April 2015 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Namibian Dolphin Project Research Internship Opportunity
by Namibian Dolphin Project 09 Apr '15

09 Apr '15

The Namibian Dolphin Project research internship is a once in a lifetime opportunity for students and enthusiasts to join dedicated scientists who are conducting marine research in a challenging, beautiful and remote environment. The Namibian Dolphin Project focuses its research along the desert coast of Namibia at Walvis Bay, within the highly productive Benguela upwelling system. As part of this program, interns are extremely important members of a focused and dedicated research team and will be immersed in pioneering research. This is an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to exciting marine research, as well as experience the frustrations, the highs, lows and achievements associated with ambitious marine research in Africa. Job Role: Intern activities include but are not limited to: •Assisting in running research vessel (6m RIB) and research station •Visual surveys to investigate dolphin distribution •Above-water photo ID of cetaceans and photo processing for analysis •Above water genetic sampling of dolphin and whale species* and basic processing of samples for storage •Behavioural sampling of bottlenose dolphins •Acoustic monitoring of bottlenose dolphin vocalisations •Static acoustic monitoring of dolphins using CPOD’s to monitor presence and behaviour in key habitats *Actual taking of skin samples will be limited to NDP scientists, and interns will assist in the processing of samples Interns will be directly involved in the collection of photo identification, behavioural and acoustic data in the field, and will gain skills in photograph grading, data input, processing and analysis. Interns would be expected to attend any strandings that may occur. When not in the field interns will also be involved with the development of educational materials or working on a small research project of their choosing. Interns would primarily be assisting in data collection of Heaviside's (Cephalorhychus heavisidii) and bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). Qualifications, knowledge & experience: A maximum of five interns will be accepted per month between March and August 2015. As such we limit applications to current students or recent graduates with a Collage or University degree (BSc or MSc) in biology or zoology. Personal skills and attributes: 1) Organised and conscientious 2) Enthusiastic, self-motivated and willing to get involved with all aspects of the research 3) Able to work as a member of the team or alone 4) Patient and flexible to changes Cost: USD 2100 per month Application: Prospective interns should send a letter of motivation and their CV/resume to nam.dolphin.edu(a)gmail.com to apply to the program. For further information, please visit our website: http://www.namibiandolphinproject.com/get-involved/volunteer-internship-pro… -- Namibian Dolphin Project www.namibiandolphinproject.com namibiandolphinproject.blogspot.com

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Marine Mammal/Ocean Volunteer Videographer Opportunity
by Sean Bogle 08 Apr '15

08 Apr '15

Dear Colleagues, We are please to announce a volunteer opportunity as a marine mammal/ocean videographer for our Eyes on Conservation documentary series. Please see the posting below. Sincerely, Sean Bogle Project Director Eyes on Conservation Wild Lens, Inc. Email: sean(a)wildlensinc.org <mailto:sean@wildlensinc.org> (preferred) Phone: 435-790-9593 Job Title: Marine Mammal/Ocean Volunteer Videographer Opportunity Agency: Wild Lens Inc. Websites: http://wildlensinc.org <http://wildlensinc.org/> Job Description: Wild Lens is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing biologists and filmmakers together to better communicate to the public the various risks to habitat and wildlife species, particularly in understudied populations. Wild Lens is looking for dedicated volunteer videographers willing to document their experiences at various field jobs throughout the globe for our Eyes on Conservation (EOC) documentary series. Primary duties will include documenting key study components and objectives through film, interviewing primary investigators when possible, obtaining signed release forms from individuals for Wild Lens, sending footage to Wild Lens upon conclusion of the field season, working with film producers during post-production, and possibly shooting additional footage when needed after the field job is complete. Volunteer videographers must be willing to take the time necessary to obtain footage that will ultimately be used to compose and edit a short EOC video. The EOC video will be used as an educational instrument for organizations conducting wildlife research and to further communicate the mission of wildlife efforts in conservation. Past projects include working with The Marine Mammal Center to highlight seal and sea lion rehabilitation and Ungulate conservation in Tanzania. To see an examples of previous Eyes on Conservation videos, visit this link: http://wildlensinc.org/film-projects/eyes-on-conservation/ <http://wildlensinc.org/film-projects/eyes-on-conservation/> Spaces for these volunteer positions are limited, so keep in mind when applying that we are looking for motivated individuals who are eager to tell stories about wildlife and conservation efforts. We care more about your story idea and how it is presented than we do about your prior experience as a field biologist. Please e-mail a cover letter and resume with 2-3 references in a PDF file to sean(a)wildlensinc.org <mailto:sean@wildlensinc.org>, at least 1-2 months prior to the start of your respective field seasons. Let us know in your cover letter what job you have been hired for, what your duties will be, and the objectives of the study. Please place the job title in the subject heading. Positions will be filled as suitable applicants are found. Job Posting: http://wildlensinc.org/film-projects/eyes-on-conservation/collaboration/vol… <http://wildlensinc.org/film-projects/eyes-on-conservation/collaboration/vol…> Qualifications: Preferred Qualifications: 1. Experience in film and/or photography; 2. Must already be hired to a field job separate from this film project; 3. Possession of a quality camera and tripod that is capable of shooting HD video (is preferred); 4. Ability to communicate with people on camera in a coherent way. Duration: Dependent on Field Job Salary: N/A Last Date to Apply: 1-2 months prior to start of field season Contact: Sean Bogle, Project Director E-mail: sean(a)wildlensinc.org <mailto:sean@wildlensinc.org> (preferred); Phone: 435-790-9593 <http://www.wildlensinc.org/eyes-on-conservation.html> <http://www.wildlensinc.org/eyes-on-conservation.html> <http://www.wildlensinc.org/eyes-on-conservation.html> <http://wildlensinc.org/> <http://wildlensinc.org/> <https://www.facebook.com/WildLensInc> <https://twitter.com/WildLensInc> <https://www.youtube.com/user/WildLensInc> <https://vimeo.com/wildlens> <https://vimeo.com/wildlens> <https://vimeo.com/wildlens> <https://vimeo.com/wildlens>

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CRRU fully funded internships available in 2015 for UK students
by Dr Kevin Robinson 08 Apr '15

08 Apr '15

CRRU fully funded training internships available in 2015 for UK students - "Dolphins and whales of the Moray Firth" We are delighted to announce that Reed Elsevier (New Scientist Parent Company) have grant funded internships for EIGHT promising UK students to join the CRRU research team in Scotland this summer for a 10-day field training course of their choice, subject to available slots. For full details and available date, please visit: www.crru.org.uk/join_the_team.asp. The funded places will be awarded to UK university students (undergraduates, graduates or postgraduates) whose financial situation or health renders them otherwise unable to fund such an opportunity themselves and will be selected on a case-by-case basis, and include all project costs (accommodation, food, your full equipment needs and all associated field costs during your stay with the team). Awardees will simply need to fund their own travel itinerary to us in Banff, Aberdeenshire (nearest airport Dyce, Aberdeen, approx. 1½ hours from the field base by coach) plus any personal spending money. To be considered for one of these awards, please email us at <mailto:info@crru.org.uk> info(a)crru.org.uk for further an application form and full project briefing. The closing date for applications is 1 May 2015 and selected awardees will be notified by email very shortly after this date. All best wishes and thanks Dr. Kevin Robinson Director, CRRU <mailto:kev.robinson@crru.org.uk> kev.robinson(a)crru.org.uk Cetacean Research & Rescue Unit, PO Box 11307, Banff, AB45 3WB, Scotland, UK | ( +44 (0)1261 851696 | <http://www.crru.org.uk/> www.crru.org.uk Whale and Dolphin Research | Environmental Educational Outreach | Marine Wildlife Rescue | Consultancy | MMO Services <http://www.facebook.com/crru.org.uk> <http://www.twitter.com/crru> <https://www.linkedin.com/company/cetacean-research-&-rescue-unit-crru-> Recognised Scottish Charity No. SC 035473

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New paper on Sex differences in residency patterns of Risso's dolphins
by marc fernandez 08 Apr '15

08 Apr '15

Dear colleagues, We are pleased to announce a new paper describing the differences we found in residency patterns for males and females Risso's dolphins. A PDF version of the paper is available online at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mms.12209/abstract or via email request to: oceanwatch(a)gmail.com Hartman, K. L., Fernandez, M., Wittich, A., & Azevedo, J. M. N. (2015). Sex differences in residency patterns of Risso's dolphins (Grampus griseus) in the Azores: Causes and management implications. *Marine Mammal Science*. ABSTRACT Knowledge of the residency patterns of marine mammals is an important element for management and conservation strategies. Here we investigate a population of Grampus griseus off Pico Island, Azores. Our data set covers the period 2004–2007, based on at-sea observations of 1,250 individually identified animals, 303 of known or assumed sex. Using photo identification and GPS locations we calculated mean monthly sighting rates and lagged identification rates to analyze temporal patterns, and estimated kernel density to study the home range. Our results show site fidelity and relatively restricted home ranges, which corroborate the existence of a resident population on the study site. We further document sex differences, including a higher number of males present in the area at any given time but females staying for longer consecutive periods, and male home ranges with significantly less overlap than those of females. These observations are consistent with a mating system based on multimale pods defending areas where females periodically return. We hypothesize that squid distribution is a major factor in structuring these patterns. These findings reinforce the need for a precautionary management approach that would include limiting pressure from commercial activities. Best, Marc Fernandez PhD student CIRN/UAç|GREC|ZSL

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Request for ANY animal CT and/or MRI scans for biomechanics research
by Marie Attard 08 Apr '15

08 Apr '15

Request for ANY animal CT and/or MRI scans for biomechanics research Dear colleagues, I am looking for CT or MRI scans of any species to use for various biomechanical research projects exploring the locomotion, feeding and ecology of a wide range of taxa conducted in the FEAR (Function, Evolution and Anatomy Research) Lab at the University of New England (New South Wales). We are interested in scans of any anatomy (e.g. skulls, limbs, whole specimens). Associated information on the specimen age and sex is desirable, though not essential. If your lab/organisation has any data you are willing to share (we also welcome collaborations!), please email me on swroe(a)une.edu.au. Please see our website (www.fearlab.com) for more information about our research. Thank you! Kind regards, Stephen Wroe Associate Professor Stephen Wroe ARC Discovery Outstanding Research Award Fellow Director of The Function, Evolution & Anatomy Research (FEAR) Lab Zoology Division, School of Environmental and Rural Science, Room L116 Bldg CO2, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia, 2351 Conjoint A/Prof School of Engineering, University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia, 2308 Email swroe(a)une.edu.au Phone 61 2 67733261 or 61 [0]432349049

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New publication linking sea ice to body condition of humpback whales using historic whaling records
by Janelle Braithwaite 07 Apr '15

07 Apr '15

My co-authors and I would like to share with you our recent publication in Polar Biology (abstract below) - please email me if you would like a pdf copy. Thanks, Janelle Braithwaite janelle.braithwaite(a)gmail.com ABSTRACT: *From sea ice to blubber: linking whale condition to krill abundance using historical whaling records* <http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00300-015-1685-0> Janelle E. Braithwaite, Jessica J. Meeuwig, Tom B. Letessier, K. Curt S. Jenner, Andrew S. Brierley Krill (*Euphausia superba*) are fundamentally important in the Southern Ocean ecosystem, forming a critical food web link between primary producers and top predators. Krill abundance fluctuates with oceanographic conditions, most notably variation in winter sea ice, and is susceptible to environmental change. Although links between local krill availability and performance of land breeding, central place foragers are recognised, the effects of krill variability on baleen whales remain largely unclear because concurrent long-term data on whale condition and krill abundance do not exist. Here, we quantify links between whale body condition and krill abundance using a simple model that links krill abundance to sea ice extent. Body condition of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) caught in west Australian waters between 1947 and 1963 was estimated from oil yields in whaling records. Annual estimates of krill abundance in the Southern Ocean where those whales foraged (70°–130°E) were correlated significantly with contemporary annual winter sea ice extent. We hindcast sea ice extent for the whaling period from reconstructed temperature data and found that whale body condition was significantly correlated with hindcasted winter sea ice extent, supporting the hypothesis that variations in body condition were likely mediated by associated krill fluctuations. As humpback whales migrate and breed on finite energy stores accrued during summer foraging in the Antarctic, changes in sea ice and concomitant changes in krill abundance have long-term implications for their condition and reproductive success.

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New Publication: Pinniped whisker growth rates and stable isotopes
by Roxanne Beltran 07 Apr '15

07 Apr '15

My co-authors and I are pleased to share our new publication "Fine-scale whisker growth measurements can reveal temporal foraging patterns from stable isotope signatures" in Marine Ecology Progress Series: http://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v523/ *Abstract: *Stable isotope analysis of slow-growing, metabolically inert tissues is a common method for investigating foraging ecology in migratory animals, as direct observations of feeding are often not possible. Using tissue growth dynamics to interpret foraging timelines can maximize the utility of foraging data; however, applying inappropriate growth models is problematic, and high-resolution growth measurements are seldom made. We used photogrammetry to repeatedly measure the length of whiskers in 93 follicles over 670 d in a trained, captive northern elephant seal Mirounga angustirostris. We developed and optimized a follicle-specific growth model to describe the 18000 whisker length measurements. Whiskers from the captive seal exhibited asymptotic growth that was described by the von Bertalanffy growth function. Applying the growth model to serially sampled whiskers from 4 free-ranging adult female northern elephant seals resulted in alignment of peaks in d15N along the length of whiskers with the breeding haul-out period, when seals are not feeding. Our study provides a high-resolution whisker growth model and is the first to use whisker growth dynamics to improve temporal interpretation of isotopic ratios. Please contact me if you have any questions or do not have access to the article. Take care, Roxanne Roxanne Santina Beltran NSF Predoctoral Fellow M.Sc. Student, Burns Lab University of Alaska Anchorage

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2015 Assessment of Regulator Resources and Decision Making Tools
by Holly Morin 07 Apr '15

07 Apr '15

There is still time to participate in the 2015 Discovery of Sound in the Sea (DOSITS) Needs Assessment for the regulatory decision making community. For those of you that have already participated and provided input, we greatly appreciate your taking the time to complete this brief survey. We encourage anyone involved in the decision making process (that deals with underwater sound and/or marine animals) to participate in this assessment. DOSITS (www.dosits.org) is a comprehensive, educational website on underwater sound, designed to provide accurate scientific information at levels appropriate for all audiences, including regulators and policy-makers. Regulatory decision makers have needs for comprehensive, easy to understand, and rapidly accessible resources. To meet these needs, the DOSITS team will be developing targeted resources over the next 12 months. To best serve the regulatory community, the team has created a brief survey designed to identify high priority topics and resource formats. The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. All members of the regulatory decision making community (government employees, federal and state contractors, NGO employees, and industry representatives that deal with underwater sound and/or marine animals) are encouraged to complete the survey. Your responses will directly influence the development of these new resources, which will be publically available on the DOSITS website. The survey is anonymous and no personal data will be collected. To complete the 2015 DOSITS Needs Assessment for the regulatory decision making community, please follow this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/dosits2015 Please note, the survey will close on Monday, April 20, 2015. This research is conducted by the University of Rhode Island. If you have questions please contact Chris Knowlton at cknowlton(a)uri.edu. ******************************* Holly Morin Marine Research Associate II University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography holly_morin(a)uri.edu (**please note my updated email address**) 401-874-6414

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COURSE: Introcution to MMO and PAM – 18-19 April (Barcelona)
by Blanca Bassas 07 Apr '15

07 Apr '15

The Foundation for the Conservation and Recuperation of Marine Animals (CRAM) is happy to announce the course “Técnicas de Estudio de Cetáceos”. The course will take place in Barcelona and will be teach in Spanish. For further information and registration please visit the website: http://cram.org/educacion-y-formacion/cursos-de-formacion/tecnicas-de-estud… [http://www.aulacram.com/] FUNDACIÓ PER A LA CONSERVACIÓ I RECUPERACIÓ D'ANIMALS MARINS Blanca Bassas Departament d'educació i formació [bbassas(a)aulacram.com] Passeig de la Platja, 30. 08820 El Prat de Llobregat. Telèfon: 93 10 10 170 Fax: 93 752 57 10 [https://maps.google.es/maps?q=Cram+Fundaci%C3%B3+Per+A+la+Conservacio+I+Rec…] [https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fundaci%C3%B3n-CRAM/52238197051] [https://twitter.com/crampress] [http://www.cram.org/] [http://www.cram.org/a_contacto.php] Avís legal: Aquest missatge, el seu contingut, els seus annexos i qualsevol fitxer transmès amb ell són confidencials i estan dirigits només al seu destinatari; a més, poden estar protegits per disposicions legals. En virtut d´això, si vostè no és el destinatari d´aquest correu i el rep per error o en té coneixement, li notifiquem que la informació que conté és reservada i el seu ús és no autoritzat; per aquest motiu haurà d´abstenir-se de reproduir o lliurar aquest missatge a una altra persona, això com de divulgar el seu contingut mitjançant qualsevol mitjà. Atenció: les dades de caràcter personal contingudes en aquest missatge hauran d´esborrar-se un cop hagin complert la finalitat amb la que van ser creades, en compliment de la Ley Orgánica 15/1999 de 13 de diciembre de Protección de Datos de Carácter Personal. Antes de imprimir este correo electrónico piensa si es necesario hacerlo: El medio ambiente es cosa de todos.

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HUMPBACK WHALES WORLD CONGRESS - IMPORTANT REMINDER https://hwwc2015.org
by Dina ANDRIANAIVORAVELONA 07 Apr '15

07 Apr '15

HUMPBACK WHALES WORLD CONGRESS - IMPORTANT REMINDER https://hwwc2015.org [6] The Humpback whales world congress (HWWC) will be held from the 29th of June to the 3rd of July 2015, in Ste Marie, Madagascar. Please reminder that the deadline for abstract submission is the 19 of April (https://hwwc2015.org/call-abstracts.html [7]) The HWWC topics are : basic and applied research, collaboration programs, management, conservation and implentation of sustainable development policy, economic and social involvement. The invited speakers are: _(alphabetic order)_ R. Dunlop, Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Laboratory, University of Queensland, Australia K. Findlay, Mammal Research Institute Whale Unit, University of Pretoria, South Africa L. Herman, The Dolphin Institute, University of Hawaii, USA E. Mercado, University of Buffalo, New York, USA P. Palsboll, Marine Evolution and Conservation, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Netherlands J. Reidenberg, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA J. Roobins, Center for Coastal Studies, USA The members of the scientific committee are : _(alphabetic order)_ O. Adam, NeuroPSI CNRS 9197 University Paris Sud Orsay, France A. Andrianarimisa, Dpt Biology, University of Antananarivo, Madagascar P. Best, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, South Africa S. Cerchio, Wildlife Conservation Society, New York, USA I. Charrier, NeuroPSI CNRS UMR9197 University Paris Sud Orsay, France V. Dulau Violaine, Association Groupe Local d'OBservation et d'Identification des CEtaces, Ile de la Réunion, France R. Dunlop, Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Laboratory, University of Queensland, Australia K. Findlay, Mammal Reaserch Institute Whale Unit, University of Pretoria, South Africa N. Gales, Australian Marine Mammal Centre, Australian Antarctic Division, Australia N. Gandilhon, Laboratory DYNECAR BOREA CNRS UMR7208, France C. Giacoma, Dpt Biology, University of Torino, Italia H. Glotin, Institut Universitaire de France, Systems and Information Sciences Lab CNRS UMR7296 University of Toulon, France N. Hauser, Center for Cetacean Research and Conservation, Cook Islands, South Pacific L. Herman, the Dolphin Institute, University of Hawaii, USA J.-L. Jung, BioGeMME, University of Brest, France E. Mercado, University at Buffalo, New York, USA P. Palsboll, Marine Evolution and Conservation, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Netherlands R. Payne, Ocean Alliance, New Zealand N. Raminosoa, Dpt Biology, University of Antananarivo, Madagascar J. Reidenberg, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA J. Robbins, Center for Coastal Studies, USA H. Rosenbaum, Wildlife Conservation Society, Ocean Giants Program, New York, USA A. Stimpert, Vertebrate Ecology Lab, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, CA, USA P. White, Institut of Sound and Vibration Research, University of Southampton, UK A. Zerbini, National Marine Mammal Laboratory and Cascadia Research Collective, Seattle, USA Reminder that online early registration (https://hwwc2015.org/register.php [8]) is now open until the 24th of May 2015. The early fees are: - regular attendees: EUR150 - student: EUR90 The organizing committee could be open to providing a grant for deserving candidates, under their discretion. During the congress, a photo contest will be organized. Special prizes will be distributed to the winners of the competition. Photos Should be submitted no later than 30rd May 2015 to: info(a)hwwc2015.org The organizers are: - CETAMADA association (www.cetamada.com [9]) - the University of Antananarivo (www.univ-antananarivo.mg [10]) - the company Festival des Baleines (www.festivaldesbaleines.com [11]) For further information about the venue, submissions, and registration, please visit the HWWC website: http://www.hwwc2015.org [12] or send an email to secretary(a)hwwc2015.org -- [6] DINA ANDRIANAIVORAVELONA SECRETARY HWWC2015 SUBMIT YOUR ABSTRACT [1] WWW.HWWC2015.ORG [2] [3] [4] [5] Links: ------ [1] https://hwwc2015.org/images/HWWC_announce_en.pdf [2] https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hwwc2015/596124213822902 [3] https://twitter.com/hwwc2015 [4] https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5QXET0X1mnxhSicQg48dRQ [5] https://plus.google.com/u/0/113111500944132695494/posts [6] https://hwwc2015.org [7] https://hwwc2015.org/call-abstracts.html [8] https://hwwc2015.org/register.php [9] http://www.cetamada.com [10] http://www.univ-antananarivo.mg [11] http://www.festivaldesbaleines.com [12] http://www.hwwc2015.org

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