November 2023 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

MSCA Doctoral Network SEASOUNDS: 10 PhD positions opening soon
by Nathalie Favretto-Cristini 15 Nov '23

15 Nov '23

Dear Colleagues, (with apologies for cross posting) *The MSCA Doctoral Network SEASOUNDS* (Innovative marine soundscape characterization to effectively mitigate ocean and sea noise pollution, GA no. 101119769) *will soon be recruiting 10 highly motivated PhD students.*We would appreciate your assistance in advertising within your channels of communication and helping us find highly motivated students. SEASOUNDS aims to *better characterize and predict marine soundscapes, in order to provide recommendations for appropriate and proportionate underwater noise mitigation solutions*, for improved know-how, decision-making and standards setting for a sustainable Blue Growth limiting the impact on marine wildlife. The project addresses important knowledge gaps related to understanding, characterization and modeling of the entire noise transfer chain, from the noise source (e.g. offshore foundation installation, UXO disposal, shipping) to the receiver (whether a technological tool or an animal). SEASOUNDS’ methodological approach incorporates concepts, models, and tools from a variety of disciplines including *underwater acoustics, seismology, mechanics, bioacoustics, and marine biology**.* Thus, SEASOUNDS will train 10 PhD students with high multidisciplinary, inter-sectoral, and transverse skills, who will comprehend noise pollution issues in a holistic way. The Network gathers 15 partners from France, Spain, Italy, The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Monaco and USA (see https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101119769 <https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101119769>), and will run for 4 years from January 2024. The PhD positions will have staggered _starting dates between September-December 2024_ for a duration of 3 or 4 years, depending on the host institution’s rule. The 10 individual projects are : * *PhD position 1 at TU Delft (The Netherlands) - Environmental vibrations and acoustic emissions from offshore foundation installation* * *PhD position 2 at CNRS-Géoazur (France) - Imagery of seabed sediments and sub-surface properties by Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) measurement* * *PhD position 3 at CNRS-LMA (France) - Noise pollution generated by historical Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) disposal in shallow waters* * *PhD position 4 at NTNU Trondheim (Norway) - Modeling of shipping noise in arctic fjords* * *PhD position 5 at CNRS-LMA (France) - Uncertainties in the source and environment description: influence on noise impact assessment* * *PhD position 6 at Università degli studi di Padova (Italy) - Impact of anthropogenic activities on underwater noise pollution in the Venetian Lagoon* * *PhD position 7 at Università degli studi di Padova (Italy) - Natural and Anthropogenic Dynamics of Marine Soundscapes* * *PhD position 8 at NTNU Trondheim (Norway) - Marine mammal monitoring using Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS)* * *PhD position 9 at Aarhus University (Denmark) - Moving animals in a variable soundscape* * *PhD position 10 at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – BarcelonaTech (Spain) – Impact of underwater noise pollution on marine invertebrates and plants* Each position includes secondment opportunities. For more information about SEASOUNDS, the individual projects, and the eligibility and mobility criteria, applicants can visit the webpage https://laboratoire-mecanique-acoustique.fr/actualites/1166-the-doctoral-ne… and/or contact the SEASOUNDS coordinator, Dr. Nathalie Favretto-Cristini (favretto(a)lma.cnrs-mrs.fr) Best regards, On behalf of the SEASOUNDS consortium, Nathalie Favretto-Cristini --

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Marine Mammal Wildlife position
by Polasek, Lori K (DFG) 14 Nov '23

14 Nov '23

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Wildlife Conservation is recruiting for a Wildlife Biologist 1 located in Juneau! Marine Mammal Wildlife Biologist 1 Long Term Non-Permanent Position Under general supervision of the Marine Mammal Program, the Long Term Non-Permanent (LTNP) position performs a variety of marine mammal species. The incumbent, after initial training, will work independently to prepare presentation material on the ESA, MMPA, and species of interest, review species related documents, will assist with sample tracking, data entry and preliminary analysis of tissues (fish and teeth) for stable isotope analysis, will communicate with, and prepare training material for, pilots flying in Cook Inlet. With consultation, perform permit application reviews, engage with stakeholders, and misc. other duties as assigned (sourcing datasets, library research, making phone calls). This is a LTNP position. This position comes with benefits, but not a retirement package. The position has 1 guaranteed year of funding with the potential for extension. This posting is open for a short window due to the short timeline on funding. To apply - https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/alaska/jobs/4276401/wildlife-biologi…

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Special Issue on Aquatic Mammals of Central America
by Ester Quintana 14 Nov '23

14 Nov '23

Dear Marmam community, We are excited to share the news that the special issue on Aquatic Mammals of Central America has been published by the Revista de Biologia Tropical. The special issue includes 15 contributions represented by country as follows: Belize = 1, Guatemala = 4, El Salvador = 1, Nicaragua = 1, Costa Rica = 3, Panama = 4, and one regional paper that includes Central America, Mexico, and the United States. Of these 15 publications, 13 involved Central American researchers as primary authors or co-authors, and 12 were lead-authored by women. You can access the special issue in the following link: https://doi.org/10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71iS4.2023 The list of articles and corresponding links are included below. Happy reading! Ester Quintana-Rizzo, Ph.D. and Laura May-Collado, Ph.D. Laura J. May-Collado, Ester Quintana-Rizzo Prologue: Thirty Years of Aquatic Mammal Research in Central America https://revistas.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/rbt/article/view/57294/57778 Heat loss or heat uptake? Skin temperature in Antillean manatees (Trichechus manatus manatus, Sirenia: Trichechidae) in Belize Nicola Erdsack, Jamal A. Galves, James E. Powell https://doi.org/10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71iS4.57272 Long-term spatiotemporal distribution, abundance, and priority areas for manatees and calves (Trichechus manatus Sirenia: Trichechidae) in Guatemala Ester Quintana-Rizzo, Oscar Machuca-Coronado, Heidy Amely Garcia https://doi.org/10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71iS4.57273 Characteristics and spatial identification of Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus Sirenia: Trichechidae) strandings in Guatemala Oscar Machuca-Coronado, Ester Quintana-Rizzo, Tannia Sandoval, M. Fabiola Corona-Figueroa, Heidy Amely Garcia https://doi.org/10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71iS4.57274 Initial characterization of mitochondrial DNA control region haplotypes of the Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus, Sirenia:Trichechidae) in Guatemala Grecia Mendez, Susan Carney, Heidy Amelia Garcia, Ester Quintana-Rizzo https://doi.org/10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71iS4.57278 Southern Hemisphere humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) (Artiodactyla: Balaenopteridae) singing activity at Caño Island Biological Reserve, Costa Rica before, during, and after COVID-19 lockdowns Laura J. May-Collado, Sawyer Bottoms, Grace Durant, Jose David Palacios-Alfaro, Juan Jose Alvarado https://doi.org/10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71iS4.57280 First song description of the humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae (Balaenopteridae: Artiodactyla), breeding off Nicaragua Joelle De Weerdt, Divna Djokic, Renata S. Sousa-Lima, Federica Pace https://doi.org/10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71iS4.57281 Migratory destinations of endangered humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae (Cetartiodactyla: Balaenopteridae), from El Salvador Nicola Ransome, Melvin G. Castaneda, Ted Cheeseman, John Calambokidis, Fred Sharpe https://doi.org/10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71iS4.57283 Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni brydei, Artiodactyla: Balaenopteridae) aggregation area in the Gulf of Chiriqui, Panama Kristin Rasmussen, Daniel M. Palacios https://doi.org/10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71iS4.57284 False killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens Cetacea: Delphinidae) along the Pacific coast of Central America and Mexico: Long-term movements, association patterns and assessment of fishery interactions Annie B. Douglas, Frank Garita Alpízar, Alejandro Acevedo-Gutiérrez, Sabre D. Mahaffy, Kristin Rasmussen, Ester Quintana-Rizzo, Joëlle De Weerdt, Daniel M. Palacios, Damián Martínez-Fernández, Camila Lazcano-Pacheco, Christian Daniel Ortega Ortiz, Nicola Ransome, Astrid Frisch-Jordán, Francisco Villegas-Zurita, John Calambokidis, Robin W. Baird https://doi.org/10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71iS4.57189 More pieces for the puzzle: novel information on the genetic diversity and population structure of Steno bredanensis (Artiodactyla: Delphinidae) in Central America and the Caribbean Sea Dalia C. Barragán-Barrera, Camilo A. Correa-Cárdenas, María Alejandra Duarte-Fajardo, Lissette Trejos Lasso, Betzi Pérez-Ortega, Shakira G. Quiñones-Lebrón, Antonio A. Mignucci-Giannoni, José Julio Casas, Roberto Santamaria Valverde, Nohelia Farías-Curtidor, Susana Caballero https://doi.org/10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71iS4.57285 First mercury and stable isotope assessment from an unusual mass stranding of rough-toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis) (Artiodactyla: Delphinidae) in Azuero peninsula, Pacific coast of Panama Dalia-C. Barragán-Barrera, Lissette Trejos-Lasso, Betzi Pérez-Ortega, José-Julio Casas, Roberto Santamaria-Valverde https://doi.org/10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71iS4.57188 Population size and demographic parameters of pantropical spotted dolphin (Stenella attenuata graffmani) (Cetartiodactyla: Delphinidae) in Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica Lenin Oviedo Correa, David Herra-Miranda, Juan Diego Pacheco-Polanco https://doi.org/10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71iS4.57287 Killer whales, Orcinus orca (Artiodactyla: Delphinidae) in Guatemala: sighting records, photographic match, and interaction with Bryde’s whales, Balaenoptera edeni (Artiodactyla: Balaenoptera) Jenniffer Ortiz-Wolford, Julio C. Romero, Andrea A. Cabrera https://doi.org/10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71iS4.57288 Mitochondrial DNA supports the low genetic diversity of Tursiops truncatus (Artiodactyla: Delphinidae) in Bocas del Toro, Panama and exhibits new Caribbean haplotypes María Alejandra Duarte-Fajardo, Dalia C. Barragán-Barrera, Camilo A. Correa-Cárdenas, Betzi Pérez-Ortega, Nohelia Farías-Curtidor, Susana Caballero https://doi.org/10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71iS4.57291 Lobomycosis-like disease in bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus (Artiodactyla: Delphinidae) from Costa Rica Pacific waters Juan Diego Pacheco-Polanco, David Herra-Miranda, Lenin Oviedo Correa https://doi.org/10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71iS4.57292

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_Fin Whale Project Internship positions and Spring/Summer Research Assistant course openings Barcelona 2024_
by Eduard Degollada 14 Nov '23

14 Nov '23

* * * * *_Fin Whale Project Internship positions and Spring/Summer Research Assistant course openings Barcelona 2024_* * * Dear colleagues, Research association Edmaktub is accepting applications for research interns willing to participate in the Fin Whale Project 2024. The partcipants can join as a research intern with a minimum stay of 3 months or in our Research Assistant Course with a duration of 1 to 4 weeks (see details below). The internships will run from February to September 2024, majorly on the research catamaran, and requires preparation time. We are especially interested in master students looking to undertake a master’s research project. Priority will be given to those interns committed for at least the Spring three months (March to end of May). The Fin Whale Project is a long-term research project carried out by the EDMAKTUB Association, a research non-profit organization. It is focused on the study of fin whales in the Catalan coast and on their migration towards the Atlantic. The main goals of the project are to increase the knowledge of the fin whales around the Spanish peninsula, work with new technologies (such as drones and/or thermal cameras and artificial intelligence) to improve the cetacean monitoring techniques, and also work for fin whale conservation and divulgation. Performing those objectives the Fin Whale Project turned out as a pioneer project in the use of drones to study cetaceans, which has allowed us to develop a new identification technique much more efficient and reliable. It has also been the key to identify this and other areas as a fin whale feeding ground. The field work will be performed in the Catalan coast, primarily between Barcelona and Tarragona, northeastern Spain in Spring. Then, it will continue in Denia, eastern Spain in June, Strait of Gibraltar in July and Galicia NW Spain in August and September. During the surveys, EDMAKTUB also collects information on other cetaceans, sea birds, fish, and sea turtles. *_RESEARCH INTERNS_* For the 2024 Fin Whale Project, we are looking for research interns to complete the team. The positions are unpaid and a minimum of three months is required in order to be considered. Interns must cover their accommodation and living expenses. EDMAKTUB offers an apartment in which a room can be rented (low rate). The positions will be assigned as soon as possible. Priority will be given to those having photo ID experience and a long period availability. Qualifications - Must be currently enrolled in or recently graduated from an accredited college or university; preference will be given to students working towards biology, environmental studies, marine science, veterinary medicine, education, mathematics, artificial intelligence, or other related fields. If you do not fit this profile but think you can contribute anyway, please contact us. - Must demonstrate strong written and verbal communication skills. - Must be dedicated, flexible, responsible, hardworking, willing to learn, and have attention to detail. Interest or experience in the Spanish and Catalan languages are preferred. - Must be able to work independently and as part of a team. - Must be willing to engage in a positive and informative manner with the general public regularly. -Must expect to work on a full-time basis, which can include early morning and late nights. -Must be living close by the Garraf area or willing to relocate to Villanova I la Geltrú. What is expected from you? -Preparation of your research line to start research while starting the Fin Whale Project fieldwork. -Daily participation in the 2024 marine surveys of the Fin Whale Project -Responsibility for the tasks associated with your research line as well as willingness to assist in tasks related to other lines of research. -Involvement in several tasks that are part of running an association (general data entry, fundraising, marketing/social media, communication, educational events and talks) -At the end of the internship, the intern will deliver a written report regarding the work carried out and a presentation about their experience and projects to staff and volunteers. What do you get? -Knowledge on different cetacean research techniques and methodology. -The possibility to establish your research in the form of master’s research project and/or an article for publication. -To go sailing out to sea together with a team of motivated people, studying one of the most majestical animals that exist. -Guidance through your project and feedback on your research -A platform in which to gain experience in the field study of cetaceans and an entry to the broad scientific and professional network of Edmaktub. We currently have several research interests and priorities. One of our main priorities is people committed to photo-identification; taking and processing the images and updating the catalogue. Besides conventional photo-identification the researchers will also participate in the drone photo-identification catalogue, which already have more than 400 individuals. Moreover, we are also focused on oceanography (related to fin whale distribution and possible implications of climate change), behavior (descriptive, social, feeding, travelling, reactions, …), marine traffic (what is the situation and how to minimize the risk), marine pollution (specially focused on macro and microplastics), plankton (using the echosounder, determining the different species presence and distribution) and animal health (using camera and drone footage to asses animal health and study morphometrics). We would also love projects in collaboration with the local fishermen, or drone images related studies. Everything is open for discussion. In addition to research projects, we are looking for interns that can help us with social media, marketing, grant writing and website building. To get more information regarding the fin whale project and the publications that has been made please visit our website www.edmaktub.org/en/fin-whale-project/and visit our youtube channel EDMAKTUB (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtGUtaoi-cOqNtRU7qRRdlg <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtGUtaoi-cOqNtRU7qRRdlg>). You can also keep updated by following us on social media, we are on Instagram and Facebook as Edmaktub. Please be conscious that daily ocean surveys can be physically challenging and require a strong will and motivation. We value strong collaborative skills, a positive attitude, and a willingness to help others to learn. We appreciate our interns and take good care of each other. Do you think you are a good fit for the team? We would love to hear from you and get in touch as soon as possible. How to apply? Send your resume and a cover letter including your research interests regarding this project to info(a)edmaktub.org <mailto:info@edmaktub.org>. Mention ‘FWP24’ in the email subject. *TRAINING PROGRAM: RESEARCH ASSISTANTS –Graduates, students or people wishing to acquire practical experience in the field study of cetaceans and oceanographic research.* Number of positions available: 20 | Participating period: between 1 to 4 weeks to choose from March to September. https://edmaktub.org/en/participate/ <https://edmaktub.org/en/participate/> *What do you get?* • The chance to participate in all the activities developed by the Fin Whale Project during your stay of the program, especially in daily whale monitoring and observation. • Training and practical experience in the field of cetacean study. With both theoretical and practical lessons in the different research fields performed by our researchers. • Share knowledge and experience with the research members of the Fin Whale Project, a multicultural team with different researchers coming from different disciplines and backgrounds. • The opportunity of spending quality time at sea observing cetaceans in the rich environment of the coast of Barcelona (Garraf Coast). *Contents* -Distribution and Behavior -Photo-identification -Drones and their application to cetacean research -Fishermen/Citizen science -Oceanography -Plankton and Microplastics -Collisions -Biological samples and acoustics -Thermal imaging - Statistics and data analysis - How to plan and prepare a research project If you would like to know more information the course don’t hesitate to contact us through email (info(a)edmaktub.org <mailto:info@edmaktub.org>) or send us a WhatsApp (+34 655879180). *What do we ask in return?* • To collaborate financially to the project with a donation that ranges between 900 to 1500 euros depending on the number of weeks of the course. This contribution covers accommodation and meals as well as the material needed for the course and the surveys. *How to apply?* Fill out the form you will find in our website: https://edmaktub.org/en/participate/ <https://edmaktub.org/en/participate/> or contact through info(a)edmaktub.org <mailto:info@edmaktub.org> Kind regards, Edmaktub team

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New publication: Using vocal cues to assess arousal state of bottlenose dolphins
by Rachel Probert 14 Nov '23

14 Nov '23

Dear MARMAM community, My co-authors and I are pleased to share our recent publication: Rachel Probert, Bridget S. James, Simon H. Elwen, Tess Gridley. 2023. Vocal cues to assess arousal state of bottlenose dolphins (*Tursiops *spp.) involved in public presentations. Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens 4(4): 711-727. https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5636/4/4/50# ABSTRACT: Emotions in animals may be expressed by arousal and understanding this often relies upon the monitoring of their behaviour. Under human care, animals’ arousal states may be linked to husbandry decisions, whereby animals may display arousal responses to scheduled events such as feeding and human interaction. Here, we investigate vocal correlates of arousal associated with public presentations of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops spp.) in human care by comparing vocal production rates and characteristics between high and low arousal contexts. Elevated arousal during the day compared with overnight was characterised by increased signature and non-signature whistle production. High intensity broadband crack vocalisations were produced less than whistles during the day and did not correlate with increased arousal around presentation times. Three of ten dolphins increased signature whistle production before and/or after presentation sessions, indicating elevated arousal and variation in individual responses. Many individuals elevated minimum frequency and suppressed maximum frequency of signature whistles in a way that correlated with higher arousal contexts, indicating that these may therefore be good indicators of changes in arousal state. Overall, our study demonstrates that passive acoustic monitoring can provide a useful indication of arousal linked to husbandry decisions, and that individual variation in vocal responses, likely linked to personality, is important to consider. All the best, Rachel Probert -- *Rachel Probert* *PhD candidate, Marine Biology, Bioacoustics* Sea Search Research and Conservation, Muizenberg, Cape Town School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Durban Cell: +27767831809 https://www.buymeacoffee.com/SeaSearch

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WDC Marine Mammal Conservation Internship (temporary, full-time, paid)
by Sarah McCormack 14 Nov '23

14 Nov '23

Whale and Dolphin Conservation’s North American office is now hiring for a 12-week, entry-level Marine Mammal Conservation Internship. We will prioritize candidates who do not have practical experience (internship, significant volunteering, employment) in this field outside of a classroom setting. Applicants should be eager to dive into new experiences and enjoy having a variety of tasks to work on. This position will help to assist staff in three key program areas: Marine Animal Rescue and Response, Education, and Boater Outreach.<https://us.whales.org/about/get-involved/#MARR> We have two open positions in 2024 for this temporary, full-time, paid internship. We are seeking to fill one position each for the spring (March-May) and summer (June-August). The submission period will close November 30 at 11:59pm EST. Diverse candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. Whale and Dolphin Conservation embraces diversity and equal opportunity. We recognize that the field of marine mammal research and conservation lacks diversity, including within our own organization. WDC is dedicated to creating inclusive opportunities which represent diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. For full details and application instructions, please visit https://us.whales.org/about/get-involved/ . Sarah McCormack Stranding Coordinator WDC North America Pronouns: she, her, hers Hotline: +1 617‑688‑6872 Mobile: +1 917-880-2160<tel:+1%20917-880-2160> WDC, Whale and Dolphin Conservation 7 Nelson Street Plymouth, MA 02360‑4044 United States whales.org<https://whales.org/> [WDC - Protecting Whales and Dolphins for over 30 years]<https://whales.org/> [WDC on Facebook]<https://www.facebook.com/uswhalesorg> [WDC North America on Twitter]<https://www.twitter.com/whales_org> [WDC on Instagram]<https://www.instagram.com/whales_org> [WDC on YouTube]<https://www.youtube.com/whalesorg> [WDC News and Blogs]<https://us.whales.org/category/news/> [WDC E-Newsletter]<https://us.whales.org/newsletter> [WDC on Guidestar]<https://www.guidestar.org/profile/02-0749188> Whale and Dolphin Conservation (“WDC”), Inc. is an IRS recognized 501(c)3 non‑profit organization. Your contributions are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. WDC, 7 Nelson Street, Plymouth, MA 02360‑4044 Tel: +1 (508) 746‑2522 This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager. Please note that any views or opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the company. Finally, the recipient should check this email and any attachments for the presence of viruses. The company accepts no liability for any damage caused by any virus transmitted by this email.

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New Publication: One size fits all? Adaptation of trained CNNs to new marine acoustic environments
by Ellen White 14 Nov '23

14 Nov '23

Dear Colleagues We are excited to share our new research paper 'One size fits all? Adaptation of trained CNNs to new marine acoustic environments' in the journal Ecological Informatics. The article is open access and can be found at : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoinf.2023.102363One size fits all? Adaptation of trained CNNs to new marine acoustic environments The authors of this work are: Ellen L. White, Holger Klinck, Jonathan M. Bull, Paul R. White & Denise Risch. This article looks at deploying a broadband multi-sound source detector within new soundscapes, identifying how much data we should use when fine-tuning to a new acoustic feild. We hope you find the work interesting. Please feel free to contact Ellen White (elw1g13(a)soton.ac.uk) for any questions or enquiries. Abstract: Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have the potential to enable a revolution in bioacoustics, allowing robust detection and classification of marine sound sources. As global Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) datasets continue to expand it is critical we improve our confidence in the performance of models across different marine environments, if we are to exploit the full ecological value of information within the data. This work demonstrates the transferability of developed CNN models to new acoustic environments by using a pre-trained model developed for one location (West of Scotland, UK) and deploying it in a distinctly different soundscape (Gulf of Mexico, USA). In this work transfer learning is used to fine-tune an existing open-source ‘small-scale’ CNN, which detects odontocete tonal and broadband call types and vessel noise (operating between 0 and 48 kHz). The CNN is fine-tuned on training sets of differing sizes, from the unseen site, to understand the adaptability of a network to new marine acoustic environments. Fine-tuning with a small sample of site-specific data significantly improves the performance of the CNN in the new environment, across all classes. We demonstrate an improved performance in area-under-curve (AUC) score of 0.30, across four classes by fine-training with only 50 spectrograms per class, with a 5% improvement in accuracy between 50 frames and 500 frames. This work shows that only a small amount of site-specific data is needed to retrain a CNN, enabling researchers to harness the power of existing pre-trained models for their own datasets. The marine bioacoustic domain will benefit from a larger pool of global data for training large deep learning models, but we illustrate in this work that domain adaptation can be improved with limited site-specific exemplars. Reference for the paper: White, E., Klinck, H., Bull, J., White, P. and Risch, D., 2023. One size fits all? Adaptation of trained CNNs to new marine acoustic environments. Ecological Informatics, p.102363. Ellen White Post-graduate Research Student University of Southampton School of Ocean and Earth Sciences National Oceanography Centre Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK Office Location: 164/25 Contact Information: Email: elw1g13(a)soton.ac.uk Phone: 07715926069

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New publication: First direct observation of a successful southern right whale birth in South African waters
by Els Vermeulen 14 Nov '23

14 Nov '23

Dear colleagues We are pleased to inform you of the publication of a short note describing a successful birth of a southern right whale in South African coastal waters. Shuttleworth, L., Appleby, A., Appleby, R., & Vermeulen, E. (2023). First direct observation of a successful southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) birth in South African coastal waters. Marine Mammal Science, 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.13091 The article is open access and can be downloaded from the doi link above. With kind regards, Els Dr Els Vermeulen Senior Lecturer and Research Manager Mammal Research Institute Whale Unit Department of Zoology and Entomology University of Pretoria, South Africa t: +27 (0)60 9714301 e: els.vermeulen(a)up.ac.za URL: mammalresearchinstitute.science/whale-unit <https://www.mammalresearchinstitute.science/whale-unit> : adoptawhale.co.za <https://www.facebook.com/MRIWhaleUnit> <https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Els-Vermeulen> <https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3667-1290> -- This message and attachments are subject to a disclaimer. Please refer to http://upnet.up.ac.za/services/it/documentation/docs/004167.pdf <http://upnet.up.ac.za/services/it/documentation/docs/004167.pdf> for full details.

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New publication on movement and dive pattern of male sperm whales
by 天野　雅男 13 Nov '23

13 Nov '23

Dear colleagues, On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to announce our new publication in Frontiers in Marine Science. Amano, M., K. Aoki, H. Kobayashi, S. MInamikawa, K. Sato, and T. Kubodera 2023. Stereotypical diel movement and dive pattern of male sperm whales in a submarine canyon revealed by land-based and bio-logging surveys. Frontiers in Marine Science 10:1150308 The article is open access and can be found here: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2023.1150308 Abstract Male sperm whales are under pressure to grow larger in order to increase their mating opportunities, which could lead them to more efficiently forage in high latitude feeding grounds. Movement patterns of male sperm whales in Nemuro Strait, Japan, were investigated horizontally and vertically using land-based observation and bio-logging methods to determine how they facilitate foraging in the narrow submarine canyon. Eleven tagged whales showed the distinct diel pattern for dive depth, as it was deeper at night than during the day. Five-year data of land-based observation and GPS data from six tagged whales revealed the tendency of whales to change the north-south direction of their horizontal movement every 4–6 h, and this movement direction was not related to the direction of the current. Their periodic heading change is thought to be a consequence of the whales making two round trips each day within the foraging area, one during the day to shallow layers and one during the night to deep layers. These tactics may help the whales to search for prey in this narrow submarine canyon efficiently. Most whales changed their direction of movement in a similar manner, which is probably due to the whales’ tendency to stay close enough to each other to obtain information about the prey environment using the echolocation clicks of other whales. The results emphasize the ability of male sperm whales to adapt their foraging tactics according to the prey environment of their habitat and intense pressure to grow faster may be the drive for this ability. The importance of social cohesion among foraging male sperm whales was also suggested. Best regards, Masao Amano Graduate School of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences, Nagasaki University

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Aquatic Mammals 6th issue of Volume 49 available online
by Kathleen Dudzinski 13 Nov '23

13 Nov '23

Dear MARMAM Subscribers, Happy November! The 6th issue of volume 49 (49.6) of Aquatic Mammals journal is available online and will be officially published on Wednesday (15 November). Further information about the journal can be found at: http://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/ To submit a manuscript for publication consideration, please visit: http://am.expressacademic.org/actions/author.php With regards, Kathleen M. Dudzinski, Ph.D. Editor, Aquatic Mammals Journal business(a)aquaticmammalsjournal.org <mailto:business@aquaticmammalsjournal.org> Articles with ** are open access: **Rachel Wachtendonk, Mari A. Smultea, and Kolby Pedrie. (2023). Cetacean and Sea Turtle Observations in the Remote Mid-Atlantic (NW) Ocean. Aquatic Mammals, 49(6), 495-507. Jonas O. Elnes, André Moan, Kjell T. Nilssen, L. Asbjørn Vøllestad, and Arne Bjørge. (2023). Temporal and Spatial Distribution of Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina) Risk of Entanglement in Gillnets Along the Norwegian Coast. Aquatic Mammals, 49(6), 508-518. **Caroline Tribble, Agnieszka Monczak, Lindsey Transue, Alyssa Marian, Patricia Fair, Brian Balmer, Joseph Ballenger, Hannah Baker, Meghan Weinpress-Galipeau, Alayna Robertson, Allan Strand, and Eric W. Montie. (2023). Enhancing Interpretation of Cetacean Acoustic Monitoring: Investigating Factors that Influence Vocalization Patterns of Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins in an Urbanized Estuary, Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, USA. Aquatic Mammals, 49(6), 519-549. Dongjiao Liu, Peijun Zhang, Yamian Wang, Zhichuang Lu, Wanxin Deng, and Songhai Li. (2023). Hybrids Between Gray Seals (Halichoerus grypus) and Spotted Seals (Phoca largha): A Case of Xeno-Breeding Preference in Pinnipeds. Aquatic Mammals, 49(6), 550-560. Gonzalo Medina-Vogel, Carlos Calvo-Mac, Nicole Delgado-Parada, Gabriela Molina-Maldonado, Stephanie Johnson-Padilla, and Paulette Berland-Arias. (2023). Co-Occurrence Between Salmon Farming, Alien American Mink (Neogale vison), and Endangered Otters in Patagonia. Aquatic Mammals, 49(6), 561-568. **Rose Borkowski, Allison C. Perna, Nadia J. Gordon, Alvin C. Camus, John M. Gliatto, Connie Merigo, and Lauren A. Polimeno. (2023). Notable Stingray Spine-Associated Strandings Involving Two Female Bottlenose Dolphins in Florida and Massachusetts, USA, in the Context of Literature and Database Reviews. Aquatic Mammals, 49(6), 569-584. Janet M. Lanyon, Helen L. Sneath, Kirsten M. Golding, and Claire Madden. (2023). Baseline Urinalysis of the Fully Marine, Herbivorous Dugong (Dugong dugon). Aquatic Mammals, 49(6), 585-596.

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