- MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

JOB OPPORTUNITY: Marine Animal Care Coordinator, Massachusetts
by Kathy Zagzebski 24 Jan '07

24 Jan '07

ANIMAL CARE COORDINATOR (full-time): The National Marine Life Center, a marine animal rehabilitation and release facility on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, seeks a full-time animal care coordinator to work with stranded sea turtles and seals. If you are flexible, organized, conscientious, and a team player with initiative, read on! Responsibilities include: developing husbandry policies and protocols, animal husbandry, animal handling and restraint, food preparation, feeding, administering vitamins and medications, cleaning, facilities maintenance, water quality testing, and maintaining the life support systems. Additional duties include: volunteer training and supervision, presenting educational programs to the public, participating in fundraising activities, and assisting with general office duties. Requirements: experience rehabilitating sea turtles and seals; B.A./B.S. in biology, zoology, or related field, and/or veterinary technician degree/certification, and/or equivalent work experience; excellent verbal and written communication skills; proficiency with standard MS Office software. Must be willing to work weekends and holidays. Send cover letter, resume, and the names of three professional references to Kathy Zagzebski, President & Executive Director, kzagzebski(a)nmlc.org <mailto:doneil@nmlc.org> , (fax) 508-759-5477, National Marine Life Center, P.O. Box 269, Buzzards Bay, MA, 02532-0269. Application deadline: 28 February 2007. The National Marine Life Center is an equal opportunity employer. www.nmlc.org <http://www.nmlc.org/> . ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kathy Zagzebski President & Executive Director The National Marine Life Center P.O. Box 269, 120 Main Street Buzzards Bay, MA 02532-0269 phone: 508 743-9888 x15 fax: 508 759-5477 e-mail: kzagzebski(a)nmlc.org web: http://www.nmlc.org/ "Caring for stranded marine animals." I GoodSearch for the National Marine Life Center. You can help, too, just by searching the Internet with GoodSearch - <http://www.goodsearch.com> www.goodsearch.com. Thanks for your support! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kathy Zagzebski President & Executive Director The National Marine Life Center P.O. Box 269, 120 Main Street Buzzards Bay, MA 02532-0269 phone: 508 743-9888 x15 fax: 508 759-5477 e-mail: kzagzebski(a)nmlc.org web: http://www.nmlc.org/ "Caring for stranded marine animals." I GoodSearch for the National Marine Life Center. You can help, too, just by searching the Internet with GoodSearch - <http://www.goodsearch.com> www.goodsearch.com. Thanks for your support! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1 0

Pinniped rehabilitation internship
by Lanni Hall 24 Jan '07

24 Jan '07

MARINE MAMMAL RESCUE/REHABILITATION INTERNSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT The Northcoast Marine Mammal Center in Crescent City, CA seeks applicants for 2 summer internships working with stranded seals and sea lions. These positions are open to undergraduate and veterinary students. Internship dates will run May 14-July 9 and July 10-September 2, 2007. Start and end dates are flexible with the chosen interns. This is unpaid position, however a small stipend is offered to offset living expenses. Interns are responsible for travel and housing. Housing may be available for qualified interns. Description: The internship is designed to give exceptional hands-on experience with pinnipeds in a rehabilitation facility setting including Pacific harbor seals, California sea lions, Northern elephant seals, Steller's sea lion, Northern fur seals. The intern will take on a leadership role among 20-30 volunteers and will be directly responsible to the Director. Interns will be involved in all aspects including, rescues, transports, veterinary procedures, animal care, releases, public relations and fundraisers. Qualifications: The internship is open to undergraduates, veterinary students and recent graduates. Applying: Interested individuals should send the following: Cover letter and resume to: Lanni Hall, Director Northcoast Marine Mammal Center 424 Howe Drive Crescent City, CA 95531 www.northcoastmmc.org or fax to: (707) 465-6265 or email to: lhall(a)northcoastmmc.org No phone calls please.

1 0

Marine Education Internship
by Lea Paddock 24 Jan '07

24 Jan '07

MERI Announces Marine Education Internships Summer 2007 The Marine Environmental Research Institute (MERI), located in Blue Hill, Maine, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to scientific research and education on the impacts of pollution on marine life, and to protecting the health and biodiversity of the marine environment for future generations. We are currently recruiting to fill three Marine Education Internships for the 2007 Summer. These are full-time positions requiring a commitment of 11 weeks (June 18th September 1st). Current work includes community-based marine education programs, water quality monitoring, and field research on the effects of pollution on marine mammals. MERI's education programs focus on marine life along the rocky Maine coast and promoting environmental awareness and stewardship. Education internships are offered on a competitive basis to qualified undergraduate level college students. MERI Education Internships offer young adults an invaluable exposure to the ocean environment, intensive training and mentoring in their fields, and encouragement to reach their potential as marine educators who will become leaders for future generations. This internship is an excellent opportunity for an individual working toward a career in marine science education or environmental education to gain practical experience in the field. The ideal candidate will possess a personal interest in the marine environment and a commitment to the mission of the organization. Primary Job Responsibility: This position will involve working closely with senior Education Staff in key components of the MERI education program, including leading boat and island ecology trips for children and adults, planning and implementing educational science materials for adult and child community programs, and assisting with the day-to-day operation of the MERI Center for Marine Studies. Job Description: * Assist with the implementation of educational programming, including educational Boat Cruises, MERI's Summer Day Camp, Ocean Story Hour, Ocean Video Night, and Ocean Aquarium Room programs * Interpret exhibits in the Ocean Aquarium Room to visiting groups and the general public * Assist with day-to-day operation of the MERI Center for Marine Studies, including staffing the reception desk and the Ocean Room, and attending some weekend and evening programs and special events * Help maintain Ocean Room aquaria and touch tank, including collection of species for exhibit in the tanks * Work with Education Department staff and volunteers to reorganize and catalogue the Sea Lending Library * Compile background information, assist with production of Fact Sheets, Teaching Kits and informational materials as assigned and for an individual project subject area * Articulate and promote the MERI mission to the public * Stocking and maintaining educational program materials * Setting up and cleaning areas required for educational programs * Perform other duties relating to the organization's goals and mission as required Reports to: Education Program Coordinator and Education Director Qualifications: Applicants should be working towards or possess a BA or BS degree (Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors are encouraged to apply) in environmental education, marine sciences, biology, environmental sciences or a similar major. Applicants should demonstrate enthusiasm for teaching science-related topics and preferably have experience teaching science to groups of students, ages 2-18. Applicants should be able to work well independently and as part of a team. Good public speaking and writing skills are required. Applicants must be flexible, able to adapt to a changing work environment, and at times, be available to work evenings, weekends, and holidays. Knowledge of computer software including Microsoft Word, Power Point, Excel required. Must possess a valid drivers license, a good driving record, and ability to drive or learn to drive a manual transmission. Knowledge of First Aid, CPR, and water safety is a plus. Time Requirements: June 18 - September 2 (11 weeks); Full-time (min. 40 hours/week) Compensation: Housing in Blue Hill and a stipend are available. A common house is used, where interns live together and are responsible for cooking and cleaning duties. Rooms may be shared with one other person. Interns are responsible for all travel expenses and food. Deadline: Until filled To Apply: If you are interested in applying for this position, please submit by email a letter of interest with your updated résumé and contact information for 3 references to: MERI Search Committee/Summer 2007 Education Internship <mailto:education@meriresearch.org> education(a)meriresearch.org Marine Environmental Research Institute (MERI) PO Box 1652, 55 Main Street Blue Hill, ME 04616 Tel: (207) 374-2135 Fax: (207) 374-2931 Website: <http://www.meriresearch.org> www.meriresearch.org MERI is an Equal Opportunity Employer **************************** Lea Paddock Education Coordinator Marine Environmental Research Institute 55 Main Street PO Box 1652 Blue Hill, ME 04614 Tel: 207-374-2135 Fax: 207-374-2931 lpaddock(a)meriresearch.org

1 0

Navy exempts itself from MMPA
by Jasny, Michael 24 Jan '07

24 Jan '07

FYI: the U.S. Navy yesterday issued itself a 2-year exemption from the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) for its training with mid-frequency sonar. The exemption covers all of the Navy's sonar training on its ranges and operations areas and all of its major exercises, which take place in various sites around the globe. It follows a decision from the California Coastal Commission a few weeks ago, under a different law, to require additional mitigation when the Navy uses sonar off the California coast. Please contact me if you'd like a copy of the Navy's exemption or the Coastal Commission's decision. Best, Michael Michael Jasny Senior Policy Analyst Natural Resources Defense Council 4479 W. 5th Avenue Vancouver, BC V6R1S4 tel. 604-736-9386 fax 310-434-2399 mjasny(a)nrdc.org PRIVILEGE AND CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE This message is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged, confidential, and exempt from disclosure under applicable law as attorney-client and work-product confidential or otherwise confidential communications. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication or other use of a transmission received in error is strictly prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error, immediately notify me at the above telephone number.

1 0

New publication on dolphin echolocation
by Adam A. Pack 22 Jan '07

22 Jan '07

Aloha colleagues, For your interest, we have just published the following article on dolphin echolocation: Branstetter, B. K., Mevissen S. J., Pack, A. A., Herman, L. M., Roberts, S. R., and Carsrud, L. K. (2007). Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) echoic angular discrimination: Effects of objects separation and complexity. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 121, 626-635. Summary of article A bottlenose dolphin was tested on its ability to echoically discriminate horizontal angular differences between arrays of vertically oriented air-filled PVC rods. The blindfolded dolphin was required to station in a submerged hoop 2 radial m from the stimuli and indicate if an array with two rods (S+) was to the right or the left of a single rod (S-). The angular separation between the two rods (thetaw) was held constant within each experiment while the angle between the S+ and the S- stimuli (thetab) varied to produce angular differences (Deltatheta=thetab-thetaw) ranging from 0.25 to 4°. In experiment I, thetaw was maintained at 2° and in experiment II, thetaw was maintained at 4°. Resulting 75% correct thresholds (method of constant stimuli) were 1.5 and 0.7°, respectively. The two main findings of this study are: (1) decreasing the number of targets does not aid in localization, and (2) increasing the space between the rods enhances localization. Taken as a whole, the experiments suggest dolphins have a well-developed ability to resolve spatial information through sonar. Reprint pdfs may be obtained from Brian Branstetter at branstet(a)hawaii.edu or from Adam Pack at pack(a)hawaii.edu. Wishing you all a happy, healthy, and peaceful 2007, Adam A. Pack, Ph.D. Vice President and Research and Education Program Manager, The Dolphin Institute Affiliate Graduate Faculty, University of Hawaii at Manoa P.O. Box 700694 Kapolei, HI 96709 808-679-3690

1 0

New publications week 01
by Jan Herrmann 22 Jan '07

22 Jan '07

Dear all, here are some new publications of weeks 01 / 2007, which haven't been announced on MARMAM earlier AFAIK. By clicking the following link you are guided to a website, where the following references are linked to their according journal homepages. There you can find abstracts and contact information: http://www.mmbib.com/news.html Please do not contact MARMAM, the MARMAM editors or me for reprints. Thank you. Thanks to all of you who sent in reprints to be included in the weekly announcements. Kindest Regards, Jan Herrmann CETACEA Andersen, M.S. and M.L. Miller (2006): Onboard Marine Environmental Education: Whale Watching in the San Juan Islands, Washington. Tourism in Marine Environments 2(2): 111-118. Howard, C. and E.C.M. Parsons (2006): Public Awareness of Whale-watching Opportunities in Scotland. Tourism in Marine Environments 2(2): 103-109. Lusseau, D., L. Slooten, and R.J.C. Currey (2006): Unsustainable Dolphin-watching Tourism in Fiordland, New Zealand. Tourism in Marine Environments 3(2): 173-178. Myers, R.A. et al. (2007): Saving endangered whales at no cost. Current Biology 17(1): R10-R11. Parsons, E.C.M., J. Lewandowski, and M. Lück (2006): Recent Advances in Whale-watching Research: 2004-2005. Tourism in Marine Environments 2(2): 119-132. Parsons, E.C.M., M. Lück, and J.K. Lewandowski (2006): Recent Advances in Whale-watching Research: 2005-2006. Tourism in Marine Environments 3(2): 179-189. Slansky, M. et al. (2006): Echocardiographic evaluation of the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 37(4): 454-463. Whitt, A.D. and A.J. Read (2006): Assessing Compliance to Guidelines By Dolphin-watching Operators in Clearwater, Florida, USA. Tourism in Marine Environments 3(2): 117-130. PINNIPEDIA OTHER MARINE MAMMALS Jaffe, J.S. et al. (2007): Measurement of the acoustic reflectivity of sirenia (Florida manatees) at 171 kHz. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 121(1): 158-165. Siegal-Willott, J. et al. (2006): Electrocardiography in two subspecies of manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris and T. m. manatus). Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 37(4): 447-453. Tinker, M.T. et al. (2006): Incorporating diverse data and realistic complexity into demographic estimation procedures for sea otters. Ecological Applications 16(6): 2293-2312. -- --> jan.herrmann -at - cetacea.de

1 0

new paper on biopsy sampling of bow-riding dolphins
by Kerstin Bilgmann 21 Jan '07

21 Jan '07

Dear Marmam Readers, We are pleased to announce the release of the following publication in Marine Mammal Science: Kerstin Bilgmann, Owen J. Griffiths, Simon J. Allen, Luciana M. Moller 2007. A biopsy pole system for bow-riding dolphins: sampling success, behavioral responses, and test for sampling bias. Marine Mammal Science. 23(1):218-225. Summary: Biopsy samples from free-ranging cetaceans have proven to be useful for repeated, multimarker genetic analyses to address questions regarding population and social structure and evolutionary relationships. Here we present an alternative technique to the widely used remote biopsy sampling, biopsying of free-ranging, bow-riding dolphins using a modified pole. A total of 144 biopsy samples were collected from bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops spp.) and short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) in coastal waters of Australia. Biopsy sampling with the pole generally resulted in mild behavioral responses, regardless of whether the animal was hit or missed, and no differences were detected in species response. There were no sex biases in sampling, and the strength of the behavioral response was independent of the dolphin's sex. When using different boat types, sampling success rates were similar. However, sampling from the smallest boats resulted in stronger behavioral responses, and when sampling from the largest boat, the dolphins' responses were weaker or not noticeable. The biopsy pole technique presented here is an efficient and rapid method for obtaining skin and blubber samples from bow-riding dolphins, and can be used in situations where biopsy guns and crossbows are not convenient, or in conjunction with these remote systems. The pdf file is now available electronically on the Marine Mammal Science website, or you can receive a copy by sending a request to kbilgma(a)gse.mq.edu.au. All the best, Kerstin Bilgmann Marine Mammal Research Group Graduate School of the Environment Macquarie University, Sydney NSW 2109, Australia Email: kbilgman(a)gse.mq.edu.au Ph: + 61 2 9850 7982 Fax: + 61 2 9850 7972

1 0

Arizona State University study abroad course on California sea lions
by Julie Young 19 Jan '07

19 Jan '07

We are pleased to announce the opening of registration for our study abroad course entitled: Field Ecology: Behavior and Conservation of sea lions. This 6-credit course will be taught at ASU and at sea lions breeding colonies on islands in the Gulf of California, Baja, Mexico. Focus will be on the integration of behavior and conservation biology in the California sea lion. Students will learn and apply field methods commonly used to study pinniped populations. Before embarking on our field trip, students will learn the biology of marine mammals and ecology of the sea lions and receive training on the field methods commonly used to estimate population size and to measure behavior on pinnipeds at Arizona State University. The group will be camping on Islands in the Gulf of California, Mexico, with no facilities. Outdoor experience and the ability to work in difficult, hot conditions for long hours is a must. More details can be gained at: http://www.asu.edu/ssc/abroad/summer/mexicofieldecology.html or by emailing julie.k.young(a)asu.edu. Thank you, Julie Young Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Sciences School of Life Sciences Arizona State University, Box 874501 Tempe, AZ 85287-4501 USA phone: 480.965.7563 fax: 480.965.2519 email: Julie.K.Young(a)asu.edu lab: http://sols.asu.edu/faculty/lgerber.php

1 0

OPCFHK scientific project application 07-08
by Anna Situ 18 Jan '07

18 Jan '07

> Dear Sir/Madam, > > The Foundation is now inviting new funding applications for > conservation research projects in 2007-2008. Application form and > guideline can be downloaded from our website: www.opcf.org.hk. > > As the conservation arm of Ocean Park, the Ocean Park Conservation > Foundation, Hong Kong (OPCFHK) advocates, facilitates and participates > in the conservation of wildlife and habitats, with an emphasis on the > Asian region, through research and education. Our vision is to ensure > the sustainability of wildlife and biodiversity. > > OPCFHK will allocate HK$ 5 million as funding support in 2007-08. As > our vision is to ensure the sustainability of wildlife and > biodiversity, funding support will be given to research and > conservation projects on, but not limited to, marine mammals, Giant > Pandas, amphibians, fishes, birds and reptiles. To encourage Ocean > Park to directly support the conservation projects, part of this > funding will be allocated for conservation projects conducted by or > collaborated with Ocean Park. We also encourage institutions in Hong > Kong to apply funding for projects based locally in Hong Kong. This > financial assistance will be used to cover project related expenses, > including travelling and field equipment but not to cover the in-house > staff cost. > > Submission deadline for applications is Jan 31, 2007. All the funding > applications will then go through our Scientific Advisory Committee > members (SACs) for review and recommendation. It usually takes 4 to 6 > weeks for the reviewing process. Research projects recommended by SACs > will be further reviewed by the Foundation's Trustees. With Trustees' > approval, confirmation of funding will be announced in June 2007, the > Foundation will set up agreements with the Principal Investigators or > the Institutes who are in charge of the recommended projects. > > Thank you for your kind attention and I am looking forward to your > application. Should you have any questions, please feel free to > contact me. > > I wish you a Happy New Year! > > Yours Sincerely, > Anna Situ > Assistant Scientific Officer > OPCFHK > Tel: 852-2873-8679 > Fax: 852-2553-5840 > E-mail: anna.situ(a)oceanpark.com.hk Disclaimer The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is strictly prohibited. If you have received this in error, please delete it from your system. If you require assistance, please contact us at opc(a)oceanpark.com.hk Beginning 1 January 2006, Ocean Park raises its conservation commitment further by donating part of the admission to Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong (www.opcf.org.hk) to support its research projects and public awareness programmes for wildlife conservation in Asia.

1 0

Funded Graduate Positions in Marine Conservation
by Cathy Schaeff 18 Jan '07

18 Jan '07

We have a number of funded graduate positions at the master's level open in our department for fall 2007. Students in my lab typically work on projects involving marine mammal conservation, assessing population health via fluctuating asymmetry analysis and/or molecular markers. Examples of recent student projects include an assessment of population health of California sea lions (completed in conjunction with Francis Gulland and Denise Greig at the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito) and of bottlenose dolphins (with Randy Wells at the Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota). Support includes tuition remission, stipend and research funds plus the opportunity to be a teaching assistant. Applications can be made online (https://my.american.edu/cgi/mvi.exe/A26.APPL.LOGIN?SCH=CAS) We have a departmental graduate open house on Feb 19th. Financial awards decisions are made in early March. Cathy Schaeff Department of Biology American University 101 Hurst Hall, 4400 Mass. Ave. NW, Washington DC 20016-8007 p: 202.885.2175, f: 202.885.2182 schaeff(a)american.edu <mailto:schaeff@american.edu> http:// www.american.edu/cas/bio/faculty_media/schaeff/index.html <http://www.american.edu/cas/bio/faculty_media/schaeff/index.html>

1 0