January 2022 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Research Priorities
by Miller, Lance 19 Jan '22

19 Jan '22

Greetings, The Association of Zoos and Aquariums Marine Mammal Taxonomic Advisory Group is interested in creating a new resource. The intended result is a list of priority research questions that could be addressed by facilities caring for marine mammals. Research questions can be about anything (e.g., animal welfare, cognition, visitor outcomes, communication, testing bio-logging devices, etc.) that can be addressed by studying animals under human care. Below is a list of the species and a link to a survey where up to three questions can be entered per species. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out and thank you in advance for your time. We hope this new resource will guide the future of marine mammal research not just for AZA but the entire marine mammal community. Species: Beluga Whale, Bottlenose Dolphin, California Sea Lion, Commerson's Dolphin, Commerson's Dolphin, Common Dolphin, Gray Seal, Guadalupe Fur Seal, Harbor Seal, Harp Seal, Hawaiian Monk Seal, Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin, Killer Whale, Manatee (Florida), Northern Fur Seal, Pacific White-Sided Dolphin, Pilot Whale, Ringed Seal, Sea Otter (Northern), Sea Otter (Southern), Spotted Seal, Steller Sea Lion, Walrus Link to Survey: https://www.research.net/r/MarineMammalResearchPriorities Note. The survey will remain open for approximately one month until February 16, 2022. Thanks, Lance Miller, Ph.D. Vice President of Conservation Science and Animal Welfare Research Chicago Zoological Society - Brookfield Zoo 3300 Golf Road, Brookfield, IL 60513 Phone: 708-688-8433 Email: Lance.Miller(a)CZS.org<mailto:Lance.Miller@CZS.org> Website: https://www.czs.org/Centers-of-Excellence/Center-for-Animal-Welfare

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Join The Pod Webinars - Episode 03: Serious about seals
by Cynthia BARILE 19 Jan '22

19 Jan '22

As promised, our marine mammal science online webinar is back on the 28th of January, at 12.00pm (noon) GMT, once again live on Youtube! Episode 3: "Serious about seals: Research tools for pinniped conservation" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPSf3_x9F2k Join us for a seal-focused episode showcasing different tools and approaches scientists use to inform conservation of these species! What can you expect? Have a look at the program below: - Dr. Samantha Cox (University College Cork): "Post-release diving and space use by rehabilitated seals across the Irish Sea" - Izzy Langley (University of Saint Andrews, SMRU): "SMRUsealpred: a new citizen science project investigating the prevalence of grey seal predation of marine mammals" - Laura Oller (University of Abertay, SMRU): "Grey seals, the fatter the better?" - María Pérez Tadeo (Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology): "Assessment of disturbances due to drones on two harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) colonies in Galway Bay, west of Ireland" - Q&A session You will be able to ask questions in the chat box throughout the webinar and we will keep some time at the end to answer as many of them as possible. We are looking forward to meeting you and telling you some sealy things... In the meantime, a big thank you to our speakers who are preparing some great talks for you! And don't forget you can subscribe to the mailing list here: jointhepodseminars.wixsite.com/jointhepod <http://www.jointhepodseminars.wixsite.com/jointhepod> and on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC625JyiWKMvTSLwCjciM6Ig to stay tuned about our upcoming monthly episodes! See you soon! The Pod - Fiona Cummins, María Pérez Tadeo, Morgane Pommier, Joanne O'Brien & Cynthia Barile

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50th Anniversary Year - Aquatic Mammals issue 48.1 published online
by Kathleen Dudzinski 17 Jan '22

17 Jan '22

Dear MARMAM subscribers, This year, 2022, is the 50th anniversary for Aquatic Mammals journal! Our first issue (48.1) is published online. Aquatic Mammals is the longest running peer-reviewed journal dedicated to research on aquatic mammals and is published every two months 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> Happy Reading! With regards, Kathleen M. Dudzinski, Ph.D. Editor, Aquatic Mammals Journal business(a)aquaticmammalsjournal.org <mailto:business@aquaticmammalsjournal.org> Volume 48, Issue 1 (Items preceded by an * are open access) *Kathleen M. Dudzinski, Renato Lenzi, Guillermo J. Sánchez Contreras, and Javier Almunia. (2022). Happy Anniversary to Aquatic Mammals and to the European Association for Aquatic Mammals! Aquatic Mammals, 48(1), 1-2. *Keith D. Mullin, Lisa Steiner, Charlotte Dunn, Diane Claridge, Laura González García, Jonathan Gordon, and Tim Lewis. (2022). Long-Range Longitudinal Movements of Sperm Whales (Physeter macrocephalus) in the North Atlantic Ocean Revealed by Photo-Identification. Aquatic Mammals, 48(1), 3-8. https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.48.1.2022.3 <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.48.1.2022.3> Lili Pelayo-González, Paula Tercero-Dander, María del Carmen Gutiérrez-Osuna, Luis M. Burciaga, and Claudia J. Hernández-Camacho. (2022). Potential California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) Parturitions After the Pupping Season. Aquatic Mammals, 48(1), 9-14. https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.48.1.2022.9 <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.48.1.2022.9> Kimonas Koemtzopoulos, Styliani Adamantopoulou, Panagiotis Dendrinos, Anastasia Komnenou, Eleni Tounta, and Alexandros A. Karamanlidis. (2022). Molt Chronology of a Male Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus) from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Aquatic Mammals, 48(1), 15-20. https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.48.1.2022.15 <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.48.1.2022.15> Bitopan Malakar, Abhilash Kottarathil Rajendran, Hariharan Govindasamy, Deepak Samuel Vijay Kumar, Nitul Kumar Gogoi, Purvaja Ramachandran, and Ramesh Ramchandran. (2022). Record of a Dugong Feeding Trail with a Note on Recent Dugong-Related Incidents Along the Coast of Tamil Nadu, India. Aquatic Mammals,48(1), 21-24. https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.48.1.2022.21 <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.48.1.2022.21> Ann M. Zoidis, Paula A. Olson, Thomas A. Jefferson, Niccolas C. Johnson, Christian P. Soucier, and Jessica H. Bassi. (2022). Distribution and Abundance of Marine Mammals in the Estuarine Waters of the Piscataqua River, Maine, USA. Aquatic Mammals, 48(1), 25-35. https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.48.1.2022.25 <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.48.1.2022.25> *Ronald A. Kastelein, Lean Helder-Hoek, Linde N. Defillet, Femke Kuiphof, Léonie A. E. Huijser, and John M. Terhune. (2022). Temporary Hearing Threshold Shift in California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus) Due to One-Sixth-Octave Noise Bands Centered at 8 and 16 kHz: Effect of Duty Cycle and Testing the Equal-Energy Hypothesis. Aquatic Mammals, 48(1), 36-58. https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.48.1.2022.36 <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.48.1.2022.36> Fernando R. Elorriaga-Verplancken, Claudia J. Hernández-Camacho, Leonardo Álvarez-Santamaría, Aurora Paniagua-Mendoza, Roberto Robles-Hernández, Francisco Rebolledo-Villa, Hiram Rosales-Nanduca, Alejandro Ramos-Rodríguez, and Karina Acevedo-Whitehouse. (2022). Largest Mortality Event to Date of California Sea Lions in Mexico Might Be Linked to a Harmful Algal Bloom. Aquatic Mammals, 48(1), 59-67. https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.48.1.2022.59 <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.48.1.2022.59> Alla M. Mass and Alexander Ya. Supin. (2022). Ganglion Cell Topography and Retinal Resolution in an Irrawaddy Dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris). Aquatic Mammals, 48(1), 68-74. https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.48.1.2022.68 <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.48.1.2022.68> Ronald A. Kastelein, Nancy Jennings, and Léonie A. E. Huijser. (2022). White-Beaked Dolphins (Lagenorhynchus albirostris) Cooperating with Humans and Showing Altruism Toward Harbor Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena). Aquatic Mammals, 48(1), 75-82. https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.48.1.2022.75 <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.48.1.2022.75> Pierre-Yves Daoust, Pamela Arsenault, Art Ortenburger, Donald F. McAlpine, G. Andrew Reid, and Tonya Wimmer. (2022). Osseous Anomalies in a Risso’s Dolphin (Grampus griseus). Aquatic Mammals, 48(1), 83-91. https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.48.1.2022.83 <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.48.1.2022.83> Raúl E. Díaz-Gamboa, Carlos Tamayo-Millán, Gaspar Poot-López, Carlos González-Salas, Harold Villegas-Hernández, and Sergio Guillén-Hernández. (2022). First Stranding Record of Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) in the Mexican Waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Aquatic Mammals, 48(1), 92-96. https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.48.1.2022.92 <https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.48.1.2022.92> Kathleen M. Dudzinski, Ph.D. Director, Dolphin Communication Project kathleen(a)dcpmail.org www.dolphincommunicationproject.org

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New publication on NIRS in marine mammal research
by Chris McKnight 17 Jan '22

17 Jan '22

Hello all, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of our paper on the perspectives of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in marine mammal research - explaining NIRS theory, function, potential applications, limitations, and presenting NIRS data from cetaceans, seals and humans. Alexander Ruesch, J. Chris McKnight, Andreas Fahlman, Barbara G. Shinn-Cunningham, and Jana M. Kainerstorfer. 2022. Near-Infrared Spectroscopy as a Tool for Marine Mammal Research and Care. Frontiers in Physiology. 12: 10.3389/fphys.2021.816701 Abstract: Developments in wearable human medical and sports health trackers has offered new solutions to challenges encountered by eco-physiologists attempting to measure physiological attributes in freely moving animals. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is one such solution that has potential as a powerful physio-logging tool to assess physiology in freely moving animals. NIRS is a non-invasive optics-based technology, that uses non-ionizing radiation to illuminate biological tissue and measures changes in oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin concentrations inside tissues such as skin, muscle, and the brain. The overall footprint of the device is small enough to be deployed in wearable physio-logging devices. We show that changes in hemoglobin concentration can be recorded from bottlenose dolphins and gray seals with signal quality comparable to that achieved in human recordings. We further discuss functionality, benefits, and limitations of NIRS as a standard tool for animal care and wildlife tracking for the marine mammal research community. The paper can be obtained at the following link: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2021.816701/full?&utm_so… Kind Regards, Chris

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Internship opportunities in the CMS Aquatic Species Team in 2022
by Jenny Renell 17 Jan '22

17 Jan '22

Dear all, The Aquatic Species Team of the Secretariat of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), is offering internships throughout 2022. You can find more information here<https://www.ascobans.org/en/news/internship-opportunities-aquatic-species-t…>. The internships can start at a mutually agreed date anytime in 2022 and run for 3-6 months. Most likely, interns will be working remotely, either fully or partially. Therefore, we particularly encourage candidates who would have struggled to travel to Germany and support themselves for the duration of the internship in Bonn. The application deadline is 28 January. Applications must be submitted through the UN Careers portal, where you can also find further details on the opportunity: https://careers.un.org/lbw/jobdetail.aspx?id=171442&Lang=en-US. Please pass on this information to university students and recent graduates in your networks. Best wishes, Jenny Jenny Renell ASCOBANS Coordinator, CMS Aquatic Species Team Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas UN Campus, Platz der Vereinten Nationen 1 53113 Bonn, Germany Tel. +49 228 815 2418, email: jenny.renell(a)un.org<mailto:jenny.renell@un.org> www.ascobans.org<http://www.ascobans.org/> www.cms.int<http://www.cms.int/> www.facebook.com/ascobans<http://www.facebook.com/ascobans> [cid:image003.png@01D80B9C.490AFC10] Disclaimer: The information transmitted is intended only for use by the addressee and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, re-transmission, dissemination or other use of it, or the taking of any action in reliance upon this information by persons and/or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you received this in error, please inform the sender and/or addressee immediately and delete the material. Thank you.

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January 2022 - UK-based Protected Species Observer (PSO) & Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) training courses
by Recruitment 17 Jan '22

17 Jan '22

Dear Marmam users, Ocean Science Consulting Limited (OSC) has a few spots remaining in our next Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Protected Species Observer (PSO), and Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) training courses in January 2022. PSOs comply with USA regulations, to minimise the risk of injury and disturbance to marine mammals from various offshore operations. OSC's MMO course comprises theory and practice, including binocular and range estimation, and role-play sessions. The PAM course comprises theory and practice using PAM equipment in OSC's workshop facilities and/or onboard OSC's survey vessel (subject to weather). The intention is to run the following courses in-person near Edinburgh at OSC's Dunbar headquarters: 1. BOEM PSO training on the morning of 26 January 2022 at a cost of £100 per person 2. PAM training on 26-28 January 2022 at a cost of £450 per person Prices are exclusive of VAT, which is charged at the current rate. Course participants will also receive a discount for purchases of marine binoculars or tripod mounts - these should be ordered in advance of the course to ensure availability. For further details: https://www.osc.co.uk/training<https://www.osc.co.uk/training/> For course registration: https://www.osc.co.uk/jncc-registration<https://www.osc.co.uk/jncc-registration/>

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New publication: First humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) re-sighting between Azorean waters and the Barents Sea (Murman coast, northwestern Russia)
by Ted Cheeseman 16 Jan '22

16 Jan '22

Dear MARMAM readers, on-behalf of lead author Rui Peres dos Santos and co-authors, I am pleased to share our new publication: First humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) re-sighting between Azorean waters and the Barents Sea (Murman coast, northwestern Russia) Authors: Rui Peres dos Santos, Rafael Martins, Anton Chaiko, Ted Cheeseman, Lindsey S. Jones & Frederick W. Wenzel Mamm Biol 2021 1–15. doi: 10.1007/S42991-021-00180-9 Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are one of the most well studied baleen whales worldwide and one of the species targeted during the historic North Atlantic whaling period. Northwestern Russia (Barents Sea), a poorly studied region for humpbacks, is recognized as an important fishing area for their prey capelin (Mallotus villosus). In the last century, this fish species collapsed, possibly due to overfishing both in Russian and Norwegian waters, which led to these governments imposing strict fishing restrictions. In past decades the southern part of the Barents Sea has faced warming ocean temperatures and less sea ice. Here, we present the first humpback photographic match between the Azores and northwestern Russia (Murmansk, Barents Sea). A humpback whale sighted on 14 March 2019 in the Azorean waters, was resighted opportunistically on 21 June, 2019 off the Murman coast, Russia. The estimated distance between the two sites is approximately 6778 km, representing a migratory speed of 2.88 km·h−1. Strict regulations on the summer capelin fisheries in the Murman coastline and Barents Sea, along with global warming may lead to new habitats for both fish prey and predators (i.e., humpback whales) to return to this region. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00300-021-02998-y Either Rui (naturebyrps(a)gmail.com) or I (ted(a)happywhale.com) would be pleased to send a full version on request. Good health and great whales to all, Ted — Ted Cheeseman ted(a)happywhale.com www.Happywhale.com https://www.facebook.com/happywhales/ Read our recent publication about humpback whale automated image recognition: https://rdcu.be/cCOtw ** know your whales :) **

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Distribution and Abundance of Marine Mammals in the Estuarine Waters of the Piscataqua River, Maine, USA
by Zoidis, Ann 15 Jan '22

15 Jan '22

Dear Marmam Subscribers, On behalf of myself and my coauthors, I am happy to share this new publication in Aquatic Mammals on marine mammals found in the Piscataqua River, Maine. This was the first line transect vessel-based study of marine mammals in these area waters. Zoidis, A.M., Olson, P.A., Jefferson, T.A., Johnson, N.C., Soucier, C.P., and Bassi, J.H. Distribution and Abundance of Marine Mammals in the Estuarine Waters of the Piscataqua River. Aquatic Mammals. Issue 48 (1), 25-35. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.48.1.2022.25. January 2022. https://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=art… Abstract: The estuaries and tidal rivers of the Gulf of Maine have rarely been surveyed systematically for marine mammals. We report here on three years of survey data, 2017 to 2019. This study employed a shipboard visual line-transect methodology study design, collecting data on marine mammals in the lower Piscataqua River, which is confluent with the Gulf of Maine. Marine mammal species observed most often were harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) and gray seals (Halichoerus grypus), with a resulting in-water density estimate of 1.02 seals/km2 and an abundance estimate of seven harbor seals and one gray seal (CV = 19.3%) in the survey area. Seals were present in all months of the year. No live pups were detected. Harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) and minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) were also observed, but the sightings (6 harbor porpoises; 7 minke whales) did not yield enough data to estimate density or abundance. The minke whales were present during August and September 2018, concurrent with an influx of Atlantic menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus), a prey species. The consistent albeit relatively low marine mammal species sightings and abundances suggest that the lower Piscataqua River is used regularly by a relatively small number of harbor and gray seals, although not for pupping, and occasionally by harbor porpoises and by foraging minke whales. This is the first study of its kind in an estuarine environment in the Gulf of Maine. For further information on this publication or to request a pdf please contact me at Ann.Zoidis(a)tetratech.com<mailto:Ann.Zoidis@tetratech.com> Best wishes, Ann Ann M. Zoidis, M.S. | Environmental Project Manager, Senior Biologist, Marine Mammal Scientist Direct: CA Office: 510.302.6358 | ME Office: 207-288-0976 | Cell: 510.393.5906 | Fax: 510.433.0830 ann.zoidis(a)tetratech.com<mailto:ann.zoidis@tetratech.com> Tetra Tech 1999 Harrison Street, Suite 500 | Oakland, CA 94612 | www.tetratech.com<https://protect2.fireeye.com/url?k=5e2ce27c-020ad5df-5e2e1b49-000babda0106-…> PLEASE NOTE: This message, including any attachments, may include confidential and/or inside information. Any distribution or use of this communication by anyone other than the intended recipient is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender by replying to this message and then delete it from your system.

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MareTerra Onlus - Bottlenose dolphin Conservation Internship in Alghero (Sardinia-Italy)
by Fabio Ronchetti 15 Jan '22

15 Jan '22

MareTerra Onlus is looking for and accepting interns to join our research projects on conservation of the bottlenose dolphins and marine environment from May to October 2022. MareTerra is a no-profit organization created by people totally committed to promoting the conservation of nature and sustainable development. Our internship is a unique opportunity for students and graduates to learn research methods (photo-ID, Acoustics, GIS) for the conservation of the marine environment in Sardinia island, a hotspot of biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea. Working in an international context, our interns will play an active role in environmental education to develop awareness and respect for marine conservation in tourists and local people. Required skills: - Ability to communicate fluently in English (English level > B2) - Self-confidence - Flexibility, adaptability to an international work environment and punctuality - Good public relations skills - Confidence on board a motorboat and ability to swim properly We look for people who are highly motivated, responsible and willing to work long hours in the field and in the laboratory. For any question and to receive detailed information please contact us: info(a)mareterra-erc.org Gabriella La Manna, Ph.D.

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Fully funded PhD studentship
by Clare Embling 14 Jan '22

14 Jan '22

Dear colleagues, The Marine Vertebrate Research Unit at the University of Plymouth (Dr Clare Embling & Dr Simon Ingram), in collaboration with the Zoological Society of London (Dr Tom Letessier), Oceanswell (Dr Asha de Vos), the University of St Andrews (Dr Danielle Harris) and Dr Charles Anderson, are seeking a PhD student for the following project 'Is the Chagos Archipelago one of the last tropical refuges for cetaceans? Cetacean distribution, abundance and habitat in the Chagos Archipelago'. Candidates can expect to develop advanced skills in statistical modelling (distance sampling, spatial habitat modelling, and abundance estimation), acoustic data analysis, and gain experience in the field and in science communication/outreach. We particularly welcome applicants from the Indian Ocean region (international fees included in the funding). To find out more and to apply, see: https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/student-life/your-studies/research-degrees/postg… If you have any questions about the project or your application please email me: clare.embling(a)plymouth.ac.uk<mailto:clare.embling@plymouth.ac.uk> Best wishes, Clare Dr Clare B Embling Associate Professor in Marine Ecology Programme Lead for BSc Marine Biology and Oceanography<https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/bsc-marine-biology-and-oce…> School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, B425 Portland Square, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA Email: clare.embling(a)plymouth.ac.uk<mailto:clare.embling@plymouth.ac.uk> Twitter: @ClareEmbling Website: https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/staff/clare-embling Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Gcin3_gAAAAJ ________________________________ [http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/images/email_footer.gif]<http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/worldclass> This email and any files with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the recipient to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient then copying, distribution or other use of the information contained is strictly prohibited and you should not rely on it. If you have received this email in error please let the sender know immediately and delete it from your system(s). Internet emails are not necessarily secure. While we take every care, University of Plymouth accepts no responsibility for viruses and it is your responsibility to scan emails and their attachments. University of Plymouth does not accept responsibility for any changes made after it was sent. Nothing in this email or its attachments constitutes an order for goods or services unless accompanied by an official order form.

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