January 2017 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

2017 Living Seas Volunteer Positions at Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre, New Quay, West Wales
by CBMWC 06 Jan '17

06 Jan '17

Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre New Quay Wales <http://www.cbmwc.org/> www.cbmwc.org Volunteers Positions 2017 Dedicated to conserving Cardigan Bays marine wildlife through education and research The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales (WTSWW) is one of six local Wildlife Trusts in Wales and is part of a wider movement of 47 Wildlife Trusts which cover the whole of the British Isles. The Wildlife Trusts aim for an environment rich in wildlife for everyone, striving to secure Living Seas where marine wildlife thrives, from the depths of the ocean to the coastal shallows. We recognise this as an inspirational end point where our environment, society and economy coexist for the benefit of wildlife and people. The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales is looking for dedicated and enthusiastic individuals to join our volunteer team at Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre (CBMWC). Volunteers will gain valuable experience whilst helping us to collect data on the marine wildlife of Cardigan Bay, man our visitor centre and inspire visitors and the public through community engagement activities. About CBMWC The Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre is a non-profit organisation based in New Quay, west Wales, UK. Since 1996 we have been dedicated to raising awareness of the local marine environment through education and research. Using boat-based and land-based surveys, photo-ID and acoustic studies we monitor bottlenose dolphin, harbour porpoise and Atlantic grey seal populations in the Cardigan Bay Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and wider Irish Sea. We also run a busy visitor centre as well as our Discovery Room which offers marine educational and awareness raising activities for families, schools and groups. In April 2015 we became part of the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales (WTSWW) and we deliver the Trusts Living Seas programme. What You Will Gain Volunteering for the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales at CBMWC is a fantastic opportunity for you to make a positive contribution to marine conservation and meet new people who share your interests. You will learn about the species and habitats in Cardigan Bay, gain experience in field work, research methods, data processing, public awareness and education programmes. Past volunteers have gone on to further education, work as Marine Mammal Observers and to work for other conservation or Government organisations. Volunteering Roles: <http://www.cbmwc.org/volunteer/seasonal-volunteers/> Living Seas Volunteers Volunteers will help us to collect data on the marine wildlife of Cardigan Bay, run our visitor centre and inspire visitors and the public through community engagement activities. Volunteer positions are available from 27th March until 30th October 2017. You must be able to volunteer for an entire block and priority will be given to those who can volunteer for more than one block. · Block A 27th March 24th April (4 weeks) · Block B 24th April 22nd May (4 weeks) · Block C 22nd May 10th July (7 weeks) · Block D 10th July 4th September (8 weeks) · Block E 4th September 30th October (8 weeks) <http://www.cbmwc.org/volunteer/research-assistant/> Living Seas Research Assistant The volunteer will assist the Living Seas Science Officer with the delivery of our Living Seas research objectives focused on marine megafauna in Cardigan Bay and the Irish Sea. The position is for the entire research season from 27th March to 30th November. <http://www.cbmwc.org/volunteer/shorefin-volunteers/> ShoreFin Volunteer The Volunteers will be responsible for our land-based bottlenose dolphin photo-identification project. These positions are for the entire season from 27th March to 30th November. <http://www.cbmwc.org/volunteer/seal-photo-id/> SeaSeal Volunteer The Volunteers will be responsible for our Atlantic grey seal photo identification project. These positions are for the entire season from 27th March to 30th November. Volunteer fee: An administration fee of £45 will be required from all successful applicants. Accommodation Arrangements: Shared accommodation in a comfortable and fully equipped house will be arranged for successful volunteers (where required) at a cost of £55 per week (includes bills) and a £50 refundable deposit. Deposits will be refunded if the accommodation is left in the same condition it was found in. Please be aware that volunteers share same sex bedrooms. Volunteers are responsible for their own food, travel and accommodation costs. Due to payment arrangements with the house owners, accommodation costs are required in advance to cover the cost of each block so before applying please ensure that you can cover this and all other expenses. How To Apply: Please visit www.cbmwc.org for more information on each role and details on how to apply. The closing date for applications is 23:59pm on Sunday 30th January 2016 For further information Visit <http://www.cbmwc.org/> www.cbmwc.org/ If you have any questions please email <mailto:volunteer@cbmwc.org> volunteer(a)cbmwc.org with an appropriate subject line or call Laura on 01545 560224.

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Undergraduate or Master's Level Student Needed for Beluga Acoustics Research Project
by Audra Ames 06 Jan '17

06 Jan '17

The research team at Oceanographic (Valencia, Spain) is in need of a highly motivated undergraduate or Master's level student to assist in the development of a large scale beluga acoustics research project. Candidates will be working closely with Ph.D. students and experts in the field of bioacoustics, and may use an aspect of the project as a Master's thesis or undergraduate honors project. The accepted student would need to be self funded, and able to make a six month commitment to living and working in Valencia. Students with previous bioacoustics experience will be strongly considered, however, bioacoustics experience is not necessary. Project specifics will be provided to interested candidates upon inquiry. If interested, please email Audra Ames at audra.ames(a)usm.edu for more information. Please include any questions, as well as a CV and previous bioacoustics experience/skills (if any). Sincerely, Audra Ames, M.A. Ph.D candidate Marine Mammal Behavior and Cognition Lab University of Southern Mississippi audra.ames(a)usm.edu<mailto:audra.ames@eagles.usm.edu> Fundación Oceanografic de la Comunidad Valenciana, Gran Vía Marques del Turia 19, 46005 Valencia. Spain <mailto:audra.ames@eagles.usm.edu>

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Upcoming Detection Workshop (no cost), Jan. 18-20, 2017
by Elizabeth Ferguson 05 Jan '17

05 Jan '17

Dear Colleagues, Oregon State University and Bio-Waves, Inc. is pleased to announce we have space available for a hands-on workshop exploring the new and improved detection capabilities of Ishmael, a free sound analysis software system. The 2.5 day workshop will be held from Wed. January 18th - Fri. January 20th at the San Diego Supercomputer Center in La Jolla, CA. Participants are recommended to have a fundamental understanding of underwater sound and sound analysis prior to attending this workshop. There is no cost for this workshop, as it is sponsored by the US Navy's Living Marine Resources Program, but only a few spaces remain. If you are interested in attending, please send us a brief description of your experience and reason for interest in this workshop. Additional information is provided, and we may send a flyer upon request. If you would like additional information regarding this event, have any questions, or would to reserve one of the few remaining spaces, please email Liz Ferguson at eferguson(a)bio-waves.net. [image: Inline image 2] Cheers, *Liz Ferguson* *Director of Education* www.bio-waves.com (619) 459-2242

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Two new publications on Humpback Whales in the southwest Indian Ocean
by Salvatore Cerchio 05 Jan '17

05 Jan '17

Dear all, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of two new papers using satellite telemetry to track movements of humpback whales in the southwest Indian Ocean. Cerchio S, Trudelle L, Zerbini AN, Charrassin JB, Geyer Y, Mayer FX, Andrianarivelo N, Jung JL, Adam O, and Rosenbaum HC. 2016. Satellite telemetry of humpback whales off Madagascar reveals insights on breeding behavior and long-range movements within the southwest Indian Ocean. *Marine Ecology Progress Series*, *562*, 193-209. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps11951 Trudelle L, Cerchio S, Zerbini AN, Geyer Y, Mayer FX, Jung JL, Hervé, MR, Pous S, Sallée JB, Rosenbaum HC, Adam O, and Charrassin JB. 2016. Influence of environmental parameters on movements and habitat utilization of humpback whales (*Megaptera novaeangliae*) in the Madagascar breeding ground. R. Soc.open sci. 3: 160616. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.160616 PDFs are available from the doi web links or by contacting the corresponding authors. Best regards, Salvatore Abstracts below: Cerchio et al. 2016. Satellite telemetry of humpback whales off Madagascar reveals insights on breeding behavior and long-range movements within the southwest Indian Ocean. *Marine Ecology Progress Series*, *562*, 193-209. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps11951 ABSTRACT: Humpback whales breeding in the southwest Indian Ocean are thought to exhibit population substructure between Madagascar and east Africa. To investigate regional movements, breeding behavior and habitat utilization, 23 whales were satellite-tagged off Madagascar during peak breeding season off the northeast and southwest coasts. Mean tag duration was 24.2 d (3 to 58 d), during which time no individual remained near the immediate tagging sites and several displayed extensive long-range movements. We applied a switching state-space model to estimate behavioral modes of ‘transiting’ (b-mode approaching 1.0) vs. ‘localized’ (b-mode approaching 2.0) movement. A general linear mixed-effects model indicated females were more likely to display transiting behavior than males (mean b-mode females = 1.27, males = 1.65; p = 0.031). Whales tagged in the northeast displayed localized movements off the central east coast, whereas whales tagged in the southwest did so on the southern coasts, with little overlap. Long-distance movements included north-westerly trajectories to eastern Africa and southerly transits to Walters Shoals and the Crozet Islands. Despite these long-range movements in short periods, no whale travelled to the northwest coast of Madagascar, nor to Mozambique or the Mascarene Islands. These results suggest there may be more interchange between Madagascar and central-east Africa than previously thought, and whales off east and west Madagascar may not use the same habitat within breeding seasons; important findings for defining sub-population structure and conservation management strategy. Furthermore, male mating strategy may involve more localized searching or displaying, whereas females travel more extensively during the breeding season, observations that are consistent with a large-scale lek mating system. Trudelle et al, 2016. Influence of environmental parameters on movements and habitat utilization of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Madagascar breeding ground. R. Soc.open sci. 3: 160616. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.160616 ABSTRACT: Assessing the movement patterns and key habitat features of breeding humpback whales is a prerequisite for the conservation management of this philopatric species. To investigate the interactions between humpback whale movements and environmental conditions off Madagascar, we deployed 25 satellite tags in the northeast and southwest coast of Madagascar. For each recorded position, we collated estimates of environmental variables and computed two behavioural metrics: behavioural state of ‘transiting’ (consistent/directional) versus ‘localized’ (variable/nondirectional), and active swimming speed (i.e. speed relative to the current). On coastal habitats (i.e. bathymetry<200m and in adjacent areas), females showed localized behaviour in deep waters (191±20 m) and at large distances (14±0.6 km) from shore, suggesting that their breeding habitat extends beyond the shallowest waters available close to the coastline. Males’ active swimming speed decreased in shallow waters, but environmental parameters did not influence their likelihood to exhibit localized movements, which was probably dominated by social factors instead. In oceanic habitats, both males and females showed localized behaviours in shallow waters and favoured high chlorophyll-a concentrations. Active swimming speed accounts for a large proportion of observed movement speed; however, breeding humpback whales probably exploit prevailing ocean currents to maximize displacement. This study provides evidence that coastal areas, generally subject to strong human pressure, remain the core habitat of humpback whales off Madagascar. Our results expand the knowledge of humpback whale habitat use in oceanic habitat and response to variability of environmental factors such as oceanic current and chlorophyll level. -- ********************************** Salvatore Cerchio, Ph.D. www.omuraswhale.org New England Aquarium scerchio@ <scerchio(a)gmail.com>neaq.org Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution scerchio(a)whoi.edu +261-32-47-549-93 (Madagascar mobile) +1-917-796-3363 (USA mobile) +1-508-289-3677 (WHOI) Skype: scerchio

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Marine Mammals of Maine Summer Internships
by Walk, Dominique 05 Jan '17

05 Jan '17

Marine Mammals of Maine (MMoME) is a relatively new non-profit organization federally authorized to respond to live and dead marine mammals between Kittery and Rockland, Maine. MMoME covers some of the busiest seal stranding coastline during the summer months, totaling nearly 300 live and dead animals annually. In 2016, MMoME received authorization to temporarily hold sick and injured seals for stabilization before transport to long term care centers-the first and only triage facility on the east coast. MMoME’s mission also heavily encompasses education and outreach to many different interest groups, addressing our growing human interaction numbers, and increase awareness of marine mammals, environmental conservation, and the organization. MMoME is seeking 4 motivated, flexible and independent interns for the months of May through August, or through October, to assist with our busiest time of year-harbor seal pupping. Interns and volunteers are critical in fulfilling our mission, and are given the unique opportunity to participate in a variety of activities. The internship is based out of midcoast Maine (specifically Harpswell), though travel throughout our response region and rehabilitation centers in the Northeast will be necessary. Interns must be adaptable and comfortable with an unpredictable and changing work day as stranding response and temporary care frequently change. Interns will be required to dedicate at least 20 hours per week to the internship, and will be required to work during holidays, weekends, and late hours. This internship is unpaid, though Maine’s busy summer tourist industry offers many seasonal job opportunities for interns looking to supplement their income. *KEY TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:* · ANIMAL RESPONSE: on-call for live and dead marine mammal stranding response to collect Level A data, perform health assessments, and monitor, relocate, or rescue as triage and rehabilitation resources allow. Carcass collection for disposal or necropsy will also be required. · TEMPORARY CARE OF SEALS: assist with all aspects relating to the care of sick, injured and abandoned pinnipeds undergoing stabilization before transport to long-term care facilities. Tasks range from meal prep, tube-feeding, assisting with medical procedures, animal restraint for exams, running lab samples, medical record maintenance, cleaning, and transport to long term care facilities. · NECROPSY: participate in necropsy of fresh dead seals and cetaceans, and help transport carcasses to partner organizations assisting MMoME with necropsy. · EDUCATION AND OUTREACH: assist with giving presentations to interest groups about the organization, our mission and work, as well as help create educational tools and materials. · INDEPENDENT PROJECT: each intern will design an independent project relating to education/outreach, a research project using existing MMoME data and/or specific data collected throughout the summer, fundraising projects, social media/technology, outreach or other aspects of marine mammal response and care or non-profit work of interest. · OTHER TASKS: data entry, assistance with fundraising events, and other tasks as needed. *REQUIREMENTS:* · The internship is open to students who are currently enrolled in, or recently graduated from an accredited college or university (unfortunately, this internship is not yet designed for those seeking advanced animal medical degrees). · Preference given to students/recent graduates working towards biology, environmental studies, marine science, marine mammal science, education, or other related fields. · Individuals that are passionate, responsible, hardworking, willing to learn, flexible, able to work under little supervision, and detail oriented are encouraged to apply. · Must be able to work independently and as part of a team, and be adaptable to a changing and unpredictable schedule due to the nature of stranding response. · Must commit to at least three months, and be available from at least May 15 – August 15. Due to timing of pup season, beginning of May through October is preferred. · Must have a valid driver’s license and a vehicle, and comfortable driving a full size truck in urban and rural areas. · Preference given to individuals with a demonstrated interest in marine mammals, are specifically interested in marine mammal response, rescue, and care, previous marine mammal experience a plus. *HOW TO APPLY:* Please send a letter of interest, a resume, and contact information for three references as well as the dates you are available to info(a)mmome.org by February 15th. Interviews will be conducted shortly after. *Dominique WalkMarine Mammals of Maine* *Assistant Stranding Coordinator* *Reporting Hotline: 1-800-532-9551Office Line: 207-833-3312* *www.mmome.org <http://www.mmome.org>*

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LAST MINUTE OPENING for Internships in CIIMAR-Madeira, Portugal
by Rita Ferreira 05 Jan '17

05 Jan '17

We have a LAST MINUTE OPENING for 2 volunteer positions for the period of February & March to help with our marine mammals’ research project based in Madeira Island, Portugal. Internship Details: The interns will be enrolled in data collection on board ferries and naval boats in two different routes. These positions are unpaid but we encourage candidates to seek grants where we can post as host institution. Priority will be given to those who can commit full time. Only European volunteers are accepted, for insurance reasons. Internship description: - An intensive training on monitoring protocol, cetacean identification and data processing and analysis; - Sea surveys Madeira-Porto Santo and Madeira-Selvagens; - Educational activities in local schools (when possible); - Data processing and analysis; - Free time to visit Madeira, Porto Santo and Selvagens. - Accident insurances Successful applicants should possess or be enrolled in a BS or MS course in biology or related, be reliable, dedicated, adaptable and patient, as this work is highly weather dependent and requires consecutive days of work at sea. If you are an undergraduate or graduate student interested in pursuing a career in marine mammal research, this is an excellent opportunity to learn and gain experience at sea. If you are interested in interning with CIIMAR-Madeira, please send a CV and a letter of interest to ana.dinis(a)ciimarmadeira.org or rita.ferreira(a)oom.arditi.pt as soon as possible. CIIMAR-Madeira is a private, non-profit organization based in Madeira Island, Portugal. It is a unique organization specialized on insular environments, which is currently involved in the development of fundamental and applied scientific research, both in atmospheric and marine sciences. For more information about CIIMAR-Madeira and our research please visit http://home.ciimarmadeira.org/ Thank you, Rita Ferreira, MsC CIIMAR-Madeira, OOM-ARDITI Phone: +351291721246

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New article: Vibrissal growth parameters of southern elephant seals Mirounga leonina
by Nico Lubcker 04 Jan '17

04 Jan '17

Dear colleagues, My co-authors and I would like to share with you our work recently published in Marine Ecology Progress Series: Lübcker N, Condit R, Beltran RS, de Bruyn PJN, Bester MN. 2016. Vibrissal growth parameters of southern elephant seals Mirounga leonina: obtaining fine-scale, time-based stable isotope data. Marine Ecology Progress Series 559: 243-255. doi: 10.3354/meps11899. Article available at http://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v559/p243-255/ ABSTRACT: Stable isotopes provide a powerful, indirect approach to assess the trophic ecology of individuals on a spatial and temporally integrated basis (especially when combined with telemetry). However, using stable isotopes requires accurate, species-specific quantification of the period of biomolecule deposition in the sampled tissue. Sequentially sampled vibrissae (whiskers) provide a chronology of biogeochemical data, although knowledge of vibrissal growth is required for temporal interpretations. We sampled vibrissae from southern elephant seals Mirounga leonina (hereafter SES) at Marion Island, southern Indian Ocean, to address the following aims: (1) define the prevalence and timing of their vibrissal replacement, (2) determine the vibrissal regrowth rate and temporal resolution of isotopic data captured along the length of sequentially sampled vibrissae, and (3) explore assumptions regarding their vibrissal growth. Contrary to the previously described asynchronous vibrissal shedding pattern of SES, 71.1% of individuals displayed vibrissal shedding during the annual pelage moult. Furthermore, vibrissal growth ceased once the asymptotic length was reached, and the vibrissae were retained before being replaced. Vibrissae with known growth histories were resampled at multiple known intervals to control for unknown growth starting dates. Vibrissae followed a von Bertalanffy growth function as the growth rate decreased near the asymptotic length. The resolution of the isotopic data obtainable per 2 mm section ranged from 3.5 d at the vibrissal tip to >40 d at the base. Using these defined growth rates and shedding patterns, researchers can prudently apply timestamps to stable isotope values along vibrissae. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/310330776_Vibrissal_growth_paramet… Sincerely, Nico Lubcker nlubcker(a)zoology.up.ac.za PhD Zoology Candidate Mammal Research Institute Department of Zoology and Entomology University of Pretoria South Africa --------------------------------------------------------------------- This message and attachments are subject to a disclaimer. Please refer to http://www.it.up.ac.za/documentation/governance/disclaimer/ for full details. / Hierdie boodskap en aanhangsels is aan 'n vrywaringsklousule onderhewig. Volledige besonderhede is by http://www.it.up.ac.za/documentation/governance/disclaimer/ beskikbaar.

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Job Announcement - Marine Acoutstic Scientist
by Maja Nimak-Wood 04 Jan '17

04 Jan '17

[cid:image001.jpg@01D2669F.64C1C760] Gardline Environmental Division (GED) is a member of the Gardline Marine Sciences Limited Group of Companies and is a successful Environmental contractor conducting major integrated offshore projects on a worldwide basis and inshore projects for major clients in the UK and overseas. As GED's Marine Wildlife & Environmental Department continues its expansion we are seeking to add to the diverse team and expertise in the following role; Marine Acoustic Scientist The candidate(s) will undertake and help further develop GED's acoustic modelling and monitoring capabilities. They will be responsible for the use of acoustic monitoring and recording systems. Help with the compilation, preparation and quality control of acoustic reports and the processing of acoustic data. When onshore the candidate(s) will play a key role in the development of acoustic profiling and noise monitoring data and reports for submission to regulatory bodies and clients. Liaise with Gardline acoustic partners and develop collaborative approaches in both commercial and research areas. The person will also be responsible to train personal in relevant areas of acoustics. The candidate will be liable for the appropriate collection and processing of data both at sea and in the office. This role will require you to work in the office (Great Yarmouth), but we have an expectation that you will spend up to 60 days at sea at locations worldwide, during a 12-month period. Applicants will be of degree calibre or equivalent in a relevant discipline and possess an understanding of marine acoustics, including anthropogenic data analysis with the use of MATLAB and Raven. Additionally, familiarity with the use of PAMS, ARUs or other underwater noise monitoring equipment is desirable as well as general understanding on impact assessment on fish and marine mammals. To apply for the role, please send your CV and covering letter to our Recruitment Coordinator, at recruitment(a)gardline.com<mailto:recruitment@gardline.com> or via the careers section of our website www.gardlinemarinesciences.com Closing date: 31st January 2017 Maja Nimak-Wood, MIMarEST, CSci/CMarSci Senior Marine Mammal Scientist Gardline Geosurvey Limited Endeavour House, Admiralty Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, NR30 3NG Tel: +44 (0)1493 845600 www.gardlinemarinesciences.com<http://www.gardlinemarinesciences.com/> [cid:image002.jpg@01D2669F.64C1C760] Gardline Environmental is a division of Gardline Geosurvey Limited Registered in England No. 04589821 | VAT Registration No. 640 4800 66Registered office: Endeavour House, Admiralty Road, Great Yarmouth, Norflk, NR30 3NG ________________________________ CONFIDENTIALITY - This e-mail and any attached files contain information that is confidential and/or may be subject of legal privilege, intended only for use by the addressee(s). If you are not the intended recipient or the person responsible for delivering the message to the intended recipient, please be advised that you have received this message in error and that any dissemination, copying or use of this message or attachment is strictly forbidden, as is the disclosure of the information therein. If you have received this message in error please notify the sender immediately and preserve this confidentiality by deleting the message. Sender accepts no responsibility for the completeness or accuracy of this message as it has been transmitted over public networks. Unless otherwise specifically stated any views or opinions are solely those of the author and do not represent those of the sender Company. This email has been virus checked by Barracuda Spam Firewall on behalf of the Gardline Group of Companies.

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CRC Handbook Stranding Response Chapter
by Claire Simeone 03 Jan '17

03 Jan '17

Dear Colleagues, Work is currently underway for the third edition of the textbook, 'CRC Handbook of Marine Mammal Medicine'. A chapter on Stranding Response includes an appendix of marine mammal stranding networks, comprised of contact information for the primary groups responding to stranded marine mammals around the world. While we have gathered contact information for groups in many countries, some gaps remain. I am reaching out to inquire whether you work with an organization that responds to stranded marine mammals, and whether you would like your group to be listed as a primary contact for your country. Additionally, if you are not directly responsible for stranding response, but are familiar with the structure in your country and can put me in touch with the relevant parties, I would be greatly appreciative. Feel free to reach out and I can tell you whether I have gathered information for your country yet. Please provide the following information to simeonec(a)tmmc.org<mailto:simeonec@tmmc.org>: -Country -Institution -Institution type (government agency, non-governmental organization, etc.) -Address -Contact Phone -Contact Fax -Contact Email -Website -Species to which you respond -Live or dead response (or both) -Any additional relevant information Thank you for your help for once again making the CRC Handbook a relevant and useful resource for stranding response. Sincerely, Claire Claire Simeone, DVM Conservation Medicine Veterinarian The Marine Mammal Center/NOAA-NMFS MMHSRP 2000 Bunker Road Sausalito, CA 94965 USA simeonec(a)tmmc.org<mailto:simeonec@tmmc.org> Claire.Simeone(a)noaa.gov<mailto:Claire.Simeone@noaa.gov>

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PhD student required for a project on dolphin acoustics and behaviour in Australia
by Michael Noad 03 Jan '17

03 Jan '17

A PhD project on dolphin acoustic communication is available at the Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Lab (CEAL) www.uq.edu.au/whale<http://www.uq.edu.au/whale> . A fully funded PhD project on bottlenose dolphin acoustic communication is currently available. The project will involve surveying bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) in Moreton Bay, adjacent to Brisbane. Photo ID will be used to develop a social network analysis of the dolphin groups and an array of hydrophones will be used to attempt to allocate whistles to individual animals while recording other behaviours. The study will extend our understanding of the use of signature whistles in different behavioural and social situations as well as the role of variant whistles. A student is required to start on this project as soon as possible. For this reason, an Australian or New Zealand student would be preferred but applications from international students will be considered. Australian and New Zealand students should have a first class honours degree in biology with a solid understand of behavioural ecology, and should be eligible for an Australian Postgraduate Award. International students should have a first class honours degree or masters degree and, to be competitive for an international scholarship, at least one peer-reviewed publication. Knowledge or experience in marine mammal biology, bioacoustics and/or social network analysis would be desirable as would prior experience in conducting marine field work and small boat handling. Interested students should contact Assoc. Prof. Michael Noad at mnoad(a)uq.edu.au<mailto:mnoad@uq.edu.au> and Dr Rebecca Dunlop r.dunlop(a)uq.edu.au<mailto:r.dunlop@uq.edu.au> with an expression of interest and CV by the end of January 2017.

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