April 2014 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Second autopsy and update for the mass stranding of Cuvier’s beaked whales in SE Crete, Greece.‏
by ARION 08 Apr '14

08 Apr '14

(sorry for cross-posting) Dear colleagues, There is a tragedy with the mass strandings of Cuvier's beaked whales which occur in SE Crete, since the 1st of April.The female Cuvier's beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris sp.) which was stranded dead on 3/4/2014 at Kastri, Heraklion Crete, Greece, was also pregnant! While necropsy started by the district veterinarian and under Dr. Anastasia’s Komnenou guidance, a fetus of a female Cuvier's beaked whale, of ~1,20 m in length, was revealed in front the socking eyes of the Veterinarian. It was a tragic moment. Therefore, there was not one but two deaths which are recorded for this incident. (please see the pictures at www.facebook.com/ARION.org) During the last week, there is a lot of harm towards the Cuvier's beaked whales in Southern Crete with already four dead animals. In Greece, Ziphius cavirostris’ population, behaviour, feeding areas, reproduction and lifespan are not completely studied. This is a parameter that we stress the authorities for their immediate protection and conservation for these animals, Dr Aimilia Drougas, ARION’s scientific coordinator, commended. The mother was still in gestation and did not make delivering her baby. This is a serious collateral loss and relevant authorities should implement immediate protection measures for the Cuvier’s beaked whales’ population. From relevant literature, Cuvier's Beaked Whale calves are usually, born at about 2.70 m in length (Heyning 2002; Mead 1984) and their physical maturity is reached at between 5.9 m and 6.13 m (Ross 2006). Also, their mating and calving season is reported to be all year round, as no seasonal pattern is evident. Dr. Aimilia Drougas said that the calving areas are not known for Greek waters as well as, the gestation period and calving interval for Cuvier's Beaked Whales are unknown, but in other beaked whales species the interval is expected to be one calf every few years, leading to a slow reproductive capacity. ARION will evaluate all the findings after receiving the results from the histopathological and other analysis of the tissue and internal organ samples, which have been gathered from the 3 necropsies. The analysis is accomplished at the Veterinary Medicine of AUTH laboratories. For further details, on the laboratory results please contact Dr. Anastasia Komnenou at natakomn(a)vet.auth.gr, The tri-lateral war drill exercises of Greece, Israel and NATO’s navy using sonars are expected to finish on the 10th of April, according to the Hellenic Navy’s formal announcement. Although, the covered area has been moved 100 km southern of Crete, after the alert given by the focal point of ACCOBAMS in Greeece, atypical strandings are still reported in this area. It is known that Ziphiidae ear drums are affected from the low frequency sonars by air empolism. Given the seriousness of the situation and because have historically been other similar mass strandings of Cuvier’s beaked whales on coasts of western and southern Greece, the incident is being monitored by the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the Hellenic Marine Research Centre, the Institute of Cetacean Research Pelagos and the Cetacean Rescue and Rehabilitation Research Center - ARION. Local authorities and local residents and ARION’s volunteers of Southern Crete, have been alerted to stand by and immediately notify the port authorities and the above organizations, in case other marine mammals strand on the coast of the broader region. For your information, we attach two pictures taken from the stranded dead mother and her fetus Cuvier's beaked whales who stranded dead at Kastri, Heraklion, SE Crete on 3/4/2014. You may find additional pictures at our social network, for the stranded animals. Best wishes, Aimilia Drougas and Natasa Komnenou ___________________________________________ Dr. Aimilia Drougas, Biologist, Geologist Oceanographer Scientific Coordinator ARION-Cetacean Rescue and Rehabilitation Research Center Limenas, Nea Moudania 63200 Chalkidiki, GREECE Tel.: +30-6945-644994, +30-213-0067257-8 e-mail: arion(a)arion.org.gr website: http://www.arion.org.gr F/B: http://www.facebook.com/ARION.org ____________________________________ Dr. Anastasia Komnenou, DVM, PhD Anastasia Komnenou, DVM, PhD, Associate Professor, Comparative Ophthalmology- Exotic and Wildlife Medicine Unit, Animal Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, St. Voutyra 11, 546-27 Thessaloniki, Greece Tel.: +30-6945-531850, +30-2130-994443 e-mail: natakomn(a)vet.auth.gr

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New publication on humpback whales
by Craig, Alison 08 Apr '14

08 Apr '14

Dear colleagues, We are pleased to announce the publication of the following article: Craig, A. S., Herman, L. M., Pack, A. A. & Waterman, J. O. (2014). Habitat segregation by female humpback whales in Hawaiian waters: avoidance of males? Behaviour, 151: 613-631. http://booksandjournals.brillonline.com/content/journals/10.1163/1568539x-0… Summary Humpback whales congregate annually in low-latitude winter breeding and calving grounds. While on these grounds, females with a dependent calf ('maternal females') are sometimes closely attended by one or more male escorts. Using data collected from a shore-based observation platform in the Hawaiian Islands, we tested the hypothesis that the spatial distribution of maternal females is driven primarily by avoidance of males. As predicted, we found that (1) pods containing a calf occurred in significantly shallower water than pods that did not contain a calf, (2) unescorted maternal females occurred in significantly shallower water than escorted maternal females, (3) the number of males escorting a female decreased significantly with decreasing water depth, and (4) the swimming speed of maternal females increased as a function of male presence, with escorted females travelling significantly more rapidly than unescorted females and a significant positive correlation between swimming speed and number of escorts. We suggest that maternal females incur increased energetic costs when escorted by males and consequently position themselves in shallow waters to reduce the likelihood of unwanted male attention. If you are interested but can't access this paper online, please email me (al.craig(a)napier.ac.uk<mailto:al.craig@napier.ac.uk>) for a pdf reprint. Best wishes, Alison. ================================================================= Dr Alison S. Craig, School of Life, Sport and Social Sciences Edinburgh Napier University Sighthill Campus Sighthill Court Edinburgh EH11 4BN Scotland UK Tel: +44(0)131 455 2245 Edinburgh Napier University offers industry informed courses and 92.3% of our graduates are in work or further study within six months of leaving. With over 17,000 students from over 110 countries, we are an international university and are also proud to be the largest UK provider of higher education in Hong Kong. In 2014, we are celebrating 50 years since we opened our doors as Napier Technical College. This message and its attachment(s) are intended for the addressee(s) only and should not be read, copied, disclosed, forwarded or relied upon by any person other than the intended addressee(s) without the permission of the sender. If you are not the intended addressee you must not take any action based on this message and its attachment(s) nor must you copy or show them to anyone. Please respond to the sender and ensure that this message and its attachment(s) are deleted. It is your responsibility to ensure that this message and its attachment(s) are scanned for viruses or other defects. Edinburgh Napier University does not accept liability for any loss or damage which may result from this message or its attachment(s), or for errors or omissions arising after it was sent. Email is not a secure medium. Emails entering Edinburgh Napier University's system are subject to routine monitoring and filtering by Edinburgh Napier University. Edinburgh Napier University is a registered Scottish charity. Registration number SC018373

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Marine Biology course in Puerto Rico
by Heidi C Pearson 07 Apr '14

07 Apr '14

Study in the Caribbean this May and earn college credit! One spot just opened up in the field course, Tropical Marine and Coastal Ecology, offered through the University of Alaska Southeast and the Marine and Coastal Ecology Research Center in Puerto Rico. Opportunities to view endangered species such as the Antillean manatee and hawksbill sea turtle, in addition to the rich biodiversity of coral reef ecosystems. Field dates: May 11-18. Registration and down-payment due by April 11. For further information visit the UAS schedule: http://www.uas.alaska.edu/schedule/index.html or contact Professor Heidi Pearson: hcpearson(a)uas.alaska.edu --------------------------------------------- Heidi Pearson, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Marine Biology University of Alaska Southeast 11120 Glacier Highway, AND1 Juneau, AK 99801 907-796-6271 hcpearson(a)uas.alaska.edu

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Seeking Development Manager, Marine Mammal Care Center at Fort MacArthur
by forums＠marinemammalcare.org 07 Apr '14

07 Apr '14

The Marine Mammal Care Center at Fort MacArthur (MMCC/FM), a hospital for sick and injured seals and sea lions, is seeking a Marketing and Development manager with a strong background in fundraising, outreach and non-profit management. A degree in marketing or business management is required, as well as four years experience working in non-profit fundraising. The ideal candidate will be adept at working with and balancing the needs of several affiliated organizations. Applicants should be able to demonstrate knowledge of tax and nonprofit requirements, have the ability to maintain copious donation records and possess a track record of moving smaller organizations toward large-scale capital growth. This position may require travel throughout the Southern California area for networking and outreach duties. Individuals local to the San Pedro/Southern California area (or willing to relocate) are preferred. We are an equal employment opportunity employer and participate in E-Verify. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of gender, race/ethnicity, protected veteran status, disability, or other protected group status. Please send cover letter and Cv to: Marine Mammal Care Center at Fort MacArthur 3601 South Gaffey Street, #8 San Pedro, CA 90731 Attn: David Bard Or email materials to: applications(a)marinemammalcare.org

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One more atypical mass stranding of Cuvier's beaked whales in Greece (SE Crete, Hellenic Trench) during military exercise
by Alexandros Frantzis 07 Apr '14

07 Apr '14

Dear all, Once more we have bad news regarding Cuvier's beaked whales in the Greek Seas. The local population unit, which has repeatedly been affected by naval sonar activity of NATO or of national navies in the past may be steadily heading towards its extinction. Today 1st April 2014 between 12:00 and 13:30 pm at least five Cuvier's beaked whales stranded atypically so far in the area of Ierapetra, SE Crete. Three animals stranded together in the same location and two other individuals stranded together some 17 km further west. Two more individuals stranded as single individuals 2.7 km and 500 m further west along the coast, but there is no way to know if these were additional individuals or some of those already stranded earlier. All animals were alive when stranded. One of them died and all other were led offshore by local people and not seen again until now. After a quick search in the internet we found that the Israeli, Greek and US Navy are conducting a trilateral two-week military exercises in the area of Crete (named Noble Dina 2014). The naval activity includes anti-submarine warfare (ASW), which indicates the use of military sonar, well known as the cause of many mass strandings of Ziphiids around the world. During their 5^th Meeting of the Parties (Morocco, November 2013)the Agreement for the Conservation of Cetaceans in the Mediterranean and Black Sea (ACCOBAMS) have for first time identified on a map the areas where sonar should be avoided in the Mediterranean Sea, and made this information publicly available. One of these areas on the map is SE Crete where the new mass stranding occurred. A bit earlier we contacted competent Greek authorities including the Greek focal point of ACCOBAMS to inform them about the new mass stranding and to request their intervention, so that no use of military sonar is made during the exercise today and following days. The port-police authorities and local volunteers have been alerted and we just hope that tomorrow we won't find more animals along the coasts. *How many more whale deaths to spark real mitigation at the regional and international level?* Best wishes, Alexandros -- ___________________________________________ Dr. Alexandros Frantzis Scientific director Pelagos Cetacean Research Institute Terpsichoris 21 16671 Vouliagmeni, GREECE Tel.: +30-210-8960108 e-mail: afrantzis(a)otenet.gr website: http://www.pelagosinstitute.gr ___________________________________________ --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.com

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Note on humpback whale mortality in Western Australia
by Raudino, Holly 06 Apr '14

06 Apr '14

Dear Marmamers, We'd like to bring to your attention the following note in JCRM "A note on the spike in recorded mortality of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Western Australia" DOUGLAS K. COUGHRAN, NICK J. GALES AND HOLLY C. SMITH Contact e-mail: Douglas.Coughran(a)dpaw.wa.gov.au ABSTRACT An unprecedented number of humpback whales (n = 46) from Breeding Stock D (BSD) were found dead or dying on Western Australian beaches in 2009. This compares to an average of less than four stranded humpback whales in each year in the period between 1989 and 2008. The recorded number of humpback whales on beaches in the year preceding this peak (2008, n = 13) and the two years following the peak (2010, n = 16; 2011, n = 17) were also above the long term average. In 2012 (n = 7), the numbers of stranded whales was closer to the longer term average. The majority of stranded individuals were either calves (44%) or juveniles/sub-adults (49%), with only 7% classified as adults. Most whales appeared emaciated. There were insufficient data to determine cause of death. Three possible hypotheses to explain this spike in mortality are proposed: (1) the increase in mortality of BSD was an artefact of increased detection and reporting; (2) the increase was temporary and transitory; and (3) the spike in mortality represents the start of an increasing trend in mortality as the population approaches carrying capacity. We suggest that hypothesis two is the most plausible but on-going monitoring will be required to test this. KEYWORDS: HUMPBACK WHALE; MONITORING; SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE; STRANDING; TRENDS Please cite as: Coughran, D.K., Gales, N.J. and Smith, H.C. (2013) A note on the spike in recorded mortality of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Western Australia, Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 13(2): 105-108 Thanks in advance, Holly Raudino, PhD Research Scientist Marine Science Program Dept of Parks and Wildlife * holly.raudino(a)dpaw.wa.gov.au<mailto:holly.raudino@dpaw.wa.gov.au> * 9219 9754 [cid:image002.png@01CF524D.CACB8A50] Science and Conservation Division

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Freely downloadable educational book
by Els Vermeulen 04 Apr '14

04 Apr '14

Dear Colleagues and friends, We are proud to announce the launch of our latest publication 'Dolphins of the Bay', an educational resource that is free to download from our webpage www.whalefish.org We hope you enjoy and please feel free to share it with educational institutions. Kind regards, Els Els Vermeulen, MSc Doctorandus Laboratory of Oceanology - MARE Research Centre University of Liege, Belgium www2.ulg.ac.be/oceanbio JNCC & PSO qualified MMO PAM operator

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New publication: comparative analysis of marine mammal tracheas
by Andreas Fahlman 04 Apr '14

04 Apr '14

Dear All, We would like to draw attention to our recently published paper on the structural and functional properties of the conducting airways in marine mammals. If you would like a pdf copy of the paper, please send an e-mail to: Andreas Fahlman: andreas.fahlman(a)tamucc.edu or Colby Moore: colby_moore(a)baylor.edu CITATION Moore, C., Moore, M.J., Trumble, S., Niemeyer, M., Lentell, B., McLellan, W., Costidis, A., Fahlman, A., A Comparative Analysis of Marine Mammal Tracheas. Journal of Experimental Biology 217, 1154 (2014). ABSTRACT In 1940, Scholander suggested that stiffened upper airways remained open and received air from highly compressible alveoli during marine mammal diving. There are few data available on the structural and functional adaptations of the marine mammal respiratory system. The aim of this research was to investigate the anatomical (gross) and structural (compliance) characteristics of excised marine mammal tracheas. Here, we defined different types of tracheal structures, categorizing pinniped tracheas by varying degrees of continuity of cartilage (categories 1–4) and cetacean tracheas by varying compliance values (categories 5A and 5B). Some tracheas fell into more than one category along their length; for example, the harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) demonstrated complete rings cranially, and as the trachea progressed caudally, tracheal rings changed morphology. Dolphins and porpoises had less stiff, more compliant spiraling rings while beaked whales had very stiff, less compliant spiraling rings. The pressure–volume (P–V) relationships of isolated tracheas from different species were measured to assess structural differences between species. These findings lend evidence for pressure-induced collapse and re-inflation of lungs, perhaps influencing variability in dive depth or ventilation rates of the species investigated. -- Andreas Fahlman Department of Life Sciences Texas A&M- Corpus Christi 6300 Ocean Dr Unit 5892 Corpus Christi, TX 78412 Ph. +1-361-825-3489 Fax +1-361-825-2025 mail: andreas.fahlman(a)tamucc.edu web: comparativephysiology.webs.com -- Andreas Fahlman Department of Life Sciences Texas A&M- Corpus Christi 6300 Ocean Dr Unit 5892 Corpus Christi, TX 78412 Ph. +1-361-825-3489 Fax +1-361-825-2025 mail: andreas.fahlman(a)tamucc.edu web: comparativephysiology.webs.com

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R package for dead reckoning and visualization
by Brian Battaile 04 Apr '14

04 Apr '14

Dear Colleagues, For those of you working with accelerometer and magnetometer data, I wanted to call your attention to a new R package called TrackReconstruction designed to perform dead reckoning on the data and visualize the results. The package includes a vignette with some additional information on dealing with large data sets using PERL prior to import into R, color mapping of the results with bathymetry data and finally how to make animated movies of the tracks. The package does not have functions to analyze behavior, a major focus of accelerometer research in our field. To that end, I'm keen to expand the utility of the package from other contributors who don't want to go through the hassle of creating their own R package, please contact me atbrian.battaile(a)gmail.com if you are interested. This R package is not the only package for this type of analysis. There is another R package called animalTrack that does essentially the same thing but with a slightly different implementation and some nice alternative features. In addition there is an add-in to IGOR Pro that does the deadreckoning and an additional add-in from Kentaro Sakamoto called Ethographer that does behavioral analysis, and of course Colin Ware's TrackPlot that is an amazing visualization tool. There may be others I'm not aware of. Cheers, Brian

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Aquatic Animal Health Summer & Fall Online Courses - Open Registration
by Larkin,Iskande (Iske) 04 Apr '14

04 Apr '14

At the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine we are offering a few exciting online courses in the upcoming Summer and Fall semesters that are specifically geared towards those interested in Aquatic Animal Health. All of these courses have registration options for undergraduate students, graduate students and as continuing education for the professional or practitioner. Summer classes (2014) Aquatic Wildlife Health Issues is an online course (3 credits) designed to introduce students (upper level undergraduate and graduate) and professionals (with an AA or higher degree) to the natural history, anatomy, physiology, behavior and common health issues of aquatic species: whales and dolphins, seals and sea lions, manatees, sea turtles, crocodilians, fish and invertebrates. More information can be found here: (http://aquatic.vetmed.ufl.edu/education/courses/distance-learning-courses/a…) Manatee Health and Conservation is an online course (3 credits) that will provide students (upper level undergraduate and graduate) and professionals (with an AA or higher degree) with a detailed overview of manatee natural history, health assessment, and research findings as well as explore conservation issues. More information can be found here: (http://aquatic.vetmed.ufl.edu/education/courses/distance-learning-courses/m…<https://mail.ufl.edu/owa/%28http:/aquatic.vetmed.ufl.edu/education/courses/…>) Fall classes (2014) Aquatic Animal Conservation Issues is an online course (3 credits) designed to introduce students (upper level undergraduate and graduate) and professionals (with an AA or higher degree) to the controversial issues surrounding aquatic animal species ranging from invertebrates to marine mammals, with an emphasis on marine mammals, but also including sea turtles, fisheries, and marine ecosystems. More information can be found here: (http://aquatic.vetmed.ufl.edu/education/courses/distance-learning-courses/a…) For questions about the class or enrollment, contact Jeffrey Hendel (hendelj(a)ufl.edu<mailto:hendelj@ufl.edu>). If you are interested in taking one of the classes, registration is now open for Summer and Fall terms (2014). Sincerely, Dr Iske Larkin [Description: AAH logo blue E-Mail Sig] Iske V. Larkin, PhD Lecturer & Education Coordinator Aquatic Animal Health Program Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine University of Florida PO Box 100136 2015 SW 16th Ave Gainesville, Florida 32610 For packages 32608 Office phone - 352-294-4095 Work cell - 352-494-1742 Fax - 352-392-8289 Program web page: http://aquatic.vetmed.ufl.edu/ ________________________________ Please note that Florida has a broad public records law, and that all correspondence to or from University of Florida employees via email may be subject to disclosure.

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