March 2013 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Seal rehabilitation position available at the Dingle Wildlife & Seal Sanctuary
by Animal Operations Manager 13 Mar '13

13 Mar '13

A position has opened up at the Dingle Wildlife & Seal Sanctuary to start in May 2013. The position is unpaid, but accommodation and food is provided. We are looking for volunteers who are able to commit to a minimum of 3 months. Preference will be given to applicants who can commit to 6 months. The Dingle Wildlife & Seal Sanctuary is located on the South West Coast of Ireland and is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of seals and wildlife found in difficulty around Ireland’s coast. For more information on the sanctuary please visit our website www.dinglesanctuary.com **Job description:* * The resident volunteers will participate in hands-on animal care of seals in rehabilitation, as well as the on-site waterfowl collection; coordinating rescues and releases; keeping accurate detailed records; maintaining animal facilities, including hospital units and pools; maintaining and cleaning public facilities; and giving tours and actively interacting with the public. The work hours are long (9-12 hours) and physically demanding. The volunteers work 5 days a week, with two days off. Volunteers are required to have an advanced level of English, in both speaking and comprehension. ** Responsibilities/duties will include (but are not limited to)** The volunteers will report to the animal managers and will be trained in: - Food preparation - Safe animal handling and restraining - Tube feeding, force feeding, hand feeding seals - Natural history of harbour and grey seals - Record keeping - Administration of injections and oral medications - Assisting in rescues and releases nationwide - General cleaning duties of animal and public facilities - Hygiene and quarantine protocols to prevent the spread of disease etc. - Assisting veterinarians in surgical and medical cases when required - Running the visitor’s centre, providing guided tours and engaging with the public - Caring for bird collection and farm animals **Qualifications:* * 20 years or older, preference given to 25 years and over with manual driving capability. Advanced level of English comprehension and speaking and have an avid interest in marine mammal care and rehabilitation. Preference will be given to applicants with previous experience in animal care. *Skills/Experience:* - Experience in handling wildlife preferred - Excellent organisational and communication skills - Ability to work under pressure - A commitment to wildlife, conservation and volunteer work - Flexible and reliable working attitude - Willingness to work long hours outdoors in Irish weather - Experience in interacting with the public/ public speaking - Able to lift 20kg and be in good physical shape - Be enthusiastic and eager to help and learn The Dingle Wildlife and Seal Sanctuary is located just outside the lovely seaside town of Dingle, County Kerry, one of the most beautiful locations in Ireland. We are looking for dedicated, flexible, enthusiastic volunteers, who are able to work and live within a small team and who are self-motivated, show initiative and able to work without constant supervision. To apply for this position, go to our website www.dinglesanctuary.com and under the Volunteers tab download and fill out an application. Email application to animalmanager.dwss(a)gmail.com -- Animal Manager Dingle Wildlife and Seal Sanctuary Emlagh Lispole, Dingle Co.Kerry Ireland +353 (0)669151750

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The anatomy of Cetotherium riabinini, a baleen whale from the late Miocene of Ukraine
by Pavel Gol'din 13 Mar '13

13 Mar '13

Dear colleagues, We pleased to announce the following paper: Pavel Gol’din, Dmitry Startsev, and Tatiana Krakhmalnaya. The anatomy of Cetotherium riabinini Hofstein, 1948, a baleen whale from the late Miocene of Ukraine. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica in press, available online 13 Mar 2013 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4202/app.2012.0107 Abstract We re-describe Cetotherium riabinini, a little known baleen whale from the Late Miocene of the Eastern Paratethys. C. riabinini is represented by an exceptionally well-preserved skull and partial skeleton, and is shown to be closely related to C. rathkii, the only other member of the genus. Cetotheriids from the Eastern Paratethys are remarkable for their pachyosteosclerotic postcranial skeleton, and are among the youngest known cetaceans displaying such an anatomy. C. riabinini is hypothesised to have followed a generalised feeding strategy combining herpetocetine-like continuous suction feeding, as seen in the mallard Anas platyrhynchos, and eschrichtiid-like intermittent suction feeding. This hypothesis may explain the mechanism and function of cranial kinesis in baleen whales. Many characteristics of the mysticete skull likely evolved as a result of cranial kinesis, thus leading to multiple instances of morphological convergence across several different phylogenetic lineages. The paper is available online at: http://www.app.pan.pl/article/item/app20120107.html You can contact me at: pavelgoldin412(a)gmail.com Regards, Pavel Dr Pavel Gol'din Department of Zoology Taurida National University Simferopol, Ukraine

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New paper on averaging shipping noise levels (Nathan Merchant)
by ndm23＠bath.ac.uk 13 Mar '13

13 Mar '13

Dear Colleagues, my co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of a paper examining methods of averaging shipping noise levels for environmental impact assessment. This work has particular relevance to policymakers concerned with long-term underwater noise trends and researchers investigating the effects of chronic noise exposure on marine life: Averaging underwater noise levels for environmental assessment of shipping Nathan D. Merchant, Philippe Blondel, D. Tom Dakin, and John Dorocicz, Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 132 (4), EL343-EL349 (2012), DOI:10.1121/1.4754429 Abstract Rising underwater noise levels from shipping have raised concerns regarding chronic impacts to marine fauna. However, there is a lack of consensus over how to average local shipping noise levels for environmental impact assessment. This paper addresses this issue using 110 days of continuous data recorded in the Strait of Georgia, Canada. Probability densities of ?10^7 1-s samples in selected 1/3 octave bands were approximately stationary across one-month subsamples. Median and mode levels varied with averaging time. Mean sound pressure levels averaged in linear space, though susceptible to strong bias from outliers, are most relevant to cumulative impact assessment metrics. This journal is open access and the paper can be downloaded free of charge here: http://link.aip.org/link/?JAS/132/EL343 Kind regards, Nathan Merchant PhD Researcher Department of Physics University of Bath BA2 7AY, UK +44 1225 385543 n.d.merchant(a)bath.ac.uk http://people.bath.ac.uk/ndm23/

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Manufacturers of acoustic pinger detectors?
by Jamison Smith - NOAA Federal 13 Mar '13

13 Mar '13

Greetings Marmam Subscribers, We are interested in knowing if anyone out there is currently using an in-air pinger detector or know of manufacturers of these devices? We have purchased a few of the EvoDesign in-air pinger detectors for assessing whether pingers outfitted on gillnets are pinging at required levels. Fisheries officers or fisheries observers on board fishing vessels use these to verify if the pingers are functioning as required by fisheries regulations. This is typically conducted on the vessel during the hauling procedures. We have a couple of the in-water detectors as well, and while they are certainly more accurate (and expensive), we are trying to adhere to in-air detectors due to the convenience factor of having a non-acoustics person verifying the functioning pinger on the deck of the fishing vessel. Does anyone use, or know of, other manufacturers of these types of devices? I have conducted a web search and didn’t come up with much. Any input is greatly appreciated. Take care, Jamison *Jamison Smith Atlantic Whale Entanglement Response Coordinator NOAA Fisheries Jamison.Smith(a)noaa.gov 978.281.9336 www.nmfs.noaa.gov* MARINE ENTANGLEMENT HOTLINE: 1-866-755-NOAA (6622) * *

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DCLDE 2013 abstract deadline reminder
by Danielle Harris 13 Mar '13

13 Mar '13

Dear all, This is a reminder that abstracts for the 6th International Workshop on Detection, Classification, Localization & Density Estimation (DCL&DE) of Marine Mammals using Passive Acoustics are due by Sunday 17th March. The meeting will be held in St Andrews, Scotland, from 12 - 15 June 2013, with additional workshops on 11 June. The original call for abstracts is below. We hope to see you in Scotland in June. With best wishes, Danielle Harris Danielle Harris Research Fellow Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling The Observatory, Buchanan Gardens, University of St Andrews, St Andrews Fife, KY16 9LZ, Scotland, UK dh17(a)st-andrews.ac.uk (+44)(0)1334 461826 ################################################################################ Dear Colleagues, You are invited to submit abstracts to The 6th International Workshop on Detection, Classification, Localization, & Density Estimation (DCL&DE) of Marine Mammals using Passive Acoustics, to be held in St Andrews, Scotland 12 - 15 June 2013, with additional workshops on 11 June. In line with previous workshops, we have prepared an annotated dataset of sounds which participants are encouraged to use in order that different detection algorithms can be effectively compared. For details of the workshop dataset, click here<http://soi.st-andrews.ac.uk/dclde2013/workshopdataset.html>. We will however be happy to consider abstracts tackling any aspect of Detection, Classification, Localisation and Density Estimation of marine mammals using passive acoustics. Abstracts should be submitted using the form provided on the workshop web site (http://soi.st-andrews.ac.uk/dclde2013) and emailed direct to the organisers at dcldeworkshop(a)st-andrews.ac.uk . The primary purpose of the DCL workshops is to advance the development of algorithms and analytical techniques for the Detection, Classification, Localisation and Density Estimation of marine mammals. Abstracts will be assessed using the following criteria: 1. Relevance to the topics of DCL&DE. 2. Presentation of advances in the field. 3. Presentation of a clear strategy for assessing algorithm performance. Participants will be encouraged to participate in open discussions of how and why their algorithms work as they do and the factors which limit or might enhance their performance. While there will still be specific sessions at the workshop dedicated to Density Estimation, these sessions will no longer all be on the last day - for the simple reason that we feel that those of us who are developing detection and classification algorithms need to be fully aware of how those detections might be used and should not be given the opportunity of going home early and missing these vital talks ! On the abstract submission form you will be asked to express a preference for poster or oral presentation. While we will endeavour to meet each person's preference for poster or oral presentation, space and time constraints mean that this may not always be possible. Posters will be available for viewing throughout the four days of the workshop in the foyer area we'll be using for coffee and lunch each day. Deadlines Abstracts should be submitted by Sunday 17 March. Authors will be notified of abstract acceptance by the end of April. Workshop Registration Online workshop registration is available at http://soi.st-andrews.ac.uk/dclde2013/index.html ############################################################################# The University of St Andrews is a charity registered in Scotland : No SC013532 ------------------------------------------------------------------ University of St Andrews Webmail: https://webmail.st-andrews.ac.uk

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Urgent Research assistants are needed for a behavioural study of dolphins in Istanbul-Turkey
by aylin akkaya 12 Mar '13

12 Mar '13

Dear MARMAM readers, I am seeking research assistants to help a PhD thesis on a behavioural study of dolphins in the Istanbul Strait. This is a project under the Istanbul University-Turkey under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Bayram Öztürk and Dr. Ayaka Amaha Öztürk. The project aims to determine the critical habitats and investigate the interactions between cetaceans and marine traffic. In the Istanbul Strait, there are three different species of dolphins which are common dolphin, bottlenose dolphin and harbour porpoise. The strait is one of the narrowest straits in the world and has a vital importance on the international marine transportation (around 50.000 transit ships uses this passage annually). During the project, theodolite will be used for the purpose of determining the travel speed and diving interval as well as the distance between the dolphins and vessels. Moreover we will collect various behavioural data. Computer based photo-id studies will also be carried out. The research assistants will take part in: - data collection during the land and boat based fieldwork in the Istanbul Strait. - Data entry and organization of the photo-id files. Researchassistants should be prepared for long working days in the field, hours of work may vary between 6 to 12 hours per day, and expect to wake up very early (around 4h30 a.m. or 5h a.m. ) for the morning shifts. The work will be carried under hot and cold weathers conditions. The field work will take 3-4 days in a week and office work will take a day or two. Boat based observations will take place 3 or 4 days per month. Successful applicants will be responsible for their own transportation to and from Istanbul-Turkey, and due to transport and boat operations applicants should contribute $400 for the project (for 2 months) and an extra $100 /month for the accommodation. Commitment is required for a minimum of 2 months. Successful applicants will need to: - be able to live and work with others in a multi cultural team - be available for at least 2 months however longer stays are preferred -have a strong desire to work with marine mammals under harsh condition This project provides an excellent opportunity for students and individuals interested in getting more experience in the field of marine mammal research. Applicants should send a short email introducing themselves to akkayaaylin(a)yahoo.com. The email should include an outline of why you would like to work on this project. Please also attach a brief CV. There is no deadline to apply. However, approved applications are accepted on a first-come, first serve basis. Start and end dates are flexible. All the best, Aylin AKKAYA _______________________________________________ MARMAM mailing list MARMAM(a)lists.uvic.ca https://lists.uvic.ca/mailman/listinfo/marmam

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New publication on humpback dolphins Sousa chinensis
by Alexander Brown 12 Mar '13

12 Mar '13

Dear MARMAM subscribers, My co-authors and I are pleased to bring to your attention the following publication on Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, Sousa chinensis, in Australian waters (abstract below): Brown, A., Bejder, L., Cagnazzi, D., Parra, G. and Allen, S. 2012. The North West Cape, Western Australia: A Potential Hotspot for Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins Sousa chinensis? Pacific Conservation Biology 18: 240-246. It's not rocket science, but it is the first publication specific to Sousa chinensis in Western Australian waters. This paper follows on from our more general publication of early 2012 (Allen et al. 2012. Tropical inshore dolphins of north-western Australia: Unknown populations in a rapidly changing region. Pac Cons Biol 18: 56-63). PDF copies are available through Pacific Conservation Biology (http://pcb.murdoch.edu.au/pcb_online.html) or by request to alex.brown(a)murdoch.edu.au. For further info, see http://mucru.org/latest-news/new-publication-on-indo-pacific-humpback-dolph…. Regards, Alex Abstract: Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins Sousa chinensis (Humpback Dolphins hereafter) are listed as 'near threatened' on an international level and 'migratory' in Australian waters. There is limited information on Humpback Dolphins in Western Australian State waters, where the species remains unlisted. This lack of knowledge hinders the management and conservation of the species in a region of rapidly increasing coastal development. We conducted opportunistic boat-based surveys in April 2010 and present data on the location, size and composition of Humpback Dolphin groups encountered in the near-shore waters around the North West Cape, Western Australia. A total of 42 groups were encountered in a variety of habitats during 145 h on the water over ca. 80 km coastline. Group size ranged from 1 to 15, with a mean (± SE) of 5.3 (± 0.48) individuals. A total of 54 Humpback Dolphins were identified from photographs of the unique markings on their dorsal fins. The lack of a plateau in the cumulative discovery curve of identified individuals over the duration of the study suggests that only a subset of dolphins in the area was identified. This region is close to the south-western limit of the species' Australian distribution and appears to represent an important location for Western Australian Humpback Dolphins. In light of increasing anthropogenic activity around the North West Cape and Exmouth Gulf, these preliminary findings from a limited survey effort indicate that further research into this population is required. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Alex Brown Cetacean Research Unit (MUCRU) Centre for Fish, Fisheries and Aquatic Ecosystem Research Murdoch University, South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia ( Tel +61 (0)89360 6520 |( Mob +61 (0)487399861| * alex.brown(a)murdoch.edu.au Latest blog post: "Snubfin season?"

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Two volunteers needed to help with seabird and cetacean fieldwork in South of Spain (Andalusia)
by Joan Giménez Verdugo 12 Mar '13

12 Mar '13

Two volunteers needed to help with seabird and cetacean fieldwork in South of Spain (Andalusia) CIRCE (http://www.circe.info) is seeking applications from two volunteer tohelp in the motorboat ELSA in the study of abundance and distribution of seabirds and cetaceans in the Gulf of Cadiz (Andalucia - Spain) from 14th April to 31st May 2013. (Note: If you are coming to the ECS in Setubal (Portugal), you can join us after the conference, it is just 5 hours away). Volunteers should be available for the entire period. 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 will do lineal transects 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 10 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 and cetacean identification at sea. -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 period. Applicants should send an email introducing themselves to gimenez.verdugo(at)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. *Applications will be considered in order of arrival.* Sincerely, *Joan Giménez Verdugo* PhD Student Mail: gimenez.verdugo(at)gmail.com Phone: 619176849

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New publication on plastic debris in Sperm whales
by Joan Giménez Verdugo 12 Mar '13

12 Mar '13

Dear MARMAM members, We are pleased to announce that a new publication on plastic debris in Sperm whales is now available in Marine Pollution Bulletin. De Stephanis, R., Giménez, J., Carpinelli, E., Gutierrez-Expósito, C., Cañadas, A. (2013) As main meal for sperm whales: Plastics debris. Mar. Pollut. Bull. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.01.033 Abstract: Marine debris has been found in marine animals since the early 20th century, but little is known about the impacts of the ingestion of debris in large marine mammals. In this study we describe a case of mor-tality of a sperm whale related to the ingestion of large amounts of marine debris in the Mediterranean Sea (4th published case worldwide to our knowledge), and discuss it within the context of the spatial dis-tribution of the species and the presence of anthropogenic activities in the area that could be the source of the plastic debris found inside the sperm whale. The spatial distribution modelled for the species in the region shows that these animals can be seen in two distinct areas: near the waters of Almería, Granada and Murcia and in waters near the Strait of Gibraltar. The results shows how these animals feed in waters near an area completely flooded by the greenhouse industry, making them vulnerable to its waste prod-ucts if adequate treatment of this industry’s debris is not in place. Most types of these plastic materials have been found in the individual examined and cause of death was presumed to be gastric rupture fol-lowing impaction with debris, which added to a previous problem of starvation. The problem of plastics arising from greenhouse agriculture should have a relevant section in the conservation plans and should be a recommendation from ACCOBAMS due to these plastics’ and sperm whales’ high mobility in the Mediterranean Sea. Best regards, *Joan Giménez Verdugo* *Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC) Applied Marine Ecology Group (GEMA) * *Department of Conservation Biology* Avenida Americo Vespucio s/n 41092 Sevilla Mail: joan.gimenez(a)csic.es Phone: 619176849

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Job Opportunity in Cetacean Bioacoustics
by Salvatore Cerchio 12 Mar '13

12 Mar '13

Position Overview: The Wildlife Conservation Society's Ocean Giant Program is seeking a postdoctoral level acoustic analyst familiar with cetacean bio-acoustics to work with large acoustic databases from the southern Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The primary focus of the work is detection, classification and localization of cetacean vocalizations, as well as characterization of ambient noise. Datasets include long-term continuous data from seafloor mounted autonomous recording units (both singular and arrays of up to 8 units) and boat-based survey data from a towed hydrophone array. Target species vary according to dataset, but include both Mysticete and Odontocete cetaceans. The position is currently funded for 18 months, with the option of continuation given satisfactory performance. The successful candidate will be expected to work independently under the supervision of the project director, developing and conducting analyses to satisfy the project goals, and writing reports that will lead to multiple publications as both lead author and co-author. For longer-term employment potential, the successful candidate will be expected to assist in raising project funds. Experience: The successful applicant is expected to have a PhD or the equivalent in experience, in a field related to Marine Bioacoustics (candidates with both Biological Sciences and/or Engineering backgrounds are encouraged to apply). A detailed list of desired experience is found on the WCS.ORG web posting and should be addressed in the cover letter (this is a non-prioritized list and applicants will be assessed on the specific subset of skills from the list that they can claim and describe). All applications should be done through the WCS website. Review of applications in ongoing and the position will start in Spring 2013. For further details and application instructions, go to: http://www.wcs.org/about-us/careers/nyc-full-time.aspx Search current opportunities and apply online >> Job Title: Acoustic Analyst Position The is a Term Position for 18 Months Title: Cetacean Bio-Acoustic Analyst Location: New York City Job Type: New York City Full-Time APPLY ONLINE AT WCS.ORG ********************************** Salvatore Cerchio, Ph.D. scerchio(a)wcs.org Coordinator, West Indian Ocean Cetacean Project Associate Conservation Scientist Wildlife Conservation Society, Ocean Giants Program

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