December 2023 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Position Openings at The Marine Mammal Center
by Sarah Tatum 13 Dec '23

13 Dec '23

The Marine Mammal Center is Recruiting! Sea Otter Response Specialist Location of Position: Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo, CA Reports to: San Luis Obispo Operations Manager Position Classification: This is a temporary full-time, hourly, non-exempt position. Days of work are generally Wednesday to Sunday. Evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand. Some travel within California is expected for this position. Compensation Range: $20.00 – $22.00/hr Partial Benefits: * Sick Time * 401k Retirement Plan * The Marine Mammal Center offers benefits to support the emotional wellbeing of you and your loved ones (Employee Assistance Program) Position Overview This 6-month position is meant to provide the candidate with a high-level view of community powered conservation while supporting the advancement of an inclusive environment within one of the world’s largest marine mammal stranding response programs, with a focus on sea otter response and post-release monitoring. The successful candidate will contribute meaningful support to the response & animal care of marine mammals at our San Luis Obispo Operations and the sea otter post-release monitoring program at the Center.   To read the entire position posting and how to apply visit this link: Link<https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/2097449/Marine-Mam…>. Cetacean Conservation Biology Fellow Location of Position: Marin Headlands, Sausalito, California Reports to: Associate Director, Entanglement Response & Prevention Position Classification & Expected Hours of Work, and Travel: This is a full-time, temporary position. Approximately 40 hours/week, including some weekends and holidays. Some travel within California may be expected for this position. Compensation Range: $2,080/month + $800/month housing stipend. Benefits: No benefits. Position Summary The Cetacean Conservation Biology Fellowship supports The Marine Mammal Center’s Cetacean Conservation Biology program. This intensive 11-month program will provide the selected candidate with a diverse set of experiences in cetacean conservation biology. The fellow will participate in regular marine mammal surveys and assist staff with the preparation, training, and data management of those surveys. These surveys are conducted from small vessels both in bay areas as well as offshore environments. The fellow will receive training in small boat operations, drone operations, photo-identification, line-transect data collection, and other tools and techniques necessary to conduct field research. The fellow will grow their own leadership skills by assisting staff with project coordination and the training of interns and volunteers. Fellows may also participate in research meetings and community working groups aimed at achieving science-based conservation goals. Other opportunities may be available depending on the season and the specific goals and interests of the fellow. Fellows will receive direct mentorship and networking opportunities. To read the entire position posting and how to apply visit this link: Link<https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/2112812/Marine-Mam…>. Veterinary Technician Externship – Students Location of Position: Marin Headlands, Sausalito, California Reports to: Animal Care Manager (Training and Field operations) Position Classification: Veterinary Technician Externships are available on rotation from February through September. Externship is a minimum of 8 weeks with a maximum of 12 weeks. Externs must be able to work 2-5 days a week, at least 16-40 hours per week. Work schedule must be flexible and may include evening shifts, weekends, and holidays. Based upon different technician program requirements. Exceptions may be made for externship length and hours per week, upon acceptance into the externship. Benefits: This position is unpaid; we do have limited housing available at a reduced cost. Applicants are responsible for their own transportation. We can host international applicants, but they are responsible and required to obtain the appropriate work visa before their externship start date if accepted. Position Overview The Veterinary Technician Externship is an exciting opportunity for students in a veterinary technician program and or approved alternate route track to become a licensed veterinary technician who are interested in increasing their technical skills, gaining experience and knowledge as a technician in veterinary medicine and learning and about the behavior, rescue, and rehabilitation of marine mammals. This position works with our veterinary staff and the Center’s animal care volunteers to provide veterinary care for our patients, which consists of phocids, otariids, and the occasional cetaceans and sea otters. Due to the cyclic nature of our patients, our Veterinary Technician Externships are available from February through September. Each externship opportunity may vary slightly depending upon our patient load and what opportunities are available. During the externship students will be on their own trajectory, independent of any other students, depending upon their capabilities and experience. To read the entire position posting and how to apply visit this link: Link<https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/2015073/Marine-Mam…>. Pathology Resident Rotation Location of Position: Marin Headlands, Sausalito, California Reports to: Director of Pathology Position Classification: Seasonal externship Benefits: No benefits Position Overview: The pathology resident rotation is an opportunity to for anatomic and clinical pathology residents in established programs to gain experience in marine mammal anatomy and pathology. Rotating residents will provide postmortem data on our patients and select carcasses, which consist of phocids, otariids, and the occasional cetacean and sea otter. During their time at TMMC they will be become familiar with marine mammal gross necropsy and histopathology including classic diseases. This position requires at least a minimum of 2 weeks with openings year-round. To read the entire position posting and how to apply visit this link: Link<https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/2078420/Marine-Mam…>. The Marine Mammal Center is leading the field in ocean conservation through marine mammal rescue, veterinary medicine, science, and education. For more information, please visit our “About Us” page at www.marinemammalcenter.org<https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/about-us/what-we-do> [Icon Description automatically generated with low confidence] Sarah Tatum (she-her) Human Resources Operations Coordinator TatumS(a)tmmc.org<mailto:tatums@tmmc.org> | T: 415.858.7103 | MarineMammalCenter.org<http://www.marinemammalcenter.org/> The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Sausalito, CA 94965

1 0

EAAM2024 symposium call for abstracts
by BOYE Martin 13 Dec '23

13 Dec '23

Dear MARMAM members, The European Aquatic Mammals Association (EAAM) is organizing its next annual symposium in Tenerife, Spain (11-15th March 2024). Abstracts submission and Registration are now open, and we would be delighted to receive contributions related to aquatic mammals research, protection and welfare. https://eaam2024.com/event/call-for-abstracts Looking forward welcoming you for this once in a year occasion to share our passion on aquatic mammals. Many thanks and best regards, Martin Böye EAAM president elect

1 0

Florida Manatee and Marine Turtle Management Job Opportunity
by LaVere, Ashley 13 Dec '23

13 Dec '23

Greetings everyone, The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is seeking a Fisheries and Wildlife Biological Scientist III to aid the Imperiled Species Management Section with developing conservation measures to reduce potential adverse impacts to species and their habitat, with a focus on Florida manatee and marine turtle conservation. This environmental commenting position will focus on drafting biological opinions for regulatory and planning authorizations, but will also involve working with local, state, and federal agencies and stakeholder groups to conserve, enhance, and protect manatee and marine turtle habitat. Please follow this link to the job posting to learn more about this opportunity: https://jobs.myflorida.com/job/TALLAHASSEE-F-&-W-BIOLOGICAL-SCIENTIST-III-7… Please note that there are two Biological Scientist III, environmental commenting positions currently being advertised within the Imperiled Species Management Section of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. This position is separate from position #77070321 and you must apply to each position separately to be considered for each vacancy. Sincerely, Ashley LaVere Fish & Wildlife Biological Scientist IV Imperiled Species Management Section Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Email: ImperiledSpecies(a)MyFWC.com<mailto:ImperiledSpecies@MyFWC.com>

1 0

New publication "Imitation of Novel Actions in a Beluga Whale"
by José Francisco Zamorano Abramson 13 Dec '23

13 Dec '23

Dear MARMAM community, On behalf of myself and my co-author I'm pleased to announce the following publication in *Animals: * Zamorano-Abramson, J.; Hernández-Lloreda, M.V. Imitation of Novel Intransitive Body Actions in a Beluga Whale (*Delphinapterus leucas*): A “Do as Other Does” Study. *Animals* 2023, *13*, 3763. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13243763 Simple Summary Summary Cetaceans, including beluga whales, are known for their unique habits and behaviors that they display within their social groups, such as group-specific tactics or vocalizations. One of the questions that has attracted the attention of researchers is whether these behaviors are learned socially, i.e., from other members of their group. In this study, we investigate the ability of a young beluga to learn and reproduce new behaviors by observing another beluga perform them. The beluga was trained to respond to the command “Do this” so that it would imitate what it had observed in another beluga whale. The results show how it was able to copy both familiar behaviors (known and previously performed) and novel behaviors (actions it had never seen or performed before) in response to the “copy” signal. This study is the first evidence of this “true imitation” (copying novel actions) ability in this species and shows that these animals can acquire new skills through this process. This ability, which is quite rare in the animal kingdom, helps us to understand how these marine mammals survive and thrive in their natural habitats and how they pass on vital information about where to live, migrate, and find food. Many thanks and best wishes, José Zamorano -Abramson Dr. José Zamorano-Abramson. 1.Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social, Facultad de Gobierno, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile. 2. Investigador Grupo de Psicobiología Social, Evolutiva y Comparada Departamento de Psicobiología y Metodología en Ciencias del Comportamiento.Facultad de Psicología. Universidad Complutense de Madrid.Campus de Somosaguas 28223 Madrid, Spain ORCID Id: <http://www.upla.cl/estudiosavanzados/es/investigadores/jose-francisco-zamor…> orcid.org/0000-0001-7106-6419 RESEARCHE Id: B-3990-2012

1 0

Biologist, GS-0401-12 with Department of the Air Force - Eglin Air Force Base (AFB), Florida
by ROGERS, MELINDA A CIV USAF AFMC 96 CEG/CEIEA 12 Dec '23

12 Dec '23

Dear Marine Mammal Research and Conservation Community, I am currently seeking applicants for a Biologist GS-0401-12 position with United States Department of the Air Force - Eglin AFB, Florida (in the beautiful Florida Panhandle). The ideal candidate is someone who can help me partner with National Marine Fisheries Service to protect the Rice's Whale in the Gulf of Mexico and obtain authorization to accomplish the Air Force test and training mission in the Eglin Gulf Test and Training Range. Our branch philosophy statement is that we are environmental professionals committed to proactive and responsive environmental management to ensure continued access to our air, land, and water ranges. Duties of the position will include analyzing potential environmental impacts of proposed federal actions for Eglin Test and Training Complex. Qualifications: A. Completed a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. NOTE: To be found qualified under this option, you must submit transcripts (official or unofficial) to verify your education. OR B. Combination of education and experience: a combination of education and experience that consisted of courses equivalent to a major (24 semester hours) in fields such as those shown in response A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. The quality of the combination of education and experience is sufficient to demonstrate that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation, and is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major in the appropriate field. NOTE: To qualify under this option you must submit transcripts to verify your education and include proof of your experience in the text of your resume. Requirements: - U.S. Citizenship - Successful completion of a background security investigation If you are interested in the position or know someone who might be, please reach out to me and I will send you a secure link to upload resume and transcripts. Thank you for your consideration. Very respectfully, Mindy MELINDA A. ROGERS, Civ Chief, Environmental Assets Section (850) 882-0143 (office) melinda.rogers.1(a)us.af.mil

1 0

Apply for Masters in Coastal Science & Policy at UCSC
by Holly Rindge 11 Dec '23

11 Dec '23

Applications are open for the Graduate Program in Coastal Science and Policy <https://csp.ucsc.edu/program/> at the University of California Santa Cruz. This program is tailored for rising leaders to develop interdisciplinary solutions to global challenges facing coastal communities and ecosystems. The application deadline is Thursday, December 20, 2023 at 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time. We’re here to help - join a virtual info <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScoMONJv689-OIKd0Fs9nREnaCCV34B8dS…> session on December 14; prospective student info here <https://csp.ucsc.edu/prospective-students/>; program flyer here <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SyYGarE_Aybm24wMhn4kIyyOjQ7DDv54/view?usp=…>; email us at csp(a)ucsc.edu. The two-year Masters of Science program prepares students to identify, innovate, and implement scalable and socially just solutions to climate, biodiversity, and other sustainability challenges in coastal zones around the world. Key program features: - Students collaborate with globally recognized faculty and practitioners - Personalized career development mentorship and post graduate network development - Small cohort size (10-12 students) in a diverse and inclusive community - Need-based financial support - Year 1: Students take interdisciplinary courses and seminars in natural and social sciences, economics, policy analysis, coastal governance, leadership, innovation, and methods for designing scalable solutions to complex problems. - Year 2: Students engage with partner organizations to design and pursue individual capstone projects that build capacity and develop solutions for real problems. Projects may be based in the U.S. or globally. Graduates of the program secure career-enhancing positions before or within six months of graduation in nonprofit, government, entrepreneurial, and business sectors. They lead and inform actionable solutions to coastal challenges including equitable climate change adaptation, sustainable fisheries, marine pollution, biodiversity conservation, and community driven policy. Our students have received national and international fellowships, awards, and funding, and have collaborated with more than 40 partner organizations. Learn more about our students and see capstone projects <https://csp.ucsc.edu/leadership/> and news <https://csp.sites.ucsc.edu/news/> from our graduates. U.S. and international students are encouraged to apply, as well as students from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds. Based on financial need and program resources, we offer a limited number of fellowships for tuition and living expenses or a combination thereof. [image: Apply for CSP2.png] -- Holly Rindge hrindge(a)ucsc.edu Coordinator, Coastal Science and Policy Program UC Santa Cruz, Coastal Science Campus https://csp.ucsc.edu/

1 0

New paper on killer whale call combinations
by Anna Selbmann 11 Dec '23

11 Dec '23

Dear colleagues, We are pleased to share the publication of our open access paper on call combination patterns in Icelandic killer whales. Selbmann A, Miller PJO, Wensveen PJ, Svavarsson J & Samarra FIP (2023) Call combination patterns in Icelandic killer whales (Orcinus orca). Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-48349-1 Abstract Acoustic sequences have been described in a range of species and in varying complexity. Cetaceans are known to produce complex song displays but these are generally limited to mysticetes; little is known about call combinations in odontocetes. Here we investigate call combinations produced by killer whales (Orcinus orca), a highly social and vocal species. Using acoustic recordings from 22 multisensor tags, we use a first order Markov model to show that transitions between call types or subtypes were significantly different from random, with repetitions and specific call combinations occurring more often than expected by chance. The mixed call combinations were composed of two or three calls and were part of three call combination clusters. Call combinations were recorded over several years, from different individuals, and several social clusters. The most common call combination cluster consisted of six call (sub-)types. Although different combinations were generated, there were clear rules regarding which were the first and last call types produced, and combinations were highly stereotyped. Two of the three call combination clusters were produced outside of feeding contexts, but their function remains unclear and further research is required to determine possible functions and whether these combinations could be behaviour- or group-specific. For the co-authors, Anna Selbmann PhD Candidate Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Iceland

1 0

New publication on stranded harbour seals gut microbiome
by Ana Rubio García 11 Dec '23

11 Dec '23

Dear MARMAM community, On behalf of my co-authors, I am very happy to share our new publication in PLOS ONE "Characterising the gut microbiome of stranded harbour seals (*Phoca vitulina*) in rehabilitation." The article is Open access, it is available here: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0295072 Abstract Animal rehabilitation centres provide a unique opportunity to study the microbiome of wild animals because subjects will be handled for their treatment and can therefore be sampled longitudinally. However, rehabilitation may have unintended consequences on the animals’ microbiome because of a less varied and suboptimal diet, possible medical treatment and exposure to a different environment and human handlers. Our study describes the gut microbiome of two large seal cohorts, 50 pups (0–30 days old at arrival) and 23 weaners (more than 60 days old at arrival) of stranded harbour seals admitted for rehabilitation at the Sealcentre Pieterburen in the Netherlands, and the effect of rehabilitation on it. Faecal samples were collected from all seals at arrival, two times during rehabilitation and before release. Only seals that did not receive antimicrobial treatment were included in the study. The average time in rehabilitation was 95 days for the pups and 63 days for the weaners. We observed that during rehabilitation, there was an increase in the relative abundance of some of the *Campylobacterota spp* and *Actinobacteriota spp*. The alpha diversity of the pups’ microbiome increased significantly during their rehabilitation (p-value <0.05), while there were no significant changes in alpha diversity over time for weaners. We hypothesize that aging is the main reason for the observed changes in the pups’ microbiome. At release, the sex of a seal pup was significantly associated with the microbiome’s alpha (i.e., Shannon diversity was higher for male pups, p-value <0.001) and beta diversity (p-value 0.001). For weaners, variation in the microbiome composition (beta diversity) at release was partly explained by sex and age of the seal (p-values 0.002 and 0.003 respectively). We mainly observed variables known to change the gut microbiome composition (e.g., age and sex) and conclude that rehabilitation in itself had only minor effects on the gut microbiome of seal pups and seal weaners. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions. Best wishes, Ana Rubio-Garcia Head of the Veterinary, Care and Research departments ana.rubiogarcia(a)zeehondencentrum.nl +31(0)6 12981154 *SEAL, SEA, SCIENCE.* *DOE JE MEE?* -- Hoofdstraat 94a 9968 AG Pieterburen T +31 (0)595 526 526 E: *info(a)zeehondencentrum.nl <info(a)zeehondencentrum.nl>* www.zeehondencentrum.nl -- Please consider the environment. Think before printing.

1 0

New Publication (Photo-ID and satellite telemetry connect southern right whales from South Georgia Island (Islas Georgias del Sur) with multiple feeding and calving grounds in the southwest Atlantic.
by Amy Kennedy - NOAA Affiliate 08 Dec '23

08 Dec '23

Dear MARMAM community, On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to announce our new publication in Marine Mammal Science entitled “Photo-identification and satellite telemetry connect southern right whales from South Georgia Island (Islas Georgias del Sur) with multiple feeding and calving grounds in the southwest Atlantic.” *ABSTRACT* The sub-Antarctic waters of South Georgia Island (Islas Georgias del Sur, SG/IG) are a regularly visited feeding ground for southern right whales (*Eubalaena australis*, SRW) in the southwest Atlantic. Satellite telemetry and photo-identification records were compared to better understand the role of SG/IG in the SRW migratory network. We present the first insights from SRW satellite-tracked from the SG/IG feeding ground, habitat use patterns in the Scotia Arc, and movements to Antarctic habitats. Photo-identification comparisons to calving and feeding areas across the South Atlantic and a review of sightings of cetaceans reported from Bird Island (west of SG/IG) since 1979 illuminate long-term habitat use patterns in SG/IG. We present the first recorded migratory movement between SG/IG and multiple countries: Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. Photo-identification (1) linked SG/IG to a female SRW with a long-term sighting history in Brazil, and (2) provided the first match between SG/IG and the western Antarctic Peninsula, suggesting the latter could extend the feeding area for southwest Atlantic SRW. Satellite tracking and opportunistic sightings suggest that shelf and coastal waters west of SG/IG represent an important multi-season SRW feeding habitat and add to our overall understanding of habitats and ranges occupied by recovering southwest Atlantic SRW. Open access is available here: http://doi.org/10.1111/mms.13089 The satellite telemetry dataset is also published under the following citation: Jackson, J., Kennedy, A., Zerbini, A., Collins, M., Baker, S., Bassoi, M., Buss, D., Calderan, S., Ensor, P., Leaper, R., Olson, P., & Carroll, E. (2023). Satellite tracked GPS locations of two southern right whales tagged in South Georgia waters from January to September 2020 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/880e8ca1-874b-42be-8768-af128627d789 Please feel free to reach out with any questions. Cheers, Amy S. Kennedy (amy.kennedy(a)noaa.gov) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Amy S. Kennedy, Ph.D. Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies (CICOES). University of Washington & Marine Mammal Laboratory Alaska Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA, 98115-6349, USA

1 0

New Paper on Chemical Pollution in Marine Mammals
by Rosie Williams 08 Dec '23

08 Dec '23

On behalf of my co-authors and I, I am pleased to share our latest publication on chemical pollution in marine mammals entitled “Spatiotemporal Trends Spanning Three Decades Show Toxic Levels of Chemical Contaminants in Marine Mammals”. The article is Open Access and has been published Environmental Science and Technology. The paper is available to read here https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.3c01881 Williams, R.S., Brownlow, A., Baillie, A., Barber, J.L., Barnett, J., Davison, N.J., Deaville, R., Ten Doeschate, M., Murphy, S., Penrose, R. and Perkins, M., 2023. Spatiotemporal Trends Spanning Three Decades Show Toxic Levels of Chemical Contaminants in Marine Mammals. Environmental Science & Technology. Abstract Despite their ban and restriction under the 2001 Stockholm Convention, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are still widespread and pervasive in the environment. Releases of these toxic and bioaccumulative chemicals are ongoing, and their contribution to population declines of marine mammals is of global concern. To safeguard their survival, it is of paramount importance to understand the effectiveness of mitigation measures. Using one of the world’s largest marine mammals strandings data sets, we combine published and unpublished data to examine pollutant concentrations in 11 species that stranded along the coast of Great Britain to quantify spatiotemporal trends over three decades and identify species and regions where pollutants pose the greatest threat. We find that although levels of pollutants have decreased overall, there is significant spatial and taxonomic heterogeneity such that pollutants remain a threat to biodiversity in several species and regions. Of individuals sampled within the most recent five years (2014–2018), 48% of individuals exhibited a concentration known to exceed toxic thresholds. Notably, pollutant concentrations are highest in long-lived, apex odontocetes (e.g., killer whales (Orcinus orca), bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), and white-beaked dolphins (Lagenorhynchus albirostris)) and were significantly higher in animals that stranded on more industrialized coastlines. At the present concentrations, POPs are likely to be significantly impacting marine mammal health. We conclude that more effective international elimination and mitigation strategies are urgently needed to address this critical issue for the global ocean health. If you have any questions or would like to discuss the work then feel free to get in touch with me, the corresponding author, at rosie.williams(a)ioz.ac.uk<mailto:rosie.williams@ioz.ac.uk>. Best wishes, Rosie Dr Rosie Williams The Institute of Zoology Zoological Society of London Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY _________________________________________________________________________ The Zoological Society of London is incorporated by Royal Charter - Registered Charity in England and Wales no. 208728. Principal Office England - Company Number RC000749 - Registered address Regent's Park, London, England NW1 4RY _________________________________________________________________________ This e-mail has been sent in confidence to the named addressee(s). If you are not the intended recipient, you must not disclose or distribute it in any form, and you are asked to contact the sender immediately. Views or opinions expressed in this communication may not be those of The Zoological Society of London and, therefore, The Zoological Society of London does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this message. The recipient(s) must be aware that e-mail is not a secure communication medium and that the contents of this mail may have been altered by a third party in transit. If you have any issues regarding this mail please visit: https://www.zsl.org/about-us/contact-us

1 0