April 2025 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

DOLPHIN RESEARCH INTERNSHIP IN PORTUGAL
by AIMM Internships 07 Apr '25

07 Apr '25

*BACKGROUND: *The Marine Environment Research Association - AIMM, is a non-profit, non-governmental organization focused on the research and conservation of marine species, running an ongoing study of cetaceans in southern Portugal (Algarve). This project aims to obtain baseline information on species occurrence, behavior, and social structure of the local cetacean populations in order to obtain scientific data to support conservation measures and inform marine management policies. The main species observed are Short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), and Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), although other species such as Minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) and Fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) can also be sighted. AIMM Interns are young, hard-working individuals who are willing to contribute to the association and support on-going activities, while experiencing fieldwork at sea, learning data collection and processing methodologies, and being a part of AIMM's team of researchers and marine biologists. All team members and participants share accommodation, house tasks, knowledge and experience in an friendly and multicultural environment. Interns have the additional option to enrich their time with AIMM by beginning or improving their SCUBA skills with a PADI-certified instructor, hiking, kayaking, surf classes and others. *WHERE:* Albufeira, Algarve, Portugal *WHEN:* The field season lasts from June to end of November 2025. The minimum internship attendance is 14 days. *FIELDWORK: *The field trips are conducted in AIMM's research vessel, Ketos, commercial dolphin watching boats and from the shore. Fieldwork is dependent on weather conditions. The field days can be intense, especially in the peak of summer but are fulfilling and good fun. The interns will be trained to: - Conduct on-board surveys of marine species occurrence; - Record effort tracks on a handheld GPS; - Access and collect environmental data; - Collect data on behavior, group size, species, etc.; - Collect photos to photo-identification, acoustic recording, and underwater videos; - Help to collect of drone footage from the marine mammals; - Land base monitoring of marine mammals. *DATA ANALYSIS: *This will be conducted on a daily basis and will entail entering data into established databases and spreadsheets, photo-identification processing, and preliminary data interpretation. *INTERNSHIP FEES:* AIMM is a non-profit organization that relies on donations from our volunteers, partners, and conservation-minded people like you so that we may continue our important research and education programs in the Algarve. This internship requires a monetary contribution which is used to off-set the cost of accommodation and running a non-profit. For more information on internship fees for the 2025 season, please contact: interns(a)aimmportugal.org *Included* in the fee is: - Accommodation in AIMM field station; - Transportation to/from the marina; - All meals at home (breakfast, lunch, and dinner); - Fieldwork; - Theoretical classes. *Not included* in the fee is: - Transportation to/from Albufeira; - Meals in restaurants; - Free time activities; - Personal insurance (all participants should have health and/or travel insurance); - Others personal expenses. *INTERNS ARE EXPECTED TO:* - Be above the age of 16; - Have a mature attitude towards marine mammal research and environment; - Be autonomous and flexible; - Be able to live and work in an international team and mainly outdoors at sea; - Speak English; - Participate for minimum 7 days. *Preference will be given* to those who have: - Relevant marine mammal field experience - Working experience on research vessels - Experience working from dolphin/whale watching platforms - Experience in photo-identification - Availability to stay for longer periods of time *INTERNSHIP APPLICATION: * You can apply on AIMM website here <http://www.aimmportugal.org/opportunities/dolphin-research-internship/>*.* *or * Send us an e-mail to: interns(a)aimmportugal.org, with the subject “*DOLPHIN RESEARCH INTERNSHIP*” with your CV and motivation letter. We will send you a confirmation email with the availability and all the other details. Applications will be accepted during all season. However, early application is recommended due to limited vacancies. The follow links are a shorts videos about the internship in Albufeira. You get a different perspective and feedback from old participants about it: http://bit.ly/aimm-movie <https://bit.ly/AIMM-movie> https://youtu.be/hTJJQPHBdI0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zTIEQEsftA *Contacts*: interns(a)aimmportugal.org | www.aimmportugal.org | Thank you, <http://aimm-marineresearch.blogspot.com/> [image: Logo AIMM] <https://www.aimmportugal.org/> Associação para Investigação do Meio Marinho *Marine Environment Research Association* m: (00351) 912596211 e: interns(a)aimmportugal.org www.aimmportugal.org <https://www.facebook.com/AIMM.org> <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8jcTONJZsvaQ3tZiQtRFNQ> <https://www.linkedin.com/company/aimm-portugal---marine-environment-researc…> <https://www.instagram.com/aimmportugal_org/>

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New paper on the effects of historical tags on North Atlantic right whales
by Enrico Pirotta 04 Apr '25

04 Apr '25

Dear MARMAM colleagues, We are pleased to announce that the following paper is now available online as part of JCRM Special Issue on Cetacean Tagging: Enrico Pirotta and Len Thomas. Historical anchored (Type A) tags were associated with negative effects on North Atlantic right whale survival and reproduction. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management. Abstract: Tagging data can provide critical information to support the conservation of marine mammal species, but these benefits must be balanced against any potential adverse effects on the health and vital rates of tagged individuals, particularly in endangered populations. Data from historical tag deployments can be used to evaluate these effects. Here, we expand a model for the Population Consequences of Multiple Stressors to investigate the effects of invasive tags deployed from the late 1980s through 2001 on the health, survival and reproduction of critically endangered North Atlantic right whales (*Eubalaena glacialis*). Historical tags deployed on this species include anchored (Type A) tags and consolidated (Type C) tags. The effects of these deployments were explored alongside the effects of other stressors included in the model (entanglements, vessel strikes and prey abundance). Our results indicate that historical anchored (Type A) tags had a negative effect on the health of tagged individuals, which is linked in the model with their survival and calving probabilities. We found limited evidence in additional exploratory analyses that confounding factors may have affected our findings. In contrast, we did not detect any effect of historical consolidated (Type C) tags. This study demonstrates the utility of our modelling approach for assessing the effects of invasive tagging on the survival and reproduction of tagged individuals. The model could be used to explore the effects of future deployments on this critically endangered species, contributing to improve tag design and inform future permitting decisions. Keywords: *Eubalaena glacialis*, health, modelling, satellite tagging, survival, reproduction, telemetry. A PDF copy of the paper can be downloaded from: https://doi.org/10.47536/jcrm.v5i1.1085 Please do not hesitate to contact us for any questions regarding our work. Best Regards, Enrico Pirotta and Len Thomas

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MARINE MAMMAL BOOKS AVAILABLE
by Thomas Jefferson 03 Apr '25

03 Apr '25

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 indicates 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 more popular items we have (price listed is suggested donation), but there are many, many more and suggested donation amounts range from US$4-100. To request specific books or a list of additional books available, please contact Tom Jefferson at sclymene(a)aol.com. Berta, A., J. L. Sumich and K. M. Kovacs. (2015). Marine Mammals: Evolutionary Biology. Academic Press, Third Edition. $15. Bessesen, B. (2018). Vaquita: Science, Politics, and Crime in the Sea of Cortez. Island Press. $12 (NEW). 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. (NEW). FAO. (1978). Mammals in the seas: Volume I. Report of the FAO Advisory Committee on Marine Resources Research. $8. Felando, A. and H. Medina. (2009). The Tuna/Porpoise Controversy: How Tuna Fishermen Were Caught in the Governmennt’s Net and Fought to Survive. Western Sky Press. $15. Haley, D. (1986). Marine Mammals of the Eastern North Pacific and Arctic Waters. Pacific Search Press. Hardcover, 2nd ed. $16. Hoyt, E. (1984). Orca: The Whale Called Killer. Camden House. $9. Jefferson, T. A. (ed.) (2024). Ridgway and Harrison’s Handbook of Marine Mammals, Vol. 1: Coastal Dolphins and Porpoises. 649 pp. Academic Press. $100. (NEW). Jefferson, T. A., S. Leatherwood and M. A. Webber. (1993). Marine Mammals of the World: FAO Species Identification Guide. United Nation Environment Programme and Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN. $23. Klinowska, M. (1991). Dolphins, Porpoises, and Whales of the World: The IUCN Red Data Book. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland. $9. Kenyon, K. W. (1969). The sea otter in the eastern Pacific Ocean. North American Fauna, 68, 352 pp. $6. Lavigne, D. M. and K. M. Kovacs. (1988). Harps and Hoods. University of Waterloo Press. $11. Leatherwood, S. and R. R. Reeves. (1983). The Sierra Club Handbook of Whales and Dolphins. Sierra Club Books, San Francisco. $10 (softcover edition). 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. National Research Council. (1992). Dolphins and the Tuna Industry. National Academy Press. $11. 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. 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. Pilleri, G. (1980). The Secrets of the Blind Dolphins. Elite Publishers Ltd. $32. Pryor, K. and K. S. Norris. (1991). Dolphin Societies: Discoveries and Puzzles. 397 pp. University of California Press. $22. Reeves, R. R., B. S. Stewart, P. J. Clapham and J. A. Powell. (2002). Guide to Marine Mammals of the World. Alfred A. Knopf. $14. Ridgway, S. H. and R. Harrison. (1994). Handbook of Marine Mammals, Vol. 5: The First Book of Dolphins. Pages 416 pp. Academic Press. $65. Rice, D. W. (1998). Marine mammals of the world: systematics and distribution. Society for Marine Mammalogy Special Publication, 4, 231 pp. $5. (NEW). Scheffer, V. B. (1958). Seals, Sea Lions and Walruses: A Review of the Pinnipedia. Stanford University Press. $10. 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. Simmonds, M. P. and J. D. Hutchinson. (1996). The Conservation of Whales and Dolphins: Science and Practice. 476 pp. John Wiley and Sons. $13. True, F. W. (1904 - First Edition). Whalebone Whales of the Western North Atlantic Compared with Those Occurring in European Waters with Some Observations on the Species of the North Pacific. Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge, 33, 332 pp. + plates. $62. 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. 471 pp. Smithsonian Institution Press. $13. Würsig, B., T. A. Jefferson and D. J. Schmidly. (2000). The Marine Mammals of the Gulf of Mexico. Texas A&M University Press. $5. (NEW). Würsig, B., J. G. M. Thewissen and K. M. Kovacs. (2018). Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals (Third Edition). Pages 1157 pp. Academic Press. $42.

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NWSSMM 28th Annual Meeting: Registration Extended Deadline
by Alexandrea Otto 03 Apr '25

03 Apr '25

Hi MARMAM members, We are extending the registration deadline for the 28th Annual Meeting of the Northwest Student Chapter of the Society for Marine Mammalogy (NWSSMM) on Saturday May 3rd at the University of Western Washington University (WWU) to Friday April 11th by 5pm. Registration Link: https://forms.gle/qyCLJAWTDC8BXVG78 If you are not able to send in a completed abstract submission by April 11th, no problem at all. The registration deadline is for our planning committee to get a headcount of attendees at least. If you need to submit an abstract after April 11th, please email our WWU MMEL Planning Committee at nwssmm_25(a)wwu2.onmicrosoft.com We hope to see you there! Sincerely, Planning Committee The Marine Mammal Ecology Lab (MMEL) Western Washington University Bellingham, WA USA

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Registration is now open for The Whale Museum's virtual Gear Up Workshop for Marine Naturalists
by tracie merrill 03 Apr '25

03 Apr '25

You are invited to join The Whale Museum’s Virtual Gear Up Workshop for Marine Naturalists! Dear MARMAM community members (science-, policy-, technical-persons and generally interested persons): You are invited to join The Whale Museum’s Virtual Gear Up Workshop for Marine Naturalists on Thursday, April 17 from 10:00 am -4.00 pm (Pacific Time) through Zoom. The Whale Museum’s Gear Up Workshop will enhance your knowledge of the Salish Sea marine ecosystem and is open to the general public. This workshop’s theme will be Sound Reason: Noise Impacts and Mitigation for Whales in the Salish Sea. Invited presenters include: • Dr. John Ryan, Senior Research Specialist, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute on how environmental conditions affect song in whales and a 2nd presentation on Ocean noise monitoring, voluntary ship speed reduction, and the movement ecology of whales in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary . • Dr. Jason Wood, Managing Director, SMRU Consulting on whether offshore wind farms and tidal turbine energy extraction really have impacts on whales. • Melanie Knight, ECHO Program Manager, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority on updates of the Enhancing Cetacean and Habitat Observation (ECHO) Program. • Gonzalo Banda-Cruz, Program Manager, Quiet Sound on updates of the Quiet Sound Program. The registration fee is $40 for non-members; $30 for current TWM or SSAMN members. Questions can be directed to Tracie Merrill at tracie(a)whalemuseum.org<mailto:tracie@whalemuseum.org>. Zoom link and workshop agenda will be sent to registrants at email provided at registration closer to start of workshop. Register at https://whalemuseum.org/products/gear-up-virtual-workshop-2025-copy Sent from Outlook<http://aka.ms/weboutlook>

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ECS Workshop: Turning Back The Tide: Ocean Literacy and Conservation Marketing as Tools for Reversing Declines in Marine Mammal Populations
by Andrew Wright 03 Apr '25

03 Apr '25

Apologies for cross-posting, Have you ever wondered why politicians just don't do what you're telling them is needed? Having trouble getting people to care about your manatee? Can't get industry to take up the new technology or practice that will save your whale? If so, then the ECS workshop, "Turning Back The Tide: Ocean Literacy and Conservation Marketing as Tools for Reversing Declines in Marine Mammal Populations," might be right for you! Come and learn about the mental barriers to knowledge uptake that are plaguing your life! Get to know a little about the psychology behind messaging, which is making it hard to connect with the people who can make the difference! Delve into some of the tools available to ocean literacy, social sciences and marketing that could help you overcome the obstacles to create meaningful change to help save your dolphin population! This one-day workshop will be run by Andrew J. Wright, Former President of the Conservation Marketing and Engagement Working Group of the Society for Conservation Biology, and Emma McKinley, Senior Research Fellow with Cardiff University. It'll take place on Monday, 12th May 2025, at the Universidade dos Açores (Rua da Mãe de Deus, 9500-321, Ponta Delgada) from 09:00 to 17:00. We'll take you through the theory and science behind why people do what they do, and why it's often very hard to influence that. We'll explore theories behind operationalizing ocean literacy as a conservation tool, as well as other techniques that have been proven to help advance conservation goals around the world by increasing pro-environmental behaviours. We'll spend the morning developing a foundational knowledge in this material with presentations specifically designed for biologists who have no previous exposure to ocean literacy or the social sciences. We'll then spend the afternoon going through some real-world examples of where social science and marketing tools have made a difference. We'll also provide some hands-on sessions to get participants more familiar with the workings of some of the tools available. The intent of this workshop is to help marine mammal scientists become more familiar with the knowledge and tools available to ocean literacy experts and other social scientists, and give them a basic understanding and appreciation for how the tools work, as well as what is needed in terms of time and resources to support them in practice. Sign-up is on the Workshop registration page: https://www.europeancetaceansociety.eu/workshops-36. If you have any questions, please reach out to Andrew Wright: marinebrit(at)gmail.com -- Andrew Wright, Ph.D.

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Two fully funded PhD positions in echolocation
by Peter Teglberg Madsen 03 Apr '25

03 Apr '25

Dear All, As part of the Center for Active Sensing with Sound and the Marine Bioacoustics Lab at Aarhus University, we have two fully funded PhD positions available with an application deadline May 1. You can find more information here: Echolocation in bats and toothed whales<https://phd.nat.au.dk/for-applicants/open-calls/may-2025/echolocation-in-ba…> Cheers Peter

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Two new publications related to marine predators' contributions to nutrient recycling around the Kerguelen Plateau (Southern Indian Ocean)
by lola.gilbert＠lilo.org 03 Apr '25

03 Apr '25

Dear Marmam community, On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to share our new paper in Science of the Total Environment: Gilbert, L., Spitz, J., Chevallay, M., & Jeanniard-du-Dot, T. (2025). Predator-mediated nutrient transfers and recycling in ecosystems: Fine-scale variation in the contribution of Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) on and around the Kerguelen Islands. Science of The Total Environment, 975, 179195. The article is open access and can be found here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179195 Abstract: Waters on the Kerguelen Plateau are characterised by a high productivity and unique nutrient dynamics compared to the surrounding Southern Ocean. They support large populations of amphibious marine predators such as seabirds and marine mammals, which participate in nutrient recycling at sea and nutrient transfers from sea to land on their colonies. This study investigates the contribution of Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) to the biological recycling of 15 essential and 5 non-essential nutrients on and around the Kerguelen Islands during their four-month breeding season. Nutrient concentrations of 59 fur seal scats from two colonies were examined and used to determine faecal nutrient output from lactating females using a bioenergetic model. We evidenced individual variability in the multi-nutrient composition of fur seal scats, with different types of potential fertilisers. Colony differences in scat compositions resulted in multi-nutrient release levels that did not simply reflect colony abundances. This suggests that estimating predators' nutrient release based on averages (diets, prey or faecal nutrient contents) likely overlooks important fine-scale spatial variability in their contributions. Collectively, fur seals deposit up to 628 kg (95 % CI [548–710]) of phosphorus (limiting on land), 46.4 [39.8–53.2] kg of iron (limiting at sea), and 5.9 [5.2–6.8] g of lead (toxic to most organisms). At sea, fur seal defecation could trigger locally significant enrichment events. On land, fur seal faecal nutrient deposition is spatially concentrated in coastal colonies where phosphorus deposition is in the range of global crop fertiliser use. We argue that the role of marine predators in the local nutrient dynamics of the Kerguelen area should not be overlooked, and that fine-scale variability in the nutrient input by such marine predators is important to consider in any local nutrient dynamic study. I would also like to share another recently published paper that does not focus on marine mammals but examines the multi-nutrient composition of a range of potential fish prey in the Kerguelen area. Data on the nutrient composition of prey is scarce in most environments (especially when considering multiple nutrients), whereas it is a key input data for studying the contribution of marine mammals to nutrient recycling, with other potential uses including studies on nutrition and exposure to contaminants. This article is also open access and the reference, DOI link and abstract are given below: Gilbert, L., Jeanniard-Du-Dot, T., Cherel, Y., & Spitz, J. (2025). Major and trace nutrient concentrations in sub-Antarctic forage fish around the Kerguelen Islands: All are not equal for nutrient recycling by top predators. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 586, 152097. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2025.152097 Abstract: While the nutrient content of forage species is crucial to study how marine top predators release nutrients in their waste (faeces and urine) and possibly facilitate nutrient recycling at lower trophic levels of the food webs, it is poorly documented in many ecosystems. Here, we analyse the concentrations of five major nutrients, eight essential trace nutrients, and four non-essential nutrients in 34 mesopelagic and demersal forage fish species from the Kerguelen Plateau area (Southern Indian Ocean). This biogeochemically singular region benefits from natural iron (Fe) fertilisation and is an oasis for marine life in the high nutrient low chlorophyll Southern Ocean. Its nutrient dynamics have been subject to intense research for decades, but the contribution of the biota remain unexplored. Local forage fish were found to be significantly heterogeneous in their absolute nutrient concentrations, and in their relative nutrient content. Using hierarchical clustering, we showed that some species were enriched in nutrients found in limited concentrations in Southern Ocean surface waters, such as Fe and manganese (Mn), whereas others were enriched in nutrients likely limiting primary productivity in terrestrial ecosystems, such as phosphorus (P) or calcium (Ca). These fish species could be major contributors to these nutrients' biological cycling in different ecosystems when consumed by predators. This functional typology further demonstrates that prey are not interchangeable. The consumption of one or another prey species modulates not only the ability of the predator to meet its requirements and exposure to contaminants, but also predator-mediated nutrient recycling. This work provides valuable baseline knowledge that can be used in studies of nutrition, nutrient dynamics, and contaminant transfer. It also paves the way for the inclusion of predator-prey relationships in local biogeochemical studies to help unravel the complex processes at work in this unique ecosystem. Both datasets (multi-nutrient content of fish and Antarctic fur seal scats) are available on a dedicated Open Science platform, links are provided in the articles. Please feel free to reach out with any comment or questions. Best, Lola Gilbert, Post-doc researcher at Centre for Biological Studies of Chizé (CEBC) & La Rochelle University lola.gilbert(a)univ-lr.fr / lola.gilbert(a)lilo.org

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MARINE MAMMAL VOCALISATIONS FOR 2ND EDITION MMO/PAMO HANDBOOK REQUEST
by Maria Zachariades 02 Apr '25

02 Apr '25

Dear MARMAM community, Many of you may have read our Marine Mammal Observer and Passive Acoustic Monitoring Handbook (https://www.osc.co.uk/mmo-pam-handbook-dubbed-bible-industry/)<https://www.amazon.co.uk/Observer-Acoustic-Monitoring-Conservation-Handbook…)> We are embarking on updates for a second edition, as there have been a lot of changes since 2015. We are reaching out to request any available marine mammal vocalization files or screenshots to be incorporated in the second edition. Any contributions will of course be credited appropriately, and contributors will receive a 10% discount on purchase price! We are specifically looking for recordings/ spectrograms of: * Pygmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps) * Dwarf sperm whale (Kogia sima) * Any beaked whale (family Ziphiidae) * La Plata dolphin (Pontoporia blainvillei) * Commerson's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus commersonii) * Chilean dolphin (Cephalorhynchus eutropia) * Heaviside's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus heavisidii) * Hector’s dolphin (Cephalorhynchus hectori) and Māui dolphin (Cephalorhynchus hectori maui) * Atlantic humpback dolphin (Sousa teuszii) * Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) * Guiana dolphin (Sotalia guianensis) * Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) * Indo-Pacific common dolphin (Dephinus delphis tropicalis) * Peale's dolphin (Lagenorhynchus australis) * Hourglass dolphin (Lagenorhynchus cruciger) * Northern right whale dolphin (Lissodelphis borealis) * Southern right whale dolphin (Lissodelphis peronii) * Pygmy killer whales (Feresa attenuata) * Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) * Australian snubfin dolphin (Orcaella heinsohni) * Indo-Pacific finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides) * Yangtze finless porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis) * East Asian finless porpoise (Neophocaena sunameri) * Vaquita (Phocoena sinus) * Dall's porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli) We would also appreciate comments and suggestions you have on the first edition so that we can incorporate those into the second. For those who provide constructive comments, we would be happy to include you in acknowledgements of the second edition and again give you a 10% discount. If you would like to provide vocalisations and/or comments, please can you send them to mmoandpamhandbook(a)osc.co.uk<mailto:mmoandpamhandbook@osc.co.uk> If you have any questions or require further details, do not hesitate to get in touch via mmoandpamhandbook(a)osc.co.uk<mailto:mmoandpamhandbook@osc.co.uk> . Thank you in advance! Maria Zachariades Senior Business Administrator Ocean Science Consulting Ltd. Spott Road, Dunbar, East Lothian, EH42 1RR, United Kingdom T: +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

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New paper: Scaling of heat loss rates in sympatric cetaceans
by Maria Glarou 02 Apr '25

02 Apr '25

Dear colleagues, My co-authors and I are happy to announce the publication of the following paper in the Journal of Experimental Biology: Glarou, M., Rasmussen, M.H., Poldner, A., Ruppert, S.N.S., Sotiropoulou, D., Sadozai, Z., Jarzynowska, M., Iversen, M.R., Sigurðsson, G.M., Halldórsson, S.D., Chosson, V., Clapham, P.J., Ivashchenko, Y., Tormosov, D., Christiansen, F. (2025). Size-specific strategies of sympatric cetaceans to reduce heat loss. Journal of Experimental Biology, 228, jeb249356. Abstract: Maintaining a stable core body temperature is essential for endotherms. Cetaceans live in a highly thermally conductive medium, requiring special adaptations to reduce heat loss and maintain homeothermy. We employed a combination of aerial photogrammetry and existing data sources to estimate heat loss rates in five sympatric cetaceans of varying sizes, inhabiting the sub-arctic waters (~3.7 °C) of NE-Iceland: harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena, 1.0 - 1.6 m, n = 50), white-beaked dolphins (Lagenorhynchus albirostris, 1.1 - 2.9 m, n = 294), minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata, 4.4 - 8.6 m, n = 30), humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae, 6.0 - 14.2 m, n = 282) and blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus, 13.2 - 24.2 m, n = 29). Further, we investigated the effect of body size (length), body shape (surface-area-to-volume ratio, SVR), body temperature, and blubber thermal conductivity and thickness on heat loss for all species. Smaller species had higher volume-specific heat loss compared to larger species due to their higher SVRs, a fundamental consequence of scaling. Apart from body size, blubber thickness had the largest effect on heat loss, followed by thermal conductivity. Smaller cetaceans seem to rely primarily on physiological and morphological adaptations to reduce heat loss, such as increased blubber thickness and lower thermal conductivity, whereas larger species offset heat loss by having larger bodies and lower SVRs. Our findings provide valuable insights into the thermal biology of these species and its implications for habitat use and prey requirements. The paper can be accessed from the following link: https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.249356 If you don’t have access, feel free to email me for a copy. Best regards, Maria Glarou PhD Fellow Húsavík Research Centre University of Iceland Hafnarstétt 3, 640 Húsavík Email: mag133(a)hi.is<mailto:mag133@hi.is> / maria_glarou(a)outlook.com<mailto:maria_glarou@outlook.com> Instagram: @seagullseyeview<https://www.instagram.com/seagullseyeview/> Twitter: @mglarou<https://twitter.com/mglarou> ResearchGate<https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Maria-Glarou> / Google Scholar<https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=gVV1c04AAAAJ&hl=en>

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