August 2013 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Abstract: Habitat use and relative abundance of Hawaiian odontocetes
by Robin Baird 26 Aug '13

26 Aug '13

New publication Baird, R.W., D.L. Webster, J.M. Aschettino, G.S. Schorr and D.J. McSweeney. 2013. Odontocete cetaceans around the main Hawaiian Islands: habitat use and relative abundance from small-boat sighting surveys. Aquatic Mammals 39:253-269. DOI 10.1578/AM.39.3.2013.253 Available at http://www.cascadiaresearch.org/hawaii/Bairdetal2013_AM.pdf Abstract Knowledge of the distribution and relative abundance of odontocete cetaceans is important for helping to understand and potentially mitigate impacts of anthropogenic activities. We present small-boat survey and sighting data from 13 y (2000 through 2012) of field studies around the main Hawaiian Islands. We surveyed 84,758 km of trackline, with effort ranging from 3 to 11 y off each of the four different island areas. We had 2,018 sightings of odontocetes representing all 18 species known to exist in Hawai'i. Analyses indicated that sighting rates varied with depth for most species, with some found at their highest rates in shallow (< 1,000 m) water (e.g., common bottlenose and spinner dolphins), some in slope (500 to 2,500 m) water (e.g., dwarf sperm whales and short-finned pilot whales), and some in very deep (> 3,000 m) water (e.g., sperm whales, striped dolphins, Risso's dolphins, and rough-toothed dolphins). Most species (14 of 18) were recorded in all oceanographic seasons. Restricting effort data by depth indicates that in depths > 3,000 m, the most commonly encountered species are rough-toothed dolphins, pantropical spotted dolphins, striped dolphins, and sperm whales. In depths < 2,000 m, the most commonly sighted species were short-finned pilot whales, pantropical spotted dolphins, common bottlenose dolphins, and rough-toothed dolphins. Sighting rates for some species varied among islands, apparently unrelated to differences in effort in different areas. Off Kaua'i and Ni'ihau rough-toothed dolphins were seen more often than expected (25.9% of sightings) based on sighting rates of this species elsewhere in the islands, while pantropical spotted dolphins (3.9% of sightings) and short-finned pilot whales (6.5% of sightings) were seen less often than expected given that they are among the most common species off the other island areas. Such patterns are relevant to interpreting results of acoustic and aerial survey methods in which species identifications are inferred from classification methods or limited by brief sighting opportunities, respectively. More information on this research available at www.cascadiaresearch.org/hawaii/hawaii.htm<http://www.cascadiaresearch.org/hawaii/hawaii.htm> =============================================================================== Robin W. Baird, Ph.D. Research Biologist Cascadia Research Collective 218 1/2 W. 4th Avenue Olympia, WA 98501 USA Follow us on Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cascadia-Research-Collective/110495958982184> http://www.cascadiaresearch.org<http://www.cascadiaresearch.org/>

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PhD on Dolphin Social Cognition
by c8johnson＠ucsd.edu 25 Aug '13

25 Aug '13

PhD position on Dolphin Social Cognition Dept of Cognitive Science, UC San Diego Applications for position beginning Fall 2014 are due December 2, 2013. This research involves audio and video analysis of social interactions in captive bottlenose dolphins. Our goals include gaining a better understanding of the social use of vocalization and gesture in these animals, and the role that monitoring and manipulating social attention plays in their daily lives. Qualifications for potential candidates include some subset of the following: * Background in observational studies of behavior, especially the micro-analysis of video * Working knowledge of distributed cognition (e.g. Hutchins 1995; 2001, Johnson 2001, 2010; Hutchins & Johnson 2009 - see refs below) * Experience with Computer Vision techniques * Programming skills (e.g. in C, Python, or equivalent) * Familiarity with Information Dynamics measures (such as "mutual information", "integration", and complexity" - see Lungarella et al, 2005) Interested parties should contact Dr. Christine Johnson, Dept of Cognitive Science, UC San Diego, at johnson(a)cogsci.ucsd.edu for further details. Hutchins, E. (1995) Cognition in the Wild. MIT Press. Hutchins, E. (2001) Distributed cognition. International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2068-2072. Elsevier Science Ltd. Hutchins, E. & Johnson, C.M. (2009) Modeling the emergence of language as an embodied collective cognitive activity. Topics in Cognitive Science, 1: 523-546. Johnson, C.M. (2001) Distributed primate cognition: A review. Animal Cognition, 3: 167-183. Johnson, C.M. (2010). Observing cognitive complexity in primates and cetaceans. International Journal of Comparative Psychology, 23: 587-624. Lungarella, M., Pegors, T., Bullwinkle, D., & Sporns, O. (2005) Methods for quantifying the informational structure of sensory and motor data. Neuroinformatics, 1539-2791/05/243262.

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Volunteering or Intership at the SRRC
by Guillermo J. Sánchez Contreras 25 Aug '13

25 Aug '13

Dear friends, The Seal Rehabilitation and Research Centre (SRRC) in Pieterburen (The Netherlands) is a rehab centre for seals that have been taking care of orphaned, injured and sick seals for more than 40 years. The SRRC has evolved into a specialized hospital for seals with a team of Seal Rehabilitators, Veterinarians and Scientists, and becoming a reference in the marine mammal world. Every year, more than 100 people from all over the world either volunteer or do their internships with us. Being a volunteer or a trainee at our facility is an exciting experience since learning while helping animals and protecting the environment is the main goal. The Winter season is the busiest period of the year at the SRRC since orphaned grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) and seriously sick grey seals and harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) are the main patients admitted. During this period as much as 380 seals can be hosted at the centre. Taking care of all these animals requires a lot of effort and help. That is why the SRRC is offering volunteer/trainee open positions for the Winter period, starting from October 2013 until March 2014. The role of the Volunteer/Trainee is assisting the experienced nurses with the daily care of the seals. This includes but is not limited to preparing diets, treating wounds, sanitation of the facilities, following strict hygienic protocols. The minimum period requested is 6 weeks, with a maximum of 3 months. Longer staying applicants are preferred in this time. The SRRC offers food and full equipped accommodation for volunteers/trainees at the price of 75€/week (gas, electricity, water and Internet are included). All interested applicants should contact Vicky Stoneman (Head of Volunteers) at vicky(a)zeehondencreche.nl Sincerely yours, -- *Guillermo J. Sánchez Contreras* Veterinary Department Zeehondencrèche Lenie 't Hart Seal Rehabilitation and Research Centre SRRC Hoofdstraat 94a 9968 AG Pieterburen The Netherlands Mobile phone: +31 (0)6 12 981176 Email: guillermo(a)zeehondencreche.nl Website: www.zeehondencreche.nl Website English: www.srrc.nl

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New publications on blue whales in the southern hemisphere
by Flore Samaran 21 Aug '13

21 Aug '13

Dear colleagues, We are pleased to announce the publication of the following paper "Seasonal and Geographic variation of southern blue whale subspecies in the Indian Ocean" by Flore Samaran, Kathleen M. Stafford, Trevor A. Branch, Jason Gedamke, Jean-Yves Royer, Robert P. Dziak, Christophe Guinet in PLOS ONE. Although the paper is available online, the journal published it without 3 very important figures (note that at present PLoSONE does not provide a pre-publication proof so that authors can make sure such a mistake does not occur) and as this has not yet been corrected (and may not be according to the journal) rather than download the PDF from PLosOne, please feel free to send me an email and I will send you the complete version of the paper. "Seasonal and Geographic variation of southern blue whale subspecies in the Indian Ocean" by Flore Samaran, Kathleen M. Stafford, Trevor A. Branch, Jason Gedamke, Jean-Yves Royer, Robert P. Dziak, Christophe Guinet Understanding the seasonal movements and distribution patterns of migratory species over ocean basin scales is vital for appropriate conservation and management measures. However, assessing populations over remote regions is challenging, particularly if they are rare. Blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus spp) are an endangered species found in the Southern and Indian Oceans. Here two recognized subspecies of blue whales and, based on passive acoustic monitoring, four “acoustic populations” occur. Three of these are pygmy blue whale (B.m. brevicauda) populations while the fourth is the Antarctic blue whale (B.m. intermedia). Past whaling catches have dramatically reduced their numbers but recent acoustic recordings show that these oceans are still important habitat for blue whales. Presently little is known about the seasonal movements and degree of overlap of these four populations, particularly in the central Indian Ocean. We examined the geographic and seasonal occurrence of different blue whale acoustic populations using one year of passive acoustic recording from three sites located at different latitudes in the Indian Ocean. The vocalizations of the different blue whale subspecies and acoustic populations were recorded seasonally in different regions. For some call types and locations, there was spatial and temporal overlap, particularly between Antarctic and different pygmy blue whale acoustic populations. Except on the southernmost hydrophone, all three pygmy blue whale acoustic populations were found at different sites or during different seasons, which further suggests that these populations are generally geographically distinct. This unusual blue whale diversity in sub-Antarctic and sub-tropical waters indicates the importance of the area for blue whales in these former whaling grounds. Best regards, Flore Samaran and coauthors -- Flore Samaran PhD Chargée de mission NATURA 2000: Marsouin Commun, volet acoustique passive Centre de Recherche des Mammifères Marins Observatoire Pelagis - UMS 3462 5 allée de l'Océan 17 000 La Rochelle E-mail: flore.samaran(a)univ-lr.fr Tel. +(33) 05 16 49 67 20 Port. +(33) 06 08 12 70 68 Fax +(33) 05 46 45 85 55 ><((((º>

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Volunteers needed to help with seabird and cetacean fieldwork in South of Spain (Andalusia) - 5th campaign.
by Joan Giménez Verdugo 20 Aug '13

20 Aug '13

Volunteers needed to help with seabird and cetacean fieldwork in South of Spain (Andalusia) - 5th campaign. CIRCE (http://www.circe.info) is seeking applications from volunteers to help in the motorboat ELSA in the study of abundance and distribution of seabirds and cetaceans in the Gulf of Cadiz (Andalucia - Spain) from 16th September to 27th October 2013. 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 and Tarifa) 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.* *Applicants will receive an email the 3rd of September, so the application is open until the 1st of September.* Sincerely, -- Joan Giménez Verdugo PhD student gimenez.verdugo(a)gmail.com

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Information about spinner dolphin and Indopacific bottlenose dolphin habitat
by Manon Condet 20 Aug '13

20 Aug '13

Dear MARMAMERs, I'm working on a Spinner dolphins' (S*tenella longirostris*) and Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins' (*Tursiops aduncus*) habitat study in Reunion island. I'm interested in the characteristics of the areas in which they concentrate (sediment type and slope of the sea bottom, average water depth, turbidity, etc.) and I would like to compare our observations with those from similar studies in other regions. Any suggestions and comments are welcome! Thank you very much in advance, Best regards, Manon Condet manon.condet(a)gmail.com Globice : www.globice.org

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Volunteers required to assist with a study of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Northland, New Zealand
by Peters, Catherine 19 Aug '13

19 Aug '13

Volunteers required to assist with a study of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Northland, New Zealand Program: The Coastal-Marine Research Group (C-MRG - http://cmrg.massey.ac.nz/) was established under the auspices of the Institute of Natural Sciences (INS)<http://ins.massey.ac.nz/> at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand in 2000. Since then, both its staff<http://masseyuniversity.webs.com/ourteam.htm> and postgraduate students<http://masseyuniversity.webs.com/students.htm> have undertaken marine mammal research within and beyond New Zealand waters, concentrating specifically on conservation and management orientated questions. Volunteers are required to assist on a PhD study (supervised by Dr Karen Stockin, Massey University and Prof Mark Orams, AUT University) to assess the behavioural ecology and conservation of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Bay of Islands, Northland, New Zealand. Bottlenose dolphins are classified as nationally endangered within New Zealand waters (Baker et al 2010), with a local population recently described (Tezanos-Pinto et al in press). This study builds upon earlier research undertaken by Tezanos-Pinto (2009) and Constantine (2002) and will among other things, reassess the status and effects of tourism interactions (a decade on from Constantine 2002). Volunteer activities: The field season runs year round and volunteers are required for all periods. A minimum commitment of three months is preferred, with priority given to those who can commit for longer periods. One volunteer is required to begin in September 2013, priority will be given to applicants that fit this requirement. The volunteer team will be required to fulfill several key roles: Assist on a 5.5m dedicated research vessel operating from the Bay of Islands. Surveys will involve daily return trips (not overnight) and be conducted in favorable conditions only. As such, no minimum or maximum number of research days onboard the research vessel can be guaranteed Assist with vessel of opportunity data collection in the Bay of Islands Assist with data processing and preliminary analysis on bad weather days Undertake additional responsibilities/roles as the season progresses Effort will placed into allowing all volunteers the opportunity to gain experience on each element. Volunteer requirements: Be adaptable and patient – field work is highly weather dependent and could include long, consecutive days both on and off the water Be enthusiastic and team orientated (both in a living and working environment) A willingness to learn Possess a positive attitude Be polite to, and engage positively with, the local community Be physically fit and able to work in outdoor conditions Speak English Possess basic computer skills (excel, word, etc) Preferred (but not necessary) skills/traits: Be enrolled in, or have completed, a degree in a related field (Biology, Zoology, Marine Biology, Animal Behaviour, etc) Have small boat experience Have previous (marine) field experience Enthusiasm and demonstrable commitment to the project will supersede formal qualifications. Volunteers will be expected to work and live as part of a team with shared cooking and cleaning duties. Unfortunately, monetary compensation cannot be provided, and volunteers will be required to pay for their own food and accommodation. However accommodation will be provided in the field research house at a reasonable rate. Volunteers must pay and organize for their own transport to the field site (3 hours North of Auckland). Information, prices and assistance can be provided to successful applicants. Application process: Applicants should send a short email cover letter, using ‘volunteer opportunity’ as the subject line, to c.peters(a)massey.ac.nz<mailto:c.peters@massey.ac.nz>. The email should include an outline of why you would like to work on this project, your availability and relevant experience. Please also attach a brief CV including at least one reference. Early application is recommended to avoid disappointment. Successful applicants will be notified ASAP. This is a great opportunity to work in a dynamic environment and gain further experience, whilst working on an important research project. For more detailed information on the project please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for your interest. Many thanks Catherine *********************************************** Catherine Peters PhD Candidate Coastal-Marine Research Group Institute of Natural and Mathematical Sciences Massey University Private Bag 102 904 Auckland New Zealand Tel: + 64 (9) 4140800 Ext: 41196 Mob: + 64 (0) 211058040 Email: c.peters(a)massey.ac.nz<mailto:c.peters@massey.ac.nz> Web: http://cmrg.massey.ac.nz/

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Upcoming seminar: Our cognitive cousins: the intelligence of apes and dolphins
by Justin Gregg 19 Aug '13

19 Aug '13

Dear colleagues, We invite you to join us on October 26th for the second seminar in our Apes and Dolphins Seminar series titled "Our cognitive cousins: the intelligence of apes and dolphins." This seminar will feature lectures covering the current state of the science on ape and dolphin cognition, and compare the nature of their intelligence to that of humans and other animals. Lecture topics will include social cognition, self-awareness, consciousness, problem solving, tool use, social learning and culture, categorization, emotional intelligence, empathy, altruism, theory of mind, comprehension of human communicative signals, etc. There will of course be plenty of time for healthy discussions throughout the day. This seminar will take place on October 26th from 10:00 to 17:00 at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in The Netherlands. For more information and registration information, please visit: <http://www.apesanddolphins.com> www.apesanddolphins.com Or our Facebook page at: <http://www.facebook.com/ApesAndDolphinsSeminarSeries> http://www.facebook.com/ApesAndDolphinsSeminarSeries A PDF flyer can be downloaded here: http://justingregg.com/FlyerCognitiveCousins.pdf The Apes and Dolphins Seminar Series is a Minding Animals Partner Event. More info about Minding Animals at <http://www.mindinganimals.com> www.mindinganimals.com We hope to see you there! All the best, Justin and Esteban ____________ Justin Gregg, PhD Research Associate, Dolphin Communication Project <mailto:jgregg@dolphincommunicationproject.org> jgregg(a)dolphincommunicationproject.org <http://www.justingregg.com> http://www.justingregg.com <http://www.dolphincommunicationproject.org/> http://www.dolphincommunicationproject.org/

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New publications on killer whale evolutionary ecology
by Andy Foote 15 Aug '13

15 Aug '13

Dear colleagues, Two papers on the evolution of killer whale types and forms have just been published online: Mitogenomic insights into a recently described and rarely observed killer whale morphotype Andrew D. Foote, Phillip A. Morin, Robert L. Pitman, Maria C. Avila-Arcos, John W. Durban, Anton van Helden, Mikkel-Holger S. Sinding and M. Thomas P. Gilbert Polar Biology, DOI 10.1007/s00300-013-1354-0 Identifying evolutionary divergent taxonomic units, e.g. species and subspecies, is important for con- servation and evolutionary biology. The ‘type D’ killer whale, Orcinus orca, is a rarely observed morphotype with a pelagic, circumpolar subantarctic distribution, making dedicated research and therefore taxonomic study extremely difficult to date. In this study, we used DNA target enrichment hybridisation capture coupled to high throughput sequencing, to obtain the first DNA sequence from the only known museum specimen of this recently described morphotype. The high coverage, complete mitogenome sequence was compared to a previously published global dataset of 139 individuals, indicating that this type is highly divergent to all previously genetically sequenced killer whale forms. The estimated divergence time (390,000 years ago) from its most recent common ancestor with other extant killer whale lineages was the second oldest split within the killer whale phylogeny. This study provides the first genetic support of type D potentially being a distinct subspecies or species of killer whale, although further samples are needed to identify whether there is monophyly of mitogenome sequences and whether nuclear DNA also indicates reproductive isolation. These findings also highlight the value of natural history museum collections and new technologies to investigate the taxonomy of rare, cryptic or difficult to access species. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00300-013-1354-0#page-1 Tracking niche variation over millennial timescales in sympatric killer whale lineages Andrew D. Foote, Jason Newton, Maria C. Avila-Arcos, Marie-Louise Kampmann, Jose A. Samaniego, Klaas Post, Aqqalu Rosing-Asvid, Mikkel-Holger S. Sinding and M. Thomas P. Gilbert Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 280: 20131481 Niche variation owing to individual differences in ecology has been hypothesized to be an early stage of sympatric speciation. Yet to date, no study has tracked niche width over more than a few generations. In this study, we show the presence of isotopic niche variation over millennial timescales and investigate the evolutionary outcomes. Isotopic ratios were measured from tissue samples of sympatric killer whale *Orcinus orca*lineages from the North Sea, spanning over 10,000 years. Isotopic ratios spanned a range similar to the difference in isotopic values of two known prey items, herring *Clupea harengus* and harbour seal *Phoca vitulina*. Two proxies of the stage of speciation, lineage sorting of mitogenomes and genotypic clustering, were both weak to intermediate indicating that speciation has made little progress. Thus, our study confirms that even with the necessary ecological conditions, i.e. among-individual variation in ecology, it is difficult for sympatric speciation to progress in the face of gene flow. In contrast to some theoretical models, our empirical results suggest that sympatric speciation driven by among-individual differences in ecological niche is a slow process and may not reach completion. We argue that sympatric speciation is constrained in this system owing to the plastic nature of the behavioural traits under selection when hunting either mammals or fish. http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/280/1768/20131481.abstract best regards, Andy Foote and coauthors -- *Dr Andrew Foote* *Centre for GeoGenetics* The Natural History Museum of Denmark Øster Voldgade 5 - 7 1350 Copenhagen K

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New paper on the effects of seismic operations on bowhead whale behaviour
by Robertson, Frances 14 Aug '13

14 Aug '13

Dear MARMAM Subscribers, We are pleased to announce the publication of the following paper online this week in Endangered Species Research, Robertson FC, Koski WR, Thomas TA, Richardson WJ, Würsig B and Trites AW (2013) Seismic operations have variable effects on dive-cycle behavior of bowhead whales in the Beaufort Sea. Endangered Species Research 21: 143-160. doi: 10.3354/esr00515 ABSTRACT: The surfacing, respiration and diving (SRD) behavior of bowhead whales Balaena mysticetus changes upon exposure to seismic operations. However, it is unknown whether these changes differ by season, reproductive status (calves, mothers, and non-calves), and whale activity (traveling, foraging, or socializing). Such SRD behavioral responses to seismic operations might influence the detectability of whales during aerial surveys. We addressed these questions by applying non-parametric univariate tests and linear mixed models to behavioral data collected by aerial observation of bowheads in the Beaufort Sea from 1980 to 2000. Durations of surfacings decreased upon exposure to seismic operations, especially for traveling or socializing non-calf whales. The mixed models also indicated that dive durations were affected by the presence of seismic operations, but the effects depended on other variables such as season and whale activity. Overall, our results suggest that changes in the behavior exhibited by bowhead whales exposed to seismic operations are context-dependent (i.e. responses to seismic operations depend on both the circumstance and activity of the whale). The level of perceived threat may also be important based on similarities with behavioral changes observed in other air-breathing aquatic foragers facing dangers. We conclude that seismic-induced changes in bowhead SRD behaviors may affect the availability of bowhead whales for visual detection in some circumstances. This in turn means that estimates of abundance and distribution of bowhead whales near seismic surveys should be context-sensitive and incorporate correction factors that account for sound exposure, season, reproductive status, and whale activity. The paper is available online at http://www.int-res.com/abstracts/esr/v21/n2/p143-160/ For a PDF copy of the paper please contact the corresponding author Frances Robertson at: f.robertson(a)fisheries.ubc.ca<mailto:f.robertson@fisheries.ubc.ca> Best regards Frances Frances C. Robertson PhD Candidate Marine Mammal Research Unit Fisheries Centre University of British Columbia Canada: 604 339 4967 US: 360 420 4403 www.distantfin.net http://www.marinemammal.org/MMRU2/personnel/frances-robertson/

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