December 2021 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

New publication: Feel the beat: Cape fur seal males encode their arousal state in their bark rate
by Mathilde Martin 12 Dec '21

12 Dec '21

Dear all, On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to inform you our new publication in The Science of Nature "Feel the beat: Cape fur seal males encode their arousal state in their bark rate" Mathilde Martin, Tess Gridley, Simon Harvey Elwen, Isabelle Charrier Abstract: The cape fur seal is one of the most colonial mammal species in the world. Breeding colonies are composed of harems held by mature males (older than 10 years) with up to 30 females and their pups, while roaming subadult males (younger and socially immature) are kept away from bulls’ territories. As in other pinnipeds, cape fur seals are highly vocal and use acoustic signals in all their social interactions. Males produce barks—short vocalizations always produced in sequences—for territorial defense, mating behaviors, and agonistic interactions. These calls convey information about the sex, age class, and individual identity. This study investigated whether motivational cues such as the arousal state can be encoded in territorial males’ barks and whether these cues are decoded by listening sub-adult males. The rate (number of calls per unit of time) and fundamental frequency of barks were found to significantly increase during high arousal state interactions (i.e., malemale confrontation) compared to spontaneous barks. Playback experiments revealed that subadult males responded with a higher level of vigilance when territorial males’ barks had a faster bark rate. This mechanism of decoding the bulls’ arousal state from barks will likely constitute an advantage for both bulls and the subadult males, by avoiding or reducing physical conflicts, and thereby reducing energy expenditure and the risk of injury. This study is the first experimental evidence of cape fur seals’ using vocal rhythmic patterns to modulate their social interactions. Here is the link to a view-only version of our paper: https://rdcu.be/cC2Vu Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions, Best regards, -- *Mathilde MARTIN* PhD Student Acoustic Communications Team, Department Cognition & Network Neuroscience NeuroPSI - Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience 151 rue de la Rotonde, 91400 Saclay, FRANCE https://neuropsi.cnrs.fr Tel: +33 (0)1 69 82 63 56 Email: mathilde.martin(a)universite-paris-saclay.fr Website: https://mathildemartin-research.com/

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FREE Protected Species Observer Trainings
by Susan Steckler 10 Dec '21

10 Dec '21

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT PROTECTING MARINE WILDLIFE AS A PROTECTED SPECIES OBSERVER (PSO)? Smultea Sciences will be conducting two National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) & Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) Approved Protected Species Observer (PSO) Certification training courses January 10 and 17, 2022. These, LIVE, online trainings are specific to U.S. Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico geophysical and geotechnical surveys, with an emphasis on offshore wind development. Our trainings are open to US citizens with a valid US Passport and a four-year degree—concentrated in the natural sciences. There is no cost to attend these trainings. However, a fee of $200 will be required in order to receive the physical PSO certificate following successful completion of the training course. https://www.smulteasciences.com/pso-pam-hiring<https://www.smulteasciences.com/pso-pam-hiring?fbclid=IwAR10r4nXBumm94TOQPw…> Trisha Souder Project Operations and PSO Services Manager trisha.souder(a)smulteasciences.com<mailto:trisha.souder@smulteasciences.com> Smultea Environmental Sciences<http://www.smulteasciences.com/> +1 417 543 0810 (Eastern Time) Smultea Environmental Sciences<http://www.smulteasciences.com/> Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/SmulteaSciences> | Twitter<http://www.twitter.com/SmulteaSciences> | LinkedIn<https://www.linkedin.com/in/susansteckler/> | Instagram<https://www.instagram.com/smulteasciences/> WOSB / DBE / WBE | Woman-Owned

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Proposed listing of the Atlantic humpback dolphin under the U.S. Endangered Species Act
by Thomas Jefferson 10 Dec '21

10 Dec '21

Dear MARMAM, In early December theUnited States' NOAA Fisheries published a finding that the petition received onSeptember 8, 2021, from the Animal Welfare Institute, the Center for BiologicalDiversity, and VIVA Vaquita to list the Atlantic humpback dolphin (Sousateuszii) as Threatened or Endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA)presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that thepetitioned action may be warranted. Recognition of S. teuszii asan Endangered or Threatened species under the US ESA would raise the profile ofthe species and the urgency of conservation measures. In order to confirmwhether the species is truly in danger of extinction and merits inclusion onthe US ESA, NOAA is now initiating a full status review of S. teuszii todetermine whether the species is in danger of extinction (Endangered) or likelyto become so in the foreseeable future (Threatened) throughout all or asignificant portion of its range. And to ensure that the review is ascomprehensive as possible, NOAA is soliciting scientific and commercialinformation regarding this species with a 60-day public comment period. A press releaseissued by the organizations that submitted the petition can be found here: https://awionline.org/press-releases/atlantic-humpback-dolphin-takes-step-t… The Proposed Rule canbe found here: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/12/02/2021-26225/endangered-… The more comments/contributions that are received, the morelikely it is that the review will find in favor of an Endangered status. For those interested in contributing, submityour own contribution or encourage contributions from organizations with whichyou are affiliated. They request thatall data and information be accompanied by supporting documentation such as maps,bibliographic references, or reprints of pertinent publications.DEADLINE:Scientific andcommercial information pertinent to the petitioned action must bereceived by January 31, 2022. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on thisdocument, identified by NOAA–NMFS–2021–0110 by the following method: • Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public comments via the FederaleRulemaking Portal. Go to https://www.regulations.gov and enter NOAA–NMFS–2021–0110in the Search box. Click on the ‘‘Comment’’ icon, complete the required fields,and enter or attach your comments. FORFURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Heather Austin, NMFS Office of Protected Resources, (301) 427–8422, Heather.Austin(a)noaa.gov Dr. Gianna Mintongianna.minton(a)gmail.com Dr. Thomas A. Jeffersonsclymene@aol.com@font-face {font-family:Times; panose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}@font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;}@font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;}@font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {mso-style-priority:99; color:blue; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;}a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; color:purple; mso-themecolor:followedhyperlink; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;}.MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}

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Endangered Caspian Seal Habitat Awarded Important Marine Mammal Area Status
by Erich Hoyt 09 Dec '21

09 Dec '21

The IUCN Task Force on Marine Mammal Protected Areas, a joint task force of the IUCN Species Survival Commission and the World Commission on Protected Areas, is pleased to announce that Caspian seals have been awarded three Important Marine Mammal Areas, or IMMAs, as part of a tranche of 14 new IMMAs for the marine mammals of the Black Sea, Turkish Straits and Caspian Sea. Caspian seals have been listed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since 2008. Dr Simon Goodman, an ecologist based at the University of Leeds UK, and member of IUCN’s pinniped specialist group: “Currently the main threats for Caspian seals stem from human activities, including very high rates of seal mortality in fishing gear set for sturgeon poaching, and habitat degradation arising from coastal development. Also a concern are reductions in the winter sea ice the seals use for breeding, and a decline in the Caspian Sea level predicted for the coming decades due to climate heating.” The newly identified Caspian Sea IMMAs are not protected areas but they represent what experts say are essential habitats for the future of the Caspian seal. At present, there are no special protected areas for the conservation of Caspian seals that prohibit all forms of economic or industrial activity. It is hoped that the IMMA initiative will stimulate the development of stronger protection for key Caspian seal habitat, including the winter breeding ice, migration routes, foraging areas and sites used by animals to haul out on land for resting and moulting. Increasing levels of disturbance have caused Caspian seals to abandon most of their traditional haul out sites, while offshore habitats are sensitive to industrial development. Now, large aggregations of the animals are rarely seen. Caspian seals (Pusa caspica) live only in the Caspian Sea, which is located in Central Asia and is the largest landlocked waterbody in the world. Having declined by more than 70% in the 20th Century, primarily as a result of unsustainable hunting for their fur and blubber, they have been listed as Endangered by IUCN since 2008. The Caspian seal was added to the national Red Books of Russia and Kazakhstan in the last 2 years, making it Red Listed in all five Caspian countries. Following a proposal initiated by the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Caspian seal was added to Appendices I and II of the United Nations Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals in 2017. Nataliya Shumeyko, from A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, and IMMA Regional Coordinator for the Caspian Sea commented: “While the legislative protections are welcome, investment is still needed to fund active conservation measures to reduce seal mortality and protect these habitats. We all have to do more for this endangered species.” Background info on the Caspian, its seal, the IMMAs and the groups involved • On September 30, 2021, the Plan of Joint Actions of Russia and Kazakhstan for 2021–2026 to Protect the Caspian Seal Population was signed at XVII Forum of Interregional Cooperation between Kazakhstan and Russia. President of Kazkhstan, Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev, suggested creating state nature reserves for the Caspian seal in the Northern Caspian. • The Caspian Sea, with a surface area of 143,000 sq miles (371,000 sq km), is the largest landlocked waterbody in the world (slightly larger than the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park). It is bordered by 5 countries: the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran. • Caspian seals (Pusa capsica) measure up to 4 feet 7 inches long (140 cm). Pups are born in mid-January to late February on the ice and weigh about 11 pounds (5 kg). They nurse for 4-5 weeks before entering the water. Caspian seals feed on a variety of fish, especially the Common kilka (Clupeonella cultriventris caspia) • The three Caspian Sea IMMAs are: (1) Caspian Seal Breeding Area IMMA, (2) Caspian Seal Moulting and Haul Out Areas IMMA, and (3) Caspian Seal Transitory Migration and Feeding Area IMMA. In total, the Black Sea, Turkish Straits System and Caspian Sea IMMA regional workshop resulted in 14 IMMAs, one candidate IMMA (cIMMA) and 11 areas of interest (AoI). • IMMAs are not protected areas but they are intended to assist with national and global programmes to help countries select high biodiversity areas to fulfil the targets of 30 percent protection by 2030 (“30 by 30”) as supported by many international bodies and more than 100 countries around the world. • The Final report of the Seventh IMMA Workshop: Important Marine Mammal Area Regional Workshop for the Black Sea, Turkish Straits System and Caspian Sea from the IUCN Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force is available for download from the IMMA website, along with maps and IMMA background data: https://www.marinemammalhabitat.org • The IMMA e-Atlas showing the global network of IMMAs and a searchable database can be found here: https://www.marinemammalhabitat.org/imma-eatlas/ For more information please contact Caspian Seal scientists at the IMMA Workshop: Simon Goodman, email: s.j.goodman(a)leeds.ac.uk Nataliya Shumeyko, email: shumeyko.n(a)mail.ru Task Force co-chairs & vice chair, and marine mammal scientists: Erich Hoyt, email: erich.hoyt(a)imma-network.org Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara, email: disciara(a)imma-network.org Gill Braulik, email: gill.braulik(a)imma-network.org — Erich Hoyt and Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara, Co-chairs, IUCN SSC-WCPA Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force

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New publication on impacts of changing prey availability on porpoise populations
by Cara Gallagher 09 Dec '21

09 Dec '21

Hello MARMAM folks! My co-authors and I are delighted to share with you our new paper assessing the impacts of potential climate-induced changes in prey size and spatial aggregation on harbor porpoise populations, which was recently published in the Journal of Animal Ecology. Gallagher, C.A., Chimienti, M., Grimm, V. and Nabe‐Nielsen, J., 2021. Energy‐mediated responses to changing prey size and distribution in marine top predator movements and population dynamics. Journal of Animal Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.13627 You can also check out the accompanying video abstract here: https://youtu.be/Nfcw6Ku0FdE Please do not hesitate to contact me for a PDF or if you have any questions / comments (gallagher(a)uni-potsdam.de) All the best, Cara Gallagher Abstract 1. Climate change is modifying the structure of marine ecosystems, including that of fish communities. Alterations in abiotic and biotic conditions can decrease fish size and change community spatial arrangement, ultimately impacting predator species which rely on these communities. To conserve predators and understand the drivers of observed changes in their population dynamics, we must advance ou understanding of how shifting environmental conditions can impact populations by limiting food available to individuals. 2. To investigate the impacts of changing fish size and spatial aggregation on a top predator population, we applied an existing agent-based model parameterized for harbour porpoises, Phocoena phocoena, which represents animal energetics and movements in high detail. We used this framework to quantify the impacts of shifting prey size and spatial aggregation on porpoise movement, space use, energetics and population dynamics. 3. Simulated individuals were more likely to switch from area-restricted search to transit behaviour with increasing prey size, particularly when starving, due to elevated resource competition. In simulations with highly aggregated prey, higher prey encounter rates counteracted resource competition, resulting in no impacts of prey spatial aggregation on movement behaviour. 4. Reduced energy intake with decreasing prey size and aggregation level caused population decline, with a 15% decrease in fish length resulting in total population collapse. Increasing prey consumption rates by 42.8 ± 4.5% could offset population declines; however, this increase was 21.3 ± 12.7% higher than needed to account for changes in total energy availability alone. This suggests that animals in realistic seascapes require additional energy to locate smaller prey which should be considered when assessing the impacts of decreased energy availability. 5. Changes in prey size and aggregation influenced movements and population dynamics of simulated harbour porpoises, revealing that climate-induced changes in prey structure, not only prey abundance, may threaten predator populations. We demonstrate how a population model with realistic animal movements and process-based energetics can be used to investigate population consequences of shifting food availability, such as those mediated by climate change, and provide a mechanistic explanation for how changes in prey structure can impact energetics, behaviour and ultimately viability of predator populations. ______________________________________ Cara Gallagher Postdoctoral researcher Department of Plant Ecology and Conservation Biology University of Potsdam Potsdam, Germany +49 015175471396 tel.

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Relationships between gene transcription and contaminant concentrations in Baltic ringed seals
by Boyi, Joy Ometere 09 Dec '21

09 Dec '21

Dear MARMAM colleagues, On behalf of my co-authors I am pleased to share our new publication on the relationships between gene transcription and contaminants in ringed seals from the Baltic Sea published in Aquatic Toxicology. The article is available here https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquatox.2021.106035<https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquatox.2021.106035> Boyi, J.O., Stokholm, I., Hillmann, M., Søndergaard, J., Persson, S., de Wit, C.A., Siebert, U. & Lehnert, K. Relationships between gene transcription and contaminant concentrations in Baltic ringed seals: a comparison between tissue matrices. ABSTRACT: Ringed seals (Pusa hispida) are slowly recovering in the eastern and northern parts of the Baltic Sea after years of hunting pressure and contaminant exposure. Still, consequences of anthropogenic activities such as contaminant exposure and increasing temperatures are stressors that continue to have deleterious effects on their habitat and health. Transcription profiles of seven health-related genes involved in xenobiotic metabolism, endocrine disruption and stress were evaluated in blood, blubber, and liver of Baltic ringed seals in a multi-tissue approach. Selected persistent organic pollutants and total mercury concentrations were measured in blubber and liver, and muscle and liver of these animals, respectively. Concentrations of contaminants varied across tissues on a lipid weight basis but not with sex. mRNA transcript levels for all seven target genes did not vary between sexes or age classes. Transcript levels of thyroid hormone receptor alpha (TRα), retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARα) and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) correlated with levels of persistent organic pollutants. TRα transcript levels also correlated positively with mercury concentrations in the liver. Of the three tissues assessed in this multi-tissue approach, blubber showed highest transcription levels of aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator (ARNT), thyroid stimulating hormone receptor beta (TSHβ), estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPARα). The wide range of genes expressed highlights the value of minimally invasive sampling (e.g. biopsies) for assessing health endpoints in free-ranging marine wildlife and the importance of identifying optimal matrices for targeted gene expression studies. This gene transcript profile study has provided baseline information on transcript levels of biomarkers for early on-set health effects in ringed seals and will be a useful guide to assess the impacts of environmental change in Baltic pinnipeds for conservation and management. Please feel free to contact me at Joy.Ometere.Boyi(a)tiho-hannover.de<mailto:Joy.Ometere.Boyi@tiho-hannover.de> for a full copy and for questions and comments. Best Regards, Joy Ometere Boyi

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SMM Editors' Select Series for December 16th: Friends Through Thick and Thin: How Injuries Disrupt Bottlenose Dolphin Associations
by Student Members-at-Large Society for Marine Mammalogy 08 Dec '21

08 Dec '21

Greetings MARMAM! Join us on *Thursday, 16 December 2021 at 4 PM EST (1 PM PST / 9 PM UTC)* for the next SMM Seminar Editors' Select Series: Friends Through Thick and Thin: How Injuries Disrupt Bottlenose Dolphin Associations with Michelle Greenfield of the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Free to attend. Registration required. Presented online on Zoom. Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_uH_Gw6TVQZi29vxE7609-w Space on Zoom is limited to the first 500 attendees. The talk will also be streamed live on the SMM Facebook page. *The SMM Seminar Editors' SelectSeries highlights the latest and most exciting marine mammal science published in the Marine Mammal Science Journal. This is your chance to engage with marine mammal scientists, learn and ask questions from anywhere in the world. All are welcome. * *About this talk:* Social connectivity is important for measuring the fitness of common bottlenose dolphins because social relationships can enhance survival, reproduction and foraging success. Human-related injuries such as boat strikes or fishing gear entanglements can potentially remove an individual from its association network and disrupt these relationships. Using data from the long-term resident dolphin community in Sarasota Bay, Florida, we investigated how these injuries affect the dolphins' social associations by examining the differences in their social networks before and after injury. We found that while injured dolphins were found in groups of similar size to those prior to their injury, their number of preferential associations (i.e., their best friends) seemed to decline immediately after injury but were often regained within two years following injury. An individual’s strongest associations, namely those between mothers and calves and those between male alliance partners, remained stable before and after injury. Because dolphins rely on these relationships for survival, increased occurrence of injury from boating and fishing may put the animals at greater risk for long-term survival, including making them more vulnerable to predation. *About the presenter:* Michelle Greenfield is a veterinary student at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine (2023). She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in ecology and evolutionary biology from Princeton University where she began her research with the Chicago Zoological Society’s Sarasota Dolphin Research Program. Since then, Michelle has continued her studies of marine mammals working with organizations such as Hubbs SeaWorld Research Institute and the United States Navy's Marine Mammal Program. Her research interests focus on bottlenose dolphin social behavior and regenerative medicine in marine mammals. In addition to her research and clinical work, Michelle is the producer and host of Aquadocs Podcast, a top 50 life sciences podcast and the leading podcast on aquatic veterinary medicine ( www.aquadocspodcast.com) Best regards, Eric Angel Ramos, Ph.D. Candidate *Ayça Eleman, Ph.D. *Candidate *Theresa-Anne Tatom-Naecker, Ph.D. Student* *Student Members-at-Large* Society for Marine Mammalogy

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New publication on photo-identified humpback whales crossing putative feeding areas
by Renata S. Sousa-Lima 08 Dec '21

08 Dec '21

Dear MARMAM community, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce and share our new paper: “The Southern Ocean Exchange: porous boundaries between humpback whale breeding populations in southern polar waters”, which has been published in *Scientific Reports.* Abstract: Humpback whales (*Megaptera novaeangliae*) are a cosmopolitan species and perform long annual migrations between low-latitude breeding areas and high-latitude feeding areas. Their breeding populations appear to be spatially and genetically segregated due to long-term, maternally inherited fidelity to natal breeding areas. In the Southern Hemisphere, some humpback whale breeding populations mix in Southern Ocean waters in summer, but very little movement between Pacific and Atlantic waters has been identified to date, suggesting these waters constituted an oceanic boundary between genetically distinct populations. Here, we present new evidence of summer co-occurrence in the West Antarctic Peninsula feeding area of two recovering humpback whale breeding populations from the Atlantic (Brazil) and Pacific (Central and South America). As humpback whale populations recover, observations like this point to the need to revise our perceptions of boundaries between stocks, particularly on high latitude feeding grounds. We suggest that this “Southern Ocean Exchange” may become more frequent as populations recover from commercial whaling and climate change modifies environmental dynamics and humpback whale prey availability. Please find it freely available online at www.nature.com/articles/ s41598-021-02612-5 On behalf of my co-authors, I thank you for the interest in our research. Renata Renata S. Sousa-Lima, MSc, PhD Professora Associada em Comportamento Animal / *Associate **Professor of **Animal Behavior* *Bolsista de Produtividade CNPq 2* *ORCID *https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2638-1695 Lattes http://lattes.cnpq.br/1514389007687960 LaB - Laboratório de Bioacústica / *LaB - Laboratory of Bioacoustics* *www.LaB.bio.br <http://www.LaB.bio.br>* Departamento de Fisiologia e Comportamento / *Department of Physiology & Behavior* Centro de Biociências / *Biosciences Center* Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte / *Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte* Natal, RN - Brasil 59078-970 Tel.: + 55 (84) 3215 3409 - 3215 3410 - 3215 3411 Fax: + 55 (84) 3211 9206 sousalima.renata(a)gmail.com "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle." Philo of Alexandria

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Registration is now open for The Whale Museum's 2022 virtual spring Marine Naturalist Training Program
by tracie merrill 07 Dec '21

07 Dec '21

The Whale Museum in Friday Harbor, WA, has been training marine naturalists since 1994. We are offering our 2022 marine naturalist training program (MNTP) spring session virtually. Dates for this session are: April 23, 24, 30, & May 1, 7, and 8. Our marine naturalist training course is an intensive 6-day overview of the natural history of the San Juan Islands and the marine waters of Washington and Southern British Columbia (known as the Salish Sea). These will be mostly full days, usually running from around 9:00 am-5:00 pm Pacific Time. This course includes an in-depth treatment of the ecology and conservation of local marine species, including cetaceans (especially Southern Resident killer whales), pinnipeds, mustelids, and marine invertebrates and birds. Not only will participants learn identification and biology of species but also about TWM's marine mammal research (San Juan County Marine Mammal Stranding Network, Marine Mammals Sighting Network/Database, Be Whale Wise laws and guidelines and Soundwatch Boater Education Program, and collaboration in shore based observation/acoustic research at Lime Kiln Point State Park). Presentations will be given by highly trained local naturalists, environmental educators, and scientists. The upcoming spring session will be a dynamic, high-quality virtual experience that leaves graduates qualified as a regional professional or volunteer naturalist. Clock hours are available. Most presentations will be recorded but a few may not. Tuition is $425 for members of The Whale Museum/Orca Adopters or $475 for non-members. A deposit (half-tuition) can be made to secure your spot in the program with the remaining balance due a month before the session starts. More information as well as course registration can be found at https://whalemuseum.org/pages/marine-naturalist-training<https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwhalemuse…>. You can email Tracie Merrill, Education Curator at TWM, at tracie(a)whalemuseum.org with any questions. Sent from Outlook<http://aka.ms/weboutlook>

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New publication on Bryde's whale record for Portugal (mainland)
by Joana Castro 07 Dec '21

07 Dec '21

Dear all, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce and share our recent paper titled " A new Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni) record for mainland Portugal" published in the Journal of Cetacean Research and Management. volume 22. The full paper is available via open access and free to download: https://archive.iwc.int/pages/view.php?ref=18973&k= Feel free to email me if you have any questions. Abstract: The Brydes’s whale (*Balaenoptera edeni*) is a species of baleen whale known to live year‐round in warm waters. Here, we report the sighting of an adult individual during the summer of 2020 off the south coast of Portugal. The whale was observed 6.4 n.miles from the shore in water at a depth of 50.6m. Initially this individual was associated with a group of bottlenose dolphins. This is the first record of this species for mainland Portugal. The distribution of the species in the North Atlantic Ocean is still poorly known. Best regards, Joana Castro

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