[MARMAM] New publication on Cuvier's beaked whale mass stranding in Northern Cyprus

[ARDA TONAY]

>
> Dear All,
>
> We would like to inform you that the new paper on preliminary findings on
> Cuvier’s beaked whale mass stranding in Northern Cyprus has been published
> in the J. Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment.
>
> The pdf copy is available online via the following link.
>
> Tonay, A.M., Aytemiz Danyer, I., Taşkaya, İ., Danyer, E., Öznur, N., Dede,
> A., Gülçubuk, A., Yüzbaşıoğlu Öztürk, G., Hacıoğlu, S., Çanakcı, T., Amaha
> Öztürk, A. 2024. Preliminary findings on Cuvier’s beaked whale mass
> stranding in Northern Cyprus. Journal of the Black Sea/Mediterranean
> Environment 30 (1): 1-19.
> https://blackmeditjournal.org/vol-30-2024/vol-30-2024-no-1/preliminary-findings-on-cuviers-beaked-whale-mass-stranding-in-northern-cyprus/
>
> Abstract
>
> Cuvier’s beaked whales, Ziphius cavirostris, one of the regular cetacean
> species of the Mediterranean Sea, are affected by underwater noise, mainly
> shipping, naval exercise and seismic operations worldwide. Between 9
> February - 6 March 2023 but mostly in 9-10 February, at least 13 beaked
> whales stranded in the northwest and west of the Cyprus Island in the
> eastern Mediterranean Sea. This study presents the preliminary findings of
> necropsy, histopathology and virology of six individuals and compiles
> information on the present human threats in the region at the time of the
> incident. Histopathological findings did not provide a clear result.
> However, intense congestion was seen in both macroscopic and
> histopathological examinations. The presence of undigested fresh squid in
> the stomach is an indicator of sudden death. Besides, intravascular gas
> bubbles in macroscopic examination were in line with the general findings
> in previous studies on beaked whale strandings after they had died due to
> military exercises. As a precautionary approach, activities generating
> impulsive underwater noise need to follow the ACCOBAMS Mitigation Guideline
> and if not they should halt particularly in areas where cetaceans presence
> is known. In a further note, all the Parties of ACCOBAMS are expected to
> refrain from conducting naval exercises involving sonar or underwater
> bursts near "Areas of Particular Concern for Beaked Whales", taking into
> account the ACCOBAMS resolution 5.13 of 2013 and urges the implementation
> of underwater noise mitigation strategies in the fragile habitats of the
> eastern Mediterranean Sea.
>
>
>
> Regards
>
> Arda
>
>
>
> *Arda M. TONAY Ph.D*
>
> *Faculty of Aquatic Sciences, Istanbul University*
>
> *Marine Biology Dep.*
>
> *Kalenderhane Mah. Onaltı Mart Şehitleri Cad. No: 2*
>
> *Fatih 34134 İstanbul, Türkiye*
>
> *Tel: +90 212 440 /20159   Fax: +90 212 **440 0232*
>
> *ato...@istanbul.edu.tr 
> http://subilimleri.istanbul.edu.tr/ *
>
>
>
> *Turkish Marine Research Foundation (TUDAV)*
>
> *P.O. Box 10 Beykoz, 34820 İstanbul, Türkiye*
>
> *Tel: +90 216 424 0772   Fax: +90 216 424 0771*
>

-- 


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[MARMAM] New publication: Three decades of gray whale habitat use, distribution, and abundance

[Barlow, Dawn Renee]

Dear MARMAM community,

On behalf of my coauthors, I am pleased to share our recent publication in 
Scientific Reports:

Barlow, D.R., Strong, C.S. & Torres, L.G. Three decades of nearshore surveys 
reveal long-term patterns in gray whale habitat use, distribution, and 
abundance in the Northern California Current. Sci Rep 14, 9352 (2024). 
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-59552-z

ABSTRACT: The nearshore waters of the Northern California Current support an 
important seasonal foraging ground for Pacific Coast Feeding Group (PCFG) gray 
whales. We examine gray whale distribution, habitat use, and abundance over 31 
years (1992–2022) using standardized nearshore (< 5 km from shore) surveys 
spanning a large swath of the PCFG foraging range. Specifically, we generated 
density surface models, which incorporate detection probability into 
generalized additive models to assess environmental correlates of gray whale 
distribution and predict abundance over time. We illustrate the importance of 
coastal upwelling dynamics, whereby increased upwelling only yields higher gray 
whale density if interspersed with relaxation events, likely because this 
combination optimizes influx and retention of nutrients to support recruitment 
and aggregation of gray whale prey. Several habitat features influence gray 
whale distribution, including substrate, shelf width, prominent capes, and 
river estuaries. However, the influence of these features differs between 
regions, revealing heterogeneity in habitat preferences throughout the PCFG 
foraging range. Predicted gray whale abundance fluctuated throughout our study 
period, but without clear directional trends, unlike previous abundance 
estimates based on mark-recapture models. This study highlights the value of 
long-term monitoring, shedding light on the impacts of variable environmental 
conditions on an iconic nearshore marine predator.

The full article is open access, and available online: 
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-59552-z

Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or to request a PDF copy.

Cheers,
Dawn

Dawn Barlow, PhD (she/her)
Postdoctoral Scholar
Marine Mammal Institute | Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation 
Sciences
Oregon State University | Hatfield Marine Science Center
Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Lab
dawn.bar...@oregonstate.edu

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[MARMAM] New publication: free-ranging beluga aerial photogrammetry paired with lipidomic analysis (Meredith Sherrill)

[Meredith Sherrill]

Dear Colleagues,

My co-authors and I would like to share with you our recent publication in 
Frontiers in Marine Science: 

 Sherrill, M., Bernier-Graveline, A., Ewald, J., Pang, Z., Moisan, M., 
Marzelière, M., et al. 2024. Scaled mass index derived from aerial 
 photogrammetry associated with predicted metabolic pathway disruptions in 
free-ranging St. Lawrence Estuary belugas. Frontiers in Marine
 Science, 11. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2024.1360374.

Abstract: The St. Lawrence Estuary (SLE) belugas (Quebec, Canada) are an 
endangered population whose numbers remain low despite ongoing conservation 
efforts. Multiple anthropogenic factors and changing environmental conditions 
are thought to have contributed to the recent 20-year decline in blubber fatty 
acid concentrations reported in stranded SLE belugas. Despite this evidence 
that energy reserves within the population are declining, there is currently no 
method for estimating the body condition of free-ranging animals. The potential 
metabolic consequences of declining fat reserves have also yet to be explored. 
The objectives of this study were to use unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based 
photogrammetry to estimate the scaled mass index (SMI) of free-ranging SLE 
belugas, and to compare this proxy of body condition to the lipidome of 
outer-layer blubber samples collected from the same individuals via remote 
biopsy darting. Morphometric analysis of aerial images (n = 44 SLE belugas), 
combined with data collected from animals under professional human care, 
produced SMI estimates (females: 807 ± 98 kg, males: 743 ± 39 kg) similar in 
range to those previously calculated for SLE beluga carcasses of known weight. 
A non-targeted lipidomic analysis followed by pathway enrichment analysis, 
identified metabolic pathways predicted to show altered activity in association 
with SMI in the blubber of free-ranging male SLE belugas (n = 27). Mapping of 
enriched pathways compared to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes 
(KEGG) metabolic pathways maps, revealed that enriched pathways pertained to 
the metabolism of multiple lipid classes including fatty acyls and 
glycerophospholipids. Vitamin A, Vitamin E, and tyrosine metabolism pathways 
were also enriched in correlation with SMI. This study provides the basis for 
the development of a non-invasive technique for estimating the body condition 
of free-ranging SLE belugas and identifies metabolic pathways that merit 
further exploration to improve our understanding of the potential metabolic 
impacts of energy loss in cetaceans.


The full article is available open access at 
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2024.1360374/full 
. Please 
do not hesitate to contact me 
at sherrill.mered...@courrier.uqam.ca 
 with any questions or for 
additional information.

Kind regards,

Meredith Sherrill
PhD Candidate
Université du Québec à Montréal
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[MARMAM] New publication: harbour porpoise habitat use and vulnerability to fishing and offshore wind development

[Bruno Diaz Lopez]

Dear colleagues,
On behalf of my co-author and myself, I am delighted to bring to your attention 
the publication of our last research published by the scientific journal Marine 
Biology. This article on the species' habitat use addresses the status of the 
harbour porpoise population in the Iberian Peninsula, highlighting its 
vulnerability to fishing and the development of offshore wind farms.

Abstract

The Iberian harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena meridionalis) population faces 
unique challenges, characterized by low population size and limited genetic 
diversity, underscoring the urgency of conservation efforts. However, a dearth 
of ecological information on this population hampers targeted conservation 
measures. This study addresses this knowledge gap by assessing the 
environmental and anthropogenic factors influencing the habitat use of Iberian 
harbour porpoises. Utilizing data collected from 195 daily boat surveys 
spanning 8 years along the north-western coast of Spain, we observed 287 
harbour porpoise groups comprising 1383 individuals. Our analysis revealed a 
wide distribution of harbour porpoises along the continental shelf of the 
north-western Iberian Peninsula. Notably, this species exhibited a preference 
for areas characterized by high productivity, influenced by seasonal coastal 
upwelling phenomena and tidal flow. Our results emphasize the positive 
correlation between the presence of fishing boats and porpoise habitat use, 
highlighting the risks associated with bycatch in gear such as bottom-set 
gillnets and trammel nets, and the need for comprehensive mitigation measures. 
Additionally, our findings underscore the necessity for comprehensive 
conservation strategies to address risks associated with marine traffic and 
habitat alteration due to the expanding development of offshore wind farms in 
the region. This research also establishes a baseline for future environmental 
monitoring programs, contributing to the long-term conservation and management 
of the Iberian harbour porpoise population.

The article can be found in the following link: 
< https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00227-024-04438-x >
Please feel free to contact me for further questions or to request a pdf copy 
at: br...@thebdri.com

Best regards,

Bruno Diaz Lopez Ph.DChief biologist and Director
The Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute BDRI - www.thebdri.com
Avenida Beiramar 192, O Grove 36980, Pontevedra, Spain
Tel. 0034 684248552
he/him/his
https://orcid.org/-0002-0388-3289
Follow BDRI on Facebook , Instagram or mention us on Twitter.

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[MARMAM] New publication: "A longitudinal study of endocrinology and foraging ecology of subadult gray whales prior to death based on baleen analysis"

[Alejandro Apolo Fernández Ajó]

Dear colleagues,

My co-authors and I are pleased to share with you our recent publication
describing the longitudinal hormonal patterns and stable isotope variation
in gray whale baleen prior to their death.

You can access this publication here: Link to the publication


Additionally, we have prepared a blog post detailing the study, which you
can find here.


*Abstract:*

*"Individual-level assessments of wild animal health, vital rates, and
foraging ecology are critical for understanding population-wide impacts of
exposure to stressors. Large whales face multiple stressors, including, but
not limited to, ocean noise, pollution, and ship strikes. Because baleen is
a continuously growing keratinized structure, serial extraction, and
quantification of hormones and stable isotopes along the length of baleen
provide a historical record of whale physiology and foraging ecology.
Furthermore, baleen analysis enables the investigation of dead specimens,
even decades later, allowing comparisons between historic and modern
populations. Here, we examined baleen of five sub-adult gray whales and
observed distinct patterns of oscillations in δ15N values along the length
of their baleen plates which enabled estimation of baleen growth rates and
differentiation of isotopic niche widths of the whales during wintering and
summer foraging. In contrast, no regular patterns were apparent in δ13C
values. Prolonged elevation of cortisol in four individuals before death
indicates that chronic stress may have impacted their health and survival.
Triiodothyronine (T3) increased over months in the whales with unknown
causes of death, simultaneous with elevations in cortisol, but both
hormones remained stable in the one case of acute death attributed to
killer whale predation. This parallel elevation of cortisol and T3
challenges the classic understanding of their interaction and might relate
to increased energetic demands during exposure to stressors. Reproductive
hormone profiles in subadults did not show cyclical trends, suggesting they
had not yet reached sexual maturity. This study highlights the potential of
baleen analysis to retrospectively assess gray whales' physiological
status, exposure to stressors, reproductive status, and foraging ecology in
the months or years leading up to their death, which can be a useful tool
for conservation diagnostics to mitigate unusual mortality events."*


-- 

*Alejandro Fernandez Ajó, PhD*

Researcher / Instituto de Conservación de Ballenas

(ICB,
Whale Conservation Institute /  Argentina)

Postdoctoral Scholar / Marine Mammal Institute

|
Dept. of Fisheries, Wildlife, & Conservation Sciences  Oregon State
University

Pronouns: he, him, his

*ferna...@oregonstate.edu *
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[MARMAM] new publication on Blast fishing acoustics and its potential impacts to marine mammals

[Marcos Rossi Santos]

  Dear Marmam colleagues,

We are pleased to share this recent publication about blast fishing
acoustic characterization in Brazil and its potential impact to marine
mammal conservation. This work is part of a long term research project on
Behavioral ecology of Guiana Dolphins (Sotalia guianensis), an endangered
species, in the Todos os Santos Bay, Brazil. During field surveys to study
dolphin acoustic behavior, we recorded and described the first underwater
explosion reported for Latin America, discussing its potential impact to
harm local marine mammals, as the resident S. guianensis population.

Melo-Souza, V.; Gavrilov, A.; Rossi-Santos, M.R. Dropping a bombshell:
Acoustic characterization of blast fishing in Todos os Santos Bay, Brazil,
and its implication for marine conservation. Marine Pollution Bulletin,
202, May 2024, 116332.

Blast fishing is an illegal fishing method that not only affects fish
populations and the marine ecosystem, but also local food security and
local economy. Despite its effects, blast fishing continues to persist in
many coastal regions around the world, including Todos os Santos Bay (BTS -
Baia de Todos os Santos) in Northeastern Brazil. This study fits into a
long term project on Guiana Dolphin (Sotalia guianensis) behavioral ecology
and during bioacoustic survey to study dolphin sounds, we registered the
first acoustic record of underwater explosions along this region. The
results revealed a distinctive underwater acoustic signal detected in the
BTS, indicating evidence of blast fishing activities. This Anthropogenic
sound is confirmed to be harmful for marine mammals due to its acoustic
characteristics, enabling overlapping of dolphin sounds and even
physiological damage. The acoustic characterization of blast fishing in BTS
provides crucial information on its occurrence and extent of this
destructive practice worldwide.

PDF is available at the link below:

https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1ituz,asi9t0O

Best Regards,

Marcos Rossi-Santos
marcos.ro...@ufrb.edu.br
Acoustic Ecology and Animal Behaviour Laboratory
Federal University of Recôncavo da Bahia - Brazil
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[MARMAM] New publication : Effects of duty cycle on passive acoustic monitoring metrics:The case of blue whale songs

[Mathilde MICHEL]

Dear Marmam community,

My co-authors and I are pleased to share our recent publication:
Effects of duty cycle on passive acoustic monitoring metrics:The case of blue 
whale songs in Indian Ocean, published in the Journal of the Acoustical Society 
of America. You can view the article athttps://doi.org/10.1121/10.0025545.

Abstract:
Long-term fixed passive acoustic monitoring of cetacean populations is a 
logistical and technological challenge, often limited by the battery capacity 
of the autonomous recorders. Depending on the research scope and target 
species, temporal subsampling of the data may become necessary to extend the 
deployment period. This study explores the effects of different duty cycles on 
metrics that describe patterns of seasonal presence, call type richness, and 
daily call rate of three blue whale acoustics populations in the Southern 
Indian Ocean. Detections of blue whale calls from continuous acoustic data were 
subsampled with three different duty cycles of 50%, 33%, and 25% within 
listening periods ranging from 1min to 6 h. Results show that reducing the 
percentage of recording time reduces the accuracy of the observed seasonal 
patterns as well as the estimation of daily call rate and call type richness. 
For a specific duty cycle, short listening periods (5–30 min) are preferred to 
longer listening periods (1–6 h). The effects of subsampling are greater the 
lower the species’ vocal activity or the shorter their periods of presence. 
These results emphasize the importance of selecting a subsampling scheme 
adapted to the target species.

If you have any questions don't hesitate to contact me:
mathilde.mic...@ensta-bretagne.org

Many thanks,
Best regards
Mathilde Michel

--
Logo ENSTA Bretagne  Logo LabSTIC 
 	


Mathilde MICHEL
*Doctorante*// PhD Student/
*+33 (0)2 21 09 58 89
* *Lab-STICC – UMR CNRS 6285
www.labsticc.fr
*
ENSTA Bretagne
*Grande école d'ingénieurs et centre de recherche*
/French State Graduate, Post-Graduate and Research Institute
/ 2 rue François Verny - 29806 Brest Cedex 9 - France
www.ensta-bretagne.fr 

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[MARMAM] New Publication - Baleen whale microsatellite panel for individual identification and parentage assignment in Mysticeti (Marcos Suárez Menéndez & Martine Bérubé)

[Suárez Menéndez , Marcos]

Dear all,

On behalf of all the co-authors I'm happy to share our new publication
in *Global
Ecology and Conservation "*Baleen whale microsatellite panel for individual
identification and parentage assignment in *Mysticeti"*

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2024.e02947

*Abstract*

Highly polymorphic single tandem repeat loci (STR, also known as
microsatellite loci) remain a familiar, cost efficient class of genetic
markers in genetic studies in ecology, behavior and conservation. Here we
characterize a new, universal set of ten STR loci in seven species of
baleen whales, optimized for PCR amplification in two multiplex reactions
along with a Y chromosome marker for sex determination. The optimized,
universal set of STR loci provides a convenient starting point for new
genetic studies in baleen whales aimed at identifying individuals and
populations. Data from the new STR loci were combined with genotypes from
previously published STR loci to assess the power to assign parentage using
paternity exclusion in four species: fin whale (*Balaenoptera physalus*),
humpback whale (*Megaptera novaeangliae*), blue whale (*B. musculus*) and
bowhead whale (*Balaena mysticetus*). Our results suggest that parentage
studies should always be accompanied by a power analysis in order to
ascertain that each individual specific study is based upon data with
sufficient power to assign parentage with statistical rigor.

Best,
Marcos

-- 
*Marcos Suárez Menéndez, MSc. *(he/him)
PhD Student | Marine Evolution and Conservation
Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES)
University of Groningen
Zernike Campus, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
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[MARMAM] New Publication Bottlenose Dolphin Stock Structure in the Gulf of Mexico

[Glenn, Tre W]

My co-authors and I are pleased to announce our publication describing sampling 
of bottlenose dolphins within estuaries and nearshore coastal waters of the 
western Gulf of Mexico to elucidate population structure amongst adjacent 
groups of bottlenose dolphins. This study was initially funded in 2011 and as 
such any language and interpretation thereof should be considered a description 
in time around the year 2016 when draft of this study was presented.

Garrison LP, Glenn III DW, Karrigan H, Stoni T. 2024. Bottlenose dolphin stock 
structure in the Gulf of Mexico. New Orleans (LA): US Department of the 
Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. 42 p. Contract No.: M11PG00041. 
Report No.: OCS Study BOEM 2024-020.

Abstract:
The common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), is ubiquitous in the 
estuarine and nearshore coastal waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico. 
Protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the population is divided 
into population stocks, or group of animals that occupy the same habitat and 
interbreed when mature. This study was conducted to assess bottlenose dolphin 
stock structure in the Gulf of Mexico and analyze contaminants the population 
may be exposed to. A total of 247 and 81 biopsy samples were collected during 
the Texas Coastal Bend and western Mississippi Sound surveys, respectively. 
Photo-identification analysis in Texas waters indicated the encounter of at 
least 1,347 individuals in estuarine waters and 450 individuals in coastal 
waters, indicating a relatively high abundance of dolphins within the surveyed 
areas. Genetic analysis samples from Texas indicated genetically distinct 
stocks occupying each of the tested areas. This study is the first to examine 
population structure within the estuaries along the Texas coast and 
demonstrates a high degree of genetic differentiation among adjacent stocks.

https://espis.boem.gov/Final%20Reports/BOEM_2024-020.pdf

Thank you!















Donald (Tre) W. Glenn, III, Ph.D., P.E., CFM
Protected Species Biologist
Consultation Specialist

Professional Environmental Engineer

National Certified Floodplain Manager

Contracting Officer's Representative III

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)

GOMR, Office of Environment

Mail Stop GM 673E
1201 Elmwood Park Blvd.

New Orleans, Louisiana  70123





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[MARMAM] New Publication: Dusky dolphin habitat use in a mussel farming region and changes over time (Sarah Piwetz)

[Sarah Piwetz]

My co-authors and I are pleased to announce our publication describing dusky 
dolphin habitat use in a mussel farming region, and changes over time:

Sarah Piwetz, Heidi C. Pearson, Krysta A. Honkus and Bernd Würsig. 2024. Dusky 
dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obscurus) habitat use in a mussel farming region and 
changes over time. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 
(2024): 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1080/00288330.2024.2334287

Abstract:
Information on marine mammal habitat use in coastal areas can provide a better 
understanding of anthropogenic effects on species. Admiralty Bay, New Zealand 
has extensive near-shore mussel farms and is an important dusky dolphin 
(Lagenorhynchus obscurus) foraging habitat. Prior dusky dolphin research 
indicated a declining trend in regional abundance from the late 1990s to 
mid-2000s. We describe dusky dolphin behaviour, habitat patch use and movement 
patterns in Admiralty Bay in 2011–2012 and compare findings to previous 
research to capture long-term trends. Sampling methods included small-boat 
group follows and photo-identification and shore-based theodolite tracking. 
Dolphin encounter rate, mean group size, and individual resighting rate showed 
a negative trend from previous years. Coordinated prey ball herding, a foraging 
technique documented in previous years, was rarely observed during this study. 
Dolphins were more likely to forage near farms (excluding specialised prey 
herding), though they seldom entered farms. Near shore, swimming speed was 
slower, reorientation rate was higher, and linearity was lower in the presence 
of farms than in their absence. This research builds upon prior studies, 
suggesting a continued decline in dusky dolphin presence, and highlights 
differences in habitat patch use in a human-altered ecosystem.

Feel free to request publication from first author via email 
(sarahpiw...@hotmail.com) or 
ResearchGate.

Thank you!

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[MARMAM] New publication on Bryde's whales in Nicaragua

[Association ELI-S]

Dear MARMAM community,

My co-authors and I are pleased to share our recent publication in the
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom.

De Weerdt J, Patulny C, Ruiz Pérez N, Blanchet L (2024). Sightings
of Bryde’s whale, *Balaenoptera edeni*, off the Pacific coast of Nicaragua.
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom
104,e40,1–7. https://doi.org/ 10.1017/S0025315424000250

Abstract.
Here, we report the first sighting records of Bryde's whales in Nicaragua.
Four sightings were made in 2022 during boat-based surveys off the
southwestern coast of Nicaragua. Photo-identification, distributional data,
dive times, and behavioural information were collected, and environmental
parameters, including sea surface temperature, were measured for each
sighting. Sightings included calf and non-calf groups displaying travelling
(n = 1; 25%), milling (n = 1; 25%), and suspected feeding (n = 2; 50%)
behaviours. Approximately 4 h of focal following allowed the calculation of
short and long breath intervals. Based on our observations , the
individuals were suspected of feeding in the area, based on the presence of
feeding birds, feeding humpback whales, relatively high time-lagged
chlorophyll-a, and observed general behaviours. Our findings indicate that
this species may occasionally visit Nicaraguan coastal areas in search of
feeding opportunities, and could represent a possible range extension of
the Eastern North Pacific stock.

The pdf of the paper is available here:
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315424000250

If you wish to support this project you can order an original whale
bracelet that is handmade and custom made by Association ELI-S.
https://eli-s.com/shop/, consider a donation
, or follow
us on our social media.

Best regards,

*Joëlle De Weerdt*
*I support Whale Research in Nicaragua with my online searches on lilo
*
PhD Candidate at Vrije Universiteit University
Award winner of Jane Goodall Institute and Fondation Yves-Rocher
Scientist at Association ELI-S
-
www.eli-s.com
Find more on Association ELI-S: Facebook
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 | Twitter
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[MARMAM] New publication on Cuvier’s beaked whale’s eDNA

[Elena Agnese Valsecchi]

Dear colleagues,


My co-authors and I are pleased to share with you our publication
describing a molecular assay able to detect Cuvier’s beaked whale’s DNA
traces:



Boldrocchi G, Conte L, Galli P, Bettinetti R and Valsecchi E 2024. “Cuvier's
beaked whale (*Ziphius cavirostris*) detection through surface-sourced
eDNA: a promising approach for monitoring deep-diving cetaceans”. Ecological
Indicators 161, 111966 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2024.111966



Abstract

Among cetaceans, the Cuvier’s beaked whale is considered an extreme diver,
thus not one of the easiest cetacean species to be studied due to its
elusive behaviour and a preference for deep offshore waters. Although
dedicated cetacean surveys have increased our knowledge on the distribution
of Cuvier’s beaked whales in the Mediterranean Sea, knowledge gaps still
remain where the study effort is non-existent. In this context, the use of
new molecular methodologies capable of intercepting small traces of DNA
left in the environment (eDNA) by marine organisms represents a valid
approach to infer species’ occurrence. Moreover, the collection of water
from the superficial layer is suitable for targeting marine mammals, as the
constraints imposed by their nature implies periodic and frequent surfacing
in order to breathe, releasing exhalants rich in their epithelial cells.
Therefore, we designed and tested a taxon-specific primer set to infer
Cuvier’s beaked whale presence, with the aims of 1) examining the
effectiveness of the eDNA technique to detect the presence of a deep-diving
cetacean in open waters, using the Cuvier’s beaked whale as case study; 2)
providing data on the occurrence of this species within the Canyon of
Caprera over a six-months study period and 3) assessing the species
presence in adjacent waters in the central northern Mediterranean Sea based
on the analysis of samples collected in a Citizen Science campaign. Results
from this study demonstrated that superficial waters may retain biological
traces of this cetacean despite the fact that it mostly inhabits deep
waters. Specifically, this study provides evidence of the regular presence
of Cuvier’s beaked whale in the Canyon of Caprera, with a preference for
bathymetry in the range of 700–1000 m. Molecular traces’ distribution
suggests a potential inshore movement of this species during Fall, which
might be related to migration of its cephalopod prey or a shift in prey
preferences, although this aspect requires further investigation. Overall,
this study showed that stronger positive signals were recorded in sampling
stations located on surfaces above submarine canyon systems, demonstrating
the importance of these areas as elective habitats for the Cuvier’s beaked
whale, thus the pivotal priority to their conservation.



You can find the open-access article at this link:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X24004230



Best wishes





Elena Valsecchi
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[MARMAM] New publication - Chemical pollution in S. frontalis

[Nara Oliveira]

Dear MARMAM community,

My co-authors and I are excited to share our new paper entitled "*Organohalogen
compounds in a hotspot for chemical pollution: Assessment in free-ranging
Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis)*" recently published in
Science of The Total Environment!


Abstract:
The assessment of chemical pollution in free-ranging living mammals is
viable using remote biopsies and portrays a comprehensive scenario of
environmental health. The Southwestern Atlantic Ocean holds incredible
biodiversity, but it is under the constant and invisible threat of
persistent organic pollutants (POPs) of anthropogenic origin, such as
pesticides, brominated flame retardants, and industrial-use compounds
(e.g., PCBs). Thus, this study aimed to assess the bioaccumulation of POPs
(PCBs, DDTs, HCB, mirex and PBDEs) and natural organobromine compounds
(MeO-BDEs) using gas-chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry in biopsy
samples of Atlantic spotted dolphins (*Stenella frontalis*, n = 20) that
inhabit and forage both inside and in adjacent areas to degraded (Guanabara
Bay) and conserved (Ilha Grande Bay) coastal bays in the Southeastern
Brazil. Among the studied compounds, PCBs were predominant in the
contamination profile with median concentration of 97.0 μg.g-1 lipid weight
(lw), followed by the sum of the p,p’ isomers of DDT, DDD, and DDE of 11.0
μg.g-1 lw, the brominated flame retardants PBDEs of 1.6 μg.g-1 lw, and the
other organochlorine pesticides mirex of 0.78 μg.g-1 lw, and HCB of 0.049
μg.g-1 lw. The MeO-BDEs were detected with a median concentration of 22.8
μg.g-1 lw. 85 % of the Atlantic spotted dolphins analyzed in this study
presented PCB concentration that exceeded even the less conservative
threshold limits for adverse health effects (41 μg.g-1 lw). This study
shows that despite the conservation status of preserved bays, cetacean
species foraging in these locations are still under increased threat. Hence
chemical pollution demands local and global efforts to be mitigated.

Link for the paper is here:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171912


I'm happy to answer any questions!



Kind regards,


*MSc. Nara de Oliveira Ferreira*
_
*Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores (MAQUA -UERJ)*
Mestre em Ecologia e Evolução - Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
Doutoranda em Biofísica - Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
Contato: + 55 21 98585.9916
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[MARMAM] New publication: Collecting baleen whale blow samples by drone for conservation genetics

[Éadin O'mahony]

Dear colleagues,

On behalf of my co-authors, I am thrilled to share our new open access 
publication in Molecular Ecology Resources titled “Collecting baleen whale blow 
samples by drone: A minimally intrusive tool for conservation genetics.”

O’Mahony, É. N., Sremba, A. L., Keen, E. M., Robinson, N., Dundas, A., Steel, 
D., Wray, J., Baker, C. S., & Gaggiotti, O. E. (2024). Collecting baleen whale 
blow samples by drone: A minimally intrusive tool for conservation genetics. 
Molecular Ecology Resources, 00, e13957. https://doi.org/10./1755-0998.13957

Abstract:

In coastal British Columbia, Canada, marine megafauna such as humpback whales 
(Megaptera novaeangliae) and fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus velifera) have 
been subject to a history of exploitation and near extirpation. While their 
populations have been in recovery, significant threats are posed to these 
vulnerable species by proposed natural resource ventures in this region, in 
addition to the compounding effects of anthropogenic climate change. Genetic 
tools play a vital role in informing conservation efforts, but the associated 
collection of tissue biopsy samples can be challenging for the investigators 
and disruptive to the ongoing behaviour of the targeted whales. Here, we 
evaluate a minimally intrusive approach based on collecting exhaled breath 
condensate, or respiratory ‘blow’ samples, from baleen whales using an 
unoccupied aerial system (UAS), within Gitga'at First Nation territory for 
conservation genetics. Minimal behavioural responses to the sampling technique 
were observed, with no response detected 87% of the time (of 112 UAS 
deployments). DNA from whale blow (n = 88 samples) was extracted, and DNA 
profiles consisting of 10 nuclear microsatellite loci, sex identification and 
mitochondrial (mt) DNA haplotypes were constructed. An average of 7.5 
microsatellite loci per individual were successfully genotyped. The success 
rates for mtDNA and sex assignment were 80% and 89% respectively. Thus, this 
minimally intrusive sampling method can be used to describe genetic diversity 
and generate genetic profiles for individual identification. The results of 
this research demonstrate the potential of UAS-collected whale blow for 
conservation genetics from a remote location.

Please feel free to reach out with any questions: 
en...@st-andrews.ac.uk

Cheers,

Éadin O’Mahony, MSc(Res)

PhD Candidate Marine Mammal Genetics & Conservation

Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, Scotland;
Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Denmark;
North Coast Cetacean Society, British Columbia, Canada.



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[MARMAM] New publication: Accurate species classification of Arctic toothed whale echolocation clicks using one-third octave ratios

[Marie Zahn]

Dear colleagues,

On behalf of my coauthors, I am pleased to announce our new publication:

Marie J. Zahn, Michael Ladegaard, Malene Simon, Kathleen M. Stafford, Taiki
Sakai, Kristin L. Laidre. (2024). Accurate species classification of Arctic
toothed whale echolocation clicks using one-third octave ratios. *J.
Acoust. Soc. Am. *155 (4): 2359–2370. https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0025460.

In short, we advance methods to classify beluga and narwhal clicks using a
new acoustic parameter based on one-third octave levels. The article can be
found HERE .

Our publication was also featured in a Scilight article "Caller ID for
toothed whales" which is freely available online HERE
 (DOI: 10.1063/10.0025640).

ABSTRACT:
Passive acoustic monitoring has been an effective tool to study cetaceans
in remote regions of the Arctic. Here, we advance methods to acoustically
identify the only two Arctic toothed whales, the beluga (*Delphinapterus
leucas*) and narwhal (*Monodon monoceros*), using echolocation clicks.
Long-term acoustic recordings collected from moorings in Northwest
Greenland were analyzed. Beluga and narwhal echolocation signals were
distinguishable using spectrograms where beluga clicks had most energy >30
kHz and narwhal clicks had a sharp lower frequency limit near 20 kHz.
Changes in one-third octave levels (TOL) between two pairs of one-third
octave bands were compared from over one million click spectra. Narwhal
clicks had a steep increase between the 16 and 25 kHz TOL bands that was
absent in beluga click spectra. Conversely, beluga clicks had a steep
increase between the 25 and 40 kHz TOL bands that was absent in narwhal
click spectra. Random Forest classification models built using the 16 to 25
kHz and 25 to 40 kHz TOL ratios accurately predicted the species identity
of 100% of acoustic events. Our findings support the use of echolocation
TOL ratios in future automated click classifiers for acoustic monitoring of
Arctic toothed whales and potentially for other odontocete species.

Feel free to email me with any questions or if you'd like a PDF copy.

Best,

Marie Zahn

-- 

*Marie Zahn, PhD | *she/her

Postdoctoral Scholar

Applied Physics Lab, Polar Science Center, University of Washington

NASA Jet Propulsion Lab/Caltech


*UW *| mz...@uw.edu

*JPL *| marie.j.z...@jpl.nasa.gov

*w *| mariezahn.com
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[MARMAM] New Publication: Harbour porpoises respond to chronic acoustic deterrent device noise from aquaculture

[Charlotte Findlay]

Dear MARMAM community,



My co-authors and I are pleased to share our recent Open Access publication in 
Biological Conservation:



Findlay, C.R., Coomber, F.G., Dudley, R., Bland, L., Calderan, S.V., 
Hartny-Mills, L., Leaper, R., Tougaard, J., Merchant, N.D., Risch, D., & 
Wilson, B. (2024). Harbour porpoises respond to chronic acoustic deterrent 
device noise from aquaculture. Biological Conservation. 
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320724001319



Abstract:

Acoustic deterrent devices (ADDs) are used globally by the aquaculture industry 
to attempt to reduce pinniped depredation. However, noise from ADDs sited in 
areas used by cetaceans may lead to changes in cetacean behaviour and 
displacement from habitats impacting conservation status. Here, we investigate 
whether ADD noise from aquaculture within a habitat reduces acoustic detections 
of harbour porpoises, indicating either displacement or changes in echolocation 
activity. Nine years (2011–2019) of boat-based acoustic line-transect data for 
harbour porpoises were collected across the west coast of Scotland together 
with ADD presence and perceived loudness recorded by volunteers at regular 
listening stations along each transect. The most intense ADD noise coincided 
with significantly fewer harbour porpoise detections than in areas with no ADD 
noise. This corresponded with an estimated displacement of 34 % of the total 
undisturbed population, assuming that there was no change in echolocation 
behaviour. Furthermore, significant responses occurred at estimated received 
sound levels from ADDs >108 dB re 1 μPa RMS (frequency weighted for harbour 
porpoises). These findings suggest porpoises are either displaced from habitats 
degraded by intense ADD noise and/or echolocate less. In Scotland, ADD use in 
aquaculture has required a license since 2021. Limiting licensing, and 
monitoring ADD use by aquaculture should be considered by conservation managers 
globally, particularly in areas used by acoustically sensitive protected 
species. Non-acoustic (and non-lethal) measures to mitigate pinniped 
depredation on aquaculture sites are available and should be encouraged.



The full article is available open access at: 
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320724001319



Please feel free to contact us with any questions or to discuss further.



Best regards,



Charlotte R. Findlay

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Department of Biology, Section for Zoophysiology, Aarhus University

charlotte.find...@bio.au.dk

@chazz_findlay
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[MARMAM] New publication: Bryde's whale swimming and acoustic behavior in Hawaiian waters

[Regina Guazzo]

Dear Colleagues,

My co-authors and I are happy to announce the following open-access
publication:

Helble, T.A., Alongi, G. C., Guazzo, R. A., Allhusen, D. R., Martin, C. R.,
Martin, S. W., Durbach, I.N., & Henderson, E. E. (2024). Swimming and
acoustic calling behavior attributed to Bryde’s whales in the central North
Pacific. Frontiers in Marine Science, 11, 1305505. doi:
10.3389/fmars.2024.1305505

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1305505

Abstract:
A unique acoustic call type was identified and attributed to Bryde’s whales
in the central North Pacific in 2015, but little is known about the
distribution, calling behavior, or swimming behavior of Bryde’s whales in
the region. Acoustic detections attributed to Bryde’s whales were used to
localize and track individual whales on the U.S. Pacific Missile Range
Facility (PMRF) in Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i. This study included 150 acoustically
derived tracks from recordings spanning the years 2011–2022 with recording
effort in nearly every month. Bryde’s whale movement was examined relative
to calendar year, day of year, hour of day, wind speed, and acoustic
calling rate. Hidden Markov models were used to identify two kinematic
states (slower, less directional movement and faster, more directional
movement). The findings indicate that Bryde’s whales were more likely to
travel in a faster and more directional state during the daytime than at
night and between May and August when compared to other times of year. The
along-track acoustic cue rate was examined for 118 tracks, and the findings
indicate a possible lengthening of the median inter-call interval over the
duration of the study period. These results are an important first step in
understanding more about behavior in Bryde’s whales, a relatively
under-studied species.

Please email Tyler Helble (tyler.a.helble@us.navy.mil) if you have any
questions about this work.

All my best,

Regina

--
Regina A. Guazzo, PhD (she/her)
Oceanographer and University Engagement Lead
Whale Acoustic Reconnaissance Project (WARP)
Environmental Readiness Branch, Code 56720
Naval Information Warfare Center, Pacific
Work Cell: 757-472-0957
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[MARMAM] New publication on evaluating tourism impacts to Florida manatees

[Eric Angel Ramos]

Greetings MARMAM,


I am pleased to share our newest publication on evaluating tourism exposure
to manatees in Florida titled: “Evaluating wildlife tourism exposure to
Florida manatees using citizen science, public interviews, and trail
cameras” in the journal *Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater
Ecosystems*.


https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.4140


*Abstract*

   1. Wildlife tourism often focuses on marine mammals, and the growing
   frequency of human interactions raises concerns about the sustainability of
   these activities and their impact on aquatic species. Tourists have the
   opportunity to view the Florida manatee (*Trichechus manatus latirostris*)
   in various locations; however, the level of tourist activity in some areas
   and their effects on manatees are unknown. Preliminary studies are
   essential to assess whether these areas warrant additional regulatory and
   mitigation strategies based on tourism impact.
   2. Here, we investigated tourism activity on a site often visited by
   small aggregations of Florida manatees. From 2022 to 2023, interviews,
   citizen science, and trail cameras were used to assess watercraft activity,
   tourist knowledge, and the educational practices offered by watercraft
   rental businesses at Portosueno Park, Florida, USA.
   3. Both trail cameras and citizen science revealed that boats were the
   most common visitors to the park, averaging 23 watercraft visits per week.
   Interviews indicated that the majority of the public did not observe the
   posted signs addressing manatee harassment and were unaware of the
   prohibition against chasing manatees, the most frequently observed form of
   harassment at the park.
   4. The methods used complemented each other to elucidate tourism
   activity and has the potential to inform outreach efforts and mitigation
   strategies.

Please email the first author (Beth Brady biobbr...@gmail.com) to request
the publication.


Thanks!


Best regards,

*Eric Angel Ramos, Ph.D.*
Scientist at FINS (Fundación Internacional para la Naturaleza y la
Sustentabilidad)

Member of the IUCN SSC Sirenian Specialist Group for Mesoamerica

www.finsconservation.org 
E-mail: eric.angel.ra...@gmail.com
Facebook  | Twitter
 | Instagram

ResearchGate  | ORCiD
 | LinkedIn

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[MARMAM] New publication: A risk-based forecast of extreme mortality events in small cetaceans

[Matthieu Authier]

Dear MARMAM colleagues,

On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to share our new open-acces 
publication in the journal Ecological Indicators, 160, March 2024, 111820:


Authier, M. / Bouchard, C. 
 / Dars, C. / Spitz, S.


A risk-based forecast of extreme mortality events in small cetaceans: 
Assessing trends and changes over time 



In this short note, we used Extreme Value Theory to model and forecast 
the monthly maxima of small cetacean stranding along the seabord of 
mainland France. Forecasts are computed from the 2009-2014 period for 6 
years-ahead and compared to observed data over the period 2015-2020 to 
infer on change in the intensity of pressures behind at-sea mortality 
events. The short-note discusses this work and how to use the forecasts 
as an indicator for informing the Marine Strategy Framework Directive 
and the good environmental status of small cetaceans.


If you have any questions about our work, please reach out.

Cheers,

Matthieu Authier

--
Matthieu Authier - Ingénieur de Recherche
La Rochelle Université
Observatoire Pelagis UAR 3462 CNRS-LRUniv
5 allée de l'océan 17 000 La Rochelle
telephone: +00 33 (0)7 77 22 32 67 (remote-working/télé-travail)
https://www.observatoire-pelagis.cnrs.fr/pelagis-2/lequipe/matthieu-authier/
Try again. Fail again. Fail better. (Samuel Beckett)
Verzögerungen im Betriebsablauf (Deutsche Bahn)
 黎
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[MARMAM] New publication reviewing gray whale post mortem findings during the eastern Pacific Unusual Mortality Event

[Raverty, Stephen AF:EX]

Hello
We are pleased to share a review of gray whale post mortem findings during the 
recent unusual mortality event in the eastern Pacific, entitled  "Gray whale 
(Eschrichtius robustus) post-mortem findings from December 2018 through 2021 
during the Unusual Mortality Event in the Eastern North Pacific"

Stephen Raverty, Pádraig Duignan, Denise Greig, Jessica L. Huggins, Kathy Burek 
Huntington, Michael Garner, John Calambokidis, Paul Cottrell, Kerri Danil, 
Dalin D'Alessandro, Deborah Duffield, Moe Flannery, Frances MD Gulland, Barbie 
Halaska, Dyanna M. Lambourn, Taylor Lehnhart, Jorge Urbán R., Teri Rowles, 
James Rice, Kate Savage, Kristin Wilkinson, Justin Greenman, Justin Viezbicke, 
Brendan Cottrell, P. Dawn Goley, Maggie Martinez, and Deborah Fauquier.

Beginning in December 2018, increased numbers of gray whale (Eschrichtius 
robustus) strandings were reported along the west coast of Mexico, the United 
States, and Canada, prompting declaration of a gray whale Unusual Mortality 
Event (UME) by the United States National Marine Fisheries Service. Although 
strandings declined in 2020 and 2021 from a peak in 2019, the UME is still 
ongoing as of fall 2023. Between 17 December 2018 and 31 December 2021, 503 
animals stranded along the west coast of North America, with 226 strandings in 
Mexico, 71 in California, 12 in Oregon, 56 in Washington, 21 in British 
Columbia, and 117 in Alaska. These included 187 males, 167 females, and 149 
whales of undetermined sex; and 193 adults, 194 subadults, 40 calves, 1 fetus, 
and 75 whales of undetermined age class. We report on 61 of the 503 carcasses 
(12%) that had external and internal gross necropsy and/or histopathology data: 
of these 61 whales, findings that contributed to death were identified in 33 
(54%) whales. Sixteen of the 61 (26%) were severely emaciated. Gross lesions of 
blunt force trauma consistent with vessel strike were identified in 11 of the 
61 animals (18%), only two of which were emaciated. Two whales (3%) were 
entangled at time of death, and one died from entrapment. Signs of killer whale 
(Orcinus orca) interaction were documented in 19 of the 61 animals; five were 
deemed from recent interactions and three (5%) likely contributed to mortality. 
A specific cause of death could not be identified in 28 of 61 whales (46%). 
Additionally, logistical challenges and the advanced state of decomposition of 
most examined carcasses precluded detection of potential infectious or toxic 
causes of morbidity or mortality. Up to 2016, the eastern North Pacific 
population of gray whale population had generally been increasing since the 
cessation of historic whaling and a prior UME in 1999-2000. However, recent 
abundance and calf production estimates have declined, a trend that overlaps 
the current UME. The relative contributions of carrying capacity, environmental 
change, prey shifts, and infectious, toxic, and other processes to the 
increased gray whale mortalities have not yet been resolved. Nevertheless, the 
marked temporal increase in strandings, including findings of malnutrition in 
some of the whales, along with low calf production, likely represent 
consequences of complex and dynamic ecological interactions in the ocean 
impacting the population.

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0295861

Thank you

Stephen Raverty
Veterinary Pathologist
Animal Health Center
1767 Angus Campbell Road
Abbotsford, BC
Canada
V3G2M3
stephen.rave...@gov.bc.ca
Phone 778-666-0516

[cid:image001.png@01DA8104.D5CD6130]

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[MARMAM] New publication reviewing gray whale biology and threats

[Jonathan Scordino]

Dear MARMAM community,

On behalf of my co-authors, I would like to share our recent publication in
the Journal of Cetacean Research and Management with you. The manuscript
reviews the biology and threats to gray whales since the last
Implementation Review by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) that
occurred in 2020.

For those not familiar with the workings of the IWC, the IWC conducts
Implementation Reviews roughly every six years for all whale populations
that are hunted to ensure that the management plans result in sustainable
harvest. The Scientific Committee of the IWC can call for a 'Special
Implementation Review' if there is concern that the biology of the whale
population or the threats to that population are outside of the parameters
that were tested in the previous Implementation Review. The objective of
our paper was to thoroughly review the biology and threats to gray whales,
including the recent unusual mortality event for gray whales that started
in 2019. The paper is published open-access and is available at Update on
the status of gray whales since the 2020 Implementation Review | J.
Cetacean Res. Manage. (iwc.int)
.

Scordino JJ, Bickham JW, Brandon JR, Brownell Jr RL, Burdin A,
Doniol-Valcroze T, Eguchi T, Givens GH, Lang AR, Litovka DI, Nakamura G,
Punt AE, Stewart JD, Urbán R. J, Weller DW. 2024. Update on the status of
gray whales since the 2020 Implementation Review. Journal of Cetacean
Research and Management:1–18. https://doi.org/10.47536/jcrm.v25i1.942

-- 
Respectfully,

Jonathan Scordino
Marine Mammal Biologist
Makah Fisheries Management
(360) 645-3176
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[MARMAM] New publication: Evaluating the performance of semiautomated photographic identification programs for leopard seals.

[Alex Grabham]

Dear MARMAM colleagues,



On behalf of my co-authors, I’m happy to announce our recent publication:

Grabham, A. A., K. van der Linde, and X. J. Nelson. 2024. Evaluating the 
performance of semiautomated photographic identification programs for leopard 
seals. Wildlife Society Bulletin e1520. https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.1520



Abstract:

The photographic identification (photo-ID) of individual animals can be 
time-consuming and erroneous. Recent efforts to collect photographs of leopard 
seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) from across their range have necessitated the 
technological streamlining of photo-ID. We constructed a dataset containing 595 
photographs of the head and body of individuals recorded in New Zealand between 
2008 and 2022 to test the performance of semiautomated 3 photo-ID programs: 
HotSpotter, Interactive Individual Identification System's Pattern+ (I3S), and 
Wild-ID. We classified attributes of photographs (e.g., quality) and 
individuals (i.e., pelage patterns) to assess their effect on performance. We 
compared performance using Top20 and Top1 Accuracy, defined as the proportion 
of test photographs where the highest ranked correct identity was in the top 20 
and top 1, respectively, matched reference photographs. HotSpotter outperformed 
I3S and Wild-ID in both Top20 and Top1 Accuracy of most assessed attributes. 
Maximizing HotSpotter's performance may be achieved through several methods, 
including increasing the number and variety of photographs of individuals in 
the dataset. HotSpotter will likely perform better with photographs without 
obstructions (e.g., debris from beaches), such as on the pack ice of their 
primary Antarctic range. We highlight the viability of HotSpotter in assisting 
the photo-ID of leopard seals, and more broadly, other species with similar 
markings.



The paper is open access, available here:

https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wsb.1520



All the best,

Alex
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[MARMAM] New publication: the impact of rerouting a major shipping lane through important harbour porpoise habitat

[Kylie Owen]

Dear MARMAM community,

On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to share with you our recent 
publication published in Marine Pollution Bulletin.

Kylie Owen, Julia Carlström, Pia Eriksson, Mathias Andersson, Robin Nordström, 
Emilia Lalander, Signe Sveegaard, Line A. Kyhn, Emily T. Griffiths, Mel 
Cosentino, Jakob Tougaard (2024) Rerouting of a major shipping lane through 
important harbour porpoise habitat caused no detectable change in annual 
occurrence or foraging patterns. Marine Pollution Bulletin. 202: 116294. 
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116294.

Abstract
Shipping is one of the largest industries globally, with well-known negative 
impacts on the marine environment. Despite the known negative short-term 
(minutes to hours) impact of shipping on individual animal behavioural 
responses, very little is understood about the long-term (months to years) 
impact on marine species presence and area use. This study took advantage of a 
planned rerouting of a major shipping lane leading into the Baltic Sea, to 
investigate the impact on the presence and foraging behaviour of a marine 
species known to be sensitive to underwater noise, the harbour porpoise 
(Phocoena phocoena). Passive acoustic monitoring data were collected from 15 
stations over two years. Against predictions, no clear change occurred in 
monthly presence or foraging behaviour of the porpoises, despite the observed 
changes in noise and vessel traffic. However, long-term heightened noise levels 
may still impact communication, echolocation, or stress levels of individuals, 
and needs further investigation.

The publication is open access, but please feel free to get in touch if you 
have any questions.

Kind Regards


Dr Kylie Owen

Intendent
Populationanalys och -övervakning
Naturhistoriska riksmuseet
Box 50007 | 104 05 Stockholm

+46 (0) 761 701 594

[Logotyp för Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet]
[Naturhistoriska riksmuseet, Forskar, Bevarar och Förklarar, NRM.SE]

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[MARMAM] New publication: Vulnerability to fluctuations in prey and predation landscape in a central place foraging marine predator

[Cassie Speakman]

Dear MARMAM,

My coauthors and I are excited to share our latest paper in Frontiers in
Marine Science:

Speakman CN, McHuron EA, Arnould JPY (2024) Vulnerability to fluctuations
in prey and predation landscape in a central place foraging marine
predator.

Abstract
Introduction: Human-induced environmental change is driving a global
redistribution of biodiversity, resulting in shifting prey and predation
landscapes. These shifting landscapes can lead to changes in behavior,
health, and vital rates, with potential implications for population
dynamics.
Methods: In the present study, a state-dependent life-history theory model
was developed to investigate the individual- and population-level responses
of Australian fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) to changes in
prey availability and at-sea mortality risk.
Results: Rates of pregnancy, pup nursing, and abortion were unaffected by
prey availability in the simulated population. Likewise, on-land and at-sea
durations were largely unaffected by prey availability, with more
pronounced affects for non reproductive and pregnant females than for
lactating females. There was a strong influence of prey availability on the
proportion of females that were concurrently pregnant and lactating,
largely due to an increase in pup abandonments under low prey availability
scenarios. This effect on pup abandonments also had flow on effects for pup
recruitment. Increasing at-sea mortality risk resulted in greater offspring
losses due to maternal death. The combined impact of prey availability and
at-sea mortality risk on the number of simulated female offspring reaching
sexual maturity was substantial.
Discussion: Consequently, our results suggest high vulnerability of the
Australian fur seal population to shifting prey and predation landscapes.
These results indicate a need for continued monitoring of Australian fur
seal pup production and population dynamics in the face of rapid
environmental change.

The open access paper can be found here:
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1367655

Kind regards,
Cassie Speakman
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[MARMAM] New publication about pinniped cardiovascular physiology

[Rhea Storlund]

Dear MARMAM community,

I am happy to announce our new publication in JEZ-A: Ecological and Integrative 
Physiology titled “Ultrasound images of the ascending aorta of anesthetized 
northern fur seals and Steller sea lions confirm that the aortic bulb maintains 
continuous blood flow”.

Abstract

The increased size and enhanced compliance of the aortic bulb—the enlargement 
of the ascending aorta—are believed to maintain blood flow in pinnipeds during 
extended periods of diastole induced by diving bradycardia. The aortic bulb has 
been described ex vivo in several species of pinnipeds, but in vivo 
measurements are needed to investigate the relationship between structure and 
function. We obtained ultrasound images using electrocardiogram-gated 
transesophageal echocardiography during anesthesia and after atropine 
administration to assess the relationship between aortic bulb anatomy and 
cardiac function (heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output) in northern fur 
seals (Callorhinus ursinus) and Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus). We 
observed that the aortic bulb in northern fur seals and Steller sea lions 
expands during systole and recoils over the entire diastolic period indicating 
that blood flow is maintained throughout the entire cardiac cycle as expected. 
The stroke volumes we measured in the fur seals and sea lions fit the values 
predicted based on body size in mammals and did not change with increased heart 
rates, suggesting that greater stroke volumes are not needed for aortic bulb 
function. Overall, our results suggest that peripheral vasoconstriction during 
diving is sufficient to modulate the volume of blood in the aortic bulb to 
ensure that flow lasts over the entire diastolic period. These results indicate 
that the shift of blood into the aortic bulb of pinnipeds is a fundamental 
mechanism caused by vasoconstriction while diving, highlighting the importance 
of this unique anatomical adaptation.

The paper is available open access here: 
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jez.2799 
 

Citation

Storlund RL, Rosen DAS, Haulena M, Sanatani S, Vander Zaag J, Trites AW. 2024. 
Ultrasound images of the ascending aorta of anesthetized northern fur seals and 
Steller sea lions confirm that the aortic bulb maintains continuous blood flow. 
J Exp Zool Pt A:1–12.

All the best,
Rhea

Rhea Storlund, MSc
PhD Candidate (Zoology)
Marine Mammal Research Unit
Traditional xʷməθkʷəy̓əm Territory
The University of British Columbia
r.storl...@oceans.ubc.ca  

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[MARMAM] New publication on humpback whale entanglements in aquaculture farms in BC

[Rhea Storlund]

Dear MARMAM community,

We are pleased to share our recent publication in PLoS ONE titled “Aquaculture 
related humpback whale entanglements in coastal waters of British Columbia from 
2008–2021”.

Abstract

Over the past two decades, increasing numbers of humpback whales have been 
returning to feed in the inshore waters of British Columbia (BC) where marine 
aquaculture farms are situated. This has led to growing concerns that the 
presence of aquaculture farms may pose an entanglement threat to humpback 
whales. However, it is not known whether aquaculture facilities attract 
humpback whales, or whether there are factors that increase the likelihood of 
humpback whale, becoming entangled and dying. We examined eight reports of 
humpback whales interacting with Atlantic salmon farms in BC from 2008 to 2021 
to evaluate the conditions that may have contributed to their entanglements. Of 
the eight entangled humpbacks, three individuals died and five were 
successfully disentangled and released. All were young animals (1 calf, 7 
subadults). Multiple factors were associated with two or more of the reported 
incidents. These included facility design, environmental features, seasonality, 
humpback whale age, and feeding behaviour. We found that humpback whales were 
most commonly entrapped in the predator nets of the aquaculture facilities (6/8 
incidents), and were less often entangled in anchor support lines (2/8). The 
presence of salmon smolts did not appear to be an attractant for humpback 
whales given that half of the reported entanglements (4/8) occurred at fallowed 
salmon farms. Almost all of the entanglements (7/8) occurred in late winter 
(prior to the seasonal return of humpbacks) and during late fall (after most 
humpbacks have migrated south). Overall, the number of humpback whales impacted 
by fish farms was small compared to the numbers that return to BC (> 7,000) and 
accounted for <6% of all types of reported entanglements in BC. Human 
intervention was required to release humpback whales at fish farms, which 
points to the need to have well-established protocols to minimize entanglements 
and maximize successful releases.

It is available open-access here: 
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0297768 
 

Citation

Storlund RL, Cottrell PE, Cottrell B, Roth M, Lehnhart T, Snyman H, et al. 
(2024) Aquaculture related humpback whale entanglements in coastal waters of 
British Columbia from 2008–2021. PLoS ONE 19(3): e0297768. 
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0297768 


All the best,
Rhea

Rhea Storlund, MSc
PhD Candidate (Zoology)
Marine Mammal Research Unit
Traditional xʷməθkʷəy̓əm Territory
The University of British Columbia
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[MARMAM] New publication: Comparison of common bottlenose dolphin whistles in tropical waters (RIO et al., 2024)

[Raul Rio Ribeiro]

Dear MarMam community,
On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to share our latest article published 
in Marine Mammal Science: Comparison of common bottlenose dolphin whistles in 
tropical waters (Raul Rio, Daniel Romero-Mujalli, Sergio Cobarrubia-Russo, 
Hiram Rosales Nanduca, Flávio Medeiros Vieites, Thales Renato Ochotorena de 
Freitas, Lilian Sander Hoffmann)
The paper can be found here: https://doi.org/10./mms.13122

If you're interested in reading the full article, please email me for a copy of 
the pdf: oceansoundsecr...@gmail.com (Raul Rio)

The present study about geographic variation in tropical common bottlenose 
dolphin whistles showed variation between oceanic (Revillagigedo Archipelago, 
Pacific Ocean, Mexico; Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago, mid-equatorial 
North Atlantic Ocean, Brazil) and coastal populations (the western Coast of 
Aragua, South Caribbean, Venezuela). Environmental acoustic adaptations, 
variances in vessel traffic among locations, and other possible causes 
associated with the geographic differences are discussed. The current study is 
the first step towards providing an overview of geographic whistle variation 
among the herein assessed locations. Future studies should focus on a 
fine-grained comparison of variations between whistle types, measure ambient 
noise levels in each location, and incorporate acoustic propagation modeling.
Happy reading!




Raul RioUniversidade Federal de Juiz de Fora - UFJF
ONG Som de Oceano (Ocean Sound NGO)

http://www.somdeoceano.com.br

http://www.oceansound.org




Linktree: https://linktr.ee/somdeoceano

Instagram:   https://www.instagram.com/somdeoceano/

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@somdeoceano

 

Em quarta-feira, 8 de novembro de 2023 às 07:39:57 BRT, Raul Rio Ribeiro 
 escreveu:  
 
 Dear MARMAM readers,

 
We are pleased to announce the publication of our new study entitled "First 
identification of stereotyped whistle contour types by Pseudorca crassidens" in 
Marine Mammal Science (Rio & Hiram, 2023). 
It may be accessed via the link: https://doi.org/10./mms.13087
Best regards, 

Raul RioUniversidade Federal de Juiz de Fora - UFJFONG Som de Oceano (Ocean 
Sound NGO)http://www.oceansound.org
Site: https://www.oceansound.org/
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/oceansound.org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oceansoundorg/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@oceansound

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[MARMAM] New publication on cognitive welfare for marine mammals

[Kelly Jaakkola]

Dear colleagues, I’m happy to announce our new publication:

Jaakkola, K. (2024). Minding the minds: A primer on cognitive challenge 
for marine mammals in human care. Animals, 14, 949. 
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14060949


Abstract:

The past several decades have witnessed significant improvement in the 
physical welfare of marine mammals in zoos and aquariums. Over that same 
time period, research has revealed complex cognitive abilities in at 
least some of these species, yet there has been comparatively little 
attention paid to addressing their cognitive welfare per se. Studies 
primarily conducted with terrestrial animals have suggested that 
providing appropriate cognitive challenges in managed care settings can 
improve animal well-being. As a step toward facilitating this practice 
with marine mammals, this paper discusses factors relevant for creating 
appropriate cognitive challenges, outlines the three major categories of 
cognitive challenge that have been utilized with marine mammals, along 
with the logistical pros and cons of each, and calls on organizations 
that care for marine mammals to cultivate a bias for action with respect 
to providing cognitive care.


The paper is open access, available here: 
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/6/949


All the best,
Kelly

Kelly Jaakkola, PhD
Director of Research
Dolphin Research Center


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[MARMAM] New Publication: Foraging Behaviour and Ecology of Transient Killer Whales Within a Deep Submarine Canyon System

[McInnes, Joshua]

Dear colleagues,


My co-authors and I are please to announce the publication of our new paper 
titled: Foraging Behaviour and Ecology of Transient Killer Whales Within a Deep 
Submarine Canyon System.


McInnes, J.D., Lester, K.L., Dill, L.M., Mathieson, C.R., West-Stap, P.J., 
Marcos, S.L., and Trites, A.W. (2024). Foraging Behaviour and Ecology of 
Transient Killer Whales Within a Deep Submarine Canyon System. PLoS ONE 19(3): 
e0299291. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0299291.


https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0299291


Summary:

Transient killer whales have been documented hunting marine mammals across a 
variety of
habitats. However, relatively little has been reported about their predatory 
behaviours near
deep submarine canyons and oceanic environments. We used a long-term database of
sightings and encounters with these predators in and around the Monterey 
Submarine Canyon,
California to describe foraging behaviour, diet, seasonal occurrence, and 
habitat use
patterns. Transient killer whales belonging to the outer coast subpopulation 
were observed
within the study area 261 times from 2006–2021. Occurrences, behaviours, and 
group sizes
all varied seasonally, with more encounters occurring in the spring as grey 
whales migrated
northward from their breeding and calving lagoons in Mexico (March-May). Groups 
of killer
whales foraged exclusively in open water, with individuals within the groups 
following the
contours of the submarine canyon as they searched for prey. Focal follows 
revealed that
killer whales spent 51% of their time searching for prey (26% of their time 
along the shelfbreak
and upper slope of the canyon, and 25% in open water). The remainder of their 
time
was spent pursuing prey (10%), feeding (23%), travelling (9%), socializing 
(6%), and resting
(1%). Prey species during 87 observed predation events included California sea 
lions, grey
whale calves, northern elephant seals, minke whales, common dolphins, Pacific 
white-sided
dolphins, Dall’s porpoise, harbour porpoise, harbour seals, and sea birds. The 
calculated kill
rates (based on 270 hours of observing 50 predation events) were 0.26 
California sea lions
per killer whale over 24 hours, 0.11 grey whale calves, and 0.15 for all 
remaining prey species
combined. These behavioural observations provide insights into predator-prey 
interactions
among apex predators over submarine canyons and deep pelagic environments.

Please feel free to email me with any questions: j.mcin...@oceans.ubc.ca

Sincerely,


Josh D. McInnes, MSc Candidate

Marine Mammal Research Unit
Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries

Aquatic Ecosystem Research Laboratory

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, BC Canada V6T 1Z4


Research Associate | Pacific Wildlife Foundation

Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada, V3H 1V6

Centre for Wildlife Ecology

Department of Biological Sciences

 University Drive

Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC



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[MARMAM] New publication!! Peale's dolphins (Lagenorhynchus australis) are acoustic mergers between dolphins and porpoises

[Morgan J. Martin]

Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of my co-authors, I am excited to share our new publication in
the Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology:

*Morgan J. Martin, Sara Torres Ortiz, Magnus Wahlberg, and Caroline R.
Weir. (2024). Peale's dolphins (Lagenorhynchus australis) are acoustic
mergers between dolphins and porpoises. Journal of Experimental Marine
Biology and Ecology, 572 (2024): 151977.*

The published paper is open access and freely downloadable to anyone with
this link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2023.151977

*Highlights:*

• Peale's dolphins produce whistles & broadband clicks in addition to NBHF
clicks.

• Whistle & broadband signal co-occurrence indicates a likely communication
function.

• Whistles were similar for Peale's dolphins & four additional*
Lagenorhynchus* species.

• Demonstrates a lack of convergent whistle loss in this NBHF species at
this time.

*Abstract:*
Most dolphin species produce broadband clicks for echolocation (i.e.,
biosonar pulses), and whistles and burst-pulsed calls for communication
purposes. A few dolphin species in the southern hemisphere are reported to
only produce clicks of a more narrowband high-frequency (NBHF) type, very
similar to the clicks produced by porpoises. Here, we use underwater
acoustic recordings of Peale's dolphins (*Lagenorhynchus australis*) in the
Falkland Islands to show that they also can produce broadband clicks and
tonal whistle sounds similar to other whistling odontocete species in
addition to NBHF clicks. Whistles and broadband clicks co-occurred in seven
out of twelve acoustic encounters with Peale's dolphins. The co-occurrence
of whistles and broadband signals, which were predominately burst-pulses,
produced by Peale's dolphins in this study points to a probable function as
communication signals. Furthermore, the measured frequency and time
parameters of Peale's dolphin whistles were comparable with whistles
recorded from four additional species in the *Lagenorhynchus* genus in
various parts of their ranges. This is the only species of *Lagenorhynchus*
recorded to date that can relax acoustic crypsis in a similar manner as
Heaviside's (*Cephalorhynchus heavisidii*), Commerson's (*C. commersonii*),
and Hector's (*C. hectori*) dolphins. Our findings make it likely that
additional NBHF species have the ability to generate both pulsed signal
types and whistles, and further challenges the acoustic classification of
NBHF species.

For the audiophiles, we've included two supplementary .wav files which are
~ 30 seconds in duration and contain examples of Peale's dolphin NBHF
clicks, broadband clicks, and whistles recorded during a socializing
encounter from this study. They are downloadable files located at the very
end of the discussion section in the web version of the paper.

Please feel free to email me for a PDF copy at mjmar...@sandiego.edu.

Cheers,
Morgan J. Martin, PhD
*Marine Bioacoustician*
*Center for Marine Acoustics*
*Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (USA)*
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[MARMAM] New publication: "A chromosome-level genome assembly for the dugong (Dugong dugon)"

[Nevé Baker]

Dear MARMAM community,

On behalf of my co-authors we are pleased to share our recent genome
resources article published in the Journal of Heredity: "A chromosome-level
genome assembly for the dugong (Dugong dugon)"
https://academic.oup.com/jhered/article/115/2/212/7584762?utm_source=authortollfreelink_campaign=jhered_medium=email=df74909c-1d2c-4d02-a4c6-4ce81814be7c

Abstract: The dugong (*Dugong dugon*) is a marine mammal widely distributed
throughout the Indo-Pacific and the Red Sea, with a Vulnerable conservation
status, and little is known about many of the more peripheral populations,
some of which are thought to be close to extinction. We present a de novo
high-quality genome assembly for the dugong from an individual belonging to
the well-monitored Moreton Bay population in Queensland, Australia. Our
assembly uses long-read PacBio HiFi sequencing and Omni-C data following
the Vertebrate Genome Project pipeline to reach chromosome-level contiguity
(24 chromosome-level scaffolds; 3.16 Gbp) and high completeness (97.9%
complete BUSCOs). We observed relatively high genome-wide heterozygosity,
which likely reflects historical population abundance before the last
interglacial period, approximately 125,000 yr ago. Demographic inference
suggests that dugong populations began declining as sea levels fell after
the last interglacial period, likely a result of population fragmentation
and habitat loss due to the exposure of seagrass meadows. We find no
evidence for ongoing recent inbreeding in this individual. However, runs of
homozygosity indicate some past inbreeding. Our draft genome assembly will
enable range-wide assessments of genetic diversity and adaptation,
facilitate effective management of dugong populations, and allow
comparative genomics analyses including with other sirenians, the oldest
marine mammal lineage.

--
D. Nevé Baker, PhD
NSF EAR Postdoctoral Fellow
Dept. of Geography, Environment & Society
University of Minnesota
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[MARMAM] New publication: "Mitochondrial Variation of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from the Canary Islands Suggests a Key Population for Conservation with High Connectivity within the Nort

[Daniel Gómez-Lobo]

Dear MARMAN community,

On behalf of my co-authors, we are pleased to share our recent paper
published in Animals as part of the Special Issue Protecting Endangered
Species, which is open access and available here
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/6/901

Abstract:
In recent decades, worldwide cetacean species have been protected, but they
are still threatened. The bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is a
vulnerable keystone species and a useful bioindicator of the health and
balance of marine ecosystems in oceans all over the world. The genetic
structure of the species is shaped by their niche specialization (along
with other factors), leading to the classification of two ecotypes: coastal
and pelagic. In this study, the genetic diversity, population structure,
and ecotypes of bottlenose dolphins from the Canary Islands were assessed
through the analysis of 49 new samples from biopsies and from stranded
animals using the 636 bp portion of the mitochondrial control region and
343 individuals from databases (n = 392). The results reveal high genetic
diversity in Canarian bottlenose dolphins (Hd = 0.969 and π = 0.0165) and
the apparent lack of population genetic structure within this archipelago.
High genetic structure (Fst, Φst) was found between the Canary Islands and
coastal populations, while little to no structure was found with the
pelagic populations. These results suggest that Canarian bottlenose
dolphins are part of pelagic ecotype populations in the North Atlantic. The
studied Special Areas of Conservation in the Canary Islands may correspond
to a hotspot of genetic diversity of the species and could be a strategic
area for the conservation of the oceanic ecotype of bottlenose dolphins.
Keywords: Tursiops truncatus; Canary Islands; mitochondrial DNA; D-loop;
special areas of conservation; conservation genetics; ecotypes

Citation:
Gómez-Lobo, D. A., Monteoliva, A. P., Fernandez, A., Arbelo, M., de la
Fuente, J., Pérez-Gil, M., Varo-Cruz, N., Servidio, A., Pérez-Gil, E.,
Borrell, Y. J., & Miralles, L. (2024). Mitochondrial Variation of
Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from the Canary Islands Suggests a
Key Population for Conservation with High Connectivity within the
North-East Atlantic Ocean. Animals, 14(6).
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14060901

Kind Regards,

Daniel

-- 
MSc. Daniel Andrés Gómez-Lobo Camacho
Marine Biologist
Master in Marine Conservation

Phone: +45 50340774
E-mail(s): gomezwo...@gmail.com
 dagomezl...@uc.cl
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[MARMAM] New Publication on the body condition of south-east Indian Ocean pygmy blue whales

[Grace Russell]

To the marmam community,

We are extremely pleased to announce the publication of our recent article
titled:  Comparatively poorer body condition of south-east Indian Ocean
pygmy blue whales on their southern migration.

Russell, G., Jolliffe, C., Elsdon, B., Christiansen, F., Colefax, A., &
Cagnazzi, D. (2024). Comparatively poorer body condition of south-east
Indian Ocean pygmy blue whales on their southern migration. *Australian
Mammalogy*, *46*(2). https://www.publish.csiro.au/am/AM23029

ABSTRACT: The south-east Indian Ocean population of pygmy blue whales
(*Balaenoptera
musculus brevicauda*) forages in habitats between temperate foraging
grounds off southern Australia and breeding grounds in Indonesian waters.
With the opportunity to forage during migration, limited seasonal variation
in body condition would be expected. However, increasing numbers of
individuals in poor body condition with prominent spinal columns and other
features of emaciation have been sighted during their southern migration.
This study aimed to measure the morphology and body condition (relative
body volume to body length) of pygmy blue whales during their northbound
and southbound migration. Unmanned aerial vehicles were used to obtain
images of 42 pygmy blue whales (one calf, five juveniles and 36 adults,
including one lactating female) in 2021 and 2022. The body lengths ranged
from 15.32 to 24.32 m, and the mean relative head length, length to
blowhole, width of eyes, fluke width and length of peduncle were 21.8,
18.1, 12.8, 22.9 and 21.3% respectively. There was a significant decrease
in body condition of 15.3% between north and southern migrating adult
whales. Given the importance of body condition for reproductive success,
understanding if this loss is due to natural seasonal variation, or habitat
or prey disturbance from environmental environmental or anthropogenic
sources, has implications for the future management of the species.

If you're interested in reading the full article, please email me for a
copy of the pdf.

Many thanks!
Grace Russell

PhD Candidate
Faculty of Science and Engineering
Southern Cross University
Military Road, East Lismore NSW 2480 | Room G1.01
E: grussell...@gmail.com
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[MARMAM] New publication: New Urban Habitat for Endangered Humpback Whales: San Francisco Bay

[Bill Keener]

Dear MARMAM community,


On behalf of my co-authors, we are pleased to share our recent paper in Aquatic 
Conservation.


Markowitz, T. M., Keener, W., Webber, M. A., Payne, A. R., Lane, R. S., 
Fahlbusch, J. A., & Calambokidis, J. (2024). New urban habitat for endangered 
humpback whales: San Francisco Bay. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater 
Ecosystems, 34(3), e4107.


The open access article is available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.4107


Abstract: As populations of large whales recover from whaling, species that 
forage and breed in coastal waters, including the humpback whale (Megaptera 
novaeangliae), increasingly overlap with human activities. This represents a 
potential hazard in locations worldwide subject to intensive vessel traffic, 
including New York, Panama City and Brisbane. Historically, humpback whales 
were not considered part of San Francisco Bay's fauna, except for a few ‘lost’ 
whales that wandered into the estuary. An unprecedented influx of humpback 
whales into highly urbanized San Francisco Bay began in 2016. Research efforts 
in 2016–2018 from vessels and shore resulted in 496 photo-identification 
records plus 319 visual sightings. Sixty-one individuals were photo-identified, 
of which 80% (n = 49) used the bay on multiple days (range = 2 to 39), and 34% 
(n = 21) were resighted in successive years. Whales photographed in San 
Francisco Bay were found to belong to distinct population segments listed as 
endangered and threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Whales moved 
in and out of the bay seasonally (April–November). Habitat use patterns 
indicated movements farther into San Francisco Bay correlated positively with 
high tides. Humpback whales were visually observed lunge feeding on northern 
anchovy (Engraulis mordax) at the surface. Analysis of dive patterns by three 
tagged whales confirmed subsurface feeding when surface feeding was not 
apparent. The use of San Francisco Bay and adjacent waters by recovering 
populations of humpback whales exacerbates the potential for collisions with 
vessels, entanglement in fishing gear, and harassment by recreational vessels. 
The most pressing conservation concern is the risk of ship strikes, observed 
where humpback whales occur near active seaports.



Bill Keener

Research Biologist

Cetacean Conservation Biology

keen...@tmmc.org | C: 415.297.6139 | 
MarineMammalCenter.org

The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Sausalito, CA 94965

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[MARMAM] New publication: Fish Feeding and Rapid Foraging Behavior Switching by Gray Whales in California

[Bill Keener]

Dear MARMAM community,


On behalf of my co-authors, we are pleased to share our recent paper in Aquatic 
Mammals:


Marc A. Webber, William Keener, Tim M. Markowitz, David Chamberlin, Darrin 
Allen, Rebekah S. Lane, Josephine M. Slaathaug, Pilar N. Rodriguez, Kathi 
George, and Julia E. O’Hern. (2024). Fish feeding and rapid foraging behavior 
switching by gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) in California. Aquatic 
Mammals, 2024, 50(2), 132-151.


The open access article is linked at: https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.50.2.2024.132, 
and a video clip is also available as supplemental material at: 
https://vimeo.com/918015758


Abstract: Gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) evolved to suction feed on 
benthic invertebrates and typically do not consume adult fish. Yet, these 
whales are flexible foragers, occasionally skim feeding on planktonic 
invertebrates and rarely lunge feeding on fish, the latter according to 
anecdotal accounts. We documented the unusual phenomenon of multiple gray 
whales predating dense schools of anchovy over a sustained period (22 days) in 
June 2022 at Pacifica, California, in the Gulf of the Farallones. Analysis of 
11,265 photos and 11 video clips (totaling 4 min 16 s) for behavior and whale 
identification resulted in a total of 165 foraging events by six identified 
gray whales. Attribution of foraging behavior to the most active individuals 
was achieved by matching left pectoral fins, visible during lateralized feeding 
behavior. Whales rolled onto their right sides in 96% of near-surface 
side-swimming bouts. Another behavior, first photographed here, was dynamic 
surface lunge feeding by one gray whale. Five gray whales interspersed fish 
feeding with benthic suction feeding evidenced by sediment streaming: prey type 
switching was executed rapidly, in less than 1 minute in several instances, the 
shortest intervals reported for a baleen whale. Similar results were obtained 
for foraging behavior switching (continuous side-swimming or intermit- tent 
lunging) in pursuit of fish. Four photo-identified Pacifica whales were sighted 
in San Francisco Bay/Gulf of the Farallones, one of which was also matched to 
the Pacific Coast Feeding Group. Such local and regional connections warrant 
efforts to determine whether gray whales use this area as a migratory stopover 
site or for summer foraging, or both. Our observations confirm gray whale 
behavioral plasticity and opportunistic exploitation of food resources in 
mid-latitudes, which may enhance their resilience to climate change.


Bill Keener

Research Biologist

Cetacean Conservation Biology

keen...@tmmc.org | C: 415.297.6139 | 
MarineMammalCenter.org

The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Sausalito, CA 94965

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[MARMAM] New publication on Antarctic minke whale in the Caribbean Sea

[Jaime]

Dear Marmam community:

On behalf of my coauthor MSc Tulio Gutiérrez, I am very pleased to announce the 
publication of the short note
Bolaños-Jiménez, J. and Gutiérrez, T. 2024. An Antarctic Minke Whale 
(Balaenoptera bonaerensis) Live-Stranding in Venezuela: First Record for the 
Caribbean Sea. Aquatic Mammals, 50(2), 122-126, DOI 
https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.50.2.2024.122 
https://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/article/an-antarctic-minke-whale-balaenoptera-bonaerensis-live-stranding-in-venezuela-first-record-for-the-caribbean-sea/?fbclid=IwAR0C860lMdnAI22UHclZ3A7u6MIeQs_nxXAmFzxuRmhBkX6Fs8KEfgMLkE4
 


In the note, we report on the stranding of a male whale in the Ciénaga los 
Olivitos Wildlife Refuge in the southern Gulf of Venezuela on 18 March 1997. 
During three days in a row the fishers and Guardafaunas (fish and game wardens) 
conducted a dozen attempts to release the whale into deeper waters but the 
whale died. At the time (1997) the whale was erroneously identified as a 
Bryde´s whale but a new analysis (July 2023) of the original report and color 
pictures revealed the taxonomic determination. This is the first species record 
for Venezuela and the Caribbean sea. So far, there are only six available 
records of this species outside its primary range in Antarctic waters. This 
work is in respectful memory of the late fellow Guardafaunas Helímenes Perozo 
and Néstor Jiménez, who devoted their life to the protection of Venezuelan 
wildlife, specially the Ciénaga de los Olivitos Wildlife Refuge. A copy of the 
pdf will be available from my email address: bolanos.jime...@gmail.com  


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[MARMAM] New publication: harbour porpoise abundance trend and mortality limit calculation

[Kylie Owen]

Dear MARMAM community,

On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to share with you our recent 
publication published in Frontiers in Marine Science.

Kylie Owen, Anita Gilles, Matthieu Authier, Julia Carlström, Mathieu Genu, Line 
Anker Kyhn, Dominik A. Nachtsheim, Nadya C. Ramírez-Martínez, Ursula Siebert, 
Martin Sköld, Jonas Teilmann, Bianca Unger, Signe Sveegaard. A negative trend 
in abundance and an exceeded mortality limit call for conservation action for 
the Vulnerable Belt Sea harbour porpoise population. Frontiers in Marine 
Science, 2024; 11 DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2024.1289808

Abstract
The management and conservation of biodiversity relies on information on both 
the abundance of species and the potential impact of threats. Globally, one of 
the largest threats towards marine biodiversity is bycatch in fisheries. Under 
the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), EU Member States are required 
to assess the status of species, such as the harbour porpoise (Phocoena 
phocoena), in relation to their abundance and mortality due to bycatch every 
six years. The Vulnerable (HELCOM) Belt Sea population of harbour porpoise has 
been surveyed to determine its abundance six times using dedicated aerial or 
ship-based line-transect distance sampling surveys. Here, we estimated the 
first trend in population abundance over an 18 year period (2005-2022). Using 
the most recent abundance estimate, we computed a mortality limit applying the 
modified Potential Biological Removal (mPBR) method based on the regionally 
agreed conservation objective to restore or maintain 80% of carrying capacity 
over 100 years with an 80% probability. Over the past 18 years there has been a 
strong negative trend (-2.7% p.a.; 95% CI: -4.1%; + 1.3%) in abundance, with a 
90.5% probability. The mortality limit was estimated to be 24 animals, which 
the current bycatch estimates (~900 porpoises/year from the commercial Danish 
and Swedish set net fishery fleets, with no data from Germany and other fishery 
types) exceed by far. The frequency and quality of data available on abundance 
for this population are higher than those available for the majority of marine 
species. Given the observed population decline and likely unsustainable levels 
of bycatch, the results presented here provide a strong basis to make informed, 
evidence-based management decisions for action for this population. Such action 
is needed urgently, before the dire situation of other porpoise species and 
populations around the globe is repeated.

The publication is open access, but please feel free to get in touch if you 
have any questions.

Kind Regards


Dr Kylie Owen

Intendent
Populationanalys och -övervakning
Naturhistoriska riksmuseet
Box 50007 | 104 05 Stockholm

+46 (0) 761 701 594

[Logotyp för Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet]
[Naturhistoriska riksmuseet, Forskar, Bevarar och Förklarar, NRM.SE]

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[MARMAM] New publication: Disentangling the influence of entanglement on recruitment in North Atlantic right whales

[joshua.reed]

Dear MARMAN community, 

 

On behalf of my co-author, we are pleased to share our paper in Proceedings
of the Royal Society B, which is open access and available here
 .

 

Abstract:

North Atlantic right whales are Critically Endangered and declining, with
entanglements in fishing gear a key contributor to their decline.
Entanglement events can result in lethal and sub-lethal (i.e. increased
energetic demands and reduced foraging ability) impacts, with the latter
influencing critical life-history states, such as reproduction. Using a
multi-event framework, we developed a Bayesian mark-recapture model to
investigate the influence of entanglement severity on survival and
recruitment for female right whales. We used information from 199 known-aged
females sighted between 1977 and 2018, combined with known entanglements of
varying severity that were classified as minor, moderate or severe. Severe
entanglements resulted in an average decline in survival of 27% for
experienced non-breeders, 9% for breeders and 26% for pre-breeding females
compared with other entanglements and unentangled individuals. Surviving
individuals with severe entanglements had low transitional probabilities to
breeders, but surprisingly, individuals with minor entanglements had the
lowest transitional probabilities, contrary to expectations underpinning
current management actions. Management actions are needed to address the
lethal and sub-lethal impacts of entanglements, regardless of severity
classification.

 

Citation: REED, J., NEW, L., CORKERON, P. & HARCOURT, R. 2024. Disentangling
the influence of entanglement on recruitment in North Atlantic right whales.
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 291, 20240314.
doi:10.1098/rspb.2024.0314

 

A companion piece on The Conversation is also available here: Surviving
fishing gear entanglement isn
 't
enough for endangered right whales - females still don't breed afterward.

 

Kind regards,

Josh

 

 

--

Joshua Reed, Ph.D. 

Marine Predator Research Group

School of Natural Sciences

Macquarie University

Sydney, NSW 2109,

Australia

 

 

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[MARMAM] New publication: Environmental drivers of odontocete occurrence in a nearshore temperate habitat

[Matt Sharpe]

Dear MARMAM community,

I'm pleased to be able to share with you our new publication in Estuarine,
Coastal and Shelf Science titled: Environmental drivers of odontocete
occurrence in a nearshore temperate habitat. It is available open access:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2024.108697, for further details see below.

Cheers,
Matt Sharpe

Matt Sharpe, Per Berggren,
Environmental drivers of odontocete occurrence in a nearshore temperate
habitat,
Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science,
Volume 299,
2024,
108697,
ISSN 0272-7714,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2024.108697.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272771424000842)

Abstract: Nearshore coastal waters off Northumberland, UK, are important
habitats for marine megafauna including marine mammals and seabirds. The
area also features extensive anthropogenic activities including shipping,
marine renewables development, fisheries, and tourism. Meanwhile there is
lack of baseline data on odontocete occurrence to allow assessment of the
potential impact from human disturbance. A recent increase in the number of
sightings of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the area
has provided impetus for new data to inform conservation managers and
policy makers. To provide this information, acoustic data were collected
using broadband passive acoustic recorders at three sites (Druridge Bay,
Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, and St Mary's Island) off the Northumberland coast
and analyzed to identify species-specific click trains of common bottlenose
dolphin, white-beaked dolphin (Lagenorhynchus albirostris) and harbor
porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). Detection data were modelled for each species
as detection-positive hours (DPH) using Generalized Additive Models with
Generalized Estimating Equations (GAM-GEE) to investigate the effects of
environmental covariates, including day of year, diel phase, lunar phase,
salinity, year, month and sea surface temperature, and their interaction
with location. A total of 20,845 h were recorded during the study resulting
in a total of 1660, 71, and  DPH identified for bottlenose dolphin,
white-beaked dolphin and porpoise, respectively. The final model for
bottlenose dolphins retained all covariates except tidal index and an
interaction between location and day of year after model selection and all
covariates in the final model were significant. The final model for
white-beaked dolphin retained month, year, location, diel index,
temperature, lunar index and interactions between location and diel index
and all covariates except lunar index were significant. The final model for
porpoise retained all covariates and interactions between location and diel
phase, day of year, lunar index, and salinity, however, salinity and the
interaction between location and lunar index were not significant.
Bottlenose dolphin clicks were detected in the area year-round but with two
peak periods in occurrence coinciding with May and late September;
white-beaked dolphin clicks were detected predominantly in July and August;
and porpoise clicks were present year-round but with much greater
probability of detection at the Druridge Bay site, where there were peaks
in winter and in September. The results of this study provide important
information for conservation and management actions that may be needed to
reduce anthropogenic pressures on odontocetes in UK waters.

Keywords: Coastal; Marine mammals; Passive acoustics; Environmental drivers
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[MARMAM] New Publication: Evidence for an oceanic population of killer whales (Orcinus orca) in offshore waters of California and Oregon

[McInnes, Joshua]

Dear colleagues,

On behalf of my co-authors, we are pleased to share with you our recent
publication published in Aquatic Mammals:


McInnes, J.D., Trites, A.W., Mathieson, C.R., Dahlheim, M.E., Moore, J.E., 
Olson, P.A., and Lester, K.M. (2024). Evidence for an oceanic population of 
killer whales (Orcinus orca) in offshore waters of California and Oregon. 
Aquatic Mammals 50(2), 93-106, DOI https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.50.2.2024.93.


Summary:

In the northeastern Pacific, sightings of small numbers of killer whales 
(Orcinus orca) of unknown ecotype have been sporadically reported during open 
ocean marine mammal surveys, pelagic birding expeditions, and high seas fishing 
operations. However, it is unknown whether these oceanic killer whales belong 
to a mammal-eating ecotype of killer whale, an offshore fish-eating ecotype, or 
an offshore generalist type. We attempted to determine the ecotype of 49 
unknown individuals observed during nine encounters from 1997 to 2021 in the 
deep oceanic waters far from the coastlines of California and Oregon (> 65 km) 
based on their foraging behaviors, prey species consumed, morphologies, and the 
prevalence of cookiecutter shark (Isistius sp.) bite scars. We hypothesize that 
these killer whales may represent a distinct oceanic subpopulation of transient 
killer whales or an undescribed oceanic population that feeds on marine mammals 
and sea turtles in the open ocean beyond the continental shelf break.


Best regards,


Josh D. McInnes, MSc Candidate

Marine Mammal Research Unit
Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries

Aquatic Ecosystem Research Laboratory

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, BC Canada V6T 1Z4


Research Associate | Pacific Wildlife Foundation

Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada, V3H 1V6

Centre for Wildlife Ecology

Department of Biological Sciences

 University Drive

Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC



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[MARMAM] New publication: Molecular detection of herpesvirus in a skin lesion of a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) from the Western Mediterranean Sea

[Ignacio Vargas Castro]

Dear MARMAM community,

My co-authors and I are pleased to share our most recent publication
entitled: *Molecular detection of herpesvirus in a skin lesion of a
humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) from the Western Mediterranean Sea*.

You will find the open access publication at the *link*:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10344-024-01782-7

*Abstract*:Herpesvirus has the potential to infect a wide variety of animal
species. In cetaceans, *Alp*ha- and/or *Gammaherpesvirinae* have been
identified in eight families of odontocetes, and one family of mysticetes.
In May 2022, an adult humpback whale (*Megaptera novaeangliae*) was found
stranded in Valencia, Spain. The whale was emaciated, in poor body
condition, with multiple lacerations on the dorsal fin and a high number of
epibionts of the Cyamidae family, known as whale lice. The individual had
been previously released from a ghost net entanglement 5 days before
becoming stranded. In a closer examination, various skin lesions were
observed, including chronic, proliferative, and erosive dermatitis and a
large ulcer extending to the deep dermis. As part of the infectious disease
surveillance programme, molecular testing was performed on skin samples for
herpesvirus, cetacean morbillivirus, and poxvirus. A positive result for
herpesvirus was obtained from one of the skin lesions. The sequence was
found to belong to the *Alphaherpesvirinae *subfamily, and it was closely
related to alphaherpesvirus sequences from a fin whale (*Balaenoptera
physalus*) and a humpback whale. Cetacean morbillivirus and poxvirus
testing was negative. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report
of herpesvirus in a humpback whale from the Mediterranean Sea. Reports on
herpesvirus detection or infection in humpback whales (only species within
the genus *Megaptera*) are scarce. In consequence, future virological
assessments of humpback whales should include testing for herpesvirus.

Please do not hesitate to contact us for any questions you may have.

Kind regards,

Ignacio Vargas-Castro



*Ignacio Vargas Castro*

DVM, PhD Student

Viral Immunology and Preventive Medicine Unit (SUAT)
VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre & Animal Health Department
Universidad Complutense Madrid

Av. Puerta de Hierro, s/n. 28040 Madrid.
spainignav...@ucm.eswww.sanidadanimal.info


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[MARMAM] New publication: Fin whales movements and behaviour in the Mediterranean Sea

[Viola Panigada]

Dear MARMAM community,
On behalf of my coauthors, I am thrilled to share our new publication in
Royal Society Open Science titled: Targeting fin whale conservation in the
North-Western Mediterranean Sea: insights on movements and behaviour from
biologging and habitat modelling.

Abstract:
Biologging and habitat modelling are key tools supporting the development
of conservation measures and mitigating the effects of anthropogenic
pressures on marine species. Here, we analysed satellite telemetry data and
foraging habitat preferences in relation to chlorophyll-a productivity
fronts to understand the movements and behaviour of endangered
Mediterranean fin whales (*Balaenoptera physalus*) during their
spring–summer feeding aggregation in the North-Western Mediterranean Sea.
Eleven individuals were equipped with Argos satellite transmitters across 3
years, with transmissions averaging 23.5 ± 11.3 days. Hidden Markov Models
were used to identify foraging behaviour, revealing how individuals showed
consistency in their use of seasonal core feeding grounds; this was
supported by the distribution of potential foraging habitat. Importantly,
tracked whales spent most of their time in areas with no explicit protected
status within the study region. This highlights the need for enhanced time-
and place-based conservation actions to mitigate the effects of
anthropogenic impacts for this species, notably ship strike risk and noise
disturbance in an area of exceptionally high maritime traffic levels. These
findings strengthen the need to further assess critical habitats and
Important Marine Mammal Areas that are crucial for focused conservation,
management and mitigation efforts.

Panigada V, Bodey TW, Friedlaender A, Druon J-N, Huckstädt LA,Pierantonio
N, Degollada E, Tort B, Panigada S. 2024. Targeting fin whale conservation
in the North-Western Mediterranean Sea: insights on movements and behaviour
from biologging and habitat modelling. *R. Soc. Open Sci*.*11*: 231783.
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.231783

The paper is open access and can be downloaded here:
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.231783

Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about our
work!

Cheers,
Viola Panigada

--
Tethys Research Institute / School of Biological Sciences, University of
Aberdeen
violapan...@gmail.com
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[MARMAM] New publication: isochrony in pinniped barks

[Anna Osiecka]

Dear MARMAM folks,

My co-authors and me and happy to share our recent work, presenting an
exploratory study of the isochrony in Cape fur seal pup and adult barking
sequences.

Osiecka, A.N, Fearey, J., Ravignani, A., & Burchardt, L.S. 2024. Isochrony
in barks of Cape fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus) pups and
adults. Ecology and Evolution

The paper in open access can be found here:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.11085

Abstract
Animal vocal communication often relies on call sequences. The temporal
patterns of such sequences can be adjusted to other callers, follow complex
rhythmic structures or exhibit a metronome-like pattern (i.e.,
isochronous). How regular are the temporal patterns in animal signals, and
what influences their precision? If present, are rhythms already there
early in ontogeny? Here, we describe an exploratory study of Cape fur seal
(Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus) barks—a vocalisation type produced across
many pinniped species in rhythmic, percussive bouts. This study is the
first quantitative description of barking in Cape fur seal pups. We
analysed the rhythmic structures of spontaneous barking bouts of pups and
adult females from the breeding colony in Cape Cross, Namibia. Barks of
adult females exhibited isochrony, that is they were produced at fairly
regular points in time. Instead, intervals between pup barks were more
variable, that is skipping a bark in the isochronous series occasionally.
In both age classes, beat precision, that is how well the barks followed a
perfect template, was worse when barking at higher rates. Differences could
be explained by physiological factors, such as respiration or arousal.
Whether, and how, isochrony develops in this species remains an open
question. This study provides evidence towards a rhythmic production of
barks in Cape fur seal pups and lays the groundwork for future studies to
investigate the development of rhythm using multidimensional metrics.

Cheers,
Anna
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[MARMAM] New publication on G.griseus, G.melas, Z.cavirostris SDMs in Mediterranean Sea

[Antonella Arcangeli]

Dear MARMAM colleagues,

On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to share our new publication
in Aquatic
Conservation - Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems:

Looking for reliable Species Distribution Models for low-density cetacean
species: compared effectiveness of SDMs for *G.griseus, G.melas,
Z.cavirostris* in the Mediterranean Sea based on long-term fixed-transect
data.

The EU regulative framework for the protection of marine biodiversity and
habitats requires the assessment of species' conservation status and the
identification of core habitats to design adequate conservation and
management plans. However, the identification of distribution range and
habitat-use of pelagic large-range, migratory species, such as cetaceans,
is challenging.

Species distribution models (SDMs) are increasingly used in conservation
planning to identify species priority areas. However, the quality of SDMs
varies widely depending on the representativeness of data and the
appropriateness of the modelling techniques.

Since 2007, the Fixed Line Transect Mediterranean Monitoring Network (FLT
Med Net) has been continuously monitoring cetaceans throughout the year in
the Mediterranean basin using passenger ferries as observation platforms
that perform repetitive surveys along fixed trans-border transects. 4. With
the aim of defining a standard analytical approach, the data collected by
the FLT Med Net on rarer Mediterranean cetacean species (i.e., *Grampus
griseus*, *Globicephala melas*, *Ziphius cavirostris*) are used here to
assess the performance of commonly used SDMs, including GLM, GAM,
GAM-Negative Binomial, GAM tweedy, MaxEnt and Random Forest. Models were
built and evaluated using a total of 296 FLT Med Net sighting data and
cross-validated using 145 independent data points.

Under testing conditions, almost all methods exhibited good performance,
with Random Forest being the best model in several cases. However, when
evaluated with the independent dataset, many models yielded inconsistent
results or notably low performance. Only MaxEnt demonstrated consistent
efficiency and reliability in both cases, showing results less affected by
unequal sampling or small sample size.

Arcangeli A., Azzolin M., Babey L., David L., Garcia-Garin O., Moulin A.,
Rosso M., Scuderi A., Tepsich P., Vighi and Orasi A. (2024) Looking for
reliable Species Distribution Models for low-density cetacean species:
compared effectiveness of SDMs for *G.griseus, G.melas, Z.cavirostris* in
the Mediterranean Sea based on long-term fixed-transect data. Aquatic
Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. DOI:10.1002/aqc.4115



Please, feel free to ask for a copy to me at
antonella.arcang...@isprambiente.it or through ResearchGate.



All the best,

Antonella, Marta, Lucy, Lea, Odey, Aurelie, Massimiliano, Alessia, Paola,
Morgana, and Arianna
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[MARMAM] New Publication: Threats on Marine Mammals: an Anthropological Perspective

[arion]

Dear all,
we are pleased sharing with you our new publication about the "Threats 
on Marine Mammals: an Anthropological Perspective" that is published in 
the Global Journal of Archaeology and Anthropology, by Stergios 
Pardalis, Athanasios Exadactylos, Anastasia Komnenou, Aimilia Drougas, 
Elena Akritopoulou, Joanne Sarantopoulou and Georgios A Gkafas*

(https://doi.org/10.19080/GJAA.2024.13.555869).
Published: February 20, 2024

*Corresponding author: Georgios A Gkafas, Department of Ichthyology and 
Aquatic Environment, School of Agricultural Sciences, University of 
Thessaly, 38446 Volos, Greece


Abstract
Many species of marine mammals are threatened and their populations 
decline worldwide due to the increase of anthropogenic activities such 
as fishing, shipping, pollution and climate change. Our understanding of 
marine mammal behavior/ecology remains poor and under-documented since 
studies of the species are extremely challenging in practice and theory. 
Applied anthropology can help provide effective strategies based on 
cultural compatibility. Marine biology has already validated that 
biodiversity is beneficial to the ecosystem and so should anthropology 
promote the significance of mutualism in society.


Download open access text: 
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/378499534_Threats_on_Marine_Mammals_an_Anthropological_Perspective;.


Best regards,

Dr. Aimilia Drougas
ARION-Cetacean Rescue and Rehabilitation Research Center
110 Markou Mpotsari Street, 54653 Thessaloniki, Greece
Email: ar...@arion.org.gr; adrou...@gmail.com
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[MARMAM] New Publication: Foraging behavior and age affect maternal transfer of mercury to northern elephant seal pups

[Peterson, Sarah H]

My coauthors and I are pleased to announce the publication of our 10-year 
study: 'Foraging behavior and age affect maternal transfer of mercury to 
northern elephant seal pups' in Scientific Reports.

Open access at Scientific Reports: https://rdcu.be/dzF32
Abstract:
Deep ocean foraging northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) consume 
fish and squid in remote depths of the North Pacific Ocean. Contaminants 
bioaccumulated from prey are subsequently transferred by adult females to pups 
during gestation and lactation, linking pups to mercury contamination in 
mesopelagic food webs (200-1000 m depths). Maternal transfer of mercury to 
developing seal pups was related to maternal mercury contamination and was 
strongly correlated with maternal foraging behavior (biotelemetry and 
isotopes). Mercury concentrations in lanugo (hair grown in utero) were among 
the highest observed worldwide for young pinnipeds (geometric mean 23.01 *g/g 
dw, range 8.03-63.09 *g/g dw; n=373); thus, some pups may be at an elevated 
risk of sub-lethal adverse health effects. Fetal mercury exposure was affected 
by maternal foraging geographic location and depth; mercury concentrations were 
highest in pups of the deepest diving, pelagic females. Moreover, pup lanugo 
mercury concentrations were strongly repeatable among successive pups of 
individual females, demonstrating relative consistency in pup mercury exposure 
based on maternal foraging strategies. Northern elephant seals are biosentinels 
of a remote deep-sea ecosystem. Our results suggest that mercury within North 
Pacific mesopelagic food webs may also pose an elevated risk to other 
mesopelagic-foraging predators and their offspring.

Authors:
Sarah H. Peterson, Michael G. Peterson, Joshua T. Ackerman, Cathy Debier, 
Chandra Goetsch, Rachel R. Holser, Luis A. Hückstädt, Jennifer C. Johnson, 
Theresa R. Keates, Birgitte I. McDonald, Elizabeth A. McHuron, and Daniel P. 
Costa

Please reach out with any questions about this research or to request the pdf 
of this paper (sepeter...@usgs.gov).

Best regards,
Sarah Peterson

---
Sarah H Peterson, PhD | she/her/hers
Wildlife Biologist
U.S. Geological Survey
Western Ecological Research Center
Dixon Field Station
800 Business Park Drive, Suite D
Dixon, CA 95620

Email: sepeter...@usgs.gov
Website: https://www.usgs.gov/staff-profiles/sarah-peterson
ORCID:  https://orcid.org/-0003-2773-3901

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[MARMAM] New publication: selection of welfare indicators for Sousa chinensis

[agathe serres]

 Dear colleagues,
My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of our latest
article entitled "Selection of parameters to assess the welfare of
free-ranging Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins using expert opinion survey "
in the journal Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. This
article represents the first step in the creation of a welfare assessment
tool for Sousa chinensis.

Here is the link to the article:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/aqc.4091


Below is the abstract of this article, please feel free to contact me if
you want a PDF copy.

   1. Animal welfare assessments have recently been suggested to be useful
   for free-ranging animals. Nevertheless, few standardized welfare assessment
   frameworks have been built for wildlife, including cetaceans.
   2. Coastal cetaceans like Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (*Sousa
   chinensis*, IPHDs) that form resident populations impacted by a wide
   range of human activities are subject to reliable photo-identification
   efforts and thus represent perfect candidates for welfare monitoring.
   3. Parameters that may inform us on some aspects of the welfare of
   free-ranging IPHDs were selected through literature review. A panel survey
   including three consecutive rounds was then conducted to collect the
   opinion of selected experts on these parameters.
   4. The survey allowed the validation of a list containing 31 parameters
   that provide information on the welfare of IPHDs. The opinion of experts
   also allowed to set the modalities of the data collection required to
   measure/observe these parameters.
   5. After establishing a consistent scoring method and testing it on
   existing data, this standardized framework will allow for obtaining a wide
   picture of the living conditions of IPHDs. Variations across time periods,
   among dolphin populations and locations, or following major environmental
   changes (e.g., conservation measures or human disturbances) could then be
   analysed.
   6. Added to traditional conservation approaches, standardized welfare
   monitoring will greatly participate in the conservation of these animals.


Agathe Serres, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral researcher
Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, Sanya, China
agathe.serre...@gmail.com
*aga...@idsse.ac.cn *
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[MARMAM] New Publication: Bellwethers of Change: population modelling of North Pacific humpback whales from 2002 through 2021 reveals shift from recovery to climate response

[Ted Cheeseman]

Dear friends,

On behalf of all 75 (!!!) of us co-authors, pleased to share publication of a 
20 year population model for N Pacific humpback whales where we’ve seen a major 
climate response to the Pacific Marine Heatwave

Open access: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.231462

Abstract: For the 40 years after the end of commercial whaling in 1976 humpback 
whale populations in the North Pacific Ocean exhibited a prolonged period of 
recovery. Using mark–recapture methods on the largest individual 
photo-identification dataset ever assembled for a cetacean we estimated annual 
ocean-basin-wide abundance for the species from 2002 through 2021. Trends in 
annual estimates describe strong post-whaling era population recovery from 16 
875 (± 5955) in 2002 to a peak abundance estimate of 33 488 (± 4455) in 2012. 
An apparent 20% decline from 2012 to 2021 33 488 (± 4455) to 26 662 (± 4192) 
suggests the population abruptly reached carrying capacity due to loss of prey 
resources. This was particularly evident for humpback whales wintering in 
Hawai‘i where by 2021 estimated abundance had declined by 34% from a peak in 
2013 down to abundance levels previously seen in 2006 and contrasted to an 
absence of decline in Mainland Mexico breeding humpbacks. The strongest marine 
heatwave recorded globally to date during the 2014–2016 period appeared to have 
altered the course of species recovery with enduring effects. Extending this 
time series will allow humpback whales to serve as an indicator species for the 
ecosystem in the face of a changing climate.

Full author list: 
Ted Cheeseman, Jay Barlow, Jo Marie Acebes, Katherina Audley, Lars Bejder, 
Caitlin Birdsall, Olga Solis Bracamontes, Amanda L. Bradford, Josie Byington, 
John Calambokidis, Rachel Cartwright, Jen Cedarleaf, Andrea Jacqueline García 
Chavez, Jens Currie, Rouenne Camille De Castro, Joëlle De Weerdt, Nicole Doe, 
Thomas Doniol-Valcroze, Karina Dracott, Olga Filatova, Rachel Finn, Kiirsten R. 
Flynn, John Ford, Astrid Frisch-Jordán, Chris Gabriele, Beth Goodwin, Craig 
Hayslip, Jackie Hildering, Marie C. Hill, Jeff K. Jacobsen, M. Esther 
Jiménez-López, Meagan Jones, Nozomi Kobayashi, Marc Lammers, Edward Lyman, Mark 
Malleson, Evgeny Mamaev, Pamela Martínez Loustalot, Annie Masterman, Craig O. 
Matkin, Christie McMillan, Jeff Moore, John Moran, Janet L. Neilson, Hayley 
Newell, Haruna Okabe, Marilia Olio, Christian D. Ortega-Ortiz, Adam A. Pack, 
Daniel M. Palacios, Heidi Pearson, Ester Quintana-Rizzo, Raul Ramírez Barragán, 
Nicola Ransome, Hiram Rosales-Nanduca, Fred Sharpe, Tasli Shaw, Ken 
Southerland, Stephanie Stack, Iain Staniland, Janice Straley, Andrew Szabo, 
Suzie Teerlink, Olga Titova, Jorge Urban-Ramirez, Martin van Aswegen, Marcel 
Vinicius, Olga von Ziegesar, Briana Witteveen, Janie Wray, Kymberly Yano, Igor 
Yegin, Denny Zwiefelhofer and Phil Clapham

Lol that’s longer than the abstract. Ain’t science fun!?

Yay whales :)
Ted

—
Ted Cheeseman
t...@happywhale.com
www.Happywhale.com
https://www.facebook.com/happywhales/


Support ocean conservation science! 
https://donorbox.org/donate-to-the-whales-of-guerrero-and-happy-whale?default_interval=m
Happywhale on CBS Sunday Morning: 
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/identifying-individual-humpback-whales-online-happywhale
Recent publications: Bellwethers of Change: North Pacific humpback whale 
climate response: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.231462
Humpback whale automated image recognition: https://rdcu.be/cCOtw
Multi-species image recognition: 
https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10./2041-210X.14167


** know your whales :) **

—
I live and play on unceded lands of the Ohlone.










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[MARMAM] New publication: Hector’s dolphins (Cephalorhynchus hectori) produce both narrowband high-frequency and broadband acoustic signals

[Morgan J. Martin]

Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of my co-authors, I am very excited to share our new publication
in JASA:

*Nicoline Abildtrup Nielsen, Stephen M. Dawson, Sara Torres Ortiz, Magnus
Wahlberg, and Morgan J. Martin (2024). Hector’s dolphins (Cephalorhynchus
hectori) produce both narrowband high-frequency and broadband acoustic
signals. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 155(2),
1437–1450. https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0024820
*

The paper is available here:
https://pubs.aip.org/asa/jasa/article-abstract/155/2/1437/3265783/Hector-s-dolphins-Cephalorhynchus-hectori-produce?redirectedFrom=fulltext

Abstract: Odontocetes produce clicks for echolocation and communication.
Most odontocetes are thought to produce either broadband (BB) or narrowband
high-frequency (NBHF) clicks. Here, we show that the click repertoire of
Hector's dolphin (*Cephalorhynchus hectori*) comprises highly stereotypical
NBHF clicks and far more variable broadband clicks, with some that are
intermediate between these two categories. Both NBHF and broadband clicks
were made in trains, buzzes, and burst-pulses. Most clicks within click
trains were typical NBHF clicks, which had a median centroid frequency of
130.3 kHz (median –10 dB bandwidth = 29.8 kHz). Some, however, while having
only marginally lower centroid frequency (median = 123.8 kHz), had
significant energy below 100 kHz and approximately double the bandwidth
(median –10 dB bandwidth = 69.8 kHz); we refer to these as broadband.
Broadband clicks in buzzes and burst-pulses had lower median centroid
frequencies (120.7 and 121.8 kHz, respectively) compared to NBHF buzzes and
burst-pulses (129.5 and 130.3 kHz, respectively). Source levels of NBHF
clicks, estimated by using a drone to measure ranges from a single
hydrophone and by computing time-of-arrival differences at a vertical
hydrophone array, ranged from 116 to 171 dB re 1 μPa at 1 m, whereas source
levels of broadband clicks, obtained from array data only, ranged from 138
to 184 dB re 1 μPa at 1 m. Our findings challenge the grouping of toothed
whales as either NBHF or broadband species.

Please feel free to email me for a PDF copy at mjmar...@sandiego.edu or
morgan.mar...@boem.gov

Cheers,
Morgan J. Martin, PhD
*Bioacoustician*
*Center for Marine Acoustics*
*Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (USA)*
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[MARMAM] New publication: Behavioral repertoire of dolphins that interact with artisanal fishers

[Nathalia Serpa]

Dear MARMAM community,

We are delighted to share our recent publication in Behavioral Ecology and
Sociobiology on "Behavioral repertoire of Lahille’s bottlenose dolphins
that interact with artisanal fishers".

Abstract
Many human cultures involve positive interactions with wildlife in the past
and present. Lahille’s bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops gephyreus), for
example, have developed tactics for coastal and estuarine foraging, which
sustains a fishing practice known as “cooperative fshing” by traditional
fishers in estuaries of southern Brazil. Here, we use aerial footage to
describe the behavioral repertoire of the Lahille’s bottlenose dolphins and
how it relates to the frequency of net casting by fishers in the Tramandaí
Inlet. From nearly 8 h of footage from June 2017 to May 2018, we mainly
observed dolphins foraging in the estuary inlet when fishers were present
along the shoreline. Dolphins performed at least 27 clearly distinct
behaviors and three types of movement patterns. A generalized additive
model supported that the fshers interpret a subset of this repertoire (64%)
as cues for casting their nets. The behavioral overview of the Lahille’s
bottlenose dolphins presented here demonstrates not only a diverse
repertoire for this population, but also its clear infuence on fshers’
activities. Scientific and traditional perspectives should be integrated to
better understand the ecological significance of this “cooperative fshing”
for both dolphin populations and fishers that depend on them.

Article available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-024-03443-w

Best regards

-- 
*Nathalia Serpa*

Master in Animal Biology (UFRGS)
&
Amateur Photographer (instagram.com/serpabn
)
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[MARMAM] New Publication: The active space of sperm whale codas: inter-click information for intra-unit communication

[Ellen Jacobs]

Dear All,

We are pleased to announce the publication of our study, "The active space
of sperm whale codas: inter-click information for intra-unit
communication", in the Journal of Experimental Biology.

Jacobs, E. R., Gero, S., Malinka, C. E., Tønnesen, P. H., Beedholm, K.,
DeRuiter, S. L., & Madsen, P. T. (2024). The active space of sperm whale
codas: inter-click information for intra-unit communication. *Journal of
Experimental Biology*, *227*(4).
https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.246442

Abstract: Sperm whales (*Physeter macrocephalus*) are social mega-predators
who form stable matrilineal units that often associate within a larger
vocal clan. Clan membership is defined by sharing a repertoire of coda
types consisting of specific temporal spacings of multi-pulsed clicks. It
has been hypothesized that codas communicate membership across socially
segregated sympatric clans, but others propose that codas are primarily
used for behavioral coordination and social cohesion within a closely
spaced social unit. Here, we test these hypotheses by combining measures of
ambient noise levels and coda click source levels with models of sound
propagation to estimate the active space of coda communication. Coda clicks
were localized off the island of Dominica with a four- or five-element 80 m
vertical hydrophone array, allowing us to calculate the median RMS source
levels of 1598 clicks from 444 codas to be 161 dB re. 1 μPa (IQR 153–167),
placing codas among the most powerful communication sounds in toothed
whales. However, together with measured ambient noise levels, these source
levels lead to a median active space of coda communication of ∼4 km,
reflecting the maximum footprint of a single foraging sperm whale unit. We
conclude that while sperm whale codas may contain information about clan
affiliation, their moderate active space shows that codas are not used for
long range acoustic communication between units and clans, but likely serve
to mediate social cohesion and behavioral transitions in intra-unit
communication.

Best,
Ellen Jacobs

-- 
Ellen Jacobs (she/her)
PhD Candidate, Department of Biology
Georgetown University
3700 O St NW, Washington, DC 20097
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Re: [MARMAM] New publication on Genetic investigation of Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris, along the coast of Türkiye and Northern Cyprus, based on mtDNA

[Arda M. Tonay]

Dear All,

Apologies for cross posting. 

 

We would like to inform you that the new paper on genetic investigation of
Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris, along the coast of Türkiye and
Northern Cyprus, based on mtDNA sequences has been published in the Journal
of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom as open access.

 

Tonay, A.M., Karaman, K., Dede, A., Danyer, E., Danyer Aytemiz I., Uzun B.,
Taşkaya, İ., Deval, C., Öztürk Amaha, A., Bilgin, R. 2024. Genetic
investigation of Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris, along the coast
of Türkiye

and Northern Cyprus, based on mtDNA sequences. Journal of the Marine
Biological Association of the United Kingdom 104, e14

 

You can view the article at:

 
https://doi.org/10.1017/S002531542479 

 

Abstract

The Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris, is a cosmopolitan species
and the only beaked whale species commonly found in the Mediterranean Sea.
Five strandings of Cuvier's beaked whale were reported along the
Aegean/Mediterranean Seas coasts of Türkiye and northern coast of Cyprus in
2016-2017. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region (430-444 bp) and
cytochrome b (cytb) (382-424 bp) sequences each revealed two different
haplotypes (four out of five individuals had the same haplotype for each
locus) on these stranded animals. The control region haplotypes were
identical to two previously identified haplotypes from the Ionian (Greece)
and Adriatic (Croatia) Seas. Only one of the cytb haplotypes had previously
been described from the Adriatic Sea (Italy) and the other one was detected
for the first time. In a comparison of these haplotypes with Cuvier's beaked
whale haplotypes previously reported from outside the Mediterranean Sea, the
Mediterranean subpopulation shows genetic differentiation based upon the
presence of two unique haplotypes. Additional mtDNA sequences from the
Mediterranean Sea are needed for a better understanding of the genetic
population structure of this species and to elaborate more concrete
conservation measures.

 

Regards

Arda

 

Arda M. TONAY Ph.D

Faculty of Aquatic Sciences, Istanbul University

Marine Biology Dep.

Kalenderhane Mah. Onaltı Mart Şehitleri Cad. No: 2

Fatih 34134 İstanbul, Türkiye

Tel: +90 212 440 /20159   Fax: +90 212 440 0232

ato...@istanbul.edu.tr 
http://subilimleri.istanbul.edu.tr/

 

Turkish Marine Research Foundation (TUDAV)

P.O. Box 10 Beykoz, 34820 İstanbul, Türkiye

Tel: +90 216 424 0772   Fax: +90 216 424 0771

 


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[MARMAM] New publication: Submesoscale coupling of krill and whales revealed by aggregative Lagrangian coherent structures (James Fahlbusch)

[James Andrew Fahlbusch]

Hello everyone,

On behalf of my coauthors, I am pleased to share our recently published paper 
titled "Submesoscale coupling of krill and whales revealed by aggregative 
Lagrangian coherent structures".

Fahlbusch James A., Cade David E., Hazen Elliott L., Elliott Meredith L., Saenz 
Benjamin T., Goldbogen Jeremy A. and Jahncke Jaime (2024) Submesoscale coupling 
of krill and whales revealed by aggregative Lagrangian coherent structures. 
Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

*Abstract*
In the marine environment, dynamic physical processes shape biological 
productivity and predator–prey interactions across multiple scales. Identifying 
pathways of physical–biological coupling is fundamental to understand the 
functioning of marine ecosystems yet it is challenging because the interactions 
are difficult to measure. We examined submesoscale (less than 100 km) surface 
current features using remote sensing techniques alongside ship-based surveys 
of krill and baleen whale distributions in the California Current System. We 
found that aggregative surface current features, represented by Lagrangian 
coherent structures (LCS) integrated over temporal scales between 2 and 10 
days, were associated with increased (a) krill density (up to 2.6 times more 
dense), (b) baleen whale presence (up to 8.3 times more likely) and (c) 
subsurface seawater density (at depths up to 10 m). The link between physical 
oceanography, krill density and krill–predator distributions suggests that LCS 
are important features that drive the flux of energy and nutrients across 
trophic levels. Our results may help inform dynamic management strategies aimed 
at reducing large whales ship strikes and help assess the potential impacts of 
environmental change on this critical ecosystem.

The paper is open access and can be downloaded here:
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rspb.2023.2461

Code and documentation can be found on my github page:
https://github.com/physalus/Krill_and_Lagrangian_Features

A knitted R-Markdown with the analysis and results for this manuscript 
(including the code to produce them) can be found at:
https://physalus.github.io/Krill_and_Lagrangian_Features/

Please contact me at muscu...@stanford.edu if you have any questions.

Best regards,

James Fahlbusch
PhD Candidate
Hopkins Marine Station
Stanford University
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[MARMAM] New Publication: Addressing temporal trends in survivorship from cross-sectional sampling designs: A modelling framework with applications for megafauna conservation

[Etienne Rouby]

>From then on, using age-at-death data of marine mammals at some of their full 
>potential was impossible. In this article, we provide a new Bayesian 
>regression modeling framework to evidence temporal changes in marine mammal 
>populations survival rates. The model is available with Stan code and is fully 
>reproducible (supplementary material and Github link in the publication).

This work can help conservation biology by providing clear demographical 
evidence of a decline in survival. Since several marine mammal populations can 
not be monitored longitudinally, age-at-death data remain the only demographic 
source of information for these populations. By quantifying decline in their 
survival over time, it is possible to enforce management decisions before a 
population depletion occurs.

How to use it? You have to provide your age-at-death data to the model and the 
associated timescale. Then, you will obtain several parameter posteriors. 
Finally you have to use these posteriors in the associated functions to 
estimate various survival parameters and their evolution according to time.

In case you have any question or you need help with the methodology, please 
contact me at : etienne.ro...@whoi.edu with the subject: Query for age-at-death 
analysis.

Link to the publication : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2024.110647
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[MARMAM] New publication: Basin-wide shift in bowhead whale migration in the Pacific Arctic

[Angela Szesciorka]

Dear MARMAM colleagues,

On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to share our new publication in
the open access journal Geophysical Research Letters:

Szesciorka, A.R., Stafford, K. M., Berchok, C. L. (2024). Basin-wide shift
in bowhead whale migration in the Pacific Arctic. Geophysical Research
Letters, 51, e2023GL106416. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL106416

The paper is available here:
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2023GL106416

Abstract: In a rapidly changing Arctic, multiple lines of evidence suggest
that bowhead whale migration is changing. To explore these changes further,
we used passive acoustic data to examine bowhead whale presence in the
western Beaufort Sea (12 years) and Chukchi Plateau (11 years) spanning
2008 to 2022. Departure from the western Beaufort Sea shifted 45 days later
over the 12-year period. Summer presence increased at both sites,
suggesting feeding areas within the Chukchi Sea are becoming more
favorable. Likewise, findings from the Bering Strait suggest that some
whales are remaining north of the Bering Strait for the winter instead of
in the Bering Sea. These Pacific Arctic-wide changes to migration have
occurred over only one decade. Questions remain about prey availability in
the Chukchi Sea, implications of migratory changes, such as a northward
shift in the core overwintering area, and impact to communities south of
the Bering Strait.

Please contact me if you have any questions or if you need a PDF copy.

Cheers,

Angie

-- 
Angela Szesciorka, Ph.D.
Research Associate
Marine Mammal Institute
Oregon State University
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[MARMAM] New publication: dwarf minke whales

[Lis Bittencourt]

Dear colleagues,

On behalf of my co-authors, I would like to share our new article:

Bittencourt L, Carvalho R, Santos-Neto EB, Bisi TL, Lailson-Brito Jr. J and
Azevedo AF (2024) Dwarf minke whales (*Balaenoptera acutorostrata*)
acoustic signals from the South Atlantic Ocean.
Front. Mar. Sci. 11:1338538.

Abstract: At present, there are still populations of different
balaenopterids that have never been acoustically recorded and observed
simultaneously. In an opportunistic sighting of dwarf minke whales during
winter in southeastern Brazil, we have registered six individuals and
recorded over 200 acoustic signals. Signals were quantified and had their
acoustic parameters extracted; the calling rate was estimated as the number
of sounds per minute, and the repetition rate was estimated as the number
of calls of the same type emitted per minute. Four call types were
described: Ba1, Ba2, Ba3 and Ba4. The most common and distinctive call was
the Ba1, composed of three components: one had a peak frequency of 615.0 ±
189.8 Hz, and the other had peak frequencies of 1632.0 ± 191.5 and 5038.2 ±
195.1 Hz. Ba1 repetition varied from 2.4 to 11.1 repetitions/min. Ba2 was
the second most common call with a peak frequency of 485.2 ± 421.9 Hz. The
total calling rate varied from 4.4 to 11.1 calls/min. The signals are in
the same frequency range reported for other areas but contain different
structures.

It is open access and you can download the pdf here:
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2024.1338538/full

Kind regards,

Lis
PhD in Oceanography
Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores - MAQUA
Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro - UERJ
Brazil
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[MARMAM] New publication: The role of the environment at the local and large-scale levels on the abundance of gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) in Baja California

[Tatiana Acosta Pachon]

Dear MARMAM colleagues,

On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to share our new publication in
Regional studies in Marine Science, Vol. 71:

Molina-Carrasco, F.D.; Ortega-Rubio, A.; Acosta-Pachón, T.A., López-Paz,
N.; Mariano-Meléndez, E.; Montes-García, C.; Martínez-Rincón, R.O.


The role of the environment at the local and large-scale levels on the
abundance of gray whales (*Eschrichtius robustus*) in Baja California.



The Ojo de Liebre Lagoon is the largest wintering and calving area on the
Baja California Peninsula for the north Pacific stock of gray whales
(Eschrictius robustus), where up to 2721 individuals have been counted in a
single season (January-April). This study describes the effects of spatial
(zones), temporal (months), and environmental factors at the local
(temperature and chlorophyll-a) and large-scale levels (Pacific Decadal
Oscillation, PDO) on the abundance of gray whales in this lagoon using
generalized additive models. Results suggest that larger populations are
expected at temperatures below 15 ◦C and Chl-a values above 1 mg m- 3
during the neutral (0- 1) and positive (>1) phases of the PDO, in February
and March, and around the mouth of the lagoon (zone 6). Findings highlight
the importance of environmental variability on the abundance of this
species at the local and large-scale levels. According to our models, the
abundance of the gray whales that arrive in the Ojo de Liebre Lagoon is
affected by local and large-scale environmental variability. The latter
factor was evaluated by an index that integrated atmospheric and oceanic
variations in the northeast and tropical Pacific Ocean. In spatial terms,
the physical characteristics inside the lagoon may be the main factors that
impact the distribution of whales. Management and conservation measures can
use these results to improve strategies, considering the variability of the
population in both local and long-term perspectives.


You can find de paper here:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352485524000537


Or you can write to:

tatyaco...@gmail.com

raul.martinez.rin...@gmail.com


If you have any questions about our work, please reach out.

Cheers,

Tatiana.
*---*

*Dra. Tatiana A. Acosta Pachón*
tatyaco...@gmail.com

Profesora - Investigadora
Departamento Académico de Ciencias Marinas y Costeras
Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur
Baja California Sur, Mexico
Tel: +52 612 1238800 Ext. 4140
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[MARMAM] New Publication: Broad-scale impacts of coastal mega-infrastructure project on obligatory inshore delphinids: A cautionary tale from Hong Kong

[Stephen Chan]

Dear MARMAM
colleagues,



We are pleased
to share with you our recent publication in Science of the Total Environment.



Chan, S.C.Y.
& Karczmarski, L. (2024). Broad-scale impacts of coastal
mega-infrastructure project on obligatory inshore delphinids: A cautionary tale
from Hong Kong. Science of the Total Environment, 920, 169753.



The article
will be freely available (free to download) through this link until 08 April,
2024:

https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1idH3B8ccylmv



Abstract:

Inshore
marine habitats experience considerable anthropogenic pressure, as this is
where many adverse effects of human activities concentrate. In the
rapidly-changing seascape of the Anthropocene, Hong Kong waters at the heart of
world’s fastest developing coastal region can serve as a preview-window into
coastal seas of the future, with ever-growing anthropogenic footprint. Here, we
quantify how large-scale coastal infrastructure projects can affect obligatory
inshore cetaceans, bringing about population-level consequences that may
compromise their long-term demographic viability. As a case in point, we look
at the construction of world’s longest sea crossing system and broad-scale
demographic, social and spatial responses it has caused in a shallow-water
delphinid, the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis). Soon after the
infrastructure project began, dolphins markedly altered their home range near
construction sites such that these waters no longer functioned as dolphin core
areas despite the apparent presence of prey, indicating that anthropogenic
impacts outweighed foraging benefits. The contraction of key habitats has in
turn led individuals to interact over spatially more constricted area,
reshaping their group dynamics and social network. Although there was no
apparent decline in dolphin numbers that could be detected with mark-recapture
estimates, adult survival rates decreased drastically from 0.960 to 0.904, the
lowest estimate for these animals anywhere across the region to date, notably 
below
the previously estimated demographic threshold of their long-term persistence
(0.955). It is apparent that during an advanced stage of this coastal
infrastructure project, dolphins were under a major anthropogenic pressure
that, if sustained, could be detrimental to their long-term persistence as a
viable demographic unit. As effective conservation of species and habitats
depends on informed management decisions, this study offers a valuable lesson
in environmental risk assessment, underscoring the implications of
human-induced rapid environmental change on obligatory inshore
delphinids—sentinels of coastal habitats that are increasingly degraded in
fast-changing coastal seas.



Please
contact mailto:scyc...@cetacea-institute.org if you have
any questions or if you need a PDF copy after the abovementioned expiry date.



Best regards,

Stephen



Stephen C.Y.
Chan, PhD

Postdoctoral
Research Scientist

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[MARMAM] New publication: Prospective modelling of operational offshore wind farms on the distribution of marine megafauna in the southern North Sea

[Auriane Virgili]

Dear MARMAM colleagues,

On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to share our new publication in 
the open access journal Frontiers in Marine Science, Vol. 11:


Virgili, A. / Laran, S. / Authier, M. / Dorémus, G. / Van Canneyt, O. / 
Spitz, J.


Prospective modelling of operational offshore wind farms on the 
distribution of marine megafauna in the southern North Sea.


In this publication, we carried out a series of 6 aerial surveys in the 
English Channel to monitor marine megafauna in 2017-2018, covering all 
seasons. The monitored area has been commissioned to host an offshore 
wind farm (OWF) off the town of Dunkirk. France has been lagging 
compared to northern European countries with respect to the harnessing 
of wind power for energy consumption. The surveys took place to 
establish baselines. Taking stock of the fact that neighbouring 
countries (Belgium and the UK) already have operating OWFs in the 
neighbourhood of the studied area, we carried out a prospective 
modelling exercise to predict, using a Before-After Gradient (BAG) 
design, the potential effect of the *operating* Dunkirk OWF. In effect, 
distance to the nearest OWF was included in models and the distribution 
of seabirds and harbour porpoises predicted under the assumption that 
the Dunkirk OWF were already in operation to assess potential changes. 
We found a negative effect of distance to the nearest OWF on harbour 
porpoise, black-legged kittiwakes, cormorants and northern gannets: the 
highest densities of these megafauna were found at distances larger than 
40 km from operating OWFs. Our prospective study highlighted potential 
impacts on these species of the Dunkirk OWF when it will start operating.


The paper is available in open access here : 
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1344013.


If you have any questions about our work, please reach out.

Cheers,

Auriane

--

Dr Auriane VIRGILI
Ingénieure de recherche / Research engineer
Share the Ocean consortium,
14 place de l'Eglise, 56870 Larmor Baden, France
E-mail : auriane@sharetheocean.earth

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[MARMAM] New publication: "Occurrence and habitat use of pantropical spotted dolphins (Stenella attenuata) at the edge of their distribution in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean" in MMS (2023)

[Thayusky da Penha]

Dear MARMAM community,

My co-authors and I are pleased to share with you our recent publication in
Marine Mammal Science:
"Occurrence and habitat use of pantropical spotted dolphins (*Stenella
attenuata*) at the edge of their distribution in the southwestern Atlantic
Ocean" authored by Correa, T.P.; Wedekin, L.L., &  Cremer, M. J. You can
read the article at: https://doi.org/10./mms.13094

"In this study, we investigated the occurrence and habitat use of
pantropical spotted dolphins (*Stenella attenuata*) in relation to water
depth and sea surface temperature at the southernmost limit of their range
in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean. We have compiled a relatively extensive
dataset of these spotted dolphins in the region previously considered to
mark the southern limit of their distribution. Through our discussion, we
address two main hypotheses and offer new insights into their distribution
south of latitude 22°S."


Best regards,
--
*Thayusky da Penha Correa* (she/her)
Ph.D. student in Ecology
Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina
Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação de Tetrápodes Marinhos e Costeiros –
TetraMar
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[MARMAM] New publication: Dugong assessment on the Egyptian Red Sea

[Ahmed Shawky]

Dear Marmam,

I am delighted to share our new paper on "Assessing dugong distribution and 
overlapping threats along the northwestern Red Sea, Egypt".

Abstract
An interview survey was conducted amongst (primarily) fishermen along the 
Egyptian Red Sea coasts to determine the distribution of vulnerable dugongs 
(Dugong dugon) and how human impacts overlap to help guide conservation 
actions. A total of 207 interviews were completed from August 2015 to May 2016 
in seven regions along the Egyptian Red Sea coast. Dugongs were sighted at 95 
locations, and the greatest number of dugong encounters happened during transit 
to fishing areas (>39%) and 27% during fishing activities. The majority of the 
fishermen (89%) believed that dugong captures in nets were decreasing, although 
it was we are unsure if this represents a decrease in the dugong population. 
Most of the captured dugongs were reportedly released alive (>72%), but 13% 
were reported as eaten, representing an ongoing threat to dugong survival in 
the Red Sea. Approximately 34% of the respondents thought that overall dugong 
numbers were in decline and >79% suggested that dugongs might become extinct in 
the future. Most fishermen understood it was illegal to catch a dugong on 
purpose (>89%) and 7% thought it was legal if the dugong was caught by 
accident. Dugong sightings from 1980 to 2016, seagrass distribution, and 
fishing areas were overlaid on Geographical Information System (GIS) maps to 
highlight the overlaps between dugong distribution, anthropogenic threats, and 
to identify potential conservation hotspots. The minimum population size was 
estimated between 73 and 97 individuals in the north-western Red Sea, Egypt

You can download the full PDF file via the link below:
https://ejabf.journals.ekb.eg/article_341505.html

Best Regards
Ahmed



Dr Ahmed M. Shawky (Marine Biologist-PhD)

Manager of EcoPro Training Center

Reef Check EcoDiver Trainer No.38

PADI Master Instructor No. 639747

WhatsApp/mobile: +2 01013854500

Web site: www.ahmedshawky.net

[cid:14654321-767f-4314-b336-3feb7d6ec429]



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[MARMAM] New publication: cetacean acoustic and visual survey off Saudi Arabia, Red Sea

[Sofía Ten]

Dear MARMAM community,

My co-authors and I are happy to share our recent publication: "Passive 
acoustic monitoring and visual sighting survey of cetacean occurrence patterns 
in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia", published in Marine Mammal Science as 
OpenAccess. You can view the article at: 
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10./mms.13113

Abstract:
The available data on occurrence patterns of cetaceans in the Red Sea area of 
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is very limited. The dearth of information is of 
pressing conservation concern as the coastline is undergoing rapid development 
as part of the Kingdom's effort to diversify its national economy. To 
understand how these developments will impact cetaceans in the region, the 
first large-scale acoustic and visual survey in the Kingdom's part of the Gulf 
of Aqaba and the northeastern Red Sea was undertaken in 2020. The results of 
the acoustic surveys reveal 3.6 encounters per 100 km of track line of 
odontocete species with variable distribution across the study area. No baleen 
whale vocalizations were detected. Through visual surveys, five odontocete 
species were identified within the study area: Tursiops truncatus, T. aduncus, 
Stenella attenuata, S. longirostris, and two opportunistic sighting of single 
Grampus griseus.

Best,

Sofía Ten

Predoctoral candidate
Unidad de Zoología Marina / Marine Zoology Unit
Institut Cavanilles de Biodiversitat i Biologia Evolutiva / Cavanilles 
Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology
Universitat de València / University of Valencia, Spain


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[MARMAM] New publication: Assessing the dynamics of common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) mother-calf pairs along the south coast of Portugal using unmanned aerial vehicles

[Joana Castro]

Dear all,

My co-authors and I are pleased to announce and share our recent paper
titled "Assessing the dynamics of common dolphin (*Delphinus delphis*)
mother-calf pairs along the south coast of Portugal using unmanned aerial
vehicles" in the journal Marine Mammal Science

The full paper is available here:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10./mms.13115

Abstract:
Maternal grouping dynamics involve trade-offs between: (1) infant
protection from predation (predation hypothesis), (2) infant protection
from male harassment (infant safety hypothesis), and (3) reducing scramble
competition for prey resources (foraging-type scramble competition
hypothesis). Using unmanned aerial vehicles, we assessed grouping dynamics
in common dolphin (*Delphinus delphis*) groups containing mother-calf pairs
to address these hypotheses. We analyzed social aspects and structural
group elements using generalized additive mixed models and modeled group
formation using multinomial generalized estimating equations. Calf
proportion was higher in very compact groups and in groups of 10–20
individuals but decreased in larger groups. The frequency of socio-sexual
behaviors increased in larger groups and decreased in groups with higher
calf proportion. Calf distance to its nearest neighbor decreased with
increasing group size and cohesion. With a higher proportion of calves,
scatter (versus parallel) formation was less frequent. A calf's nearest
neighbor was most often (55.4%) a nonmother. Calves showed a preference for
being in the front center of the group. These results offer strong support
for the predation and infant safety hypotheses and partial support for the
foraging-type scramble competition hypothesis. This work provides insight
into the adaptive function of maternal strategies in a small delphinid.

Please contact jmadeiracas...@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Best regards

Joana Castro
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[MARMAM] New publication: Post-mortem examination on a striped dolphin reveals a potential fatal interaction with bottlenose dolphins in Italy

[Davide Ascheri]

Dear Marmam community,
My co-authors and I are pleased to share our recent publication:
Post-mortem examination on a striped dolphin (*Stenella coeruleoalba*)
reveals a potential fatal interaction with bottlenose dolphins (*Tursiops
truncatus*) in Italian waters, published in the Journal of the Marine
Biological Association of the United Kingdom.  You can view the article at
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315423000942.

Abstract:
Despite attacks of bottlenose dolphins towards conspecifics and other
species of dolphins
being reported worldwide, inside the Mediterranean Sea these behaviours are
still considered
sporadic and have been, to date, only recorded in Spain and France, mostly
directed to striped
dolphins. In this work, we reported the necropsy outcomes of a dead striped
dolphin that suggest a fatal interaction with bottlenose dolphins inside
the Italian side of the Pelagos Sanctuary, Western Ligurian Sea. Results
from the post-mortem examination showed multiple, multifocal external rake
marks spaced 1–1.2 cm and several internal injuries, consisting of
subcutaneous and muscular haematomas and haemorrhages, multiple vertebral
and rib fractures, haemothorax and lung laceration. The inter-tooth
distance and all the internal findings were consistent with a fatal
traumatic interaction with bottlenose dolphins as reported in similar cases
in other parts of the world where the same results were found. No other
significant gross and microscopic findings and concurrent significant
pathogens were detected. This case highlights the existence of negative
interspecific interactions in an area where they have never been reported
before and adds new important information to the literature for
understanding their occurrence, expanding the geographical range of
observation in the western Mediterranean Sea.

If you have any questions don't hesitate to contact me:
i...@delfinidelponente.it

Many thanks,
Best regards
Davide Ascheri


-- 
Dott. Davide Ascheri
tel. 3389287180

Presidente *DELFINI DEL PONENTE APS*

Via Regione Bussi 27, 1800 Imperia

*C.F. *91048910086*  E-mail: i...@delfinidelponente.it
*
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[MARMAM] New publication: a new control rule for managing PETS by-catch

[Matthieu Authier]

Dear MARMAM colleagues,

On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to share our new publication in 
the open access journal PeerJ , Vol. 12, No. e16688:


Ouzoulias, F. / Bousquet, N. / Genu, M. / Gilles, A. / Spitz, S. / 
Authier, M.


Development of a New Control Rule for Managing Anthropogenic Removals of 
Protected, Endangered or Threatened Species in Marine Ecosystems 



In this publication, we developed and encoded in our R package RLA 
 a new control rule for setting 
limit reference points (or removals limits) to the anthropogenic 
removals of protected, endangered or threatened species. We carried 
population dynamics simulations in a Management Strategy Evaluation 
framework to test and benchmark several control rules: PBR, RLA and a 
new rule control we called ART for 'Anthropogenic Removals Threshold'. 
These simulations were calibrated on life history parameters of the 
Harbour Porpoise (/Phocoena phocoena/) in the North Sea. Taking into 
account uncertainty in key parameters such as Maximum Net Productivity 
Level and biases in estimates (e.g.  by-catch estimates), we 
investigated the performance of the different control rules to reach a 
given conservation objective (eg restoring or maintaining depletion 
levels above X% of carrying capacity over Z years with probability P). 
Our simulations confirmed the remarkable effectiveness of PBR. On the 
other hand, ART was the only rule that allowed for a decreasing trend in 
the reference point/removals limit over time, thereby displaying greater 
alignment with current policy aspirations in the European Union such as 
minimzing, and where possible eliminating, by-catch of protected, 
endangered or threatened species.


If you have any questions about our work, please reach out.

Cheers,

Matthieu Authier

--
Matthieu Authier - Ingénieur de Recherche
La Rochelle Université
Observatoire Pelagis UAR 3462 CNRS-LRUniv
5 allée de l'océan 17 000 La Rochelle
telephone: +00 33 (0)7 77 22 32 67 (remote-working/télé-travail)
https://www.observatoire-pelagis.cnrs.fr/pelagis-2/lequipe/matthieu-authier/
Try again. Fail again. Fail better. (Samuel Beckett)
Verzögerungen im Betriebsablauf (Deutsche Bahn)
 黎
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[MARMAM] New publication: model-based clustering of detection functions to reduce uncertainty estimation

[Matthieu Authier]

Dear MARMAM colleagues,

On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to share our new publication in 
Marine Mammal Science:


Plard, F.  / Araújo, H. E. F. / Astarloa, A. 
/ Saavedra, C. / Vazquez Bonales, J. A. / Authier, M.


Using Fusion Effects to Decrease Uncertainty in Distance Sampling Models 
when Collating Data from Different Surveys 
 



In this publication, we developed and encoded in our R package AMBIdsm 
 some functionalities, 
leveraging the probabilistic programming language Nimble, to perform a 
joint estimation and clustering of detection functions when analyzing 
distance sampling data from several surveys over a region. The 
clustering is achieved over species and survey platform, and can also 
accommodate important covariates such as Beaufort scale or platform 
height. This clustering allows to account for between-species and 
between-survey heterogeneity with data-driven pooling. We show case the 
gain in esw estimates both a in a simulation study and in a real case 
study (a part of the CetAMBICion project 
) focusing on cetaceans in 
the Bay of Biscay.


If you have any questions about our work, please reach out.

Cheers,

Matthieu Authier

--
Matthieu Authier - Ingénieur de Recherche
La Rochelle Université
Observatoire Pelagis UAR 3462 CNRS-LRUniv
5 allée de l'océan 17 000 La Rochelle
telephone: +00 33 (0)7 77 22 32 67 (remote-working/télé-travail)
https://www.observatoire-pelagis.cnrs.fr/pelagis-2/lequipe/matthieu-authier/
Try again. Fail again. Fail better. (Samuel Beckett)
Verzögerungen im Betriebsablauf (Deutsche Bahn)
 黎
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[MARMAM] New publication: Aerial photogrammetry - Sousa chinensis

[agathe serres]

Dear colleagues,
My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of our latest
article entitled "Skinny dolphins: Can poor body condition explain
population decline in Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis)?" in
the journal Science of the Total Environment.

Here is the link to the article:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969724005369

Below is the abstract of this article, please feel free to contact me if
you want a PDF copy.

*Abstract: *Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (IPHDs) who form resident
populations along the Chinese coastline are facing a wide range of
anthropogenic disturbances including intense fishing and some populations
have been shown to experience a severe decline. Body condition is thought
to be a good indicator of health since it is linked to survival and
reproductive success. In order to better understand population trends, we
investigated whether the body condition of IPHDs is poorer in populations
whose status is alarming than in other populations. UAV flights were
conducted from 2022 to 2023 in four locations (i.e., Sanniang Bay, Leizhou
Bay, Jiangmen, and Lingding Bay) in the northern South China Sea. Body
ratios were calculated using the body length and widths of IPHDs and were
used to analyze differences among seasons, locations, and demographic
parameters. A PCA was then used to obtain a detailed picture of the body
condition composition of dolphins at each location. Results showed that
dolphins from Leizhou Bay and Jiangmen were in better body condition than
those from Sanniang Bay and Lingding Bay. Since populations inhabiting
Sanniang Bay and Lingding Bay have been shown to experience a sharp
decline, it can be hypothesized that poor body condition may have played a
role in such a trend. Further investigations of the factors impacting
IPHDs’ body condition are needed, including monitoring of prey density,
contaminant concentration, stress levels, and impacts of human activities
on dolphins’ behavior. In addition, the creation of a robust scoring method
would allow for regular monitoring of IPHDs’ body condition to inform
conservation measures.

All the best,
Agathe

Agathe Serres, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral researcher
Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, Sanya, China
agathe.serre...@gmail.com
*aga...@idsse.ac.cn *
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[MARMAM] New publication: Erysipelas with preferential brain and skin involvement in a Mediterranean bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus (Laura Martino)

[Laura]

Dear all,
Me and coauthors are pleased to announce the publication of our
paper Erysipelas with preferential brain and skin involvement in a
Mediterranean bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus, in the journal
Diseases of Aquatic Organisms. The publication is open access, and is
available at


https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/dao/v157/p31-43/

See below the abstract of the publication:

Erysipelas with preferential brain and skin involvement in a Mediterranean
bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus

Laura Martino, Bárbara Serrano, Jaume Alomar, Lola Pérez, Virginia Aragon,
Àlex Cobos, Maria Lourdes Abarca, Zeinab Yazdi, Esteban Soto, Mariano
Domingo

ABSTRACT: Infections by Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae occur in domestic
animals and cause the disease known as ‘erysipelas’. The ubiquity of
Erysipelothrix spp. makes infection possible in a wide range of vertebrates
and invertebrates. Cetaceans are highly susceptible to erysipelas,
especially those under human care. The number of cases documented in wild
cetaceans is low, the pathogenesis is incompletely understood, and the full
spectrum of lesions is not well defined. The possible serotypes and species
of the genus that can cause disease are unknown. In October 2022, a common
bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus stranded in Vilassar de Mar
(Catalonia) showing skin lesions consistent with ‘diamond skin disease’, a
characteristic lesion of erysipelas shared by swine and cetaceans. Necropsy
was performed following standardized procedures, and multiple samples were
taken for histopathology and bacteriology. Erysipelothrix sp. grew in pure
culture in many tissue samples. Genetic characterization by multi-locus
sequence analysis identified the species as E. rhusiopathiae.
Histologically, the main lesions were an intense suppurative vasculitis of
leptomeningeal arteries and veins with abundant intramural Gram-positive
bacilli and meningeal hemorrhages. Meningeal lesions were considered the
cause of death. The affected skin showed moderate suppurative dermatitis.
Herein we document a case of erysipelas in a Mediterranean common
bottlenose dolphin with unusual lesions in the leptomeningeal vessels and
marked skin tropism. To our knowledge, this is the first case of severe
brain involvement in erysipelas in a cetacean. We also provide a review of
available cases in wild cetaceans, to highlight the characteristics of the
disease and improve future diagnosis.
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[MARMAM] New Publication: White-beaked dolphin population genomics

[Marc-Alexander Gose]

Dear colleagues,

We are excited to share our new publication in Heredity: "Population genomics 
of the white-beaked dolphin (Lagenorhynchus albirostris): Implications for 
conservation amid climate-driven range shifts" 
(https://doi.org/10.1038/s41437-024-00672-7).

Marc-Alexander Gose, Emily Humble, Andrew Brownlow, Dave Wall, Emer Rogan, 
Guðjón Már Sigurðsson, Jeremy J. Kiszka, Charlotte Bie Thøstesen, Lonneke L. 
IJsseldijk, Mariel ten Doeschate, Nicholas J. Davison, Nils Øien, Rob Deaville, 
Ursula Siebert and Rob Ogden

Abstract:

Climate change is rapidly affecting species distributions across the globe, 
particularly in the North Atlantic. For highly mobile and elusive cetaceans, 
the genetic data needed to understand population dynamics are often scarce. 
Cold-water obligate species such as the white-beaked dolphin (Lagenorhynchus 
albirostris) face pressures from habitat shifts due to rising sea surface 
temperatures in addition to other direct anthropogenic threats. Unravelling the 
genetic connectivity between white-beaked dolphins across their range is needed 
to understand the extent to which climate change and anthropogenic pressures 
may impact species-wide genetic diversity and identify ways to protect 
remaining habitat. We address this by performing a population genomic 
assessment of white-beaked dolphins using samples from much of their 
contemporary range. We show that the species displays significant population 
structure across the North Atlantic at multiple scales. Analysis of 
contemporary migration rates suggests a remarkably high connectivity between 
populations in the western North Atlantic, Iceland and the Barents Sea, while 
two regional populations in the North Sea and adjacent UK and Irish waters are 
highly differentiated from all other clades. Our results have important 
implications for the conservation of white-beaked dolphins by providing 
guidance for the delineation of more appropriate management units and 
highlighting the risk that local extirpation may have on species-wide genetic 
diversity. In a broader context, this study highlights the importance of 
understanding genetic structure of all species threatened with climate 
change-driven range shifts to assess the risk of loss of species-wide genetic 
diversity.

Find the Open Access Article here: https://rdcu.be/dxyMF
Please contact Marc-Alexander Gose with any questions: 
marc-alexander.g...@ed.ac.uk

Best wishes,

Marc-Alexander Gose


Marc-Alexander Gose
Ph.D. Student in Conservation Genetics
R(D)SVS & The Roslin Institute
University of Edinburgh

Find a Project Description 
here​

The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with 
registration number SC005336. Is e buidheann carthannais a th’ ann an Oilthigh 
Dhùn Èideann, clàraichte an Alba, àireamh clàraidh SC005336.
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[MARMAM] New publication: Island-associated bottlenose dolphin population in the Mariana Islands

[Karen Martien - NOAA Federal]

Dear MARMAM community,

My co-authors and I are happy to announce the online publication of the
following paper:

Martien, K. K., Hill, M. C., Archer, F. I., Baird, R. W., Bendlin, A. R.,
Dolar, L., Ligon, A. D., Oleson, E. M., Robertson, K. M., Woodman, S. M.,
Ü, A. C., Yano, K. M., & Bradford, A. L. (2024). Evidence of a small,
island-associated population of common bottlenose dolphins in the Mariana
Islands. Frontiers in Marine Science, 10. DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2023.1254959
.

*Abstract:* Small, island-associated populations of cetaceans have evolved
around numerous oceanic islands, likely due to habitat discontinuities
between nearshore and offshore waters. However, little is known about the
ecology and structure of cetacean populations around the Mariana Islands, a
remote archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean. We present sighting,
photo-identification, and genetic data collected during twelve years of
surveys around these islands that reveal the existence of a small,
island-associated population of bottlenose dolphins. Nearly half of the
photo-identified individuals were encountered in more than one year. Both
haplotypic and nuclear genetic diversity among sampled individuals was low
(haplotypic diversity = 0.701, nuclear heterozygosity = 0.658), suggesting
low abundance. We used mark-recapture analysis of photo-identification data
to estimate yearly abundance in the southern portion of the population’s
range from 2011 to 2018. Each abundance estimate was less than 54
individuals, with each upper 95% confidence interval below 100. Additional
survey effort is necessary to generate a full population abundance
estimate. We found extensive introgression of Fraser’s dolphin DNA into
both the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes of the population, suggesting at
least two hybridization events more than two generations in the past. The
Mariana Islands are used extensively by the U.S. military for land and sea
training operations. Thus, this unique bottlenose dolphin population likely
faces high exposure to multiple threats.

The paper is Open Access at Frontiers of Marine Science and is available at
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2023.1254959. If you have trouble accessing
the PDF, please contact Karen Martien (karen.mart...@noaa.gov).

--
Karen K. Martien, Ph.D. (she/her )
Southwest Fisheries Science Center
8901 La Jolla Shores Dr.
La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
858-546-7058
karen.mart...@noaa.gov
http://swfsc.noaa.gov/mmtd-mmgenetics

*I sometimes work irregular hours, but I respect your work schedule and do
not expect an action or reply outside of your working hours.*
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[MARMAM] New publication on "Fine-scale spatial variability of acoustic environment corresponds with habitat utilization of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins in Hong Kong waters"

[Yuen Wa Ho]

Dear MARMAM community,



On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to share with you our recent 
publication in Ecological Indicators.



Ho, Y.-W., Lin, T. H., Akamatsu, T., & Karczmarski, L. (2024). Fine-scale 
spatial variability of marine acoustic environment corresponds with habitat 
utilization of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins in Hong Kong waters. Ecological 
Indicators, 158, 111228.



The full article is open access and available online at:


https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2023.111228



Abstract:

Acoustic properties of the underwater environment are important in maintaining 
biological processes of various marine organisms. However, with the increasing 
level of underwater noise in the global ocean, there is a growing need to 
better understand how marine animals use soundscape cues in their habitat 
selection. Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) inhabiting the 
Pearl River Estuary, southeast China, live in one of world’s most developed and 
noisiest coastal environment and are subjected to many sources of anthropogenic 
noise. To investigate whether spatial variability of underwater soundscape 
corresponds with their habitat utilization, we collected daytime underwater 
recordings in western Hong Kong waters from mid-2016 to mid-2018, and 
quantified the spatial pattern of marine acoustic environment and its differing 
characteristics in a fine spatial scale. We developed a framework of soundscape 
information retrieval to investigate spectral features that may facilitate 
identification of dolphins’ core habitats. Our findings reveal that a spectral 
feature, which peaks at 2 kHz, is a reliable predictor of humpback dolphin core 
habitat. Further modelling of spatial and seasonal variations of underwater 
soundscape demonstrates that the relative strength of this spectral feature is 
positively correlated with the sighting rates of humpback dolphins throughout 
the year. Although the source of the 2 kHz feature remains unknown, it is 
likely associated with humpback dolphins’ prey. We suggest that underwater 
acoustic environment represents an important component in evaluating the 
quality and suitability of coastal habitats for the daily needs of this 
threatened dolphin species. Local and regional conservation authorities should 
include habitat-specific baseline soundscape data when developing conservation 
management strategies.



Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.



Best regards,

Derek



Ho Yuen-Wa Derek

Postdoctoral Fellow

Cetacea Research Institute, Hong Kong 

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[MARMAM] New Publication: Raise your pitch! Changes in the acoustic emissions of resident bottlenose dolphins in the proximity of vessels

[Filipa Alexandra Veiga Sobreira]

Dear MARMAM Colleagues,

On behalf of my co-authors, I am delighted to announce the publication of our 
recent paper:

Sobreira, F. V., Luís, A. R., Alves, I. S., Couchinho, M. N., & dos Santos, M. 
E. (2023). Raise your pitch! Changes in the acoustic emissions of resident 
bottlenose dolphins in the proximity of vessels. Marine Mammal Science, 1–11.
https://doi.org/10./mms.13090

Abstract
Maritime traffic is a major contributor of anthropogenic disturbance for 
cetaceans, especially for coastal populations, such as that of resident common 
bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Sado estuary (Portugal). 
Animals have been found to adjust their vocal behavior by changing vocal rates, 
or call frequency and/or duration, to overcome masking effects of underwater 
noise. To evaluate the potential impacts of boat traffic on the acoustic 
behavior of these dolphins, emission rates and acoustic characteristics of 
whistles and burst-pulsed signals were analyzed with and without boats 
operating nearby. In this study, no significant differences were found for 
emission rates of each type of vocal element in the presence of vessels. 
However, significant differences were found in acoustic parameters, namely 
changes in frequency and duration, for whistles and for pulsed sounds (creaks, 
grunts, squeaks, and gulps). These changes, such as a shift in vocal 
frequencies and production of shorter signals, may represent behavioral 
strategies to compensate for the noisy environment. Although resident 
bottlenose dolphins in the Sado region seem to have developed some tolerance to 
vessel noise, continuous noise exposure and noise-induced frequency shifts in 
vocal outputs could have indirect fitness costs for this population.

Best regards,
Filipa V. Sobreira

--
MSc in Marine Biology
fsobre...@ispa.pt
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[MARMAM] New Publication: Impulsive Sounds Produced by Humpback Whale Surface Active Behavior

[Eden Zang]

Aloha,

My co-authors and I are happy to share that our note, "Impulsive sounds
produced by humpback whale surface active behavior recorded on acoustic
tags and bottom‐moored recorders" has been published in the latest issue
(Jan 2024) of Marine Mammal Science. The paper utilizes data from Office of
National Marine Sanctuary acoustic monitoring project, SanctSound,
 and Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National
Marine Sanctuary collaborative tagging efforts with University of Hawai'i
Hilo and The Dolphin Institute. The paper describes impulsive sounds
associated with humpback whale surface-active behaviors and how these
signals can contribute to the overall soundscape where humpbacks are
present.

You can access a full text version of the article via this link,
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/author/FRF3KPNGDW3B92YUWAZD?target=10./mms.13085
.

Feel free to share this widely with your network. Please let me know if you
have any questions!

*Eden J. Zang*
Pacific Islands Sanctuary Sound Monitoring & Science Coordinator
National Marine Sanctuary Foundation
providing assistance to
NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries
Science and Heritage Division
Office: (808) 879-2818
Mobile: (602) 421-0013
eden.z...@noaa.gov
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[MARMAM] New publication: Documenting the Endangered North Atlantic Right Whale: Policies, Conservation Efforts, and Stakeholders Depicted in 'Entangled' and 'Last of the Right Whales'

[Reamer, Marcus]

Dear MarMam Community,

On behalf of my co-authors, we are pleased to share our recent paper titled 
"Documenting the Endangered North Atlantic Right Whale: Policies, Conservation 
Efforts, and Stakeholders Depicted in Entangled and Last of the Right Whales. 
This article was recently published in the Journal of International Wildlife 
Law & Policy. Here is the link to the 
article. If 
you do not have access to the Journal through your organization, you may 
contact me directly for a PDF copy.

Abstract: Wildlife documentaries are a form of environmental media widely used 
in public engagement around sustainability and conservation issues, including 
biodiversity loss. Two recently released wildlife documentaries, Entangled 
(2020) and Last of the Right Whales (2021), are the first to tell stories 
focused on the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale (NARW) through 
film, despite the species having been imperiled for more than a century and 
experts sounding the alarm about the population’s decline for decades. While 
whales are highly regarded worldwide and their conservation has strong public 
support, the NARW case study is a complicated one due not only to biological 
and ecological challenges, but also to sociopolitical ones. Without drastic 
policy actions and changes to industry practices throughout its migratory 
range, the NARW may disappear within decades, becoming the first great whale 
species to reach extinction since the industrial whaling era. In this article 
we address a gap in current environmental media and documentary studies by 
engaging critically with Entangled and Last of the Right Whales and considering 
them within the socioecological contexts they showcase and aim to influence. 
Our findings indicate that these two films share an important environmental 
problem with their viewers but fail to overcome some important pitfalls that 
limit the ability of environmental films to achieve collective action and 
policy change. We use this case study to highlight opportunities and challenges 
associated with wildlife documentaries more broadly, specifically, their role 
in biodiversity conservation in the Anthropocene. We conclude with 
opportunities for future interdisciplinary research and collaborative practice 
that can help wildlife films to achieve more than accolades for filmmakers and 
mere general awareness of conservation challenges.

Citation: Reamer, M., Vaughan, H., & Shriver-Rice, M. (2024). Documenting the 
Endangered North Atlantic Right Whale: Policies, Conservation Efforts, and 
Stakeholders Depicted in Entangled and Last of the Right Whales. Journal of 
International Wildlife Law & Policy, 26(4), 1–26. 
https://doi.org/10.1080/13880292.2023.2294590

All my best,

Marcus B. Reamer, MPS, MPA (he/him/his)
Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Environmental Science and Policy
Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science
ORCiD | 
LinkedIn | +1 305.496.4555

[cid:c84e8300-9d41-4c32-a7ca-91b37d36597a]

✉️ I try to limit my use of email throughout the day to allow for deep focus. ✉️
 Please allow up to 48 hours for a response before following up. 
 If I contact you outside of your normal working hours, please know that I do 
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[MARMAM] New publication: Bomb radiocarbon determines absolute age of adult fin whales, and validates use of earplug growth bands for age determination

[Guðjón Már Sigurðsson - HAFRO]

We are pleased to share our new publication in Frontiers in Marine Science with 
the MARMAM community:

Campana SE, Finnsdóttir SV and Sigurðsson GM (2024) Bomb radiocarbon determines 
absolute age of adult fin whales, and validates use of earplug growth bands for 
age determination. Frontiers in Marine Science. 11:1327752. doi: 
10.3389/fmars.2024.1327752

Summary:
Baleen whales are one of the few vertebrate taxa for which there are no 
confirmed estimates of longevity or methods of age determination. Lamina counts 
in the waxy earplug are assumed to represent age, but ageing accuracy is 
completely unknown. In this study, bomb radiocarbon assays of the earplug 
growth sequence in three adult fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) were used to 
prepare the most complete within-individual bomb radiocarbon chronologies yet 
reported for any vertebrate. The whale radiocarbon chronologies matched those 
of known-age carbonate reference chronologies very well, indicating that the 
earplug laminae were both metabolically stable and formed throughout the life 
of the whale. Earplug lamina counts accurately represented absolute ages of 
65-85 yr to within 6% of the correct age. Detection of a significant declining 
trend in δ13C with year of lamina formation within individual whales was 
consistent with that of the Suess effect, again underlining the metabolic 
stability of the earplug laminae. Given our results, recent applications of 
earplug laminae for reconstructing diet and life history events appear to be 
firmly based, with the potential for further elemental and isotopic 
applications analogous to those of the otolith.

The article is open access and available here: 
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2024.1327752/full

All the best,
Gudjon


Guðjón Már Sigurðsson, Ph.D, M.Sc.
Sjávarlíffræðingur / Marine biologist
Uppsjávarsviði / Pelagic division
Hafrannsóknastofnun / Marine and Freshwater Research Institute
Hafnarfjörður, Iceland
gud...@hafogvatn.is
+354 575-2113

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[MARMAM] New publication: The Cetacean Sanctuary: A Sea of Unknowns

[Jay Bruck]

I am pleased to share my new publication in the journal Animals with the MARMAM 
community:

Bruck JN. The Cetacean Sanctuary: A Sea of Unknowns. Animals. 2024; 14(2):335. 
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14020335


Summary:
Sanctuary is a term with implicit meaning associated with refuge and safety. In 
the animal husbandry setting, we have used this term to describe many different 
types of enclosures, with very little standardization of what this term should 
mean in terms of physical space, much less welfare in a broad sense. Here, I 
consider how extreme space, the deemphasis of the human–cetacean relationship, 
breeding restrictions, donation-based funding models, and current practices in 
public messaging create potential challenges for cetacean sanctuaries moving 
forward. I then offer experimental approaches to assessing the potential 
effectiveness of cetacean sanctuaries in improving cetacean welfare. To ensure 
the success of sanctuaries in maximizing animal welfare, it is essential to 
critically evaluate sanctuary standards against what is currently known about 
animals under managed care, as well as to determine what data are necessary to 
fully evaluate animal welfare in sanctuaries before these facilities are 
constructed.

This article is available open access on the Animals website 
(https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/2/335).

--
Jason N. Bruck Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Biology
Stephen F. Austin State University
Ph: (936) 468-2267 
E-Mail: jason.br...@sfasu.edu 
Office: Miller Science Building 112
P.O. Box 13003, SFA Station
Nacogdoches, Texas 75962
 
Editorial Board Journal of Animal Behavior and Cognition / International 
Journal of Comparative Psychology / Learning and Behavior. Consider submitting 
your next manuscript to AB, IJCP or Learning and Behavior
 
**The views and opinions expressed in this message are my own and do not 
necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Stephen F. Austin State 
University, its Board of Regents or the State of Texas.

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[MARMAM] New publication: Diel patterns of humpback whale singers in Hawai‘i

[Anke K]

Dear MARMAM community,

on behalf of my co-authors, I am excited to share our paper on diel 
spatiotemporal trends of humpback whale singers in Hawai’i that was just 
published in Royal Society Open Science. You can find this Open Access article 
following this link: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.230279 


Kügler A, Lammers MO, Pack AA, Tenorio-Hallé L, Thode AM. 2024 Diel 
spatio-temporal patterns of humpback whale singing on a high-density breeding 
ground. R. Soc. Open Sci. 11: 230279. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.230279

Abstract:

Humpback whale song chorusing dominates the marine soundscape in Hawai‘i during 
winter months, yet little is known about spatio-temporal habitat use patterns 
of singers. We analysed passive acoustic monitoring data from five sites off 
Maui and found that ambient noise levels associated with song chorusing 
decreased during daytime hours nearshore but increased offshore. To resolve 
whether these changes reflect a diel offshore–onshore movement or a temporal 
difference in singing activity, data from 71 concurrently conducted land-based 
theodolite surveys were analysed. Non-calf pods (n= 3082), presumably including 
the majority of singers, were found further offshore with increasing time of 
the day. Separately, we acoustically localized 217 nearshore singers using 
vector-sensors. During the day, distances to shore and minimum distances among 
singers increased, and singers switched more between being stationary and 
singing while travelling. Together, these findings suggest that the observed 
diel trends in humpback whale chorusing off Maui represent a pattern of active 
onshore–offshore movement of singers. We hypothesize that this may result from 
singers attempting to reduce intraspecific acoustic masking when densities are 
high nearshore and avoidance of a loud, non-humpback, biological evening chorus 
offshore, creating a dynamic of movement of singers aimed at increasing the 
efficiency of their acoustic display.

Kind regards,
-- 
Anke Kügler PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher
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[MARMAM] New publication: Novel presentation of coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever) in a sea otter

[Heather Harris]

We are pleased to share our new publication in the Journal of Wildlife Diseases 
with the MARMAM community:

Harris HS, Harris MD, Thompson GR, Engelthaler DM, Montfort PL, Leviner AL, and 
Miller MA. 2024. Novel Presentation of Coccidioidomycosis with Myriad 
Free-Floating Proteinaceous Spheres in the Pericardial Sac of a Southern Sea 
Otter (Enhydra lutris nereis). Journal of Wildlife Diseases 60(1):223-228. 
https://doi.org/10.7589/JWD-D-23-00045

Summary:
Coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever) is a climate driven One Health issue 
impacting humans, domestic animals, and wildlife with a hotspot in San Luis 
Obispo County, California. Marine mammals are infected via land to sea transfer 
of airborne fungal spores during dry windy conditions. Sea otters typically 
present with severe, fatal pulmonary disease and systemic fungal dissemination. 
Here we present a novel case of a dead stranded southern sea otter (Enhydra 
lutris nereis) with a distended pericardial sac filled with thousands of 
free-floating masses in the absence of gross pulmonary lesions, confirmed as 
Coccidioides immitis via culture, serology, PCR, and sequencing. Anthropogenic 
land use practices that cause soil disturbance and exacerbate drought enhance 
the risk of exposure. Range expansion of this zoonotic pathogen and increased 
incidence in humans and animals is predicted with climate change, so clinicians 
and biologists should be aware of this unusual presentation.

This article is available on the Journal of Wildlife Diseases website. If you 
don't have access, feel free to reach out via email to request a pdf.


[cid:image001.png@01DA49ED.271BA190]
Heather S. Harris, DVM, MPVM, Dipl. ACVPM
Associate Veterinarian- San Luis Obispo Operations

harr...@tmmc.org |  C: 415.517.5514 | 
MarineMammalCenter.org
The Marine Mammal Center, 1385 Main Street, Morro Bay, CA 93442





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[MARMAM] New publication: Visualisation of mercury in bottlenose dolphin samples

[rebecca]

The North Sea is an ecologically rich habitat for marine wildlife which has
also been impacted by industrial developments and anthropogenic emissions of
contaminants such as mercury.
 Marine mammals are particularly susceptible to mercury exposure, due
to their trophic position, long lifespan, and dependence on (increasingly
contaminated) aquatic prey species. To mitigate impact, marine mammals can
detoxify
 methylmercury by binding it to selenium-containing biomolecules,
creating insoluble mercury

selenide granules. Here, liver, kidney, muscle, and brain samples from an
adult male bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) with known elevated
mercury concentrations were analysed through scanning electron microscopy
(SEM). Tiemannite (HgSe) deposits were identified in all organs, ranging
from 400 nm to 5 μm in diameter, with particle size being organ-dependent.
Although reported in other studies, this is the first time that the
three-dimensional nature of tiemannite is captured in marine mammal tissue.

 

Link to article: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2023.123027

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[MARMAM] [Marmam] New publication - Harbour and Grey Seal Vocalisations in Offshore Waters (Ireland and UK)

[Yaiza Pilar Pozo Galvan]

Dear MARMAM community,

My co-authors and I are pleased to share our recent *open-access
publication*: Static Acoustic Monitoring of Harbour (*Phoca vitulina*) and
Grey Seals (*Halichoerus grypus*) in the Malin Sea: A Revolutionary
Approach in Pinniped Conservation.

Published in the Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, you can find it
following the link: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/12/1/118

*Abstract:*
Harbour and grey seals rely on acoustic signals to mate, socialise and
defend their territory. Previous studies have focused on their behaviour,
movements and communication from the coast, leaving a knowledge gap in the
offshore environments, and therefore being unable to determine the proper
use they give to those areas and the risks they face around them. Acoustic
data collected with a SoundTrap were analysed to assess the detectability
of both species in the Malin Sea. Vocalisations were classified based on
aural and visual features, as well as using non-parametric classification
trees. Differences in the vocalisation rate of grey seals per diel, season
and tidal state were also assessed through Generalised Linear Mixed Models,
obtaining significant results, and finding similarities in the
vocalisations of grey seals with the Scottish and Irish populations. A
small sample of adult and pup harbour seals was detected, and differences
in call type and number of detections per type were found across the
seasons. These results show the importance of the area for both species,
and lay the foundations for future studies, which will help to implement
proper conservation measures such as Marine Protected Areas.

Thank you in advance.

Best regards,

Yaiza

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Libre
de virus.www.avast.com

<#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2>
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[MARMAM] New publication: Killer whale acoustic patterns in the sub-Antarctic region

[Fannie Shabangu]

Dear MARMAM Colleagues
On behalf on my co-authors, I am excited to announce the publication of our 
latest research article:

 Shabangu FW, Daniels R, Jordaan RK, de Bruyn PJN, van den Berg MA, Lamont T. 
2024 Killer whale acoustic patterns respond to prey abundance and environmental 
variability around the Prince Edward Islands, Southern Ocean. R. Soc. Open Sci. 
11: 230903. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.230903

Abstract
 Killer whales are apex predators with temporally and spatially varying 
distributions throughout the world’s oceans. Their ecology and behaviour are 
poorly understood in most regions due to limited research, often because of 
logistical challenges. Here, we used a passive acoustic monitoring device to 
investigate the seasonal acoustic occurrence and diel vocalizing behaviour of 
killer whales around the remote sub-Antarctic Prince Edward Islands (PEIs), 
Southern Ocean. Killer whales showed diel vocalizing patterns that varied 
seasonally in relation to their prey abundance and social activities. Killer 
whale calls were intermittently detected year-round with a high number of hours 
containing calls in October to December, and a secondary peak in February to 
May, corresponding to seal prey abundance. Random forest modelling identified 
wind speed as the primary predictor of the occurrence of killer whale calls 
(with a negative correlation) while sea surface height, chlorophyll-a and sea 
surface temperature were moderately important. We provide the first acoustic 
evidence that killer whale occurrence around the PEIs might coincide with 
variability in environmental conditions and prey abundance. Our results provide 
the first indication of diel vocalizing pattern of killer whales in the 
Southern Ocean. This knowledge is important for understanding killer whale 
ecology and adaptation to the changing oceans.
This article is open access and downloadable from: 
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.230903
All the best for 2024.

Kind regards,Fannie
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Fannie W. Shabangu, PhD (he/him)
Marine BiologistDepartment of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
Cape Town, South Africa
Mobile: +27 74 220 0210
Tel: +27 21 402 3553E-mail addresses: fshaba...@dffe.gov.za; 
fannie.shaba...@yahoo.com

Research Fellow
Mammal Research InstituteWhale Unit
University of PretoriaHatfield, South Africa
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[MARMAM] New Publication: Characteristics of sei whale downsweeps recorded off Eastern Canada

[Gabrielle Macklin]

Dear MARMAM,



My co-authors and I are happy to share our publication in the Journal of
the Acoustical Society of America:



Macklin, G. F., Moors-Murphy, H. B., & Leonard, M. L. (2024).
Characteristics and spatiotemporal variation of sei whale (Balaenoptera
borealis) downsweeps recorded in Atlantic Canada. The Journal of the
Acoustical Society of America, 155(1), 145-155.



A PDF copy can be made available upon request to mackli...@gmail.com



The call characteristics and vocal behaviour of sei whales (Balaenoptera
borealis) off eastern Canada, including potential spatiotemporal variation,
is poorly understood. Such information can improve the performance of
automated detector-classifiers, enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of
identifying sei whales in large acoustic datasets. Ultimately, these data
can be used to understand the occurrence, distribution, and population
structure of sei whales in Atlantic Canada. We measured sei whale downsweep
characteristics recorded from six locations off Nova Scotia (NS) and
Newfoundland and Labrador (NFLD), Canada over a two-year period
(2015–2017), and examined variation between call subtypes (singlets,
doublets, triplets+), and seasons (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter). We found
that downsweeps had a mean duration of 1.58 s, sweeping from 75.66 to 34.22
Hz, with a peak frequency of 43.89 Hz and an intra-call interval of 2.22 s.
Most call characteristics did not vary between location, subtype, or
season; however, significantly longer downsweeps occurred off NS, within
doublet calls, and in fall months. We also found that NFLD had a higher
proportion of doublets (70%) than NS (52%). This variation may be evidence
of acoustically diverging sei whale populations, as well as useful for
improving detector-classifiers of sei whales in the region.



Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, to
mackli...@gmail.com



Cheers,

Gabrielle Macklin

Aquatic Science Biologist/ Biologiste en sciences aquatiques

Fisheries and Oceans/ Pêches et Océans Canada

-- 
Gabrielle Macklin, M.Sc.
Halifax, NS

1 204 232 0875
mackli...@gmail.com
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[MARMAM] New publication - Fin whale song evolution in the North Atlantic

[Miriam Romagosa]

Dear Marmam subscribers,

We are pleased to announce the publication of the following article in the
eLife journal:

Romagosa, M., Nieukirk, S., Cascão, I., Marques, TA., Dziak, R.,  Royer,
JY. O'Brien, J., Mellinger, DK, Pereira, A., Ugalde, A., Papale, E.,
Aniceto, S., Buscaino, G., Rasmussen, M.,  Matias, L., Prieto, R. and
Silva, MA. (2024) Fin whale song evolution in the North Atlantic. eLife
13:e83750. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.83750

Abstract:   Animal songs can change within and between populations as the
result of different evolutionary processes. When these processes include
cultural transmission, the social learning of information or behaviours
from conspecifics, songs can undergo rapid evolutions because cultural
novelties can emerge more frequently than genetic mutations. Understanding
these song variations over large temporal and spatial scales can provide
insights into the patterns, drivers and limits of song evolution that can
ultimately inform on the species’ capacity to adapt to rapidly changing
acoustic environments. Here, we analysed changes in fin whale (Balaenoptera
physalus) songs recorded over two decades across the central and eastern
North Atlantic Ocean. We document a rapid replacement of song INIs
(inter-note intervals) over just four singing seasons, that co-occurred
with hybrid songs (with both INIs), and a clear geographic gradient in the
occurrence of different song INIs during the transition period. We also
found gradual changes in INIs and note frequencies over more than a decade
with fin whales adopting song changes. These results provide evidence of
vocal learning in fin whales and reveal patterns of song evolution that
raise questions on the limits of song variation in this species.


Kind regards,

--
Miriam Romagosa, PhD
Azores Whale Lab – Cetacean Ecology group
Okeanos – Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar
University of the Azores
Rua Prof Dr. Frederico Machado 4
9901-862 Horta, Azores, Portugal

Phone: (+351) 292200400
Email: m.romago...@gmail.com
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[MARMAM] New Publication: Passive acoustic monitoring for assessing marine mammals population in European waters: Workshop conclusions and perspectives

[Mathilde MICHEL]

Dear MARMAM community,

I am delighted to share with you our recent publication stemming from 
the workshop, "Prospective Discussion on Passive Acoustic Monitoring of 
Marine Mammals for Descriptor D1 of the Marine Strategy Framework 
Directive (MSFD)," held during the European Cetacean Society 2023.


Title: "Passive Acoustic Monitoring for Assessing Marine Mammals 
Population in European Waters: Workshop Conclusions and Perspectives"

Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X2300516X

_Abstract:
_The European Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD, 2008/56/CE) 
aims to achieve and maintain the 'good environmental status' (GES) of 
marine ecosystems, including the assessment of marine mammal 
populations. However, assessing their abundance and distribution is 
challenging due to their mobility, elusiveness, and difficult data 
acquisition. This article highlights the role of passive acoustic 
monitoring as a complementary approach to traditional methods (mainly 
plane and boat surveys). It also presents the conclusions and 
perspectives of a workshop organized at the 34th conference of the 
European Cetacean Society in O'Grove, Spain (18th to 20th April 2023). 
Building on the rich foundation established by the European Cetacean 
Society (ECS) in 1987, this society plays a pivotal role in advancing 
marine mammal research and conservation efforts across European waters. 
The workshop emphasized the need for harmonization of protocols, 
indicators, and guidelines to ensure comparability of results. The 
establishment of a dedicated European working group was proposed to 
coordinate passive acoustic monitoring efforts, foster collaboration, 
and share best practices. The workshop concluded that the consolidation 
of scientific knowledge, the development of common guidelines, and the 
establishment of a transnational working group would improve the 
understanding and conservation of these vulnerable species and their 
habitats.


For those interested, feel free to contact me for a PDF or with any 
questions at mathilde.mic...@ensta-bretagne.org.


Sincerely,

Mathilde Michel
PhD student
mathilde.mic...@ensta-bretagne.org
+33 (0)2 21 09 58 89
Lab-STICC – UMR CNRS 6285

--
Logo ENSTA Bretagne  Logo LabSTIC 
 	


Mathilde MICHEL
*Doctorante*// PhD Student/
*+33 (0)2 21 09 58 89
* *Lab-STICC – UMR CNRS 6285
www.labsticc.fr
*
ENSTA Bretagne
*Grande école d'ingénieurs et centre de recherche*
/French State Graduate, Post-Graduate and Research Institute
/ 2 rue François Verny - 29806 Brest Cedex 9 - France
www.ensta-bretagne.fr 
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[MARMAM] New publication: Sperm whale clans and human societies

[Hal Whitehead]

The following paper has just been published:

Whitehead, H., 2024. Sperm whale clans and human societies. Royal Society Open 
Science

It is open access and available at:

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsos.231353

Abstract:

Sperm whale society is structured into clans that are primarily distinguished 
by vocal dialects, which may be symbolic markers of clan identity. However, 
clans also differ in non-vocal behaviour. These distinctive behaviours, as well 
as clan membership itself, are learned socially, largely within matrilines. The 
clans can contain thousands of whales and span thousands of kilometres. Two or 
more clans typically use an area, but the whales only socialize with members of 
their own clan. In many respects the closest  arallel may be the 
ethno-linguistic groups of humans. Patterns and processes of human prehistory 
that may be instructive in studying sperm whale clans include: the extreme 
variability of human societies; no clear link between modes of resource 
acquisition and social structure; that patterns of vocalizations may not map 
well onto other behavioural distinctions; and that interacting societies may 
deliberately distinguish their behaviour (schismogenesis). Conversely, while 
the two species and their societies are very different, the existence of very 
large-scale social structures in both sperm whales and humans supports some 
primary drivers of the phenomenon that are common to both species (such as 
cognition, cooperation, culture and mobility) and contraindicates others (e.g. 
tool-making and syntactic language).


Hal Whitehead, Dalhousie University (hwhit...@dal.ca)
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[MARMAM] New publication: Long-term strategies for studying rare species

[Robin Baird]

Long-term strategies for studying rare species: results and lessons from a 
multi-species study of odontocetes around the main Hawaiian Islands

This paper describes both our approach to studying rare species and provides 
findings from a long-term study of pygmy killer whales in Hawai‘i, including 
results from genetic analyses (of both stranded animals and biopsied 
free-ranging individuals), satellite tagging (both success and failures, 
including removal of tags by conspecifics), and photo-identification (including 
long-term re-sightings, movements among islands, and social network analyses). 
It shows that resident groups off O‘ahu and Hawai‘i Island share a common 
mitochondrial haplotype, and that mass strandings on Maui likely represent 
groups from an open-ocean population, among other things.

Citation: Baird, R.W., S.D. Mahaffy, B. Hancock-Hanser, T. Cullins, K.L. West, 
M.A. Kratofil, D.M. Barrios, A.E. Harnish, P.C. Johnson. 2024. Long-term 
strategies for studying rare species: results and lessons from a multi-species 
study of odontocetes around the main Hawaiian Islands. Pacific Conservation 
Biology https://doi.org/10.1071/PC23027

Abstracts are included in both English and ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, below. For those who 
subscribe to Pacific Conservation Biology, the paper is available at 
https://www.publish.csiro.au/PC/PC23027 If you don’t subscribe and would like a 
pdf, let me know. Supplemental materials are available to all at 
https://www.publish.csiro.au/PC/acc/PC23027/PC23027_AC.pdf

Robin


Abstract
Context. Funding agencies are often unlikely to fund research on 
rarely-encountered species and limited time is usually spent with such species 
when they are not the focus of research. Thus, knowledge of these species often 
lags behind their encounter rates. Aims. To gain information on 
rarely-encountered odontocetes in Hawai‘i while simultaneously studying common 
ones. Methods. During a long-term small-boat based study, we prioritized time 
spent with rarely-encountered species, collecting photos and biopsy samples, 
and satellite tagging. Sample sizes were augmented with photo contributions 
from members of the public and other researchers, and genetic samples from 
stranded animals and other researchers. Results from genetic and tag data 
analyses were interpreted in the context of social network placement and 
re-sighting histories. Key results. Pygmy killer whales (Feresa attenuata) 
represented <2% of odontocete sightings, and sighting rates varied by depth and 
among islands. Photo-ID shows that 318 of 443 identified individuals are linked 
by association in the main component of the social network. Movements among 
islands were limited, with individuals off O‘ahu and Hawai‘i exhibiting high 
site fidelity, although resident groups from each island share a common 
mitochondrial haplotype. Three groups involved in mass strandings in two 
different years were not linked to the main component of the social network, 
and did not share mitochondrial haplotypes with known resident groups. 
Conclusions. The approach of prioritizing rarely-encountered species for 
additional sampling is an effective way of learning more about poorly-known 
species. Implications. Such an approach may be critical for filling data gaps 
for populations potentially at risk from human activities.

Ka Hōʻuluʻulu
Ka Pōʻaiapili. ʻAʻole paha e kākoʻo nā keʻena kālā i ka noiʻina i nā lāhulu e 
ʻike kākaʻikahi ʻia a ʻaʻole hoʻi nui nā hola e lilo ana i ka launa ʻana me ia 
mau lāhulu inā hoʻi ʻaʻole nō lākou ke kia o ka noiʻina. No laila, ʻoi loa aku 
ke emi o ka ʻike i ia mau lāhulu ma mua o ka nui o ka launa pū ʻana aku. Nā 
Pahuhopu. No ka loaʻa ʻana o ka ʻikepili o nā koholā niho ma Hawaiʻi ma ka wā 
hoʻokahi o ke kālailai ʻia ʻana o nā mea laha. Nā Kiʻina Hana. Ma ka noiʻi 
hikiāloa ma kekahi waʻapā, hoʻomakakoho mākou i nā hola e launa ana me nā 
lāhulu e ʻike kākaʻikahi ʻia, i ka ʻohi ʻana mai i nā kiʻi me nā hāpana ʻokina, 
a i ka hoʻolēpili ukali ʻana. Hoʻololi ʻia ka nui o nā hāpana i nā kiʻi i ʻohi 
ʻia mai ke kaiāulu a me nā kānaka noiʻi ʻē aʻe, a pēlā pū i nā hāpana ōewe o nā 
holoholona ili me nā kānaka noiʻi ʻē aʻe. Kālailai ʻia ka hopena o nā hāpana 
ōewe me nā wehewehena ʻikepili lepili i loko ka pōʻaiapili o ka hoʻonoho launa 
a me nā moʻokūʻauhau ʻike hou ʻana. Nā hua nui. Mai loko mai o nā ʻikena i nā 
koholā niho, ʻike ʻia nā koholā luku ʻiʻi (Feresa attenuata) he ʻuʻuku iho o ka 
ʻelua pākēneka, a kū ka pinepine o ka ʻike ʻia ʻana i ka hohonu a puni nā 
mokupuni. Hōʻike ʻia nā kiʻi, pili he 318 mai loko mai o ka 443 i ka ʻūmaupaʻa 
nui o ka hoʻonoho launa. ʻAʻole i nui ka holo ʻana i waena o nā mokupuni, 
hōʻike ʻia naʻe ke kū loa o nā mea ma kai aku o Oʻahu me Hawaiʻi i ka leo, like 
naʻe kekahi ōewe hoʻoilina i waena o nā pūʻulu noho o kēlā me kēia mokupuni. 
ʻAʻohe pilina o ʻekolu pūʻulu i pili i nā nuʻa ili o ʻelua makahiki ʻokoʻa i ka 
ʻūmaupaʻa nui o ka hoʻonoho launa, a ʻaʻole hoʻi i 

[MARMAM] New publication on interactions of bottlenose dolphins and Antillean manatee calves

[Eric Angel Ramos]

Greetings MARMAM,

I am pleased to announce the publication of our newest open access article
in PLOS One titled:
"Agonistic interactions initiated by adult bottlenose dolphins on Antillean
manatee calves in the Caribbean Sea"

Abstract
The dynamics and drivers of inter-species interactions in the wild are
poorly understood, particularly those involving social animal species.
Inter-species interactions between ceta- ceans and sirenians have rarely
been documented and investigated. Here, we report 10 cases of interaction
initiated by adult bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) towards Antil-
lean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus). Interactions were documented
through behavioral observations in the wild (n = 7) and from the
examination of orphaned calves (i.e., tooth rake marks on their body; n =
4) that entered a rehabilitation facility, one individual both observed
interacting with dolphins and found stranded with bite marks. Bottlenose
dol- phins were observed interacting with orphan manatee calves and with
mother-calf pairs, exhibiting agonistic behavior (n = 2), affiliative or
neutral behaviors (n = 1), but the behavioral contexts of these
interactions remain unclear in most cases (n = 7). Information on stranded
individuals was collected from four calves (of 13 examined calves)
recovered in poor condi- tion with bottlenose dolphin tooth rakes and bite
wounds on their bodies, one of which died. Injury from bite wounds varied
in extent and severity, ranging from superficial scratches leaving rake
marks to deep lacerations. Our findings suggest the regular occurrence of
ago- nistic behaviors initiated by adult bottlenose dolphins and directed
toward manatee calves. However, the drivers of these interactions remain
unknown and need to be further investigated.

The article can be downloaded free here:
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0295739

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me at
eric.angel.ra...@gmail.com.

Best regards,

*Eric Angel Ramos, Ph.D.*
Scientist at FINS (Fundación Internacional para la Naturaleza y la
Sustentabilidad)

Member of the IUCN SSC Sirenian Specialist Group for Mesoamerica

www.finsconservation.org 
E-mail: eric.angel.ra...@gmail.com
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[MARMAM] New Publication: Harbor Porpoise in Hood Canal, WA

[Greg Schorr]

Dear MARMAM community,

On behalf of my co-authors, we are pleased to provide our recent paper
titled "Distribution, abundance, and density of harbor porpoises in Hood
Canal, Washington" which was recently published as an Open Access research
article in the Journal of Wildlife Management.

The paper can be found at:
https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jwmg.22543

The reference is:
Rone BK, Zerbini AN, Falcone EA, Keene EL, Schorr GS Distribution,
abundance, and density of harbor porpoises in Hood Canal, Washington. The
Journal of Wildlife Management n/a(n/a):e22543.
https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.22543

Abstract:
Harbor porpoises (*Phocoena phocoena*) are the only cetaceans routinely
sighted in Hood Canal, a narrow fjord that comprises the western edge of
Puget Sound, Washington, USA. Harbor porpoises are sensitive to
anthropogenic sounds, including noise from recreational and commercial
vessel traffic, and the United States Navy, which conducts military
training and testing within Hood Canal that can include underwater sound
sources. This study was funded as part of the Navy monitoring program to
assess potential impacts of naval activities on cetaceans. We conducted
vessel-based line-transect surveys for harbor porpoises in Hood Canal in
2022–2023 to derive seasonal estimates of abundance and density. We carried
out surveys over 37 days and surveyed the entire canal twice per season
totaling 2,176 km of on-effort track line. We recorded 809 on-effort harbor
porpoise groups and 1,385 individuals. Seasonal abundance estimates were
lowest in winter (308 animals, 95% CI = 189–503) and gradually increased
through spring and summer to a peak of 1,336 animals (95% CI = 826–2,160)
in fall. Overall porpoise density was highest in central Hood Canal, an
area that includes a designated United States Navy training range, though
porpoise sightings were notably absent in a 21-km2 area adjacent to the
naval submarine base within this otherwise high-density region. Though we
collected only a single year of data, these results suggest that harbor
porpoise abundance in Hood Canal increased significantly since it was last
estimated (2013–2015). The notable seasonal fluctuation of harbor porpoise
abundance suggests Hood Canal may host a larger percentage of the overall
Washington Inland Waters stock during the fall season, raising important
management considerations.

Best regards,

Greg


-- 
Greg Schorr
Research Scientist
Marine Ecology and Telemetry Research
2468 Camp McKenzie Trail NW, Seabeck WA 98380-4513
206-931-4638
www.marecotel.org
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[MARMAM] New publication on niche partitioning among odontocetes in the western South Atlantic

[Renan Lima]

Dear MARMAM community,

My co-authors and I are pleased to share our recent publication:

Tatsch, A.C., de Lima, R.C., Secchi, E.R., Botta, S. 2024. Niche
partitioning among odontocetes in a marine biogeographic transition zone of
the western South Atlantic Ocean. Marine Biology 171, 38.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00227-023-04359-1

ABSTRACT:
Toothed cetaceans represent a diverse and important component in poorly
studied pelagic food webs. We used the variation in δ13C and δ15N values in
tooth dentin and bone collagen sampled from 185 specimens of 23 species
(families Delphinidae, Physeteridae, Kogiidae, Phocoenidae, and Ziphiidae)
stranded in the western South Atlantic Ocean (WSAO) to estimate the
isotopic niche width and assess the interspecific isotopic niche overlap.
Two gradients of increasing δ13C values among species were evidenced:
ocean-coast and high-to-low latitudes. Variation in δ13C and δ15N values
indicated the existence of at least four trophic and habitat-related
guilds: neritic high trophic-level predators (*Pseudorca crassidens*, *Tursiops
truncatus gephyreus*, *T. truncatus truncatus* and *Phocoena spinnipinis*);
oceanic intermediate trophic-level predators (*Orcinus orca*, *Steno
bredanensis*, *Kogia breviceps*, *Lagenodelphis hosei*, *Physeter
macrocephalus*, *Delphinus delphis* and *Stenella frontalis*), oceanic low
trophic-level predators (*Grampus griseus*, *P. crassidens*—mass stranded
group,* Mesoplodon grayi*,* M. densirostris,* *Ziphius cavirostris*,
*Globicephala
melas*, *S. coeruleoalba*, and *K. sima*), all from the subtropics, and a
temperate/polar grouping of neritic/oceanic low trophic-level
predators (*Berardius
arnuxii*, *M. layardii*, *M. hectori *and *P. dioptrica*). Furthermore, our
results also suggest the occurrence of putative ecotypes of *O. orca* and *P.
crassidens*. The isotopic niche width was highly variable among species,
with high niche overlap among several oceanic taxa. The results of the
present study suggest a wide variation in trophic position, habitat and,
therefore, the ecological role of different odontocete species in the WSAO
ecosystems.

All the best,
Renan


-- 
*Renan C. de Lima, PhD*
Postdoctoral fellow
Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação da Megafauna Marinha - EcoMega
Instituto de Oceanografia
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG)

Association of Polar Early Career Scientists - Brazilian Committee (APECS
Brazil) - National Representative

*Phone*: +55(53)99718994 | *e-mail*: renan...@gmail.com
*RG:* www.researchgate.net/profile/Renan-Lima-2
*ORCID*: https://orcid.org/-0002-9311-7085
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[MARMAM] New publication: Distribution and densities of marine megafauna in three subregions of the South Pacific

[sophie laran]

Dear MARMAM community,

On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to share with you our new 
publication "*Who lives in the open sea? Distribution and densities of 
surfacing marine megafauna in three subregions of the South Pacific (New 
Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, and French Polynesia)*" available in 
open-access at:

https://www.publish.csiro.au/PC/PC23023


   Abstract

*Context*

Assessing the distribution and abundance of marine fauna and the 
ecological status of coastal and pelagic ecosystems is key to 
biodiversity conservation, but the monitoring of mobile marine species 
raises multiple logistical and financial challenges.


*Aims*

The project describes the distribution, abundance and taxonomic 
assemblage of several marine megafauna taxa in three subregions of the 
western and central South Pacific Ocean (New Caledonia, Wallis and 
Futuna, and French Polynesia).


*Methods*

Large-scale aerial surveys were conducted using a standardised 
multi-taxon protocol, to characterise the occurrence and abundance of 
marine megafauna over 2.5 million km^2 . Analysing more than 122 000 km 
of transects, the densities of 22 different taxa were estimated: seven 
taxonomic groups of marine mammals (Physeteridae, Kogiidae, Ziphiidae, 
Globicephalinae, Small Delphininae, Large Delphininae, and Dugongidae), 
a single group for hard-shelled sea turtles, three groups of 
elasmobranchs (including whale sharks), and 11 groups of seabirds 
(including Phaethontidae, Hydrobatidae, Fregatidae and Sulidae).


*Key results*

Contrasting patterns of species distribution were found. Marine mammal 
diversity increases north and west, with a distinct species assemblage 
in New Caledonia, compared to other subregions. A strong latitudinal 
gradient was observed across French Polynesia, independent of taxa.


*Conclusions*

This study provides the first comparison of marine species assemblages 
across the three oceanic subregions and sets a regional baseline for the 
biogeography of marine megafauna in the region.


*Implications*

The taxonomic and spatial extension of the results opens up new 
perspectives for the development of local conservation measures, 
especially for taxa with already documented population declines.


*Keywords:*aerial survey, cetacean, dugong, elasmobranch, marine mammal, 
marine megafauna, seabird, sea turtle, Southwest Pacific Ocean.


Best regards and Happy New Year !!

Sophie

--

Sophie Laran
Observatoire PELAGIS, UAR 3462 (La Rochelle Université - CNRS)
TEL : +33 (0)5 46 44 99 10 (STD) /+33 (0)5 16 49 67 15 (LD)

Suivre la campagne MAMO: 
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/5ca0a777a43b4d0bb8280597bb702ff9


Observatoire PELAGIS
*La Rochelle Université*
Centre commun d'analyse
5 allée de l'océan
17000 La Rochelle
www.observatoire-pelagis.cnrs.fr 

univ-larochelle.fr 

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[MARMAM] New publication: First aerial observation of Sato's beaked whales (Berardius minimus)

[Hayao Kobayashi]

Dear colleagues,

On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to announce our new publication in
Marine Mammal Science.

Kobayashi, H., Ikuta, S., & Kobayashi, M. (2023). First aerial observation
of Sato's beaked whales (Berardius minimus) above the Abashiri Submarine
Canyon, Hokkaido, Japan. Marine Mammal Science, 1–8 (Early view).
https://doi.org/10./mms.13099

On May 8, 2023, we found three groups of whales that appeared to be Sato's
beaked whales around the Abashiri Submarine Canyon, Hokkaido, Japan, and
successfully captured aerial videos using UAVs. In this paper, representing
the first of its kind, we describe the external morphology of these whales
in images captured by UAVs.

A digest of the aerial videos captured during this survey is available on
the YouTube channel of the Tokyo University of Agriculture.
https://youtu.be/XNtY4p1t_5o?si=w7wsXNzDBhVv1IAi

Best regards,

Hayao Kobayashi
Tokyo University of Agriculture

**
Kobayashi Hayao Ph.D.

Tokyo University of Agriculture
Department of Ocean and Fisheries Sciences
Postdoctoral researcher
196 Yasaka, Abashirishi, Hokkaido, 099-2493, Japan.

TEL：080-5270-9906
Mail：physeter0...@gmail.com
**
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[MARMAM] New publication: "Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) source identification and a maternal transfer case study in threatened killer whales (Orcinus orca) of British Columbia, Canada"

[jj_al...@yahoo.com]

Dear Marman colleagues,
I hope everyone is doing well.
I am pleased to share on behalf of my co-authors, our new paper on "Polycyclic 
aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) source identification and a maternal transfer case 
study in threatened killer whales (Orcinus orca) of British Columbia, Canada". 
This full text of the article is available as an open-access publication  at 
the following links: 
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-45306-whttps://rdcu.be/dtYrx

Abstract
The northeastern Pacific (NEP) Ocean spans the coast of British Columbia 
(Canada) and is impacted by anthropogenic activities including oil pipeline 
developments, maritime fossil fuel tanker traffic, industrial chemical 
effluents, agricultural and urban emissions in tandem with stormwater and 
wastewater discharges, and forest wildfires. Such events may expose surrounding 
marine environments to toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and impact 
critical habitats of threatened killer whales (Orcinus orca). We analyzed 
skeletal muscle and liver samples from stranded Bigg’s killer whales and 
endangered Southern Resident killer whales (SRKWs) for PAH contamination using 
LRMS. C3-phenanthrenes/anthracenes (mean: 632 ng/g lw), C4-dibenzothiophenes 
(mean: 334 ng/g lw), and C4-phenanthrenes/anthracenes (mean: 248 ng/g lw) 
presented the highest concentrations across all tissue samples. Diagnostic 
ratios indicated petrogenic-sourced contamination for SRKWs and 
pyrogenic-sourced burdens for Bigg’s killer whales; differences between 
ecotypes may be attributed to habitat range, prey selection, and metabolism. A 
mother-fetus skeletal muscle pair provided evidence of PAH maternal transfer; 
low molecular weight compounds C3-fluorenes, dibenzothiophene, and naphthalene 
showed efficient and preferential exposure to the fetus. This indicates 
in-utero exposure of PAH-contamination to the fetus. Our results show that 
hydrocarbon-related anthropogenic activities are negatively impacting these top 
predators; preliminary data found here can be used to improve oil spill and 
other PAH pollution management and regulation efforts, and inform policy to 
conserve killer whale habitats in the NEP.

Citation: Lee, K., Raverty, S., Cottrell, P., Zoveidadianpour, Z., Cottrell, 
B., Price D., Alava, J.J. 2023. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in 
threatened killer whales (Orcinus orca) of British Columbia, Canada: 
Contaminant source identification and a maternal transfer case study. 
Scientific Reports 13 (2258): 1-14 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-45306-w
A media release news via the University of British Columbia (UBC) is also 
available at the following link: Toxic chemicals found in oil spills and 
wildfire smoke detected in killer 
whaleshttps://urldefense.com/v3/__https://news.ubc.ca/2023/12/19/toxic-chemicals-from-oil-spills-and-wildfire-smoke-in-killer-whales/

A previous paper on a similar topic regarding contaminants of emerging concern 
in killer whales from the Northeastern Pacific was also published early this 
year:

Lee, K., Alava, J. J., Cottrell, P., Cottrell, L., Grace, R., Zysk, I., 
Raverty, S. 2023.Emerging Contaminants and New POPs (PFAS and HBCDD) in 
Endangered Southern Resident and Bigg’s (Transient) Killer Whales (Orcinus 
orca): In Utero Maternal Transfer and Pollution Management Implications 
Environmental Science & Technology 57 (1): 360-374. 
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c04126


Wishing you all Hally Holidays and a Happy New Year 2021! 


Juan José 

--
Juan Jose Alava, Ph.D. (he/el/him/his)
Honorary Research Associate
Principal Investigator, Ocean Pollution Research Unit (OPRU)
Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries,
The University of British Columbia
AERL 2202 Main Mall | Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4 Canada
OPRU: https://oceanpollution.oceans.ubc.ca
http://oceans.ubc.ca/juan-jose-alava/
https://twitter.com/UBC_OPRU
https://www.facebook.com/ubcoceanpollution

I acknowledge being grateful and humble located on the traditional, ancestral, 
and unceded territory of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish)  
and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
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[MARMAM] New publication on bottlenose dolphin electroreception

[Tim Huettner]

Dear MARMAN colleagues,



On behalf of my coauthors I am pleased to share with you our newest
publication on passive electroreception in bottlenose dolphins. Following
our previous study published in 2022, we further investigated the
bottlenose dolphin’s electroreceptive abilities and determined detection
thresholds for DC and AC electric fields. Based on our findings we discuss
not only the use of this electric sense during foraging but also its
implications for large-scale orientation using the Earth’s magnetic field.





Hüttner, T., Fersen, L. von, Miersch, L., & Dehnhardt, G. (2023). Passive
electroreception in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus): Implication
for micro- and large-scale orientation. *The Journal of Experimental
Biology*, *226*(22). https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.245845


-

 ** Abstract **


For the two dolphin species *Sotalia guianensis* (Guiana dolphin) and *Tursiops
truncatus* (bottlenose dolphin), previous research has shown that the
vibrissal crypts located on the rostrum represent highly innervated,
ampullary electroreceptors and that both species are correspondingly
sensitive to weak electric fields. In the present study, for a comparative
assessment of the sensitivity of the bottlenose dolphin's electroreceptive
system, we determined detection thresholds for DC and AC electric fields
with two bottlenose dolphins. In a psychophysical experiment, the animals
were trained to respond to electric field stimuli using the go/no-go
paradigm. We show that the two bottlenose dolphins are able to detect DC
electric fields as low as 2.4 and 5.5 µV cm−1, respectively, a detection
threshold in the same order of magnitude as those in the platypus and the
Guiana dolphin. Detection thresholds for AC fields (1, 5 and 25 Hz) were
generally higher than those for DC fields, and the sensitivity for AC
fields decreased with increasing frequency. Although the electroreceptive
sensitivity of dolphins is lower than that of elasmobranchs, it is
suggested that it allows for both micro- and macro-scale orientation. In
dolphins pursuing benthic foraging strategies, electroreception may
facilitate short-range prey detection and target-oriented snapping of their
prey. Furthermore, the ability to detect weak electric fields may enable
dolphins to perceive the Earth's magnetic field through induction-based
magnetoreception, thus allowing large-scale orientation.

-


The paper is open access and be downloaded here:



https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.245845



Please feel free to reach out with any questions (tim.huettne...@gmail.com)


Best regards,

Tim Hüttner
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[MARMAM] New publication - Short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) total length estimation using laser photogrammetry off the southwest coast of Ireland

[Sean O'Callaghan]

Dear MARMAM community,

We are pleased to announce our recent publication on common dolphin laser
photogrammetry detailed below.

O'Callaghan, S.A., Daly, M. and Berrow, S. (2023). Short-beaked common
dolphin (Delphinus delphis) total length estimation using laser
photogrammetry off the southwest coast of Ireland. Journal of Cetacean
Research and Management 24(1):189-204.
https://doi.org/10.47536/jcrm.v24i1.395

Abstract
Measurements from 106 stranded short‐beaked common dolphins along the Irish
coast were taken between March 2017 and March 2023. Data were collected
from the Irish Necropsy Project and Irish Cetacean Stranding Scheme. Total
length measurements were gathered from 103 individuals where the tail
flukes were still attached. These ranged between 96–238cm, mean 185.7cm, SD
31.43cm. Males (n = 58) ranged from 96–238cm, averaging 189cm, SD 34.64cm.
Females (n = 40) measured 117.5–231cm, averaging 181cm, SD 25.80cm. Scaled
dorsal fin photos were taken from stranded dolphins to formulate an
equation to estimate the total length of live dolphins. The total lengths
of 29 live common dolphins were estimated off the southwest coast of
Ireland using laser photogrammetry and dorsal fin dimensions between March
2018–April 2019. Total lengths for three stranded dolphins with amputated
tail flukes were also estimated. Dorsal fin base lengths were the most
accurate predictor of total length R2 = 0.78. Total length estimates ranged
between 143.77–242.25cm, averaging 194.78cm, SD 20.05cm. The adoption of
laser photogrammetry as a measurement tool warrants further exploration as
a means to reduce potential disruption from aerial systems and enhance the
utility of behavioural and photo‐ID images. This study describes a
non‐invasive technique with a range of possible applications for
understanding pod size structure and seasonality due to this species’
approachable behaviour and inquisitive nature.

The study is freely available to download  in the below link but if you you
have any questions regarding this work feel free to get in touch with me on
seanocallaghan...@gmail.com

https://journal.iwc.int/index.php/jcrm/article/view/395?fbclid=IwAR3onplj0UeWtH725ZWdOhrBdzmJytHBnBVSzsKqx1ouQCmZ4cYMNVLxDgU

Kind regards and happy holidays,

Seán
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[MARMAM] New publication "Imitation of Novel Actions in a Beluga Whale"

[José Francisco Zamorano Abramson]

Dear MARMAM community,



On behalf of myself and my co-author I'm pleased to announce the following
publication in *Animals: *


Zamorano-Abramson, J.; Hernández-Lloreda, M.V. Imitation of Novel
Intransitive Body Actions in a Beluga Whale (*Delphinapterus leucas*): A
“Do as Other Does” Study. *Animals* 2023, *13*, 3763.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13243763



Simple Summary



Summary



Cetaceans, including beluga whales, are known for their unique habits and
behaviors that they display within their social groups, such as
group-specific tactics or vocalizations. One of the questions that has
attracted the attention of researchers is whether these behaviors are
learned socially, i.e., from other members of their group. In this study,
we investigate the ability of a young beluga to learn and reproduce new
behaviors by observing another beluga perform them. The beluga was trained
to respond to the command “Do this” so that it would imitate what it had
observed in another beluga whale. The results show how it was able to copy
both familiar behaviors (known and previously performed) and novel
behaviors (actions it had never seen or performed before) in response to
the “copy” signal. This study is the first evidence of this “true
imitation” (copying novel actions) ability in this species and shows that
these animals can acquire new skills through this process. This ability,
which is quite rare in the animal kingdom, helps us to understand how these
marine mammals survive and thrive in their natural habitats and how they
pass on vital information about where to live, migrate, and find food.





Many thanks and best wishes,



José Zamorano -Abramson




Dr. José Zamorano-Abramson.
1.Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social, Facultad de Gobierno,
Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile.
2. Investigador Grupo de Psicobiología Social, Evolutiva y Comparada
Departamento de Psicobiología y Metodología en Ciencias del
Comportamiento.Facultad
de Psicología. Universidad Complutense de Madrid.Campus de Somosaguas 28223
Madrid, Spain
ORCID Id:

orcid.org/-0001-7106-6419
RESEARCHE Id: B-3990-2012
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[MARMAM] New publication on stranded harbour seals gut microbiome

[Ana Rubio García]

Dear MARMAM community,

On behalf of my co-authors, I am very happy to share our new publication in
PLOS ONE
"Characterising the gut microbiome of stranded harbour seals (*Phoca
vitulina*) in rehabilitation."

The article is Open access, it is available here:
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0295072

Abstract

Animal rehabilitation centres provide a unique opportunity to study the
microbiome of wild animals because subjects will be handled for their
treatment and can therefore be sampled longitudinally. However,
rehabilitation may have unintended consequences on the animals’ microbiome
because of a less varied and suboptimal diet, possible medical treatment
and exposure to a different environment and human handlers. Our study
describes the gut microbiome of two large seal cohorts, 50 pups (0–30 days
old at arrival) and 23 weaners (more than 60 days old at arrival) of
stranded harbour seals admitted for rehabilitation at the Sealcentre
Pieterburen in the Netherlands, and the effect of rehabilitation on it.
Faecal samples were collected from all seals at arrival, two times during
rehabilitation and before release. Only seals that did not receive
antimicrobial treatment were included in the study. The average time in
rehabilitation was 95 days for the pups and 63 days for the weaners. We
observed that during rehabilitation, there was an increase in the relative
abundance of some of the *Campylobacterota spp* and *Actinobacteriota spp*.
The alpha diversity of the pups’ microbiome increased significantly during
their rehabilitation (p-value <0.05), while there were no significant
changes in alpha diversity over time for weaners. We hypothesize that aging
is the main reason for the observed changes in the pups’ microbiome. At
release, the sex of a seal pup was significantly associated with the
microbiome’s alpha (i.e., Shannon diversity was higher for male pups,
p-value <0.001) and beta diversity (p-value 0.001). For weaners, variation
in the microbiome composition (beta diversity) at release was partly
explained by sex and age of the seal (p-values 0.002 and 0.003
respectively). We mainly observed variables known to change the gut
microbiome composition (e.g., age and sex) and conclude that rehabilitation
in itself had only minor effects on the gut microbiome of seal pups and
seal weaners.

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

Best wishes,

Ana Rubio-Garcia
Head of the Veterinary, Care and Research departments
ana.rubiogar...@zeehondencentrum.nl
+31(0)6 12981154



*SEAL, SEA, SCIENCE.*

*DOE JE MEE?*

--
Hoofdstraat 94a

9968 AG Pieterburen

T +31 (0)595 526 526

E: *i...@zeehondencentrum.nl *

www.zeehondencentrum.nl

 --


Please consider the environment. Think before printing.
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[MARMAM] New Publication (Photo-ID and satellite telemetry connect southern right whales from South Georgia Island (Islas Georgias del Sur) with multiple feeding and calving grounds in the southwest A

[Amy Kennedy - NOAA Affiliate]

Dear MARMAM community,

On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to announce our new publication in
Marine Mammal Science entitled “Photo-identification and satellite
telemetry connect southern right whales from South Georgia Island (Islas
Georgias del Sur) with multiple feeding and calving grounds in the
southwest Atlantic.”

*ABSTRACT*

The sub-Antarctic waters of South Georgia Island (Islas Georgias del Sur,
SG/IG) are a regularly visited feeding ground for southern right
whales (*Eubalaena
australis*, SRW) in the southwest Atlantic. Satellite telemetry and
photo-identification records were compared to better understand the role of
SG/IG in the SRW migratory network. We present the first insights from SRW
satellite-tracked from the SG/IG feeding ground, habitat use patterns in
the Scotia Arc, and movements to Antarctic habitats. Photo-identification
comparisons to calving and feeding areas across the South Atlantic and a
review of sightings of cetaceans reported from Bird Island (west of SG/IG)
since 1979 illuminate long-term habitat use patterns in SG/IG. We present
the first recorded migratory movement between SG/IG and multiple countries:
Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. Photo-identification (1) linked SG/IG to a
female SRW with a long-term sighting history in Brazil, and (2) provided
the first match between SG/IG and the western Antarctic Peninsula,
suggesting the latter could extend the feeding area for southwest Atlantic
SRW. Satellite tracking and opportunistic sightings suggest that shelf and
coastal waters west of SG/IG represent an important multi-season SRW
feeding habitat and add to our overall understanding of habitats and ranges
occupied by recovering southwest Atlantic SRW.

Open access is available here:
http://doi.org/10./mms.13089



The satellite telemetry dataset is also published under the following
citation:



Jackson, J., Kennedy, A., Zerbini, A., Collins, M., Baker, S., Bassoi, M.,
Buss, D., Calderan, S., Ensor, P., Leaper, R., Olson, P., & Carroll, E.
(2023). Satellite tracked GPS locations of two southern right whales tagged
in South Georgia waters from January to September 2020 (Version 1.0) [Data
set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre.
https://doi.org/10.5285/880e8ca1-874b-42be-8768-af128627d789


Please feel free to reach out with any questions.

Cheers,
Amy S. Kennedy (amy.kenn...@noaa.gov)
~~~
Amy S. Kennedy, Ph.D.
Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies (CICOES).
University of Washington
&
Marine Mammal Laboratory
Alaska Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries
7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA, 98115-6349, USA
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[MARMAM] New publication: A histological study of the facial hair follicles in the pygmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps)

[ALEMAÑ POSADAS NURIA VICENTA]

Dear MARMAM community,


My co-authors and I are pleased to share with you our new publication “A 
histological study of the facial hair follicles in the pygmy sperm whale (Kogia 
breviceps)”. Advances in Marine Biology 96, 63-83. 
https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.amb.2023.08.003


Abstract:

In the pygmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps, Blainville 1838), vibrissae are 
present in neonates, but within a few months the hairs are lost, and the 
structures remain as empty vibrissal crypts (VCs). In this work, we have 
studied histologically the facial vibrissal follicles of two juveniles and one 
adult specimens stranded dead. A few VCs with no visible hairs were found 
grouped in a row rostral to each eye. The follicular lumen, covered by a simple 
squamous epithelium, showed invaginations in the most superficial part. Beneath 
the epithelium, the follicle walls were made of loose connective tissue and 
were encircled by a thick capsule of dense connective tissue. In juveniles, a 
dermal papilla was found basally and, from it, a non-keratinized pseudo hair 
grew upwards but did not reach the skin surface. The VCs were richly innervated 
and irrigated. Many lamellated corpuscles were identified in the subluminal 
connective tissue of the crypt walls. A large venous cavernous plexus was 
located beneath and around the hair papilla. The main differences observed in 
the adult specimen were the degeneration and calcification of both the dermal 
papilla and the pseudo hair, and the absence of the venous cavernous plexus, 
albeit maintaining a rich vascularization and innervation. Our study revealed 
that VCs of the pygmy sperm whale possess features of fully functional sensory 
structures, with a microanatomy different from those described in other 
species. In addition, they undergo a postnatal morphological transformation, 
which implies functional differences between the VCs of neonates and adults.


If you have any questions or are interested in a pdf copy, feel free to contact 
me at: nuria.alem...@usc.es

Best regards,


Nuria Alemañ Posadas, DVM, PhD

Veterinary Anatomy and Embryology

Universidade de Santiago de Compostela

Campus Terra - Lugo (Spain)
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[MARMAM] New publication: Variation in blue whale morphology across three productive coastal ecosystems

[Barlow, Dawn Renee]

Dear MARMAM community,

On behalf of my coauthors, I am pleased to share our recent paper in 
Integrative Organismal Biology:

D R Barlow, K C Bierlich, W K Oestreich, G Chiang, J W Durban, J A Goldbogen, D 
W Johnston, M S Leslie, M J Moore, J P Ryan, L G Torres, Shaped by Their 
Environment: Variation in Blue Whale Morphology across Three Productive Coastal 
Ecosystems, Integrative Organismal Biology, Volume 5, Issue 1, 2023, obad039, 
https://doi.org/10.1093/iob/obad039

ABSTRACT: Species ecology and life history patterns are often reflected in 
animal morphology. Blue whales are globally distributed, with distinct 
populations that feed in different productive coastal regions worldwide. Thus, 
they provide an opportunity to investigate how regional ecosystem 
characteristics may drive morphological differences within a species. Here, we 
compare physical and biological oceanography of three different blue whale 
foraging grounds: (1) Monterey Bay, California, USA; (2) the South Taranaki 
Bight (STB), Aotearoa New Zealand; and (3) the Corcovado Gulf, Chile. 
Additionally, we compare the morphology of blue whales from these regions using 
unoccupied aircraft imagery. Monterey Bay and the Corcovado Gulf are seasonally 
productive and support the migratory life history strategy of the Eastern North 
Pacific (ENP) and Chilean blue whale populations, respectively. In contrast, 
the New Zealand blue whale population remains in the less productive STB 
year-round. All three populations were indistinguishable in total body length. 
However, New Zealand blue whales were in significantly higher body condition 
despite lower regional productivity, potentially attributable to their 
non-migratory strategy that facilitates lower risk of spatiotemporal 
misalignment with more consistently available foraging opportunities. 
Alternatively, the migratory strategy of the ENP and Chilean populations may be 
successful when their presence on the foraging grounds temporally aligns with 
abundant prey availability. We document differences in skull and fluke 
morphology between populations, which may relate to different feeding behaviors 
adapted to region-specific prey and habitat characteristics. These 
morphological features may represent a trade-off between maneuverability for 
prey capture and efficient long-distance migration. As oceanographic patterns 
shift relative to long-term means under climate change, these blue whale 
populations may show different vulnerabilities due to differences in migratory 
phenology and feeding behavior between regions.

The full article is open access, and available online: 
https://academic.oup.com/iob/advance-article/doi/10.1093/iob/obad039/7438866?login=true

Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or to request a PDF copy.

Cheers,
Dawn

Dawn Barlow, PhD (she/her)
Postdoctoral Scholar
Marine Mammal Institute | Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation 
Sciences
Oregon State University | Hatfield Marine Science Center
Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Lab
dawn.bar...@oregonstate.edu

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[MARMAM] New Publication: Enhancing Interpretation of Bottlenose Dolphin Acoustic Monitoring in an Urbanized South Carolina Estuary

[Tribble, Caroline]

Dear MARMAM community,

On behalf of my co-authors, I am happy to announce our recent publication
in Aquatic Mammals, titled "Enhancing Interpretation of Cetacean Acoustic
Monitoring: Investigating Factors that Influence Vocalization Patterns of
Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins in an Urbanized Estuary, Charleston Harbor,
South Carolina, USA."

The paper is available in open-access at
https://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/article/enhancing-interpretation-of-cetacean-acoustic-monitoring-investigating-factors-that-influence-vocalization-patterns-of-atlantic-bottlenose-dolphins-in-an-urbanized-estuary-charleston-harbor-south-c/

Tribble, C., Monczak, A., Transue, L., Marian, A., Fair, P., Balmer, B.,
Ballenger, J., Baker, H., Weinpress-Galipeau, M., Robertston, A., Strand,
A., & Montie, E. W. (2023). Enhancing Interpretation of Cetacean Acoustic
Monitoring: Investigating Factors that Influence Vocalization Patterns of
Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins in an Urbanized Estuary, Charleston Harbor,
South Carolina, USA. *Aquat. Mamm*, *49*, 519-549.

Abstract:
The Charleston Harbor in South Carolina (SC) is a major port that
experiences high levels of vessel traffic. Historical analyses of coastal
bottlenose dolphin (*Tursiops truncatus*, now *Tursiops erebennus*)
sightings identified multiple core use areas in the harbor that overlap
with these anthropogenic activities. Informed by these long-term spatial
data, passive acoustic monitoring, visual surveys, and prey sampling were
conducted from December 2017 to June 2019 to assess the relationships and
multivariate interactions that may influence dolphin vocalization patterns.
Vocalizations varied spatially and temporally, peaking in fall and winter
months coinciding with decreases in water temperature and daylight hours,
following patterns previously reported in other SC estuaries. Dolphin prey
and total fish abundance decreased with water temperature, which may
indicate that dolphins echolocate and whistle more frequently in the winter
months when prey are scarce and sound producing species are less
soniferous. Dolphin sightings and vocalizations were highly correlated.
Dolphin occurrence was highest in the areas surrounding the confluence of
the Cooper and Wando Rivers, along the shipping channel, where vessel and
sound-producing fish detections were greatest. When vessel noise occurred,
dolphins increased their vocalizations, which suggests that this population
may be modifying its acoustic repertoire in response to increased noise
levels. Multivariate interactions indicate strong spatial and seasonal
patterns in vocalization rates that may be associated with dolphin and prey
abundance as well as noise-induced redundancy.

Best regards,
Caroline Tribble

-- 
Caroline Tribble
Faculty Research Assistant - Dolphin Specialist
University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
Chesapeake Biological Laboratory
ctrib...@umces.edu
+1(301) 938-0265
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