March 2015 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

New paper describing a novel system for positioning animals
by Nicholas Macfarlane 02 Mar '15

02 Mar '15

Dear MARMAM, We are pleased to announce the publication of a new paper describing a novel system for quickly and easily positioning multiple animals at the surface. Macfarlane, NBW., Howland, JC., Jensen, FH., and Tyack, PL. (2015). A 3D Stereo Camera System for Precisely Positioning Animals in Space and Time. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. DOI 10.1007/s00265-015-1890-4 Abstract: Here we describe a portable stereo camera system that integrates a GPS receiver, an attitude sensor, and 3D stereo photogrammetry to rapidly estimate the position of multiple animals in space and time. We demonstrate the performance of the system during a field test by simultaneously tracking the individual positions of 6 long-finned pilot whales, Globicephala melas. In shore-based accuracy trials, a system with a 50 cm stereo baseline had an average range estimation error of 0.09 m at a 5 m distance increasing up to 3.2 m at 50 m. The system is especially useful in field situations where it is necessary to follow groups of animals traveling over relatively long distances and time periods while obtaining individual positions with high spatial and temporal resolution (up to 8Hz). These positions provide quantitative estimates of a variety of key parameters and indicators for behavioural studies such as inter-animal distances, group dispersion, speed and heading. This system can additionally be integrated with other techniques such as archival tags, photo-identification methods or acoustic playback experiments to facilitate fieldwork investigating topics ranging from natural social behaviour to how animals respond to anthropogenic disturbance. By grounding observations in quantitative metrics the system can characterize fine-scale behaviour or detect changes as a result of disturbance that might otherwise be difficult to observe. The paper is available Online First here: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00265-015-1890-4 <http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00265-015-1890-4> Don’t hesitate to contact me if you would like an electronic copy or have any questions: nicholas(a)whoi.edu <mailto:nicholas@whoi.edu> Best Wishes, Nicholas Macfarlane PhD Candidate MIT/WHOI Joint Program in Oceanography Woods Hole, MA 02543

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Job opportunity - Living Seas Awareness Officer
by Sarah Perry 02 Mar '15

02 Mar '15

Please can you post the following message: Dear All, The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales is seeking to recruit a Part-time Living Seas Awareness Officer Salary: £17k pro rata Location: The Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre, New Quay, Ceredigion, Wales, UK Hours: 3 days per week April to September and 2 days per week October to March with some evening / weekend work. Flexi/ TOIL offered. Deadline: Monday 23rd March, 5pm. Shortlisting will take place on Tuesday 24th March and interviews will take place on Monday 30th March at the Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre (http://www.cbmwc.org/) We are looking for an energetic and outgoing person to lead on the development, coordination and delivery of a programme of inspiring environmental education and community marine awareness activities linked to our living seas work. Primarily based at the Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre but work also across the South and West Wales area. Further details and application form from http://www.welshwildlife.org/living-seas-awareness-officer/ or http://www.cbmwc.org/2015/02/27/living-seas-awareness-officer/ Please note we do not accept applications by CV, the application form must be used. We are not able to reimburse travel costs for interviewees. For further information about the position, call 01656 724100 or 01545 560224 and ask to speak to Sarah Perry. Completed applications can be emailed to sarah.perry(a)welshwildlife.org or posted to Recruitment, WTSWW, The Nature Centre, Fountain Road, Tondu, Bridgend CF32 0EH. Thank you Sarah Perry Living Seas Science Officer ------------------------- The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales C/O Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre ------------------------- Ffon/Phone: 01545 560224 E-bost/E-mail: sarah.perry(a)welshwildlife.org Website: www.welshwildlife.org Website: www.cbmwc.org

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New publication on the Incidental catch of South American sea Lion in a pair trawl off southern Brazil
by Rodrigo Machado 01 Mar '15

01 Mar '15

Dear MARMAM readers, We are pleased to announce our new publication: MACHADO, R.; OLIVEIRA, L.R. and MONTEALEGRE-QUIJANO, S. 2015. Incidental catch of South American sea Lion in a pair trawl off southern Brazil. Neotropical Biology and Conservation, *10 *(1):43-47, doi: 10.4013/nbc.2015.101.06 Abstract: The population of the South American sea lion, *Otaria flavescens *(Shaw, 1800), in Uruguay is declining at an annual rate of 1.6 to 2.0%. Although the reasons are still unknown, interactions with fishing activities have been identified as a major cause. The individuals that arrive along the coast of Brazil come from the breeding colonies off Uruguay after their breeding period. We report here the first record of incidental catch of South American sea lions in Brazilian waters by a pair trawl. On July 17th, 2008 a young male of South American sea lion was incidentally caught during a commercial pair trawl fishing trip along the southern Brazilian coast (32º57’S, 52º31’W), in a depth ranging from 15 to 20 m. Despite being punctual, this record is an evidence of a potential major threat to South American sea lions in southern Brazil and Uruguay, since trawl industrial fishing is a very important economic activity in South Brazil. You can access the paper here http: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272833294_Incidental_catch_of_Sout… Best regards -- Rodrigo Machado ______________________________________________________________________ Grupo de Estudos de Mamíferos Aquáticos do Rio Grande do Sul (GEMARS). Laboratório de Sistemática e Ecologia de Aves e Mamíferos Marinhos. Departamento de Zoologia - UFRGS/IB. Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil Skype: ecomachado

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