December 2011 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

SURVEY ON WHALING VERSUS WHALE-WATCHING IN ICELAND: VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
by chiara bertulli 20 Dec '11

20 Dec '11

SURVEY ON WHALING VERSUS WHALE-WATCHING IN ICELAND: VOLUNTEERS NEEDED WHAT: Volunteers are needed for the year 2012 to assist in collaborating with a Ph.D. student working on a survey about whaling and whale-watching in Iceland. This is a research project being conducted along the southwest (Reykjavík and Keflavík areas) in collaboration with the Faxaflói Cetacean Research project (www.faxa-cetacean.org) Elding whale-watching (www.elding.is) WDCS (www.wdcs.org) and the University of Iceland (www.hi.is) WHERE: Reykjavik is the capital of Iceland and it has become a Mecca for ecotourists who want to enjoy the unique Icelandic landscape (geyser and the many waterfalls), learn about its culture, do bird-watching (many are the birds species among which the most common are auks, gulls, fulmars, shearwaters, gannets, terns, skuas) and see whales and dolphins (most common species are minke, humpback, fin and blue whales, white-beaked dolphins and harbour porpoises). Whale-watching activities, one of the fastest growing sectors of the world tourism market, began in Iceland in 1990, and have enjoyed over 250% annual growth in recent years. Iceland rejoined the IWC in 2002 and started scientific whaling the following year. Although Iceland’s scientific whaling programme provided no immediate monetary benefits, nevertheless, Iceland resumed commercial whaling on 17th October 2006. Since 2009 the Faxaflói Cetacean Research has been collaborating with a local whale-watching company, WCDS and the University of Iceland in order to learn more about who tourists (visiting Iceland) are and where they stand on issues such as whaling, whale-watching and whale meat consumption. WHEN: Team I: June 1 – June 10, 2012 Team II: June 12 – July 22, 2012 Team III: July 24 – August 2, 2012 Team IV: August 4 – August 14, 2012 Team V: August 16 – August 26, 2012 Team VI: August 28 – September 6, 2012 CONDITIONS: In both Reykjavík and Keflavík, volunteers are asked to distribute a pre-designed questionnaires in the following locations: (i) at the Keflavík International airport (ii) Reykjavik Bus Terminal (iii) Reykjavik City Hostel (iv) Reykjavik Harbour (v) Reykjavik Information Centres. Unfortunately, these positions are not paid and the successful candidates have to be able to cover their own travel expenses, travel insurance, food and other personal expenses. Accommodation is not provided but we can help finding you places in downtown Reykjavik at a cheap/moderate price (from a minimum of 126 euros per 10 days of stay). Transportation to and from Keflavík will be covered for each participant. There are possibilities for students to develop their own academic projects using data collected during their stay (please contact Chiara G. Bertulli for more information). DUTIES: Applicants should be ready to work long hours and be expected to participate in the following duties: - data collection - data entry QUALIFICATIONS: - possibility to bring your own Laptop is much preferred - be enthusiastic, hard-working, team oriented, able to share small living space on board - be adaptable, flexible and patient as fieldwork is highly weather dependent - have good English language skills HOW TO APPLY: CV or resume should include the following: - details of your availability (Team no.) - contact details of two referees - a brief description of yourself including your interest in this project and what you hope to gain from this experience Send applications to Chiara Giulia Bertulli: Chiara G. Bertulli (Ph.D. student) University of Iceland Biology Department Náttúrfræðahús/Askja Sturlugata 7 101 Reykjavik Iceland E-mail: ciarabertulli(a)yahoo.it Mobile: +354-8618307 Skype: chiara.giulia.bertulli Website: www.faxa-cetacean.org

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new publication Body and self in dolphins
by Louis Herman 19 Dec '11

19 Dec '11

The following article, Body an Self in Dolphins, a review of self-awareness in dolphins as manifested in body awareness, is now available on-line in the journal, Consciousness and Cognition: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/10538100 under the section "Articles in Press." Those of you who can access the journal and the article via your electronic library will also have access to the supplementary material, which consists of five video clips illustrating the paradigms used to examine the dolphin's conscious awareness of its own body parts, its own behaviors, and the behaviors of others. For those who cannot access the journal, please send me an email and I will be happy to forward you a PDF of the article, although the supplementary videos will not be included. The citation is: Herman, L. M. (2011, in press). Body and self in dolphins. Consciousness and Cognition. doi:10.1016/j.concog.2011.10.005. Abstract: In keeping with recent views of consciousness of self as represented in the body in action, empirical studies are reviewed that demonstrate a bottlenose dolphin's (Tursiops truncatus) conscious awareness of its own body and body parts, implying a representational ''body image'' system. Additional work reviewed demonstrates an advanced capability of dolphins for motor imitation of self-produced behaviors and of behaviors of others, including imitation of human actions, supporting hypotheses that dolphins have a sense of agency and ownership of their actions and may implicitly attribute those levels of self-awareness to others. Possibly, a mirror-neuron system, or its functional equivalent to that described in monkeys and humans, may mediate both self-awareness and awareness of others. Wishing everyone the best for the holiday season and for the New Year! Louis M. Herman, Ph.D. Emeritus Professor, University of Hawaii lherman(a)hawaii.edu

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Release of report from July 2010 Marine Mammals and Sound Workshop
by Lewandowski, Jill 19 Dec '11

19 Dec '11

In July 2010, the U.S. government sponsored an interactive Marine Mammals and Sound Workshop with governmental and non-governmental stakeholders to solicit input on key issues related to (1) marine mammals and anthropogenic noise effects analysis and (2) monitoring and mitigation measures development. The meeting was organized and co-chaired by the Department of the Navy, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and was sponsored by the U.S. Committee on Ocean Policy Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology. Participants represented the marine mammal research community, including federal government, academic institutions, independent science corporations and organizations, non-governmental organizations, and industry, who had an existing understanding of anthropogenic sound and marine mammals and were active in research, policy development and other fields to address this issue. The agenda allowed for interactive discussions (rather than an emphasis on presentations) with most of the time spent in small discussion groups followed by plenary sessions. Discussions were conducted in four topical areas, including: (1) biologically significant effects of sound exposure (baseline data and assessment); (2) understanding and reducing sound generation and propagation; (3) acoustic behavioral harassment criteria and methodologies for cumulative effects analysis and mitigation; and (4) improving monitoring technology and methodologies. The final report and workshop recommendations are available electronically at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/mammals_sound_workshop.htm. This website also includes detailed notes and plenary presentations from the workshop. Any questions on the contents of this report can be directed to: Jill Lewandowski (BOEM) at jill.lewandowski(a)boem.gov ; Jolie Harrison (NOAA) at jolie.harrison(a)noaa.gov <mailto:jolie.harrison@noaa.gov> ; or Robin Fitch (US Navy) at robin.fitch(a)navy.mil.

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New article on in situ gas sampling in cetaceans
by Yara Bernaldo de Quirós Miranda 19 Dec '11

19 Dec '11

Dear All We are pleased to announce the recent publication of the following paper: “Methodology for *in situ* gas sampling, transport and laboratory analysis of gases from stranded cetaceans” by Bernaldo de Quirós, Y.; González-Díaz, Ó.; Saavedra, P.; Arbelo, M.; Sierra, E.; Sacchini, S.; Jepson, P.D.; Mazzariol, S.; Di Guardo, G. and Fernández A. Scientific Reports, 1, 193; DOI:10.1038/srep00193 (2011). The article is open access, and available from: http://www.nature.com/srep/2011/111214/srep00193/full/srep00193.html ABSTRACT Gas-bubble lesions were described in cetaceans stranded in spatio-temporal concordance with naval exercises using high-powered sonars. A behaviourally induced decompression sickness-like disease was proposed as a plausible causal mechanism, although these findings remain scientifically controversial. Investigations into the constituents of the gas bubbles in suspected gas embolism cases are highly desirable. We have found that vacuum tubes, insulin syringes and an aspirometer are reliable tools for in situ gas sampling, storage and transportation without appreciable loss of gas and without compromising the accuracy of the analysis. Gas analysis is conducted by gas chromatography in the laboratory. This methodology was successfully applied to a mass stranding of sperm whales, to a beaked whale stranded in spatial and temporal association with military exercises and to a cetacean chronic gas embolism case. Results from the freshest animals confirmed that bubbles were relatively free of gases associated with putrefaction and consisted predominantly of nitrogen. Regards, Prof. Antonio Fernández PhD Yara Bernaldo de Quirós

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REPCET Newsletter
by Delphine Gambaiani 19 Dec '11

19 Dec '11

Dear all, The first edition of the quarterly newsletter on collisions between vessels and whales and the REPCET (REal-time Plotting of CETaceans) system, aiming to reduce this risk, is available at : http://www.repcet.com/docs/newsletter_decembre_2011_en_complete.html If you wish to receive this newsletter, please visit our website at: http://www.repcet.com/_en All the best, Delphine Gambaiani

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Dissertation on dolphin genetics available
by Sarah Courbis 17 Dec '11

17 Dec '11

My dissertation is now available. Please feel free to send me a request for the pdf. Population Structure of Island-Associated Pantropical Spotted Dolphins (*Stenella attenuata*) in Hawaiian Waters Chapter 1: Introduction to Population Genetics & Spotted Dolphins Chapter 2: Evidence of Multiple Populations of Pantropical Spotted Dolphins (*Stenella attenuata*) within Hawaiian Waters Chapter 3: Comparisons to Explore Potential Baselines for Biologically Significant Genetic Differentiation Levels: Population Structure of Pantropical Spotted Dolphins in the North Pacific Chapter 4: Are Small Sample Sizes and Use of Slow Evolving DNA Regions Hindering Resolution of the Phylogenetic Relationships among Delphinids: * Stenella* as an Example Genus Chapter 5: Conclusions The citation is: Courbis, S. 2011. Population Structure of Island-Associated Pantropical Spotted Dolphins (*Stenella attenuata*) in Hawaiian Waters. Ph.D. Dissertation. Portland State University. Portland, OR. 164pp. Abstract: Understanding gene flow, diversity, and dispersal patterns is important for predicting effects of natural events and anthropogenic activities on dolphin populations. With the very recent exceptions of false killer whales (*Pseudorca crassidens*), spinner dolphins (*Stenella longirostris*), and common bottlenose dolphins (*Tursiops truncatus*), Hawaiian odontocete species are managed as single stocks within the U.S. Hawaiian Exclusive Economic Zone. These exceptions are a result of recent studies that have indicated that some species have populations that show fidelity to individual islands or groups of islands, resulting in genetic differentiation, often with management implications. The first part of my study (following the introductory chapter) focused on population structure of pantropical spotted dolphins (*Stenella attenuata*) near the Hawaiian Islands. Because of the level of human interaction, pantropical spotted dolphin populations need to be defined accurately to be managed in a way that will avoid local population losses, especially given that the commercial and recreational troll fisheries near the islands “fish on dolphins” to catch tuna. I analyzed genetic samples for mtDNA and microsatellite loci from four island regions: Hawai‘i, the 4-islands area, O‘ahu, and Kaua‘i/Ni‘ihau. My results support genetic differentiation among the regions of Hawai‘i, the 4-islands area, and O‘ahu and suggest that pantropical spotted dolphins near Kaua‘i/Ni‘ihau are likely transient and in very low numbers. There was no strong evidence to support sex-biased dispersal or group fidelity. Possibly, differentiation is mediated by behavior adapted to differing habitat types. From a management perspective, spinner and bottlenose dolphin populations near the Hawaiian Islands have been split into separate stocks for management based on levels of genetic differentiation similar to those found for pantropical spotted dolphins. These precedents suggest that comparable action should be taken to split pantropical spotted dolphin stocks near the Hawaiian Islands. Most population studies rely heavily upon fixation indices like *F*ST to determine whether populations are genetically differentiated. When *F*STvalues are low but significantly different from zero, it can be difficult to interpret the biological significance of these values. As part of my study, I suggest that one way to evaluate whether small *F*ST values indicate significant differentiation is to compare *F*ST values with other populations considered to be separate based on factors such as extreme distance or morphological differences. I examined pantropical spotted dolphins from the coastal and offshore Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP), Hawaiian Islands, and China/Taiwan to examine the utility of comparing *F*STvalues across separate populations. Among Hawaiian Island regions, *F*ST values are significantly different from zero but small. The comparison of these *F*ST values with more distant populations in the ETP and China/Taiwan indicated that differences among Hawaiian Island regions were similar in magnitude to those found between the offshore and coastal ETP sub-species, but smaller than between the Hawaiian Island regions and the other regions examined. This suggests a level of reproductive isolation among the Hawaiian Islands regions that is comparable to that of offshore and coastal ETP populations, and supports the value of fixation index comparisons in evaluating differentiation among putative populations. My results suggest that assigning specific numerical baseline *F*ST values may not always be biologically meaningful but that determining whether related populations with geographic or other separation show a preponderance of similar, lower, or higher fixation index values can help evaluate whether genetic differences among sympatric or parapatric groups warrants designating them as separate populations for management. Lastly, I explore whether the fast evolving mtDNA control region may be more suited to phylogenetic comparisons among the *Stenella* than slower evolving gene regions and whether the small number of haplotypes generally used in phylogenetic analyses is adequate for defining relationships among dolphins. Usually, slow evolving regions, such as gene regions, are used in phylogenetic analyses because species and genera have been isolated long enough for variation to have accumulated in such regions but not so long that many reversals (*i.e.* a mutational change in sequence that later changes back to the original sequence) have occurred. The mtDNA control region is typically used for population genetic comparisons rather than phylogenetic comparisons because it is considered to be a fast evolving region. Historically, dolphin phylogeny has been examined using gene regions, which have resulted in ambiguous and unexpected relationships. However, the lack of variation in the mtDNA control region for pantropical spotted dolphin populations and the fact that recent studies have found that the mtDNA control region in cetaceans evolves at about one quarter the rate of other mammals, raises the question as to whether this region would be better suited to phylogenetic studies for the *Stenella *(and potentially other dolphin species). In comparing 346 haplotypes from five species of *Stenella* world-wide, I found that the mtDNA control region is probably not a good region to use for phylogenetic analyses, and that even faster evolving regions might perform better. The differences in the mtDNA control region were not sufficient to distinguish clear relationships among the *Stenella*. I also found that when subsets of haplotypes chosen at random were compared, the results differed among comparisons, suggesting that there is value in using more than the usual one or two haplotypes when making phylogenetic comparisons. Given the recent increases in sequence availability (*e.g*. GenBank) and computing power, researchers should strongly consider using many haplotypes from a variety of populations in their phylogenetic comparisons. Cheers, Sarah Sarah Courbis Operations Coordinator DLNR/Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary sarahcourbis(a)gmail.com

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new publication: contamination of small cetaceans in southeastern Brazil
by Marcos Santos 17 Dec '11

17 Dec '11

Dear marmamers: I'm pleased to announce a new publication (quoted below) on contamination of small cetaceans in southeastern Brazil. Request of pdf file: sotalia(a)gmail.com Cheers, Dr. Marcos Cesar de Oliveira Santos Laboratorio de Biologia da Conservacao de Mamiferos Aquaticos Departamento de Oceanografia Biologica, Instituto Oceanografico, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Brasil **************** Yogui, G.T.; Santos, M.C. de O.; Bertozzi, C.P.; Sericano, J.L. & Montone, R.C. 2011. PBDEs in the blubber of marine mammals from coastal areas of São Paulo, Brazil, southwestern Atlantic. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 62: 2666-2670. Abstract: Limited information is available in the literature on the levels of brominated flame retardants in the southern hemisphere. This study presents concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in the blubber of small cetaceans from the coast of São Paulo (Brazil), southwestern Atlantic. PBDE levels were highest in Stenella frontalis (770 ng g-1 lipid) followed by Steno bredanensis (475 ng g-1 lipid), Sotalia guianensis (65.6 ng g-1 lipid), Tursiops truncatus (64.2 ng g-1 lipid) and Pontoporia blainvillei (60.3 ng g-1 lipid). In general, continental shelf individuals exhibited higher contamination than inshore animals. This might be related to larger prey items consumed by continental shelf dolphins. The pattern of contamination indicates that Penta-BDE commercial mixtures are a major source of PBDEs to top predators in the southwestern Atlantic. Congeners found in Octa-BDE formulations were not detected in the investigated animals. ***************

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Volunteers needed to help with seabird and cetacean fieldwork in South of Spain (Andalusia)
by Joan Giménez Verdugo 16 Dec '11

16 Dec '11

Volunteers needed to help with seabird and cetacean fieldwork in South of Spain (Andalusia) Dear all, EBD-CSIC (http://www.ebd.csic.es) is seeking applications from 3 volunteers to help in the motorboat ELSA in the study of abundance and distribution of seabirds and cetaceans in the Gulf of Cadiz (Andalucía – Spain) from 23 January to 23 February 2012 (one month). Project: Seabirds and cetaceans of the marine system of Doñana (south of Spain) have been monitored since 2004. However, the information on the distribution and abundance of seabirds is limited to censuses along the coastline, and for cetaceans only the number of individuals found stranded on beaches has been recorded. The available data for seabirds suggest a high species diversity but with considerable temporal variability across the year. During some periods the area holds a high percentage of the global population of some species, for example the endangered Balearic shearwater (*Puffinus mauritanicus*). While the Doñana marine environment also holds a rich community of cetaceans, there is no information on abundance, distribution and impact of human activities on these populations. Distribution of these marine predators is mainly influenced by food resource availability, but also by oceanographic characteristics that define habitat suitability. The aim of this project is to determine the abundance and distribution, both spatial and temporal, of seabirds and cetaceans in the Gulf of Cadiz. Our approach is to examine abiotic and biotic environmental variables including activity and impact of local fisheries. Results from this project are of considerable interest from a scientific point of view, but also have an important application in the management of Doñana National Park. We will generate critical data for sound decision making, given current discussions as to the appropriate limits for the marine protected area. Our data will also allow for the prediction of the potential impact of anthropogenic alterations to the environment, such as oil spills, fisheries, wind-energy generation and harbour construction. Volunteers should be available for the entire period of one month. You will be responsible for your transport to and from the main centre, but once here, we will provide accommodation, transport to the different harbors and food expenses (communal shopping/cooking will be arranged). The main port will be Chipiona and all the volunteers and research team will be based there, although other ports (Barbate, Isla Cristina…) could be used during the surveys (in that case everyone will sleep in the boat). We have planned to do lineal transect to cover the coastal area of the Gulf of Cadiz (12 nautical miles) with the motorboat ELSA (10 meters) with an observation point at 5 meters above sea level to monitor seabirds, cetaceans and anthropogenic activities. Volunteers should be prepared to long working days (some days more than 8 hours) under the sun, the wind and cold weather and to help with data entry and office duties during bad weather days. Successful applicants will: - have previous experience in seabirds identification at sea (VERY IMPORTANT) - have a mature attitude towards seabird and marine mammal research - be autonomous and quickly operational - be able to live and work constructively with others in a team - be able to live in a small boat (10meters) for some days - speak fluently Spanish and/or English - be available for the entire one month period Applicants should send an email introducing themselves to gimenez.verdugo(at)gmail.com <gimenez.verdugo(a)gmail.com>. The email should include an outline of why you would like to work on this project, your qualifications and previous experience. Please also attach a brief CV, detailing your previous experiences relevant to this project. For those who are interested, there is an opportunity for arriving before and help the team with the preparation of the survey, please mention it in your email. Applications will be accepted until 5th January 2012 and then your participation will be confirmed as soon as possible. For more information, do not hesitate to contact me. All the best, -- Joan Giménez Verdugo gimenez.verdugo(a)gmail.com

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New Articles
by David S. Janiger 15 Dec '11

15 Dec '11

Hi, All I just wanted to take a moment to say how great it was to meet many of you in Tampa at the Biennial Conference. I would like to thank you all for all the very nice comments I received there and throughout the year. I would like to take this moment to wish you all a happy holidays and New Year. Once again, many thanks to the Marmam editors for having this platform possible to reach so many folks. That said, lets get down to business. Here's the latest posting of new PDF's that are available. File sizes have been included. Abstracts also available on request. Let me know of any mistakes in the listing. Make all requests to: janiger(a)cox.net Cheers! David Janiger - Curatorial Assistant (Mammals) Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County 900 Exposition Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90007 (213) 763-3369 janiger(a)cox.net djaniger(a)nhm.org Janiger Journals ALVARD, MICHAEL. HUMAN NATURE - AN INTERDISCIPLINARY BIOSOCIAL PERSPECTIVE 22(1-2):89-107. 2011. Genetic and cultural kinship among the Lamaleran whale hunters. 0.508 MB ASSELIN, NATALIE C.; DAVID G. BARBER; IAN STIRLING; STEVEN H. FERGUSON and PIERRE R. RICHARD. POLAR BIOLOGY 34(12):1973-1988. 2011. Beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) habitat selection in the eastern Beaufort Sea in spring, 1975-1979. 1.034 MB AUGE, AMELIE A.; B. LOUISE CHILVERS; LLOYD S. DAVIS and ANTONI B. MOORE. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 89(12):1195-1205. 2011. In the shallow end: Diving behaviour of recolonising female New Zealand sea lions (Phocarctos hookeri) around the Otago Peninsula. 0.351 MB AVILA JIMENEZ, ISABEL CRISTINA; LUIS MIGUEL CUELLAR REINA and JAIME RICARDO CANTERA KINTZ. CUADERNOS DE INVESTIGACION UNED 3(2):177-185. 2011. Crustaceos ectoparasitos y epibiontes de ballenas jorobadas, Megaptera novaeangliae (Cetacea: Balaenopteridae) en el Pacifico Colombiano. (Crustaceans ectoparasites and epibionts of humpback whales, Megaptera novaenagliae (Cetacea: Balaenopteridae), in the Colombian Pacific) 1.447 MB BAJZAK, C. E.; M. O. HAMMILL; G. B. STENSON and S. PRINSENBERG. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 89(11):1050-1062. 2011. Drifting away: Implications of changes in ice conditions for a pack-ice-breeding phocid, the harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus). 0.520 MB BANYARD, ASHLEY C.; ASHOK TIWARI and THOMAS BARRETT. ARCHIVES OF VIROLOGY 156(10):1853-1859. 2011. Morbillivirus infection in pilot whales: Strict protein requirement drives genetic conservation. 1.851 MB BRAGER, STEFAN. JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY 92(5):1136-1137. 2011. Book review Book review: Whales and Dolphins of the Southern African Subregion. P. B. Best. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom & Cape Town, South Africa, 338 pp. ISBN 978-0-521-89710-5. 2007. 0.075 MB CARO, TIM; KARRIE BEEMAN; THEODORE STANKOWICH and HAL WHITEHEAD. EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY 25(6):1231-1245. 2011. The functional significance of colouration in cetaceans. 1.739 MB CARRASCO, SEBASTIAN E.; KATHLEEN A. BUREK; KIMBERLEE B. BECKMEN; J. LINDSAY OAKS; MARGARET A. DAVIS; KATHERINE N. K. BAKER and JONNA A. K. MAZET. JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES 47(4):807-820. 2011. Aerobic oral and rectal bacteria of free-ranging Steller sea lion pups and juveniles (Eumetopias jubatus) in Alaska. 0.213 MB CARRETTA, JAMES V. and JAY BARLOW. MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOCIETY JOURNAL 45(5):7-19. 2011. Long-term effectiveness, failure rates, and "dinner bell" properties of acoustic pingers in a gillnet fishery. 1.239 MB CARROLL, E. L.; N. J. PATENAUDE; S. J. CHILDERHOUSE; S. D. KRAUS; R. M. FEWSTER and C. S. BAKER. MARINE BIOLOGY (BERLIN) 158(11):2565-2575. 2011. Abundance of the New Zealand subantarctic southern right whale population estimated from photo-identification and genotype mark-recapture. 1.699 MB CHARRIER, ISABELLE; AMANDINE BURLET and THIERRY AUBIN. MAMMALIAN BIOLOGY: ZEITSCHRIFT FUER SAUGETIERKUNDE 76(5):622-627. 2011. Social vocal communication in captive Pacific walruses Odobenus rosmarus divergens. 0.260 MB CHEN, ZHUO; SHIXIA XU; KAIYA ZHOU and GUANG YANG. BMC EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY 11(314): 15pp. 2011. Whale phylogeny and rapid radiation events revealed using novel retroposed elements and their flanking sequences. 0.809 MB CLOECKAERT, AXEL; NELLY BERNARDET; MARK S. KOYLASS; ADRIAN M. WHATMORE and MICHEL S. ZYGMUNT. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY 49(11):3954-3959. 2011. Novel IS711 chromosomal location useful for identification of marine mammal Brucella genotype ST27, which is associated with zoonotic infection. 0.274 MB COLEGROVE, KATHLEEN M.; MICHAEL E. GRIGG; DAPHNE CARLSON-BREMER; ROBIN H. MILLER; FRANCES M. D. GULLAND; DAVID J. FERGUSON; DANIEL REJMANEK; BRADD C. BARR; ROBERT NORDHAUSEN; ANN C. MELLI and PATRICIA A. CONRAD. JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 97(5):868-877. 2011. Discovery of three novel coccidian parasites infecting California sea lions (Zalophus californianus), with evidence of sexual replication and interspecies pathogenicity. 6.091 MB DEROCHER, A. E.; M. ANDERSEN; O. WIIG; J. AARS; E. HANSEN and M. BIUW. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES 441:273-279. 2011. Sea ice and polar bear den ecology at Hopen Island, Svalbard. 0.322 MB DI GUARDO, GIOVANNI; SANDRO MAZZARIOL and ANTONIO FERNANDEZ. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY 13(11):2833-2834. 2011. Correspondence Biologically threatened dolphins and whales. 0.175 MB DUCHENE, SEBASTIAN; FREDERICK I. ARCHER; JULIA VILSTRUP; SUSANA CABALLERO and PHILIP A. MORIN. PLOS ONE 6(11) e27138. 13pp. 2011. Mitogenome phylogenetics: The impact of using single regions and partitioning schemes on topology, substitution rate and divergence time estimation. 0.687 MB FAHLMAN, ANDREAS; STEPHEN H. LORING; MASSIMO FERRIGNO; COLBY MOORE; GREG EARLY; MISTY NIEMEYER; BETTY LENTELL; FREDERIC WENZEL; RUTH JOY and MICHAEL J. MOORE. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY 214(22):3822-3828. 2011. Static inflation and deflation pressure-volume curves from excised lungs of marine mammals. 0.274 MB FAIR, PATRICIA A.; ERIC MONTIE; LEN BALTHIS; JOHN S. REIF and GREGORY D. BOSSART. GENERAL AND COMPARATIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY 174(2):184-194. 2011. Influences of biological variables and geographic location on circulating concentrations of thyroid hormones in wild bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). 0.928 MB FEYRER, LAURA JOAN and DAVID A. DUFFUS. HYDROBIOLOGIA 678(1):37-47. 2011. Predatory disturbance and prey species diversity: The case of gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) foraging on a multi-species mysid (family Mysidae) community. 0.423 MB FRERE, C. H.; J. SEDDON; C. PALMER; L. PORTER and G. J. PARRA. CONSERVATION GENETICS 12(6):1633-1638. 2011. Multiple lines of evidence for an Australasian geographic boundary in the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis): Population or species divergence? 0.210 MB GIBBS, SUSAN E.; ROBERT G. HARCOURT and CATHERINE M. KEMPER. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 38(4):261-270. 2011. Niche differentiation of bottlenose dolphin species in South Australia revealed by stable isotopes and stomach contents. 0.436 MB GOMEZ-CAMPOS, ENCARNA; ASSUMPCIO BORRELL; LUIS CARDONA; JAUME FORCADA and ALEX AGUILAR PLOS ONE 6(9) e24554. 9pp. 2011. Overfishing of small pelagic fishes increases trophic overlap between immature and mature striped dolphins in the Mediterranean Sea. 0.342 MB GRAY, HOWARD and KOEN VAN WAEREBEEK. JOURNAL FOR NATURE CONSERVATION 19(6):363-367. 2011. Postural instability and akinesia in a pantropical spotted dolphin, Stenella attenuata, in proximity to operating airguns of a geophysical seismic vessel. 0.430 MB HAMER, D. J.; T. M. WARD; P. D. SHAUGHNESSY and S. R. CLARK. ENDANGERED SPECIES RESEARCH 14(3):203-216. 2011. Assessing the effectiveness of the Great Australian Bight Marine Park in protecting the endangered Australian sea lion Neophoca cinerea from bycatch mortality in shark gillnets. 0.664 MB HARRIS, KATE A.; MARK B. YUNKER; NEIL DANGERFIELD and PETER S. ROSS. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION 159(10):2665-2674. 2011. Sediment-associated aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons in coastal British Columbia, Canada: Concentrations, composition, and associated risks to protected sea otters. 0.786 MB HAVUKAINEN, LIISA; EMYGDIO LEITE DE ARAUJO MONTEIRO FILHO and GISLAINE DE FATIMA FILLA. REVISTA DE BIOLOGIA TROPICAL 59(3):1275-1284. 2011. Population density of Sotalia guianensis (Cetacea: Delphinidae) in the Cananeia region, southeastern Brazil. 0.257 MB HINDLE, ALLYSON G.; JO-ANN E. MELLISH and MARKUS HORNING. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART A-ECOLOGICAL GENETICS AND PHYSIOLOGY 315(9):544-552. 2011. Aerobic dive limit does not decline in an aging pinniped. 0.200 MB HOFMEYR, G. J. G.; M. DU TOIT and S. P. KIRKMAN. AFRICAN JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE 33(3):463-468. 2011. Early post-release survival of stranded Cape fur seal pups at Black Rocks, Algoa Bay, South Africa. 0.794 MB HUEFFER, KARSTEN; DARCE; HOLCOMB; LORA R. BALLWEBER; SCOTT M. GENDE; GAIL BLUNDELL and TODD M. O'HARA. JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES 47(4):984-988. 2011. Serologic surveillance of pathogens in a declining harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) population in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska, USA and a reference site. 0.155 MB JOIRIS, CLAUDE R. POLAR BIOLOGY 34(10):1597-1607. 2011. A major feeding ground for cetaceans and seabirds in the south-western Greenland Sea. 2.060 MB KEMP, JODIE; STEPHEN E. SWEARER; GREGORY P. JENKINS and SIMON ROBERTSON. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FISHERIES AND AQUATIC SCIENCES 68(10):1732-1743. 2011. Otolith chemistry is more accurate than otolith shape in identifying cod species (genus Pseudophycis) in the diet of Australian fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus). 0.486 MB KIM, SEONG-GIL; SEONG-SOO KIM; HEE-GU CHOI and YONG-ROCK AN. OCEAN SCIENCE JOURNAL 46(2):55-62. 2011. Concentrations of trace metals in the tissues of long-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus capensis) in the East Sea, Korea. 0.297 MB KISZKA, JEREMY; WILLIAM F. PERRIN; CLAIRE PUSINERI and VINCENT RIDOUX. JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY 92(5):1105-1111. 2011. What drives island-associated tropical dolphins to form mixed-species associations in the southwest Indian Ocean? 0.226 MB KOVACS, KIT M.; CHRISTIAN LYDERSEN; JAMES E. OVERLAND and SUE E. MOORE. MARINE BIODIVERSITY 41(1):181-194. 2011. Impacts of changing sea-ice conditions on Arctic marine mammals. 0.340 MB LAIDRE, KRISTIN; MADS PETER HEIDE-JORGENSEN; HARRY STERN and PIERRE RICHARD. POLAR BIOLOGY 35(1):149-154. 2012. Unusual narwhal sea ice entrapments and delayed autumn freeze-up trends. 0.304 MB LARUE, MICHELLE A.; JAY J. ROTELLA; ROBERT A. GARROTT; DONALD B. SINIFF; DAVID G. AINLEY; GLENN E. STAUFFER; CLAIRE C. PORTER and PAUL J. MORIN. POLAR BIOLOGY 34(11):1727-1737. 2011. Satellite imagery can be used to detect variation in abundance of Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) in Erebus Bay, Antarctica. 2.261 MB LEMES, MARCOS; FEIYUE WANG; GARY A. STERN; SONJA K. OSTERTAG and HING MAN CHAN. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 30(12):2732-2738. 2011. Methylmercury and selenium speciation in different tissues of beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) from the western Canadian Arctic. 0.376 MB LI, LINLIN; TONGLING SHAN; CHUNLIN WANG; COLETTE COTE; JOHN KOLMAN; DAVID ONIONS; FRANCES M. D. GULLAND and ERIC DELWART. JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY 85(19):9909-9917. 2011. The fecal viral flora of California sea lions. 1.076 MB LONERGAN, MIKE; CALLAN D. DUCK; DAVE THOMPSON; SIMON MOSS and BERNIE MCCONNELL. ICES (INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL FOR THE EXPLORATION OF THE SEAS) JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE 68(10):2201-2209. 2011. British grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) abundance in 2008: An assessment based on aerial counts and satellite telemetry. 0.458 MB LYNCH, MICHAEL; TREVOR K. TAYLOR; PADRAIG; J. DUIGNAN; JANE SWINGLER; MARC MARENDA; JOHN P. Y. ARNOULD and ROGER KIRKWOOD. JOURNAL OF VETERINARY DIAGNOSTIC INVESTIGATION 23(6):1123-1130. 2011. Mycoplasmas in Australian fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus): Identification and association with abortion. 0.260 MB MACRAE, A. M.; M. HAULENA and D. FRASER. ZOO BIOLOGY 30(5):532-541. 2011. The effect of diet and feeding level on survival and weight gain of hand-raised harbor seal pups (Phoca vitulina). 0.112 MB MADEIRA DI BENEDITTO, ANA PAULA; CRISTINA MARIA MAGALHAES DE SOUZA; HELENA AMARAL KEHRIG and CARLOS EDUARDO REZENDE. MARINE BIOLOGY (BERLIN) 158(10):2209-2217. 2011. Use of multiple tools to assess the feeding preference of coastal dolphins. 1.917 MB MARTINEZ-SERRANO, I.; A. SERRANO; G. HECKEL and Y. SCHRAMM. CIENCIAS MARINAS 37(4):379-392. 2011. Distribution and home range of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) off Veracruz, Mexico. 0.913 MB MARTIN, CELINE; ILHAM BENTALEB; STEPHANIE STEELANDT and CHRISTOPHE GUINET. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES 439:295-305. 2011. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope variations in canine dentine growth layers of Kerguelen southern elephant seals. 0.821 MB MCINTYRE, TREVOR; ISABELLE J. ANSORGE; HORST BORNEMANN; JOACHIM PLOTZ; CHERYL A. TOSH and MARTHAN N. BESTER. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES 441:257-272. 2011. Elephant seal dive behaviour is influenced by ocean temperature: Implications for climate change impacts on an ocean predator. 1.058 MB MCMAHON, C. R.; N. COLLIER; J. K. NORTHFIELD and F. GLEN. ANIMAL WELFARE 20(4):515-521. 2011. Taking the time to assess the effects of remote sensing and tracking devices on animals. 0.150 MB MIERSCH, L.; W. HANKE; S. WIESKOTTEN; F. D. HANKE; J. OEFFNER; A. LEDER; M. BREDE; M. WITTE and G. DEHNHARDT. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON B BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 366(1581):3077-3084. 2011. Flow sensing by pinniped whiskers. 0.321 MB NAUGHTON, GEORGE P.; MATTHEW L. KEEFER; TAMI S. CLABOUGH; MICHAEL A. JEPSON; STEVEN R. LEE; CHRISTOPHER A. PEERY and CHRISTOPHER C. CAUDILL. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FISHERIES AND AQUATIC SCIENCES 68(9):1615-1624. 2011. Influence of pinniped-caused injuries on the survival of adult Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in the Columbia River basin. 0.352 MB OHNO, YOSHITO; YASUO INOSHIMA; KEN MAEDA and NAOTAKA ISHIGURO. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 97(1):11-16. 2011. Molecular analysis of parapoxvirus from a spotted seal Phoca largha in Japan. 0.429 MB PALACIOS, GUSTAVO; JAMES F. X. WELLEHAN, JR.;; STEPHEN RAVERTY; ANA V. BUSSETTI; JEFFREY HUI; NAZIR SAVJI; HENDRIK H. NOLLENS; DYANNA LAMBOURN; CHRISTOPHER CELONE; STEPHEN HUTCHISON; CHARLES H. CALISHER; OLE NIELSEN and W. IAN LIPKIN. JOURNAL OF GENERAL VIROLOGY 92(11):2558-2565. 2011. Discovery of an orthoreovirus in the aborted fetus of a Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus). 0.360 MB PANTI, CRISTINA; GIACOMO SPINSANTI; LETIZIA MARSILI; SILVIA CASINI; FRANCESCO FRATI and MARIA CRISTINA FOSSI. ECOTOXICOLOGY 20(8):1791-1800. 2011. Ecotoxicological diagnosis of striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) from the Mediterranean basin by skin biopsy and gene expression approach. 2.011 MB PAVEZ, GUIDO; LILY MUNOZ; PATRICIA INOSTROZA and MARITZA SEPULVEDA. REVISTA DE BIOLOGIA MARINA Y OCEANOGRAFIA 46(2):135-140. 2011. Behavioral response of South American sea lion Otaria flavescens to tourist disturbance during the breeding season. 0.149 MB PHILLIPS, C. D.; T. S. GELATT; J. C. PATTON and J. W. BICKHAM. JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY 92(5):1091-1104. 2011. Phylogeography of Steller sea lions: Relationships among climate change, effective population size, and genetic diversity. 0.948 MB PIRODDI, CHIARA; GIOVANNI BEARZI and VILLY CHRISTENSEN. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES 440:255-266. 2011. Marine open cage aquaculture in the eastern Mediterranean Sea: A new trophic resource for bottlenose dolphins. 0.663 MB PYENSON, NICHOLAS D. PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON SERIES B BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 278(1724):3608-3616. 2011. The high fidelity of the cetacean stranding record: Insights into measuring diversity by integrating taphonomy and macroecology. 0.266 MB RIEMER, SUSAN D.; BRYAN E. WRIGHT and ROBIN F. BROWN. FISHERY BULLETIN 109(4):369-381. 2011. Food habits of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) off Oregon and northern California, 1986-2007. 0.822 MB ROBINSON, RUSTY; TOM S. SMITH; B. J. KIRSCHHOFFER and CHERYL ROSA. POLAR BIOLOGY 35(1):139-142. 2012. Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) cub mortality at a den site in northern Alaska. 0.286 MB ROJO-NIETO, E.; P. D. ALVAREZ-DIAZ; E. MOROTE; M. BURGOS-MARTIN; T. MONTOTO-MARTINEZ; J. SAEZ-JIMENEZ and F. TOLEDANO. ANIMAL BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION 34(1):151-163. 2004. Strandings of cetaceans and sea turtles in the Alboran Sea and Strait of Gibraltar: A long-term glimpse at the north coast (Spain) and the south coast (Morocco). 0.493 MB RYABOV, V. A.; M. A. POLYAKOV and N. G. BIBIKOV. BIOPHYSICS 56(3):529-534. 2011. Translated from Biofizika 56(3):566-573. 2011. Characterization of beam patterns of bottlenose dolphin in the transverse plane. 0.264 MB SCHEIDAT, MEIKE; ARI FRIEDLAENDER; KARL-HERMANN KOCK; LINN LEHNERT; OLAF BOEBEL; JASON ROBERTS and ROB WILLIAMS. POLAR BIOLOGY 34(10):1513-1522. 2011. Cetacean surveys in the Southern Ocean using icebreaker-supported helicopters. 2.002 MB SCHEIDAT, MEIKE; JAKOB TOUGAARD; SOPHIE BRASSEUR; JACOB CARSTENSEN; TAMARA VAN POLANEN PETEL; JONAS TEILMANN and PETER REIJNDERS. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS 6(2): Article 025102. 10pp. 2011 Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) and wind farms: A case study in the Dutch North Sea. 0.524 MB SCHWACKE, LORI H.; ERIC S. ZOLMAN; BRIAN C. BALMER; SYLVAIN DE GUISE; R. CLAY GEORGE; JENNIFER HOGUET; ALETA A. HOHN; JOHN R. KUCKLICK; STEVE LAMB; MILTON LEVIN; JENNY A. LITZ; WAYNE E. MCFEE; NED J. PLACE; FORREST I. TOWNSEND; RANDALL S. WELLS and TERESA K. ROWLES. PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON SERIES B BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 279(1726):48-57. 2012. Anaemia, hypothyroidism and immune suppression associated with polychlorinated biphenyl exposure in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). 0.524 MB SEMEYN, DEIRDRE J.; CAROLYN C. CUSH; KERRI M. SCOLARDI; JENNIFER HEBERT; JUSTIN D. MCBRIDE; DENIS GREALISH and JOHN E. REYNOLDS. JOURNAL OF COASTAL CONSERVATION 15(4):573-583. 2011. Aerial surveys of manatees (Trichechus manatus) in Lee County, Florida, provide insights regarding manatee abundance and real time information for managers and enforcement officers. 0.962 MB SHIMOKAWA, TETSUYA; TAKUYA DOIHARA; MANAMI MAKARA; KYOJY MIYAWAKI; HIROAKI NABEKA; HIROYUKI WAKISAKA; NAOTO KOBAYASHI and SEIJI MATSUDA. JOURNAL OF VETERINARY MEDICAL SCIENCE 73(9):1233-1236. 2011. Lectin histochemistry of respiratory mucosa in the Pacific white-sided dolphin. 0.610 MB SIMON, A.; M. CHAMBELLANT; B. J. WARD; M. SIMARD; J. F. PROULX; B. LEVESQUE; M. BIGRAS-POULIN; A. N. ROUSSEAU and N. H. OGDEN. PARASITOLOGY 138(11):1362-1368. 2011. Spatio-temporal variations and age effect on Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in seals from the Canadian Arctic. 0.278 MB SOTO, SARA; ANA ALBA; LLILIANNE GANGES; ENRIC VIDAL; JUAN ANTONIO RAGA; FERRAN ALEGRE; BEATRIZ GONZALEZ; PASCUAL MEDINA; IRENE ZORRILLA; JORGE MARTINEZ; ALBERTO MARCO; MONICA PEREZ; BLANCA PEREZ; ANA PEREZ DE VARGAS MESAS; ROSA MARTINEZ and MARIANO DOMINGO. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 96(3):187-194. 2011. Post-epizootic chronic dolphin morbillivirus infection in Mediterranean striped dolphins Stenella coeruleoalba. 1.181 MB STARKHAMMAR, JOSEFIN; PATRICK W. MOORE; LOIS TALMADGE and DORIAN S. HOUSER. BIOLOGY LETTERS 7(6):836-839. 2011. Frequency-dependent variation in the two-dimensional beam pattern of an echolocating dolphin. 0.294 MB STIRLING, IAN. POLAR BIOLOGY 35(1):155-157. 2012. Book review Book review: Polar Bears in Northwest Greenland: An Interview Survey about the Catch and the Climate. Erik W. Borrn, Anna Heilmann, Lene Kielsen & Kristin L. Laidre. Museum Tusculanum Press. ISBN 978-8763531689. 232pp. 2011. 0.100 MB STOETT, PETER. REVIEW OF POLICY RESEARCH 28(6):631-634. 2011. Irreconcilable differences: The International Whaling Commission and cetacean futures. 0.067 MB TIXIER, P.; N. GASCO; G. DUHAMEL; M. VIVIANT; M. AUTHIER and C. GUINET. CCAMLR (CONVENTION ON THE CONSERVATION OF ANTARCTIC MARINE LIVING RESOURCES) SCIENCE 17:179-195. 2010. Interactions of Patagonian toothfish fisheries with killer and sperm whales in the Crozet Islands Exclusive Economic Zone: An assessment of depredatIon levels and insights on possible mitigation strategies. 0.403 MB VANDERLAAN, ANGELIA S. M.; R. KENT SMEDBOL and CHRISTOPHER T. TAGGART. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FISHERIES AND AQUATIC SCIENCES 68(12):1732-1743. 2011. Fishing-gear threat to right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) in Canadian waters and the risk of lethal entanglement. 2.149 MB VILLEGAS-AMTMANN, STELLA; SAMANTHA E. SIMMONS; CAREY E. KUHN; LUIS A. HUCKSTADT and DANIEL P. COSTA. PLOS ONE 6(8) e23166. 10pp. 2011. Latitudinal range influences the seasonal variation in the foraging behavior of marine top predators. 0.336 MB VISSER, FLEUR; KARIN L. HARTMAN; GRAHAM J. PIERCE; VASILIS D. VALAVANIS and JEI HUISMAN. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES 440:267-279. 2011. Timing of migratory baleen whales at the Azores in relation to the North Atlantic spring bloom. 1.611 MB WIIG, OYSTEIN; MADS PETER HEIDE-JORGENSEN; KRISTIN L. LAIDRE; EVA GARDE and RANDALL R. REEVES. POLAR BIOLOGY 35(1):63-71. 2012. Geographic variation in cranial morphology of narwhals (Monodon monoceros) from Greenland and the eastern Canadian Arctic. 0.411 MB YONEZAKI, SHIROH; MASASHI KIYOTA; NORIHISA BABA; TAKASHI KOIDO and AKIRA TAKEMURA. MAMMAL STUDY 36(3):159-163. 2011. Prey size reconstruction based on myctophid otoliths in scats of northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus). 0.224 MB YU, LI; WEI JIN; XIN ZHANG; DING WANG; SIN-SONG ZHENG; GUANG YANG; SHI-XIA XU; SOOCHIN CHO and YA-PING ZHANG. PLOS ONE 6(10) e26579. 9pp. 2011. Evidence for positive selection on the leptin gene in Cetacea and Pinnipedia. 0.272 MB ZASLOFF, MICHAEL. JOURNAL OF INVESTIGATIVE DERMATOLOGY 131(12):2503-2505. 2011. Observations on the remarkable (and mysterious) wound-healing process of the bottlenose dolphin. 0.080 MB

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Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust: Boat and Land Based Volunteer Program 2012
by Olivia Harries 15 Dec '11

15 Dec '11

Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust: Boat and Land Based Volunteer Program 2012 In 2012, the Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust (HWDT), will launch its most comprehensive volunteer programme to date, allowing select candidates to experience many aspects of cetacean conservation management off Scotland’s west coast. HWDT believes that the basis of effective conservation is a combination of research and education; our volunteers will experience both of these aspects whilst working with HWDT. The volunteer will support the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust’s Biodiversity Officer on board our research vessel Silurian during one of its monitoring surveys and will also support the Trust through interpretation, education and promotion when based at the Tobermory headquarters. Volunteer roles will include: * Assisting the Biodiversity Officer onboard our research vessel Silurian. Tasks will include: - training volunteers in acoustic and visual data collection methodology; - supervising the correct collection, entry and storage of visual and acoustic survey data; - operating the hydrophone and acoustic monitoring system, including troubleshooting and repairs; - participating fully in the domestic and sailing aspects of monitoring surveys and - coordinating and managing volunteers. * On land, volunteers will help the Biodiversity Officer conduct preliminary analysis on data collected during the survey. including photo identification work and acoustic analysis. * Working alongside our Education Officer, attending and promoting HWDT at various events throughout the summer. * Organising and conducting land based surveys. * Promote relationships with local marine users including tour operators, fishermen and tourists. Volunteers will work alongside our Sightings Officer to develop the Community Sightings Network, encouraging more people to report sightings and strandings and get involved with research efforts. * Volunteers will be expected to help HWDT run its shop and education centre on the Tobermory Main Street. This will involve engaging with members of the public, promoting the membership and sponsorship schemes and chatting to customers about the local cetacean species. It is likely that candidates will spend approximately a day a week helping run the shop. * HWDT volunteers will also assist with activities offered at the harbour’s Marine Discovery Centre; maintaining a touch tank, giving short presentations about the animals on display and also giving short guided walks along the coast path in Tobermory. * Volunteers will also be expected to help undertake marketing and general administrative tasks such as filling and shredding. Recruitment dates We are recruiting volunteers between May and September 2012. Volunteers are invited to join one of four blocks, with each block lasting a period of 5 weeks. Volunteers can join more than one block. Block 1: Monday 30th April – Friday 1st June Block 2: Monday 4th June – Friday 6th July Block 3: Monday 9th July – Friday 10th August Block 4: Monday 13th August – Friday 15th September Candidate Requirements Essential: * An ability to work in a conscientious and reliable manner * Enthusiastic, hard-working and self-motivated * A strong commitment to volunteer work * Excellent verbal and communication skills (public outreach is central to the role) * Basic IT skills (Office package) * An ability to get on well with others in a small team. Desirable: * A background in marine biology/environmental science or similar* A strong interest and knowledge of British cetaceans * Prior experience in boat-based survey work * Experience in interacting with the public All volunteers will be trained in research techniques employed onboard Silurian. Full training will also be provided for all other tasks that volunteers will be expected to undertake. The selected candidates will be sent a pack of introductory materials and provided with a recommended reading list. Candidates may have to undergo a (free) CRBS check as working with children may be required as part of the tasks involved in the programme. Expenses HWDT runs on a tight budget and we cannot cover expenses or offer payment to the selected candidates. Volunteers will be based in Tobermory on the Isle of Mull and are responsible for their own travel, accommodation and living expenses when on land. Assistance will be given to those seeking accommodation, and once candidates have been chosen, the Volunteer Coordinator will help you make arrangements. Accommodation can be found from about £55 per week. It is possible to obtain part-time paid work in the area; there is potentially a paid position as a wildlife tour guide with a local boat operator. Volunteers will be expected to cover the costs of their time onboard Silurian, approximately £30 per day. How to Apply Please send your C.V., a covering letter detailing any relevant experience, specifying the dates you would like to join and contact information of two referees, to: Morven Summers HWDT Clydesdale Bank Buildings, Main Street, Tobermory Isle of Mull PA75 6NU Tel: +44 (0)1688 302620 Email: volunteercoordinator(a)hwdt.org

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