- MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

new article
by Danielle Lima 18 Dec '05

18 Dec '05

Dear colleagues The article below has just been published: Lima, D. S.; Vergara-Parente, J. E.; Young, R. J.; Paszkiewicz, E. Training of Antillean Manatee Trichechus manatus manatus (Linnaeus, 1758) as a management technique for individual welfare. LAJAM 4(1): 61-68, January/June 2005 Those interested can send a e-mail to limadanielle(a)terra.com.br Best Regards Danielle Lima Projeto Onças d'água do Amanã Programa Mamíferos Aquáticos Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá Av. Brasil 197 - Bairro Juruá Tefé, Amazonas, Brasil +55 21 (97) 3343-4672 ABSTRACT: Behavioral training is a method used in institutions that keep captive animals to assist in husbandry and health assessment issues. It consists of training animals using positive reinforcement to perform behaviors that facilitate veterinary procedures without the use of physical restraint or drugs, thereby improving animal welfare. A female Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus), eight years old, weighing approximately 400kg and measuring 266cm, was the subject of this study. The training method used was operant conditioning with positive reinforcement, which encourages the animal to cooperate during veterinary inspections. The animal was trained that every time it performed a commanded behavior correctly, it would be rewarded with food and verbal praise. Furthermore, just prior to the moment of the reward a whistle was sounded; thus the animal associated this sound with the correct performance of the commanded behavior. To control the body position, the animal was trained by operant conditioning to touch a target. Our subject was trained in two stages, to perform necessary behaviors to collect biological samples (e.g. blood). Some of the possible factors influencing the training sessions were evaluated, such as the identity of the keeper, the impact of sounds and the number of days between training sessions. Only the identity of the keeper was found to influence training sessions. Our subject rapidly learned to express a number of commanded behavior patterns to assist its management in captivity. Therefore we consider this method to have been successful. We consider this method indispensable when managing large endangered species in captivity, as training reduces stress for the animal and reduces risk to its human caregivers. Finally, the application of this method will allow us to collect more biological data about this endangered species.

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paper on stereotyped whistles in wild killer whales
by Frank Thomsen 18 Dec '05

18 Dec '05

Dear colleagues, I would like to draw your attention on an article on stereotyped whistles in wild killer whales, in press in 'Animal Behaviour'. The pdf can be downloaded free from the journals webpage (under 'articles in press'). For further questions / inquiries, please contact me (drthomsen(a)web.de) Merry christmas and a happy new year to all of you! Frank Article title and abstract: Stability and group specificity of stereotyped whistles in resident killer whales, Orcinus orca, off British Columbia Rüdiger Riesch1), John K.B. Ford 2) and Frank Thomsen 1) 1 Biozentrum Grindel, Universität Hamburg, Germany 2 Pacific Biological Station, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Nanaimo, Canada Resident killer whales off British Columbia form four acoustically distinct clans, each with a unique dialect of discrete pulsed calls. Three clans belong to the northern and one to the southern community. Resident killer whales also produce tonal whistles, which play an important role in close-range communication within the northern community. However, there has been no comparative analysis of repertoires of whistles across clans. We investigated the structural characteristics, stability and group specificity of whistles in resident killer whales off British Columbia. Acoustic recordings and behavioural observations were made between 1978 and 2003. Whistles were classified spectrographically and additional observers were used to confirm our classification. Whistles were compared across clans using discriminant function analysis. We found 11 types of stereotyped whistles in the northern and four in the southern community with some of the whistle types being stable over at least 13 years. In northern residents, 10 of the 11 whistle types were structurally identical in two of the three acoustic clans, whereas the whistle types of southern residents differed clearly from those of the northern residents. Our study shows that killer whales that have no overlap in their call repertoire use essentially the same set of stereotyped whistles. Shared stereotyped whistles might provide a community-level means of recognition that facilitates association and affiliation of members of different clans, which otherwise use distinct signals. We further suggest that vocal learning between groups plays an important role in the transmission of whistle types. Dr. Frank Thomsen biologisch-landschaftsökologische Arbeitsgemeinschaft (biola) & Lehrbeauftragter Biozentrum Grindel Universität Hamburg __________________________________________________________________ Nur bis 31.12.: 1&1 DSL mit WEB.DE Preisvorteil! Jetzt einsteigen und die Vorteile sichern! http://1und1dsl.web.de/?mc=021130

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Marine Mammal Internship Kauai
by Mark Deakos 17 Dec '05

17 Dec '05

The Hawaii Association for Marine Education and Research (HAMER) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to understanding and protecting Hawaii's marine resources. Please visit www.hamerhawaii.com for a list of current research efforts, staffing, and publications. HAMER is seeking one or two interns to assist with data collection in conjunction with the Structure of Populations, Levels of Abundance, and Status of Humpbacks (SPLASH) project. Funded by the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, SPLASH is a multinational, collaborative effort involving over 300 researchers working together to answer important questions about Humpback Whales in the North Pacific. Working alongside a Ph.D. researcher from the University of Hawaii, interns will be involved with all field logistics. These include maintenance of research equipment, collection and processing of marine mammal sighting data, photo-identification data, and tissue biopsy samples. Research will be conducted daily from a small boat during the month of February, in waters off the coast of Kauai. Room and board will be provided. Additional research off the island of Maui is tentative. Preference will be given to applicants with previous experience handling small boats around marine mammals, and those with photo-identification and biopsy training. Please email inquiries with an attached CV to: deakos(a)hawaii.edu *********************************************************************** *********************************************************************** Mark H. Deakos President, Director HAMER The Hawaii Association for Marine Education and Research, Inc. PMB #175 5095 Napilihau St. 109B Lahaina, HI 96761 808-280-6448 (cell) 808-669-8998 (fax) www.hamerhawaii.com ***********************************************************************

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Estuarine dolphins scars, wounds, lesions and so on
by leonardo flach 16 Dec '05

16 Dec '05

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FINIALLY: The Mammals of North America, 2nd Edition by E. Raymond Hall is NOW AVAILABLE from The Blackburn Press
by Blackburn Press 16 Dec '05

16 Dec '05

MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR THIS BOOK ! The classic book, The Mammals of North America, 2nd Edition, by E. Raymond Hall, 2 volume box set, ISBN 1-930665-35-0, is NOW AVAILABLE from The Blackburn Press. Enter your order now on our website http://www.blackburnpress.com/biologybooks.html or via fax at 973-228-7276. Reprinted here from the 1981 edition by John Wiley and Sons, The Mammals of North America is the only work to provide all-inclusive information for the entire continent and continues to be an indispensable reference source for zoologists, botanists, entomologists, epidemiologists, parasitologists - all whose interests touch on the native mammals. E. Raymond Hall was one of the outstanding mammalogists of the century. The Mammals of North America is considered to be among the most important faunal works ever published. Hall was President of the American Society of Mammalogists in 1940-41. He was Director of the Museum of Natural History at the University of Kansas in Lawrence from 1944 until his retirement in 1967. The Blackburn Press was founded with the mission of keeping in print and available for purchase book titles that larger publishers have lost interest in and have declared "out-of-print." We specialize in scientific, medical, and technical books and textbooks. The Blackburn Press is interested in hearing of other titles we might consider returning to print. Your suggestions are welcome. Thank you. Maryanne Kenny The Blackburn Press Publishers of classic scientific and technical books Post Office Box 287 Caldwell, NJ 07006 Tel: 973-228-7077 Fax: 973-228-7276 E-mail: MKenny(a)Blackburnpress.com Explore the latest additions to our list at www.Blackburnpress.com <http://www.blackburnpress.com/> All of our books are available at www.Amazon.com

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Dugong capture using nets
by Jeremy KISZKA 15 Dec '05

15 Dec '05

Dear colleagues, A new tagging program on dugongs is planned in 2006 in the lagoon of Mayotte (Mozambique Channel). This program will assess fine scale habitat use, preferences and activity budget of dugongs in a tropical lagoon ecosystem. This would also provide information on the critical home range of this endangered species. This project will be conducted by the Marine Mammal Observatory, in collaboration with James Cook University (Queensland, Australia) and the University of la Rochelle (France). We are actually thinking about the catching technique, and we would rather use nets (of a very small mesh size) than the rodeo technique, considering local environmental characteristics. The use of nets for dugong capture has never been used, but this technique has been used for West Indian manatees.Then, I would highly appreciate any advises to apply a similar protocol for dugongs, with probable adaptations due to different behavioural response of these two species. Many thanks for your collaboration! Jeremy KISZKA (jeremy.kiszka(a)wanadoo.fr) ___________________________________________________ Jeremy KISZKA, research fellow Marine Mammal Observatory, Mayotte (western Indian Ocean) French Wildlife Service & Agricultural and Forestry Office BP 103 F-97600 Mamoudzou, Mayotte (FRANCE)

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Request for information on Aquaculture/cetacean interactions
by Kathy Warhurst 15 Dec '05

15 Dec '05

Dear MARMAM collegues, I am in the process of preparing a report for WDCS (Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society) on the worldwide impact of aquaculture operations on cetaceans. While I am aware of many areas and issues of concern and am familiar with the more widely known problems, I would be interested in receiving information on aquaculture operations in your area especially countries with smaller or developing marine based aquaculture industries, any known impacts, or documented cases (not necessarily published) on cetaceans. If you know of a particular issue that you have concerns over, I would like to hear from you. The report covers all forms of marine-based aquaculture, i.e. finfish, mollusc, crustacean and seaweed (macro-algae). Of particular interest to me are any known interactions between cetaceans and seaweed cultivation operations. No information supplied will be used without prior consent. The report will be finalised mid 2006. Thanks, Kathryn Warhurst, Aquaculture Researcher Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society WDCS Australasia Inc. PO Box 720 Port Adelaide Business Centre SA 5015 AUSTRALIA Phone: +61 (08) 8440 3706 Fax:+61 (08) 8447 4211 Email: kathy.warhurst(a)wdcs.org Mobile: 0404 558 360 Website: www.wdcs.org.au WDCS is the global voice for the protection of whales, dolphins and their environment. WDCS is proud to have been adopted as a partner to the UN Convention on Migratory Species. A positive partnership for international cetacean conservation. For more information, please go to http://www.wdcs.org/wildoceans ______________________________________________________________________ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email ______________________________________________________________________

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Humpback Dolphin beak injury
by Sarah Louise Barry M.Sc 15 Dec '05

15 Dec '05

Dear All, A few weeks ago on one of our whale watch trips we noticed an adult Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin with a trauma to the beak. The beak appeared to have been broken/sliced off with the end hanging off. We encountered the animal (otherwise healthy adult, possibly female as with smaller individual) again yesterday. The lower jaw is now very pale in colouration, appears to be septic and is at a 20-30 degree angle to the right (looking at the animal from behind). Half of the upper jaw is missing but what is left is in a completely different tissue state to the lower jaw. The tissue still has the usual grey colouration but is incredibly swollen. Almost as if the animal has a second melon. The animal appears to be quite healthy otherwise, but the trauma is so massive there is no way the animal will be able to continue feeding in the correct manner. I was hoping someone may be able to shed some light on any encounters of beak traumas and how something like this may have occurred. I have a few quite clear photographs should anyone like to see them. The dorsal is pretty serrated too so the animal may have a tandency to get a little too close to boat props. Another point of interest is that last week we encountered a Cape Fur Seal with a trauma to its nose (Which I also have photos of). This is probably coincidence (and with 60,000 seals here just now, this is most likely) but thought it worth a mention. Many thanks, Sarah Barry. www.marineteam.com Dyer Island Cruises PO BOX 78 Gansbaai 7220 South Africa Tel: ++27 28 3840406

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marine conservation program
by Tara M. Cox 14 Dec '05

14 Dec '05

*Duke University Marine Lab (Summer) Integrated Marine Conservation Program *Dates: Summer Term II: 10 July - 11 August 2006 No course limit (undergraduates, graduate students, professionals) /Application deadline/ (if applying for Global Fellowship): 15 February 2006 /Application deadline/ (if applying for Tuition Scholarship): 1 April 2006 /Application deadline /(no funding support): 11 June 2006 Contact: ml_admissions(a)env.duke.edu; (252) 504-7502 The Duke University Marine Laboratory is offering an unparalleled educational opportunity from July 10 to August 11, 2006. Duke's Integrated Marine Conservation Program teaches the principles necessary for the conservation and preservation of the coastal and oceanic environment. The focus is on interdisciplinary problem solving--using natural and social science theory to resolve real world environmental problems. This program is a tremendous opportunity for students at any level to think about conservation biology and policy in an environment full of students and faculty grappling with the same issues. The core class (BIO 109/ENV 209 Conservation Biology and Policy) involves field trips, discussion groups, role play (in 2005 it was a fishery management scenario), lecture, and a final project for graduate students that focuses on the integration of science and policy. Undergraduate students will have a case-study based final exam. Students will leave the class with an appreciation of the policy process, as well as with a grounding in the fundamentals of marine conservation. There may be no other course, anywhere, that can offer as much in an intensive 5-week summer session. In addition to the classwork, the session hosts a Distinguished Conservation Scholar each week to give a lecture, to lead discussions, and to be available to meet with students on an individual basis. Speakers in the past have included such scientists as Jane Lubchenco, Jeremy Jackson, Ram Myers, Carl Safina, Jim Estes, and Kai Lee, Jack Musick, Karen Bjorndal and non-scientists such as Pulitzer-Prize winning environmental reporter John McQuaid. A final and critical dimension to the class comes from the presence of international students, who often have first-hand knowledge of conservation battles and have worked to influence environmental policy. Past international participants have included 69 students from 40 different countries. In any particular year, we expect 5-15 international fellows. Interaction with these individuals does much to foster awareness of the difficulty of implementing conservation at the ground level. Participants in the Integrated Marine Conservation Program usually enroll in the program's 'core' course (Conservation Biology and Policy) and one of five specialized elective courses offered (Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles; Marine Mammals; Marine Ecology; Marine Invertebrate Zoology; and Independent Research). Enrollment in any one course is also possible. Applications for the Integrated Marine Conservation Program will be accepted until the program is full. Approximately ten Global Fellowships in Marine Conservation will be awarded on a competitive basis to international students, especially those from developing countries, and will fully cover travel expenses, room and board, and tuition for both BIO 109/ENV 209 Conservation Biology and Policy plus one specialized elective course subject to availability. Electives include: Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles; Marine Mammals; Marine Ecology; Marine Invertebrate Zoology; and Independent Research. The Global Fellows in Marine Conservation application credentials are due February 15. See http://www.env.duke.edu/marinelab/programs/scholarship.html_ _Additionally, a grant from Panaphil Foundation allows the Duke Marine Laboratory to offer two tuition scholarships to U.S. citizens (applications due April 1) and four Global Fellowships in Marine Conservation to international students choosing Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles as their second course (applications due February 15). Duke University Marine Lab summer tuition scholarships are awarded to either U.S. or non-U.S. citizens on a competitive basis and cover full tuition for any one course in Term II. These summer tuition scholarship applications are due April 1st. For further information, visit http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/marinelab/programs/summer2.html or contact ml_admissions(a)env.duke.edu; (252) 504-7502. Ms. Helen Nearing, Coordinator of Academic Programs Duke Marine Lab; 135 Duke Marine Lab Rd; Beaufort NC 28516 phone (252) 504-7502; fax (252) 504-7648 www.nicholas.duke.edu/marinelab <http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/marinelab> --

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Request for gray whale pectoral fin images
by MARMAM Editors 13 Dec '05

13 Dec '05

> Dear MarMam Colleagues, > > I am articulating an juvenile gray whale skeleton that will be on display at > the Slater Museum of Natural History at the University of Puget Sound, > Tacoma, WA (USA). The specimen was originally prepared in 1977 by Murray > Johnson, former marine mammal commissioner and Slater Museum Director. I am > in search of resources that will illustrate the pectoral bone configuration > of a gray whale. Specifically, I am interested in drawings, photos or > electronic images. Thus far, I've researched a number of published > resources, contacted colleagues regarding the project, and inspected a few > of the articulated gray whale skeletons on display in the Pacific Northwest. > I have a good start, but I'm still interested in any additional images or > suggestions that MarMam colleges are willing to share. > > Thanks for your help. > Albert > > > Albert B. Shepard > Project Curator > San Juan Island > USA > > alberto(a)rockisland.com > albert(a)whalemuseum.org > 360.378.2250 > > > . > > >

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