October 2007 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

IUCN MARINE BIODIVERSITY INTERN VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT October 19 deadline
by Sonsoles Sanroman 11 Oct '07

11 Oct '07

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT MARINE BIODIVERSITY INTERN IUCN MEDITERREANEAN MARINE PROGRAMME Duty station: IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation, Malaga, Spain Reporting to: Marine Biodiversity Specialist of the Global Marine Programme Expected start date: October 29, 2007, 6 months initially, with possibility of extension for another 6 months INTRODUCTION The World Conservation Union (IUCN) is seeking a motivated individual to join its Mediterranean Marine Program to address Marine Biodiversity and Conservation issues. The post will be based in Malaga, Spain and it will be supervised technically by Dr. Ameer Abdulla, Marine Biodiversity Specialist of the Global Marine Program. The Assistant / Intern will assist in implementing an IUCN Mediterranean Marine Biodiversity Program. The Program is a multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional effort to develop innovative Marine Research and Conservation for Biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea. This program is implemented by regional research and management institutions in partnership with the global technical working groups of IUCN (include the Species Survival Commission, the World Commission on Protected Areas, and the Ecosystem Management Commission). The overall aim is to build a globally linked, regionally implemented conservation and management program based on sound marine science and policy. The Marine Biodiversity Intern will support the development and the implementation of work at the regional level to meet the strategic goals defined for the Marine Programme in partnership with key IUCN members and regional organisations. TECHNICAL RESPONSIBILITIES • Assisting in organizing and undertaking Centre initiatives and activities relevant to the Marine Biodiversity Group o Undertaking tasks to ensure the effective implementation of the programme o Activities will relate to Marine Reserves and Protected Areas, Understanding Impacts to Marine Biodiversity, and Developing Marine Biodiversity Offsets • Communicating effectively and persuasively, orally and in writing o Drafting and publishing project reports in appropriate languages and feeding results into IUCN communication outputs. o Updating webpage of the Marine Biodiversity Group • Assisting in enhancing and maintaining the library of the Marine Biodiversity Group o Entering titles in the library-database and regular updating with latest scientific and technical literature REQUIREMENTS The successful candidate will either hold or be near gaining a Bachelors of Science (Bsc.) or Arts (BA) in some area of marine biology / ecology, conservation, policy, or resource management; environmental science, geography, resource dependency, social resilience, or socio-economics of coastal communities preferably with some experience in developing countries. Candidates must demonstrate excellent written and spoken Spanish, French, English, Arabic, or a combination of at least two. Experience in team-based, multidisciplinary, international research, fundraising, coordination, and management is a plus. Computer literacy (word processing, spreadsheets, powerpoint) are expected with statistical and or spatial analysis skills a plus. APPLICATIONS Interested candidates who meet the qualification requirements are requested to submit at the latest by October 19th, 2007 their curriculum vitae, a supporting letter of motivation in English, and the names and contact details of two referees, including one recent employer. Applications by email are preferred. They should be sent only to the following email address: Human Resources Officer The World Conservation Union (IUCN) IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation Fax: +34 -952 028 145 E-mail: uicnmed(a)iucn.org

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Fw: Research Assistant Position at the Vancouver Aquarium
by Lance Barrett-Lennard 10 Oct '07

10 Oct '07

The Cetacean Research Laboratory at the Vancouver Aquarium has an opening for a marine mammal research assistant. The successful candidate will assist with various research activities including data entry, database management, data analysis, technical writing, grant writing and grant administration. He or she will also play a primary role in the operation of the BC Cetacean Sightings Network and assist with an educational outreach program. Applicants must be qualified to fill open-ended positions in Canada, which normally means being a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. For more information, please go to http://www.vanaqua.org/workthatmatters/ResearchAssistantOt07.html. Closing date: Oct 18 2007 Lance Barrett-Lennard, PhD Head, Cetacean Research Program, Vancouver Aquarium

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FW: Post-Doc Research Fellow - Marine Vertebrate Research (University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus)
by Godley, Brendan 10 Oct '07

10 Oct '07

Postdoctoral Research Fellow Biodiversity Impacts of the Wave Hub Project (Marine Vertebrates) School of Biosciences Ref. S73N1320 A postdoctoral research fellow is sought to carry out research within a multi-disciplinary project based around the establishment of the WaveHub, an offshore wave energy generating facility in the waters off North Cornwall. This new full-time post is available immediately on a fixed term basis until 31 March 2010. Based at the University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, the Research Fellow will lead research on cetaceans, seabirds, seals and basking sharks. Work will be carried out under the supervision of Drs Brendan Godley, Stuart Bearhop, Annette Broderick and David Hodgson but the successful candidate will also work closely with other staff from the Universities of Exeter and Plymouth. The successful candidate will have a clearly established track record of publishing in peer reviewed ecological journals and will preferably have demonstrable project management and fund-raising skills. The ability to work both independently and within a team is also essential. Applicants should also have marine vertebrate ID skills, experience in advanced statistics and modelling and be able to drive. Experience in remote cetacean monitoring, distance sampling and the ability to handle boats, use GPS and GIS would be an advantage. Salary will be circa £29,000 pa depending on knowledge, skills and experience. Informal enquiries can be sent to Dr Brendan Godley, e-mail B.J.Godley(a)ex.ac.uk. To apply, CVs and a covering letter with the contact details of three referees should be sent to Dr Brendan Godley, Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9EZ, quoting the job reference (S73N1320). The closing date for completed applications is 22 October 2007. More details on jobs.ac.uk http://www.jobs.ac.uk/jobs/SI863/Postdoctoral_Research_Fellow/ Dr. Brendan J. Godley Senior Lecturer in Conservation Biology Centre for Ecology & Conservation School of Biosciences University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus TR10 9EZ, UK Tel: +44 1326 371 861 Editor-in-Chief, Endangered Species Research <http://www.int-res.com/journals/esr/> Homepage <http://www.seaturtle.org/mtrg/>

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Faculty position available
by heithaus＠fiu.edu 09 Oct '07

09 Oct '07

Faculty Position, Florida International University Assistant Professor: Marine Biology The Department of Biological Sciences at Florida International University invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position in Marine Biology. The successful applicant will participate in building a new Marine Sciences Program housed in our recently completed Marine Science building at our Biscayne Bay Campus. The candidate will develop an extramurally funded research program with excellence in research, teaching, and mentoring of graduate students. The area of research expertise is open, though the Marine Science Program has a core focus on coastal ecosystems. Teaching duties will include an upper division course entitled Marine Biology and Oceanography, and courses in the successful candidate’s specialty. Ph.D. and postdoctoral experience are required. Please submit a curriculum vitae, statements of research and teaching interests, and have three letters of reference sent to Dr. Michael Heithaus, Chair, Marine Biology Search Committee, Marine Sciences Program, 3000 N.E. 151st Street, Florida International University, North Miami, FL 33181 To assure consideration, applications should be postmarked by November 15, 2007. For more information, visit our webpage (http://www.fiu.edu/~marine/) Florida International University is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access/Affirmative Action Employer.

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Environmental Studies/Coastal Management tenure-track position
by Alison Ormsby 09 Oct '07

09 Oct '07

Deadline approaching - Oct. 19. This is a social science (not natural science) position. Environmental Studies. Coastal Management. Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies, tenure-track position, to start in September 2008. Ph.D. required. We seek someone to contribute to our thriving interdisciplinary environmental studies program whose expertise is in coastal policy, planning and/or management. The ideal candidate will have an environmentally related degree, be an excellent teacher and active researcher. Teach seven courses per academic year, including introduction to environmental studies, sophomore level coastal management, applied statistics, and other coastal-related classes in candidate?s area of expertise, to help shape potential new minor in coastal management. Participation in an interdisciplinary, values-oriented general education program is required, including a regular rotation in the two-semester freshman program. Eckerd College, the only independent national liberal arts college in Florida, has a tradition of innovative education and teaching/mentoring excellence and is located directly on the Gulf of Mexico. Send a letter of application, vita, teaching evaluations, statement of teaching philosophy, graduate and undergraduate transcripts, and three letters of recommendation by October 19, 2007 to Dr. Alison Ormsby, Eckerd College (BES), 4200 54th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33711. ormsbyaa(a)eckerd.edu. EOE. --------------------------------------------------------------------- This mail sent via Eckerd College Webmail : https://webmail.eckerd.edu

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turtle and whale barnacle publication
by caretta05＠aol.com 08 Oct '07

08 Oct '07

All, I'd like to point you in the direction of a new publication entitled 'A Synopsis of the Literature on the Turtle Barnacles (Cirripedia: Balanomorpha: Coronuloidea), 1758-2007' by the Epibiont Research Cooperative. While the monograph deals particularly with barnacles from sea turtles, there is also a review and taxonomic descriptions of the species collected from cetaceans and pinnipeds as well. The publication can be obtained by going to: http://www.seaturtle.org/documents/ERC-SP1.pdf Best, Michael Frick Caretta Research Project Epibiont Research Cooperative ________________________________________________________________________ Email and AIM finally together. You've gotta check out free AOL Mail! - http://mail.aol.com

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Dolphin Research Internship - Charleston, SC
by Richard Defran 08 Oct '07

08 Oct '07

From: "Dr. R.H. Defran" rh.defran(a)gmail.com The Marine Mammal and Protected Resources (MMPR) Program in Charleston, South Carolina is recruiting to fill two Dolphin Photo-identification Internship positions for the Spring of 2008. The MMPR is organized within NOAA's National Ocean Service and is located at the Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research (CCEHBR) laboratory in Charleston, SC. The intern position involves a commitment of 20 hours per week extending over a 15 week period from Monday, January 7, 2008 to Friday, April 18, 2008. The intern will participate in the field and laboratory activities of the Charleston Dolphin Abundance and Distribution Project (CDAD). Three useful sources of information about the CDAD project are: 1) Zolman, E. 2002. Residence patterns of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Stono River estuary, Charleston County, South Carolina. Marine Mammal Science 18:879-892; and 2) The Charleston Dolphin Abundance and Distribution (CDAD) Project: Standard Operating Protocols (SOP) for Field and Photographic Analysis Procedures; and 3) Speakman, T., E. Zolman, J. Adams, R.H. Defran, D. Laska, L. Schwacke, J. Craigie, and P. Fair. 2006. Temporal and spatial aspects of bottlenose dolphin occurrence in coastal and estuarine waters near Charleston, South Carolina. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 37. You can download pdf versions of these documents at the web sites listed below. The CDAD project carries out boat-based photo-identification surveys in the coastal and inland waterways of the Charleston SC area. This research is designed to provide an understanding of the population characteristics, including temporal and spatial aspects of the distribution, of Charleston area Atlantic bottlenose dolphins. The internship offers an excellent opportunity for qualified and motivated individuals to obtain field and laboratory training in photo-identification methodology and analysis under the mentorship of experienced dolphin researchers. There is no compensation for this internship position and the successful applicant will be responsible for their living and transportation expenses during the time of the internship. During the internship interns must have a personal vehicle to allow them to travel to and from the laboratory and to some of the local field sites in the Charleston area. Ideal internship applicants will be advanced undergraduates or a recent graduate of a scientifically oriented university program in the behavioral or biological sciences. A typical applicant should have a strong interest in the scientific study of cetacean behavioral ecology, have potential interests in future graduate study in marine mammal science, and is an individual who seeks extensive and intensive exposure to the field work, data analysis techniques, and research literature in this field. Preference will be given to the selection of an intern with well developed computer skills and boat-based field experience. The internship application will consist of a letter of interest, transcripts of university coursework and two letters of recommendation from professors or research supervisors who are familiar with your scholarship, research skills and work habits. Interested applicants should first correspond with Dr. Defran by email before preparing and submitting application materials. We anticipate filling this internship position by late November 2007. Interested applicants should correspond by email to: Dr. R.H. Defran Email: rh.defran(a)gmail.com Defran Home Page: http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/CBL/Director.html Zolman .pdf download: http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/classes/psychology/psy211/defran/CDAD/Zolman2002.pdf CDAD SOP .pdf download: http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/classes/psychology/psy211/defran/CDAD/CDAD_Internsh… Speakman et. al. pdf download: http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/classes/psychology/psy211/defran/CDAD/Speakman_et_a…

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SMM Peruvian Relief Fund
by Andy Read 08 Oct '07

08 Oct '07

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Humpback whale presence in Bali, Indonesia
by Putu Liza 07 Oct '07

07 Oct '07

Reef Check Indonesia Press release Evidence of humpback whale presence in Bali, Indonesia Denpasar, October 5, 2007 Last Tuesday 2 October 2007 at 10am, a 6m whale lost its way offshore the Tanah Lot beach in Tabanan, Bali, entangled in drifted gillnets. Local villagers and government officials decided to haul the whale to the neighbouring Kedungu Beach and cut the nets there. After a few hours of rescue, the whale was finally set free and swam back to the sea around 2pm in the afternoon. However, despite all the uproar, the species ID of the whale was still in question; some sources identified the whale as blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus); a newspaper even named it pygmy killer whale (Feresa attenuata). Yet, the whale was actually a baby humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae or 'paus bongkok' in Indonesian), possibly separated from its mother while travelling. The humpback whale is a threatened species classified as 'Vulnerable' by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources). But the most interesting thing is that this stranding event is the first evidence of humpback whale presence in Indonesia. In their 1997 paper ('Preliminary checklist of cetacea in the Indonesian Archipelago and adjacent waters') in the Zoologische Verhandelingen journal, Rudolph, Smeenk and Leatherwood decided that 'Pending irrefutable evidence, we regard the occurrence of three species as still unconfirmed: Stenella coeruleoalba, Balaenoptera acutorostrata and Megaptera novaeangliae.' Hence, the Tuesday stranding event and photographic evidence of the whale confirms that Indonesia does have humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) roaming its archipelagic waters. Humpback whales are classified as baleen whales (sub order Mysticetes), i.e. having baleen or comb-like keratin plates in lieu of teeth to filter seawater for food. Together with blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus), fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), sei whales (Balaenoptera borealis), Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera edeni), and minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), humpback whales belong to the family Balaenopteridae, also known as Rorquals. Yet, humpback whale is the only member of genus Megaptera, unlike other Rorquals that belong to genus Balaenoptera. The humpback whale is characterised by: knobs on head and lower jaw; distinctive, long flippers (upper side flippers are white for Atlantic humpback and black for Pacific humpback, under side flippers are white for both Atlantic and Pacific); irregular, wavy edges on flukes; and large, stocky body that is distinctively different from the streamlined body of other Rorquals. The shape of their flukes is used for individual identification. In Australia, humpback whales regularly conduct north-south migrations from Antarctica to Hervey Bay and Great Barrier Reef (eastern shores of Australia) and from Antarctica to Shark Bay and Ningaloo (western shores of Australia). Did the baby whale and its mother originate from one of the Western Australia pods? Or do they belong to other humpback pods, still unknown to cetacean (whale and dolphin) researchers in Indonesia? One thing is clear: more research is required to understand this magnificent species, often characterised by the elaborate singing performance by the males to attract the females. Another thing is also clear: Indonesia should be proud. The presence of humpback whale in the Archipelago, its existence long pondered and questioned, is just confirmed. By Putu Liza (Icha) and Pariama Hutasoit @ Reef Check Indonesia 2007 For more information, please contact: Pariama Hutasoit Reef Check Tourism and Education Program Manager Tel. : 0361-7981390 E-mail: phutasoit(a)reefcheck.org Or Putu Liza (putu.liza(a)jcu.edu.au)

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question on young Delphinus delphis
by Manuel Garcia Hartmann 06 Oct '07

06 Oct '07

We would be interested to learn if anybody has information at which age neonate Delphinus delphis loose their birth stripes and when their complete dentition is erupted. This information would aid us to estimate the age of a stranding which is currently being rehabilitated. Many thanks in advance for any answer to the list or to me privately, Manuel García Hartmann, DVM Manuel(a)zoo-vet.de

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