May 2020 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Research Internship at Dolphin Research Center
by Christina McMullen 12 May '20

12 May '20

Dolphin Research Center - Research Internship Dolphin Research Center (DRC) is currently accepting applications for Research Interns for the Fall 2020 term (September - December). DRC is a not-for-profit education and research facility, providing sanctuary and a forever home to a family of dolphins and sea lions. DRC is located on Grassy Key, in the heart of the Florida Keys. Internships at DRC are an exciting way to develop career skills as well as an opportunity to see how a marine mammal facility operates. Research interns participate in DRC's ongoing behavioral, cognitive, and field research projects, giving them broad exposure to a variety of research methodologies. Interns receive extensive on-the-job training in observing marine mammal behavior, collecting observational data, working with research equipment, and assisting with experimental research sessions. Note: conducting your own research projects is not part of this position. Specific job duties include: · Collecting observational behavioral data · Preparing stimuli for cognitive research sessions · Assisting in setting up and breaking down equipment for cognitive and acoustic research sessions · Operating video equipment · Entering or scanning data into the computer for analysis · General support of the facility through participation in the volunteer resource pool (facility maintenance, bird care, assisting with public programs, guest interactions, etc.) Internships require a minimum of a 16-week commitment, 40 hours per week. The internship is unpaid, and interns are responsible for providing their own housing. DRC will provide assistance in locating housing and/or matching up interns and volunteers desiring roommates. Successful candidates will be ready and willing to learn, self-motivated, and flexible. Prior research experience is recommended but not required. The deadline to apply is June 1st, 2020. To apply, you must complete the application available at www.dolphins.org. Click "Careers", and then "Internships”. It is mandatory that you please provide the following materials: - A completed Application Form (including your Internship Preferences in order of choice) - A current Resume - Transcript (may be unofficial unless you are seeking a credit for your internship) - Two Letters of Recommendation with an original signature. (If currently enrolled in college, one letter must be from your Faculty Advisor) Application may be submitted online or in physical form. Please send your application, supporting documentation and any additional information you wish that you feel would be beneficial to us in processing your application by email to drc-vr(a)dolphins.org, by fax to the attention of Volunteer Resource at (305) 743-7627, or by regular mail: Dolphin Research Center Attn: Volunteer Resources Department 58901 Overseas Highway Grassy Key, FL 33050 USA Select publications: Jaakkola, K., Guarino, E., Donegan, K., & King, S.L. (2018). Bottlenose dolphins can understand their partner’s role in a cooperative task. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences, 20180948. ( http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2018.0948) King, S.L., Guarino, E., Keaton, L., Erb, L., & Jaakkola, K. (2016). Maternal signature whistle use aids mother-calf reunions in a bottlenose dolphin,Tursiops truncatus. Behavioural Processes, 126, 64-70. King, S. L., Guarino, E., Donegan, K., Hecksher, J., & Jaakkola, K (in press). Further insights into postpatrum signature whistle use in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Marine Mammal Science. Jaakkola, K. (2014). Do animals understand invisible displacement? A critical review. Journal of Comparative Psychology, Vol. 128, No. 3, 225-239. Jaakkola, K., Guarino, E., Rodriguez, M., & Hecksher, J. (2013). Switching strategies: A dolphin's use of passive and active acoustics to imitate motor actions. Animal Cognition, 16, 701-709. Jaakkola, K. (2012). Cetacean cognitive specializations. In J. Vonk & T. Shackleford (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Evolutionary Psychology (pp. 144–165). New York: Oxford University Press. Jaakkola, K., Guarino, E., & Rodriguez, M. (2010). Blindfolded imitation in a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). International Journal of Comparative Psychology, 23, 671-688. Jaakkola, K., Guarino, E., Rodriguez, M., Erb, L., & Trone, M. (2010). What do dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) understand about hidden objects? Animal Cognition, 13, 103-120. Jaakkola, K., Fellner, W., Erb, L., Rodriguez, A. M., & Guarino, E. (2005). Understanding the concept of numerically “less” by bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Journal of Comparative Psychology.

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FULL TIME JOB POSITION - Cetacean Researcher in Portugal
by AIMM Internships 11 May '20

11 May '20

Dear all, The Marine Environment Research Association – AIMM is recruiting a Researcher to join its team! The successful candidate will be expected to work effectively within a small team and will get involved in the multiple tasks of our NGO, such as, research projects and educational activities, logistics and administration management. More details will be given to selected candidates for interview. Ideal candidates for this paid position will: · have a background in Biological or Environmental Sciences · hold a PhD degree (awarded or to be awarded soon) in a relevant area · have previous experience with cetaceans and marine sciences · have Portuguese nationality (*highly desirable*) or EU nationality (mandatory) · be fluent in Portuguese (*highly desirable*) and/or English · be able to start working soon (July 2020) · have proven experience in team leadership and group supervision · have demonstrated capacity to work independently and a proactive attitude at work · have good knowledge of data analysis and experience writing technical reports · have experience in writing scientific articles · have experience in writing grant applications · have experience in fundraising · be highly motivated, versatile and responsible · be organised with genuine attention to details To apply please send a copy of your CV (including two references) and motivation letter written in Portuguese or English to hr(a)aimmportugal.org with the subject "*Investigador 2020*". Motivation letter should describe applicant experience, long term research, interests and background (age, gender, work/life experience, etc). Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, age, sex, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Applications need to be submitted by May 30, 2020. Thank you! -- *AIMM Portugal* - Ass. Investigação do Meio Marinho | Marine Environment Research Association *Website*: www.aimmportugal.org [image: AIMM Portugal | facebook] <https://www.facebook.com/AIMM.org/> [image: AIMM Portugal | twitter] <https://twitter.com/AIMMPortugal> [image: AIMM Portugal | instagram] <https://www.instagram.com/aimmportugal_org/> [image: AIMM Portugal | youtube] <http://www.youtube.com/c/AimmportugalOrg>

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New paper " Continuous Focal Group Follows Operated by a Drone Enable Analysis of the Relation Between Sociality and Position in a Group of Male Risso’s Dolphins (Grampus griseus)"
by Nova Atlantis 11 May '20

11 May '20

Dear colleagues, My co-authors and I are pleased to share our recent publication in Frontiers in Marine Science/ Marine Mageafauna Hartman K, van der Harst P and Vilela R (2020) Continuous Focal Group Follows Operated by a Drone Enable Analysis of the Relation Between Sociality and Position in a Group of Male Risso’s Dolphins (Grampus griseus). Front. Mar. Sci. 7:283. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2020.00283 Link to paper (full open-access): https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.00283 Abstract: Relationships between social status and relative position of group-living animals have been described in a variety of species. For wild cetaceans, who spend most of their time underwater, collecting detailed, continuous data to assess such relationships depends highly on group size, formation, shyness of animals and observation platform. We test a new method for focal group sampling using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), focusing on one long-term followed group of 13 male Risso’s dolphins (*Grampus griseus*) in the Azores, Portugal. We aim to assess the usefulness of a UAV in delivering robust data to evaluate sociality in relation to relative position. Our analysis is based on recordings of synchronous breathing events, which are taken as an indicator of association strength. Twenty-one separate UAV flights were performed during seven surveys in July–August 2017, recording 2,886 breathing events and 571 synchronous dyads. Results showed strong differences in sociality between individuals and identified two strongly associated pairs, one strongly associated trio and six less associated individuals within the group. We subsequently created continuous time series of relative positions by interpolation of the positions recorded with the UAV at breathing events, and applied the Dynamic Time Warping method to assess associations based on relative position. This analysis identified more detailed association patterns than the synchrony analysis, and revealed a correlation between measures of sociality and relative position, at an individual and sub-cluster level, which may indicate dominant relationships. We compared results with those obtained with Photo-ID to assess any observation bias related to using a UAV. We found that 37% more breathing events were recorded with the UAV, and 21% more synchronous dyads detected, compared with Photo-ID, collected over the same observation periods, but, based on synchrony data, both methods yielded very similar results. We conclude that using a UAV for focal group follows of Risso’s dolphins enables a more granular study of association patterns than Photo-ID, by taking into account the relative position of individuals. The correlation found between measures of sociality and relative position holds promise for using UAVs in future studies of dominant relationships in Risso’s dolphins and other cetacean species. Keywords: UAV, focal group follow, Risso’s dolphins, male associations, synchrony, relative position, dynamic time warping, levels of association Please contact me if you have any questions. Best, Karin Hartman Nova Atlantis Foundation oceanwatch(a)gmail.com www.nova-atlantis.org

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Remote Internships at DMAD
by Selina Brouwer 11 May '20

11 May '20

Dear all, *Please find below details of our Remote Internship with DMAD* Many countries have closed their borders and it is currently almost impossible to travel due to the outbreak of COVID-19 but that doesn't mean that you can't benefit from our knowledge and develop your career or get help with your thesis remotely. Students and graduates can receive both research and public outreach experience working with the DMAD team. http://www.dmad.org.tr/remote-internships WHO ARE DMAD AND WHAT DO WE DO? DMAD - Marine Mammals Research Association have scientific projects running in Turkey, Montenegro and Albania. We conduct long-term studies of marine mammals in Istanbul, Antalya, the Levantine sea, Montenegrin coastal waters and the northern coastline of Albania. We aim to address questions about marine mammal abundance, distribution and behaviour, define critical habitats and investigate the impact of major threats, ranging from tourism to hydrocarbon exploration. Our wider attention focuses on the promotion and implementation of awareness initiatives targeted at the local community. More details on the projects can be found here: http://www.dmad.org.tr/our-projects WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR? For BSc and MSc students that want to develop a scientific project thesis. ABOUT THE INTERNSHIP: The DMAD team provides lectures and training as well as constant support. You will be given the chance to learn the most popular methodologies used in marine mammal research including: -Marine mammal species identification within the Mediterranean -Population statuses and threats to marine mammals within the Mediterranean -Survey design and techniques: Land and boat surveys -Software used in the field (Pythagoras, Logger 2010) -Data analysis using GIS, R, Distance, Mark -Scientific support on manuscript and technical report writing including thesis supervision PARTICIPATION FEE: The internship is for 100 hours and requires a contribution fee of 380euro, which fully goes to supporting the project. WHATS INCLUDED IN THE FEE: -PDF copies of the training and lectures -Audio recordings -Scientific support through weekly Skype calls -Real data and practical examples to work through -Certification HOW TO APPLY Email your CV and cover letter to info(a)dmad.org.tr, explaining the subject of your thesis in the cover letter. If you wish to have more info about our other internships and work please take a look at some of our web pages and social media: Our research: http://www.dmad.org.tr/our-projects Our remote internships: http://www.dmad.org.tr/remote-internships Our publications: http://www.dmad.org.tr/our-publications Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marinemammalsresearch/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DMADforNature/ All the best, DMAD team *info(a)dmad.org.tr <info(a)dmad.org.tr>* *www.dmad.org.tr <http://www.dmad.org.tr/>*

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New publication: Wide dispersal of recently weaned grey seal pups in the Southern North Sea
by Verena Peschko 11 May '20

11 May '20

Dear all, On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to announce the recent publication of our article in the ICES Journal of Marine Science: *Wide dispersal of recently weaned grey seal pups in the **Southern North Sea* Verena Peschko, Sabine Müller, Philipp Schwemmer, Moritz Mercker, Peter Lienau, Tanja Rosenberger, Janne Sundermeyer, and Stefan Garthe** ** Abstract Grey seals have become an important part of the ecosystem in the southern North Sea over the last 50 years. However, little is known about their spatial utilization of the German North Sea, especially in relation to the dispersal and behaviour of grey seal pups after weaning. We investigated these little-known aspects by recording the movements of 11 grey seal pups born at the largest German colony for 1– 9 months after leaving the colony between 2015 and 2017. The individuals moved widely throughout the southern North Sea, including some individuals that moved far along the Danish coast or to Dutch and UK waters. A point process modelling approach revealed that pups increased their distance to Helgoland during the first 70 d at sea. The frequency of inferred foraging behaviour increased until week 7 and decreased afterwards, whereas fast travelling behaviour increased throughout the whole study period. These findings reflect the transition from naive to more experienced pups, with gradual increases in foraging effort, range and efficiency to account for their increasing energy demands for survival and growth. This study provides the first characterization of the dispersal, behaviour, and spatial utilization of recently weaned grey seal pups in the southern North Sea, which profoundly extents our knowledge of an increasingly important top predator in that area. Available at : https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsaa045 Please, do not hesitate to contact me (peschko(a)ftz-west.uni-kiel.de) if you have any queries regarding to this article or to request a PDF copy. Best regards, Verena Peschko -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Verena Peschko Research and Technology Centre (FTZ) University of Kiel Hafentörn 1 25761 Büsum Germany Tel: +49 4834 604 250 Fax: +49 4834 604 299 e-mail: peschko(a)ftz-west.uni-kiel.de ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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New paper: Intra- and inter-annual variation in gray whale body condition on a foraging ground
by Leila Lemos 10 May '20

10 May '20

Dear MARMAM community, my co-authors and I are pleased to share our newest publication at Ecosphere: Lemos LS, Burnett JD, Chandler TE, Sumich JL, Torres LG. 2020. Intra�\ and inter�\annual variation in gray whale body condition on a foraging ground. Ecosphere 11(4):e03094. Abstract: Baleen whales store energy gained on foraging grounds to support reproduction and other metabolic needs while fasting for long periods during migration. Whale body condition can be used to monitor foraging success, and thus better understand and anticipate individual�\ and population�\level trends in reproduction and survival. We assessed the body condition of eastern North Pacific gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) on their foraging grounds along the Oregon coast, USA, from June to October of three consecutive years (2016�C2018). We used drone photogrammetry and applied the body area index (BAI) to measure and compare whale body condition, which is a continuous, unitless metric similar to the body mass index in humans. A total of 289 drone flights were carried out over 106 photo�\identified whales, which were grouped into demographic units by sex, maturity, and female reproductive status. Calves and pregnant females displayed the highest BAIs, followed by resting females, mature males, and, finally, lactating females, reflecting the significant energetic demands on reproductive females. In all three years, gray whale body condition improved with the progression of feeding seasons, demonstrating the accumulation of body energy reserves on the foraging grounds. Yet, body condition was significantly better in 2016 than in 2017 and 2018 when overall body depletion was observed, indicating a difference in prey availability and/or quality between years. We analyzed local upwelling patterns between 2013 and 2018 as an oceanographic proxy for prey and determined significantly greater upwelling between 2013 and 2015 than low upwelling years between 2016 and 2018. We hypothesize that these upwelling patterns created ecosystem shifts in primary productivity and zooplankton prey of gray whales, causing carry�\over effects between foraging success and body condition in subsequent years. This study demonstrates the value of monitoring whale body condition to better understand temporal variation in foraging success, and potentially detect and describe the causes of anomalous changes in whale population health, such as the 2019 gray whale mortality event. Here is a link to the full article: https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ecs2.3094 Best regards, Leila S. Lemos, PhD Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Laboratory Oregon State University +1(971)3409610

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New publication: Satellite derived offshore migratory movements of southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) from Australian and New Zealand wintering grounds
by Alice Mackay 10 May '20

10 May '20

Dear all, On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to announce the recent publication of our article in PLOS ONE, *Satellite derived offshore migratory movements of southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) from Australian and New Zealand wintering grounds * Alice I. Mackay, Frédéric Bailleul, Emma L. Carroll, Virginia Andrews-Goff, C. Scott Baker, John Bannister, Laura Boren, Kris Carlyon, David M. Donnelly, Michael Double, Simon D. Goldsworthy, Robert Harcourt, Dirk Holman, Andrew Lowther, Guido J. Parra, Simon J. Childerhouse * <https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alice_Mackay> *Abstract Southern right whales (*Eubalaena australis*) migrate between Austral-winter calving and socialising grounds to offshore mid- to high latitude Austral-summer feeding grounds. In Australasia, winter calving grounds used by southern right whales extend from Western Australia across southern Australia to the New Zealand sub-Antarctic Islands. During the Austral-summer these whales are thought to migrate away from coastal waters to feed, but the location of these feeding grounds is only inferred from historical whaling data. We present new information on the satellite derived offshore migratory movements of six southern right whales from Australasian wintering grounds. Two whales were tagged at the Auckland Islands, New Zealand, and the remaining four at Australian wintering grounds, one at Pirates Bay, Tasmania, and three at Head of Bight, South Australia. The six whales were tracked for an average of 78.5 days (range: 29 to 150) with average individual distance of 38 km per day (range: 20 to 61 km). The length of individually derived tracks ranged from 645–6,381 km. Three likely foraging grounds were identified: south-west Western Australia, the Subtropical Front, and Antarctic waters, with the Subtropical Front appearing to be a feeding ground for both New Zealand and Australian southern right whales. In contrast, the individual tagged in Tasmania, from a sub-population that is not showing evidence of post-whaling recovery, displayed a distinct movement pattern to much higher latitude waters, potentially reflecting a different foraging strategy. Variable population growth rates between wintering grounds in Australasia could reflect fidelity to different quality feeding grounds. Unlike some species of baleen whale populations that show movement along migratory corridors, the new satellite tracking data presented here indicate variability in the migratory pathways taken by southern right whales from Australia and New Zealand, as well as differences in potential Austral summer foraging grounds. The article is open access and available to download at: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0231577 Kind regards, Alice Science Consulting Services E: Alice.I.Mackay(a)gmail.com Research Gate <https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alice_Mackay> <https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alice_Mackay>

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marine mammal necropsy workshop
by Thierry Jauniaux 08 May '20

08 May '20

With the consideration of the COVID situation, the annual marine mammal necropsy workshop will be organized next September or October. Nevertheless, the workshop is now in 2 periods: a one-day (4x2 hours) webinar (Marine mammal necropsy webinar) organized in July, that should be considered as pre-requisite for the 14th annual workshop. Such organization in 2 periods should be also for the future edition of the workshop. Then in: 1. July: on-line “Marine mammal necropsy webinar”: - 2 hours of dissection and samplings protocol, including tele-necropsy/on-line procedure concept - 2 hours of on-line necropsy demonstration - 2 hours of inner ear extraction - 2 hours of on-line inner ear demonstration After the webinar, records of the procedures and demonstration will be available on the workshop website but only for the participants 2. Sept. or October: “14th annual marine mammal necropsy workshop” (3 days), University of Liege, Liege, Belgium Details for the organization will be available soon For the organization T. Jauniaux Thierry Jauniaux, DMV, PhD Dept of Veterinary Pathology University of Liege Associate Professor Diplomate of European College of Zoological Medicine (Wildlife population Health)

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New publication: Timing is everything: Drivers of interannual variability in blue whale migration
by Angela Szesciorka 08 May '20

08 May '20

Dear colleagues, My co-authors and I are pleased to share our recent publication in *Scientific Reports*: Szesciorka, A.R., Ballance, L.T., Širović, A. et al. Timing is everything: Drivers of interannual variability in blue whale migration. *Sci Rep* 10, 7710 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-64855-y Link to paper (full open-access): https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-64855-y Abstract: Blue whales need to time their migration from their breeding grounds to their feeding grounds to avoid missing peak prey abundances, but the cues they use for this are unknown. We examine migration timing (inferred from the local onset and cessation of blue whale calls recorded on seafloor-mounted hydrophones), environmental conditions (e.g., sea surface temperature anomalies and chlorophyll a), and prey (spring krill biomass from annual net tow surveys) during a 10 year period (2008–2017) in waters of the Southern California Region where blue whales feed in the summer. Colder sea surface temperature anomalies the previous season were correlated with greater krill biomass the following year, and earlier arrival by blue whales. Our results demonstrate a plastic response of blue whales to interannual variability and the importance of krill as a driving force behind migration timing. A decadal-scale increase in temperature due to climate change has led to blue whales extending their overall time in Southern California. By the end of our 10-year study, whales were arriving at the feeding grounds more than one month earlier, while their departure date did not change. Conservation strategies will need to account for increased anthropogenic threats resulting from longer times at the feeding grounds. Please contact me if you have any questions. Best, Angela -- Angela R. Szesciorka, M.Sc. Ph.D. Candidate, Dr. Nancy Foster Fellow Scripps Institution of Oceanography NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center (c) 650-787-9462 | (w) 858-546-7066

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IMMS Animal Training Internship Fall 2020
by Stephanie James 08 May '20

08 May '20

The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies in Gulfport, MS is accepting applications for our Fall term. *The deadline for applications is June 1st.* Please visit our website https://imms.org/internship/ for details on how to apply or send questions to sjames(a)imms.org The IMMS Animal Training Internship Program is designed as a way for students/individuals interested in a career in animal care and training to gain valuable experience in a real-world setting. Interns will primarily be trained in aspects of animal care, but will also participate in other activities at IMMS. Our goal is to give interns a well-rounded experience in a variety of areas while providing expert training and experience. The IMMS animal care and training staff is in charge of caring for Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, California sea lions, and large parrots. Interns will work directly with animal care staff and be exposed to all aspects of the daily routine. Heavy emphasis is placed on basic tasks such as food preparation, and daily cleaning and facility maintenance. Interns will learn how to train animals with operant conditioning through observation and may assist during sessions. Interns will also complete a project during their internship, give educational presentations to guests before they interact with our animals, as well as help staff with daily water quality. Because we want interns to have a well-rounded experience, they will also be asked to assist in other departments. Interns may participate as 1) environmental educators and assist in giving presentations to the public, 2) research assistants that help with our many wild dolphin based research studies, or 3) emergency responders as IMMS is part of the Southeast Regional Marine Mammal Stranding Network and responds to stranded marine mammals and sea turtles. Interested applicants must follow the directions listed on the website to apply. Interns must be: • 18 years or older. • A recent graduate or actively pursuing a college degree in the sciences. • Willing to accept the internship as an unpaid position. • Able to commit to a minimum of at least 12 weeks, 40 hours a week. The internship can be extended depending on work performance. • Available to work weekdays, weekends, and holidays. • Able to lift 50 lbs, work long hours on your feet, and work outside in extreme conditions. • Able to maintain a positive attitude, good work ethic, sense of responsibility, and a strong willingness to learn. • Financially stable enough to obtain housing and transportation, though IMMS staff will do their best to assist you in making arrangements. • Able to comply with IMMS rules and regulations.

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