June 2018 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

NEW PUBLICATION: Analysis of occurrence patterns and biological factors of cetaceans based on long‐term and fine‐scale data from platforms of opportunity: Madeira Island as a case study
by Filipe Alves 26 Jun '18

26 Jun '18

Dear All, Please find below a new publication in Marine Ecology, Alves F, R Ferreira, M Fernandes, Z Halicka, L Dias, A Dinis, 2018. Analysis of occurrence patterns and biological factors ofcetaceans based on long‐term and fine‐scale data from platforms of opportunity: Madeira Island as a case study. MarEcol. 39: e12499. Abstract Management and conservation issues are addressed through the identification of areas of particular importance, which requires the acquisition of baseline information on species distribution and dynamics. These types of data are particularly difficult to obtain at high resolution for large marine vertebrates like cetaceans, given that dedicated surveys are complex and logistically expensive. This study uses daily presence–absence sighting data of cetaceans collected year‐round from whale‐watching boats to support the theory that fine‐scale data obtained from platforms of opportunity can provide valuable information on species occurrence and group dynamics. Data from 7,551 (daily) sightings comprising 22 species were collected from 3,527 surveyed days over 11 years (mean of 321 days per year, SD = 17) in the pelagic environment of Madeira Island. Cetaceans were observed on 92% of the surveyed days, and a mean of 15.4 (SD = 1.5), 8.2 (SD = 2.0) and 2.1 (SD = 1.2) species were recorded per year, month, and day, respectively. There were significant differences in the number of species per month (p < .001), with the highest diversity recorded in June. At least nine species, comprising 96% of all sightings, were found to use the Madeiran waters on a regular basis, such as the Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis), the short‐beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis), the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), and others featured in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature as Endangered, Vulnerable, and Data Deficient. In addition, 10 species were found to use the Madeiran waters for travelling, feeding, resting, socializing and calving, which suggests that the southern and southeastern waters of Madeira Island constitute an area of interest for cetaceans. This study characterizes the cetaceans’ community structure (occurrence, aggregation sizes, behaviours, proportion of calves, and inter‐specific relationships) of a poorly studied region, providing important information for managers. Finally, the advantages and limitations of using fine‐scale data from a type of platform of opportunity that is increasing along coastlines globally are discussed. The paper can be downloaded at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/maec.12499 or email me for a pdf. Cheers, Filipe Alves Postdoctoral fellow Oceanic Observatory of Madeira / CIIMAR-Madeira MARE / ARDITI Caminho da Penteada, Tecnopolo, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal

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Amendment: Manatee volunteer opportunities in Belize
by Primate Conservation Programme 25 Jun '18

25 Jun '18

Same info, smaller attachment OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORK EXPERIENCE WITH ANTILLEAN MANATEES IN BELIZE Do you want to play an active part in manatee rehabilitation and conservation in Belize - to make a difference? Are you looking for hands-on work with manatee rehabilitation to build your capacity and experience in this field? Are you willing to put in long days of wet, muddy manatee care, with a one month minimum commitment? Wildtracks, a Belize non-profit conservation organization, has been managing the Manatee Rehabilitation Centre in Belize since 1999 in partnership with Belize's government Wildlife Programme, as a tool towards fulfilling Belize's commitments to preventing species extinctions. We have high levels of success in rearing neonate orphaned calves, and in returning both injured and orphaned manatees to the wild - success that cannot be achieved without the care provided to the rehabilitation animals by our incredibly committed team of Wildtracks volunteers. We have volunteer placements available from October 2018 onwards, and have subsidised placements available for capacity building for regional participants (Mexico / Central America). if you are interested, contact Alysha McGrattan at volunteer(a)wildtracksbelize.org <mailto:volunteer@wildtracksbelize.org> for more information and an application form. Find out more about what we do. www.wildtracksbelize.org <http://www.wildtracksbelize.org> www.facebook.com/wildtracksbelize.org <http://www.facebook.com/wildtracksbelize.org>

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Conference Marine Mammals of Holarctic
by Marine Mammal Council 25 Jun '18

25 Jun '18

Dear colleagues, X International Conference "Marine mammals of the Holarctic" dedicated to the memory of A. V. Yablokov will be held on October 29 - November 02, 2018 in Arkhangelsk. We hereby inform you that registration and submission of materials for Conference started on March 30, 2018. Submission of abstracts and materials is carried out only in electronic form through the Conference website after registration ( http://marmam.ru/en/conference/mmg-x/) (you will get the letter on your e-mail with link to pay the registration fee). Registration fees should be paid through the official conference service agency website (Monomax PCO). Deadline for submission of abstracts and materials – July 1, 2018. The Organizing Committee of the X International Conference "Marine mammals of the Holarctic" dedicated to the memory of A. V. Yablokov marmam.ru(a)gmail.com

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International Save the Vaquita Day
by Sean Bogle 24 Jun '18

24 Jun '18

Good day MARMAMers, Wild Lens is a non-profit conservation media organization. Our mission is to build conservation-minded communities and produce content documenting the efforts of researchers, citizens scientists, and other organizations focused on the conservation of our natural world. Many of you are aware that the vaquita porpoise is approaching imminent extinction. This does not mean that we should accept this outcome. With International Save the Vaquita Day just around the corner, July 7, 2018 there's never been a better time to all raise our voices and take action to do more than our best in trying to save this species. We want to continue to share our film project, Souls of the Vermilion Sea, and all of our resources for everyone to use. Since releasing the film, we've encouraged interested parties to contact us and organize screenings, helping the vaquita's story to reach as many people as possible. We've been contacted by people all around the globe who have organized screenings, many of which have been followed by panel discussions. These discussions are crucial to the screening events and we encourage and provide guidance on this component when we are contacted. Our screening package consists of all media content and educational materials and activities. With ISTVD taking place on July 7, we're hoping to raise as much awareness as we can and have joined forces with Viva Vaquita, a charity dedicated to saving this unique endangered species. There are events happening all over the world and we'd love to continue seeing more screenings of our film joining the ever-growing list of events. To see where the events are happening or organise one of your own, visit: http://www.vivavaquita.org/international-save-the-vaquita-day-2018.html <http://www.vivavaquita.org/international-save-the-vaquita-day-2018.html> Or if you'd like to hold a screening of our film, visit: http://vaquitafilm.com/screenings/ <http://vaquitafilm.com/screenings/> If you can't hold a screening but want to show your support for the vaquita on July 7, you can help by sharing one of the videos below. To choose from, there's a 10-minute version of the full-length film, trailer, and a PSA in English and Spanish that you can embed on a website. 10-minute film: http://wildlensinc.org/vaquitafilm/10min <http://wildlensinc.org/vaquitafilm/10min> Trailer (Spanish): http://wildlensinc.org/almasdelmarbermejo/trailer/spanish <http://wildlensinc.org/almasdelmarbermejo/trailer/spanish> Trailer (English): http://wildlensinc.org/soulsofthevermilionsea/trailer/english <http://wildlensinc.org/soulsofthevermilionsea/trailer/english> Vaquita PSA (English): http://wildlensinc.org/wildlifespeaks/vaquitapsa/english <http://wildlensinc.org/wildlifespeaks/vaquitapsa/english> Vaquita PSA (Spanish): http://wildlensinc.org/wildlifespeaks/vaquitapsa/spanish <http://wildlensinc.org/wildlifespeaks/vaquitapsa/spanish> If you want to share any of these videos online, please consider using the sample post below as it would be great to get as many people visiting our website as possible so that others can continue learning about this highly endangered species. "Have you ever heard of the vaquita? It's the world's smallest porpoise and one of its most endangered species. Want to find out more? Visit http://vaquitafilm.com <http://vaquitafilm.com/>” Available ISTVD graphics for social media platforms and websites: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/f1c9e3qx4mmqhw0/AAAeO8pgR-kYdqhh1rH_f5hea?dl=0 <https://www.dropbox.com/sh/f1c9e3qx4mmqhw0/AAAeO8pgR-kYdqhh1rH_f5hea?dl=0> For more information about our vaquita film project please contact: Sean Bogle, Eyes on Conservation Project Director Email: sean(a)wildlensinc.org <mailto:sean@wildlensinc.org> Viva Vaquita!

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New paper on Dolphin Social Cognition
by Johnson, Christine 23 Jun '18

23 Jun '18

Greetings! My colleagues and I are please to announce the publication of a new paper on social cognition in bottlenose dolphins. See link and abstract below. Pdfs also available upon request. http://journals.sagepub.com/eprint/tefSdw5dqicgIPBUuSui/full Johnson, C.M., Sullivan, J., Jensen, J., Buck, C., Trexel, J. & St. Leger, J. (2018). Prosocial predictions by bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops spp) based on motion patterns in visual stimuli. Psychological Science, 1-9. doi: 10.1177/0956797618771078 Abstract In this study, paradigms that test whether human infants make social attributions to simple moving shapes were adapted for use with bottlenose dolphins. The dolphins observed animated displays in which a target oval would falter while moving upward, and then either a “prosocial” oval would enter and help or caress it or an “antisocial” oval would enter and hinder or hit it. In subsequent displays involving all three shapes, when the pro- and antisocial ovals moved offscreen in opposite directions, the dolphins reliably predicted—based on anticipatory head turns when the target briefly moved behind an occluder—that the target oval would follow the prosocial one. When the roles of the pro- and antisocial ovals were reversed toward a new target, the animals’ continued success suggests that such attributions may be dyad specific. Some of the dolphins also directed high arousal behaviors toward these displays, further supporting that they were socially interpreted. Christine M. Johnson PhD Dolphin Cognition Lab Dept. of Cognitive Science University of California, San Diego

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Dugong Photo ID paper in the Egyptian Red Sea Coast
by Ahmed M. Shawky 22 Jun '18

22 Jun '18

Dear Marmam, It is from my pleasure to share my new article entitled "PHOTO IDENTIFICATION OF DUGONGS IN MARSA ALAM AND WADI EL GEMAL NATIONAL PARK, EGYPTIAN COAST OF THE RED SEA". The Abstract: A total of 30 dugongs were recorded at the Egyptian Red Sea coast between December 2015 and October 2017 using Photo ID technique. Out of them, 16 individuals were identified at Marsa Alam and 14 at Wadi El Gemal National Park. Males were seven times more than females and calves were also recorded. A Photo ID catalogue was prepared for the individuals with records of their occurrence among sites and the presence of particular dugongs for specific sites was confirmed. Long and short distance movement among the study sites were recorded for eight different dugongs. This is the first study to document the population number of dugongs in the inshore area of the Egyptian Red Sea coast. Further studies are recommended offshore sites in WGNP for better documentation of this group of animals. You can download the article from the link below: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325908659_PHOTO_IDENTIFICATION_OF_… [https://i1.rgstatic.net/publication/325908659_PHOTO_IDENTIFICATION_OF_DUGON…]<https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325908659_PHOTO_IDENTIFICATION_OF_…> (PDF) PHOTO IDENTIFICATION OF DUGONGS IN MARSA ALAM AND WADI EL GEMAL NATIONAL PARK, EGYPTIAN COAST OF THE RED SEA<https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325908659_PHOTO_IDENTIFICATION_OF_…> PDF | A total of 30 dugongs were recorded at the Egyptian Red Sea coast between December 2015 and October 2017 using Photo ID technique. Out of them, 16 individuals were identified at Marsa Alam and 14 at Wadi El Gemal National Park. Males were seven times more than females and... www.researchgate.net Best Regards Ahmed PhD Candidate, Environmental Researcher Technical Office of Minister of the Environment Master Instructor PADI #639747 -EFR Instructor Trainer [https://ipmcdn.avast.com/images/icons/icon-envelope-tick-round-orange-anima…]<https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campai…> Virus-free. www.avast.com<https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campai…>

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New paper on fossil pygmy right whale
by Felix Marx 22 Jun '18

22 Jun '18

Dear colleagues, please find below the abstract and link to our recently published, open access paper on a new pygmy right whale fossil from Australia: Marx FG, Park T, Fitzgerald EMG, and Evans AR. 2018. A Miocene pygmy right whale fossil from Australia. PeerJ 6:e5025 Link: https://peerj.com/articles/5025/ Abstract: Neobalaenines are an enigmatic group of baleen whales represented today by a single living species: the pygmy right whale, Caperea marginata, found only in the Southern Hemisphere. Molecular divergence estimates date the origin of pygmy right whales to 22–26 Ma, yet so far there are only three confirmed fossil occurrences. Here, we describe an isolated periotic from the latest Miocene of Victoria (Australia). The new fossil shows all the hallmarks of Caperea, making it the second-oldest described neobalaenine, and the oldest record of the genus. Overall, the new specimen resembles C. marginata in its external morphology and details of the cochlea, but is more archaic in it having a hypertrophied suprameatal area and a greater number of cochlear turns. The presence of Caperea in Australian waters during the Late Miocene matches the distribution of the living species, and supports a southern origin for pygmy right whales. Kind regards, Felix Marx _____________________________ *Felix G. Marx* PhD Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow *Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, Belgium *Monash University, Melbourne, Australia *Museum Victoria, Melbourne, Australia Address: Institut royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique D.O. Terre et Histoire de la Vie, Evolution de la Paléobiosphère 29 rue Vautier, 1000 Brussels, Belgium Phone: +32 (0)488 897314

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Field Internships with the Namibian Dolphin Project - August 2018
by Simon Elwen 22 Jun '18

22 Jun '18

Dear Marmammers - The Namibian Dolphin Project is a research and conservation organization run by several independent scientists based in southern Africa. We are running an intensive field season this year and still have some places available for interns to join between 01 and 31 August 2017 in Walvis Bay, Namibia. Interns will join an active research programme during an intensive period of field work aiming to tackle a number of research questions including long-term population monitoring (photo ID and static acoustic monitoring), behavioural acoustics of bottlenose dolphins (linking sounds to behaviours), behavioural and acoustic responses to anthropogenic activities and response to strandeded cetaceans (refloatation/data colleciton). Our focal study species are Heaviside's dolphin, a small population of common bottlenose dolphins and humpback whales with additional data collection on right whales, sunfish (Mola mola), African Penguins and sea turtles , jackals and Cape fur seals. Internships are research focused with an emphasis on learning (and using) field skills used in cetacean research such as photo-identification, acoustic and behavioural data collection, as well as data management and team work. Interns will work closely with the project leaders Dr Tess Gridley and Dr Simon Elwen. We are amenable to students using data collected during internships for student projects. If you are interested in joining our research team during one of these periods please contact us with a brief motivation and your CV in an email with the subject Research Internship 20 1 8 _Namibia to nam.dolphin.edu(a)gmail.com. More information can be found on the Namibian Dolphin Project and our umbrella organisation Sea Search (including publications) by following these links (www.namibiandolphinproject. org <http://www.namibiandolphinproject.com/> www.seasearch.co.za) Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any questions regarding this training opportunity. Kind regards Namibian Dolphin Project Team www.namibiandolphinproject.com namibiandolphinproject.blogspot.com -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Simon Elwen Ph.D. NRF Research Fellow at the Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria Based at Sea Search Africa - 4 Bath Rd, Muizenberg, Cape Town. Phone: +27 21 788 1206 (Office SA), +27 71 139 5951 (Mob SA) www.seasearch.co.za & www.namibiandolphinproject.org The first *African Bioacoustics Community conference will be held in Cape Town on the **3rd-7th December 2018*. https://africanbioacoustic.wixsite.com/abcommunity https://www.facebook.com/africanbioacousticscommunity/

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Job opening: MMPA/ESA/NEPA policy analyst
by Jobs.Ocean.Associates 21 Jun '18

21 Jun '18

Ocean Associates Inc. is seeking a MMPA & NEPA Policy Analyst who will provide professional support to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in Honolulu, Hawaii. The position does not require a presence in Hawaii but can be accomplished remotely. For more information please see our website. http://www.oceanassoc.com/Jobs/jobslist.html <http://www.oceanassoc.com/Jobs/jobslist.html>

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Ecology & Environment, Inc, seeks Marine Acoustician
by Courbis, Sarah 21 Jun '18

21 Jun '18

Ecology and Environment, Inc. is seeking a full time Marine Acoustician in our Portland, OR; New York City, NY; Houston, TX; Arlington, VA; Virginia Beach, VA; or any of our Florida regional offices (other locations will be considered). This position will be responsible for marine acoustic propagation modeling associated with take estimation, parabolic modeling, and marine acoustic research. Our successful candidate will have experience with passive acoustic monitoring devices and analysis of passive acoustic monitoring data. Responsibilities: * Conduct marine acoustic propagation modeling for stationary and mobile noise sources in varied oceanic environments and integrate with statutory requirements and associated regulations * Assist with noise-related impact assessments and take estimation analyses for marine organisms * Conduct and/or interpret marine noise monitoring, research, and analyses * Support with report writing and preparation of environmental documentation/analyses and permit requests Requirements: * Master's Degree in Oceanography, Engineering, or related discipline * 5+ years of experience in modeling acoustic propagation of sound sources in marine environments * Experience with marine mammal science and evaluation of impacts of noise on marine organisms * Experience conducting or interpreting passive and/or active acoustic monitoring in marine environments * Experience with density models and marine mammal noise thresholds * Familiarity with NOAA Fisheries acoustic criteria for protected marine species, and the principles of underwater acoustics including attenuation, transmission loss, and methods to determine Zones of Influence a plus * Experience preparing environmental documents for submission to NOAA Fisheries, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Agency, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, U.S. Department of Energy, or Bureau of Ocean Energy Management a plus * Excellent verbal communication, technical writing, and research skills * Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to work independently and as part of a team * Proficient in Microsoft Office * Ability to travel to support business needs * Experience working in Latin America and Spanish/Portuguese language skills a plus We are a global network of innovators and problem solvers, dedicated professionals and industry leaders in scientific, engineering, and planning disciplines working together with our clients to develop technically sound, science-based solutions to the leading environmental challenges of our time. E&E offers opportunities for growth in a team-oriented environment. Candidates must be eligible to work in the U.S.; Visa sponsorship will not be provided. Please view our website at www.ene.com<http://www.ene.com/> to apply on-line. Applications will not be accepted by email. The direct link to this opportunity is http://www.careers.ene.com/Home/Details/741. Ecology and Environment, Inc. is an EO and AA employer - M/F/Vets/Disabled/and other protected categories. [cid:image001.jpg@01D3B7B9.E7ECE090]<http://www.ene.com/> Sarah Courbis, Marine Mammal Specialist 333 SW 5th Ave Suite 606 Portland, OR 97204 Phone: 503-284-5600 * Cell: 971-888-9226 scourbis(a)ene.com<mailto:scourbis@ene.com> * www.ene.com<http://www.ene.com/>

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