March 2023 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

New publication on delphinid mixed-species groups
by Jonathan Syme 05 Mar '23

05 Mar '23

Dear MARMAM community, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of our latest paper on delphinid mixed-species groups in Scientific Reports. Syme, J., Kiszka, J.J. & Parra, G.J. Habitat partitioning, co-occurrence patterns, and mixed-species group formation in sympatric delphinids. Sci Rep 13, 3599 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-30694-w Abstract: Numerous species have been reported to form mixed-species groups, however, little is known about the interplay between niche partitioning and mixed-species group formation. Furthermore, it is often unclear whether species come together by chance due to overlapping habitat preferences, by shared attraction to resources, or by attraction between them. We assessed habitat partitioning, co-occurrence patterns, and mixed-species group formation of sympatric Australian humpback (Sousa sahulensis) and Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) around the North West Cape, Western Australia, with a joint species distribution model and temporal analyses of sighting data. Australian humpback dolphins preferred shallower and more nearshore waters than Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, yet these species co-occurred more often than expected by chance given shared responses to environmental variables. Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins were sighted more often than Australian humpback dolphins during the afternoon, however, we did not find any temporal patterns in the occurrence of mixed-species groups. We propose that the positive association in the species' occurrence indicates the active formation of mixed-species groups. By evaluating habitat partitioning and co-occurrence patterns, this study provides direction for future work which should proceed to investigate the benefits that these species may gain from grouping with each other. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at jonathan.syme(a)flinders.edu.au<mailto:jonathan.syme@flinders.edu.au> Kind regards, Jonathan Jonathan Syme, PhD Cetacean Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution Lab Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia

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MMOA ECS TRAVEL GRANT 2023
by Marine Mammal Observer Association 05 Mar '23

05 Mar '23

Hello, We would like to announce our European Cetacean Society Conference travel grant to our membership. Are you thinking of going to the European Cetacean Society Conference in 2023? The MMOA would love to support you and provide up to £150 in a travel grant. This grant is open to all associate and full members, please see the details on our social posts below and get in touch if you have any questions. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mmoa_ecs-travel-grant-activity-7038067364755… Thanks Ashleigh -- The Marine Mammal Observer Association (MMOA) 4 Old Park Lane LONDON W1 K1QW info(a)mmo-association.org www.mmo-association.org

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Center for Whale Research 2023 Research Internship
by michael＠whaleresearch.com 03 Mar '23

03 Mar '23

The Center for Whale Research (CWR) is seeking applications for a 2023 summer research internship. This is a three month position, working with the CWR research and education staff on San Juan Island, Washington, to conduct on-the-water field work, catalog and analyze data, and communicate scientific information to the public. The successful applicant will be provided with housing, training by CWR research and education staff, and a small $500/month subsistence stipend. About the Center for Whale Research The Center for Whale Research is an internationally recognized non-profit research institution based in Friday Harbor, Washington, USA. For the last four decades, the CWR has conducted rigorous, non-invasive demographic and behavioral research on killer whales in the Pacific Northwest, with particular emphasis on the endangered southern resident killer whales. As part of our primary research project, Orca Survey, the CWR completes an individual-level photo-ID census of the SRKW every year. Additionally, the CWR conducts behavioral studies of killer whales using unoccupied aerial systems (UAS) to understand killer whale foraging, movement, and social structure. For more information about the CWR, including our mission, goals, current research, and past publications, please visit: <http://www.whaleresearch.com> www.whaleresearch.com Role and Responsibilities This internship aims to provide training and experience to students and early career researchers who hope to pursue a career in marine mammal research and conservation. The intern will participate in the CWR's Orca Survey and Aerial Observation research programs, both on the water and in the office. The successful applicant will gain training and experience in: * Small boat operations and safety * Cetacean photography for individual identification and health assessment * Killer whale behavioral observation and sampling * Unoccupied aerial system (UAS) operations for behavioral observation * Data cataloging and management, including photographs, videos, and behavior notes * Identification of individual resident and Bigg's killer whales * Communicating science to the general public This work will involve early mornings, long days on the water in a small, open boat, and long hours of computer work to catalog and analyze video and photographs. The intern will spend one day per week in the CWR's Orca Survey Outreach Center in Friday Harbor, communicating research and delivering short presentations to the public. The intern will receive science communication training from the CWR's education and outreach staff. The successful applicant will be given the opportunity to complete an independent project. The nature of this project is flexible and will be designed collaboratively by the intern and the research team. This project could involve, for example: writing a review paper, conducting novel analysis of existing CWR data, collecting and analyzing new behavioral data, or creating educational material to communicate information to the public. Eligibility Applicants must either hold or be pursuing a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (i.e. life and environmental sciences). All applicants must be at least 18 years of age and hold a valid driver's license. Required Skills and Experience * Experience being part of a collaborative research team in field or laboratory settings * Able to live in a communal setting with other researchers * Good teamwork and communication skills * Highly motivated and eager to learn * Computer literate, particularly with Microsoft Office and file management systems * Comfortable communicating information to the general public, both one-on-one and in presentations * Availability for three months between June and October of 2023 (exact start date is flexible) * Physically able to lift equipment up to 35 kg and spend long days on a moving vessel * Able to wake up and perform field work early in the morning Application Process To apply for this internship, please fill out this form: <https://forms.gle/vPnS8Mqe64saNzZT8> https://forms.gle/vPnS8Mqe64saNzZT8 In addition to answering some basic questions, you will be asked to upload a cover letter, CV, and up to two reference letters. In your cover letter, please clearly outline why you would like to undertake this internship and what you hope to accomplish in your career more generally. Applications close March 19, 2023. Applicants will be notified by the end of March whether they have been short-listed. Short-listed candidates will then be invited to a brief online interview with the CWR research team, with the successful applicant selected no later than April 15, 2023. If you have any questions, please email Michael Weiss: <mailto:michael@whaleresearch.com> michael(a)whaleresearch.com

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ECS Workshop
by Nicola Hodgins 02 Mar '23

02 Mar '23

Dear MARMAM Community, In the side-lines of the 34th annual conference of the European Cetacean Society, WDC is pleased to be hosting a half-day workshop in the afternoon of the 17th April entitled: Utilising the ECS ‘Hivemind’ to Expand Knowledge of Small Cetacean Ecosystem Functioning. The aim of this workshop is to explore the research gaps in small cetacean ecosystem functioning and how we can collaborate to advance understanding, leading to meaningful policy change. Following a short overview of the current understanding of small cetacean ecosystem functioning (including projects currently underway) we envisage an open workshop session with the ultimate aim of identifying outline projects and potential collaborations that WDC will look to work with further. Topics of discussion during the workshop session will include: - What else do we know about small cetacean ecosystem functioning? - What data already exists that could be useful in enhancing understanding of this topic? - How can we ensure standard protocols for data collection? Do these need to be developed? - How can we utilise ongoing research to provide missing data? - Identification of possible collaborators / research partners? Funding sources? - What does a major research project on this topic look like? Is it even viable? Please get in touch if you are interested in either attending or presenting on relevant work – nicola.hodgins(a)whales.org<mailto:nicola.hodgins@whales.org> – please note that places are limited. Cheers, Nicola Nicola Hodgins Cetacean science coordinator Telephone: +44 (0)1249 449 537<tel:+44%20(0)1249%20449%20537> WDC, Whale and Dolphin Conservation Brookfield House 38 St. Paul Street Chippenham Wiltshire SN15 1LJ United Kingdom whales.org<https://whales.org/> [cid:image001.png@01D94C21.D14C98B0]<https://whales.org/> [cid:image002.png@01D94C21.D14C98B0]<https://www.facebook.com/whalesorg> [cid:image003.png@01D94C21.D14C98B0]<https://www.twitter.com/whalesorg> [cid:image004.png@01D94C21.D14C98B0]<https://www.instagram.com/whalesorg> [cid:image005.png@01D94C21.D14C98B0]<https://www.youtube.com/whalesorg> [cid:image006.png@01D94C21.D14C98B0]<https://uk.whales.org/category/news/> [cid:image007.png@01D94C21.D14C98B0]<https://uk.whales.org/newsletter> [cid:image008.png@01D94C21.D14C98B0]<https://www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk/> Whale and Dolphin Conservation (“WDC”) is a company registered in England and Wales (No. 02737421) and a registered charity (in England and Wales No. 1014705, in Scotland No. SC040231) WDC Shop is a trading name of WDC (Trading) Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales (No. 02593116) Registered office : Brookfield House, 38 St. Paul Street, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 1LJ. Tel: +44 (0)1249 449 500 This message is private and confidential. If you have received this message in error, please notify us and remove it from your system.

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New Publication -Orcas remember what to copy: a deferred and interference-resistant imitation study.
by José Francisco Zamorano Abramson 01 Mar '23

01 Mar '23

Dear MARMAM community, On behalf of myself and my co authors I'm pleased to announce the following publication in *Animal Cognition: * Zamorano-Abramson, J., Hernández-Lloreda, M.V., Colmenares, F. *et al.* Orcas remember what to copy: a deferred and interference-resistant imitation study. *Anim Cogn* (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-023-01756-3 Abstract: Response facilitation has often been portrayed as a “low level” category of social learning, because the demonstrator’s action, which is already in the observer’s repertoire, automatically triggers that same action, rather than induces the learning of a new action. One way to rule out response facilitation consists of introducing a delay between the demonstrator’s behavior and the observer’s response to let their possible effects wear off. However, this may not rule out “delayed response facilitation” in which the subject could be continuously “mentally rehearsing” the demonstrated actions during the waiting period. We used a do-as-the-other-did paradigm in two orcas to study whether they displayed cognitive control regarding their production of familiar actions by (1) introducing a delay ranging from 60 to 150 s between observing and producing the actions and (2) interspersing distractor (non-target) actions performed by the demonstrator and by the subjects during the delay period. These two manipulations were aimed at preventing the mental rehearsal of the observed actions during the delay period. Both orcas copied the model’s target actions on command after various delay periods, and crucially, despite the presence of distractor actions. These findings suggest that orcas are capable of selectively retrieving a representation of an observed action to generate a delayed matching response. Moreover, these results lend further support to the proposal that the subjects’ performance relied not only on a mental representation of the specific actions that were requested to copy, but also flexibly on the abstract and domain general rule requested by the specific “copy command”. Our findings strengthen the view that orcas and other cetaceans are capable of flexible and controlled social learning. 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

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NEW PAPER: Assessing the viability of estimating baleen whale abundance from tourist vessels
by Angus Henderson 01 Mar '23

01 Mar '23

NEW PAPER: Assessing the viability of estimating baleen whale abundance from tourist vessels Angus Fleetwood Henderson, Mark Andrew Hindell, Simon Wotherspoon , Martin Biuw, Mary-Anne Lea, Nat Kelly and Andrew Damon Lowther Freely available at frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2023.1048869/full This paper details viability of using tourist vessels to determine baleen whale abundance in the southwest Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean. Thanks to all that made this paper possible, and are continuing to make the work possible. ABSTRACT : Many populations of southern hemisphere baleen whales are recovering and are again becoming dominant consumers in the Southern Ocean. Key to understanding the present and future role of baleen whales in Southern Ocean ecosystems is determining their abundance on foraging grounds. Distance sampling is the standard method for estimating baleen whale abundance but requires specific logistic requirements which are rarely achieved in the remote Southern Ocean. We explore the potential use of tourist vessel-based sampling as a cost-effective solution for conducting distance sampling surveys for baleen whales in the Southern Ocean. We used a dataset of tourist vessel locations from the southwest Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean and published knowledge from Southern Ocean sighting surveys to determine the number of tourist vessel voyages required for robust abundance estimates. Second, we simulated the abundance and distributions of four baleen whale species for the study area and sampled them with both standardized line transect surveys and non-standardized tourist vessel-based surveys, then compared modeled abundance and distributions from each survey to the original simulation. For the southwest Atlantic, we show that 12-22 tourist vessel voyages are likely required to estimate abundance for humpback and fin whales, with relative estimates for blue, sei, Antarctic minke, and southern right whales. Second, we show tourist vessel-based surveys outperformed standardized line transect surveys at reproducing simulated baleen whale abundances and distribution. These analyses suggest tourist vessel-based surveys are a viable method for estimating baleen whale abundance in remote regions. For the southwest Atlantic, the relatively cost-effective nature of tourist vessel-based survey and regularity of tourist vessel voyages could allow for annual and intra-annual estimates of abundance, a fundamental improvement on current methods, which may capture spatiotemporal trends in baleen whale movements on forging grounds. Comparative modeling of sampling methods provided insights into the behavior of general additive model-based abundance modeling, contributing to the development of detailed guidelines of best practices for these approaches. Through successful engagement with tourist company partners, this method has the potential to characterize abundance across a variety of marine species and spaces globally, and deliver high-quality scientific outcomes relevant to management organizations. Angus Henderson (he/him) PhD Candidate Marine Predator Lab | IMAS | UTAS Recent papers: Henderson, A.F., McMahon C.R., Harcourt R., Guinet C., Picard B., Wotherspoon S., Hindell M. A.,. "Inferring variation in southern elephant seal at-sea mortality by modelling tag failure." Frontiers in Marine Science (2020). https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.517901 This email is confidential, and is for the intended recipient only. Access, disclosure, copying, distribution, or reliance on any of it by anyone outside the intended recipient organisation is prohibited and may be a criminal offence. Please delete if obtained in error and email confirmation to the sender. The views expressed in this email are not necessarily the views of the University of Tasmania, unless clearly intended otherwise.

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ECS Workshop: “What is new in cetacean pathology” (IV Edition)
by Yara Bernaldo de Quirós Miranda 01 Mar '23

01 Mar '23

Dear colleagues, We are hosting the IV Edition of the workshop: “*What is new in cetacean pathology*” at the ECS conference (O Grove, Spain). The workshop will be held on Monday 17th, as a full-day workshop. The cost of the workshop is 30 EUR. Payment will be onsite at the workshop in cash. This workshop provides a dedicated forum for experts in marine mammal pathology to share and discuss new pathologies, outbreaks, diagnostic tools, etc., in the context of marine mammal pathology and conservation within the conference. The workshop aims to use pathology as a tool for cetacean health and conservation. Advances in cetacean pathology, including field, laboratory diagnosis, new methodologies, and tools, will be presented and discussed. The workshop will consist of invited speakers and a case report discussion and presentations. We are looking for an interactive and dynamic atmosphere for exchanging knowledge. The expected outcome of the workshop is the in-situ exchange of knowledge, continuing education in marine mammals' pathology, and strengthening collaboration and networking among marine mammal pathologists. For registration, please send your full name, affiliation, country, and contact email to: yara.bernaldo(a)ulpgc.es We look forward to seeing you all in person finally after these years of a break because of COVID. See you in Galicia, Prof. Antonio Fernández PhD Yara Bernaldo de Quirós

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New publication
by Derville, Solene 01 Mar '23

01 Mar '23

Dear MARMAM community, We are pleased to announce the publication of a new study assessing the foraging distribution of Southern Right Whales in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: Derville, S., Torres, L. G., Newsome, S. D., Somes, C. J., Valenzuela, L. O., Vander Zandenh, H. B. V, Baker, C. S., Bérubé, M., Busquets-Vass, G., Carlyon, K., Childerhouse, S. J., Constantine, R., Dunshea, G., Flores, P. A. C., Goldsworthy, S. D., Graham, B., Groch, K., Gröcke, D. R., Harcourt, R., Hindell, M. A., Hulva, P., Jackson, J. A., Kennedy, A. S., Lundquist, D., Mackays, A. I., Neveceralova, P., Oliveira, L., Ott, P. H., Palsbøll, P. J., Patenaude, N. J., Rowntree, V., Sironi, M., Vermeuelen, Els, Watson, M., Zerbini, A. N., & Carroll, E. L. (2023). Long-term stability in the circumpolar foraging range of a Southern Ocean predator between the eras of whaling and rapid climate change. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120, e2214035120. https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2214035120 Abstract: Assessing environmental changes in Southern Ocean ecosystems is difficult due to its remoteness and data sparsity. Monitoring marine predators that respond rapidly to environmental variation may enable us to track anthropogenic effects on ecosystems. Yet, many long-term datasets of marine predators are incomplete because they are spatially constrained and/or track ecosystems already modified by industrial fishing and whaling in the latter half of the 20th century. Here, we assess the contemporary offshore distribution of a wide-ranging marine predator, the southern right whale (SRW, Eubalaena australis), that forages on copepods and krill from ~30°S to the Antarctic ice edge (>60°S). We analyzed carbon and nitrogen isotope values of 1,002 skin samples from six genetically distinct SRW populations using a customized assignment approach that accounts for temporal and spatial variation in the Southern Ocean phytoplankton isoscape. Over the past three decades, SRWs increased their use of mid-latitude foraging grounds in the south Atlantic and southwest (SW) Indian oceans in the late austral summer and autumn and slightly increased their use of high-latitude (>60°S) foraging grounds in the SW Pacific, coincident with observed changes in prey distribution and abundance on a circumpolar scale. Comparing foraging assignments with whaling records since the 18th century showed remarkable stability in use of mid-latitude foraging areas. We attribute this consistency across four centuries to the physical stability of ocean fronts and resulting productivity in mid-latitude ecosystems of the Southern Ocean compared with polar regions that may be more influenced by recent climate change. Please feel free to get in touch to receive a pdf copy (solene.derville(a)oregonstate.edu<mailto:solene.derville@oregonstate.edu>) Best, Solène Derville, PhD (she/her) Postdoctoral Scholar - Marine Ecology Marine Mammal Institute | Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences Oregon State University | Hatfield Marine Science Center Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Lab<https://mmi.oregonstate.edu/gemm-lab>

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New pubblication: First Sighting of Risso's dolphins (Grampus griseus) during scientific research in the Calabrian Southern Ionian Sea (Central Eastern Mediterranean)
by mariaritamenniti＠libero.it 01 Mar '23

01 Mar '23

On behalf of myself and my coauthor I am excited to share our recent paper on Risso's dolphins in Calabria Southern Ionian Sea, published in NESciences Natural and Engineering Science Journal. The paper can be found here: http://www.nesciences.com/abstract_info.php?page=info&paperID=738 Abstract: The presence of Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus) in Southern Calabrian waters of the Ionian Sea is poorly known. During dedicated cetacean research started in the summer of 2019 in the stretch of Calabrian waters between Brancaleone and Botricello, a pod of Risso’s dolphins was recorded for the first time. This observation occurred of Siderno and Locri at about 8.3 km from the shore where the sea depth is 720 m, a bathymetric feature that is in line with the known deeper water habitat preference of the species. This Risso’s dolphin pod was composed of at least 14 individuals. The latter were photo-identified. One individual showed signs of a serious injury due to a probable vessel accident that severed partly into its back behind its dorsal fin. Most of the individuals observed were mature to old with their frontal area already light grey to white. This scientific report contributes new knowledge on the distribution of the species in the Central Mediterranean Sea which may better address effective conservation management efforts for the species. Further monitoring and management are needed for this endangered species, especially in a geographic area that was previously unstudied for an extended period, despite past stranding events and citizen sightings of cetaceans being recorded occasionally. Maria Assunta Menniti Centro Studi e Ricerca Ambiente Marino CESRAM Italy mariaritamenniti(a)libero.it <mailto:mariaritamenniti@libero.it> cesram(a)libero.it <mailto:cesram@libero.it>

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New publication: genomics of Mediterranean sperm whale and adjacent Atlantic areas
by BIAGIO VIOLI 01 Mar '23

01 Mar '23

Dear all My co-authors and I are excited to share our new publication in Molecular Ecology, where we assessed sperm whale population structure within the Mediterranean Sea and between the Mediterranean and adjacent Atlantic areas using ddRAD sequencing. The paper is available open-access at https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.16898 All the best, Biagio Violi violi.biagio(a)gmail.com *Title*: Genomics reveals the role of admixture in the evolution of structure among sperm whale populations within the Mediterranean Sea *Authors*: Biagio Violi, Menno J. de Jong, Alexandros Frantzis, Paraskevi Alexiadou, Céline Tardy, Denis Ody, Renaud de Stephanis, Joan Giménez, Giuseppe Lucifora, Mónica A. e Silva, Cláudia Oliveira, Filipe Alves, Ana Dinis, Marisa Tejedor, Antonio Fernández, Marina Arregui, Manuel Arbelo, Alfredo Lopez, Pablo Covelo, A. Rus Hoelzel *Abstract*: In oceanic ecosystems, the nature of barriers to gene flow, and the processes by which populations may become isolated are different from the terrestrial environment, and less well understood. In this study we investigate a highly mobile species (the sperm whale, *Physeter macrocephalus*) that is genetically differentiated between an open North Atlantic population and the populations in the Mediterranean Sea. We apply high resolution single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis to study the nature of barriers to gene flow in this system, assessing the putative boundary into the Mediterranean (Strait of Gibraltar and Alboran Sea region), and including novel analyses on structuring among sperm whale populations within the Mediterranean basin. Our data support a recent founding of the Mediterranean, around the time of the last glacial maximum, and show concerted historical demographic profiles in both the Atlantic and in the Mediterranean. In each region there is evidence for a population decline around the time of the founder event. The largest decline was seen within the Mediterranean Sea where effective population size is substantially lower (especially in the eastern basin). While differentiation is strongest at the Atlantic/Mediterranean boundary, there is also weaker but significant differentiation between the eastern and western basins of the Mediterranean Sea. We propose, however, that the mechanisms are different. While post-founding gene flow was reduced between the Mediterranean and Atlantic populations, within the Mediterranean an important factor differentiating the basins is likely a greater degree of admixture between the western basin and the North Atlantic and some level of isolation between the western and eastern Mediterranean basins. Subdivision within the Mediterranean Sea exacerbates conservation concerns and will require consideration of what distinct impacts may affect populations in the two basins. <https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/action/doSearch?ContribAuthorRaw=Hoelzel%2C…> -- *Biagio Violi, PhD * Researcher of Menkab il respiro del mare Association E-mail: violi.biagio(a)gmail.com Mobile: +39 340 5869904 <+39%20340%20586%209904> https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFnVyxb-klIOv-zsFJ-OZag

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