available to download off our website by following the link, (http://www.cbmwc.org/current_res/photo-idcatalogue.htm) . Be involved in the creation of the 2006 season catalogue. . Conduct talks on the photo-identification work conducted at the CBMWC to interested parties. You will work closely alongside other research volunteers at the CBMWC and you will also be involved in the following: Boat Based Work . Assist with boat based photo identification surveys. . Assist with collection of data on marine mammals & other wildlife in Cardigan Bay . Act as a marine mammal "lookout". . Educate passengers about the wildlife in Cardigan Bay. . Assist with other ongoing projects at our centre including opportunistic jellyfish surveys and sunfish surveys amongst others. . Help crew research vessel, Sulaire. Land-based work . Assist with the day-to-day operation of our Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife visitor centre, including staffing the front desk, taking boat bookings and answering enquiries. . Advise visitors to the centre and the public about the Marine Wildlife in Cardigan Bay and the work that is being conducted. . Help develop the facilities at the Marine Wildlife Centre. . Creation and regular updating of our website pages with sightings and other information. . Conduct land based surveys from New Quay in conjunction with Ceredigion County Council. . Record sightings information, update sightings boards in our centre and central database with information gained from our boat and land based research surveys. . Develop ideas for refurbishment of the CBMWC, what materials etc. could be displayed in the centre, including interactive materials, touch tanks, interpretation boards etc. . Develop ideas for articles for other publications including CBMWC newsletter & website. . Train new volunteers in collection of data and survey work. . Help develop Fundraising ideas Desired skills/qualifications: . Fluency in English (essential). . Willingness to work in a conscientious, responsible and reliable manner. . Enthusiastic and hard working. . An interest in wildlife and conservation. . An interest and knowledge of British cetaceans would be an advantage. . A background in biology, particularly marine biology/environmental science. . A background in environmental interpretation or education and experience working with children is desirable. . Experience working with the public, and public speaking would be useful. . Excellent verbal and written communication skills. . IT skills. This position is available from mid/late April until October 2006, commitment for a minimum of 5 Months is required for this position. Accommodation can be arranged for committed volunteers (approx 45 - 50GBP per week). Volunteers are responsible for their own food, travel and accommodation costs. For further information about the work we do please visit - www.cbmwc.org To apply: Please contact us by email at volunteer(a)cbmwc.org and include a copy of your CV detailing your background and relevant experience together with a covering letter indicating when and how long you are available to volunteer. Alternatively post your application to: Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre Patent Slip Building Glanmor Terrace New Quay Ceredigion SA45 9PS West Wales (UK) Tel: +44 (0) 1545 560032/ (0) 7796135490 www.cbmwc.org

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Tethys - whale and dolphin courses in the Mediterranean
by Giovanni Bearzi 01 Apr '06

01 Apr '06

Since 1990 the Tethys Research Institute organises courses dedicated to those who are willing to contribute to research and conservation campaigns in the Mediterranean Sea. The courses are either boat-based (Pelagos Sanctuary) or land-based (Ionian Greece). Participants are involved in activities including data collection at sea with advanced methodologies, and informal lectures by experienced researchers. Information can be found under "Whale and dolphin field courses" at: <http://www.tethys.org> An idea of the settings is given by extensive Photo Albums. Background by Tethys is documented inter alia in the Publications section. _________________________________ Giovanni Bearzi, Ph.D. bearzi(a)inwind.it President, Tethys Research Institute Viale G.B Gadio 2, 20121 Milano, Italy tel. +39 0272001947; fax +39 0286995011 http://www.tethys.org/ http://www.tethys.org/giovanni_bearzi.htm _________________________________

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