Dear MARMAM subscribers,

 

We are pleased to announce the publication of our Note in the 2014 April issue of Marine Mammal Science: 

Crain, D. D., A. S. Friedlaender, D. W. Johnston, D. P. Nowacek, B. L. Roberts, K. W. Urian, D. M. Waples and A. J. Read. 2014. A quantitative analysis of the response of short-finned pilot whales, Globicephala macrorhynchus, to biopsy sampling. Marine Mammal Science 30: 819-826. 

Summary: Remote biopsy sampling is commonly used to obtain tissue samples from wild cetaceans. Analysis of these tissues can provide important information on specific identity, sex, pollutant levels, diet, age, and reproductive status. Biopsy sampling is generally considered to be a relatively benign procedure, but all prior attempts to evaluate its impact have relied on subjective assessments of the behavioral response of individuals at the surface. The goal of the present study was to quantitatively assess the short-term effects of biopsy attempts on the behavior of short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) equipped with digital acoustic recording tags (DTAGs) off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. We examined five metrics to determine if the behavior of whales was affected by a biopsy attempt, including: foraging behavior (number of dives, depth of dives, and number of prey capture attempts); time spent within 3 m of the surface; fine-scale body orientation; fluke rate and amplitude; and group vocalization rate. This first quantitative assessment of these quantitative metrics suggested that the short-term reactions to biopsy attempts are likely ephemeral and should not compromise the fitness of the animal. Most individuals exhibited a short-term increase in group vocalization rate following a biopsy attempt, which should be further investigated.