December 2017 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

The passing of John E. Reynolds III
by Wallace, Richard 26 Dec '17

26 Dec '17

Dear Marmam Community, There are, I’m sure, other more formal and substantive remembrances coming, but having seen nothing on this list, it is with great sadness that I share the news that John E. Reynolds III passed away on Saturday after a long battle with cancer. John was a global leader and a friend and mentor to so many of us in the field of marine mammal conservation, policy, and science. He was known for myriad accomplishments, not least of which was his lifelong work on sirenians—especially manatees in Florida—and small cetaceans, and the 20 years he served as chair of the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission, during which time he had as much influence on the conservation of marine and coastal species and ecosystems as anyone in the nation. He was also a past president of the Society for Marine Mammalogy. John was the model of a mentor and colleague, eschewing the limelight, especially when he could shine a light on others’ efforts. He leaves countless colleagues, former students, and devotees of his work who mourn his passing and will miss his genial nature and deep sense of camaraderie. I understand from others that information on a memorial service and a scholarship fund in marine conservation are forthcoming. Here is John’s formal bio at Mote Marine Laboratory: https://mote.org/staff/member/john-reynolds Yours in sadness but also in community, Richard Wallace Department of Environmental Studies Ursinus College Collegeville, Pennsylvania

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New opinion letter on harbour porpoise foraging strategy
by Michael Fontaine 24 Dec '17

24 Dec '17

Dear colleagues, I am delighted to share with you our recent opinion letter just published in Marine Mammal Science about the foraging strategy of harbour porpoises. Resilience of harbor porpoises to anthropogenic disturbance: Must they really feed continuously? Hoekendijk JPA, Spitz J, Read AJ, Leopold MF, Fontaine MC. 2018. Mar. Mamm. Sci. 34:258–264. (DOI: 10.1111/mms.12446) http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mms.12446/full This letter discuss the observations reported by Wisniewska et al in 2016 in Current Biology about the “Ultra-High Foraging Rates of Harbor Porpoises Make Them Vulnerable to Anthropogenic Disturbance”. The authors also made an answer to our letter that you can read here Response to “Resilience of harbor porpoises to anthropogenic disturbance: Must they really feed continuously?.” Wisniewska DM, Johnson M, Teilmann J, Rojano-Doñate L, Shearer J, Sveegaard S, Miller LA, Siebert U, Madsen PT. 2018. Mar. Mamm. Sci. 34:265–270. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mms.12463/full Have a wonderful Christmas and Winter Holiddays Michael, on behalf of my co-authors -- ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º>¸. `·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸·´¯`·.. ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES) University of Groningen Nijenborgh 7 9747 AG Groningen The Netherlands Office phone: (+31) (0)50 363 2146 Email: m.c.fontaine(a)rug.nl <mailto:m.c.fontaine@rug.nl> Google scholar profile Researcher-ID (G-5350-2011) Professional webpage: www.rug.nl/staff/m.c.fontaine/ <http://www.rug.nl/staff/m.c.fontaine/> Personal webpage: michaelcfontaine.wordpress.com <http://michaelcfontaine.wordpress.com/>

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New publication on drones and humpback whales
by Vanessa Pirotta (HDR) 22 Dec '17

22 Dec '17

Dear MARMAM colleagues, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of the following manuscript now available online: An economical custom-built drone for assessing whale health. Vanessa Pirotta, Alastair Smith, Martin Ostrowski, Dylan Russell, Ian D. Jonsen, Alana Grech and Robert Harcourt (2017). An economical custom-built drone for assessing whale health. Frontiers in Marine Science 4:425. Abstract: Drones or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have huge potential to improve the safety and efficiency of sample collection from wild animals under logistically challenging circumstances. Here we present a method for surveying population health that uses UAVs to sample respiratory vapor, ‘whale blow,’ exhaled by free-swimming humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), and coupled this with amplification and sequencing of respiratory tract microbiota. We developed a low-cost multirotor UAV incorporating a sterile petri dish with a remotely operated ‘blow’ to sample whale blow with minimal disturbance to the whales. This design addressed several sampling challenges: accessibility; safety; cost, and critically, minimized the collection of atmospheric and seawater microbiota and other potential sources of sample contamination. We collected 59 samples of blow from northward migrating humpback whales off Sydney, Australia and used high throughput sequencing of bacterial ribosomal gene markers to identify putative respiratory tract microbiota. Model-based comparisons with seawater and drone- captured air demonstrated that our system minimized external sources of contamination and successfully captured sufficient material to identify whale blow-specific microbial taxa. Whale-specific taxa included species and genera previously associated with the respiratory tracts or oral cavities of mammals (e.g., Pseudomonas, Clostridia, Cardiobacterium), as well as species previously isolated from dolphin or killer whale blowholes (Corynebacteria, others). Many examples of exogenous marine species were identified, including Tenacibaculum and Psychrobacter spp. that have been associated with the skin microbiota of marine mammals and fish and may include pathogens. This information provides a baseline of respiratory tract microbiota profiles of contemporary whale health. Customized UAVs are a promising new tool for marine megafauna research and may have broad application in cost-effective monitoring and management of whale populations worldwide. Keywords: UAV, UAS, drone, blow, humpback whale, microbiota, technology, conservation This publication is open access and is available here: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2017.00425/full Best regards, Vanessa Pirotta Vanessa Pirotta | PhD Candidate Marine Predator Research Group Department of Biological Sciences Faculty of Science and Engineering Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia Twitter: @VanessaPirotta

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SEAMAMMS 2018
by Robert Young 22 Dec '17

22 Dec '17

SEAMAMMS: Southeast and Mid-Atlantic Marine Mammal Symposium Coastal Carolina University, Conway, South Carolina March 23-25, 2018 The Southeast and Mid-Atlantic Marine Mammal Symposium will be held at Coastal Carolina University from Friday, March 23 to Sunday, March 25, 2018. SEAMAMMS is a regional, scientific marine mammal meeting that is open to all presenters and is very student-oriented. Preference will be given to marine mammal research conducted in the mid-Atlantic and southeast US or conducted by students and researchers based in the same region. Other topics will be considered as space is available. The deadline for abstract submissions is February 12 (midnight). You may register for the conference at any time, but the early registration deadline is March 1. This year's keynote address will be by the Smithsonian Institution's new Curator of Marine Mammals, Dr. Michael McGowen, entitled, "The Evolution of Cetaceans: Phylogenomics, Morphology, and Comparative Biology Detailed information can be found on the conference web site: https://www.coastal.edu/research/undergraduate/seamamms/, or contact Rob Young (ryoung(a)coastal.edu) All activities will take place on the Coastal Carolina University campus, located 10 miles west of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Hope to see you there! Rob Young ____________________________ Rob Young Professor of Marine Science Director of Undergraduate Research Coastal Carolina University PO Box 261954 Conway, SC 29528-6054 ryoung(a)coastal.edu<mailto:ryoung@coastal.edu> Office: 843-349-2277

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PAM and Visual Observer Position on Large Vessel in the Atlantic
by Holly Dramis 22 Dec '17

22 Dec '17

Job Category: Paid Staff Position Smultea Sciences is looking for certified PAM operators and PSOs for a large vessel-based project in the Atlantic. This is a W2 position, so you'll need to provide a US Passport or social security card and driver's license during the hiring process. Requirements: -Must be available January 8th - mid February 2018 -Must provide proof of up-to-date: (1) BOSIET, (2) Fit for duty, (3) Negative drug test, (4) Eligibility for US Employment -Must have prior experience in the Atlantic or Gulf Of Mexico -2 References (names, positions, email, phone number) Applicants for PAM position must have experience with PAMGuard and deploying/monitoring towed arrays for dolphins and whales. Please email your CV and contact information to our Business Operations Manager: Holly.Dramis(a)smulteasciences.com

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Strandings Coordinator (Employment or secondment opportunity)
by Frances Gulland 21 Dec '17

21 Dec '17

The IWC is seeking a dynamic and experienced individual to coordinate the strategic development and implementation of the IWC Strandings Initiative, which seeks to build strandings response capacity amongst IWC contracting members and strandings networks and to assist governments, on request, in unusual strandings situations. The successful applicant will have significant and practical professional experience related to strandings response (including live animal response and strandings investigations) and a sound knowledge of related issues. They will have exceptional interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to engage with stakeholders from many fields and diverse cultural backgrounds and a high level of organisational skills. She/he will be fluent in English. This post is advertised as a Part Time position on a fixed term basis for a period of one year, with extension for a further two years subject to approval by the Commission at its 67th meeting in September 2018 and availability of funding. It is therefore intended to appoint an applicant capable of delivering the initiative over this longer time period. A secondment arrangement could also be considered for the successful candidate. Applications should be sent to secretariat(a)iwc.int<mailto:secretariat@iwc.int> by 5pm on Thursday 11th January 2018. Further details can be found at https://iwc.int/vacancies

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Humpback Whale Thermal/IR Imaging Article
by Travis Horton 21 Dec '17

21 Dec '17

Hello MARMAM, Following on Phil Clapham's kind circulation of our very recently published, "Route Fidelity during Marine Megafauna Migration," article, I'd also like to share the below link to our separate article, "Thermal Imaging and Biometrical Thermography of Humpback Whales," that was also just published online in Frontiers in Marine Science. There has been a high level of interest in automated cetacean detection systems for some years at Society for Marine Mammalogy conferences etc., and with the IWC's 2017-2020 strategic plan for development of whale avoidance systems (Cates et al., 2017), I felt that many of you might also be interested in this thermal imaging research. I'm happy to discuss either of these research projects offline. (travis.horton(a)canterbury.ac.nz) A very happy holiday season and end of 2017 to you all! Travis W. Horton Associate Professor University of Canterbury Front. Mar. Sci., 21 December 2017 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2017.00424 Thermal Imaging and Biometrical Thermography of Humpback Whales [https://loop.frontiersin.org/images/profile/474577/24]Travis W. Horton<http://www.frontiersin.org/people/u/474577>1*, [https://loop.frontiersin.org/images/profile/496225/24] Alice Oline<http://www.frontiersin.org/people/u/496225>2, [https://f96a1a95aaa960e01625-a34624e694c43cdf8b40aa048a644ca4.ssl.cf2.rackc…] Nan Hauser3, [https://f96a1a95aaa960e01625-a34624e694c43cdf8b40aa048a644ca4.ssl.cf2.rackc…] Tasnuva Ming Khan4, [https://loop.frontiersin.org/images/profile/508354/24] Amelie Laute<http://www.frontiersin.org/people/u/508354>3, [https://f96a1a95aaa960e01625-a34624e694c43cdf8b40aa048a644ca4.ssl.cf2.rackc…] Alyssa Stoller3, [https://f96a1a95aaa960e01625-a34624e694c43cdf8b40aa048a644ca4.ssl.cf2.rackc…] Katherine Tison3and [https://f96a1a95aaa960e01625-a34624e694c43cdf8b40aa048a644ca4.ssl.cf2.rackc…] Peyman Zawar-Reza5 Determining species' distributions through time and space remains a primary challenge in cetacean science and conservation. For example, many whales migrate thousands of kilometers every year between remote seasonal habitats along migratory corridors that cross major shipping lanes and intensively harvested fisheries, creating a dynamic spatial and temporal context that conservation decisions must take into account. Technological advances enabling automated whale detection have the potential to dramatically improve our knowledge of when and where whales are located, presenting opportunities to help minimize adverse human-whale interactions. Using thermographic data we show that near-horizontal (i.e., high zenith angle) infrared images of humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) blows, dorsal fins, flukes and rostrums record similar magnitude brightness temperature anomalies relative to the adjacent ocean surface. Our results demonstrate that these anomalies are similar in both low latitude and high latitude environments despite a ~16°C difference in ocean surface temperature between study areas. We show that these similarities occur in both environments due to emissivity effects associated with oblique target imaging, rather than differences in cetacean thermoregulation. The consistent and reproducible brightness temperature anomalies we report provide important quantitative constraints that will help facilitate the development of transient temperature anomaly detection algorithms in diverse marine environments. Thermographic videography coupled with laser range finding further enables calculation of whale blow velocity, demonstrating that biometrical measurements are possible for near-horizontal datasets that otherwise suffer from emissivity effects. The thermographic research we present creates a platform for the delivery of three important contributions to cetacean conservation: (1) non-invasive species-level identifications based on whale blow shapes and velocities recorded by infrared videography; (2) reduced ship-strike rates through automated thermographic cetacean detection systems deployed in high traffic areas; (3) monitoring the spatial and temporal distributions of endangered animals in remote habitats. open-access via: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2017.00424/full This email may be confidential and subject to legal privilege, it may not reflect the views of the University of Canterbury, and it is not guaranteed to be virus free. If you are not an intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately and erase all copies of the message and any attachments. Please refer to http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/emaildisclaimer for more information.

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New paper on megafauna migration
by Phillip Clapham - NOAA Federal 21 Dec '17

21 Dec '17

The following was just published: Horton, T.W., Hauser, N. Zerbini, A.N., Francis, M.P., Domeier, M.L., Andriolo, A., Costa, D.P., Robinson, P.W., Duffy, C.A.J., Nasby-Lucas, N., Holdaway, R.N. & Clapham, P.J. 2018. Route fidelity during marine megafauna migration. Frontiers in Marine Science doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2017.00422. ABSTRACT The conservation and protection of marine megafauna require robust knowledge of where and when animals are located. Yet, our ability to predict animal distributions in space and time remains limited due to difficulties associated with studying elusive animals with large home ranges. The widespread deployment of satellite telemetry technology creates unprecedented opportunities to remotely monitor animal movements and to analyse the spatial and temporal trajectories of these movements from a variety of geophysical perspectives. Reproducible patterns in movement trajectories can help elucidate the potential mechanisms by which marine megafauna navigate across vast expanses of open-ocean. Here, we present an empirical analysis of humpback whale (*Megaptera novaeangliae*), great white shark (*Carcharodon carcharias*), and northern elephant seal (*Mirounga angustirostris*) satellite telemetry-derived route fidelity movements in magnetic and gravitational coordinates. Our analyses demonstrate that: (1) humpback whales, great white sharks and northern elephant seals are capable of performing route fidelity movements across millions of square kilometers of open ocean with a spatial accuracy of better than 150 km despite temporal separations as long as 7 years between individual movements; (2) route fidelity movements include significant (p < 0.05) periodicities that are comparable in duration to the lunar cycles and semi-cycles; (3) latitude and bedrock-dependent gravitational cues are stronger predictors of route fidelity movements than spherical magnetic coordinate cues when analyzed with respect to the temporally dependent moon illumination cycle. We further show that both route fidelity and non-route fidelity movement trajectories, for all three species, describe overlapping in-phase or antiphase sinusoids when individual movements are normalized to the gravitational acceleration present at migratory departure sites. Although these empirical results provide an inductive basis for the development of testable hypotheses and future research questions, they cannot be taken as evidence for causal relations between marine megafauna movement decisions and geophysical cues. Experiments on model organisms with known sensitivities to gravity and magnetism, complemented by further empirical observation of free-ranging animals, are required to fully explore how animals use discrete, or potentially integrated, geophysical cues for orientation and navigation purposes. The paper is open access, and a pdf reprint is available at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2017.00422/full -- Phillip J. Clapham, Ph.D. Leader, Cetacean Assessment and Ecology Program Marine Mammal Laboratory Alaska Fisheries Science Center 7600 Sand Point Way NE Seattle, WA 98115, USA Associate Editor, *Royal Society Open Science* http://rsos.royalsocietypublishing.org/ tel 206 526 4037 email phillip.clapham(a)noaa.gov

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IFAW Summer internship opportunity
by Patchett, Kristen 21 Dec '17

21 Dec '17

IFAW Marine Mammal Stranding Internship Summer / Spring session 2018 (May - Sept) Complete applications due by: February 16, 2018 The International Fund for Animal Welfare’s (IFAW) Marine Mammal Rescue and Research Program is currently accepting applications for its Marine Mammal Stranding Internship for the summer session 2018 (May-September). Please see below for future internship sessions. Program Background IFAW is an international non-profit organization. This internship is based out of our International Operations Center in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts, USA. IFAW’s Marine Mammal Rescue and Research Program is a federally authorized program dedicated to marine mammal stranding response on Cape Cod and southeastern Massachusetts. Our mission is to promote the conservation of marine mammal species and their habitat by improving the rescue and humane care of stranded marine mammals, advancing stranding science, and increasing public awareness through education. Cape Cod is a marine mammal stranding “hot spot,” with an average of over 240 strandings occurring each year. These strandings include live and dead seals, whales, porpoises, and dolphins. Internship Duties · Stranding hotline coverage: answer calls, document reports, educate callers, dispatch volunteers, complete associated paperwork and enter data. · Marine mammal stranding response and necropsy: assist staff with all aspects of marine mammal stranding response, including live animal health assessment and supportive care, biological data collection, post-mortem examinations and sampling in both field and laboratory settings. · Stranding / necropsy readiness: cleaning, organizing and maintaining stranding response and necropsy gear, equipment and facilities, restocking kits and supplies. · Data entry / sample processing: assist in entry of stranding data. Assist in organizing, cataloging, disseminating and archiving of photos, videos, datasheets, samples, etc. · Outreach: assist staff with training and outreach material preparation and organization, participate in opportunistic outreach at stranding sites, participate in community events. Internship Focus Areas Each intern will be assigned to a focus area of either Response or Necropsy. Interns are paired with staff members based on these particular focus areas and individual tasks and projects will be related to one of these areas. All interns will be cross-trained in stranding response and necropsy, and every effort will be made for interns to gain a wide-range of experiences. Final determination of each intern’s “focus” will be determined by the staff once individuals have been selected for the program. We will make an effort to assign interns based on their preferences. Please indicate in your cover letter your preferred focus area(s). Veterinary Assistant Internship (open to returning interns only) An additional focus area, the Veterinary Assistant Internship, is available to past IFAW marine mammal interns that are in good standing. This internship is an opportunity for interested individuals to increase their marine mammal technical skills and gain experience in applied animal welfare and conservation medicine research. This position reports directly to IFAW’s Animal Rescue Veterinarian. For more information on the responsibilities of this position, please contact us at recruitmmrr(a)ifaw.org. Please indicate in your cover letter if you are interested in this focus area. Requirements · Must be at least 18 years old. · Must possess a valid driver’s license and secure reliable transportation. · Be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program, or have graduated within 2 years. · Must be of good physical fitness, able to lift/carry 40lbs, walk long distances in difficult terrain, be comfortable on small boats in nearshore waters, able to swim, and work in harsh weather conditions. · Able to follow written and oral staff directions and protocols effectively and able to work in teams and individually. · Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. · Must be able to commit to a minimum 3 days a week for 12 weeks during the internship session. Your schedule will include at least 1 weekend day. Preferred candidates will also have: · Undergraduate or graduate study of biology, zoology, ecology, conservation or related field. · Previous marine mammal stranding response/research experience. · Previous necropsy experience (marine mammal or other taxa). · Experience caring for or handling animals. · Experience driving large trucks. · Experience in photo-ID. At least one intern per session may assist in seal photo-ID work. · Flexible daily schedules. (Strandings are unpredictable. Our days may start early or end late.) Important Information · This internship is unpaid and housing and transportation are the responsibility of the intern. If accepted, we will try to provide interns with resources to help find housing. · Interns may be required to work some holidays. · Interns should be prepared to perform in a variety of settings on any given day, including office, beach, on-water, and laboratory. Specialized gear such as dry suits, boots and life jackets will be provided. · Stranding work is unpredictable and changes seasonally. We cannot guarantee the type and number of strandings and experiences you will receive during your internship. We will do our best when possible to give interns a varied experience. · International applicants are responsible for their own VISA arrangements, etc. · Interns intending to receive academic credit are responsible for making all arrangements with their educational institution. · Please email any questions regarding VISA arrangements, academic credits and general questions to: recruitmmrr(a)ifaw.org<mailto:recruitmmrr@ifaw.org>. To apply click here<https://recruiting.ultipro.com/INT1059IFFA/JobBoard/17b588a3-808b-4bc9-aea8…> or paste: https://recruiting.ultipro.com/INT1059IFFA/JobBoard/17b588a3-808b-4bc9-aea8… into your browser. Only complete applications will be considered. Required application materials (you must provide all 3): œ Cover Letter (please indicate your preferred focus area) œ Resume or C.V. œ Provide names, emails, and phone numbers of two professional references or college professor. New intern orientation will be held June 5, 6, and 7, 2018. All accepted interns are required to attend. Future Internship Session Dates: The IFAW Marine Mammal Stranding Internships are offered 3 times a year (Winter/Spring, Summer, and Fall). You must re-apply for each session. Please recheck back for future internship opportunities. 2018 Fall Session: September 2018 – January 2019. Applications will be due in June. For more information about IFAW’s global animal welfare and conservation work, please visit www.ifaw.org<http://www.ifaw.org> . Kristen Patchett CVT | Stranding Coordinator Marine Mammal Rescue and Research ___________________________________________________________ IFAW - International Fund for Animal Welfare International Operations Center 290 Summer Street - Yarmouth Port, MA 02675 tel. 1.508.744.2171 email. kpatchett(a)ifaw.org<mailto:kpatchett@ifaw.org> Saving Animals in Crisis Around the World www.ifaw.org<http://www.ifaw.org/> The content of this email is intended only for the use of the above-named addressee and may contain information that is confidential, proprietary, and/or legally privileged. Please notify the sender if you received this email in error.

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HUMPBACK WHALE RESEARCH & LEARNING PROGRAMME IN CAPE VERDE, AFRICA
by AIMM Internships 21 Dec '17

21 Dec '17

*HUMPBACK WHALE RESEARCH & LEARNING PROGRAMME IN CAPE VERDE, AFRICA* *BACKGROUND: *The Marine Environment Research Association is a non-profit, non-governmental organization focused on the research and conservation of marine species, running an ongoing study of cetaceans in southern Portugal (Algarve) and Boa Vista, Cape Verde. This project aims to obtain baseline information on species occurrence, behavior, and social structure of the local cetacean populations in order to obtain scientific data to support conservation measures and inform marine management policies. The main species observed are Humpback whales (*Megaptera novaeangliae*) and the rough-toothed (*Steno bredanensis*) although more than 14 species of cetacean were describe to the Cape Verde region. Sea turtle could be also find in the ocean, mostly the Green turtle (*Chelonia mydas*), Loggerhead turtle and Leatherback turtle (*Dermochelys coriacea*) AIMM participants are hard-working individuals who are willing to contribute to the association and support on-going activities, while experiencing fieldwork at sea, learning data collection and processing methodologies, and being a part of AIMM's team of researchers and marine biologists for a period of time. All team members and participants share accommodation, house tasks, knowledge and experience in an environmental friendly and multicultural environment. *WHERE:* Boa Vista Island, Cape Verde, África *WHEN:* The field season lasts from 1st of March to 31st of May, 2018. The minimum attendance is 14 days, preferably starting on a Monday. *FIELDWORK: *The field trips are conducted in an opportunistic platforms (commercial whale-watching boats). Fieldwork is dependent on weather conditions and seat availability in the whale-watching boats. Field days can be intense, especially in the peak of season, but are fulfilling and good fun. The interns will be trained to: · Conduct on-board surveys of marine species occurrence; · Record effort tracks on a handheld GPS; · Collect data on behavior, group size, species, etc.; · Collection of photos to photo-identification and underwater videos while on-board. *DATA ANALYSIS: *This will be conducted on a daily basis and will entail entering data into established databases and spreadsheets, photo-identification processing, and preliminary data interpretation. *FEES:* AIMM is a non-profit organization that relies on donations from our volunteers, partners, and conservation-minded people like you so that we may continue our important research and education programs. This program requires a monetary contribution which is used to off-set the cost of accommodation and running a non-profit. For more information on fees for the 2018 season, please contact: interns(a)aimm-portugal.org with the title “CAPE VERDE LEARNING PROGRAMME” *Included* in the fee is: · Accommodation in the research house; · Fieldwork on a commercial whale-watching vessels. *Not included* in the fee is: · Transport to/from Boa Vista Island, Cape Verde; · Transport from the Airport in Rabil to Sal Rei Village; · VISA; · Meals / food; · Free time activities; · Personal insurance (all participants should have health and/or travel insurance); · Personal expenses. *PARTICIPANTS ARE EXPECTED TO:* · Be above the age of 18; · Have a mature attitude towards marine mammal research and environment; · Be autonomous and flexible; · Be able to live and work in an international team and mainly outdoors at sea; · Speak English; · Participate for minimum 2 weeks. *Preference will be given* to those who have: · Relevant marine mammal field experience · Availability to stay for longer periods of time · Experience working from dolphin/whale watching platforms · Experience in photo-identification *PROGRAMME APPLICATION: * Applicants should send an e-mail to interns(a)aimm-portugal.org, subject “*CAPE VERDE LEARNNING PROGRAMME*” with your Resume/CV, personal statement on which are your expectations and the period of time that you want do the program. You will receive an e-mail with the availability and all the others details. Applications will be accepted during all season, however, early application is recommended due to limited vacancies. *Contacts*: interns(a)aimm-portugal.org | www.aimmportugal.org | -- AIMM - Associação para Investigação do Meio Marinho / *Marine Environment Research Association* w <http://aimm-marineresearch.blogspot.pt/>ww.aimmportugal.org

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