January 2024 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Aquatic Mammals issue 50.1 is published!
by Kathleen Dudzinski 15 Jan '24

15 Jan '24

Dear MARMAM Subscribers, Happy New Year! The first issue of volume 50 (50.1) of Aquatic Mammals journal is available online and will be officially published on Monday (15 January). 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: Joëlle De Weerdt, Eric Angel Ramos, and Tatiana A. Acosta-Pachón. (2024). First Records of Pinnipeds (Otariidae) Along the Pacific Coast of Nicaragua. Aquatic Mammals, 50(1), 1-7. Georgina V. Hume, Alexis L. Levengood, Melina J. Keane, and Bonnie J. Holmes. (2024). First Record of a Piebald Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) in Australian Waters. Aquatic Mammals, 50(1), 8-12. Alexis Santibañez, Erwin M. Barría, Macarena Barros, Cristina Coccia, and Gonzalo Medina-Vogel. (2024). First Detection of Lontra provocax in an Unexplored Hydrological Basin of Central-Southern Chile. Aquatic Mammals, 50(1), 13-18. Savanna M. Duda, Manon Themelin, Amy C. Hirons, and Kathleen M. Dudzinski. (2024). Contact Exchanges in Bottlenose Dolphin Mother–Calf Pairs. Aquatic Mammals, 50(1), 19-29. Louise B. Henriksen, Charlotte Bie Thøstesen, Aage Kristian Olsen Alstrup, Hanne Lyngholm Larsen, Magnus Wahlberg, Ursula Siebert, and Sussie Pagh. (2024). A New Simple Method for Age Determination of Harbour Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena). Aquatic Mammals, 50(1), 30-38. Carlos Calvo-Mac, Macarena Barros-Lama, Gonzalo K. Martínez-Leiva, Miguel Salgado, and Gonzalo Medina-Vogel. (2024). Exposure to Pathogenic Leptospira and Toxoplasma gondii in Endangered Native Otters of the Valdivian Temperate Rainforest Ecoregion in Chile. Aquatic Mammals, 50(1), 39-44. Charles Nye, Kim Parsons, James Rice, and C. Scott Baker. (2024). Ecotype Origin of an Entangled Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) Identified with Remnant mtDNA. Aquatic Mammals, 50(1), 45-50. Javier S. Tellechea, Sebastían Izquierdo, Patricia González, Agustín Carbonel, Sabrina Rodriguez, and Walter Norbis. (2024). Antarctic Minke Whale (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) Bio-Duck Call Detection in the Río de la Plata, Uruguay. Aquatic Mammals, 50(1), 51-60. **Robert Nawojchik. (2024). Book Review: Sea Mammals: The Past and Present Lives of Our Oceans’ Cornerstone Species. Aquatic Mammals, 50(1), 61-63.

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Sea Watch Foundation internship opportunity: Research Assistant & Intern Coordinator
by katrin.lohrengel＠seawatchfoundation.org.uk 15 Jan '24

15 Jan '24

Last call for applications for our 2024 Research Assistant and Intern Coordinator to assist in the running of the Cardigan Bay Monitoring Project! The project is based in the picturesque town of New Quay, West Wales, and supports the conservation management of one of only two semi-resident bottlenose dolphin populations in the UK. The Research Assistant will gain experience in the following areas: Daily land-based surveys Full day boat surveys Opportunistic data collection from wildlife tour boats Training and supervising interns Assisting in all stages of photo-identification and matching Assisting and supervising data entry and processing Public speaking and raising public awareness Organising and planning environmental education initiatives and events Assisting with the running adult cetacean surveying training courses Opportunity to undertake a personal research project This is an unpaid internship but accommodation is provided for the Research Assistant FREE of charge. The Research Assistant will be trained in boat survey protocols, and photo-identification of bottlenose dolphins but the following skills are advantageous: Strong team player with a sense of humour with previous experience supervising volunteers as you’ll be living and working with a small team in the changeable Welsh weather! Excellent organisational and time management skills Ability to work independently a background in marine biology/environmental science or similar, prior fieldwork experience is beneficial, particularly photo-identification Good IT skills Good written and verbal communication skills, experience with public speaking is also desirable If you are interested in this position, please visit the Sea Watch Foundation website for more information and how to apply: https://www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk/internships/ or email katrin.lohrengel(a)seawatchfoundation.org.uk Deadline for applications is the 24th January 2024. Decisions will be made by the end of February. For a snapshot of what to expect, why not check out our social media profiles! Facebook: shorturl.at/QS568 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seawatchfoundation/

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Reminder DCLDE2024 abstract submission
by Benda-Beckmann, A.M. (Sander) von 15 Jan '24

15 Jan '24

Dear MARMAM readers, Here a quick reminder that the deadline for Abstract submission for the DCLE2024 workshop is approaching! It's set at January 29th, 2024. Abstracts can be submitted under DCLDE 2024 - Abstracts<https://www.dclde2024.com/abstracts/>. The website will open up for registration at the 1st of February. The DCLDE2024 workshop will be held in Rotterdam the Netherlands, on 3 - 7 June 2024. This workshop on Detection, Classification, Localisation and Density Estimation (DCLDE) of marine mammals is held on a bi-annual basis. During this workshop participants share their recent insights into algorithms and technology for acoustic monitoring of marine mammals. The workshop will be focused on studies using dedicated workshop datasets. In addition, we also expect to have some sessions more broadly related to DCLDE techniques. The DCLDE2024 workshop will be held in Rotterdam the Netherlands, on 3 - 7 June 2024. On the Monday before the main event we also have several interesting workshops/tutorials offered. For more info and how to participate, please visit our website<https://www.dclde2024.com/tutorials-workshops/>. Workshop/Tutorial Length Introduction to the Dive Depth Detection (3D) method: leveraging surface reflections to estimate whale depth and improve density estimation, an example using deep diving echolocators Half day Updates for using the Low-Frequency Detection and Classification System (LFDCS) with archival and near real-time acoustic datasets Full day The DE part: marine mammal density estimation from passive acoustic monitoring data Full day (half possible) PAMGuard: New features and any other questions Full day Array Beamforming for Passive Acoustic Monitoring Half day We look forward to see you all in Rotterdam in June! On behalf of the DCLDE2024 organizing committee, Sander von Benda-Beckmann, Senior Scientist TNO, Acoustic Sensor and Sonar Systems, The Netherlands This message may contain information that is not intended for you. If you are not the addressee or if this message was sent to you by mistake, you are requested to inform the sender and delete the message. TNO accepts no liability for the content of this e-mail, for the manner in which you use it and for damage of any kind resulting from the risks inherent to the electronic transmission of messages.

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New publication: Killer whale acoustic patterns in the sub-Antarctic region
by Fannie Shabangu 14 Jan '24

14 Jan '24

Dear MARMAM Colleagues On behalf on my co-authors, I am excited to announce the publication of our latest research article: Shabangu FW, Daniels R, Jordaan RK, de Bruyn PJN, van den Berg MA, Lamont T. 2024 Killer whale acoustic patterns respond to prey abundance and environmental variability around the Prince Edward Islands, Southern Ocean. R. Soc. Open Sci. 11: 230903. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.230903 Abstract Killer whales are apex predators with temporally and spatially varying distributions throughout the world’s oceans. Their ecology and behaviour are poorly understood in most regions due to limited research, often because of logistical challenges. Here, we used a passive acoustic monitoring device to investigate the seasonal acoustic occurrence and diel vocalizing behaviour of killer whales around the remote sub-Antarctic Prince Edward Islands (PEIs), Southern Ocean. Killer whales showed diel vocalizing patterns that varied seasonally in relation to their prey abundance and social activities. Killer whale calls were intermittently detected year-round with a high number of hours containing calls in October to December, and a secondary peak in February to May, corresponding to seal prey abundance. Random forest modelling identified wind speed as the primary predictor of the occurrence of killer whale calls (with a negative correlation) while sea surface height, chlorophyll-a and sea surface temperature were moderately important. We provide the first acoustic evidence that killer whale occurrence around the PEIs might coincide with variability in environmental conditions and prey abundance. Our results provide the first indication of diel vocalizing pattern of killer whales in the Southern Ocean. This knowledge is important for understanding killer whale ecology and adaptation to the changing oceans. This article is open access and downloadable from: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.230903 All the best for 2024. Kind regards,Fannie _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Fannie W. Shabangu, PhD (he/him) Marine BiologistDepartment of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Cape Town, South Africa Mobile: +27 74 220 0210 Tel: +27 21 402 3553E-mail addresses: fshabangu(a)dffe.gov.za; fannie.shabangu(a)yahoo.com Research Fellow Mammal Research InstituteWhale Unit University of PretoriaHatfield, South Africa

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Diversity & Inclusion Questionnaire - Society for Marine Mammalogy
by Mel Cosentino 13 Jan '24

13 Jan '24

Dear MARMAMers The Society for Marine Mammalogy (SMM) Diversity and Inclusion Committee, in 2022, established the Neurodiverse and differently-abled subcommittee, which I chair. We are looking for members to join the subcommittee (everyone can join regardless of whether they are SMM members) but also to learn more about marine mammal researchers to work towards a more inclusive community. Please fill in this questionnaire - the information you provide is anonymous and will be used only to better understand the needs of our community. Neuro- and body diversity in the marine mammal research community <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1MycD0nv6_CrRO6Y-jSA4UfNchYxqJpJ8mzWsxOYSAR…> Do not hesitate to contact me (orcinus.orca.1758(a)gmail.com) or the Diversity and Inclusion Committee (diversity(a)marinemammalscience.org) if you have any questions. Rainy greetings Mel -- *Mel Cosentino, PhD* Postdoctoral Researcher Section for Marine Mammal Research Aarhus University, Denmark www.PorpoiseLady.org <http://www.porpoiselady.org/> @PorpoiseLady "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing" - E. Burke

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Job alert: Post Doctoral Fellow for Arctic Aerial Surveys
by William Halliday 12 Jan '24

12 Jan '24

Hi marmam community, We're looking for another post doctoral fellow to join our research group at WCS Canada/University of Victoria. The project is to study the distribution and abundance of ringed seals and bowhead whales in the western Canadian Arctic using aerial surveys. The position may also involve working on ringed seal and bearded seal diet data. The post doc would be involved in planning and conducting aerial surveys in spring 2024 and 2025 in the western Canadian Arctic, managing, processing, and analyzing the aerial survey data, statistical analyses, writing manuscripts and reports, meeting with Inuvialuit and government partner organizations, and helping with grant management. The full ad and application details can be viewed here: https://wcscanada.bamboohr.com/careers/68 Please reach out over email if you have any questions about the position. Cheers, Bill *William D. Halliday, PhD* Conservation Scientist, Arctic Acoustics Program Lead Wildlife Conservation Society Canada wdhalliday.weebly.com; arcticnoise.ca he/him ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adjunct Assistant Professor School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Online Journal Manager The Canadian Field-Naturalist

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New paper on the non-consumptive economic value of cetaceans
by Jazel Ouled-Cheikh Bonan 12 Jan '24

12 Jan '24

Dear MARMAM subscribers, My colleagues and I are pleased to announce the publication of our research article: Ouled-Cheikh J., Giménez J., Verborgh P., Jiménez-Torres C., Gauffier P., Esteban R., de Stephanis R. 2023. The non-consumptive economic value of wildlife: the case of three cetacean species. Sci. Mar. 87(4): e077. https://doi.org/10.3989/scimar.05323.077 Abstract; The conservation of wildlife is one of the most pressing issues in the current times, but wildlife conservation economic values have often been largely ignored due to an absence of market prices, as setting an economic value on biodiversity or whole ecosystems can be challenging. Nevertheless, valuing wildlife can be of great significance to improve decision-making in the conservation field, as it can provide a complementary perspective based on economic principles. Whale-watching provides an opportunity for the economic valuation of wildlife. Specifically, it offers a framework in which the economic revenue allows the economic valuation of the targeted cetaceans to be estimated through the direct and indirect expenditure of the tourists who purchase whale-watching tours. Here, we performed an economic analysis based on population abundances of the three main species targeted by the whale-watching companies in the Strait of Gibraltar (Spain): long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas), common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) and killer whales (Orcinus orca). These species generated a total annual income of €4,089,056, €1,876,833, and €505,389, respectively, and each individual would generate an average of €14,048, €951, and €36,099 each year, respectively. Incorporating life expectancy, this corresponded to a total population value of €112,426,185, €16,685,147, and €19,171,107, respectively, over their lifetime. These values provide an idea of the potential contribution of cetaceans to the local economy but only represent their non-consumptive value based on tourism. Our results reinforce the idea that a sustainable, high-quality whale-watching culture, under ACCOBAMS High-Quality Whale-Watching requirements, should be promoted to ensure a sustainable industry, stable economic income and the viability of cetacean populations in the Strait of Gibraltar. The article is available from the publisher's website ( https://scientiamarina.revistas.csic.es/index.php/scientiamarina) or by request at jazelouled(a)gmail.com Best regards, Jazel Ouled-Cheikh

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New Publication: Characteristics of sei whale downsweeps recorded off Eastern Canada
by Gabrielle Macklin 12 Jan '24

12 Jan '24

Dear MARMAM, My co-authors and I are happy to share our publication in the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America: Macklin, G. F., Moors-Murphy, H. B., & Leonard, M. L. (2024). Characteristics and spatiotemporal variation of sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis) downsweeps recorded in Atlantic Canada. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 155(1), 145-155. A PDF copy can be made available upon request to macklingf(a)gmail.com The call characteristics and vocal behaviour of sei whales (Balaenoptera borealis) off eastern Canada, including potential spatiotemporal variation, is poorly understood. Such information can improve the performance of automated detector-classifiers, enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of identifying sei whales in large acoustic datasets. Ultimately, these data can be used to understand the occurrence, distribution, and population structure of sei whales in Atlantic Canada. We measured sei whale downsweep characteristics recorded from six locations off Nova Scotia (NS) and Newfoundland and Labrador (NFLD), Canada over a two-year period (2015–2017), and examined variation between call subtypes (singlets, doublets, triplets+), and seasons (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter). We found that downsweeps had a mean duration of 1.58 s, sweeping from 75.66 to 34.22 Hz, with a peak frequency of 43.89 Hz and an intra-call interval of 2.22 s. Most call characteristics did not vary between location, subtype, or season; however, significantly longer downsweeps occurred off NS, within doublet calls, and in fall months. We also found that NFLD had a higher proportion of doublets (70%) than NS (52%). This variation may be evidence of acoustically diverging sei whale populations, as well as useful for improving detector-classifiers of sei whales in the region. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, to macklingf(a)gmail.com Cheers, Gabrielle Macklin Aquatic Science Biologist/ Biologiste en sciences aquatiques Fisheries and Oceans/ Pêches et Océans Canada -- Gabrielle Macklin, M.Sc. Halifax, NS 1 204 232 0875 macklingf(a)gmail.com

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New publication - Fin whale song evolution in the North Atlantic
by Miriam Romagosa 12 Jan '24

12 Jan '24

Dear Marmam subscribers, We are pleased to announce the publication of the following article in the eLife journal: Romagosa, M., Nieukirk, S., Cascão, I., Marques, TA., Dziak, R., Royer, JY. O'Brien, J., Mellinger, DK, Pereira, A., Ugalde, A., Papale, E., Aniceto, S., Buscaino, G., Rasmussen, M., Matias, L., Prieto, R. and Silva, MA. (2024) Fin whale song evolution in the North Atlantic. eLife 13:e83750. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.83750 Abstract: Animal songs can change within and between populations as the result of different evolutionary processes. When these processes include cultural transmission, the social learning of information or behaviours from conspecifics, songs can undergo rapid evolutions because cultural novelties can emerge more frequently than genetic mutations. Understanding these song variations over large temporal and spatial scales can provide insights into the patterns, drivers and limits of song evolution that can ultimately inform on the species’ capacity to adapt to rapidly changing acoustic environments. Here, we analysed changes in fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) songs recorded over two decades across the central and eastern North Atlantic Ocean. We document a rapid replacement of song INIs (inter-note intervals) over just four singing seasons, that co-occurred with hybrid songs (with both INIs), and a clear geographic gradient in the occurrence of different song INIs during the transition period. We also found gradual changes in INIs and note frequencies over more than a decade with fin whales adopting song changes. These results provide evidence of vocal learning in fin whales and reveal patterns of song evolution that raise questions on the limits of song variation in this species. Kind regards, -- Miriam Romagosa, PhD Azores Whale Lab – Cetacean Ecology group Okeanos – Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar University of the Azores Rua Prof Dr. Frederico Machado 4 9901-862 Horta, Azores, Portugal Phone: (+351) 292200400 Email: m.romagosa4(a)gmail.com

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Upcoming SMM Editors Select Webinar, 18 January 2024: Eavesdropping on working whales, with Dr. Renee Albertson
by Student Members-at-Large Society for Marine Mammalogy 11 Jan '24

11 Jan '24

Greetings MARMAM community! Join us on Join us on Thursday January 18th 2024 at 1 pm PST / 9 pm GMT for the next SMM Editors Select Series Webinar: Eavesdropping on working whales: remote monitoring of adult gray whale lung volumes, with Dr. Renee Albertson This event is free to attend and presented online via Zoom, but registration is required. Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HOA1QgYGQGWiEbCWRHDw3A#/registr… Space on Zoom is limited to the first 500 attendees. The talk will also be streamed live on the SMM Facebook page. About the talk: Understanding how a species’ metabolic rate varies in different behavioral contexts is useful for quantifying prey requirements and foraging efficiencies of individuals. Field metabolic rates (FMR) are daily estimates of oxygen consumption, which depend on three factors: lung capacity, breathing rate, and the amount of oxygen extracted from the air. This study describes a novel approach to estimating tidal lung volumes (VT) of actively foraging adult gray whales and compares those to VT estimates of gray whales studied in a winter breeding/calving lagoon. An unoccupied aircraft system (UAS) along the central Oregon coast monitored foraging whales from 2016-2020. Breathing patterns of gray whales typically include very rapid exhalation/inhalation events as they surface, followed by submerged breath holds of varying duration and depth. UAS video and acoustic recordings revealed that foraging whales have 35-40% higher mass-relative VT values than resting lagoon females. This reflects differences in behavior, activity levels, and oxygen needs between the two groups. The tidal lung volumes of fasting lagoon whales and foraging whales fall between that of resting terrestrial mammals and small to medium-sized odontocetes. The methods described here, especially the use of UASs for measuring body lengths and breathing rates, provide a new tool for estimating gray whale oxygen consumption and energy requirements. About the presenter: Dr. Renee Albertson is a teaching professor and research affiliate at Oregon State University, where her current research focuses on gray whale physiology. In collaboration with multiple scientists within the university’s Marine Mammal Institute, she has been studying gray whale metabolic rates and aerobic dive limits, including the research she will share today. Dr. Albertson earned BS degrees in Chemistry and Biochemistry and a MA in Teaching from Pacific University in 1994 and 1997, and taught high school chemistry from 1997 to 2007. She began her career in marine mammal science in 2005, when she completed an intensive internship in Moorea, French Polynesia working on photo-identification of small cetaceans and humpback whales. She went on to complete her MSc and PhD degrees at Oregon State University with Dr. Scott Baker, where she used genetic markers and photo identification to study migratory patterns and abundance of South Pacific humpback whales and phylogeographic patterns and taxonomic and social structures of rough-toothed dolphins. After completing her PhD in 2014 she worked as a postdoctoral scholar for Dr. Ari Friedlaender, where she evaluated changes in humpback whale migration and fine-scale population structure in the Western Antarctic Peninsula, one of the fastest warming areas on the planet. Today, in addition to her research, she teaches several field-based marine mammal courses at Oregon State University and continues to collaborate with scientists and policy makers in the South Pacific. Open access to this article is made temporarily available in the weeks around the presentation and can be found here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mms.13081. Current SMM members have access to all Marine Mammal Science papers. Missed a presentation or want to share this series with a friend? All previous Editors' Select presentations are recorded and archived on our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUc78IynQlubS2DVS1VZoplf_t42-yZOO. We hope to see you there! -- Ayça Eleman, Ph.D. Candidate Theresa-Anne Tatom-Naecker, Ph.D. Candidate Sophia Volzke, Ph.D. Candidate Student Members-at-Large (SMaLs) The Society for Marine Mammalogy

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