A marine mammal necropsy workshop is organized by the Department of Veterinary Pathology (University of Liege), the Laboratory of Applied Bioacoustics LAB (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya) and the Marine Mammal Research Center (University of La Rochelle). The session will be held at the Veterinary College on the Sart Tilman campus (Liège, Belgium) on July 10 and 11, 2012. An extra-day is scheduled for the exam and ECTS certification (see below). During the workshop, 20 marine mammals will be extensively necropsied and sampled, based on a standard procedure (Proceedings of the first European Cetacean Society workshop on cetacean pathology: dissection techniques and tissue sampling. ECS Newsletter #17 special issue: 1991, 39 p. by Kuiken T. and Garcia Hartmann M.) adapted in previous European Cetacean Society necropsy workshops. An updated protocol will be available at the beginning of the 2-day workshop. A special attention will be the extraction and fixation (injection) of the inner ear. A morning session will be devoted to dissection, sampling and tissues banking procedures (Jauniaux T.), another one will be reserved for acoustics and inner ear extraction and fixation (André M.); afternoons will be dedicated to necropsies, mostly harbor porpoises. The number of attendees is limited to 20, in order to pair off participants under the supervision of a veterinary pathologist and a specialist of the inner ear dissection. The workshop is open to scientists (post-graduate students and specialists) in biology, toxicology, veterinary medicine involved in marine mammal research, with a maximum of 20 participants. Necropsy and sampling equipment will be available and rubber boots, latex gloves and adequate laboratory coats will be provided. The aim of the workshop is to improve the participants’ proficiency in: (1) dissection and sampling procedures on marine mammals mostly cetaceans, (2) anatomy and gross pathology of marine mammals; (3) skull morphology, extraction and fixation of the cetacean inner ear. Registration fees is 100 euro, including necropsy equipment and protective clothes, documentation (updated necropsy protocol, emphasizing on the inner ear dissection and fixation) and coffee breaks. Payment will be done directly the first day. Attests (payment and participation) will be sent on request. More information, contact Thierry Jauniaux: t.jauniaux@ulg.ac.be Regards T. Jauniaux Thierry Jauniaux, DMV, PhD Chair of the ECS http://www.europeancetaceansociety.eu/home.php Premier Assistant Université de Liège Pathologie Vétérinaire Assistant Professor, University of Liege Veterinary Pathology T.Jauniaux@ulg.ac.be Cell phone: 0032477252302 MARIN Marine Animals Research & Intervention Network