June 2023 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Immunohistochemistry for Phocine herpesvirus 1
by Leeming, Gail 21 Jun '23

21 Jun '23

Hi everyone, I am interested to find out if anyone has an antibody against Phocine herpesvirus 1, that has been used, or may work, for immunohistochemistry on formalin fixed tissues. If anyone has any suggestions, please contact me on gail.leeming(a)liverpool.ac.uk<mailto:gail.leeming@liverpool.ac.uk> Thank you. Gail Leeming BVetMed MPhil PhD FHEA FRCPath MRCVS RCVS Specialist in Veterinary Pathology Senior Lecturer in Veterinary Pathology Dept. of Veterinary Anatomy Physiology and Pathology School of Veterinary Science University of Liverpool Contact Address: Leahurst Chester High Road Neston CH64 7TE * Tel +44 (0)151 795 6296 / 0151 795 6294 (Vet Path office) * Email gail.leeming(a)liverpool.ac.uk<mailto:gail.leeming@liverpool.ac.uk>

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FWC Southwest Field Lab Marine Mammal Internship
by Schubert, Molly 21 Jun '23

21 Jun '23

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Marine Mammals section at the Charlotte Harbor Field Lab in Port Charlotte, FL is accepting applications for an intern to start in August/September 2023. The Southwest Field Lab is offering two internships to driven, self-motivated individuals for the Fall 2023 season. The expected start date for the internship is mid to late August, however, start dates will be flexible. Working hours are typically four to five days a week, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Some additional night and weekend hours may be required. The position is located in Port Charlotte on the west coast of Florida, just north of Fort Myers. The intern's duties would include assisting with manatee and cetacean carcass salvage, necropsies, research projects (temperature monitoring, Photo ID, etc.), public outreach, and occasional rescues. The intern will also assist with office duties including mortality reports, upkeep of databases, and other office work as needed. To perform the tasks mentioned, interns will operate FWC trucks and dependent upon experience, trailers and boats up to 22' in length. At the end of the internship, interns are required to complete a project and a 10-15 minute presentation on a marine mammal topic of their choosing. Qualifications: * College juniors, seniors, recent graduates, and graduate students are eligible * Interns must have some research field experience * Interns must be comfortable operating large trucks and speaking to the public * Familiarity with digital cameras, telephoto lenses, and filters is preferred, but can be trained * Computer literacy * Previous animal handling experience is desirable but not necessary * Ability to trailer and operate watercrafts up to 22' in length and experience with radio telemetry tracking gear is desirable, but not necessary * Interns must be able to lift 50 lbs., swim, and possess a valid US driver's license * Interns should understand that this job will require them to be wet, dirty and outdoors in all weather conditions for long periods of time Application Process: If you are interested in applying for an internship with FWRI, please provide the following information: * A cover letter describing area(s) of interest and the dates, days, and hours of availability * A resume describing training and experience * Names and contact information for at least three references * An unofficial copy of your academic transcript Please send these items as e-mail attachments to: Interns(a)MyFWC.com If electronic submission is not possible, hard copies can be mailed to: Internship Coordinator 585 Prineville Street Port Charlotte, FL 33954 Molly R. Schubert Marine Mammal Biologist Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Fish and Wildlife Research Institute Southwest Field Lab 585 Prineville St Port Charlotte, FL 33954 Office: (941) 249-6559 Molly.Schubert(a)myFWC.com Manatee Hotline: 1-888-404-3922

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Senior Biologist
by Christine Hudak 20 Jun '23

20 Jun '23

Center for Coastal Studies Senior Biologist -Right Whale Ecology Program Category: Full Time, Salaried position (40 hours per week) Program: Right Whale Ecology Program (RWEP) Supervisor: Executive Director Summary: The Center for Coastal Studies (CCS) undertakes conservation-oriented research in the marine environment, including longitudinal studies of endangered large whales. The Senior Biologist/ Ecologist will work on our long-term demographic and ecological study of North Atlantic right whales in Cape Cod Bay, a critical habitat off the coast of Massachusetts. The RWEP has performed right whale habitat-focused studies via the Center’s research vessels since 1984. Beginning in 1998, photo-identification of individual whales has been performed annually as part of research on population biology, ecology and human impacts. This position would include strengthening the existing program and developing new initiatives. This is a full-time salaried position with benefits. Anticipated start date is Fall 2023. Rate of pay will be $75k-$80k and will be commensurate with experience. General Responsibilities: * Manage all contracts and permits associated with the program; * Supervise the reporting, analysis, and presentation of data as required by contracts; * Assist with hiring and managing all program staff; * Ensure staff is properly trained on safety requirements; * Management of contractual charter agreements; * Assist with organization of the program’s annual and contractual budgets; * Collaborate with other programs and institutions as needed; * Solicit grants and contracts; * Work with flight coordinator and research associate to schedule aerial and vessel surveys; * Manage equipment and equipment purchases; * Encourage the publication of research results in peer-reviewed journals. Requirements: * Doctorate preferred; Masters degree with ten years of comparable experience in a relevant biological field and at least 5 years of comparable research and project management experience required; * Experience in grant writing and proof of successful previous grant rewards; * Experience in government and privately funded contracts with lead PI experience; Application process: Please submit cover letter, CV/resume, and three professional references in a single PDF via email to employment(a)coastalstudies.org. The application deadline is August 18, 2023 and applications will be considered as received. No phone calls, please. The Center for Coastal Studies is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages candidates of all backgrounds to apply. Diversity of opinions, experience, and backgrounds is a key asset. [https://s-install.avcdn.net/ipm/preview/icons/icon-envelope-tick-green-avg-…]<http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_cam…> Virus-free.www.avg.com<http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_cam…>

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Environmental Training Opportunities in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia and Victoria, British Columbia
by Emily Welsh 20 Jun '23

20 Jun '23

Edgewise Environmental is offering a Canada - Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) program from July 20th - August 10th and a Seabird Observer (SBO) program from August 17 - September 7th with both at-sea practicals taking place on September 8th in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. We are also offering a Canada - Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) program from October 11th - November 1st with at-sea practical taking place on November 9th in Victoria, British Columbia. Both MMO and SBO courses will have theory delivered online. Click here <https://www.edgewiseenvironmental.com/events/> for more information or email info(a)edgewiseenvironmental.com. -- Emily Welsh *Social Media and Marketing Coordinator* Edgewise Environmental Ltd. (709) 770-0492 St. John's, NL, Canada www.edgewiseenvironmental.com [image: Facebook icon] <https://www.facebook.com/edgewiseenvironmental> [image: LinkedIn icon] <https://www.linkedin.com/company/edgewise-environmental/> [image: Twitter icon] <https://twitter.com/edgewiseNL> [image: Instagram icon] <https://www.instagram.com/edgewiseenvironmental> CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: *The contents of this email message and any attachments are intended solely for the addressee(s) and may contain confidential and/or privileged information and may be legally protected from disclosure. If you are not the intended recipient of this message or their agent, or if this message has been addressed to you in error, please immediately alert the sender by reply email and then delete this message and any attachments. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any use, dissemination, copying, or storage of this message or its attachments is strictly prohibited. *

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2023 International Cetacean Symposium & Workshop from 24 to 27 July 2023 (Hong Kong)
by Dr. KOT Brian Chin Wing 20 Jun '23

20 Jun '23

Dear friends of MARMAM, [cid:image003.jpg@01D9A370.4230A850] Greetings of the day and best wishes from the Aquatic Animal Virtopsy Lab (https://www.facebook.com/AAVLab2014) at City University of Hong Kong. As the world is getting back on track in 2023, the Aquatic Animal Virtopsy Lab Under Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health is organizing the 4th “International Cetacean Symposium & Workshop” with the theme of “Reconciliation” physically in City University of Hong Kong from 24th-27th July 2023. The reunion of cetacean experts worldwide after 3 years of separation would be an amazing opportunity to assemble professionals from diverse disciplines, to exchange current knowledge and technological innovations, and to foster international networking and collaboration. The symposium follows the previous iterations in 2019, 2021 and 2022 that covered topics on the threats cetaceans faced and their interaction with humans. Scientists, academics, veterinarians, conservationists, related government officials and public audience will be cordially invited for talks and workshops. Keynote lectures, inspiring talks by honorary speakers and lightning talks by different researchers and postgraduate students will be organised on 24th-25th July, to cover interdisciplinary aspects of cetacean biology & conservation, stranding investigation and veterinary medicine. In addition, a 2-day workshop (see attached) entitled, “Reconciliation of conventional and revolutionary techniques for cetacean stranding investigation” will be held on 26th-27th July, with hands-on sessions in CityU and Ocean Park Hong Kong on several important conventional and revolutionary techniques for aquatic animal stranding investigation, including parasitological analysis, 3D surface scanning, virtual dissection via VR simulation, computed tomography and ultrasonography. The symposium is open to everyone for FREE! While the workshop is also open to public and limited to 20 participants. The cost of the workshop per person is only HK$1,000. All the participants are required to register to the event via the online registration link provided below. First come, first served basis with limited seats! Reservations will be accepted in the order they are received. Please register only once. It would be our honour to have you joining us again in the 2023 International Cetacean Symposium & Workshop. We hope that the event we put together is as interesting to you, as they are to us! Please also find the following links for your reference: 2023 International Cetacean Symposium (Physical meeting) Date: 24 to 25 July 2023 (Monday to Tuesday) Time: 09:00 – 17:00 (HKT: UTC+8) Venue: LT-16, 4/F, Yeung Kin Man Academic Building, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong Registration Fee: HK$0 (Yes, it is FREE) Details & Registration: https://epay.cityu.edu.hk/ics2023 Workshop (Physical workshop) Date: 26 to 27 July 2023 (Wednesday to Thursday) Time: 09:00 – 17:00 (HKT: UTC+8) Venue: City University of Hong Kong; Ocean Park Hong Kong, Aberdeen. Registration Fee: HK$1,000 for 2 days. Registration fee includes light refreshment, lunch meals and coffee breaks. Details & Registration: https://epay.cityu.edu.hk/ics2023 Deadline for registration: 23:59 (HKT: UTC+8) on 17 July 2023 (Monday) For any queries, please do not hesitate to contact us via cltsui9(a)cityu.edu.hk<mailto:cltsui9@cityu.edu.hk>/ytchung(a)cityu.edu.hk anytime. Please circulate as you deem appropriate to interested parties. Act Fast, Make Plans Now to Attend and we eagerly look forward to meeting you all soon physically in Hong Kong. Warm regards, Brian Kot Chairperson of the organising committee of the 2023 International Cetacean Symposium & Workshop Ph.D. in Diagnostic Imaging, B.Sc. (Hons) in Radiography, Cert. (RPC), CAS (Forensic Imaging & Virtopsy) Assistant Professor Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences City University of Hong Kong T: (852) 3442 7681 M: (852) 9365 2267 E: briankot(a)cityu.edu.hk<mailto:briankot@cityu.edu.hk> W: https://www.cityu.edu.hk/ph/staff/dr-brian-kot-chin-wing Aquatic Animal Virtopsy Lab Website: https://aavlab2014.wixsite.com/aavlab2014 Follow us at Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AAVLab2014 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aavlab2014 Twitter: https://twitter.com/aavlab2014 Disclaimer: This email (including any attachments) is for the use of the intended recipient only and may contain confidential information and/or copyright material. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately and delete this email and all copies from your system. Any unauthorized use, disclosure, reproduction, copying, distribution, or other form of unauthorized dissemination of the contents is expressly prohibited.

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Reminding-2nd Announcement of the 3rd Oceanoise Asia (Oceanoise Asia 2023)
by songhai 20 Jun '23

20 Jun '23

Dear Colleagues and Friends, I hope you are all well. Here I would like to remind you that the 3rd Oceanoise Asia (Oceanoise Asia 2023) (Conference Website: https://oceanoiseasia2023.casconf.cn ) would be taken place on November 13-17, 2023, in Sanya, Hainan Province, China. I hope to see you in Sanya (a very beautiful and popular tropical tourism city in China) in November. Important Dates 31 July Deadline for Abstract Submission 31 August Abstract Acceptance Notification Date 13 November Registration Date 14 - 17 November Conference Date 3rd Oceanoise Asia (Oceanoise Asia 2023) November 13-17, 2023, Sanya, Hainan Province, China Website: https://oceanoiseasia2023.casconf.cn Extensive marine engineering works are occurring in Asian waters, where there is high marine biodiversity. Maritime constructions, offshore wind power installations, underwater mining, shipping, fisheries, and geological studies produce a wide variety of noises in the water. Marine mammals, sea turtles, fishes, and aquatic invertebrates all could be affected by the exposure to underwater noises. At this moment, baseline information on ecologically important marine organisms, and proposed scientific standards of noise impact on these marine organisms are still quite limited within Asian waters. Reliable ocean noise measurements and an evaluation of its effects in coastal and deep waters are needed. The Oceanoise Asia symposium focuses on current available knowledge and future perspectives on physiology, ecology and behavior of ecologically and economically important marine organisms, physical and biological sound measurement and biological noise response observations. The 3rd Oceanoise Asia aims at promoting scientific research and awareness about the impacts of noise on the marine organisms in Asian waters. Keywords: soundscape, underwater ambient noise, man-made noise, noise impacts, physiology, ecology and behavior of marine organisms. Science Committee Songhai Li, Chair (Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences; lish(a)idsse.ac.cn <mailto:lish@idsse.ac.cn> ) Ding Wang, co-Chair (Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; wangd(a)ihb.ac.cn <mailto:wangd@ihb.ac.cn> ) Tomonari Akamatsu, co-Chair (Ocean Policy Research Institute, the Sasakawa Peace Foundation; akamatsu.tom(a)gmail.com <mailto:akamatsu.tom@gmail.com> ) Chi-Fang Chen, co-Chair (Taiwan University; chifang(a)ntu.edu.tw <mailto:chifang@ntu.edu.tw> ) Zhibin Zhang (International Society of Zoological Sciences; and Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; zhangzb(a)ioz.ac.cn <mailto:zhangzb@ioz.ac.cn> ) Chunhua Zhang (Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences; zch(a)mail.ioa.ac.cn <mailto:zch@mail.ioa.ac.cn> ) Michel André (Technical University of Catalonia; michel.andre(a)upc.edu <mailto:michel.andre@upc.edu> ) Lien-Siang Chou (Taiwan University; chouls(a)ntu.edu.tw <mailto:chouls@ntu.edu.tw> ) Shane Guan (The Catholic University of America; guan(a)cua.edu <mailto:guan@cua.edu> ) Wen Xu (Zhejiang University; wxu(a)zju.edu.cn <mailto:wxu@zju.edu.cn> ) Organizing Committee Songhai Li (Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences) Wenhua Xiong (International Society of Zoological Sciences) Kexiong Wang (Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences) Rui Liu (Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences) Zixin Yang (Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences) Lijun Dong (Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences) Yixi Shi (Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences) Agathe Serres (Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences) Mingming Liu (Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences) Wenzhi Lin (Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences) Peijun Zhang (Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences) Mingli Lin (Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences) Venue Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences Address: 28 Luhuitou Road, Sanya, Hainan Province, China http://www.idsse.ac.cn/ City: Sanya is located on the southernmost tip of Hainan Island, which is the most famous tropical resort in China. http://en.explorehainan.com/en/experience/sanya/jbqk.shtml#ej Access: Hainan has several airports, including Haikou Meilan International Airport, Sanya Phoenix International Airport, Qionghai Boao Airport. These airports have numbers of international flights, and domestic flights as well. Haikou Meilan International Airport is connected with Meilan Railway Station. Many (approximately every thirty minutes) bullet trains connect the Meilan Railway Station to the Sanya Station, which takes about one and half hours. Please confirm to travel agent when you book the flight. Hotel There are several nice five- or four-star hotels with a walking distance to the symposium venue. The price would be around USD 50-70 per night for each room, including buffet breakfast. The hotels can be reserved by the symposium Organizing Committee (if the filled Registration Form is returned before 31 July, 2023), and paid by the attendees during checking in. More details about hotels will be announced later. Background of the conference Oceanoise Asia symposium is the Asian version of Oceanoise conference. This symposium was initiated by marine biologists and marine acousticians from Mainland China, Japan, and Chinese Taipei, which aims to bring together Asian leading experts in underwater noise measurement, modeling and mapping, physiological and behavioural effects on marine organisms, as well as policy making, regulation, and mitigation procedures that address ocean noises. Oceanoise Asia 2023 is the third symposium in its series. It is co-hosted by the Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the International Society of Zoological Sciences, in Sanya, Hainan Province, China. The first Oceanoise Asia was held in Chinese Taipei in 2016, and the second Oceanoise Asia was held in Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan, in 2018. Potential participants include researchers, students, government regulators, NGO conservationists, industrial representatives and their consultants, and persons who are interested in underwater noise issues. Format The Format of Oceanoise Asia 2023 aims to favor a dynamic exchange of the latest findings in the field of ocean noise, their effects on marine life, and other ecological and conservation issues. Its goal is to provide ocean stakeholders with the best scientific knowledge and technical solutions to address environmental issues, and to ultimately promote scientific research and raise awareness of the impacts of ocean noise on marine life in Asian waters. The Science Committee will evaluate and organize the submitted abstracts to form several sessions. As in the previous Oceanoise conferences and Oceanoise Asia 2018, a round table discussion will follow each session. In addition, a poster session that encourages close discussion will be organized. Registration Form for the 3rd Oceanoise Asia Please fill out the registration form in the underlined areas and return to Songhai Li: lish(a)idsse.ac.cn <mailto:lish@idsse.ac.cn> Basical Information Name: Given name Family name Email: xxxx(a)xxxx.xxx.xx <mailto:xxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx> Affiliation: Your institute Address: 1-2-3, building, town, city, prefecture/state, postcode, country Telephone: +country code-your telephone number Visa: Hainan 59-Country Visa-Free Entry / 6-Country Visa-Free Entry / Chinese Business (F) Visa (Select one of them) Hotel reservation: Please fill your information in https://www.wenjuan.com/s/qmmqMr/# <https://www.wenjuan.com/s/qmmqMr/> Registration fee Registration fees will be exempt if a registration form with an abstract is submitted before 31 July 2023. Otherwise, a registration fee of CNY 1000 (RMB) (approximately USD 150) will be required, which can be paid on site during the conference. Regular meals (lunch and dinner, Chinese food, buffet), as well as Icebreaker (November 13th) and Banquet (November 16th) for all participants will be supported by sponsors. ABSTRACT submission (to Songhai Li: lish(a)idsse.ac.cn <mailto:lish@idsse.ac.cn> , before 31 July 2023) Submission: Yes / No (Select one of them) Preferred presentation style: Oral / Poster (Select one of them) Student accommodation Award application: Yes / No (Select one of them) The title of your presentation First Author: Given Name, Middle Name, Last Name (Affilication1, address, email) Second Author, Third Author and Forth Author (Affiliation2, address, email; ) Corresponding Author The abstract should be no more than 300 words. Please make sure to have the consent of co-authors for your presentation. Please follow the WORD template for the abstract as below. The acceptance of abstracts and student accommodation award will be announced before 31 August, 2023. Submitted abstracts will be collated in the Symposium Program Book for attendees. Full manuscripts of presented talks and posters from the Symposium are welcome for submission, peer review and publication in Integrative Zoology (INZ) or Water Biology and Security (WBS). Integrative Zoology (INZ) is the official SCI-indexed journal of the International Society of Zoological Sciences. It is a peer-reviewed journal and its impact factor in 2021 stands 2.083, ranking top 30% among 179 zoological journals. For author guidelines, please visit https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/17494877. Water Biology and Security (WBS, ISSN 2772-7351) is an official journal of Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. It has been indexed by Scopus and DOAJ during the first year released. The Virtual Issue "Advances in cetacean research and conservation" is open for submission in Water Biology and Security which is led by Prof. Ding Wang, Prof. Songhai Li Professor Tomonari Akamatsu and Professor AR Hoelzel ( <https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/water-biology-and-security/special-is sue/10N9QHXGRDS> https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/ <https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/water-biology-and-security/special-is sue/10N9QHXGRDS> water-biology-and-security/special-issue/10N9QHXGRDS). As a non-profit journal, there is no publishing charge for all participants. For author guidelines, please visit https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/water-biology-and-security Best Regards Songhai ------------------------------------------------------------------- Songhai Li Ph.D. & Prof. Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering Chinese Academy of Sciences 28 Luhuitou Road, Sanya, 572000, China Phone: +86-898-88222393 Email: <mailto:lish@sidsse.ac.cn> lish(a)idsse.ac.cn http://www.idsse.cas.cn/yjsgk2015/zzjg2015/yftx2015/shkxyjb2015/hybrdwyhysws xyjz2015/ <http://www.cetacean.csdb.cn/> http://www.cetacean.csdb.cn/

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[New paper] Bryde’s whales in South Brazil Bight: evidence of low genetic diversity and seasonal habitat use
by Larissa Dalpaz 19 Jun '23

19 Jun '23

Dear MARMAMers, We are happy to share our new paper on genetic diversity and habitat use of Bryde's whales in Brazilian waters, published in Marine Biology. Links to access the paper: - https://rdcu.be/deUv0 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-023-04241-0 Abstract Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera brydei) is the only non-migratory (resident) baleen whale in Brazil, remaining year-round in the subtropical seas, but are among the least known whales. By combining genetics and spatial analysis, we aim to characterize the genetic diversity and determine the spatiotemporal distribution and habitat-use patterns for the Bryde’s whale population in the South Brazil Bight, in the Santos Basin (23°S to 28°S / 40°W to 49°W). During surveys (n = 16) between 2015 and 2018, we recorded 82 Bryde’s whale groups and collected biopsy samples from 13 individuals. Based on our samples, the population of Bryde's whales presented low genetic diversity. Its distribution varied seasonally, with records occurring mainly in the north of the study area, near Cabo Frio, during warm seasons and in southern waters during cold seasons. The oceanographic dynamics, characterized by diverse frontal systems that enhance productivity on the shelf, likely drive the distribution of the whales, and the seasonal shifts between core areas seem to reflect changes in productivity and prey availability. Our results bring unprecedented information to understand the ecology of Bryde's whales on the Brazilian coast, and how their distribution and habitats are critically linked with the South Brazil Bight marine environment and its dynamics. Please feel free to email me for a pdf copy if you have any issues accessing the links. All my best, Larissa Dalpaz

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New publication: Predictive model of sperm whale prey capture attempts from time-depth data
by Sergi Pérez Jorge 19 Jun '23

19 Jun '23

Dear colleagues, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce our new publication: Pérez-Jorge, S., Oliveira, C., Rivas, E.I., Prieto, R., Cascão, I., Wensveen, P.J., Miller, P.J.O., Silva, M. *Predictive model of sperm whale prey capture attempts from time-depth data*. *Movement Ecology* 11, 33 (2023). It can be freely downloaded here: https://movementecologyjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40462-02… *Abstract:* *Background:* High-resolution sound and movement recording tags offer unprecedented insights into the fine-scale foraging behaviour of cetaceans, especially echolocating odontocetes, enabling the estimation of a series of foraging metrics. However, these tags are expensive, making them inaccessible to most researchers. Time-Depth Recorders (TDRs), which have been widely used to study diving and foraging behaviour of marine mammals, offer a more affordable alternative. Unfortunately, data collected by TDRs are bi-dimensional (time and depth only), so quantifying foraging effort from those data is challenging. *Methods:* A predictive model of the foraging effort of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) was developed to identify prey capture attempts (PCAs) from time-depth data. Data from high-resolution acoustic and movement recording tags deployed on 12 sperm whales were downsampled to 1 Hz to match the typical TDR sampling resolution and used to predict the number of buzzes (i.e., rapid series of echolocation clicks indicative of PCAs). Generalized linear mixed models were built for dive segments of different durations (30, 60, 180 and 300 s) using multiple dive metrics as potential predictors of PCAs. *Results:* Average depth, variance of depth and variance of vertical velocity were the best predictors of the number of buzzes. Sensitivity analysis showed that models with segments of 180 s had the best overall predictive performance, with a good area under the curve value (0.78 ± 0.05), high sensitivity (0.93 ± 0.06) and high specificity (0.64 ± 0.14). Models using 180 s segments had a small difference between observed and predicted number of buzzes per dive, with a median of 4 buzzes, representing a difference in predicted buzzes of 30%. *Conclusions: *These results demonstrate that it is possible to obtain a fine-scale, accurate index of sperm whale PCAs from time-depth data alone. This work helps leveraging the potential of time-depth data for studying the foraging ecology of sperm whales and the possibility of applying this approach to a wide range of echolocating cetaceans. The development of accurate foraging indices from low-cost, easily accessible TDR data would contribute to democratize this type of research, promote long-term studies of various species in several locations, and enable analyses of historical datasets to investigate changes in cetacean foraging activity. Please do contact me if you have any questions. Thank you very much, Sergi -- Sergi Pérez-Jorge, PhD Institute of Marine Research - IMAR Institute of Marine Sciences - Okeanos University of the Azores Rua Prof Dr Frederico Machado 4 9901-862 Horta, Azores, Portugal Tel. +351 292200400 Skype: sergi_perez, Twitter: @sergiperezjorge <https://twitter.com/sergiperezjorge?lang=ca> Azores Whale Lab - Cetacean Ecology Group http://whales.scienceontheweb.net

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New Paper Available
by Thomas Jefferson 19 Jun '23

19 Jun '23

Dear MARMAMers, I am pleased to announce the publication of the following paper: Jefferson, T. A. (2023). Marine mammals of the United States Exploring Expedition, 1838–1842: history and taxonomy. Archives of Natural History, 50, 101-117. https://doi.org/10.3366/anh.2023.0831ABSTRACT: The United States Exploring Expedition of 1838–1842, in some ways, represents the beginning of American marine mammal biology. The expedition returned home with information on at least twelve marine mammal specimens (mostly small cetaceans or pinnipeds), seven of which were considered new species at the time. Commanded by Lieutenant Charles Wilkes, the expedition covered over 80,000 miles, surveyed new waters and lands, and brought back thousands of scientific specimens. Official publications of the expedition by Titian Peale and John Cassin cover the birds and mammals collected. The squadron’s publications, and the journals of its officers and scientists also contain a good deal of information about sightings of marine mammals. Of particular interest were whaling operations and grounds, and the expedition did much to help expand the whaling prospects of the United States around the globe, with a focus on the South Pacific islands. Though largely forgotten today, the “U. S. Ex. Ex.” played an important early role in establishing American influence in marine mammal biology and global whaling operations. PDFs can be purchased online, or requested from me (sclymene(a)aol.com).Tom Jefferson

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Cetacean Sessions Season Finale: The Challenges of Being a Baby Dolphin
by Anaïs Remili 19 Jun '23

19 Jun '23

Dear members of the MARMAM community, Join us on June 26th, 2023, at 10 am (Pacific Time) for the season finale of Cetacean Sessions: The Challenges of Being a Baby Dolphin. <https://www.crowdcast.io/c/cetacean-session-18> In this episode, we will discuss two studies reporting alloparental care (caring for the baby of another species) and infanticide in various dolphin species, with two special guests: Danielle Conry & Leanne Rosser. Cetacean Sessions is a free seasonal bi-weekly webinar series where we discuss impactful cetacean science with those conducting it around the world. It is informal, educational, interactive, and geared towards those studying or interested in cetaceans. Cetacean Sessions was created by Bay Cetology and is being hosted by Anais and Naomi, the co-founders of Whale Scientists. Presentation and discussion will be followed by live Q&A with the audience. For viewing/participating, we recommend earbuds/headphones and using Chrome or Firefox. *Cannot watch live? No worries!* You can watch the replay anytime using the same link (below). Please visit our Crowdcast channel to register and for more information on our upcoming sessions: https://www.crowdcast.io/c/cetacean-session-18 Thanks, and stay tuned for the next episode's announcement! Anais from Whale Scientists

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