June 2024 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

New publication on signals of reproductive events in humpback whales
by Logan Pallin 18 Jun '24

18 Jun '24

Dear Marmam, my co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of our open-access paper in Conservation Physiology: Logan J Pallin, Claire Garrigue, Nicholas M Kellar, C Scott Baker, Claire D Bonneville, Solène Derville, Ellen C Garland, Debbie Steel, Ari S Friedlaender, Demographic and physiological signals of reproductive events in humpback whales on a southwest pacific breeding ground, *Conservation Physiology*, Volume 12, Issue 1, 2024, coae038, https://doi.org/10.1093/conphys/coae038 Abstract: The field of marine mammal conservation has dramatically benefited from the rapid advancement of methods to assess the reproductive physiology of individuals and populations from steroid hormones isolated from minimally invasive skin–blubber biopsy samples. Historically, this vital information was only available from complete anatomical and physiological investigations of samples collected during commercial or indigenous whaling. Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are a migratory, cosmopolitan species that reproduce in warm, low-latitude breeding grounds. New Caledonia is seasonally visited by a small breeding sub-stock of humpback whales, forming part of the endangered Oceania subpopulation. To better understand the demographic and seasonal patterns of reproductive physiology in humpback whales, we quantified baseline measurements of reproductive hormones (progesterone—P4, testosterone—T and 17β-estradiol—E2) using an extensive archive of skin–blubber biopsy samples collected from female humpback whales in New Caledonia waters between 2016 and 2019 (n = 194). We observed significant differences in the P4, T and E2 concentrations across different demographic groups of female humpback whales, and we described some of the first evidence of the endocrine patterns of estrous in live free-ranging baleen whales. This study is fundamental in its methodological approach to a wild species that has a global distribution, with seasonally distinct life histories. This information will assist in monitoring, managing and conserving this population as global ecological changes continue to occur unhindered. It is open access and available here: Demographic and physiological signals of reproductive events in humpback whales on a southwest pacific breeding ground | Conservation Physiology | Oxford Academic (oup.com) <https://academic.oup.com/conphys/article/12/1/coae038/7695487> If you have any questions, please feel free to email me: lpallin(a)ucsc.edu cheers Logan *Logan J. Pallin, Ph.D.* Postdoctoral Researcher The University of California, Santa Cruz Bio-Telemetry & Behavioral Ecology Lab <https://btbel.pbsci.ucsc.edu/logan-pallin/> Institute of the Arts and Sciences <https://ias.ucsc.edu/archives/fellows/logan-pallin/> lpallin(a)ucsc.edu pronouns: (*he/him/his*)

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2 PhD Positions Available with the Humpback Whale Sentinel Programme
by Susan Bengtson Nash 17 Jun '24

17 Jun '24

Dear Colleagues, We are currently seeking to new PhD members for our team. Both projects are associated with The Humpback Whale Sentinel Programme<https://www.southernoceansentinel.org/>, a long-term biomonitoring program for circum-polar surveillance of climate and pollution impacts to the Antarctic Sea-ice ecosystem. Project 1: Humpback Whale Diet This project will explore how humpback whale diet may change in response to climatic perturbations to Antarctic krill habitat. This PhD program will investigate medium term time trends in diet using traditional stable isotope and fatty acid approaches. Further, the project will explore iso-scapes and stable isotope mixing modelling approaches. Project 2: Humpback Whale Endocrinology This project will explore the relative fecundity of southern hemisphere humpback whale populations, female and male endocrinology, as well as endocrine and chemical interactions. These positions are open to both domestic and international students. Candidates will need to hold a 1st class Honours equivalent to be competitive for a Griffith University Scholarship<https://www.griffith.edu.au/research-study/scholarships>. If you are interested in learning more, please get in touch. Expressions of Interest close 14th July. All the best, Susan Professor Susan Bengtson Nash Southern Ocean Persistent Organic Pollutants Laboratory Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security (CPHFS) Griffith University, Nathan Campus. 170 Kessels Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia. Griffith University: Director of Marine Science B.Sc. | CPHFS: Chemical Pollution Thematic Lead | UN Ocean Decade and SCAR: AnMAP Development Lead | HWSP: Coordinator Email: s.bengtsonnash(a)griffith.edu.au<mailto:s.bengtsonnash@griffith.edu.au> Twitter: @Dr_Suz; @Antarctica_POPs; @AnMAP_Antarctic | Website: https://www.griffith.edu.au/griffith-sciences/southern-ocean-persistent-org… and https://www.southernoceansentinel.org/ [cid:image001.png@01DAC183.3D332710]

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New open access paper detailing Right Whale diving behaviour in the Gulf of St. Lawrence from DTAG data
by Andrew Wright 17 Jun '24

17 Jun '24

Dear Marmam, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce our recent paper on the diving behaviour of North Atlantic right whales in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Wright AJ, Gabaldon J, Zhang D, Hamilton P (2024) Bimodal vertical distribution of right whales Eubalaena glacialis in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Endang Species Res 54:155-166. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr01330 ABSTRACT: Critically endangered North Atlantic right whales Eubalaena glacialis have recently shifted their summer distribution from the Bay of Fundy to the Gulf of St. Lawrence (GSL), Canada. Entanglement in fishing gear and vessel strikes remain the main lethal threats. Foraging on deep aggregations of Calanus prey in the Bay of Fundy involves stereotyped deep ‘flat-bottom’ (U-shaped) dives, while foraging on sub-surface Calanus aggregations on the winter feeding grounds of Cape Cod Bay involves surface feeding. To explore North Atlantic right whale feeding behaviour in the GSL, 5 acoustic and biologging tags (DTAGs) were deployed using suction cups in 2019 and 2020. One whale knocked off the tag after 14 min. Diving behaviour of the other 4 whales with 2.0 to 4.7 h of data was mostly split between flat-bottom foraging dives at, or very close to, the sea floor, and near-surface activities, including logging, respirations, and potentially also sleeping. This biphasic vertical distribution not only places the whales at risk of being hit by vessels, but it may also put them at risk of coming into contact with groundlines used in various fishing industries in the GSL. Although additional research is needed as this limited dataset was restricted to hours of daylight, these results provide new information about right whale behaviour in the GSL that can help inform management actions to reduce human impacts on this endangered species. It is open access and available here: https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/esr/v54/p155-166/ If you have any questions, please feel free to email me: marinebrit(a)gmail.com. Apologies for cross-posting. Andrew -- Andrew Wright, Ph.D. VaquitaAreBrowncoats: Where Sci-Fi meets Science, the Cosmos meets Conservation and Firefly meets Flipper. Shiny https://www.facebook.com/vaquitaarebrowncoats. "We don't have to save the world. The world is big enough to look after itself. What we have to be concerned about is whether or not the world we live in will be capable of sustaining us in it." Douglas Adams GNU Terry Pratchett

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SWFSC eDNA NRC Postdoc Opportunity
by Eric Archer - NOAA Federal 17 Jun '24

17 Jun '24

*Dear colleagues,* *Apologies for cross-posts. We at SWFSC are re-advertising for one of our postdoc positions. Please share widely. * *Cheers, Eric* The Opportunity: The Marine Mammal and Turtle Division (MMTD) and Fisheries Research Division (FRD) at the Southwest Fisheries Science Center (NOAA/NMFS) seek a highly motivated candidate for a Postdoctoral Research Associate position. Both research divisions have several funded projects focused on developing and using genomic tools to investigate the ecology, evolution, and population dynamics of various marine mammal, sea turtle, and marine fishes and invertebrate species to contribute to their conservation and management. The position will also be part of a larger network of bioinformaticists working in NOAA labs across the country. The network will be responsible for developing and publishing common pipelines and interfacing with NOAA IT groups to support genomics data processing and analysis. The position will be shared equally among the three genetics programs at SWFSC. However, when developing a proposal for NRC, an applicant is welcome to focus their research interests on any one project or component thereof. Research proposals can also integrate data across multiple programs, which would be especially welcome. Overviews of the available projects within each program are described below. Marine Mammal Genetics Program Develop pipelines and analyses for an eDNA time series designed to monitor cetacean diversity and distribution in the Southern California Bight (SCB). Develop cetacean metabarcoding primers for SCB cetaceans, especially rare species. Familiarity with spatial and time series analyses is useful. Marine Turtle Genetics Program Develop and validate eDNA tools to detect/monitor presence, distribution and relative abundance of green and leatherback turtles in California coastal and offshore waters. Analyze (and streamline WGS pipelines) new and existing whole genome sequences to examine diversity and local adaptation/selection in leatherback sea turtles and help to develop a new genomic SNP panel to characterize diversity and define population units for western Pacific leatherbacks nesting populations. Process and analyze WGS data for kinship and CKMR studies. Fisheries Resources Division Process and analyze metabarcoding eDNA (water sample and stomach content) datasets for fishes and invertebrates to aid in biodiversity inventories and improve predator/prey diet studies. Analyze existing genome and GWAS datasets and help prepare manuscripts for studies examining topics such as sex determination, thermal tolerance, and local selection (including inadvertent aquaculture selection) in fishes (e.g. Seriola spp., Sardinops sagax) and abalone (Haliotis spp.). Qualifications: Candidates must have bioinformatics experience analyzing eDNA or metabarcoding data, including producing workflows for genomic data analysis, and familiarity with using GitHub for version control and collaborative coding. In addition, the candidate should be proficient with programming in R and bash, and with working in the LINUX command line environment. Laboratory experience with next generation sequencing protocols is beneficial but not required. Applicants must have earned a Ph.D., Sc.D., M.D., D.V.M., or academically equivalent research doctorate no more than five years prior to applying. This is a 3-year, full-time position offering comprehensive benefits packages, including moving expenses. The position is based in La Jolla, CA, and remote work is not being considered. The position is open to everyone, regardless of citizenship. Deadline: Applications must be received by NRC by August 1, 2024. Anyone interested in applying should contact Eric Archer ( Eric.Archer(a)noaa.gov) Additional information regarding benefits and the application process can be found at https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/rap/for-applicants. -- *Eric Archer, Ph.D. *(he/him/his <https://www.glsen.org/activity/pronouns-guide-glsen>) Leader, Marine Mammal Genetics Program <https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/west-coast/science-data/marine-mammal-geneti…> Southwest Fisheries Science Center (NMFS/NOAA) 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive La Jolla, CA 92037 USA 619-837-3170 Adjunct Professor, Marine Biology <http://profiles.ucsd.edu/frederick.archer> Scripps Institution of Oceanography University of California, San Diego GitHub: github.com/ericarcher ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3179-4769 ---- " *The universe doesn't care what you believe. The wonderful thing about science is that it doesn't ask for your faith, it just asks for your eyes.*" - Randall Munroe "*Lighthouses are more helpful than churches.*" - Benjamin Franklin "*...but I'll take a GPS over either one.*" - John C. "Craig" George

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new publication on Hector's dolphin
by Heloíse Pavanato 16 Jun '24

16 Jun '24

Dear colleagues, On behalf of Jesu Valdés Hernández and collaborators, I'm pleased to share our latest publication on Hector's dolphins: Hernández MJV, Dawson S, Pavanato H, Leunissen E, Rayment W. 2024. Using passive acoustic monitoring to assess the overlap between endemic endangered Hector's dolphin (*Cephalorhynchus hectori hectori*) and mussel farms in the Banks Peninsula Marine Mammal Sanctuary, New Zealand. *Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems*: 34(6):e4207. DOI: 10.1002/aqc.4207. Abstract: 1. Aquaculture has maintained a sustained growth trend over the last 50 years, worldwide and in Aotearoa New Zealand. 2. This industry is known to have environmental consequences, such as impacts on benthos, water column and higher trophic levels. Some of these impacts have been thoroughly studied, while others, such as the effects on cetaceans, are not well understood. 3. This study used passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) to assess, for the first time, the overlap between kūtai—New Zealand greenlipped mussel (*Perna canaliculus*)—farms and habitat use by endemic endangered Hector's dolphins (*Cephalorhynchus hectori hectori*) within the Banks Peninsula Marine Mammal Sanctuary. 4. T-PODs were deployed in six bays, three with mussel farms and three without, between 2018 and 2019. Occurrence of dolphins, expressed as ‘dolphin positive minutes per day’ (DPM/day), was modelled using generalized linear mixed models. 5. Results showed a strong interaction between farm (presence/absence) and season (summer/winter), with fewer acoustic detections of dolphins in winter if farms were present. Furthermore, in bays with mussel farms, there were significantly more click train detections on the opposite side of the bay, compared to the side by the mussel farm. 6. Considering that results from this study suggest potential displacement of the dolphins due to the mussel farms, the recommendation is a precautionary approach. Further expansion of aquaculture in Hector's dolphin habitat should be done carefully, taking into account their habitat use, and conducting intensive monitoring including a robust ‘before and after’ design prior to the establishment of new farms. The paper can be accessed here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aqc.4207 If you have any questions, please contact Jesu at jesu.valdes(a)trc.govt.bz Kind regards, Heloise

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MARINE MAMMAL BOOKS AVAILABLE
by Thomas Jefferson 15 Jun '24

15 Jun '24

MARINE MAMMAL BOOKS AVAILABLE ¡VIVAVaquita! is a non-profit organization dedicated to working to help save the vaquita from extinction. All funds raised are actively used for research and conservation work on the vaquita (Phocoena sinus), the world’s most endangered marine mammal species, and other endangered cetaceans. The most recent survey was just completed, and the global population of the vaquita may now number less than 10 individuals and is nearing extinction. Visit our website at www.vivavaquita.org and watch a recording of International Save the Vaquita Day at vaquita.day for more details. ¡VIVAVaquita! has hundreds of marine mammal books, reprints, monographs, and journals that are available for a donation to the organization. Below is a sample of some of the rarer items we have (price listed is suggested donation, shipping is extra), but there are many, many more and suggested donation amounts range from US$2-120. To request specific books or a list of additional books available, please contact Tom Jefferson at sclymene(a)aol.com. Andersen, H. T. (1969). The Biology of Marine Mammals. Pages 511 pp. Academic Press. $10. Beddington, J. R., R. J. H. Beverton and D. M. Lavigne. (1985). Marine Mammals and Fisheries. Pages 354 pp. George Allen and Unwin. $12. Bessesen, B. (2018). Vaquita: Science, Politics, and Crime in the Sea of Cortez. Island Press. $12. Bjorge, A. and G. P. Donovan. (1995). Biology of the Phocoenids: A Collection of Papers. Pages 552 pp. Reports of the International Whaling Commission. $$17. Burns, J. J., J. J. Montague and C. J. Cowles. 1993. The Bowhead Whale. Pages 787 pp. Society for Marine Mammalogy. $20. Dizon, A. E., A. E. Chivers and W. F. Perrin. (1997). Molecular Genetics of Marine Mammals. Pages 388 pp. Society for Marine Mammalogy. $4. FAO. (1978). Mammals in the seas: Volume I. Report of the FAO Advisory Committee on Marine Resources Research. $8. FAO. (1979). Mammals in the seas: Volume II. Pinniped species summaries and report on sirenians. $8. Garner, G. W., S. C. Amstrup, J. L. Laake, B. J. F. Manley, L. L. Mcdonald and D. G. Robertson. 1999. Marine Mammal Survey and Assessment Methods. Pages 287 pp. A. A. Balkema. $45. Herman, L. H. (1980). Cetacean Behavior: Mechanisms and Functions. Pages 463 pp. Wiley. $13. Hoelzel, A. R. (2002). Marine Mammal Biology: An Evolutionary Approach. Pages 432 pp. Blackwell Science Publishing. $9. Hoelzel, A. R. (1991). Genetic ecology of whales and dolphins. Pages 311 pp. Reports of the International Whaling Commission. Reports of the International Whaling Commission. $10. Klinowska, M. (1991). Dolphins, Porpoises, and Whales of the World: The IUCN Red Data Book. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland. $7. Loughlin, T. R. (1994). Marine Mammals and the Exxon Valdez. Pages 395 pp. Academic Press. $14. Leatherwood, S., R. R. Reeves, W. F. Perrin and W. E. Evans. (1982). Whales, dolphins, and porpoises of the eastern North Pacific and adjacent Arctic waters: A guide to their identification. NOAA Technical Report NMFS Circular, 444, 245 pp. $7. Leatherwood, S., R. R. Reeves, W. F. Perrin and W. E. Evans. (1988). Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises of the Eastern North Pacific and Adjacent Arctic Waters: A Guide to Their Identification. Dover Publications. $8. Mitchell, E. D. (1975). Porpoise, dolphin and small whale fisheries of the world. IUCN Monograph, 3, 129 pp. $5. Mitchell, E. (ed). 1975. Review of biology and fisheries for smaller cetaceans. Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada 32(7): 879-1242. Special issue of journal on dolphins, porpoises, and small whales. $8. Notarbartolo Di Sciara, G., M. Podesta and B. E. Curry. 2016. Mediterranean Marine Mammal Ecology and Conservation. Pages 428 pp. Advances in Marine Biology. $48. Perrin, W. F. (1975). Variation of spotted and spinner porpoise (genus Stenella) in the eastern tropical Pacific and Hawaii. Bulletin of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, 21, 206 pp. $11. Perrin, W. F., G. P. Donovan and J. Barlow. (1994). Gillnets and Cetaceans. Pages 617+ pp. Reports of the International Whaling Commission. $16. Perrin, W. F. and A. C. Myrick. (1980). Age Determination of Toothed Whales and Sirenians. Pages 229 pp. Reports of the International Whaling Commission. $14. Perrin, W. F., R. L. Brownell and D. P. Demaster. (1984). Reproduction in Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises. Pages 495 pp. Reports of the International Whaling Commission. $19. Reynolds, J. E., W. F. Perrin, R. R. Reeves, S. Montgomery and T. J. Ragen. (2005). Marine Mammal Research: Conservation Beyond Crisis. Johns Hopkins University Press. $16. Richardson, W. J., C. R. Greene, C. I. Malme and D. H. Thomson. (1995). Marine Mammals and Noise. Academic Press. $21. Ridgway, S. H. (1972). Mammals of the Sea: Biology and Medicine. Pages 812 pp. Charles C. Thomas. $115. Ridgway, S. H. and R. J. Harrison. (1981). Handbook of Marine Mammals, Vol. 1: The Walrus, Sea Lions, Fur Seals, and Sea Otter. Pages 235 pp. Academic Press. $30. Ridgway, S. H. and R. J. Harrison. (1981). Handbook of Marine Mammals, Vol. 2: Seals. Pages 359 pp. Academic Press. $30. Ridgway, S. H. and R. Harrison. (1999). Handbook of Marine Mammals, Vol. 6: The Second Book of Dolphins and the Porpoises. Pages 486 pp. Academic Press. $63. Rice, D. W. (1998). Marine mammals of the world: systematics and distribution. Society for Marine Mammalogy Special Publication, 4, 231 pp. $5. Scheffer, V. B. and J. W. Slipp. (1948). The whales and dolphins of Washington State, with a key to the cetaceans of the west coast of North America. American Midland Naturalist, 39, 257-337. $7. Schevill, W. E. (1974). The Whale Problem: A Status Report. Pages 419 pp. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass. $8. Scientific Reports of the Whales Research Institute. Most issues available (please designate issues desired). $6/issue. Thewissen, J. G. M. (2014). The Walking Whales: From Land to Water in Eight Million Years. University of California Press. $18. Truitt, D. 1974. Dolphins and Porpoises: A Comprehensive Annotated Bibliography of the Smaller Cetacea. Gale Research Co. $22. Twiss, J. R. and R. R. Reeves. (1999). Conservation and Management of Marine Mammals. Pages 471 pp. Smithsonian Institution Press. $13. Wursig, B., T. A. Jefferson and D. J. Schmidly. (2000). The Marine Mammals of the Gulf of Mexico. Texas A&M University Press. $5.

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New Publication: Four Cases of Severed Peduncles in Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) Along the Alabama Coast
by Munday, Reagan R. 14 Jun '24

14 Jun '24

Dear colleagues, On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to share with you our new publication in the Journal of Wildlife and Zoo Medicine: McKenzie R. Munday, Mackenzie L. Russell, Cristina Díaz Clark, Martha A. Delaney, Michael J. Kinsel, Ruth H. Carmichael, and Jennifer C.G. Bloodgood "FOUR CASES OF SEVERED PEDUNCLES IN BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS (TURSIOPS TRUNCATUS) ALONG THE ALABAMA COAST," Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 55(2), 521-530, (13 June 2024). https://doi.org/10.1638/2023-0126 Abstract: Alabama (AL) is a hotspot in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) for human interaction–related cetacean strandings, including harassment, vessel strikes, and fisheries interactions. We examined four bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) stranded dead along the AL coast during 2012–2017 with severed peduncles suspected to be related to human interaction (HI). Evidence from each case, including photographs, gross necropsy results, and histopathologic findings when available, was reviewed to determine the mode of severance and whether it contributed to death. In each case, the severance site had smooth, clean edges on at least one side, indicating the use of a sharp instrument to remove the caudal peduncle and flukes. Three cases also had evidence of fisheries interactions, including linear impressions around the rostrum, fins and/or flukes, indicating that these animals may have been entangled in fisheries gear prior to death. Histopathology in one of these cases revealed that the severance occurred perimortem; speculatively, the caudal peduncle and flukes may have been cut off to facilitate removing the dolphin from its entanglement. Although cases of amputation and mutilation are not uncommon globally among stranding reports, few cases have been described and analyzed in the literature. This paper is the first to document and compare multiple cases of severed peduncles with evidence of HI, including fisheries, in the GoM. This case series enhances our understanding of the types of HI occurring in bottlenose dolphins and highlights the need for continued public education, policy, and management to address cases like these. Please reach out with any questions. Best, McKenzie Munday Tufts Masters of Conservation Medicine '22 Tufts DVM Candidate '27 mckenzie.munday(a)tufts.edu

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New paper: Juvenile social play predicts adult reproductive success in male bottlenose dolphins
by Kathryn Holmes 13 Jun '24

13 Jun '24

Dear colleagues, We are pleased to share our recent paper in PNAS on the benefits of juvenile social play in male bottlenose dolphins: Holmes KG, Krützen M, Ridley AR, Allen SJ, Connor RC, Gerber L, Flaherty Stamm C, King SL. Juvenile social play predicts adult reproductive success in male bottlenose dolphins. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2024 Jun 18;121(25):e2305948121. Abstract: For over a century, the evolution of animal play has sparked scientific curiosity. The prevalence of social play in juvenile mammals suggests that play is a beneficial behavior, potentially contributing to individual fitness. Yet evidence from wild animals supporting the long-hypothesized link between juvenile social play, adult behavior, and fitness remains limited. In Western Australia, adult male bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) form multilevel alliances that are crucial for their reproductive success. A key adult mating behavior involves allied males using joint action to herd individual females. Juveniles of both sexes invest significant time in play that resembles adult herding— taking turns in mature male (actor) and female (receiver) roles. Using a 32-y dataset of individual-level association patterns, paternity success, and behavioral observations, we show that juvenile males with stronger social bonds are significantly more likely to engage in joint action when play-herding in actor roles. Juvenile males also monopolized the actor role and produced an adult male herding vocalization (“pops”) when playing with females. Notably, males who spent more time playing in the actor role as juveniles achieved more paternities as adults. These findings not only reveal that play behavior provides male dolphins with mating skill practice years before they sexually mature but also demonstrate in a wild animal population that juvenile social play predicts adult reproductive success. The paper can be accessed here: https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2305948121 or you can DM me for a copy. All the best on behalf of all coauthors, Katy --

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Two-year postdoctoral fellowship available
by Lars Bejder 13 Jun '24

13 Jun '24

Dear Marmam-readers, The Marine Mammal Research Program (MMRP) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa is seeking applicants for a two-year postdoctoral fellowship to lead our space-whale project. The project seeks to establish a satellite-based, cost-effective humpback whale population monitoring approach for the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Monitoring whale abundances is time-, energy-, and cost-intensive. Monitoring whale abundances in remote locations is far more difficult, due to the time and expense of accessing those locations. Recent advances in using high-resolution satellite imagery have shown great promise for detecting individual whales from space (i.e., via satellites), yet still no method exists for accurately estimating population sizes from satellite imagery. This gap in understanding hinders conservation and management efforts focused on humpback whales in the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (PRIMNM), Hawai’i, and elsewhere in the world. This two-year project (initially) aims to harness the power of remote observation from space by synergizing this data stream with other cutting-edge technologies, including unoccupied aerial systems (UAS; drones [data in-hand]), non-invasive suction tags equipped with accelerometers and on-board cameras [data in-hand], and open-source artificial intelligence analytical capabilities in a novel Bayesian data integration population model. Our approach aims to allow managers, researchers, and conservation practitioners to quantify whale population trends in the PRIMNM. The project seeks to establish a satellite-based, cost-effective humpback whale population monitoring approach and subsequently determine the resource, climatic, and anthropogenic factors influencing their migration destination and abundance. SUMMARY OF DUTIES / SKILL SETS: The successful applicant will serve as a Postdoctoral Researcher within the Marine Mammal Research Program (in collaboration with the Elizabeth Madin Lab) in the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Pacific Islands Region (ONMS) / HIMB Pacific Remote Sites Partnership project. The successful applicant will play a crucial role in the project focused on developing models to assess humpback whale abundance from satellite imagery. Responsibilities will include handling large amounts of data, working with satellite imagery, and developing novel population abundance models. The Postdoctoral Researcher will have expertise in handling geospatial and other data types via R or Python to process and analyze large-scale environmental patterns is critical, and will have demonstrated a strong record of statistical modeling, which will be a focus in this position. The successful candidate will likely collaborate with other academics, conservation, government, and commercial organizations (e.g., Pacific Whale Foundation, NOAA, Planet, Inc.) to develop a pipeline to estimate whale abundance from satellite imagery and make the methods available to collaborators and natural resource managers. The successful applicant will mentor graduate and undergraduate students, including providing guidance on spatial data analysis techniques and modeling methodologies, will be part of this role. Strong teamwork skills are needed to collaborate effectively with other members of the research team and stakeholders. Publishing research findings in high-quality peer-reviewed journals to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in humpback whale ecology, remote sensing, and population models will be critical. Some travel may be required. Applicants must apply online on the Careers page at https://www.rcuh.com/work/careers/ and submit their application by the closing date to be considered for this recruitment. Job ID # 224394 Application deadline: 14 July 2024 (11:59 P.M. Hawaii Standard Time/RCUH receipt time) Start date: the successful candidate MUST be able to start on: 1 September 2024 Location of employment: Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa Principal investigators: Lars Bejder and Elizabeth Madin See also: https://www.mmrphawaii.org/post/come-join-us-two-year-postdoctoral-fellowsh…

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ONLINE COURSE – Hidden Markov Models for Movement, Acceleration and other Ecological Data – an introduction using moveHMM and momentuHMM in R (HMMM01)
by Oliver Hooker 13 Jun '24

13 Jun '24

ONLINE COURSE – Hidden Markov Models for Movement, Acceleration and other Ecological Data – an introduction using moveHMM and momentuHMM in R (HMMM01) PR stats have a great new course for anyone studying marine mammal movement - details below! https://www.prstats.org/course/hidden-markov-models-for-movement-accelerati… 18th - 21st September 2024 Please feel free to share. Instructor - Dr. Roland Langrock ABOUT THIS COURSE; Hidden Markov models (HMMs) are flexible statistical models for time series observations driven byunderlying states. Over the last decade, HMMs have become increasingly popular within the ecological community as they allow to uncover behavioural state dynamics from noisy sensor data. For example, a typical HMM-based analysis of say GPS locations or acceleration measurements could involve the investigation of internal (e.g. sex, size, age) and external (e.g. temperature, habitat) drivers of behavioural state occupancy. This workshop will introduce the HMM framework, comprising a mix of theoretical lectures and hands-on practical components using R. In the theoretical sessions, the following topics will be covered:  motivation & overview  basic HMM formulation  fitting an HMM to data  model selection & model checking  state decoding  incorporating covariates, seasonality and random effects  other model extensions These techniques will be illustrated primarily using movement and acceleration data, but are applicable also to other ecological time series data (e.g. capture-recapture). In the practical sessions, we will focus on HMM analyses using the R packages moveHMM and momentuHMM, but will also showcase the use of hmmTMB. Basic knowledge of the free software R is helpful, but not required. A basic understanding of statistics and probability calculus, as it would be taught in any introductory statistics class, is required. By the end of the course, participants will have a good understanding of what HMMs are and what they can be used for. Participants will also be prepared to tailor a suitable HMM to their data and to implement the corresponding analysis in R. Please email oliverhooker(a)prstatistics.com with any questions -- Oliver Hooker PhD. PR stats

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