August 2022 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

FW: Project manager for Project WOW
by Douglas Nowacek 22 Aug '22

22 Aug '22

Who wouldn't want to be part of something called Project WOW?! Duke University is seeking to hire an experienced Project Planner I (PPI) for Project WOW<https://offshorewind.env.duke.edu/>. Interested individuals can apply online at https://careers.duke.edu/job/Durham-PROJECT-PLANNER-I-NC-27710/916584100/, or can email projectwow(a)duke.edu<mailto:projectwow@duke.edu> with questions. Funded by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Bureau of Ocean Energy and Management (BOEM), Wildlife and Offshore Wind (WOW) is a $7.5M trans-disciplinary, highly integrated collaboration of diverse experts for the comprehensive evaluation of the potential effects of offshore wind energy development on marine wildlife, with a focus on marine mammals and seabirds. The overall project goal is to provide a long-term, adaptive roadmap for efficient and effective assessment of the potential effects of offshore wind energy development on marine mammals, birds and bats along the US Atlantic coast from Maine to the Carolinas, from siting through operation. The PPI will be responsible for the overall administration of the project, including planning, budgeting, monitoring, and reporting. The ideal candidate will have experience managing multiyear, multimillion dollar multi-institution projects related to areas of research with marine mammals and/or seabirds, with previous experience and knowledge directly with research on these wildlife groups. Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual’s age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Come join us https://lnkd.in/eYpmqX_Q Douglas P. Nowacek, PhD Repass-Rodgers Chair of Marine Conservation Technology Nicholas School of the Environment & Pratt School of Engineering Duke University Marine Laboratory Beaufort, NC 28516 [Text Description automatically generated with low confidence]

1 0

New publication: Resources and population traits modulate the association patterns in the common bottlenose dolphin living nearby the Tiber river estuary (Mediterranean Sea)
by Daniela Silvia Pace 21 Aug '22

21 Aug '22

Dear MARMAM community, my colleagues and I would like to share our new paper published in Front. Mar. Sci. Resources and population traits modulate the association patterns in the common bottlenose dolphin living nearby the Tiber river estuary (Mediterranean Sea). doi: 10.3389/fmars.2022.935235 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.935235/full Abstract Sociality and ecological drivers that can influence individual association patterns are infrequently considered in wildlife management, although they are essential aspects affecting animals' responses to both human–related pressures and conservation strategies. In common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), sex–specific social dynamics and interactions with anthropogenic activities may affect grouping and induce changes in relationships between individuals. Out of a total of 347 individuals, we assessed the level of association among 68 bottlenose dolphins that have been sighted more than five times near the Roman coast (central Mediterranean Sea, Italy). The Half–Weight Index (HWI) of dyadic associations, their network relations and stability over time were investigated by using SOCPROG software. Outcomes showed that females were more strongly associated than other individuals, with both preferred constant short–term associations and random long–term associations, possibly resulting in greater success in rearing young. Individuals interacting with bottom trawl fishery showed weaker and short–term associations. Temporary disruption of individual associations during interaction with fishery and the relatively low number of females with calves participating in depredation seem to denote both the opportunistic nature of interactions with fishing vessels and the offspring–related protection strategy. The results show that the dolphins in this region maintain a complex but flexible social structure that varies with local biological requirements and is resilient to anthropogenic pressures. With very best wishes, Daniela -- Daniela Silvia Pace, PhD Department of Environmental Biology Marine Ecology Lab Sapienza University of Rome Viale dell’Università 32 00185 Rome, Italy mail: danielasilvia.pace(a)uniroma1.it mobile: +39 346 1039652 office: +39 06 4991 4763 skype: lagenorinco Orcid ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5121-7080 [image: Risultati immagini per logo sapienza] "*Ecology is a contingent science under the broad control of climate and evolutionary change. It is an essential science if we are to achieve conservation successes. There is much left to do*" (Charles J. Krebs) -- **Fai crescere le giovani ricercatrici e i giovani ricercatori* **con il 5 per mille alla Sapienza *Scrivi il codice fiscale dell'Università *80209930587 Cinque per mille <https://www.uniroma1.it/it/node/23149>*

1 0

JNCC-recognised MMO course, September (Zoom)
by Carolyn Barton 20 Aug '22

20 Aug '22

JNCC- recognised MMO course for UK waters, 12 & 13 September 2022, remote delivery by Zoom. This course will cover all the information needed for work as a Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) in UK waters. Taught by an instructor with over 25 years experience, the course content includes: 1) Impacts of noise on marine mammals 2) Introduction to activities that require mitigation 3) Legislation protecting marine mammals and marine licensing 4) Detailed examination of the JNCC guidelines for geophysical surveys, pile driving and explosives 5) Data recording and reporting requirements 6) Visual monitoring and distance estimation 7) Overview of passive acoustic monitoring 8) Working as an MMO/ PAM operator 9) Identification of marine mammals Zoom sessions will be a mixture of lectures and exercises, over 1.5 days. Any exercises not completed during the sessions can be completed in your own time. There is also an online multiple choice exam to be done at your convenience after the Zoom sessions (re-sits are possible if you don't pass first time). The cost of the course is £200 (200GBP) payable after the course (10% discount available for students or recent graduates). There is no cancellation fee. The course is limited to small numbers; each delegate gets individual feedback on their exercises and the exam. On successful completion of the course (including the exercises and exam) you will receive JNCC-recognised certification, which is required for work as an MMO or PAM operator in UK waters. For further details see www.carolynbarton.co.uk or for a registration form e-mail info(a)carolynbarton.co.uk . Carolyn Barton

1 0

New Publication: Understanding common dolphin and Australasian gannet feeding associations from an nutritional and ethological perspective
by Karen Stockin 19 Aug '22

19 Aug '22

Kia ora colleagues, My co-authors and I are happy to share the following open access publication Stockin KA, Amiot C, Meynier LM, Purvin C, Machovsky-Capuska GE (2022). Understanding common dolphin and Australasian gannet feeding associations from nutritional and ethological perspectives. ICES Journal of Marine Science https://academic.oup.com/icesjms/advance-article/doi/10.1093/icesjms/fsac13… Prey detection and subsequent capture is considered a major hypothesis to explain feeding associations between common dolphins and Australasian gannets. However, a current lack of insight on nutritional strategies with respect to foraging behaviours of both species has until now, prevented any detailed understanding of this conspecific relationship. Here we combine stomach content analysis (SCA), nutritional composition of prey, a multidimensional nutritional niche framework (MNNF) and videography to provide a holistic dietary, nutritional, and behavioural assessment of the feeding association between dolphins and gannets in the Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand. Dolphins consumed ten prey species, including grey mullet (Mugil cephalus) as the most representative by wet mass (33.4%). Gannets preyed upon six species, with pilchards (Sardinops pilchardus) contributing most of the diet by wet mass (32.4%) to their diet. Both predators jointly preyed upon pilchard, jack mackerel (Trachurus spp.), arrow squid (genus Nototodarus), and anchovy (Engraulis australis). Accordingly, the MNNF revealed a moderate overlap in the prey composition niche (0.42) and realized nutritional niche (0.52) between dolphins and gannets. This suggests that both predators coexist in a similar nutritional space, while simultaneously reducing interspecific competition and maximizing the success of both encountering and exploiting patchily distributed prey. Behavioural analysis further indicated that dolphin and gannets feeding associations are likely to be mutually beneficial, with a carouselling foraging strategy and larger pod sizes of dolphins, influencing the diving altitude of gannets. Our approach provides a new, more holistic understanding of this iconic foraging relationship, which until now has been poorly understood. nāku noa, Karen Karen A Stockin, PhD Professor – Marine Biology Rutherford Discovery Fellow – Royal Society Te Aparangi Cetacean Ecology Research Group | School of Natural Sciences | Massey University Private Bag 102 904, North Shore, Auckland 0745, New Zealand Physical Address: Building 5, Gate 4, The Station Crescent, Albany, Auckland, New Zealand [cid:image001.png@01D8B47B.4E652C20] +64 (0)21 423997 • k.a.stockin(a)massey.ac.nz<mailto:k.a.stockin@massey.ac.nz> • http://www.cetaceanecology.org<http://www.cetaceanecology.org/> [cid:image002.png@01D8B47B.4E652C20]<https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Karen_Stockin> [cid:image003.png@01D8B47B.4E652C20] <https://scholar.google.co.nz/citations?user=3veDZKUAAAAJ&hl=en> [cid:image004.png@01D8B47B.4E652C20] <https://twitter.com/karen_stockin> [cid:image005.png@01D8B47B.4E652C20] <https://www.facebook.com/CetaceanEcologyOrg/posts/3281214818613245> [cid:image006.png@01D8B47B.4E652C20] <https://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/expertise/profile.cfm?stref=926050> [cid:image007.png@01D8B47B.4E652C20] <https://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/explore/research/animal-veterinary/animal/m…> [cid:image008.png@01D8B47B.4E652C20]<https://www.cetaceanecology.org/>

1 0

New publication about erysipelas in a common bottlenose dolphin
by Carlos Sacristán Yagüe 19 Aug '22

19 Aug '22

Dear colleagues, On behalf of all co-authors, I am pleased to announce the publication of our article about erysipelas in a common bottlenose dolphin from Brazil. Sacristan C, Ewbank AC, Sanchez Sarmiento AM, Duarte-Benvenuto A, Gomes Borges JC, Araujo Rebelo V, Diaz-Delgado J, Borges Keid L, Catao Dias JL. (2022). Erysipelas in a stranded common bottlenose dolphin: First report in a South American odontocete. Brazilian Journal of Microbiology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42770-022-00810-5. In this manuscript we report a case of erysipelas in an adult common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) found dead and in advanced autolysis in Paraíba state, northeastern Brazil, on July 19th, 2020. Upon gross examination, 80% of the body surface presented disseminated rhomboid cutaneous lesions ranging from 4 to 6 cm-width, characterized by well-defined edges and occasional ulceration, consistent with erysipelas. Additionally, anthropic-made postmortem linear cuts and partial mechanical removal of the flank musculature were noted. Skin samples were collected for histopathologic and molecular analyses. Microscopically, it was possible to observe multifocal dermatitis with vasculitis. Erysipelothrix sp. was detected by PCR. Despite previous reports of human consumption of cetacean meat in northeastern Brazil, the observed marks and advanced carcass autolysis suggested that the animal was most likely used as bait for fishing instead of human intake. This case highlights the value of postmortem examination and PCR even in poorly preserved cadavers and contributes to the understanding of the epidemiology of cutaneous erysipelas in free-ranging cetaceans (first report in an odontocete from the Southern Hemisphere). Due to the zoonotic potential of certain Erysipelothrix species (i.e., E. rhusiopathiae), active public health policies are required to inform field professionals and the general public about the health threats associated with marine mammal manipulation and consumption. You can discover more in the link: https://rdcu.be/cTzXK Best regards, Carlos Sacristan DVM, MSc, PhD Postdoctoral Researcher, DVM, MSc, PhD Epidemiology and Environmental Health Group (EYSA) Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas Member of the Expert Advisory Panel on Strandings of the International Whaling Commission

1 0

Job opening: Stranding biologist, Mote Marine Lab
by Gretchen Lovewell 19 Aug '22

19 Aug '22

Mote Marine Laboratory’s Stranding Investigations Program is hiring a salaried stranding biologist to be directly involved in the 24-hr response, recovery, and transport of stranded marine mammals and sea turtles. Stranding response/necropsy duties will include 24-hour stranding hotline coverage and coordinating the appropriate response (rescue/recovery, examination, data collection, necropsy, tissue sampling processing, distribution of samples, and disposal of carcasses).Laboratory duties will include some combination of the following: maintaining stranding databases, photo archives, supplies inventory, equipment maintenance.The biologist will coordinate and supervise interns and/or volunteers.This position is highly variable and consists of unpredictable hours. Longer hours and/or additional days will be required depending on stranding trends and/or to complete specific tasks.High-priority strandings will require adjusted days off, longer days, and/or real-time travel (e.g. live or fresh-dead cetaceans, recovery/necropsy of known dolphins, large whale or mass stranding events, unusual mortality events, cold-stun events, HABs).The biologist must be able to work both independently and as part of a larger team.Specific qualifications include a Master’s degree or a bachelor’s degree with five years’ experience responding to stranded marine mammals or sea turtles, knowledge of marine mammal and/or sea turtle conservation issues, a valid Florida Driver’s License or equivalent and dependable transportation for rapid response.The successful applicant must be capable of the following: lifting up to 75 pounds, dragging 100 pounds, swimming in a variety of conditions, walking long distances in the sand and/or marsh, driving large vehicles in congested areas (often towing trailers), launching, retrieving, and operating small vessels/kayak/SUP’s, tolerating strong odors, extreme temperatures, sandy, buggy, and/or wet field conditions, and working weekends, and holidays. Interested applicants should apply on line by choosing “2022 Stranding Biologist” at https://mote.smapply.org/prog/job_applicants or mail a single package including cover letter, resume or c.v. and the contact information for three references to Mote Marine Laboratory, Attn: Human Resources, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL 34236 before 5pm September 9, 2022. -- Gretchen Lovewell Program Manager Stranding Investigations Directorate of Marine Biology and Conservation Mote Marine Laboratory 1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy Sarasota, FL 34236 NEW STRANDING HOTLINE:888-345-2335 Office: 941-388-4441 ex 239 Cell: 941-374-3425 Pronouns: she, her, hers We are an independent, nonprofit, marine and estuarine research and education facility. Opinions expressed here are not MML policy unless so indicated.

1 0

New paper on spatial variabilities in humpback whale acoustic presence in the Southern Ocean
by Elena Schall 19 Aug '22

19 Aug '22

We are pleased to announce our new paper in Royal Society Open Science on humpback whales in the Southern Ocean: *Large-scale spatial variabilities in the humpback whale acoustic presence in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean* Elena Schall, Karolin Thomisch, Olaf Boebel, Gabriele Gerlach, Stefanie Spiesecke and Ilse Van Opzeeland Southern Hemisphere humpback whales (/Megaptera novaeangliae/) inhabit a wide variety of ecosystems including both low- and high-latitude areas. Understanding the habitat selection of humpback whale populations is key for humpback whale stock management and general ecosystem management. In the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean (/ASSO/), the investigation of baleen whale distribution by sighting surveys is temporally restricted to the austral summer. The implementation of autonomous passive acoustic monitoring, in turn, allows the study of vocal baleen whales year-round. This study describes the results of analysing passive acoustic data spanning 12 recording positions throughout the/ASSO/applying a combination of automatic and manual analysis methods to register humpback whale acoustic activity. Humpback whales were present at nine recording positions with higher acoustic activities towards lower latitudes and the eastern and western edges of the/ASSO/. During all months, except December (the month with the fewest recordings), humpback whale acoustic activity was registered in the/ASSO/. The acoustic presence of humpback whales at various locations in the/ASSO/confirms previous observations that part of the population remains in high-latitude waters beyond austral summer, presumably to feed. The spatial and temporal extent of humpback whale presence in the/ASSO/suggests that this area may be used by multiple humpback whale breeding populations as a feeding ground. The paper is available with open access under the following link: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.201347 Best regards, Elena Schall -- Elena Schall PhD Student Ocean Acoustics Lab Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research Klußmannstr. 3d 27570 Bremerhaven email: elena.schall(a)awi.de Phone: +49(471)4831-2157

1 2

New publication: In-air acoustic repertoire and associated behaviour of crabeater seals
by Fannie Shabangu 18 Aug '22

18 Aug '22

Dear MARMAM Colleagues, On behalf of my co-authors, I am delightedto announce the publication of our recent paper: Shabangu FW, Hofmeyr GJG, Probert R, ConnanM, Buhrmann CA, Gridley T. 2022. In-air acoustic repertoire and associatedbehaviour of wild juvenile crabeater seals during rehabilitation. Bioacoustics,https://doi.org/10.1080/09524622.2022.2108145 Abstract In-air sounds of pinnipeds are importantfor interactions with conspecifics and threat displays. However, little isknown about the in-air acoustic repertoire and associated behaviour ofcrabeater seals Lobodon carcinophaga. We investigated the in-airacoustic repertoire and associated behaviour of two male and one female wild juvenilecrabeater seals that beached separately, and were rehabilitated in Durban andGqeberha, South Africa. In-air sounds were visually identified and categorisedinto five classes validated via random forest model classification: brief,intermediate, and long moan calls, croaks, and hisses. Hisses were common (n =25,105 sounds from 136 hrs of acoustic recordings) and detected during heightenedarousal states and interactions with animal care staff and a conspecific.Furthermore, hisses were also recorded in low arousal states during exhalation.Moan calls (n = 241) were only detected from two of the three seals. Duringrehabilitation, the female seal ceased producing moan calls and later produced aseries of croaks (n = 204). Acoustic characteristics of in-air moan callsdiffered from published underwater moan calls according to duration, minimum,and maximum frequencies, and pulse repetition rate. Our study shows that thein-air acoustic repertoire and associated behaviour of these Antarctic sealsare dynamic, vary inter-individually and are context dependent. The first 50 copies of the paper can be freelydownloaded at: https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/DC7NMQUW99GKMEBB7PHY/full?target=10.1080…, please don't hesitate to email me for a PDF copy or if you have questions/comments. Bestregards, Fannie _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Fannie W.Shabangu, PhD MarineBiologist Departmentof Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Cape Town,South Africa Mobile: +2774 220 0210 Tel: +27 21402 3553 ResearchFellow MammalResearch Institute Whale Unit Universityof Pretoria Hatfield,South Africa

1 0

New publication on estimating volume in large whales
by Nathan Hirtle 18 Aug '22

18 Aug '22

Hi all, My coauthors and I are excited to share our recent publication with you: Hirtle, N. O., Stepanuk, J. E. F., Heywood, E. I., Christiansen, F., & Thorne, L. H. (2022). Integrating 3D models with morphometric measurements to improve volumetric estimates in marine mammals. *Methods in Ecology and Evolution*, 00, 1– 13. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.13962 We integrated UAV-based measurements from humpback whales in the New York Bight with 3D models constructed in Blender to generate realistic models that can provide estimates of volume. As was found in previous work, these scaled 3D models are fairly robust to missing measurements, and with as few as 5-6 width measurements (out of the 17 measurements taken), we were able to obtain volume estimates that were within 5% of the models scaled with all available measurements. We provide code and guidelines for constructing and scaling 3D models in the hopes that others may find these methods useful in their own study species, especially large whales. Please do not hesitate to reach out with questions! Cheers, Nathan Hirtle nathan.hirtle(a)stonybrook.edu

1 0

Autumn distance sampling workshop series - registration open
by Len Thomas 18 Aug '22

18 Aug '22

Distance sampling is a survey technique widely used to estimate the density and abundance of marine mammal populations, and other taxa. The Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling are pleased to announce that we will be running 3 live online workshops this autumn on aspects of distance sampling. Registration is now open. The two most relevant to marine mammal scientists are: - Distance sampling when animals are missed at zero distance, 28 & 31 October 2022. In marine mammal surveys animals may be missed because they are below the water and so unavailable to visual observers, or because of difficult sighting conditions. (Analogous issues occur for other types of marine mammal survey, such as passive acoustic surveys.) We will teach methods for dealing with these situations, and practical software tools. - Practical design and simulation to optimise distance sampling surveys, 1, 2 & 4 November 2022. Good survey design is critical to get the most out of marine mammal distance sampling surveys, which typically involve high field costs. Simulation is an inexpensive way to investigate design alternatives and optimize at the planning stage. We will demonstrate available free tools for this. For more details, and to register, go to https://workshops.distancesampling.org We are offering one free place on each workshop with the goal of to widening participation to scientists from countries with fewer resources and groups traditionally under-represented in wildlife science. More details are at http://workshops.distancesampling.org/widening-participation and the closing date for applications for the widening participation scholarships is September 5th. For those with wider interests in ecology, our third workshop is on camera trap distance sampling, a method seeing increasing use in terrestrial situations where remotely-operated cameras offer a practical solution to surveying in hard-to-reach areas with relatively low densities of animals. That workshop is relatively soon, 19-23 September and further details are at the above web site. In addition to the above, we are planning another of our highly successful introductory distance sampling workshops, likely in November. More details will be posted in due course. Best wishes to all, Len Thomas -- I am a member of the University and College Union and am currently participating in industrial action to improve UK higher education staff pension, pay, equality and working conditions. For more information, please see https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/11896/Why-were-taking-action. -- Len Thomas (he/him) len.thomas(a)st-andrews.ac.uk lenthomas.org @len_thom Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling and School of Mathematics and Statistics The Observatory, University of St Andrews, Scotland KY16 9LZ Office: UK+1334-461801 Admin: UK+1334-461842 The University of St Andrews is a charity registered in Scotland, No SC013532.

1 0