VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED FOR A BEHVIOURAL RESPONSE STUDY ON HUMPBACK WHALES IN AUSTRALIA The Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Lab at the University of Queensland is seeking applications from volunteers for a 5 week Behavioural Response Study (BRS) on humpback whales from September 18 to October 24 this year. The study will examine how humpback whale behaviour is affected by noise from seismic airguns and is the first in a series of studies that will examine this issue over the next 4 years in collaboration with the University of Sydney, Curtin University, and the Australian Marine Mammal Centre. The study will be conducted at Peregian Beach on the Sunshine Coast just north of Brisbane and follows several successful studies of humpback whale vocalisations and behaviour at the same site during the Humpback whale Acoustic Research Collaboration (HARC). Volunteers are required mainly to conduct land-based observations of the whales as they pass our study site. Approximately 3,000 whales should migrate southwards within 10km of Peregian Beach during the field period making the site ideal for land-based tracking and observations of behaviour. We will also have a fixed hydrophone array moored offshore allowing us to record ambient noise and whale vocalisations and acoustically track singing whales in real time. Some whales will be tagged with Dtags. Although volunteers will be used to help out on the boats, opportunities for volunteers to participate in boat work are limited and most time will be spent doing the land-based observations. Volunteers will also have opportunities to participate in the acoustic recording and tracking of whales. Individual volunteers will spend approximately five hours daily (in two shifts) counting and observing passing whales from the headland. Volunteers will get at least one day off per week, usually during bad weather. Volunteers must be sociable as they will be expected to work and live as part of a team of up to 60 people with shared cooking and cleaning duties. Volunteers must organise and pay for their own transport to the study site (close to Brisbane international airport) but food and accommodation are provided once there. As meals are communal, fussy eaters are discouraged from applying (vegetarians are fine). This project will suit people with a background in science (including recent graduates and graduate students as well as higher level undergraduate students) keen to gain experience in cetacean survey techniques, acoustics and behavioural response studies. Applicants should also be highly motivated and able to concentrate for several hours at a time. Those with previous survey experience, particularly of marine mammals, or a strong mathematical or modelling background, will be preferred. Applicants should reply with an email to Michael Noad (mnoad@uq.edu.au) and Rebecca Dunlop (r.dunlop@uq.edu.au) outlining why they would be suitable for this survey, why they would like to participate, an outline of previous relevant experience, and any other relevant details. The email should include an attached CV and the names and contact details of two professional referees. The closing date for applications is 31 May and successful applicants will be notified during June. The research project is being funded by the Joint Industry Programme on E&P Sound and Marine Life (JIP) (www.soundandmarinelife.org ) and the US Minerals Management Service (www.mms.gov ) as part of a broad investigation into the potential interaction between the sounds that are generated by the offshore petroleum industry and the marine environment. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Michael Noad BVSc PhD Senior Lecturer, Veterinary Anatomy Leader, Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Laboratory School of Veterinary Science The University of Queensland - Gatton Campus, Qld 4343, Australia. P. +61 (0)7 54601876 M. 0416270567 W. http://www.uq.edu.au/vetschool/ceal ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~