April 2025 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Workshop and special issue on ML/AI in Marine Mammal Research
by Christine Erbe 26 Aug '25

26 Aug '25

Dear Colleagues, We would like to let you know about a workshop on “Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence in Marine Mammal Research” to be held Sunday, Nov 10, at the SMM conference in Perth, Western Australia: Workshops - SMM Conference | | | | | | | | | | | Workshops - SMM Conference SMM2024 workshops are half day, full day, or two day events that are proposed and organised by individual resear... | | | The workshop will accommodate both in-person and virtual/online attendance. Online attendance is free of charge. If you wish you join online, please register your name and email address with Guy: oliver(a)ucsc.edu The workshop will cover ML/AI methods in marine mammal bioacoustics, photogrammetry, behaviour analysis, distribution modeling, and ethics. We are also running a special issue on the topic in a peer-reviewed journal (we’re still negotiating with potential publishers, but will let you know in due course). The special issue will take manuscripts focussing on methods or results. If you are interested in finding out how to contribute to this special issue, please contact Christine: c.erbe(a)curtin.edu.au Have a nice day, everyone. Cheers, Christine Erbe Guy Oliver Shyam Madhusudhana Paul Nguyen Hong Duc Aiden Lundberg

2 2

Photo-identification Volunteer Position in Kaikōura, New Zealand, 3 month period
by Krista Van Der Linde 19 Aug '25

19 Aug '25

Sperm Whale Photo-identification Volunteer Position in Kaikōura, New Zealand for three-month period A volunteer is required to assist with sperm whale photo-identification research in Kaikōura, New Zealand. DATES: Currently volunteers are needed from 20th April – 31st October 2025. A minimum commitment of three months is required, and priority will be given to those who can commit for longer periods. FIELDWORK: The volunteer position involves conducting field surveys for marine mammals, primarily focussing on sperm whales and collecting photo-identification. The successful applicant will gain valuable experience in conducting marine mammal field research, identifying individuals based on fluke characteristics, and the use of databases for archiving field data. Field work is physically and at times mentally demanding, but it is a great opportunity to gain knowledge in visual cetacean surveying, to get hands-on field experience in relation to survey techniques, photo-identification, behavioural observations, and improve practical skills (data analysis, photo-identification). Fieldwork is weather dependent and can vary between weekdays and weekends. Surveys will be conducted from a 24 m tourism vessel. RESPONSIBILITIES: . Assisting with boat-based photo-identification surveys from a tourism vessel collecting environmental, location, and behavioural data. . Subsequent data entry and archiving of photo-identification information. As this is a volunteer position, there is unfortunately no monetary compensation or living provisions provided. The successful candidate should arrange their own accommodation in Kaikōura, living expenses, travel costs and visa. PREREQUISITES: . Be reliable, adaptable, hardworking, and patient as fieldwork is highly weather dependent. This means time off during bad weather and long consecutive days in the field when weather permits. . Have a mature and independent attitude towards marine mammal research . Be able to work independently . Speak fluent English . Be sociable, enthusiastic and have a positive attitude . Strong interest in the marine environment and conservation . Participants should be comfortable working on boats QUALIFICATIONS: . The project is well suited to upper-level undergrads, recent graduates and graduate students who have some background in biology, marine biology, ecology, zoology, or related fields . Basic computer proficiency in MS Office Preferred qualifications but not required: . Field research including photo-identification experience . Previous experience in survey techniques and especially in marine mammal research . Prior experience working on research vessels APPLICATION PROCESS: Applicants should send a short email to krista(a)whalewatch.co.nz, using ‘photo-identification position’ as the subject line. The email should include an outline of why you would like to work on this project, the dates when you are available to assist on the project, your qualifications and relevant experience. Please also attach a brief CV including at least one reference acknowledging your relevant experience. Early application is recommended as applications will be examined in order of reception. Best, Krista ---------------------------------- Dr. Krista van der Linde Principle Marine Mammal Scientist Whale Watch Kaikōura Tel: +64 (0)220 256 290 Email: krista(a)whalewatch.co.nz<mailto:krista@whalewatch.co.nz> Krista Van Der Linde | Whale Watch Kaikōura, PO Box 89, Kaikōura | www.whalewatch.co.nz <http://www.whalewatch.co.nz/> [Image] <https://www.whalewatch.co.nz/> [cid:image001.jpg@01DBA55F.A374D260] <https://www.kaikoura.co.nz/> [cid:image002.jpg@01DBA55F.A374D260] <https://www.alpinepacific.nz/> Kaikōura - An Earthcheck Platinum Certified Community – www.kaikoura.co.nz<http://www.kaikoura.co.nz/> Whakaarohia a Papatūānuku i mua i te tānga mai o tēnei ī-mera. Please consider the environment before printing this email. CAUTION: If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you must not use, disseminate, distribute or copy this email message or its attachments. If you received this message in error, please return the original message to the writer by email and destroy any copies.

1 3

MARMAM] New publication: Anisakid nematodes in Black Sea harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena ssp. relicta) from the Turkish Western Black Sea: with notes about association with body length and stomach content
by Erdem Danyer 30 Jun '25

30 Jun '25

Dear MARMAM colleagues, On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to share our new publication: Danyer, E., Aytemiz Danyer, I., Tonay, A. M., Dede, A., & Akkaya, H. (2025). Anisakid nematodes in Black Sea harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena ssp . relicta) from the Turkish Western Black Sea : with notes about association with body length and stomach content. Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, 49(2), 85–93. https://doi.org/10.55730/1300-0128.4374 Abstract: Parasites are naturally present in the natural gastrointestinal fauna of marine mammals without necessarily causing any pathology. However, under various stress conditions, parasites can cause pathological disorders in the gastrointestinal system. There is insufficient information on parasite fauna of mammals living in the Black Sea waters off the Turkish coast. This study examined the stomach contents of bycaught and stranded harbour porpoises collected between 2002 and 2003 along the Turkish coast of the western Black Sea for parasitic presence. In a previous stomach content study, 450 nematode fragments (including 232 intact specimens) were occasionally collected from 33 harbour porpoises (27 females and 6 males) and preserved in 70% ethanol at room temperature. Nema- todes were detected in 78.5% of the examined harbour porpoise stomachs. The nematodes were identified as Contracaecum spp. and Hysterothylacium spp. in their larval forms, as well as adult specimens of the family Anisakidae (Railliet & Henry, 1912). Understanding the parasitological fauna of cetaceans is crucial for both their health and conservation efforts. This study presents the first findings on the parasitological findings of harbour porpoises from the Turkish coast of the western Black Sea and explores the association between stomach contents, parasitological findings, and body length. You can find the open access paper here: https://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/veterinary/vol49/iss2/7/ or here: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/391138263_Anisakid_nematodes_in_Bl… Kind regards, Dr. Erdem DANYER, PhD, MSc Turkish Marine Research Foundation erdemdanyer(a)gmail.com +90 5362557666 +39 3284627938 Çevreye olan sorumluluğumuzu düşünerek gerekmedikçe çıktı almayınız. Please consider your environmental responsibility before printing

1 1

New paper on ringed seal foraging behaviour
by Milaja Nykänen 30 Apr '25

30 Apr '25

Dear colleagues, On behalf of my co-authors, I'd like to draw your attention to a recently published article on ringed seal foraging behaviour. Milaja Nykänen, Marja Niemi, Vincent Biard, Matt I. D. Carter, Enrico Pirotta and Mervi Kunnasranta. 2025. Linking ringed seal foraging behaviour to environmental variability. Movement Ecology 13: 31. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-025-00555-4 *Abstract* *Background:* Foraging rates directly influence animals’ energetic intake and expenditure and are thus linked to body condition and the ability to survive and reproduce. Further, understanding the underlying processes driving a species’ behaviour and habitat use is important as changes in behaviour could result from changes in environmental conditions. *Methods: *In this study, the dives of Saimaa ringed seals (Pusa hispida saimensis) were classified for the first time using hidden Markov models and telemetry data collected on individual dives, and the behavioural states of the diving seals were estimated. In addition, we used generalized additive mixed models on the foraging probability of the seals to identify environmental and temporal drivers of foraging behaviour. *Results:* We inferred three (in winter) or four (in summer) different dive types: sleeping/resting dives, shallow inactive dives, transiting dives and foraging dives, based on differences in dive metrics logged by or derived from data from telemetry tags. Long and relatively deep sleeping/resting dives were missing entirely in the winter, compensated by an increased proportion of time used for haul-out. We found profound differences in the behaviour of Saimaa ringed seals during the open water season compared to the ice-covered winter, with the greatest proportion of time allocated to foraging during the summer months (36%) and the lowest proportion in the winter (21%). The seals’ foraging probability peaked in summer (July) and was highest during the daytime during both summer and winter months. Moreover, foraging probability was highest at lake depths of 7–30 m in the winter and at depths > 15 m in the summer. We also found some evidence of sex-specific foraging strategies that are adapted seasonally, with females preferring more sheltered water areas during winter. *Conclusions:* We suggest that the foraging behaviour of Saimaa ringed seals is largely influenced by diel vertical movements and availability of fish, and that the seals optimize their energy acquisition while conserving energy, especially during the cold winter months. Further, the seals display some flexibility in foraging strategies, a feature that may help this endangered subspecies to cope with the ongoing climate change. The article is freely available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-025-00555-4 All the best, Milaja -- Dr Milaja Nykänen Post-doctoral researcher University of Eastern Finland Saimaa ringed seal research Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences PO Box 111 FI-80101 Joensuu Finland

1 0

Funded PhD opportunity - Harbour porpoise distribution, abundance, and acoustic detectability
by Nienke Van Geel 30 Apr '25

30 Apr '25

Dear MARMAM community, I'm pleased to announce our funded PhD opportunity on harbour porpoises off western Scotland in the context of marine protected area monitoring and offshore renewable energy management. This conservation-focussed PhD will analyse vessel-based visual and towed-acoustic data to examine porpoise distributions over the last decade, explores how these datasets can be used to obtain abundance estimates, and investigates how detectability of porpoises varies under different ambient sound conditions during static acoustic monitoring. Deadline: 16th May. Candidates with strong quantitative skills are specifically encouraged to apply. For more information see Progressing harbour porpoise conservation research: optimising vessel-based and static data collection and analyses for offshore renewables and Marine Protected Area monitoring - The Scottish Association for Marine Science<https://www.sams.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/sams-find-a-phd/progressing-harbo…> or get in touch with me directly (Nienke.vanGeel(a)sams.ac.uk<mailto:Nienke.vanGeel@sams.ac.uk>). For non-UK nationals, please check the 'Funding Notes' tab for specifics about the requirements for EU nationals to qualify for UK fees status under the EU Settlement Scheme, and the annual international tuition fees otherwise applicable. All the best, Nienke Dr. Nienke van Geel Senior Post-Doctoral Researcher - Marine Mammal Ecology and Acoustics Nienke.vanGeel(a)sams.ac.uk The Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) is registered in Scotland as a Company Limited by Guarantee (SC009292) and is a registered charity (9206). SAMS has two actively trading wholly owned subsidiary companies: SAMS Enterprise Ltd (SC224404) and SAMS Ltd (SC306912). All Companies in the group are registered in Scotland and share a registered office at SAMS, Dunbeg, Oban, Scotland, PA37 1QA. The content of this message may contain personal views which are not the views of SAMS unless specifically stated. Please note that all email traffic is monitored for purposes of security and spam filtering. As such individual emails may be examined in more detail.

1 0

IFAW Marine Mammal Stranding Internships - Fall 2025
by Kasper, Kira 30 Apr '25

30 Apr '25

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is currently accepting applications for fall 2025 Marine Mammal Stranding Internships. IFAW Marine Mammal Stranding Internship Fall Session 2025 (First Week September, 2025 - Middle of January, 2026) Complete Applications due: May 15th, 2025 Program Background IFAW is an international non-profit organization. This internship is based out of our International Operations Center in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts, USA. IFAW's Marine Mammal Rescue (MMR) program is a federally authorized program dedicated to marine mammal stranding response on Cape Cod and southeastern Massachusetts. Our program strives to promote the conservation of marine mammal species and their habitat by improving the rescue and humane care of stranded marine mammals, advancing stranding science, and increasing public awareness through education. Cape Cod is a marine mammal stranding "hot spot," with an average of over 315 strandings occurring each year. These strandings include live and dead seals, whales, porpoises, and dolphins. In addition to stranding response, IFAW's MMR division has developed the Cetacean Intensive Care Unit (CICU) located at the Dolphin Rescue Center in Orleans, MA. CICU is a short-term holding facility (96 hours) that aims to provide rehabilitative care to dolphins and porpoises experiencing acute effects of stranding. Stranding Intern Duties * Stranding hotline coverage: answer calls, document reports, educate callers, dispatch volunteers, complete associated paperwork and enter data. * Marine mammal stranding response & necropsy: assist staff with all aspects of marine mammal stranding response, including live animal health assessment and supportive care, biological data collection, post-mortem examinations and sampling in both field and laboratory settings. * CICU operations: assist staff with aspects of CICU operations, including animal care (i.e. in-water support, assist during procedures, monitoring animal behavior etc.), CICU education and outreach, CICU readiness and cleaning, etc. Please note experiences will be opportunistic as cases arise. We do not have a long-term rehabilitation program or animals on-site regularly. * Stranding & necropsy readiness: cleaning, organizing and maintaining stranding response and necropsy gear, equipment and facilities, restocking kits and supplies. * Data entry & sample processing: assist in entry of stranding data. Assist in organizing, cataloging, disseminating and archiving of photos, videos, datasheets, samples, etc. * Outreach: assist staff with training and outreach material preparation and organization, participate in opportunistic outreach at stranding sites, participate in community events. Please see the following link for the full posting and to apply: https://recruiting.ultipro.com/INT1059IFFA/JobBoard/17b588a3-808b-4bc9-aea8… Kira Kasper, MSc (she/her) Stranding Biologist Marine Mammal Rescue 290 Summer Street Yarmouth Port, MA 02675 United States Please note: my schedule varies regularly and I often work outside of the M-F 9-5 timeframe. +1 774 721 1080 (work cell) +1 508 743 9548 (stranding hotline) www.ifaw.org<https://www.ifaw.org/> [ifaw]<https://www.ifaw.org/> The content of this email is intended only for the use of the above-named addressee and may contain information that is confidential, proprietary, and/or legally privileged. Please notify the sender if you received this email in error.

1 0

Looking for measurements of whale skin thickness and vertebrae for ship strike biophysical model
by Alexandra Mayette 30 Apr '25

30 Apr '25

Dear marmam community, I’m Alexandra, a research scientist with the Canadian Wildlife Federation. I’m working on a project assessing the risk of vessel strikes on large whales in Canadian waters. To measure the probability of lethal injury following a ship strike, I’m using the biophysical model developed and published by Kelley et al. (2021)<https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/mms.12745>. Currently, the model is built with measures of an average adult North Atlantic right whale, including average length and thickness of skin, blubber, sublayer (muscle layer), and bone. To adapt the model for other whale species, I would like to incorporate species-specific values into the model. I have reached out to many organizations and researchers who provided me data of thickness of different tissues, but I’m missing a few measurements for some species. I’m reaching out to the community to see if someone could help me find these measurements. Specifically, I’m looking for: * Skin thickness (before the blubber starts) for blue, fin, sei, sperm, humpback and minke whales * Bone thickness (I used the radius of a mid-body vertebrae) for blue and gray whales I’ve also been using photos to measure, as long as there is a scale included, if that is available. I’m happy to chat about data sharing agreement, credit, and/or acknowledgement, or if there are any questions about the project. If you think you have this data and feel comfortable to share it, you can reach out to me at alexandram(a)cwf-fcf.org. Thank you! Alexandra Mayette, MSc Research Scientist Canadian Wildlife Federation 110 Chain Lake Drive, Unit 3J Halifax, NS, B3S 1A9

1 0

IMarEST: Help us understand early-career challenges in the Marine Mammal Field
by Leonie Lepple 30 Apr '25

30 Apr '25

Dear all, The Marine Mammal Special Interest Group (SIG) from the Insititute of Marine Engineering, Science and technology (IMarEST) is conducting a short, anonymous survey to better understand the challenges faced by students and early-career individuals with an interest in marine mammals. This includes barriers to accessing internships and jobs, as well as the roles that financial limitations, mental health, accessibility, and social background may play. If you’re currently early-career or have been in that stage recently, the SIG would be incredibly grateful if you could take 3 - 5 minutes to share your experience. [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeknN5_LzQDBYG63fNI8GhHrCAKuQ-eJNG…] Your responses will help identify key issues, which will inform an upcoming IMarEST webinar series featuring guest speakers. Please feel free to share with others in your network who might be interested. Thank you.

1 0

Movement Ecology Using R (MOVE07)
by Oliver Hooker 29 Apr '25

29 Apr '25

ONLINE COURSE - Movement Ecology Using R (MOVE07) https://www.prstats.org/course/online-course-movement-ecology-move07/ <https://www.prstats.org/course/online-course-movement-ecology-move06/> Delivered by Prof. Luca Borga and Prof. Garrett Street 12th - 16th May 2025 Please feel free to share! COURSE OVERVIEW - The course will cover the concepts, technology and software tools that can be used to analyse movement data (from ringing/CMR to VHF/GPS) in ecology and evolution. We will cover elementary and advanced analysis and modelling techniques broadly applicable across taxa, from micro-organisms to vertebrates, making this course suitable to anyone studying the *movement of marine mammals*, whilst highlighting the advantages of a unified Movement Ecology framework. We will provide the necessary bases in ecology (especially behavioural ecology), physics and mathematics/statistics, to be able to identify for any specific research question the most appropriate study species, logging technology (incl. attachment methods), and statistical/mathematical modelling approach. We will specifically address the challenges and opportunities at each of the steps of the proposed ‘question-driven approach’, combining theory with computer-based practicals in R. We will also address the challenges of applying the results of the analyses to applied management problems and communicate the findings to non-experts. Please email oliverhooker(a)prstatistics.com with any questions -- Oliver Hooker PhD. PR stats

1 0

Ocean Science Consulting Training Courses - MMO, PAM, PSO
by OSC Admin 29 Apr '25

29 Apr '25

Dear Members, Ocean Science Consulting Limited (OSC) is offering its next Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC)-approved Marine Mammal Observer (MMO), Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Protected Species Observer (PSO), and Institute of Marine Engineering Science and Technology (IMarEst)-approved Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) training courses. JNCC-certified MMOs comply with UK regulations, and PSOs comply with USA regulations, to minimise the risk of injury and disturbance to marine mammals from various offshore operations. OSC’s MMO course comprises theory and practice, including binocular and range estimation, and role-play sessions. The PAM course comprises theory and practice using PAM equipment in OSC's workshop facilities and/or onboard OSC’s survey vessel (subject to weather). The intention is to run the following courses in-person near Edinburgh at OSC’s Dunbar headquarters: OSC's next JNCC-approved MMO training course is planned for 6 May 2025 in OSC's office located in Dunbar, Scotland (https://www.osc.co.uk/product/mmo-course/) The price is £242 per person (requires 5+ course attendees). The price includes a copy of the 'Marine Mammal Observer and Passive Acoustic Monitoring Handbook' for each participant. A Protected Species Observer (PSO) course is planned for the morning of 7 May 2025 in OSC's office located in Dunbar, Scotland (https://www.osc.co.uk/product/pso-course/) The price is £110 per person (requires 5+ course attendees and MMO course is a prerequisite). PAM training is planned for 7 - 9 May 2025 in OSC's office located in Dunbar, Scotland (https://www.osc.co.uk/product/pam-course/) The price is £495 per person (requires 8+ course attendees). The course will involve practical components on the use of PAM systems, and will be held between OSC's warehouse facilities, and vessel Orca (weather dependent). Prices are exclusive of VAT, which is charged at the current rate. A discounted package price of £770 is offered for participants who wish to attend all three courses (MMO, PSO, and PAM). https://www.osc.co.uk/product/pam-pso-and-mmo-courses/ Course participants will also receive a discount for purchases of marine binoculars or tripod mounts from Opticron – these should be ordered in advance of the course to ensure availability. For further details: https://www.osc.co.uk/training<https://www.osc.co.uk/training/> Best wishes, OSC training team OSC Admin Ocean Science Consulting Limited (OSC) Spott Road, Dunbar, East Lothian, EH42 1RR, Scotland, UK +44 (0)1368 865 722 W: www.osc.co.uk . MMO or PAM requirement? We wrote the Book. Now available on Amazon: www.marinemammalobserverhandbook.com

1 0