October 2015 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

New publication: Description and seasonal detection of two potential whale calls recorded in the Indian Ocean
by Andreia Gonçalves Sousa 11 Oct '15

11 Oct '15

Dear Colleagues, We are pleased to announce the following publication in JASA: Sousa, G.A. and Harris, D. (2015) *Description and seasonal detection of two potential whale calls recorded in the Indian Ocean*. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 138, 1379. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.4928719 Abstract: Unidentified acoustic signals are recorded by hydrophones placed in the world's oceans. Some of these sounds are suspected to originate from marine mammals. In this study, two acoustic signals recorded by two arrays at Diego Garcia in the northern Indian Ocean are described. Data were available between January 2002 and December 2003. Signals were detected manually using long-term spectral average plots. Time and frequency measurements were taken from a sample of both signals. The first unidentified signal [Diego Garcia Downsweep (DGD)] consisted of two main components. The mean frequency range of the entire signal was 19.3–45.0 Hz, with a mean duration of 36.5 s (n = 22). Detections of DGD at the northern array peaked in the austral summer, though detections at the southern array peaked during winter and spring. The second unidentified signal [Diego Garcia Croak (DGC)] consisted of one component with a mean frequency range of 16.9–49.6 Hz. The mean duration of the signal was 13.1 s (n = 10). Detections of DGC did not follow a clear seasonal pattern. These signals followed characteristics of biological sources, suggesting that they could be whale calls. Fin whale calls and possible blue whales D-calls were also identified in the data. The article can be downloaded from: http://scitation.aip.org/content/asa/journal/jasa/138/3/10.1121/1.4928719 Alternatively, if you are unable to download the article please email me for a pdf at: andreiagss(a)gmail.com Kind regards, Andreia Sousa

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Protected Species Branch Chief job opportunity - Woods Hole, MA
by Michael Simpkins - NOAA Federal 09 Oct '15

09 Oct '15

Hello all, NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center is recruiting a Supervisory Research Fishery Biologist or Ecologist to lead the Protected Species Branch in Woods Hole, MA. The job opportunity is now open online at USAJOBS (http://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/418008700) from 9 – 23 October. The Protected Species Branch is a group of very experienced and talented field biologists and analysts focused on marine mammal and sea turtle conservation (see http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/psb/) In the near future, the Branch is likely to expand its research efforts to include work on endangered and threatened fish, through incorporation of the Center’s Atlantic Salmon Research and Conservation Task (see http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/salmon/) The Center’s marine mammal, sea turtle, and salmon scientists work on some of the most endangered marine species (Atlantic salmon and North Atlantic right whales); use cutting edge technologies and transform them to operational research and monitoring tools; lead regional and national research programs; and collaborate with a large array of federal, state, tribal, academic, industry, and non-governmental organizations. This is an exciting time and place to work on protected marine species. The Branch Chief who oversees this work is a critical position for the Center, and we hope to attract a strong applicant pool. -- Mike Simpkins, Ph.D. Chief, Resource Evaluation and Assessment Division Northeast Fisheries Science Center, NOAA/NMFS 166 Water Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543 Phone: 508-495-2358 Fax: 508-495-2032

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New paper: Individuality embedded in the isolation calls of captive beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas)
by thank_you_for_email_5yuka＠yahoo.co.jp 09 Oct '15

09 Oct '15

Dear all I'm pleased to announce the following paper. Title: Individuality embedded in the isolation calls of captive beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) Authors: Mishima Y., Morisaka T., Itoh M., Matsuo I., Sakaguchi A., Miyamoto Y. Zoological letters 2015 1:27 DOI: 10.1186/s40851-015-0028-x Abstract: Introduction: Species with fission-fusion social systems tend to exchange individualized contact calls to maintain group cohesion. Signature whistles by bottlenose dolphins are unique compared to the contact calls of other non-human animals in that they include identity information independent of voice cues. Further, dolphins copy the signatures of conspecifics and use them to label specific individuals. Increasing our knowledge of the contact calls of other cetaceans that have a fluid social structure may thus help us better understand the evolutionary and adaptive significance of all forms of individually distinctive calls. It was recently reported that one type of broadband pulsed sounds (PS1), rather than whistles, may function as individualized contact calls in captive belugas. The objective of this study was to assess the function and individual distinctiveness of PS1 calls in an isolation context. Recordings were made from five captive belugas, including both sexes and various ages. Results: PS1 was the predominant call type (38 % in total) out of five broader sound categories. One sub-adult and three adults had individually distinctive and stereotyped pulse repetition pattern in PS1; one calf showed no clear stereotyped pulse repetition pattern. While visual inspection of the PS1 power spectra uncovered no apparent individual specificity, statistical analyses revealed that both temporal and spectral parameters had inter-individual differences and that there was greater inter-individual than intra-individual variability. Discriminant function analysis based on five temporal and spectral parameters classified PS1 calls into individuals with an overall correct classification rate of 80.5 %, and the most informative parameter was the average Inter-pulse interval, followed by peak frequency. Conclusion: These results suggest that belugas use individually distinctive contact calls in an isolation context. If belugas encode signature information in PS1 calls, as seen in bottlenose dolphins, the pulse repetition pattern may be the carrier, as it is individually stereotyped and appears to require vocal development. This idea is supported by the finding that the average inter-pulse interval is the most powerful discriminator in discriminant analysis. Playback experiments will elucidate which parameters are perceived as individual characteristics, and whether one of the parameters functions as a signature. This is an open-access. If you are interested in this paper, please read it. Download site: http://zoologicalletters.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40851-015-0028… Sincerely, Yuka Mishima ---- Yuka Mishima The Graduate School of Marine Science and Technology Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology email: yuka.mishima.0614(a)gmail.com

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Job Postings
by bc.morehead＠comcast.net 08 Oct '15

08 Oct '15

Dear All, Please repost the job notices below on your Website. The hyperlink to the full notice did not appear on your wesite. Thank you, Bruce Morehead Senior Associates, . Ocean Associates Inc. Principal Scientist: Marine Mammal Conservation and Recovery Specialist Ocean Associates, Inc. (OAI) is seeking a Principal Scientist to support the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Office of Protected Resources (OPR) to assist OPR in carrying out some of its required functions related to the conservation and recovery of marine mammals under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA). For more information: https://home2.eease.adp.com/recruit/?id=19003462 Senior Analyst: Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Conservation and Recovery Specialist Ocean Associates, Inc. (OAI) is seeking a Senior Analyst to support the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Office of Protected Resources (OPR) to assist OPR in carrying out some of its required functions related to the conservation and recovery of marine mammals and sea turtles under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA). For more information: https://home2.eease.adp.com/recruit/?id=19003512 .

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New Paper: Age-specific foraging performance and reproduction in tool-using wild bottlenose dolphins
by Eric Patterson 08 Oct '15

08 Oct '15

Dear MARMAM colleagues, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of our latest paper: Patterson, E. M., Krzyszczyk, E., Mann, J. (2015) Age-specific foraging performance and reproduction in wild tool-using bottlenose dolphins. Behavioral Ecology. DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv164. <http://beheco.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2015/10/06/beheco.arv164> Abstract: Effective foraging is necessary for nearly all animals, but most animals are not born with adult-like foraging performance. Instead, foraging skills are developed during an individual’s lifetime. Life-history theory predicts that adult-level foraging performance should be reached prior to the start of reproduction, but for most species, we know little about age-specific foraging in the wild. Here, we examine lifetime changes in foraging performance for a group of female wild bottlenose dolphins that use marine sponge tools to forage. After controlling for ecological effects and developmental changes in activity budgets, we show that females continue to improve in 3 aspects of foraging until a peak at around midlife, well after dolphins reach physical and sexual maturity. The factors that lead to this improved performance are unknown, but likely include learning and increasing physical ability. Dolphins’ peak in foraging performance also coincided with a peak in reproduction, with middle-aged females maximizing foraging efficiency and having the highest probability of lactating. Thus, inadequate mastery of foraging behaviors, such as tool use in bottlenose dolphins, does not limit the onset of reproduction, but improvement in foraging skill may help maximize age-specific reproduction and lifetime fitness. If you are unable to obtain a pdf of the complete text through the journal, please email me directly at eric.m.patterson(a)gmail.com. Cheers,

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Marine Mammal Experience Internship opportunity Winter/Spring 2016
by Victoria Howard 08 Oct '15

08 Oct '15

*Program Description* The IMMS Marine Mammal Experience Internship Program, located in Gulfport, MS, is designed as a way for students interested in a career in science education to gain valuable hands-on experience in a real-world informal educational setting. Interns will further their knowledge by working in other IMMS departments, including Research, Animal Care & Training, and Veterinary/Stranding. Our goal is to give Interns a well-rounded experience in a variety of areas while providing expert training and practical involvement in marine science education. This is an unpaid position and all interns are responsible for their own housing and transportation. Positions are limited and IMMS reserves the right to end an internship at any time. *Principle Duties and Requirements* Interns must: - Commit to a minimum of at least 12 weeks, 40 hours a week. The internship can be extended depending on work performance. - Be available to work weekdays, weekends, and holidays. - Have strong sense of responsibility, work ethic, attention to detail, and ability to admit mistakes. - Produce high quality efforts and exhibit strong interpersonal skills and maintain a professional appearance and demeanor. - Have excellent presentation and public speaking skills with the ability to effectively communicate in English. - *Principle Duties include*: Conducting educational presentations, answering guest questions about the habitat and the animals, make reservation for programming over the phone, Utilize online booking software and Microsoft Outlook to track reservations and schedule programs, photograph program participants and develop pictures for purchase, work in the museum area to receive/check-in guest and payments for programming, organize and conduct Birthday Party program, work with other departments and staff in scheduling programs. - *Secondary Duties involve*: Assisting with animal care staff, attending marine mammal necropsies, responding to marine mammal and sea turtle strandings, assisting with educational tours, and assisting research staff. - Interns must be able to spend many hours standing, walking, and working for prolonged periods of time in sometimes extreme seasonal conditions. Seasonal temperatures range from over 100 °F in summer to 30 °F in winter. Applicants must be 18 or older. Applicants should be actively pursuing a college degree or be a recent graduate. Previous experience in any capacity is a plus. Applicants must be able and willing to fulfill all duties outlined for this Internship Program. This is an unpaid position and Interns are responsible for their own housing and transportation. Once accepted, IMMS staff will be able to assist Interns in suggesting suitable housing options and locations. *Deadline to Apply for the Winter/Spring Session (1/4/16 - 5/27/16) is November 1, 2015* *Please visit **http://imms.org/internship.php* <http://imms.org/internship.php>* for application and full details*

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Job with MAR
by Peter Wallerstein 08 Oct '15

08 Oct '15

JOB OPPORTUNITY WITH MARNE ANIMAL RESCUE SPECIALISTS Marine Animal Rescue Specialists (MAR) is authorized by the National Marine Fisheries Service for pinniped and dolphin rescues along with whale dis-entanglement calls. Over the past two decades MAR has conducted 4,500 marine mammal rescues. In 2015, MAR has rescued 462 marine mammals. We are looking for one person with experience in marine mammal rescue. www.marspecialists.org You must have pinniped, especially sea lion rescue experience to apply for this position. POSITION: MARINE ANIMAL RESCUE SPECIALIST LOCATION: MAR’s authorized territory is Los Angeles County from Pacific Palisades to Long Beach and west to Catalina, California. HOURS: 8 HOURS PER DAY 2 DAYS PER WEEK Be prepared to work long days from February to June. SALARY: Commensurate with experience and skills JOB DESCRIPTION: Must be available 2 days a week, 8 hours per day for response, rescue and transportation of marine animals. Will be responsible for accurately evaluating the condition of a stranded marine animal. Will be responsible for conducting rescue operations on beaches, rock jetties, docks and other common as well as uncommon stranding locations, and to learn the proper use of specialized marine animal rescue, transportation and safety equipment. Must be able to work in cooperation with local agencies and volunteers and be responsible to know all local, state and Federal laws pertaining to the rescuing of marine animals. START: February 1, 2015 REFERENCES AND REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS · Provide background/references · A valid drivers license with no points · Minimum one year experience in rescuing seals and sea lions · Must correctly identify local marine animal species along with knowledge of birthing seasons and natural behaviors of marine animals · Some animal-related emergency medical experience · Must meet challenging physical fitness requirements · 24 hour Hazwhoper certificate · Small boat handling · Able to drive 4WD Pickup truck OTHER REQUIRED RESPONSIBILITIES: · Maintain rescue and transportation equipment · Responsible for school visits · Must be enthusiastic with good communication skills and be able to work with others, including Coast Guard, Lifeguards, Police, etc. · When on-call, must answer calls promptly · Must pass County Beach Safety Driving Course · Coordinate volunteers MAR is looking for committed individuals who would like to make rescuing marine animals a career. Training will be provided by MAR to ensure continued high level of response for any marine animal calls. MAR will not consider candidates looking for a temporary position. Long-term applicants will be the only ones considered. Send in your cover letter, resume and references to the email address below. Contact: Peter Wallerstein, pw(a)marspecialists.org www.marspecialists.org

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Job Postings
by bc.morehead＠comcast.net 08 Oct '15

08 Oct '15

Dear All, Please post the job notices below on your Website. Thank you, Bruce Morehead Senior Associates, . Ocean Associates Inc. Senior Analyst: Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Conservation and Recovery Specialist Ocean Associates, Inc. (OAI) is seeking a Senior Analyst to support the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Office of Protected Resources (OPR) to assist OPR in carrying out some of its required functions related to the conservation and recovery of marine mammals and sea turtles under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA). For more information: Senior Analyst: Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Conservation and Recovery Specialist Principal Scientist: Marine Mammal Conservation and Recovery Specialist Ocean Associates, Inc. (OAI) is seeking a Principal Scientist to support the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Office of Protected Resources (OPR) to assist OPR in carrying out some of its required functions related to the conservation and recovery of marine mammals under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA). For more information: Principal Scientist: Marine Mammal Conservation and Recovery Specialist

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New publication on Amazon river dolphin biosonar
by Michael Ladegaard 08 Oct '15

08 Oct '15

Dear MARMAMers, For those of you interested in toothed whale echolocation, we wish to draw attention to a new publication. In a study of the echolocation of Amazon river dolphins in their natural habitat in Brazil, we show that in comparison with marine toothed whales of the same size, the Amazon river dolphins use a biosonar with low output levels and high click rates. We interpret this as a way for these highly adapted riverine animals to reduce the amount of echoes from distant objects while keeping a high update rate on nearby objects in their shallow and complex environment. The low amplitude clicks of these animals have much of the energy at higher frequencies which in similar sized toothed whales is generally a characteristic of high amplitude clicks. Higher frequencies are emitted in more directional beams than lower ones, so the high frequency clicks in combination with the short search ranges will reduce the amount of returning echoes. This in turn may help the Amazon river dolphins cope with the effects of clutter and reverberation that are likely to be highly disturbing in the acoustically complex shallow water environment of the Amazon. We therefore conclude that habitat is an important factor to consider when investigating and interpreting the biosonar characteristics of toothed whales. Amazon river dolphins (Inia geoffrensis) use a high-frequency short-range biosonar Michael Ladegaard<http://jeb.biologists.org/search?author1=Michael+Ladegaard&sortspec=date&su…>, Frants Havmand Jensen<http://jeb.biologists.org/search?author1=Frants+Havmand+Jensen&sortspec=dat…>, Mafalda de Freitas<http://jeb.biologists.org/search?author1=Mafalda+de+Freitas&sortspec=date&s…>, Vera Maria Ferreira da Silva<http://jeb.biologists.org/search?author1=Vera+Maria+Ferreira+da+Silva&sorts…> and Peter Teglberg Madsen<http://jeb.biologists.org/search?author1=Peter+Teglberg+Madsen&sortspec=dat…> The Journal of Experimental Biology, October 1, 2015 Vol. 218, Num. 19, pp. 3091-3101 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1242/jeb.120501 URL: http://jeb.biologists.org/content/218/19/3091.abstract?sid=3d98e50b-6057-4c… INSIDE JEB link: http://jeb.biologists.org/content/218/19/2981.1 ABSTRACT Toothed whales produce echolocation clicks with source parameters related to body size; however, it may be equally important to consider the influence of habitat, as suggested by studies on echolocating bats. A few toothed whale species have fully adapted to river systems, where sonar operation is likely to result in higher clutter and reverberation levels than those experienced by most toothed whales at sea because of the shallow water and dense vegetation. To test the hypothesis that habitat shapes the evolution of toothed whale biosonar parameters by promoting simpler auditory scenes to interpret in acoustically complex habitats, echolocation clicks of wild Amazon river dolphins were recorded using a vertical seven-hydrophone array. We identified 404 on-axis biosonar clicks having a mean SLpp of 190.3±6.1 dB re. 1 µPa, mean SLEFD of 132.1±6.0 dB re. 1 µPa2s, mean Fc of 101.2±10.5 kHz, mean BWRMS of 29.3±4.3 kHz and mean ICI of 35.1±17.9 ms. Piston fit modelling resulted in an estimated half-power beamwidth of 10.2 deg (95% CI: 9.6–10.5 deg) and directivity index of 25.2 dB (95% CI: 24.9–25.7 dB). These results support the hypothesis that river-dwelling toothed whales operate their biosonars at lower amplitude and higher sampling rates than similar-sized marine species without sacrificing high directivity, in order to provide high update rates in acoustically complex habitats and simplify auditory scenes through reduced clutter and reverberation levels. We conclude that habitat, along with body size, is an important evolutionary driver of source parameters in toothed whale biosonars. A pdf can also be provided by emailing michael.ladegaard(a)bios.au.dk<mailto:michael.ladegaard@bios.au.dk>. Best wishes on behalf of the authors, Michael Michael Ladegaard PhD student, Marine Bioacoustics Lab Zoophysiology - Department of Bioscience Aarhus University C.F. Møllers Allé 3 Building 1134, room 122 8000 Aarhus C Denmark

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New papers on marine mammals in Suriname, South America
by info＠sevenseasmarine.nl 08 Oct '15

08 Oct '15

Dear Colleagues, I am pleased to announce the following papers recently published on marine mammals in Suriname (South America). De Boer MN (2015).Cetaceans observed off Suriname and adjacent waters. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals, 10(1): 2-19.DOI:<http://dx.doi.org/10.5597/lajam00189> en De Boer MN, Willems T (2015).Observation of a humpback whale Megaptera noviaeangliae with calf in the shallow coastal waters off Suriname. Academic Journal of Suriname, 6: 492-497. Abstract - Cetaceans observed off Suriname and adjacent waters Very little information exists about the cetaceans in the Guianas: Suriname and its neighboring countries Guyana and French Guiana. During a dedicated cetacean survey carried out from a geophysical seismic survey vessel in the offshore waters of Suriname (May-September 2012), the occurrence of 13 cetacean species was documented and of those, 11 were newly documented for this area. The species observed by the author included sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni), false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens), melon-headed whale (Peponocephala electra), rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis), long-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus capensis), Fraser’s dolphin (Lagenodelphis hosei), pantropical spotted dolphin (Stenella attenuata) and spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris). During transit to the survey area (Trinidad to Suriname) incidental sightings were recorded which included common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) off Trinidad, Stenellasp. off Guyana and Guiana dolphin (Sotalia guianensis) at the entrance of the Suriname River. Opportunistic records originating from the periods December 2008-March 2009 and August-October 2012 were forwarded to the author. These records included common bottlenose dolphin, Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) and short-finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus).There is a growing need to identify critical areas for marine biodiversity conservation, both locally and regionally. This paper describes the general occurrence of the cetacean community encountered in Suriname waters in summer. The study revealed that the offshore cetacean community in Suriname is best described as primarily a tropical community, dominated by odontocetes (dolphins and sperm whales). Although the species diversity was relatively high, the overall cetacean relative abundance index (number of animals per100km effort) was low, which is consistent for tropical equatorial offshore waters. Apart from the sperm whale and the Guiana dolphin, all the other species recorded represent new species records for Suriname. It is recommended that more continuous monitoring in different seasons be carried out in order to gain a better understanding of the occurrence, distribution and status of the different cetacean species within the region. Abstract -Observation of a humpback whale Megaptera noviaeangliae with calf in the shallow coastal waters off Suriname. A large whale, accompanied by a calf, was seen in the shallow coastal waters off Suriname on 20 April 2013. Digital images confirmed the species identification as humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae. This is the first confirmed record of humpback whales in Suriname. The observation was made at the extreme southern limit of the North Atlantic population’s distribution and suggests that the waters along the northern coast of South America may be used for within-season movements between the different breeding and calving areas of the Wider Caribbean Region. The papers can be found here: <https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Marijke_De_Boer/publications> Thank you to all that helped me with information and the writing of these articles! Dr Marijke N. de BoerSeven Seas Marine Consultancy info(a)sevenseasmarine.nl

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