November 2018 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Announcement of new publication
by Eva Maria Leunissen 21 Nov '18

21 Nov '18

Dear MARMAM community, On behalf of my co-authors, I'm pleased to announce the publication of our article: Characteristics of vocalisations recorded from free-ranging Shepherd's beaked whales, Tasmacetus shepherdi. Eva M. Leunissen, Trudi Webster*, *and William Rayment, Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, Vol 144, Issue 5, 2018, doi: 10.1121/1.5067380 Abstract Beaked whales (family Ziphiidae) are among the least studied of all the large mammals. This is especially true of Shepherd's beaked whale (*Tasmacetus shepherdi*), which until recently had been very rarely sighted alive, with nothing known about the species' acoustic behaviour. Vocalisations of Shepherd's beaked whales were recorded using a hydrophone array on two separate days during marine mammal surveys of the Otago submarine canyons in New Zealand. After carefully screening the recordings, two distinct call types were found; broadband echolocation clicks, and burst pulses. Broadband echolocation clicks (*n* = 476) had a median inter-click-interval (ICI) of 0.46 s and median peak frequency of 19.2 kHz. The burst pulses (*n* = 33) had a median peak frequency of constituent clicks (*n* = 1741) of 14.7 kHz, and median ICI of 11 ms. These results should be interpreted with caution due to the limited bandwidth used to record the signals. To the authors' knowledge, this study presents the first analysis of the characteristics of Shepherd's beaked whale sounds. It will help with identification of the species in passive acoustic monitoring records, and future efforts to further analyse this species' vocalisations. The full article, is available at https://doi.org/10.1121/1.5067380. To request a PDF copy, please email me at eva.leunissen(a)gmail.com Cheers, Eva Leunissen Department of Marine Science, University of Otago Dunedin, New Zealand

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Marine Mammal Internship at the New England Aquarium (Spring 2019)
by Intern 21 Nov '18

21 Nov '18

Marine Mammal Internship Apply now for: Spring 2019 Time commitment: 3 to 4 Days Per Week (8:00am-5:00pm) The Marine Mammal Department maintains two outdoor pinniped exhibits featuring Atlantic harbor seals, California sea lions, and northern fur seals. The Marine Mammal Internship Program is designed to be a career learning experience and is best suited for individuals serious about careers in marine mammal training. The department seeks candidates that work well independently and as a team. Interns assist training staff in all aspects of animal care with a strong emphasis on operant conditioning, training techniques and marine mammal husbandry. Although this position does not involve feeding or training the seals, interns work in close proximity to the animals and are an integral part of all daily activities. Responsibilities: Interns are incorporated into the daily activities of the Marine Mammal Department including: * Assisting trainers during training sessions and presentations * Daily diet preparation * Cleaning exhibits, behind the scenes areas, and all items used in training and enrichment sessions * Creating toys and enrichment activities for the animals * Conducting enrichment sessions * Option of speaking in public presentations * Interact informally with Aquarium visitors * Mentorship with training staff * Readings and activities related to training and husbandry topics * Behavioral observations * Individual project Qualifications: * Candidates must be at least 18 years old and have a serious interest in a career in mammal training * Interns must feel comfortable bending and walking on uneven and wet terrain and be able to lift 50 lbs * The job involves a substantial amount of cleaning with various cleaning agents * Our exhibits are outdoors so interns must be comfortable being exposed to all weather conditions *Note: This position is not available for the winter internships. Additionally, this internship has different Fall and Spring time commitments (14 weeks) than our other internships (12 weeks). To Apply: For Spring 2019: Please apply at the following link: https://neaqinterns.applicantpro.com/jobs/928677.html Gary M. St. Laurent Coordinator - Internships New England Aquarium tel 617.226.2153 GStlaurent(a)neaq.org<mailto:LGarland@neaq.org> www.neaq.org<http://www.neaq.org/>

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Statistical modelling of time-to-event data using survival analysis: an introduction for animal behaviourists, ecologists and evolutionary biologists
by Oliver Hooker 21 Nov '18

21 Nov '18

Statistical modelling of time-to-event data using survival analysis: an introduction for animal behaviourists, ecologists and evolutionary biologists (TTED01) https://www.psstatistics.com/course/statistical-modelling-of-time-to-event-… This course will be delivered by Dr. Will Hoppitt for the 21st - 25th January 2019 in Glasgow City Centre Course Overview: Survival analysis is a set of statistical methods initially designed to analyse data giving the times at which individuals die, and assess the effect that different predictor variables have on the rate of death and is therefore useful for studying population dynamics and patterns of marine mammals. However, its applications are much broader than this: it can be used to analyse any time-to-event data. Ecologists and evolutionary biologists often encounter data of this kind. Often factors influencing survival itself will be of interest. But there are many other cases, e.g. what factors influence the time of first breeding? Or the time taken to reach maturity? Animal behaviourists too will encounter this type of data frequently, e.g. what factors influence the time it takes to learn a novel behaviour pattern? Or the time to respond to a stimulus? etc. And yet the techniques of survival analysis are not generally well known by researchers in these disciplines. In this course, you will learn how to apply survival analysis models to quantify the effect that predictor variables (continuous or discrete) have on the rate at which events occur, and how to test hypotheses about these effects. We will focus on a flexible modelling technique called the Cox proportional hazards model, which makes minimal assumptions about the underlying probability distributions. You will learn how to fit and interpret these models, how to evaluate its assumptions, and how to extend it to model time dependent variables, random effects, multistate models and competing risks models. Course Programme Monday 21st – Classes from 09:30 to 17:30 Module 1: Statistical modelling of rates and times Module 2: Parametric survival models and the Cox model Tuesday 22nd – Classes from 09:30 to 17:30 Module 3: Fitting Cox models Module 4: Interpreting Cox Models Wednesday 23rd – Classes from 09:30 to 17:30 Module 5: Evaluating the proportional hazard assumption Module 6: Stratified Cox models Thursday 24th – Classes from 09:30 to 17:30 Module 7: Time dependent variables Module 8: Frailty Models and Multistate models Friday 25th – Classes from 09:30 to 17:30 Module 9: Competing risks models Module 10: Open session Email oliverhooker(a)psstatistics.com Check out our sister sites, www.PRstatistics.com (Ecology and Life Sciences) www.PRinformatics.com (Bioinformatics and data science) www.PSstatistics.com (Behaviour and cognition) 1. November 5th – 8th 2018 PHYLOGENETIC COMPARATIVE METHODS FOR STUDYING DIVERSIFICATION AND PHENOTYPIC EVOLUTION (PCME01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Antigoni Kaliontzopoulou https://www.prstatistics.com/course/phylogenetic-comparative-methods-for-st… 2. November 19th – 23rd 2018 STRUCTUAL EQUATION MODELLING FOR ECOLOGISTS AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGISTS (SEMR02) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Jonathan Lefcheck https://www.prstatistics.com/course/structural-equation-modelling-for-ecolo… 3. November 26th – 30th 2018 FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY FROM ORGANISM TO ECOSYSTEM: THEORY AND COMPUTATION (FEER01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Francesco de Bello, Dr. Lars Götzenberger, Dr. Carlos Carmona http://www.prstatistics.com/course/functional-ecology-from-organism-to-ecos… 4. December 3rd – 7th 2018 INTRODUCTION TO BAYESIAN DATA ANALYSIS FOR SOCIAL AND BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCES USING R AND STAN (BDRS01) Glasgow, Dr. Mark Andrews https://www.psstatistics.com/course/introduction-to-bayesian-data-analysis-… 5. January 21st – 25th 2019 STATISTICAL MODELLING OF TIME-TO-EVENT DATA USING SURVIVAL ANALYSIS: AN INTRODUCTION FOR ANIMAL BEHAVIOURISTS, ECOLOGISTS AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGISTS (TTED01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Will Hoppitt https://www.psstatistics.com/course/statistical-modelling-of-time-to-event-… 6. January 21st – 25th 2019 ADVANCING IN STATISTICAL MODELLING USING R (ADVR08) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Luc Bussiere, Dr. Tom Houslay http://www.prstatistics.com/course/advancing-statistical-modelling-using-r-… 7. January 28th– February 1st 2019 AQUATIC ACOUSTIC TELEMETRY DATA ANALYSIS AND SURVEY DESIGN Glasgow, Scotland, VEMCO staff and affiliates https://www.prstatistics.com/course/aquatic-acoustic-telemetry-data-analysi… 8. February 4th – 8th 2019 DESIGNING RELIABLE AND EFFICIENT EXPERIMENTS FOR SOCIAL SCIENCES (DRES01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Daniel Lakens https://www.psstatistics.com/course/designing-reliable-and-effecient-experi… 9. February 11th – 15th 2019 REPRODUCIBLE DATA SCIENCE FOR POPULATION GENETICS Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Thibaut Jombart, Dr. Zhain Kamvar https://www.prstatistics.com/course/reproducible-data-science-for-populatio… 10. 25th February – 1st March 2019 MOVEMENT ECOLOGY (MOVE02) Margam Discovery Centre, Wales, Dr. Luca Borger, Prof. Ronny Wilson, Dr Jonathan Potts https://www.prstatistics.com/course/movement-ecology-move02/ 11. March 4th – 8th 2019 BIOACOUSTICS FOR ECOLOGISTS: HARDWARE, SURVEY DESIGN AND DATA ANALYSIS (BIAC01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Paul Howden-Leach https://www.prstatistics.com/course/bioacoustics-for-ecologists-hardware-su… 12. March 11th – 15th 2019 ECOLOGICAL NICHE MODELLING USING R (ENMR03) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Neftali Sillero http://www.prstatistics.com/course/ecological-niche-modelling-using-r-enmr0… 13. March 18th – 22nd 2019 INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS AND R FOR EVERYONE (IRFE01) Crete, GREECE, Dr Aristides (Aris) Moustakas https://www.prstatistics.com/course/introduction-to-statistics-and-r-for-an… 14. March 25th – 29th 2019 LANDSCAPE GENETIC DATA ANALYSIS USING R (LNDG03) Glasgow, Scotland, Prof. Rodney Dyer http://www.prstatistics.com/course/landscape-genetic-data-analysis-using-r-… 15. April 1st – 5th 2019 INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL MODELLING FOR PSYCHOLOGISTS USING R (IPSY01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Dale Barr, Dr Luc Bussierre http://www.psstatistics.com/course/introduction-to-statistics-using-r-for-p… 16. April 1st – 5th 2019 INDIVIDUAL BASED MODELS FOR ECOLOGSITS (IBME01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr Aristides (Aris) Moustakas Link to follow 17. April 8th – 12th 2019 MACHINE LEARNING (MLUR01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr Aristides (Aris) Moustakas https://www.prstatistics.com/course/machine-learning-using-r-mlur01/ 18. April 29th – May 3rd 2019 COMPARATIVE GENOMICS (CMGN01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Fritz Sedlazeck, Dr. Matthias Weissensteiner https://www.prinformatics.com/course/comparative-genomics-cmgn01/ 19. May 6th – 10th 2019 NETWORK ANAYLSIS FOR ECOLOGISTS USING R (NTWA03) Myuna Bay, AUSTRALIA, Dr. Marco Scotti www.prstatistics.com/course/network-analysis-ecologists-ntwa03/ 20. May 16th – 18th 2019 (please note this a 3-day course from Thursday to Saturday) AQUATIC MOVEMENT ECOLOGY USING R (AMER01) Myuna Bay, AUSTRALIA, Dr. Ross Dwyer, Dr. Vinay Udyawer Link to follow 21. May 16th – 19th 2019 (please note this a 4-day course from Thursday to Monday) INTRODUCTION TO R FOR EVERYONE (IRFE02) Myuna Bay, AUSTRALIA, Dr Aristides (Aris) Moustakas https://www.prstatistics.com/course/introduction-to-statistics-and-r-for-an… 22. May 20th – 24th 2019 MODEL BASE MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS OF ABUNDANCE DATA USING R (MBMV03) Myuna Bay, AUSTRALIA, Prof. David Warton https://www.prstatistics.com/course/model-based-multivariate-analysis-of-ab… 23. May 21st – 24th 2019 STATISTICAL TOOL BOX FOR ECOLOGISTS (STKE01) Myuna Bay, AUSTRALIA, Dr Aristides (Aris) Moustakas https://www.prstatistics.com/course/statistical-toolkit-for-ecologists-stke… 24. June 10th – 14th 2019 STABLE ISOTOPE MIXING MODELS USING SIAR, SIBER AND MIXSIAR (SIMM04) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Andrew Parnell, Dr. Andrew Jackson www.prstatistics.com/course/stable-isotope-mixing-models-using-r-simm04/ 25. June 17th – 21st 2019 SPATIAL MODELLING AND ANALYSIS OF ADAPTIVE GENOMIC VARIATION (SPGN01) Glasgow, Dr. Matt Fitzpatrick https://www.prstatistics.com/course/spatial-modelling-and-analysis-of-adapt… 26. June 17th – 21st 2019 INTRODUCTION TO PYTHON FOR BIOLOGISTS (IPYB06) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Martin Jones http://www.prinformatics.com/course/introduction-to-python-for-biologists-i… 27. June 24th – 28th 2019 ADVANCED PYTHON FOR BIOLOGISTS (APYB03) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Martin Jones www.prinformatics.com/course/advanced-python-biologists-apyb03/ 28. July 1st – 5th 2019 DATA VISUALISATION AND MANIPULATION USING PYTHON (DVMP01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Martin Jones http://www.prinformatics.com/course/data-visualisation-and-manipulation-usi… 29. September 16th – 20th 2019 R PACKAGE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT AND REPRODUCIBLE DATA SCIENCE FOR BIOLOGISTS (RPKG01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Cory Merow, Dr. Andy Rominger https://www.prstatistics.com/course/r-package-design-and-development-and-re… 30. September 30th – October 4th 2019 GEOMETRIC MORPHOMETRICS USING R (GMMR02) Glasgow, Scotland, Prof. Dean Adams, Prof. Michael Collyer, Dr. Antigoni Kaliontzopoulou http://www.prstatistics.com/course/geometric-morphometrics-using-r-gmmr02/ 31. October 7th – 11th 2019 CONSERVATION PLANNING USING PRIORITIZR : FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE (PRTZ01) Crete, GREECE, Dr Richard Schuster and Nina Morell https://www.prstatistics.com/course/conservation-planning-using-prioritizr-… 32. October 21st – 25th 2019 A COMPLETE GUIDE TO MIXED MODELS (INCLUDING TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL AUTOCORRELATION) (MMTS01) Crete, GREECE, Dr Aristides (Aris) Moustakas https://www.prstatistics.com/course/a-complete-guide-to-mixed-models-includ… -- Oliver Hooker PhD. PR statistics 2018 publications - Alternative routes to piscivory: Contrasting growth trajectories in brown trout (Salmo trutta) ecotypes exhibiting contrasting life history strategies. Ecology of Freshwater Fish. DOI to follow Phenotypic and resource use partitioning amongst sympatric lacustrine brown trout, Salmo trutta. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. DOI 10.1093/biolinnean/bly032 prstatistics.com facebook.com/prstatistics/ twitter.com/PRstatistics groups.google.com/d/forum/pr-statistics-post-course-forum prstatistics.com/organiser/oliver-hooker/ 6 Hope Park Crescent Edinburgh EH8 9NA +44 (0) 7966500340

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New paper on diet of Baltic Sea seals covering the past 50 years
by Morten Tange Olsen 21 Nov '18

21 Nov '18

Dear all It is my pleasure to announce our new paper on the diet of Baltic Sea harbour, grey and ringed seals summarizing unpublished and previously published data covering the past 50 years Scharff-Olsen, C. H., A. Galatius, J. Teilmann, R. Dietz, S. M. Andersen, S. Jarnit, A.-M. Kroner, A. B. Botnen, K. Lundström, P. R. Møller, M. T. Olsen (2018) Diet of seals in the Baltic Sea region: a synthesis of published and new data from 1968 to 2013. ICES Journal of Marine Science, doi: 10.1093/icesjms/fsy159 Abstract: A crucial first step in assessing and managing the role and impacts of predators on their environment is knowledge on their foraging behaviour and diet. Here, we synthesize previously published and newly generated data on the diet of harbour seals, grey seals, and ringed seals in the Baltic Sea region. More than 45 000 otoliths recovered from 3147 samples of scats and digestive tracts were collected throughout all seasons and most Baltic Sea sub-basins from 1968 to 2013. The data revealed a large extent of interspecific, spatial, and seasonal variation in seal diet, implying that caution should be made when extrapolating from one species, area or season, to others. Still, a few fish species, including Atlantic herring, sprat, cod, and sandeels had high occurrence across seal species and locations. The compiled data provide the first overview of seal diet across the entire Baltic Sea region, but also comes with several limitations. Thus, while the data presented here constitutes an important reference for future inference, it also illustrates an urgent need for standardizing methodology across studies on the diet of seals and other aquatic predators. You can email me for a copy, or see https://academic.oup.com/icesjms/advance-article/doi/10.1093/icesjms/fsy159… Best Morten Tange Olsen Morten Tange Olsen Assistant Professor Curator of Marine Mammals Natural History Museum of Denmark Section for Evolutionary Genomics University of Copenhagen Øster Voldgade 5-7 1350 Copenhagen K Denmark morten.olsen(a)snm.ku.dk (+45)42661525 http://snm.ku.dk/

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New paper: Antarctic blue and fin whales off the South African west coast
by Fannie Shabangu 20 Nov '18

20 Nov '18

Dear MARMAM Community On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to announce the publication of our new paper on Antarctic blue and fin whales: Shabangu FW, Findlay KP, Yemane D, Stafford KM, van den Berg M, Blows B, Andrew RK (2018). Seasonal occurrence and diel calling behaviour of Antarctic blue whales and fin whales in relation to environmental conditions off the west coast of South Africa. Journal of Marine Systems, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmarsys.2018.11.002 Abstract Passive acoustic monitoring was used to detect the sounds of rarely sighted Antarctic blue and fin whales to investigate their seasonal occurrence (as presence or absence of whale calls) and behaviour (as determined from call rates) in the Benguela ecosystem. Data were collected using autonomous acoustic recorders deployed on oceanographic moorings for 16.26 months off the west coast of South Africa in 2014 and 2015. Satellite derived environmental variables were used as predictors of whale acoustic occurrence and behaviour. Migratory Antarctic blue and fin whales were acoustically present in South African waters between May and August with call occurrence peaks in July whereas some fin whales extended their presence to November. No whale calls were recorded in summer for either species, suggesting whales use the Benguela ecosystem as an overwintering ground and migration route. Antarctic blue whales produced both their characteristic Z-call and their feeding associated D-call. Fin whales produced calls characteristic of animals from the eastern Antarctic fin whale acoustic population. Random forest models identified environmental variables such as sea surface temperature anomaly, sea surface height, wind speed, months of the year, Ekman upwelling index and log-transformed chlorophyll-a as the most important predictors of call occurrence and call rates of blue and fin whales. Here we present the first acoustic recordings of Antarctic blue and fin whales in the Benguela ecosystem, and provide preliminary information to investigate seasonal abundance and distribution of these large baleen whale populations. This work demonstrates the feasibility of cost-effectively monitoring Antarctic top-consumer baleen whales in the Benguela ecosystem. The paper is available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924796317304591?via%3Di… Alternatively e-mail me for a PDF copy, queries or comments: fannie.shabangu(a)yahoo.com Best regardsFannie _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Fannie W. Shabangu, PhDDepartment of Agriculture, Forestry & FisheriesCape Town, South AfricaE-mail: fannie.shabangu(a)yahoo.com; FannieS(a)daff.gov.zaMobile: +27 74 220 0210Tel: +27 21 402 3553

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Opportunity in the Chesapeake Bay for M.S. student
by Bailey, Helen 20 Nov '18

20 Nov '18

We are looking for an M.S. student to contribute to our Chesapeake DolphinWatch project. This research project involves deploying hydrophones and analyzing acoustic recordings of bottlenose dolphins within the Chesapeake Bay and surrounding area (more information at www.umces.edu/helen-bailey) The student would be based at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES), Chesapeake Biological Laboratory (CBL), in Solomons, Maryland, USA, through the Marine Estuarine Environmental Science Graduate Program (www.mees.umd.edu) The student would be funded through a competitively awarded CBL fellowship. We are therefore searching for candidates with high GPA and GRE scores, and preferably a scientific publication. Candidates with experience in bioacoustics, sound analysis software (such as PAMGUARD and Raven), and statistical packages (such as R) will be preferable. If you are interested, please send your CV (including your GPA and GRE scores) to Dr. Helen Bailey at hbailey(a)umces.edu by 3rd December 2018. ------------------------------------------- Dr. Helen Bailey Research Associate Professor UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Chesapeake Biological Laboratory P.O. Box 38 Solomons, MD 20688 Tel: (1) 410-326-7284 Website: http://www.umces.edu/helen-bailey -------------------------------------------

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RESEARCH INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY 2019
by Davide Ascheri 20 Nov '18

20 Nov '18

BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN RESEARCH INTERNSHIP IN ITALY FEBRAURY- OCTOBER 2019 The project The dolphin research project “Delfini del Ponente” is the first project focused on monitoring bottlenose dolphins in the Western Ligurian Sea. Due to the morphology of the seafloor, this area is not a usual habitat for this species and historically, sightings have been more rare and sporadic than in the Levantine side of the region. The continental shelf is, in fact, very short and high depths (around 2000 m) are reached quite close to the shore making the area suitable for other cetacean species but not for bottlenose dolphins, which tend to remain in waters with depth not exceeding 200 m. Despite this knowledge of the range of the species, an interesting change has been noted in recent years in the area. Reports of bottlenose dolphins by boats, fishermen and whale watching vessels have almost tripled compared to previous seasons. Therefore, the project aims to monitor bottlenose dolphins in the region to understand the extent of this change and what drove it. It is structured on an annual basis, in order to obtain data not only on the distribution during the Summer, but also changes during the different seasons. WHERE: Imperia, Italy WHEN: 1 Febraury - 31 October Minimum required: 30 days Number of interns per month: 2/3 Programme: Interns are invited to assist the Biologists of Costa Balenae in different activities: · Boat-based surveys (10-12 per month) · Land base surveys . Collect different kind of data ( enviromental, cetaceans, marine fauna, ..) · Take pictures to photo-identification · Photo-id matching/classwork · Data entry · Opportunistic surveys . Lessons and trainig on cetacean biology, ecology, conservation and reasearch monitoring This is a great opportunity to get involved in cetacean research, enjoy marine biodiversity while gaining fieldwork experience, travelling and exploring the beautiful Liguria region while supporting cetacean research and conservation. Fieldwork will be made in coastal waters (Western Ligurian Sea). Surveys will be conducted onboard dedicated vessels (5-6 m inflatable boat) 10-12 times per month. Training will focus on collecting photo for photo-ID purposes, environmental, geographical (GPS) and dolphins' behavioural data. Fieldwork will help participants gaining first-hand experience in collecting data on free-ranging cetaceans and improve skills on cetaceans boat-based surveys as well as on the use of the photo-ID technique. Surveys are weather dependent and therefore their number can change during the period. Interns will be involved 5 days a week, 6-8 hours/day (depending on fieldwork or labwork) During free time, interns will have the opportunity to experience all sorts of activities: swimming, diving, hiking, exploring historical sites, visit museums, sailing. Skills/qualification: · Minimum age of 18 . Prior experience in cetaceans or boat-based surveys is not required, but preferred · Degree or on-going studies in biology, natural science, veterinary or similar (preferred) · Strong motivation and interest in cetaceans and research · Speak, read and write in fluent English · Be adaptable as fieldwork is weather dependent · Be prepared to spend many hours on a small zodiac (5-6 m) and under the sun · Be sociable and willing as they are expected to live and work in an international team · Boat driving licence or experience in handling small boats (preferred) Internship fee Delfini del Ponente is a self-funded research project, so participation in this programme requires a tuition fee. Fee includes the accommodation in an apartment in Imperia, tuition and all associated field costs during the internship period (use of research vessel, training, use of equipment, field trips). Transportation expenses to and from Imperia (Italy), own insurances, and food costs during the stay are not included in the fee. Information about Costa Balenae Costa Balenae is a cooperative organization founded by a group of biologists and naturalists with twenty years of experience in the fields of scientific research, environmental education, territorial development and sustainable tourism. The passion for Nature, its conservation and the development of commercial tourism activities that make knowledge, awareness and sustainability a point of strong entrepreneurial imprinting are the main characteristic of the cooperative. How to apply: Send your CV with a letter of interest (please indicate the preferred period, date of arriving and departure) to info(a)costabalenae.it addressed to Elena Fontanesi and Davide Ascheri no longer than the 15th of December. For any further enquiry and detail, please send an email to info(a)costabalenae.it Davide Ascheri and Elena Fontanesi Biologist - Costa Balenae Whale and Nature Watching info(a)costabalenae.it

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Clearwater Marine Aquarium Stranding Biologist- Job Posting
by Kerry Sanchez 20 Nov '18

20 Nov '18

POSITION DESCRIPTION POSITION TITLE: Stranding Biologist REPORTS TO: Supervisor EXEMPT OR NON-EXEMPT: Non-exempt PERCENTAGE OF FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT: 100% PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Able to work in extreme adverse environmental conditions, extended daily hours, overnights, and up to 60 hrs. per week (under extenuating circumstances); be a proficient swimmer, lift and carry 50 lbs.; have good physical stamina; operate machinery and heavy duty vehicles (ex: Ford F450 box truck) and vessels. PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY: The role of the Stranding Biologist is to support the goals and objectives of the Rescue Team outlined by management. This will require the incumbent to maintain flexible working hours, be amenable to shifting priorities and a continually changing environment. The Stranding Biologist may report to more than one job site, which involves traveling beyond Pinellas County and/or to other facilities. The primary responsibilities of the Stranding Biologist include, but are not limited to, stranding preparedness and responses, necropsies, rehabilitation, education and community awareness, among others. Routine tasks required of the Stranding Biologist include, but are not limited to, public speaking, public relations, maintenance and storage of equipment, inventory and purchase of supplies, teaching and education, collection and management of data and samples, correspondence related to all aspects of the job, rehab shift coverage and overnight observations, operation of vehicles and vessels, oversight of volunteers and/or interns, and producing written materials. Other aspects of the Stranding Biologist position involve animal transport, necropsies, processing and/or disposal of carcasses as well as the treatment and care of live animals in the field and/or in a rehab setting. The Stranding Biologist is required to participate in random and unscheduled events such as interviews, interdepartmental and/or external collaborations, necropsies, or various animal responses. The Stranding Biologist is also required to assist with some or all aspects of various projects, research, or grant writing, as needed, as well as assist other departments and support CMA's mission, vision, and values. ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: * To know and understand CMA's role within the SEUSMMSN, STSSN, FWC/MRP, and other stranding networks and the community. * Accomplish tasks required to ensure stranding preparedness at all times. * Conduct daily operations including, but not limited to, the completion of checklists, equipment cleaning and organization, monitoring and response to the stranding hotline, public stranding demonstrations, guest programs, and more. * Modify and adjust work schedule and priorities in order to participate in the rapid response to all stranded animal rescues and rehab events, including those which occur during non-schedule times. * Maintain the cleanliness and organization of assigned facility and storage areas, vehicles and vessels on a consistent basis. * Complete routine inspections of assigned facility areas based on NMFS Polices and Best Practices and USDA guidelines. Make recommendations for and complete work orders. * Complete all tasks necessary to monitor the 24-hour CMA emergency stranding hotline. Be on-call during non-scheduled times to field reports or be dispatched. * Maintain a comprehensive and updated stranding team membership database. * Conduct workshops and trainings for the Stranding Team volunteers, interns, law enforcement, and the public. * Participate in the rehabilitation, release, and monitoring efforts of marine mammals, sea turtles, and/or other wildlife as deemed appropriate, which involve overnight and extended-hour shifts. * Maintain accurate and updated information on CMA's Cetacean Database, CMA's Photo Archive, and the NMFS database/GoMex. * Collect quality data and complete required documentations (e.g. 24-hour report, Level A Data) for stranded animals. * Maintain or revise the Stranding Internship syllabus as needed, and provide daily training and supervision to Stranding Interns. Complete a minimum of two evaluations for each Stranding Intern. * Participate in activities that promote or support the Rescue Team as determined by the Stranding Coordinator. * Participate in various public relations and media events, including professional interviews. * Participate in community relations, outreach events and other activities, which may involve traveling to the other counties within the state of FL, for the purpose of education, training, and networking. * Conduct public stranding demonstrations and/or host paid guest programs. Assist with training of new program hosts and monitor program content and quality. * Participate in some or all aspects of various types of research projects, as deemed appropriate by CMA's research committee, CMA's research department, and the Stranding Coordinator. * Participate in development and execution of projects, grants, and events. * Conduct marine mammal and sea turtle necropsies, coordinate the disposal of carcasses, and carryout actions for disposal, processing, and/or storage. * Maintain CMA's database for tissue samples and skeletal parts/complete skeletons and keep record of the transfer of parts. * Maintain stranding equipment and vehicles, including inspection logs. * Produce quality written material including SOPs, SOGs, reports, correspondence, and other. * Participate in the development and implementation of educational outreach material or activities to promote public awareness and conservation efforts. EDUCATIONAL/CERTIFICATION AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS: * Bachelor's degree in related discipline from an accredited college/university. * Minimum of 2 years of relevant professional experience. * Valid driver's license and reliable transportation to and from work. * Must pass the CMA Stranding Team swim test with a total of 80 points or higher * Professional written and verbal commination skills, including proven technical writing abilities. * Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and related software programs (e.g. Microsoft Outlook) * Excellent time management, organizational and data entry skills. * Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines. * Possess good judgment, flexibility in responding to changing priorities, and be able to work as a team member and function well under pressure The Clearwater Marine Aquarium reserves the right to revise job descriptions or work hours as required. Kerry Sánchez Senior Rescue Biologist /Education Specialist Clearwater Marine Aquarium 249 Windward Passage Clearwater, FL 33767 727-441-1790 ext 301 www.SeeWinter.com<http://www.seewinter.com/> [cid:3CC8C79C-80D8-41B4-846D-9591EEFEB493]

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New publication on the sex life of harbor porpoises
by Bill Keener 19 Nov '18

19 Nov '18

Dear MARMAM community, On behalf of my co-authors, I’m pleased to announce the publication of our article: The Sex Life of Harbor Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena): Lateralized and Aerial Behavior William Keener, Marc A. Webber, Isidore D. Szczepaniak, Tim M. Markowitz and Dara N. Orbach. Aquatic Mammals, Vol 44, Issue 6, 2018. Abstract The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco Bay provides a non-invasive aerial platform where harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) can be observed mating. We photographed 144 mating events over an eight-year period (2010 to 2018) occurring in all seasons. The mating habits of free-ranging male harbor porpoises are systematically described, a first for any member of the family Phocoenidae. The males’ rapid sexual approaches toward females were characterized by high energy and precision timing as males rushed to contact females surfacing to breathe. Males always attempted to copulate by positioning their ventral sides on the females’ left side. This extreme laterality in sexual approach has not been reported for any cetacean. Males approached females with force and speed that often resulted in male aerial behaviors (69% of mating attempts). These behaviors, observed exclusively in mating contexts, included leaps and splashes that counter the species’ reputation for inconspicuous behavior. Males also displayed their ventrum or penis toward females without attempting to copulate. The penis was visible in 60% of the 96 mating events for which the ventrum could be observed, with intromission confirmed in one event. Males always initiated mating and approached lone females in 62.5% of mating events. Calves accompanied females during 25% of mating events. Calves were temporarily separated from their mothers by the approaching males in approximately half of these events. Additional adults were observed in 12.5% of groups, although no male-male interactions were observed. Our findings on the unique mating pattern exhibited by male harbor porpoises validate some predictions made about their behavior based on their reproductive biology and anatomy. The data support the hypothesis that males compete primarily by sperm competition and not contest competition. The full article, is available at https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.44.6.2018.620 and is open access as part of a special issue of Aquatic Mammals in honor of Bernd Wursig. To see the video clips of mating behavior, go to the online supplemental material page: https://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=art… https://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=art… To request a PDF copy, please email me at bill.keener(a)comcast.net mailto:bill.keener@comcast.net Cheers, Bill Keener Golden Gate Cetacean Research Corte Madera, California, USA

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11/20: NOAA seminar: Population Consequences of Disturbance by Offshore Oil and Gas Activity for Endangered Sperm Whales (Physeter macrocephalus)
by Tracy Gill - NOAA Federal 19 Nov '18

19 Nov '18

OneNOAA Science Seminar Series <https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/seminars/> Please forward to folks (in or out of NOAA) who might be interested; thanks. *Title: Population Consequences of Disturbance by Offshore Oil and Gas Activity for Endangered Sperm Whales (Physeter macrocephalus)* *When: *TOMORROW, Tuesday, November 19, 2018, 12-1pm ET *Where: *Via webinar (see login below), or for NOAA Silver Spring folks, SSMC4, Rm 8150 *Speaker: *Dr. Nick Farmer, Chief, Species Conservation, Protected Resources Division, NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional Office. Presenting remotely. *Sponsor: *NOAA's National Ocean Service Science Seminar Series; host is Tracy.Gill(a)noaa.gov *Webinar Access:* We will be using Adobe Connect for this webinar. To join a session, please go to the following website at the scheduled date and time, and hit button "Enter as Guest", then please add your first & last name: https://noaabroadcast.adobeconnect.com/nosscienceseminars/ Users should use either IE or Edge on Windows or Safari if using a Mac; google chrome often works too. You can test your ability to use Adobe Connect at the following link: https://noaabroadcast.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.… Contact your help desk if you have any trouble completing this test. Audio will be available thru the computer only; no phone. Questions will be addressed in the chat window. This Webcast will be recorded, archived and made accessible in the near future. *Abstract: *Sperm whale (*Physeter macrocephalus*) populations are still recovering from massive population declines associated with commercial whaling operations. The species continues to face a suite of contemporary threats, including pollution, ship strikes, fisheries interactions, habitat loss and degradation, oil spills, and anthropogenic noise. The sperm whale stock in the northern Gulf of Mexico was exposed to oil from the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill and is exposed to high levels of anthropogenic noises generated by geological and geophysical (G&G) surveys for hydrocarbon deposits. Population impacts from oil and gas activities were predicted from models that incorporated two stressors: (i) oil exposure from DWH and (ii) noise from G&G surveys. Oil exposure was projected to reduce survival and reproductive success, causing a mean stock decline of 26% by 2025. Additionally, exposure to underwater noise can adversely impact whale hearing, communication, foraging efficiency, and disturb essential behaviors. Exposures to G&G survey noise were determined by simulating individual movements through three-dimensional sound fields generated by different survey methods. Behavioral disturbance was evaluated as reduced foraging opportunities under four dose-response functions. Bioenergetic models tracked the depletion of reserves in blubber, muscle, and viscera. All simulations suggested significant reductions in relative fitness of reproductive females were a likely consequence of persistent disturbances to foraging behaviors. Under a 160 dB SPL unweighted dose-response function, up to 4.4 ± 0.3% of the stock may reach terminal starvation due to behavioral disturbance associated with future G&G surveys, leading to abortions, calf abandonment, and up to 25% greater stock declines beyond those predicted from DWH oil exposure. Uncertainty in our results emphasizes a need for further controlled exposure experiments to generate behavioral disturbance dose-response curves and detailed evaluation of individual resilience following disturbance events. Given our focus on a limited suite of threats and need for field verification of these modeled impacts, precautionary management application of our results is recommended for this endangered species. *About the Speaker: *Dr. Farmer earned his Ph.D. in Marine Biology and Fisheries from the University of Miami. He is the Chief of Species Conservation in the Protected Resources Division at the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office. His research includes reef fish movement tracking, efficient marine reserve design, acoustic monitoring of fish spawning aggregations, fishery-independent monitoring of reef fish populations, species distribution models for protected species, dynamic stock assessment projection management decision tools, the population consequences of multiple stressors for endangered cetaceans, and satellite tracking of giant manta rays. *Subscribe to the OneNOAA Science Seminar weekly email*: Send an email to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request(a)list.woc.noaa.gov with the word `subscribe' in the subject or body. See http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/seminars/ -- Tracy A. Gill tracy.gill(a)noaa.gov 240-533-0349 Physical Scientist , NOAA/NOS Science Seminar Coordinator NOAA/NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS <https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/>) Marine Spatial Ecology Division, Biogeography Branch 1305 East-West Hwy, N/SCI-1, # 9208, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3278 *Check out **the OneNOAA Science Seminar Series website <https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/seminars/> for the schedule and to **sign up <https://list.woc.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/onenoaascienceseminars> for the weekly seminar email.* o o ><(((o> o <o)))>< o <o)))>< ><(((o> ><(((o>

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