November 2019 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Job Opportunity-Senior Stranding Biologist at Mote Marine Laboratory
by Gretchen Lovewell 11 Nov '19

11 Nov '19

Mote Marine Laboratory’s Stranding Investigations Program is hiring a Senior Biologist to be directly involved in the 24-hr response, recovery, and transport of stranded marine mammals and sea turtles.The duties include assisting with 24-hour stranding hotline coverage and coordinating the appropriate response (recovery, examination, data collection, tissue sampling, processing, and distribution of samples, and disposal of carcasses).Duties also include maintaining stranding databases, photo archives, and supervision of interns and volunteers.A major role for the position is the assistance in developing and/or leading research projects, including presenting scientific research at peer reviewed meetings and/or to publish scientific research in peer reviewed publications. This position is highly variable and consists of unpredictable hours.The senior biologist must be able to work both independently and as part of a larger team.Specific qualifications include: Masters’s degree or a bachelor’s degree with 5 years of experience responding to stranded marine mammals or sea turtles; knowledge of marine mammal and/or sea turtle conservation issues, especially relating human interactions; valid Florida Driver’s License or equivalent and dependable transportation for rapid response;ability to lift up to 75 lbs and drag 100 lbs;ability to swim;ability to walk long distances in the sand and/or marsh; ability to tolerate strong odors; ability to drive a large vehicle in congested areas (often towing trailers); ability to work evening, weekend and holidays;capacity to tolerate extreme temperatures, sandy, buggy, and/or wet field conditions;ability to kayak, trailer and operate small boats, personal watercraft and ATV’s-including launching and retrieval. Interested applicants should submit as a single electronic file, 1) a cover letter, 2) resume, and 3) the names and contact information for three references, before 5pm December 6, 2019 to HumanResources(a)mote.org <mailto:HumanResources@mote.org>.Alternatively, a single package of all requested elements may be submitted to Mote Marine Laboratory, Attn: Human Resources, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL 34236. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other protected category. -- Gretchen Lovewell Program Manager Stranding Investigations Directorate of Marine Biology and Conservation Mote Marine Laboratory 1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy Sarasota, FL 34236 Office: 941-388-4441 ex 239 Cell: 941-374-3425 Pager: 941-988-0212 Fax: 941-388-4317 We are an independent, nonprofit, marine and estuarine research and education facility. Opinions expressed here are not MML policy unless so indicated.

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Please take 3 minute survey--Marine mammalogists: Who are we?
by Cynde McInnis 11 Nov '19

11 Nov '19

Hi Folks, If you are involved with marine mammals in any capacity, please consider taking 3 minutes to complete the following SURVEY<https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZFGQRKT>. The purpose is to understand how people are connected to the marine mammal world--as scientists, educators, artists, activists, etc. We are hoping to help create connections between disciplines so that we can work together to help save marine mammals! It will be open until Nov. 28. Thank you so much for you time! Cynde McInnis and Diane Alps

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INTERN COORDINATOR POSITION, IMPERIA,ITALY
by Davide Ascheri 11 Nov '19

11 Nov '19

INTERN COORDINATOR 2019 DELFINI DEL PONENTE RESEARCH PROJECT, IMPERIA, ITALY Cetacean and Marine Fauna research 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 a 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, where sightings of bottlenose dolphins have almost tripled, from fisherman, whale watching boats and other research institute. For this reason, Costa Balenae started in 2018 the project Delfini del Ponente in order to monitor bottlenose dolphins in the region to understand the extent of this change and what drove it. The project 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. The project is already providing very interesting information about bottlenose dolphins and their distribution in the study area, and also about the seasonal presence of other marine fauna such as Mediterranean shearwaters (Puffinus yelkouan), Scopoli’s shearwaters (Calonectris diomedea), Northern gannets ( Morus bassanus), Sandwich terns( Thalasseus sandvicensis), sunfish (Mola mola) among others. Surveys will be made in coastal waters onboard a dedicated zodiac (6 m inflatable boat) around 10 times per month. Training will focus on collecting photo for photo-ID purposes, environmental, marine traffic, geographical (GPS) and dolphins' behavioural data. Land-based surveys will be done In Imperia, in 2 different points around 10-12 times/month collecting data on the presence/absence of dolphins, fishing boats in activity and marine birds. Fieldwork is a great opportunity to get involved and improve skills on cetaceans research and marine biodiversity. Surveys are weather dependent and their number can change each month. Office work (6 hours per day) includes training and lessons to the interns and supervision of all the activities ( photo-id work, transcription of data, data entry, QGIS work etc..) WHERE: Imperia, Italy WHEN: 1 March-30 June 2020; 1 September-30 October 2020 Preference will be given to candidates that can stay the whole duration (March to June or September to October). The intern coordinator will be asked to join the research team one week earlier than the actual start of the programme, to gain all the necessary skills and information needed. The intern coordinator is responsible for: - Assisting the researchers during all the research activities - Coordinating the interns and volunteers participating in the project with the help of the Project Coordinators - Be responsible for the cleaning schedule and maintenance of the shared apartment with the volunteers - Assist with the training of the interns both during office work and fieldwork - Carry on land-based surveys - Driving the zodiac and photo-id collection - Responsible for an own project for future conferences Skills/qualification: - Minimum age of 18 - Degree or on-going studies in Biology, Natural Sciences, Veterinary or similar (preferred) with strong motivation to work in marine mammals research - Speak, read and write in fluent English - Be adaptable as fieldwork is weather dependent - Prior experience in cetaceans or boat-based surveys - Be prepared to spend many hours on a small zodiac (5-6 m) and under the sun, able to swim and work in harsh weather conditions both in nearshore and offshore waters - Be prepared to spend many hours on the office (generally 6 hours per day) - Be sociable and with a positive attitude as he/she is expected to live and work in an international team - Boat driving licence or experience in handling small boats (preferred) - The preferred candidate should have a proven track record as a team player as the project will involve working closely with other participants but also must be able to supervise small groups of interns. He/she must also be self-motivated and eager to work independently and responsibly. Other Information This position is unpaid but accommodation is provided. The intern coordinator will share an apartment with the interns but having an own bedroom and toilet. Successful applicants will be responsible for organising and paying for their own travel arrangements to and from Imperia. Website: http://delfinidelponente.costabalenae.it/ How to apply: Send your CV and a cover letter (please indicate the preferred period, date of arriving and departure, previous experience and skills , and at least one reference contact) to info(a)costabalenae.it addressed to Davide Ascheri and Elena Fontanesi no longer than the 30th of November. Successful applicants could be contacted for a skype interview. For any further enquiry and detail, please send an email to info(a)costabalenae.it Elena Fontanesi and Davide Ascheri Biologist - Costa Balenae Whale and Nature Watching info(a)costabalenae.it

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Marine Mammal Photo ID Internship
by James Stewart 07 Nov '19

07 Nov '19

The purpose of the photo ID intern position is to give candidates experience in the process of collecting sighting photos and data in the field and preparing that material for later research. Photo ID interns will be collecting data on various cetaceans (dolphins, blue whales, humpbacks, fin whales, gray whales, etc.) while on whale watches. Primary responsibilities of the position include but are not limited, to handling photography equipment, participating in whale watches in various weather conditions, uploading photos and data to our database, and processing photos and sighting data for further utilization. Commitment: 240 hours total, average 15-20 hours per week for 12-15 weeks Interns will receive training and experience in the following * Learning the methods of wildlife observation and data collection in the field * Using DSLR photography equipment * Taking dorsal and caudal fin photos of animals encountered during daily whale watches * Maintaining detailed data logs of sightings * Create a project to display to Aquarium guests using whale data * Photo processing with Adobe Lightroom and data entry with Microsoft Access What the Aquarium of the Pacific expects from interns * The drive and ability to learn tasks quickly and well * To perform all of their assigned duties promptly and reliably * To be prompt and on time * To exercise care and judgment when working on a boat * To abide by all Aquarium of the Pacific staff guidelines and policies * The ability to meet the minimum time commitments of the position Qualifications * Must be 18 years of age or older * Completed and pass a background check Skills, Knowledge and Abilities * Basic knowledge of ecological and biological principles * Some background knowledge of marine mammals * Strong communication skills to transmit information to staff, visitors and whale watch participants in a clear and thorough manner * Ability to manage multiple tasks * Must be able to lift and carry 50 lbs on stairs, boats, docks, etc. * Prior experience with DSLR cameras or photo software is preferred but not required Requirements * Must complete general orientation session * Research project completed during internship period (to be determined by student in collaboration with program coordinator) Follow the link to apply for this internship http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/volunteer/college_internships/marine_mamma… James Stewart Education Supervisor of Boat Programs Aquarium of the Pacific

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Invitation to participate in a survey on non-academic careers in marine mammal science
by Aude Pacini 07 Nov '19

07 Nov '19

Aloha MarMam Community, As part of our upcoming workshop at the World Marine Mammal Conference this December, we are conducting a survey on non-academic careers in marine mammal science and the perception associated with these choices. While the workshop is primarily geared towards women, all are welcome to participate in the survey, which should only take approximately 5 minutes to complete. Feel free to share this questionnaire, as we are interested in getting a broad perspective on this topic. Results will be presented in December at the workshop, but can be shared upon request to the organizers. Click on the link below to start the survey. The survey will close on November, 18th 2019. Thank you in advance for your participation. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxD3Y3kcjABklZIdJ8mFM_xV00yNqnGpf… Aloha, Krista Graham, Michelle Bejder and Aude Pacini

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Internship Opportunities: Seal Rescue Ireland
by Gale Loescher 07 Nov '19

07 Nov '19

*Seal Rescue Ireland is accepting applications for our exciting internship positions!* Seal Rescue Ireland (SRI) is a charity organisation which operates a busy marine animal rescue and rehabilitation centre located in Courtown, Co. Wexford. As the only facility that fully rehabilitates seals within the Republic of Ireland, SRI responds to strandings nationwide. Most reports are for young grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) and common seal (Phoca vitulina) pups found sick, injured or orphaned across the Irish coastline. In addition, SRI pursues understanding and public engagement of ocean conservation and sustainability through education, community outreach and research programmes. SRI is currently accepting applications for their internship programmes for next year. With rolling start dates year around, these high paced, full-time positions are for a minimum of 12 weeks, but longer time commitments are encouraged. After completion of initial training, interns who excel may be invited to stay longer and offered higher levels of responsibility with the potential for compensation through living expenses. *Seal Rescue Ireland offers 4 different internship opportunities:* *Animal Care and Education Internship* - provides a well rounded experience, with the interns time divided between caring for seals in rehabilitation and giving educational tours to visitors of our centre. *Marketing and Media Internship* - provides the intern with experience in producing quality media content to help Seal Rescue Ireland promote our mission, ocean conservation, and our fundraising efforts. *Education Internship* - provides the intern with experience in developing and presenting educational programs and activities for groups of all ages that focus on ocean conservation and sustainability. *Community Engagement Internship* - provides the intern with experience in community outreach to raise awareness of SRI and ocean conservation, event planning, and fundraising to support our centre. There are unpaid positions. Intern housing is available for 90 Euro/week (including food) on a first come first served basis. Interns are responsible for their own travel expenses. Application Deadlines: 1st of December, 2019 for April to June, 2020 start dates 1st of March, 2020 for July to September, 2020 start dates 1st of June, 2020 for October to December, 2020 start dates Please visit our website at (http://www.sealrescueireland.org/internships/) for full descriptions of our internships and to download the application form. Completed applications can be submitted to: intern(a)sealrescueireland.org Registered Charity: RCN 20108519

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Job Opening: Seal Rescue Ireland - Education Manager
by Gale Loescher 07 Nov '19

07 Nov '19

Seal Rescue Ireland: Education Manager Seal Rescue Ireland (SRI) is a charity organisation which operates a busy marine animal rescue and rehabilitation centre located in Courtown, Co. Wexford. As the only facility that fully rehabilitates seals within the Republic of Ireland, SRI responds to strandings nationwide. Most reports are for young grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) and common seal (Phoca vitulina) pups found sick, injured or orphaned across the Irish coastline. In addition, SRI pursues understanding and public engagement of ocean conservation and sustainability through education, community outreach and research programmes. SRI is currently accepting applications for their Education Manager position. This high paced, full-time position is for a minimum of 6 months, but longer time commitments are encouraged. This is an unpaid position to start, although compensation is provided in the form of all housing, food, utilities and basic necessities. After the initial training period, there is the opportunity for an additional performance based stipend. Seal Rescue Ireland is looking to fill this position as soon as possible. Reports to: Operations Manager Job Summary: The Education Manager will be responsible for overseeing and developing SRI’s marine conservation and sustainability focused education programs for various audiences and groups of visitors. The Education Manager will need to be able to plan, develop and deliver educational programs, activities, games, and materials which are tailored to each group’s specific needs, ages, interests and curriculum. They will plan/attend community outreach events, school visits, birthday parties, fundraisers and networking events to promote awareness of SRI’s mission of marine conservation and wildlife rehabilitation. They will also give daily educational tours of the Centre and animal hospital, as well as providing customer care in the gift shop, and training interns on these duties. There may also be involvement in assisting with animal husbandry and maintenance of rehabilitation animals if desired. Requirements: Applicants must have a background and dedicated interest in areas of study such as Education, Child Development, Marine Biology, Environmental Science, Conservation, or a related field. Background knowledge of marine mammals is preferred but not required. Applicants must be organized, personable, self-motivated, resourceful and have experience facilitating events and lessons for large groups. Great networking and public speaking skills are a must. The successful candidate will be expected to maintain a high level of professionalism and diplomacy whenever they are representing Seal Rescue Ireland. We are looking for a candidate that works well as a team and is comfortable around individuals of all ages, ability levels, and backgrounds. Finally, applicants must possess the ability to adapt to an ever-changing work environment, and be available to work nights, weekends and holidays. Duties Include: - Manage and build on SRI’s education programs - Lead groups of children and adults in educational activities - Give educational tours of the facility to visitors and school groups to promote marine conservation - Create educational plans, events, activities and materials - Attend community outreach events to represent SRI’s mission - Plan and assist with fundraisers - Provide customer service to visitors in the gift shop and education centre - Train interns to give educational tours, lead activities, and provide customer service - Assist in the care and maintenance of the Center’s rehabilitation animals (if interested) - Provide assistance to the hospital staff as needed - Performs other duties relating to the SRI’s goals and mission statement as required. Please visit our website at (http://www.sealrescueireland.org/internships/) to download the application form. Then send completed with your resume, cover letter, and two reference letters to: intern(a)sealrescueireland.org Attention: Education Manager Position open until filled Registered Charity: RCN 20108519 Learn more about us and our other volunteer/internship opportunities! Website: www.sealrescueireland.org Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/sealrescueireland/> Instagram <https://www.instagram.com/sealrescueireland/> Twitter <https://twitter.com/seal_rescue>

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New publication: Dolphin-derived NETosis results in rapid Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoite ensnarement and different phenotypes of NETs (Imlau et al., 2019)
by Michelle Imlau 07 Nov '19

07 Nov '19

Dear all, We are happy to announce that the following paper is now published in Developmental & Comparative Immunology. We investigated the innate immune response of bottlenose dolphins against apicomplexan parasite *Toxoplasma gondii*. Michelle Imlau, Iván Conejeros, Tamara Muñoz-Caro, Ershun Zhou, Ulrich Gärtner, Kerstin Ternes, Anja Taubert, Carlos Hermosilla, Dolphin-derived NETosis results in rapid *Toxoplasma gondii *tachyzoite ensnarement and different phenotypes of NETs, Developmental & Comparative Immunology, Volume 103, 2020. *Abstract* *Toxoplasma gondii* is a cosmopolitan zoonotic parasite and nowadays considered as an emerging neozoan pathogen in the marine environment. Cetacean innate immune reactions against *T. gondii* stages have not yet been investigated. Thus, *T. gondii* tachyzoites were utilized to trigger neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in bottlenose dolphin (*Tursiops truncatus*) polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN). Scanning electron microscopy unveiled *T. gondii* tachyzoites as potent and rapid inducers of cetacean-derived NETosis. Co-localization of extracellular chromatin with global histones, granulocytic myeloperoxidase and neutrophil elastase confirmed classical characteristics of NETosis. Interestingly, different phenotypes of NETs were induced by tachyzoites resulting in spread, diffuse and aggregated NET formation and moreover, ‘anchored’ and ‘cell free’ NETosis was also detected. Current data indicate that cetacean-derived NETosis might represent an early, ancient and well-conserved host innate defense mechanism that not only acts against *T. gondii* but might also occur in response to other closely related emerging apicomplexan parasites affecting marine cetaceans. *Link to full text*: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0145305X19302964?utm_cam…> Best regards, Michelle Michelle Imlau, med. vet. Pathology Resident Centre for Fish and Wildlife Health (FIWI) Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern michelle.imlau(a)vetsuisse.unibe.ch

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New publication about trace elements in striped dolphins stranded in Portugal
by Silvia Monteiro 07 Nov '19

07 Nov '19

Dear Marmam Readers, I am very pleased to announce the following publication: Monteiro SS, Bozzetti M, Torres J, Tavares AS, Ferreira M, Pereira A, Sá S, Araújo H, Bastos-Santos J, Oliveira I, Vingada JV, Eira C (2020). Striped dolphins as trace element biomonitoring tools in oceanic waters: Accounting for health-related variables. Science of the Total Environment 699: 134410. *Abstract* In Europe, monitoring contaminant concentrations and their effects in the marine environment is required under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD, 2008/56/EC). The striped dolphin (*Stenella coeruleoalba*) is the most abundant small cetacean species in Portuguese oceanic waters, representing a potential biomonitoring tool of contaminant levels in offshore waters. Concentrations of nine trace elements were evaluated by ICP-MS in kidney, liver and muscle samples of 31 striped dolphins stranded in the Portuguese continental coast. The mean renal Cd concentration was high (19.3 μg.g−1 wet weight, range 0.1–69.3 μg.g−1 wet weight) comparing to striped dolphins from other locations. Therefore, the present study reports a possibly concerning level of Cd in the oceanic food chain in Portuguese offshore areas. This study also aimed at evaluating potential relationships between trace element concentrations and striped dolphins' biological and health-related variables. Individual length was related with some of the trace element concentrations detected in striped dolphins. Indeed, Cd, Hg and Se bioaccumulated in larger animals, whereas the reverse was observed for Mn and Zn. Striped dolphins with high parasite burdens showed higher levels of Hg, while animals showing gross pathologies presented higher concentrations of Cd and Se. This study reported relationships between trace element concentrations and health-related variables for the first time in striped dolphins and it also provided information on the relative contamination status of Portuguese oceanic waters in comparison to other regions in the world. The publication will be freely available during 50 days at: https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1a0-FB8cckUkI <http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969715311943> If you are unable to download the article, please contact me by email and I will be happy to send you a copy: s.monteiro(a)ua.pt Best wishes, Silvia Monteiro _____________ Postdoctoral researcher DAO & CESAM University of Aveiro Portugal

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Deep-diving pilot whales make cheap, but powerful, echolocation clicks with 50 µL of air
by Ilias Foskolos 06 Nov '19

06 Nov '19

Dear Marmam and ECS members (sorry for crossposting), on behalf of my coauthors, I am pleased to inform you on our recent publication in Nature Scientific Reports. We show that deep-diving pilot whales can echolocate almost continuously whilst foraging at depth by using tiny amounts of air to make each click and by capturing and recycling the used air. The small air volumes mean that echolocation doesn’t take much energy. The full reference and abstract are found below: Foskolos, I., Aguilar de Soto, N., Madsen, P.T. & Johnson, M. Deep-diving pilot whales make cheap, but powerful, echolocation clicks with 50 µL of air. Sci. Rep. 9, 15720 (2019). Abstract Echolocating toothed whales produce powerful clicks pneumatically to detect prey in the deep sea where this long-range sensory channel makes them formidable top predators. However, air supplies for sound production compress with depth following Boyle’s law suggesting that deep-diving whales must use very small air volumes per echolocation click to facilitate continuous sensory flow in foraging dives. Here we test this hypothesis by analysing click-induced acoustic resonances in the nasal air sacs, recorded by biologging tags. Using 27000 clicks from 102 dives of 23 tagged pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus), we show that click production requires only 50 µL of air/click at 500 m depth increasing gradually to 100 µL at 1000 m. With such small air volumes, the metabolic cost of sound production is on the order of 40 J per dive which is a negligible fraction of the field metabolic rate. Nonetheless, whales must make frequent pauses in echolocation to recycle air between nasal sacs. Thus, frugal use of air and periodic recycling of very limited air volumes enable pilot whales, and likely other toothed whales, to echolocate cheaply and almost continuously throughout foraging dives, providing them with a strong sensory advantage in diverse aquatic habitats. This is an Open Access paper and it is freely accessible online at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-51619-6. If you have any problems with the above link or any questions, please feel free to contact me at lifosk(a)hotmail.com<mailto:lifosk@hotmail.com>. Best wishes, Ilias Ilias Foskolos, PhD Fellow Marine Bioacoustics Lab<https://marinebioacoustics.wordpress.com/> Zoophysiology, Dept. Bioscience Aarhus University C.F. Møllers Allé 3, Building 1131 DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark E-mail: lifosk(a)hotmail.com<mailto:lifosk@hotmail.com> ResearchGate<https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ilias_Foskolos3> Twitter: theclickitclick<https://twitter.com/theclickitclick> Phone: (+45) 50656572

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