May 2015 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Marine Mammal Research Internship in Hawaii
by Research Department 06 May '15

06 May '15

Pacific Whale Foundation (PWF), based in Maui, Hawai‘i, is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting whales and other marine life through research, education, and conservation. Our researchers have studied whales and dolphins throughout the Pacific for over 30 years and currently conduct projects in Hawai‘i, Australia, and Ecuador. We offer internships in our Marine Mammal Research Program year-round. *Commitment* PWF seeks performance-driven and dedicated individuals for long-term internships. The date ranges for our internships are: - May – August (ONE IMMEDIATE OPENING) - September – December However, these dates can be flexible for exceptional candidates. Successful applicants are expected to dedicate 30-40 hours per week working both in the office and on our research vessel. Applicants must be available to work Monday - Friday and be available for all boat trips. Some field days may fall on the weekends. *Responsibilities* Interns will be based at PWF’s headquarters in Ma‘alaea, Maui and will participate with multiple projects involving mysticetes (humpback whales) and odontocetes (numerous species of toothed whales and dolphins). Primary responsibilities are office-based and may include: - Photo-identification matching of whale flukes and/or dolphin dorsal fins; - Data entry and archival tasks; - Data processing and analysis; - General operational tasks. Additional responsibilities may include vessel-based data collection on board PWF’s eco-tours, and/or research-specific surveys within the four-island region of Maui, weather permitting. Each intern may be assigned to a specific cetacean project (with ancillary duties supporting field projects) according to skill set and availability. Occasionally, interns may be asked to assist staff in other projects (including events) as the need arises. *Requirements* Ideal applicants should: - Be advanced undergraduates or recent graduates in biology, zoology, marine biology, ecology, or a related field; - Be available to work Mon-Fri and must be available for all boat trips, including some field days that fall on the weekends. - Have a mature attitude towards research; - Be proficient with computers and data entry; specifically using PCs and the Microsoft Office suite of products; - Have a strong work ethic, attention to detail and superior organizational skills; - Have the ability to admit to mistakes; - Be independent, adaptable, and a fast-learner; - Be enthusiastic and possess a positive attitude; - Be sociable and team-oriented; - Be able to collect data in a detail-oriented manner; - Have boating experience; - Speak, read and write English fluently. Interns must be able to spend many hours on the water and on shore in sometimes extreme weather conditions. Field days typically exceed eight hours and occur approximately two times per week. Applicants with little biology or marine expertise that possess outstanding skills in programming, statistical analysis, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and database management are also welcomed to apply. *Compensation* There is no financial compensation for these positions and interns are responsible for their own living and transportation expenses. There is public transportation available on the island. Once accepted, the PWF staff will be able to assist in finding suitable housing options. *Application process* Applicants must be authorized to legally remain in Hawai’i if they are not U.S. citizens or authorized to work in the U.S. Interested candidates should submit an application with the following: - A cover letter including your availability, i.e. preferred time period (1 page only); - A resume describing training, experience and relevant skills (2 pages only); - Names and contact information of three references. Please send these items as e-mail attachments (PDF preferred) to research(a)pacificwhale.org - No phone calls or drop-ins, please. Mahalo, PWF Research Team *Research Department* Pacific Whale Foundation 300 Ma'alaea Rd., Suite 211 Wailuku, HI 96793, USA Phone: +1 808-856-8305 Fax: +1 808-243-9021 Email: research(a)pacificwhale.org Website: www.pacificwhale.org -- CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This electronic mail transmission and any accompanying attachments contain information belonging to the sender which may be confidential and legally privileged. This information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to whom this electronic mail transmission was sent as indicated above. If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution, or action taken in reliance on the contents of the information contained in this transmission is strictly prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately and destroy all copies of this transmission and all attachments. Thank you!

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Marxan Course @ ICCB
by Andrew Lewin 06 May '15

06 May '15

On behalf of Heather Coleman of PacMARA. Apologies for cross postings. Hello, To anyone attending the ICCB meeting in Montpellier, France, or otherwise located nearby - We are planning an Introduction to Marxan course before the conference on 30-31 July 2015 and are currently enrolling participants! This course will provide the basic knowledge and skills necessary to use Marxan in a conservation planning exercise. More information: http://pacmara.org/events-workshops/introduction-to-marxan To register: http://pacmara.org/events-workshops About Marxan: Marxan is the most widely used conservation and resource use planning tool globally. It can recommend a network of areas for protection and other spatial management regimes in marine, terrestrial, freshwater, and a combination of systems. Developed by Ian Ball and Hugh Possingham from the University of Queensland, Australia, Marxan supports spatial prioritization by producing objective, transparent, and repeatable results. The software can facilitate smart decision-making that accounts for a broad range of considerations, stakeholders, and tradeoffs in a spatially and economically efficient manner. About Introduction to Marxan: The following topics are covered in this course: - Key concepts in systematic conservation planning - Creating planning units - Creating the essential Marxan input files - Parameter setting in Marxan - Understanding and using Marxan results - Zonae Cogito (front-end Marxan support software) - A brief introduction to Marxan with Zones Course time will be split between lecture/discussion (~30%) and hands-on exercises (~70%). Prior experience with GIS and MS Excel is prerequisite to this course. Participants will need to bring a laptop with ArcMap 9 or 10 (and spatial analyst) or QGIS installed. Please contact us if you are interested in the course but cannot bring a laptop. Pricing: Early registration (at least three weeks in advance) is 495 Euro. Regular registration is 545 Euro. Five student places are available at 40% off. Once the first five students have registered (first come, first served), five more student spaces will be available for 20% off the regular rate. Lunch will be included with registration. Registration: Please register here http://pacmara.org/events-workshops when you are ready to pay for the course with a credit card or through other paypal means (if you are paying by check or cash, please contact us for details). It is easiest to complete payment immediately after registering. Note that it is not necessary for you to have a paypal account (click on "Don't have a Paypal account?" towards the bottom of the page) to complete this process. Refund policy: Refunds will be given within three weeks of the course start date, less a 30 Euro administrative fee. Cancellations less than three weeks before the course will be refunded only if we can replace the participant. In the event of course cancellation, full refunds will be given. Questions? Please contact us as hcoleman (at) pacmara.org or nserra (at) pacmara.org. Thank you and I hope to see you there! Heather -- Heather Coleman, Science Advisor PacMARA (Pacific Marine Analysis and Research Association) PO Box 49002, Victoria, BC V8P5V8 Office: 778.300.1801 hcoleman(a)pacmara.org http://pacmara.org pacmaraorg/tikiwiki <http://pacmara.org/tikiwiki> Curious about the Sidney Consensus? Check out the Marine EBM Principles for BC here <http://pacmara.org/tikiwiki/tiki-index.php?page=The+Sidney+Consensus>

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Ship strikes and the IWC
by Simone Panigada 06 May '15

06 May '15

Dear MARMAM friends and colleagues, with this message we would like to update you on the issue of ship strikes (collisions between ships and cetaceans) and at the same time enquire about your knowledge of incidents. Also, and most importantly, we want to remind everybody about the global IWC ship strike database. The International Whaling Commission (IWC) is addressing the problem of ship strikes since many years and has taken a leading role in this issue (see http://iwc.int/ship-strikes) It's Scientific Committee (SC) considers methods of estimating the number of whales killed from ship strikes; it is also fostering the dialogue between researchers, authorities and the shipping industry and thus takes part in developing mitigation measures. The Conservation Committee (CC) has established a dedicated Ship Strikes Working Group to develop a policy framework for mitigation of ship strike events and to co-ordinate work between member governments. Both SC and CC provide a forum to report ship strike cases, and the measures being taken within countries to reduce and record incidences of ship strikes. The IWC is also working in conjunction with other international bodies such as the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) as well as with shipping associations, NGOs and regional groups. The IWC has developed a global database to report collisions between vessels and whales. The database is open for anyone to submit data on collision events, including both information on whales (e.g., species, size, observed injuries, etc.) as well as on vessels. The objectives of the database are to deliver estimates of mortality and injuries, to help detect trends over time, to allow better modeling of risk factors (e.g., vessel type, speed, size), and to identify high risk or unsuspected problem areas. The database provides an on-going facility for collecting new information, and most importantly, it relies on scientists and mariners providing information. Therefore, any report of a ship strike is particularly important. With this communication, we are looking for new records and would like to invite any of you with information regarding collision cases or evidence of animals with clear sign of ship strike to compile the online database at: <http://data.iwc.int/ShipStrike/logon.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fshipstrike%2fdefault…>http://data.iwc.int/ShipStrike/logon.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fshipstrike%2fdefault…. Such information can come from witness reports you may have heard of, but also from (your own) scientific publications, etc. Please note that the database is currently undergoing a thorough revision and will have a complete new design, to make it more user-friendly. Soon, the new version will be online, and we will keep the MARMAM community posted! We would like to thank you for your cooperation; please do not hesitate to get in touch with us in case you need further information or any assistance. Please visit the IWC ship strike website to find out more at: <http://iwc.int/ship-strikes>http://iwc.int/ship-strikes. Simone Panigada - panigada(a)inwind.it Fabian Ritter - ritter(a)m-e-e-r.de IWC ship strikes coordinators

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Marine Ecologist Position
by Jaime Jahncke 05 May '15

05 May '15

MARINE ECOLOGIST POSITION Point Blue is hiring a Senior Marine Spatial Ecologist to help us drive climate-smart conservation actions off the Sonoma coast and across the entire California Current ecosystem. The Marine Ecologist will play a key role in Point Blue's strategic initiative to conserve ocean food webs by helping to: 1) identify the effects of climate change on marine wildlife distribution patterns and the location and function of food web hot spots, 2) guide ocean adaptation planning, management, and zoning to improve the conservation of threatened ocean resources within California's National Marine Sanctuaries, 3) use monitoring and citizen science to inform public outreach and policy recommendations that will reduce human impacts on marine wildlife, and 4) coordinate and support collaborative science and resource management activities with key agencies and stakeholders. The Marine Ecologist will work collaboratively with staff across the California Current Group and Point Blue, as well as externally with public and private partners to carry out research and monitoring, perform analyses, engage in policy and resource management discussions, and disseminate results. Supervision will be provided by Point Blue's California Current Group Director. To Apply E-mail: (1) cover letter describing qualifications and reasons for interest in this position and Point Blue, (2) complete CV/resume, and (3) contact information (including phone numbers and e-mail addresses) for 3 references to jobs(a)pointblue.org with "Marine Ecologist" in the subject line. Applicants may be subject to background checks. Application deadline is May 31, 2015; the position will remain open until a successful candidate has been identified. For more information please follow this link: http://www.pointblue.org/.../jobs-and-intern.../marine-ecologist<http://www.pointblue.org/about-pointblue/jobs-and-internships/marine-ecolog…>

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Marine Mammal Research Internship
by Victoria Howard 04 May '15

04 May '15

*Fall 2015 Marine Mammal Research Internship* The IMMS Research Internship Program is designed as a way for students interested in a career in marine science to gain valuable research experience in a real-world setting. Interns will participate with multiple projects involving bottlenose dolphins, sea turtles and diamondback terrapins. As an intern, you will be trained in all aspects of dolphin photo-id research, sea turtle satellite tracking, and other current research projects at IMMS. Interns will also participate in other operations at IMMS including stranding response, education, and animal care. Our goal is to give Interns a well-rounded experience in a variety of areas while providing expert training and experience in marine science research. Interns must: - Commit to a minimum of at least 12 weeks. The internship can be extended depending on work performance. - Be available to work Mon-Fri and must be available for all boat trips. Some field days may fall on the weekends. - Have strong sense of responsibility, work ethic, attention to detail, and ability to admit mistakes. - Produce high quality research efforts and exhibit strong interpersonal skills. - *Principle Duties include*: data entry, searching and cataloging journal articles, learning all research protocols, cropping and sorting photo-id fin images, learning to use photo-id programs such as Darwin (fin matching software), and FinBase (Microsoft Access), boat based field research (21’ and 31’ boats), and learn how to use ArcGIS - *Secondary Duties involve*: Assisting with animal care staff, attending marine mammal necropsies, responding to marine mammal and sea turtle strandings, and assisting with educational tours. - *Field days: *Interns must be able to spend many hours on the water and on shore in sometimes extreme seasonal conditions. Seasonal temperatures range from over 100 °F in summer to 30 °F in winter. Field days typically exceed eight hours and occur at least two or three times a week. Applicants must be 18 or older and must have a genuine interest in marine research. Applicants should be actively pursuing a college degree or be a recent graduate in oceanography, marine science/biology, biology, or a related field. Previous research 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 Fall Session (8/3/15 - 10/23/15 and 9/28/15 - 12/18/15) is June 1, 2015* *Please visit **http://imms.org/internship.php* <http://imms.org/internship.php>* for application and full details*

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Low frequency Atlantic bottlenose dolphin vocalizations
by Maria Cartolano 04 May '15

04 May '15

Hello all, I am a PhD student at the University of Miami and I am working on an experiment exposing Gulf toadfish (Opsanus beta) to different predatory cues, including dolphin vocalization playbacks, and measuring various physiological responses. I am hoping someone can shed some light on high amplitude, low frequency sounds made by Atlantic bottlenose dolphins during foraging as I have found varying descriptions in the literature (pop, crack, burst pulses). Toadfish hear best below 1kHz, so I am hoping to expose them to an ecologically relevant sound within their hearing range. If anyone has some more information about these low frequency sounds or would share with me recordings that you might have of these vocalizations with energy below 1kHz produced by Atlantic bottlenose dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico or southeast Florida, I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks for your help, Maria Cartolano Maria C. Cartolano, B.S. Graduate Research Assistant Marine Biology and Ecology RSMAS, University of Miami mcartolano(a)rsmas.miami.edu

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New phenotype of Spinner dolphins of the Ivory coast ?
by Moidjio CRCAD 04 May '15

04 May '15

Hi there, Is there anyone that could possibly have spotted/worked with spinner dolphins of the gulf of Guinea (west Africa) and particularly off the Ivory Coast. I would be very interested to hear about you and especially if you possess pictures of the dolphins spotted. I have spotted a phenotype that doesn't match any recorded species for the area and want to compare it with others. thank you and all the best, Benjamin Wambergue, B.O.S. Marine mammal researcher. Moidjio CRCAD, Africa.

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RARE MARINE MAMMAL BOOKS AND JOURNALS AVAILABLE
by Thomas Jefferson 03 May '15

03 May '15

RARE MARINE MAMMALBOOKS AND JOURNALS AVAILABLE The following is a partial list of items available. All funds go to ¡VIVA Vaquita! (a collaboration of five 501(3)c non-profits), forresearch and conservation of the World’s most endangered marine mammal species,the vaquita (Phocoena sinus). Go to www.vivavaquita.orgfor more details. Prices listed aresuggested minimum donations. All itemsare in good-excellent condition, unless otherwise stated; HC=hardcover,PB=paperback. Preference will be givento domestic USA orders. Donations can bemade in cash or with checks in US dollars. Email Tom Jefferson <sclymene(a)aol.com> the list of items you wantand your postal address for the items to be sent to (please type your name andaddress exactly as they would appear on a mailing label). Shipping is included. Orders will be sent out only after paymentand ‘mailing label’ are received. Brown, S.G., Brownell, R.L., Erickson, A.W., Hofman, R.J.,Llano, G.A. & Mackintosh, N.A. (1974) Antarctic Mammals. Antarctic MapFolio Series, 18, 1-19 + plates. Largefolio. $30. Domning, D.P. (1996) Bibliography and index of the Sireniaand Desmostylia. Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology, 80, 611 pp. PB. $32. Gaskin, D.E. (1972) Whales, Dolphins, and Seals, WithSpecial Reference to the New Zealand Region, Heineman Educational Books. HC. $28. Geraci, J.R. & Lounsbury, V.J. (2005) Marine MammalsAshore: A Field Guide for Strandings, Texas A&M Sea Grant (Second Edition). HC. $35. Jansen, J. (1953) Studies on the cetacean brain: The grossanatomy of the rhombencephalon of the fin whale (Baleaenoptera physalus (L.)). Hvalradets Skrifter, 37, 6-35. PB. $12. Jefferson, T.A. (2000) Population biology of theIndo-Pacific hump-backed dolphin in Hong Kong waters. Wildlife Monographs, 144,65 pp. $12. Jefferson, T.A., Leatherwood, S. & Webber, M.A. (1993)Marine Mammals of the World: FAO Species Identification Guide, United NationEnvironment Programme and Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN. PB. $75. Marsh, H. (1981) The Dugong: Proceedings of aSeminar/Workshop held at James Cook University 8-13 May 1979. p. 400 pp. James Cook University of NorthQueensland. PB. $26. Miller, G.S. & Kellogg, R. (1955) List of North Americanrecent mammals. Bulletin of the United States National Museum, 205, 954 pp. PB. $18. Mitchell, E., editor. (1975) Review of biology and fisheriesfor smaller cetaceans. In: Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada,350 pp. HC (bound, with inscription byMitchell). $38. Packard, E.L. & Kellogg, R. (1934) A new cetothere fromthe Miocene Astoria Formation of Newport, Oregon. In: Contributions toPaleontology: Marine Mammals (ed. by E.L. Packard, R. Kellogg & E. Huber),pp. pp. 1-62. Carnegie Institution of Washington. HC. $13. Pilleri, G.E., editor. (1969-1994) Investigations onCetacea, Complete set, vols.1-25, plus 5 supplements. $1,050. Purves, P.E. & Pilleri, G. (1983) Echolocation in Whalesand Dolphins, Academic Press, London. HC. $38. Ridgway, S.H., editor. (1972) Mammals of the Sea: Biology and Medicine. 812 pp. Charles C. Thomas. HC. Very rare. $185. Ronald, K., Gots, B.L., Lupson, J.D., Willings, C.J. &Dougan, J.L. (1991) An Annotated Bibliography of Seals, Sea Lions, and Walrus,International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. HC. $28. Ross, G.J.B. (1984) The smaller cetaceans of the south eastcoast of southern Africa. Annals of the Cape Provincial Museums (NaturalHistory), 15, 173-410. PB. $18. Scheffer, V.B. & Slipp, J.W. (1948) The whales anddolphins of Washington State, with a key to the cetaceans of the west coast ofNorth America. American Midland Naturalist, 39, 257-337. PB. $17. Truitt, D. (1974) Dolphins and Porpoises: A ComprehensiveAnnotated Bibliography of the Smaller Cetacea, Gale Research Co. HC. $37. Whales Research Institute (1948-1984) 44-year run (nearlycomplete). Scientific Reports of theWhales Research Institute, vols. 1-35 (complete, except missing volumes 13,38, and 39; bound in blue buckram). $775. Wheeler, J.F.G. (1930) The age of fin whales at physicalmaturity with a note on multiple ovulations. Discovery Reports, 2, 403-434. PB. $18.

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Juvenile melon-headed whale among common bottlenose dolphins
by Pamela Carzon / G.E.M.M. 02 May '15

02 May '15

Dear Marmam subscribers, I am currently working on resident common bottlenose dolphins in Rangiroa, French Polynesia, with a local NGO and the IRCP-CRIOBE research center. One of the groups contains a juvenile melon-headed whale first observed last November when it still was a calf and regularly seen with the bottlenoses since then. This is not the first time that these dolphins are seen with calves from other dolphin species and I would be really interested to know if someone knows of similar recurrent cases elsewhere? I would also be keen to have people's views about these phenomena. Many thanks for your help, Pamela ---- Pamela Carzon | Chef de mission Groupe d'Étude des Mammifères Marins PR Tiputa - 98776 Rangiroa - PF +689 87.77.90.99 pamelacarzon(a)gemmpacific.org <mailto:pamelacarzon@gemmpacific.org> www.gemmpacific.org <http://www.gemmpacific.org/>

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Registration for Summer classes ends May 8th - class starts May 11th
by Larkin,Iskande (Iske) 01 May '15

01 May '15

Hi All, I wanted to send a reminder that registration for summer classes will end on Friday May 8th and class begins May 11th. We still have spots available in our courses specifically geared towards students interested in Aquatic Animal Health. Please forward the information below about these classes to students at your school who have an interest in this field. Summer classes (2015) 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. For more information about the class or enrollment, contact Jeffrey Hendel (hendelj(a)ufl.edu<mailto:hendelj@ufl.edu>). 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. For more information about the class or enrollment, contact Jeffrey Hendel (hendelj(a)ufl.edu<mailto:hendelj@ufl.edu>). Fall class (2015) 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. For more information 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 (2015). Sincerely, Jeffrey Hendel Distance Education Program Assistant University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine [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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