January 2021 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

New Publication: Exposure to domoic acid is an ecological driver of cardiac disease in southern sea otters (Megan Moriarty)
by Megan Moriarty 17 Jan '21

17 Jan '21

Dear colleagues, My collaborators and I are excited to announce the publication of our new paper "Exposure to domoic acid is an ecological driver of cardiac disease in southern sea otters" in *Harmful Algae*. The abstract is below and the full article is available open-access here https://authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S1568-9883(20)30252-3 Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions. Happy New Year! Megan Moriarty *Abstract* Harmful algal blooms produce toxins that bioaccumulate in the food web and adversely affect humans, animals, and entire marine ecosystems. Blooms of the diatom Pseudo-nitzschia can produce domoic acid (DA), a toxin that most commonly causes neurological disease in endothermic animals, with cardiovascular effects that were first recognized in southern sea otters. Over the last 20 years, DA toxicosis has caused significant morbidity and mortality in marine mammals and seabirds along the west coast of the USA. Identifying DA exposure has been limited to toxin detection in biological fluids using biochemical assays, yet measurement of systemic toxin levels is an unreliable indicator of exposure dose or timing. Furthermore, there is little information regarding repeated DA exposure in marine wildlife. Here, the association between long-term environmental DA exposure and fatal cardiac disease was investigated in a longitudinal study of 186 free-ranging sea otters in California from 2001 – 2017, highlighting the chronic health effects of a marine toxin. A novel Bayesian spatiotemporal approach was used to characterize environmental DA exposure by combining several DA surveillance datasets and integrating this with life history data from radio-tagged otters in a time-dependent survival model. In this study, a sea otter with high DA exposure had a 1.7-fold increased hazard of fatal cardiomyopathy compared to an otter with low exposure. Otters that consumed a high proportion of crab and clam had a 2.5- and 1.2-times greater hazard of death due to cardiomyopathy than otters that consumed low proportions. Increasing age is a well-established predictor of cardiac disease, but this study is the first to identify that DA exposure affects the risk of cardiomyopathy more substantially in prime-age adults than aged adults. A 4-year-old otter with high DA exposure had 2.3 times greater risk of fatal cardiomyopathy than an otter with low exposure, while a 10-year old otter with high DA exposure had just 1.2 times greater risk. High Toxoplasma gondii titers also increased the hazard of death due to heart disease 2.4-fold. Domoic acid exposure was most detrimental for prime-age adults, whose survival and reproduction are vital for population growth, suggesting that persistent DA exposure will likely impact longterm viability of this threatened species. These results offer insight into the pervasiveness of DA in the food web and raise awareness of under-recognized chronic health effects of DA for wildlife at a time when toxic blooms are on the rise. -- Megan Moriarty, DVM, MPVM, PhD Free-ranging Wildlife Health Resident Veterinarian California Department of Fish and Wildlife Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center | One Health Institute University of California Davis memoriarty(a)ucdavis.edu

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New publication : Behavioural impact assessment of unmanned aerial vehicles on Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii)
by Laborie Joris 17 Jan '21

17 Jan '21

Dear MARMAM community, My collaborators, Karine Heerah and I are pleased to share our new publication, "Behavioural impact assessment of unmanned aerial vehicles on Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii)" *Summary *: The rapid increase in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in wildlife research has raised concerns about its potential negative impact on animals. The paucity of studies and the variability of responses of pinnipeds to UAVs prompts the need for species-specific impact assessments. Here we assessed the potential behavioural impact of low altitude UAVs on Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii). This is a preliminary step to envisage the feasibility of replacing and/or complementing traditional ground-based behavioural and morphometric measurements by potentially less invasive UAV aerial images. We flew a small UAV (DJI Mavic 2 zoom fitted with a phocid seal audiogram weighted source level of 84 dB re 20 μ Pa (rms)) over 37 Weddell seals (3 adult males, 12 adult females and 22 mother-pup pairs) during the breeding season at Dumont D’Urville, East Antarctica. For each individual, we assessed the level of reaction during UAV overflights at three altitudes (25, 20 and 15 m) while factoring in pup presence and wind speed. For all altitudes and observations pooled together, Weddell seals predominantly (88%) showed little (vigilant) or no (resting) reactions towards the UAV. Moreover, only 27% of all individuals changed their initial activity during the sampling periods, and mothers rarely ended their nursing bouts (3%). While reactions were low overall, the probability of a stronger reaction occurring increased at lower altitudes, and varied among individuals. Neither the presence of pups nor a change in wind speed appear to influence individuals’ response to the UAV significantly. However, on simpler histogram representations of the dataset, we observed the strongest reactions for females (n = 5) with a pup at wind speeds below 5 m.s −1 when ambient noise levels were lowest. While Weddell seals are likely to hear the UAV at 25 to 15 m altitude in low wind speeds, the low-level responses we observed are unlikely to negatively impact their energetic budget and/or reproductive success. Our results suggest a low impact of small UAV overflights of Weddell seals during the breeding season when flying ≥25 m. This allows for collection of high resolution images for behavioural and morphometric studies that can potentially replace more invasive data collection when capturing and handling the animals. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2020.151509 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022098120305153?via%3Di… Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions ! Cheers, Joris

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JNCC MMO and PAM eLearning Courses
by Alison Gill 17 Jan '21

17 Jan '21

Intelligent Ocean Ltd is pleased to offer two eLearning courses JNCC Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) eLearning Training Course (GBP 150 per person) Passive Acoustic Monitoring and PAMGUARD Software eLearning Training Course (GBP 150 per person) The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) MMO registered course is required for you to work as a Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) in UK Continental Shelf waters during offshore projects such as seismic surveys, pile-driving and projects involving the use of explosives. This course has been created in response to the coronavirus crisis and has been approved by the JNCC as a valid alternative to the usual classroom taught course. Alternatively, project managers or interested parties may wish to complete this course for awareness of how MMOs work or for Continuous Professional Development (CPD). The Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) course is designed to introduce this technique of monitoring for marine mammals to MMOs, researchers, project managers or any other interested parties. It covers basic acoustic theory, the use of a spectrogram to view example marine mammal vocalisation types and other ocean noise, PAM equipment components, assembly and deployment and finally an exercise in configuring the industry standard PAM software - PAMGUARD. To complete the eLearning courses you simply log in, read, learn and then pass assessments based on the course content. You set the pace of your learning. You will have access to the course for 12 months. Full details of how to purchase these courses is available on our website at the following link where you can also find details of the course contents https://www.intelligentocean.com/ <https://www.intelligentocean.com/index.htm> Companies wishing to sign up members of their staff please email info(a)intelligentocean.com <mailto:info@intelligentocean.com> for registration and invoicing. Intelligent Ocean’s staff have extensive experience of working offshore as MMOs and PAM operators in addition to marine mammal survey work and nature guiding. Our training experience and client list can be viewed here https://www.intelligentocean.com/clientlist.htm <https://www.intelligentocean.com/clientlist.htm> Alison Gill Intelligent Ocean Ltd www.intelligentocean.com -- This email has been checked for viruses by AVG. https://www.avg.com

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CORRECTION: community survey on collaborative sample sharing
by Amy Van Cise 16 Jan '21

16 Jan '21

***Please note that the original email used a link to an incorrect version of this survey. The link has been corrected in the email that is below, and can also be found here <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdhNckKcgfcWijZRLs6mJi0KMzPnTSp9xR…> . Dear MARMAM community, In an effort to estimate the frequency and extent of collaborative sample sharing in marine mammal research, I and my colleagues have generated a short (3-5 minute) survey <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdhNckKcgfcWijZRLs6mJi0KMzPnTSp9xR…> and are hoping for responses from a representative sample of the marine mammal research community. The survey comes in two sections: the first section documents published studies that have involved sample sharing and is intended for analysis to be included in an upcoming literature review of best practices in sample collection, processing, and archival; the second (optional) section assesses individual interest in sharing samples or data for collaborative studies and is intended only to gauge community opinion on this topic and the potential for future workshops or discussion of the topic. We appreciate your support in completing this survey <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdhNckKcgfcWijZRLs6mJi0KMzPnTSp9xR…>. Please complete the survey by *January 29, 2021*. Although response time may vary, we expect it to take an average of *3-5 minutes* to complete both sections of the survey. survey url: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdhNckKcgfcWijZRLs6mJi0KMzPnTSp9xR… Thank you all for your help, and best wishes in 2021. Sincerely, Kim Parsons, Alix Switzer, and Amy Van Cise <*)))>< <*)))>< <*)))>< <*)))>< <*)))>< <*)))>< <*)))>< <*)))>< Amy M. Van Cise, Ph.D. <https://amyvancise.weebly.com/> (she/her/hers) Research Associate, North Gulf Oceanic Society <http://www.whalesalaska.org/> Visiting Scientist, Genetics and Evolution Program <https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/west-coast/science-data/genetics-and-evoluti…> NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center 2725 Montlake Blvd E Seattle, WA

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Summer 2021 Internship - Galveston Bay Dolphin Research Program
by Kristi F 16 Jan '21

16 Jan '21

Link to online posting: https://galvestonbaydolphin.org/summer-research-internship/ The Environmental Institute of Houston is seeking a dedicated intern to assist with collection, entry and analysis of bottlenose dolphin population and health data in Galveston Bay, Texas. The position will entail a combination of field and office work during May – August 2021 (start and end dates may be flexible to accommodate school schedules). Previous wildlife management and/or marine mammal coursework, field and photo-identification experience are highly desirable. Salary: $1,200 per month (temporary full-time, not benefits eligible) Education requirements: Bachelor’s degree in marine/wildlife/conservation biology, ecology, or similar field. COVID-19 NOTICE: Candidate must be willing to follow applicable covid-19 protocols to keep themselves and their team members safe and be prepared to potentially work virtually for a portion of internship duties. The qualified candidate must: -Commit to a full time Monday through Friday work schedule and maintain flexibility for potentially long field days and occasional weekend work. -Provide own lodging and transportation for office located in the Clear Lake area of Houston, TX. -Have the ability to carefully follow instructions, work independently on sometimes tedious tasks and pay close attention to detail. -Have the ability to work long field days on a small boat in Texas heat, often in inclement or challenging conditions. -Be experienced and comfortable using word, data and image processing software including Microsoft Office and Adobe products. -Be willing to occasionally work on other environmental research related projects at EIH. -Provide contact information for three references (from a faculty member, advisor or employer). -Pass a criminal background and motor vehicle background check prior to hiring. To Apply: Submit a cover letter, resume and contact information for three references to Kristi Fazioli at fazioli(a)uhcl.edu. APPLICATION DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 19, 2021

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IFAW Marine Mammal Stranding Internships - Summer 2021
by Kasper, Kira 15 Jan '21

15 Jan '21

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is currently accepting applications for summer 2021 Marine Mammal Stranding Internships. IFAW Marine Mammal Stranding Internship Summer Session 2021 (First Week of June, 2021 - Last week of August, 2021) Complete Applications Due: February 15th, 2021 Program Background IFAW is an international non-profit organization. This internship is based out of our International Operations Center in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts, USA. IFAW's Marine Mammal Rescue and Research program is a federally authorized program dedicated to marine mammal stranding response on Cape Cod and southeastern Massachusetts. Our program strives to promote the conservation of marine mammal species and their habitat by improving the rescue and humane care of stranded marine mammals, advancing stranding science, and increasing public awareness through education. Cape Cod is a marine mammal stranding "hot spot," with an average of over 261 strandings occurring each year. These strandings include live and dead seals, whales, porpoises, and dolphins. Stranding Intern Duties * Stranding hotline coverage: answer calls, document reports, educate callers, dispatch volunteers, complete associated paperwork and enter data. * Marine mammal stranding response and necropsy: assist staff with all aspects of marine mammal stranding response, including live animal health assessment and supportive care, biological data collection, post-mortem examinations and sampling in both field and laboratory settings. * Stranding / necropsy readiness: cleaning, organizing and maintaining stranding response and necropsy gear, equipment and facilities, restocking kits and supplies. * Data entry / sample processing: assist in entry of stranding data. Assist in organizing, cataloging, disseminating and archiving of photos, videos, datasheets, samples, etc. * Outreach: assist staff with training and outreach material preparation and organization, participate in opportunistic outreach at stranding sites, participate in community events. Please see the following link for the full posting and to apply: https://recruiting.ultipro.com/INT1059IFFA/JobBoard/17b588a3-808b-4bc9-aea8… Kira Kasper Stranding Technician Marine Mammal Rescue and Research 290 Summer Street Yarmouth Port, MA 02675 United States Please note: my schedule varies regularly and I often work outside of the M-F 9-5 timeframe. +1 508 744 2265 (office) +1 508 743 9548 (stranding hotline) www.ifaw.org<https://www.ifaw.org/> [ifaw]<https://www.ifaw.org/> The content of this email is intended only for the use of the above-named addressee and may contain information that is confidential, proprietary, and/or legally privileged. Please notify the sender if you received this email in error.

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New publication: Specimens of opportunity provide vital information for research and conservation regarding elusive whale species
by Kerri J. Smith 15 Jan '21

15 Jan '21

Dear MARMAM community, My colleagues and I are pleased to share our new publication, "Specimens of opportunity provide vital information for research and conservation regarding elusive whale species." *Summary*: Elusive species are challenging to study and conserve because basic elements of their biology may be unknown. Specimens of opportunity provide a means of collecting information on these species and may be critical for elusive species’ conservation. We used snowball sampling to identify Sowerby’s beaked whale (Mesoplodon bidens) specimens in museums and research institutions. Snowball sampling proved highly effective: we located 180 specimens from 24 institutions in North America and Europe, 62 of which were not listed in online collections databases, resulting in the largest collated dataset for this species. Analysis of these data resulted in several new findings for this species, including significant morphological variation between specimens from different collection regions, suggesting the presence of previously unidentified population structuring in this species. These data provide critical information regarding this species and demonstrate the effectiveness of specimens of opportunity for elusive species research and conservation. We recommend other researchers consider snowball sampling when designing research projects utilizing specimens of opportunity. Our results demonstrate the usefulness of snowball sampling and specimens of opportunity to elusive species research and conservation, and the methods of our study can be readily adapted for other species. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0376892920000521 Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions! Cheers, Kerri *--Kerri J. Smith, Ph.D.* Postdoctoral Researcher, Biology and Environmental Science, Baylor University Research Fellow - Smithsonian Institution Website <https://kerrijsmith.wordpress.com/>

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Aquatic Mammals issue 47.1 available online
by Kathleen Dudzinski 15 Jan '21

15 Jan '21

Dear MARMAM and ECS Talk subscribers, Happy New Year! I hope everyone reading this email is healthy and will have a positive 2021! Apologies to those of you who will receive duplicate emails due to cross-posting. The titles listed below represent the contents of the most recent issue (Volume 47, issue 1, 2021) of Aquatic Mammals that is published online. Aquatic Mammals is the longest running peer-reviewed journal dedicated to research on aquatic mammals and is published quarterly with manuscripts available as published PDFs in real time. Further information about the journal can be found at: http://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/ <http://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/> To submit a manuscript for publication consideration, please visit: http://am.expressacademic.org/actions/author.php <http://am.expressacademic.org/actions/author.php> Thank you for your continued interest in the journal and abstract postings. With regards, Kathleen M. Dudzinski, Ph.D. Editor, Aquatic Mammals Journal business(a)aquaticmammalsjournal.org <mailto:business@aquaticmammalsjournal.org> Volume 47, Issue 1 (Items preceded by an * are open access) *Fernando R. Elorriaga-Verplancken, Aurora Paniagua-Mendoza, Claudia J. Hernández-Camacho, Marc A. Webber, Romyna Cruz-Vallejo, Corey R. Nevels, and Irma González-López. (2021). A New Guadalupe Fur Seal Colony in the Gulf of California? Ecological and Conservation Implications. Aquatic Mammals, 47(1), 1-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.1 <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.1> Sergio Cobarrubia-Russo, Shannon Barber-Meyer, Guillermo R. Barreto, and Alimar Molero-Lizarraga. (2021). Historic Population Estimates for Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Aragua, Venezuela, Indicate Monitoring Need. Aquatic Mammals, 47(1), 10-20. DOI: https://doi.org/ <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.10>10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.10 <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.10> *Lucy W. Keith-Diagne, Pablo Fernandez de Larrinoa, Tomas Diagne, and Luis Mariano Gonzalez. (2021). First Satellite Tracking of the African Manatee (Trichechus senegalensis) and Movement Patterns in the Senegal River. Aquatic Mammals, 47(1), 21-29. DOI: https://doi.org/ <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.21>10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.21 <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.21> Sagida Nah-Balam, Gaspar Poot-López, and Raúl E. Díaz-Gamboa. (2021). Habitat Characterization of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) Along the Coast of Yucatan, Mexico. Aquatic Mammals, 47(1), 30-35. DOI: https://doi.org/ <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.30>10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.30 <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.30> Alexander A. Zaytsev, Yuri V. Litvinov, Miron V. Pahomov, Alexander R. Troshichev, Andrey P. Yakovlev, and Pavel A. Zavoloka. (2021). Birth of a Halichoerus grypus atlantica (Nehring, 1866) Pup at the Biotechnical Aquacomplex of MMBI RAS. Aquatic Mammals, 47(1), 36-42. DOI: https://doi.org/ <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.36>10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.36 <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.36> Qianhui Zeng, Xianyan Wang, and Qian Zhu. (2021). Preliminary Study on the Reproductive Ecology of a Threatened Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin (Sousa chinensis) Population in Xiamen Bay, China. Aquatic Mammals, 47(1), 43-52. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.43 <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.43> Renan C. de Lima, Juliana C. Di Tullio, Eduardo R. Secchi, Franciele R. Castro, and Genyffer C. Troina. (2021). Delphinid Mixed-Species Associations in the Oceanic Waters of the Western South Atlantic. Aquatic Mammals, 47(1), 53-62. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.53 <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.53> Simon D. Berrow, Nick Massett, Pádraig Whooley, Beatrice V. M. Jann, Pedró Lopez-Suárez, Peter T. Stevick, and Frederick W. Wenzel. (2021). Resightings of Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) from Ireland to a Known Breeding Ground: Cabo Verde, West Africa. Aquatic Mammals, 47(1), 63-70. DOI: https://doi.org/ <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.63>10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.63 <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.63> Anmari Alvarez-Aleman, Daniel Gonzalez-Socoloske, Boris Garcia-Dulzaides, and Leandro Rodriguez-Viera. (2021). First Report of Pygmy Killer Whales (Feresa attenuata) in Cuba. Aquatic Mammals, 47(1), 71-75. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.71 <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.71> *Garrett C. Crooks, Sarah M. Sharp, Constance Merigo, Kathleen M. Moore, and Charles J. Innis. (2021). Hematologic and Serum Biochemical Data from Mass Stranded Long-Finned Pilot Whales (Globicephala melas), Cape Cod, USA, 2002. Aquatic Mammals, 47(1), 76-85. DOI: https://doi.org/ <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.76>10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.76 <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.76> Tetsuya Endo, Osamu Kimura, Masaru Terasaki, and Mari Kobayashi. (2021). Body Length, Stable Carbon, and Nitrogen Isotope Ratios and Mercury Levels in Common Minke Whales Stranded Along the Coast of Hokkaido, Japan. Aquatic Mammals, 47(1), 86-95. DOI: https://doi.org/ <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.86>10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.86 <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.86> Historical Perspectives Essay: *William Ralph Winhall. (2021). Evolution of Reinforcement and Relationships. Aquatic Mammals, 47(1), 96-110. DOI: https://doi.org/ <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.96>10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.96 <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.96>

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New paper
by Michelle Caputo 15 Jan '21

15 Jan '21

New Publication: Common dolphin Delphinus delphis occurrence off the Wild Coast of South Africa (Michelle Caputo) Dear MARMAM community, On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to announce the publication of our new paper on the occurrence of common dolphins off the south-eastern coast of South Africa. Abstract: Despite their typical large group sizes, limited research exists on the occurrence of common dolphins Delphinus delphis because of the pelagic, offshore nature of this species and the lack of barriers to their movement in this environment. The main purpose of our study was to investigate the occurrence of common dolphins off the Wild Coast of South Africa (western Indian Ocean) and whether spatiotemporal and environmental conditions affected their encounter rate, relative abundance and mean group size. The annual sardine run in this region, during austral winter (May to July), is considered a main driver of dolphin occurrence; however, our boat-based surveys over the period 2014–2016 indicated that common dolphins occur and feed in this area outside of this time-frame. In terms of environmental factors, the largest group (~1 250 animals) was found in the deepest waters. Additionally, at Hluleka, dolphins were observed primarily feeding, which could suggest that this coastal area is highly productive. As common dolphin distribution is thought to be correlated with prey distribution, our findings suggest that sufficient prey exists along the Wild Coast both during and outside the annual sardine run to sustain large groups of the dolphins and that their presence in the area is not solely a function of the sardine run. The article is available here: https://doi.org/10.2989/1814232X.2020.1841676 <https://doi.org/10.2989/1814232X.2020.1841676>or by email: michellecaputo3(a)gmail.com <mailto:michellecaputo3@gmail.com>. Kind Regards, Michelle ---------------------------- Dr. Michelle Caputo Post-Doctoral Research Fellow Rhodes University, South Africa & Florida International University, USA

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New publication: bottlenose dolphins in Venezuela
by Shannon Barber-Meyer 14 Jan '21

14 Jan '21

Dear MARMAM community, My colleagues and I are pleased to announce our new publication Historic population estimates for bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Aragua, Venezuela, indicate monitoring need Authors: Sergio Cobarrubia-Russo, Shannon Barber-Meyer, Guillermo R. Barreto, and Alimar Molero-Lizarraga Abstract: This study reports historic, capture-mark-recapture survival and abundance estimates of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) based on photo-identification surveys of coastal Venezuela (along the Aragua coast between Turiamo Bay and Puerto Colombia). We used the most recent data available: dolphins identified by unique dorsal fin marks during wet and dry season surveys conducted from 2004-2008. Dolphin encounter histories were analyzed in the Closed Capture Robust Design framework, with the top model including random movement, constant survival, and capture-recapture probabilities that varied by secondary periods. Survival of marked adults was estimated at 0.99 (95% CI = 0.97-1.00). Population estimates for all adults (marked and unmarked) averaged 31 animals (SD = 13.8), and for all dolphins (all adults and calves), 41 animals (SD = 17.2). Coastal bottlenose dolphins face numerous threats including ship strikes, oil spills, conflict with recreational and industrial fisheries, other negative human interactions, biotoxins, chemicals, noise, freshwater discharge, and coastal development. Further, small populations are, in general, at increased risk due to reduced resiliency and recovery potential when exposed to such threats and to expected environmental and demographic stochasticity. These historic estimates of abundance and survival are critical for establishing a reference state and indicate a need for ongoing monitoring of the small dolphin population while the Aragua coast is still, as-of-yet relatively little-impacted by humans. Should coastal development increase (as is the global trend) and / or environmental catastrophes occur (e.g., harmful algal blooms, hurricanes, oil spills), these historic estimates will be essential for assessing impacts and guiding management and conservation interventions. Our results show year-round dolphin presence and highlight the Venezuelan coastal-oceanic landscape as an area of both future research and conservation importance. Citation: Cobarrubia-Russo, S., S.M. Barber-Meyer, G. Barreto, and A. Molero-Lizarraga. 2021. Historic population estimates for bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Aragua, Venezuela indicate monitoring need. Aquatic Mammals, 47(1):10-20, DOI: 10.1578/AM.47.1.2021.10. The article is available at: https://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=art… Sincerely, Shannon Barber-Meyer sbarber-meyer(a)usgs.gov Research Wildlife Biologist USGS Ely, MN 55731

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