April 2017 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Volunteer positions for Berau Cetacean Monitoring (Indonesia) 19 Sept-2 Oct 2017
by Danielle Kreb 04 Apr '17

04 Apr '17

The Conservation Foundation for Rare Aquatic Species of Indonesia is offering limited positions for motivated volunteers and/or students to engage in the Berau large marine vertebrates program for period 19 September-2 October. This long-term program (since 2007) aims to protect a high diversity of large marine vertebrates including cetaceans, turtles, whale sharks and manta rays in the Marine Park of Derawan Archipelago, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Besides raising awareness and engaging local communities in sustainable handycraft and ecotourism activities, part of the conservation program includes a long-term monitoring program of large marine vertebrates in the area. Surveys are being conducted by the local NGO Yayasan Konservasi RASI (under guidance of Dr. Danielle Kreb and Ir. Budiono. The research team involves experienced RASI staff, local students, as well as local and overseas (student) volunteers. Volunteers are welcome to join the program for 14 days and conduct an eight-days boat-based monitoring survey in the beautiful and protected landscape of the Berau archipelago.We will collect data to determine relative abundance, assessing seasonal species diversity and site fidelity as well as habitat usage of large marine vertebrates. Besides photo-id collection of cetaceans, we will also take photo-id of whale sharks. For 2017 we will focus our monitoring effort on three areas (Derawan, Maratua, Biduk-Biduk) that are assigned as ecotourism area to assess long-term distribution patterns and recommendations to local governments based on megavertebrates distribution/ activity patterns. We also conduct coral reef monitoring at several locations during the survey days by snorkling. Cetacean species directly encountered during the surveys so far include, (dwarf)spinner-, spotted-, Fraser’s-, Risso’s-, rough-toothed-,long-beaked common dolphins as well as common bottlenose and Indo-Pacific bottlenose-dolphins, Irrawaddy and Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, dwarf sperm whale-, melon-headed- and false killer whales, sperm-, fin- and humpback whales..Volunteers will have the opportunity to learn theory and practice of Reefcheck monitoring for the Indo-Pacific. We also include the opportunity to do recreational things such as snorkling in the stingless jelly fish lake of Kakaban, visiting caves in Maratua Island, exploring the famous Mirror lake (Labuan Cermin), Angel waterfall (Air Terjun Bidadari), snorkling near Manta Rays and/or whale sharks following good practice protocols. Deadline for applying: 1 May 2017. Selected candidates will be notified at the latest by 15 May 2017. For this survey, first applying suitable candidates will be prioritized until all positions are filled. Day by day schedule, qualifications for volunteers and costs involved (10% discount to students at all degrees or finished no longer than one year after their degree) can be downloaded from a flyer posted on our website at: http://www.ykrasi.org/coastal.html. (click ' read more about this volunteer opportunity'). We are looking forward to your participation! Regards, Danielle and Budiono -------------------------- Danielle Kreb (Ph.D.) Scientific Program Advisor Yayasan Konservasi RASI Rare Aquatic Species of Indonesia Komplek Pandan Harum Indah (Erlyza) Blok C, No. 52 Samarinda 75124 Kalimantan Timur, Indonesia Tel/ fax: + 62.541.744874 Mobile: 081346489515 http://www.ykrasi.org Facebook group/page: Rare Aquatic Species of Indonesia Member of IUCN/SSC Cetacean Specialist Group *“To the dolphin alone, nature has given that which the best* *philosophers seek: friendship for no advantage. Though it has no* *need of help from any man, it is a genial friend to all and has helped mankind.”* *–Plutarch*

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REMINDER: Summer Volunteer Opportunities with Cetus' Robson Bight Warden Program!
by Robson Bight 04 Apr '17

04 Apr '17

Summer Volunteer Opportunities with Cetus’ Robson Bight Warden Program! Cetus is a non-profit, marine conservation society, which operates in the waters around Victoria and Alert Bay, British Columbia, Canada. Since 2005 we have worked to reduce disturbances to marine mammals on the British Columbia coast and promote respect for our marine environment through on-the-water and land-based education, outreach and direct monitoring activities. The Robson Bight Marine Warden Program operates in Johnstone Strait, in the waters around the Robson Bight (Michael Bigg) Ecological Reserve. The ecological reserve is designated for the protection of critical habitat of the Northern resident killer whales. This is a unique area where the whales often come to rub their bodies along the underwater beaches. Our marine wardens monitor vessels and marine mammal populations, and educate boaters and kayakers about the reserve and their impacts around it. The Robson Bight Marine Warden Program is comprised of a water based monitoring and educational component and a land based monitoring station called Eagle Eye, situated on a cliff opposite the ecological reserve. *Cetus is looking for enthusiastic and hard working individuals to fill the Robson Bight Marine Warden Program Summer Volunteer positions:* Volunteer positions will be based out of a rustic field camp in Boat Bay on West Cracroft Island located near Alert Bay, British Columbia, Canada. Positions will be offered between June 26th and September 8th 2017. We require a minimum 3-week commitment. Preference will be given to those who are able to stay for the full 11 weeks. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to be involved with a variety of possible tasks ranging from community outreach and education to marine mammal response and data collection. Our programs focus on protecting British Columbia’s marine mammal populations and encouraging others to do the same. Interns may also have the opportunity to spend time on our monitoring vessels in which case they will participate in data collection, data entry and on-the-water boater education. *Responsibilities include:* - Educating boaters, kayakers, park visitors, and members of the public about the marine mammal viewing guidelines, marine species at risk, the conservation issues they face and the boundaries of the Robson Bight (Michael Bigg) Ecological Reserve - Collecting and entering data on marine mammals and vessel activity - Public interpretation in the form of dock talks and participation in community events - Potentially helping to respond to injured, sick or dead marine mammals in support of the BC Marine Mammal Response Network - Observing and recording cetaceans in support of the BC Cetacean Sightings Network - Assisting with general administrative duties - Camp duties, which includes cooking, cleaning, general maintenance and heavy lifting *What skills and experience will volunteers gain?:* - Experience educating the public on important conservation issues - Experience with field data collection and entry - Interpretive skills and techniques - Potential for experience in marine mammal response - Experience with fundraising and community outreach - Experience working with Microsoft Access *Essential Requirements:* - Fluent spoken English - Interest in marine wildlife and conservation - Flexibility - Ability to work long hours, outdoors, in all weather conditions - The ability to live & work comfortably in a remote coastal wilderness camp setting with staff & volunteers - The physical ability to carry 40lbs of gear to and from the vessel to base camps (this varies from across the street to down a rocky shoreline). In addition to this volunteers are required to hike, 3km (each way), from the base camp to the observation site on alternate days, which takes approximately 1 hour (one way) *Additional Information: *These positions are unpaid and carry a cost to the interns of $125/ week to cover accommodations, extra fuel and dinners (volunteers will be responsible for their own breakfasts and lunches). Warden volunteers will need to bring their own tent and sleeping bag. Tent pads and tarps will be provided as will camp cooking equipment etc. *How to apply: *Please forward your cover letter, resume and two references via *email* by *April 17th, 2017*. Please indicate your availability. Only successful applicants will be contacted. *Contact:* Marie Fournier, Cetus Research & Conservation Society, Email: robsonbight(a)cetussociety.org For more information please visit our website www.ProtectOurWhales.com <http://www.protectourwhales.com/>

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Manatee Observers Needed
by irene Arpayoglou 04 Apr '17

04 Apr '17

The upcoming Stuart Sailfish Regatta, in Stuart, Florida (USA) is looking for volunteers to serve as Marine Observers and people with boats to station observers along the race course to watch for manatees, turtles and dolphins. The dates of the regatta are May 20-12, and volunteers are also needed for practice runs on May 19. If you are interested in volunteering or have any questions, please contact Maggie Northup, the Manatee Observer Coordinator. Her email if Fishychic7(a)yahoo.com<mailto:Fishychic7@yahoo.com> and cell is 772-214-5505 http://www.stuartsailfishregatta.com/

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New publication: Can the Camera Lie? A Nonpermanent Nick in a Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)
by Nicola Quick, Ph.D. 04 Apr '17

04 Apr '17

Dear all, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the recent publication of our short note in Aquatic Mammals Nicola J. Quick, Barbara Cheney, Paul M. Thompson, and Philip S. Hammond. (2017). Can the Camera Lie? A Nonpermanent Nick in a Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). Aquatic Mammals 43(2), 156-161. This note documents a dorsal fin nick on a bottlenose dolphin that seemingly appears and then disappears within a day. We discuss the possible causes and implications for those carrying out photo-id. The note is available at https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.43.2.2017.156<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__doi.org_10.1578_AM.43.…> Any questions can be directed to njq(a)duke.edu<mailto:njq@duke.edu> Best Wishes Nicola Dr Nicola J. Quick Research Scientist Nicholas School of the Environment Duke Marine Lab 135 Duke Marine Lab Road Beaufort NC 28516 njq(a)duke.edu<mailto:njq@duke.edu> https://scholars.duke.edu/person/nicola.quick Honorary Research Fellow School of Biology Scottish Oceans Institute University of St Andrews http://biology.st-andrews.ac.uk/contact/staffProfile.aspx?sunid=njq

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New Publication: Classification of underwater vocalizations of wild spotted seals (Phoca largha) in Liaodong Bay, China (Liangliang Yang, Xiaomei Xu, Peijun Zhang, Bing Li & Per Berggren)
by Liangliang Yang 04 Apr '17

04 Apr '17

Dear MARMAM readers, My co-authors and I would like to announce our recent publication in The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, available in early view online: Liangliang Yang, Xiaomei Xu, Peijun Zhang, Bing Li & Per Berggren. 2017. Classification of underwater vocalizations of wild spotted seals (Phoca largha) in Liaodong Bay, China. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 141(3): 2256–2262. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.4979056] Abstract: Underwater vocalizations were recorded and classified from wild spotted seals (Phoca largha) in Liaodong Bay, China. The spotted seals exhibited an extensive underwater vocal repertoire but with limited complexity. Four major call types, representing 77.8% of all calls recorded, were identified using multivariate analyses of ten acoustic parameters; knock, growl, drum, and sweep. The calls were relatively brief (12–270 ms, mean of −10 dB duration) pulsating sounds of low-frequency (peak frequency <600 Hz) and narrow bandwidth (169–232 Hz, mean of −3 dB bandwidth; 237–435 Hz, mean of −6 dB bandwidth). Frequency variables (−3/−6 dB frequency bandwidth, center frequency, and top three peak frequencies) were the primary descriptors used to differentiate the call types. Comparing the spotted seal underwater vocalizations with those of the closely related Pacific harbor seal (Phoca vitulina richardii) indicated that the two species use similar bandwidths and peak frequencies but spotted seal calls were generally shorter. Knowledge of underwater vocalizations of wild spotted seals is important for understanding the species behavior and for planning future acoustic surveys of its distribution and occurrence. For more information or a pdf copy please email: yllxmu(a)gmail.com Thank you, Liangliang Yang College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, China Present address: School of Marine Science and Technology, Marine Megafauna Lab, Newcastle University, UK

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New publication on Metabolic Costs of Flight Responses in Odontocetes
by Terrie Williams 03 Apr '17

03 Apr '17

Dear MarMam Readers, My colleagues and I are pleased to share our new publication in the Journal of Experimental Biology, "Swimming and Diving Energetics in Dolphins: A stroke-by-stroke analysis for predicting the cost of flight responses in wild odontocetes." Terrie M. Williams et al., Journal of Experimental Biology 220, 1135-1145, doi:10.1242/jeb.154245 (2017). In this collaborative study involving researchers from academia, aquariums, and the field we use a lab-to-field approach to understand the metabolic challenges of diving and swimming in odontocetes.Measurements of active metabolic rates of bottlenose dolphins are compared to large and small odontocetes to create allometric regressions that allow investigators to translate accelerometer recordings of stroke frequency from dolphins and whales into energetic costs.This technique is tested on published data for beaked whales exposed to experimental sonar, and demonstrates the physiological impact of oceanic noise on this species with ensuing conservation implications. For more information and the pdf of this paper contact williams(a)biology.ucsc.edu. Best Regards, Terrie M. Williams Center for Ocean Health, UCSC

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STILL SOME SPOTS AVAILABLE - first photo-ID course on Mediterranean Cetaceans in La Maddalena Archipelago National Park, Sardinia, Italy
by SEAME Sardinia 03 Apr '17

03 Apr '17

STILL SOME SPOTS AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST PHOTO-ID COURSE ON MEDITERRANEAN CETACEANS IN LA MADDALENA ARCHIPELAGO NATIONAL PARK, SARDINIA, ITALY. PHOTO-ID LAB/FIELD COURSE ON MEDITERRANEAN CETACEANS IN LA MADDALENA NATIONAL PARK, ITALY ------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear MARMAMers, SEA ME Sardinia (http://www.seame.it/en/) is currently accepting application for 1 week-long course from 28th May to the 3rd of June 2017, in the beautiful location of La Maddalena Archipelago National Park, Sardinia, Italy (http://www.parks.it/parco.nazionale.arcip.maddalena/Eindex.php) SEA ME Sardinia is a non-profit organization based in La Maddalena (Italy) with a mission to protect cetaceans in the waters off Sardinia (central Tyrrhenian Sea) through education, research and conservation. We achieve our goals primarily through our core programmes, which include year-round outreach/school activities and boat-based research. PROGRAMME The programme will include classwork, practical sessions and fieldwork, offshore and along North-eastern Sardinian coast. Classwork will introduce you to the theoretical knowledge of diversity, behaviour, ecology and conservation of small to large Mediterranean cetaceans, and how they are adapted to different habitats. Lectures on the diversity, ecology and conservation of Sardinian coastal ecosystems will also be provided, in order to deepen the knowledge on different cetacean habitat uses. The laboratory sessions will focus on how to competently identify and record whales and dolphins at sea, provide training on photo-ID techniques (photo sorting, grading and matching) related to the different species and assist researchers in maintenance of long-term photo-ID catalogues. Special focus will be given to the Cuvier's beaked whale, a species rather common in the study area. A short training in survey design will also be provided. Fieldwork will be made both in coastal (La Maddalena archipelago) and pelagic waters (Caprera Canyon, central-western Tyrrhenian Sea). Surveys will be conducted onboard whale watching and dedicated vessels (11m power catamaran and 6m rubber boat) and divided in two offshore and two coastal surveys in order to be trained in both different habitats and species-related techniques. Fieldwork training will focus on collecting environmental, location (GPS) and behavioural data for dolphin and whale groups. Course schedules may change due to weather constraints. Fieldwork will be an opportunity to gain experience and improve your skills in relation to visual cetacean boat-based survey and photo-ID techniques. GOALS: Participants will be directly involved in contributing to our long-term studies on several cetacean species in the wild. You will assist researchers while working aboard whale watching and dedicated research vessels. This is a great opportunity to get involved in cetacean research, enjoy marine biodiversity while gaining fieldwork experience, travelling and exploring the beautiful Island of Sardinia and the La Maddalena Archipelago National Park, enjoying the outdoors of the beautiful Emerald Coast (Sardinia Island, Italy) and helping supporting cetacean research and conservation. During free time, interns will have the opportunity to experience all sorts of activities: swimming, diving, hiking, exploring historical sites, visit museums and the amazing islands such as Caprera (with Garibaldi's house, tomb and memorial) or Budelli with its famous pink beach. PROJECT BACKGROUNDS: http://www.seame.it/en/research/ - The SEA ME _Coastal bottlenose dolphin project_ is an ongoing research project in the waters of the La Maddalena archipelago National Park and Bonifacio Strait, between the islands of Corsica and Sardinia, with a strong interest in the interactions between bottlenose dolphins and human activities in the area. - The _Caprera Canyon Cetacean Pro_ject is the first scientific survey aimed at studying dolphin and whale presence, abundance, distribution and habitat preferences in the Caprera Canyon. Since 2010 we have been investigating the species occurring in this area: striped dolphin, Risso's dolphin, fin whale, Cuvier's beaked whale, sperm whale and short-beaked common dolphin. This is an important region of the central Tyrrhenian Sea, thought to be a hot spot for marine life (e.g. cetaceans, marine birds, mobula rays, sea turtles, red fin tunas, swordfish and basking sharks). Our interest is particularly focused on Cuvier's beaked whale. LANGUAGE: Course will be held in English/Italian. REQUIREMENTS: Prior experience is not required. Participants are expected to: - Be 18 or older, - Speak English or Italian, - Be adaptable as fieldwork is weather dependent, - Be sociable and willing as they are expected to live and work in an international team. This internship experience will have a certificate of completion. Since SEA ME Sardinia is a non-profit and self-funded organization, we rely on donation from our members, volunteers and participants. Participation in this course thus requires a tuition fee. APPLICATION PROCESS AND DEADLINE: To apply or for any further enquiries and details, please email to: info(a)seame.it The applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Early application is recommended due to limited spaces. The application deadline is 10/04/2017 Dr Luca Bittau Course Coordinator, PhD in Environmental Biology SEA ME Sardinia www.seame.it [1] Via delle Ginestre Nº6 07024 La Maddalena (OT) Italy mail: info(a)seame.it Skype: luca.bittau -- Mobile: +39 349 4712348 e-mail: info(a)seame.it web: www.seame.it [2] SEA ME Sardinia Onlus - Scientific Education & Activities in the Marine Environment [C.F. 91052810909 - legal head office: Via delle Ginestre 6 (Vil. Piras), 07024 La Maddalena (OT), italy] Links: ------ [1] http://www.seame.it/ [2] http://www.seame.it

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Living Seas Dolphin Volunteer Position Avaliable at Cardigan Bay marine Wildlife Cnetre, New Quay, West Wales
by CBMWC 03 Apr '17

03 Apr '17

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 Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre (CBMWC) was originally established in 1996 as a non-profit organisation dedicated to conserving Cardigan Bay's marine wildlife through education and research. From the 1st April 2015 the CBMWC became fully integrated into the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales and we deliver much of the Trusts Living Seas programme of work as well as host the Living Seas Marine Team staff and volunteers. We are looking for a dedicated and enthusiastic individual to join our volunteer team CBMWC from 22nd May-10th July 2017 (7 weeks). The volunteer 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. Overall Purpose of The Role: The Living Seas Volunteer will assist with the delivery of our Living Seas research and engagement objectives and is required for 22nd May -10th July 2017 (7 weeks) Tasks include (but are not limited to): . Land-based surveys in conjunction with Ceredigion County Council (daily) . Boat-based surveys* . Manning our visitor centre, providing interpretation for visitors, selling merchandise and taking boat bookings . Community engagement inspiring the public through events and activities . Data entry and checking . Updating daily sightings information . Beach cleans . Maintenance and up-keep of our salt water aquarium . Assisting with up-keep and maintenance of CBMWC premises . There may also be the opportunity to assist with various projects e.g. acoustic analysis, writing articles for publication on social media and newsletters * Boat trips are run by an external company who we collaborate with. They are weather dependent and volunteers take turns to join trips to act as onboard researcher. During times of bad weather, you will spend more time carrying out shore-based activities. Important: In the past volunteers have worked up to 6-8 hours a day 6 days a week, to ensure surveys can be conducted during periods of good weather and volunteers gain the most out of the experience. Some training and activities may take place outside of normal office hours. Field work can involve long periods outdoors and in inclement weather, wet weather gear is provided. All volunteers are required to attend training and to contribute to all CBMWC activities, tasks and field work. We are looking for volunteers with the following skills/qualities: . Fluency in English . Positive, reliable, responsible, conscientious and mature attitude . Ability to work and live closely with others as part of a small team . Strong work ethic with an ability to work unsupervised . Adaptable and patient (particularly as boat work is weather dependent) . Confident in dealing with the public both face to face and over the telephone . Interest and/or experience of working with the public . Research and surveying experience (not essential as training provided) . IT skills, including Microsoft Office . Interest and or/experience in salt water aquaria Please note that enthusiasm for our work and the marine environment is as valued as experience, since full training is provided. Please note that volunteers are responsible for their own food, travel and accommodation costs. How To Apply: For more information on the role visit www.cbmwc.org/volunteer/seasonal-volunteers Contact Laura Evans, Living Seas Volunteer Coordinator at volunteer(a)cbmwc.org for more information and an application form. The closing date for applications is 23:59pm on Sunday 9th April 2017, however applications will be reviewed as they come in. ----------------------------- Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre, Ffon/Phone: 01545 560224 Website: www.cbmwc.org <http://www.cbmwc.org/> Website: www.welshwildlife.org <http://welshwildlife.org/support-us/appeals/marine-appeal/> Marine Appeal E-mail Signature

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Research Trips 2017
by Stephanie Barnicoat 03 Apr '17

03 Apr '17

Hi All, Seiche Training currently have limited spaces for two Research Trip opportunities: 1. Discover the Singing Whales of Ireland 3-10 June The aim of this survey is to obtain data on marine mammal acoustics along the inshore waters of South West Ireland. The field trips will be conducted on a dedicated research vessel whist the theory and data analysis will be conducted in a research house. This research trip is open to anyone who has a love for marine wildlife and a thirst for adventure. Whether you are a student, graduate or wildlife enthusiast, all are welcome! You will be trained to: Deploy hydrophones for passive acoustic monitoring of marine mammals, Identify and record marine mammal acoustics, Conduct on-board surveys of marine mammal species occurrenc, Photograph marine wildlife, Sea weed and Shore survey for Coastwatch. Data analysis is important to the success of any project. You will be entering data into a specially designed database from Ireland's National Biodiversity Data Centre, as well as preliminary data interpretation Taking a short break from the survey work we will explore Cape Clear Island. With its remote location coupled with its proximity to the continental shelf, makes it the foremost centre for bird watching in Ireland. Whales, leatherback turtles, sun fish, dolphins and sharks are spotted regularly making it an ideal location to relax and observe Irelands wildlife at its best. All team members and participants share accommodation, house tasks, knowledge and experience in an environmental friendly and multicultural environment. 1. Marine Mammal Surveyor Training Course, Falmouth, Cornwall 19-25 June This NEW 7-day training course has been designed to provide course participants with hands on experience in studying marine mammals via ACOUSTIC and visual surveys. Day 1 will be spent in the class room, learning how to plan and carryout a survey on marine mammals! As well as diving into an in-depth knowledge of marine mammals. We will then spend 5 full days out on a research vessel using these skills to practice whilst exploring the Cornish coast to record and identify marine life visually and acoustically. The final day will finish up with data analysis, including working on the local Bottlenose Fin ID Project and mapping species abundance! Practical skills you will acquire: * Survey design and planning * Boat based effort monitoring * Visual surveys for marine life * Passive Acoustic Monitoring * Fin ID Photographic identification * Data collection, Data analysis and mapping techniques The Cornish coast is a unique hot spot for our summer visitors, Risso's dolphins and Minke whales, with the possibility of still having basking sharks lurking around in the area. Summer time is the BEST time of the year to record the smallest cetacean the Harbour porpoise, which are residents around the coast all year. We also have an inshore pod of bottlenose dolphins which roam the coastal waters of Cornwall as well as an offshore pod which we can find further offshore. Common dolphins are very common inshore and offshore. In offshore waters its typical to observe SUPERPODS of common dolphins in huge feeding frenzy's!! Finally, Grey seals are present in coastal waters all year & resting on haul out sites. Last year we had rare sightings of fin whales, humpback whales and even a bow head whale, so always expect the unexpected in Cornish waters! As well as marine mammals, the course participants will learn about the huge range of seabirds off Cornwall including the Gannets, Fulmars, Puffins, Skua's, shearwaters and the Peregrine Falcon. All team members and participants share accommodation, in an environmental friendly and local self-catering accommodation in the award winning town Falmouth. We want to give course delegates the opportunity to work on a boat carrying out marine wildlife surveys, gaining valuable skills that will benefit them in their future academic or professional career. It is an incredible opportunity for you to get involved in marine wildlife conservation and meet new people who share your passion and interests. For information on these courses contact: info(a)seichetraining.com<mailto:info@seichetraining.com> or go to http://www.seichetraining.com/research-trips/our-research-trips

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New publication: Prey handling of octopus by dolphins
by Kate Sprogis 03 Apr '17

03 Apr '17

Dear MARMAM colleagues, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of our note in Marine Mammal Science: Sprogis, K.R., Raudino, H.C., Hocking, D., and Bejder, L. (2017). Complex prey handling of octopus by bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus). Marine Mammal Science, doi: 10.1111/mms.12405. Link to paper: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mms.12405/full Blog: http://mucru.org/complex-prey-handling-of-octopus-by-bottlenose-dolphins/ In summary: Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins were observed handling octopus on 45 occasions in southwest Australia from 2007 to 2013. We suggest that dolphins shake octopus onto the water’s surface and toss octopus several meters into the air multiple times to i) remove the octopus head/mantle, ii) tenderise and ensure the arms are inactive and iii) break the octopus into smaller pieces for easier consumption. We documented that octopus handling i) was a seasonal occurrence, peaking during winter/spring in water temperatures ~18°C, ii) occurred in relatively turbid (~3m) and shallow (~9m) waters, iii) occurred primarily over benthic habitat consisting of sand, algae/sand and mud/silt, iv) occurred in group sizes of ~10 dolphins, v) was most prevalent among adult females and, vi) was conducted by dolphins that showed a close association with other dolphins handling octopus. If you cannot download the publication, please email me to request it. Kind regards, Kate Sprogis PhD Cetacean Research Unit | School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South St, Murdoch WA 6150, Australia k.sprogis(a)murdoch.edu.au<mailto:k.sprogis@murdoch.edu.au> | MUCRU Kate Sprogis<http://mucru.org/group-members/kate-sprogis> | Kate Sprogis Photography<https://katesprogisphotography.wordpress.com/> [cid:4F9D4BFF-E7CE-4E16-AA79-DDCD1ECEEE0C]

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