PacMam Podcast: Recent Episodes

Cindy Elliser

Cindy and Kat from Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) talk about marine mammals, research, and environmental news in this fun podcast! Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/pacific-mammal-research/support

Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode!

We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

www.pacmam.org

This week: Pygmy Sperm Whale

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver

Music by Josh Burns

Sources:

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/pygmy-sperm-whale

https://us.whales.org/whales-dolphins/species-guide/pygmy-sperm-whale/

https://www.acsonline.org/pygmy-sperm-whalehttps://australian.museum/learn/animals/mammals/pygmy-sperm-whale/

https://www.aquariumofpacific.org/onlinelearningcenter/species/pygmy_sperm_whale

New Research

•Benites-Palomino et al 2019 New bulky faced pygmy sperm whale from the late Miocene of Peru https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02724634.2019.1728538

•Song et al 2017: Influence of air-filled structures on wave propagation and beam formation https://pubs.aip.org/asa/jasa/article-abstract/142/4/2443/853827/The-influence-of-air-filled-structures-on-wave?redirectedFrom=fulltext

•Staudinger et al 2013 – Foraging ecology and niche overlap in pygmy and dwarf in US mid-Atlantic coast https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/mms.12064

•Brentano and Petry 2020 – Marine debris ingestion and human impacts in Brazil https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0025326X1930743X

•Erwin et al 2017 – High diversity and unique composition of gut microbiomes https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-07425-z

We are excited to get you a sneak peak into our next paper, first authored by our Research Assistant Ciera! She has spent over a year doing photo-ID of every seal photo we have between 2015-2019, creating our catalogue and analyzing the data. In this paper we look at the site fidelity and seasonality of harbor seals that use Burrows Pass. What are the results? Let's just say that individuality reigns! Join us as we discuss the variation in who returns, and when and how often, and what this means for our understanding of the in-water behavior of harbor seals.

Special shout out to our interns who have assisted with the project, helping to confirm seal identifications - thank you!

Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!www.pacmam.orgThis week: Rough toothed dolphinPresenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIverMusic by Josh BurnsSources:https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/rough-toothed-dolphinhttps://us.whales.org/whales-dolphins/species-guide/rough-toothed-dolphin/https://www.marinebio.org/species/rough-toothed-dolphins/steno-bredanensis/https://www.thainationalparks.com/species/rough-toothed-dolphinhttps://marinemammalscience.org/facts/steno-bredanensis/• Shaff and Baird 2021 Diel and Lunar variation in diving behavior https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/mms.12811• Baird et al 2021 – Odontocetes in Pacific Missle Range Facility Feb 2020 https://cascadiaresearch.org/files/Bairdetal2021_Kauai.pdf• Mahaffy and Baird – conference poster: Long-term mom/calf associations 2003-2018 https://cascadiaresearch.org/files/MahaffyBaird2019WMMC.pdf• Huang et al – genome provides insights into genetic mechanism of rough teeth https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37212019/• Cardoso et al 2019 Anamolous pigmentation and social and feeding behaviors off Brazil https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Julio-Cardoso-3/publication/330399056_Rough-Toothed_Dolphins_Steno_bredanensis_Along_Southeastern_Brazil_Report_of_an_Anomalous_Pigmented_Juvenile_and_Description_of_Social_and_Feeding_Behaviors/links/6543e6ac3fa26f66f4ca7a3a/Rough-Toothed-Dolphins-Steno-bredanensis-Along-Southeastern-Brazil-Report-of-an-Anomalous-Pigmented-Juvenile-and-Description-of-Social-and-Feeding-Behaviors.pdf• Albertson et al 2022 Evidence of subspecies delimitation https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/mms.12933• Ramos et al 2020 Food sharing https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jeremy-Kiszka/publication/348480942_MMS_RTDfoodsharingpdf/data/6000a3c8299bf140889465cf/MMS-RTDfoodsharing.pdf

Globally there is currently one speices of Killer whale, Orcinus Orca. However they are divided into many different ecotypes based on their foraging, physical, behavioral and cultural differences. There has long been varying amounts of evidence that some of these ecotypes deserve status as at least a sub-species, if not fully separate species. However none have to date been recognized, mostly due to lack of a multitude of clear evidence. But that has changed with the Resident (fish eating) and Bigg's (aka transients, mammal eating) killer whales in the Eastern North Pacific. A new paper brings together multiple lines of evidence to propose that these two ecotypes are different from one another and every other orca population in the world. Enough to warrent them their own species status (suggested O. ater and O. rectipinnus). Join us to learn about the convincing evidence, the process still to come for the possible confirmation of this new designation, and what that means for conservation.

Paper is open access: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/epdf/10.1098/rsos.231368

Information about how they choose the names: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/lost-skulls-and-latin-how-scientists-chose-names-newly-identified-killer-whale-species

Information with info graphics: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/new-research-reveals-full-diversity-killer-whales-two-species-come-view-pacific-coast

Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

www.pacmam.org

This week: Heavisides (or Havisides) Dolphin

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver

Music by Josh Burns

Sources:

https://www.marinebio.org/species/heavisides-dolphins/cephalorhynchus-heavisidii/

https://us.whales.org/whales-dolphins/species-guide/heavisides-dolphin/

Marine Mammals of the World, Jefferson, Webber, Pitman, Gorter: https://www.sciencedirect.com/book/9780124095427/marine-mammals-of-the-world

https://animalia.bio/heavisides-dolphin

https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/4161/50352086#population

New Research:

Martin et al 2018– acoustic relaxing acoustic crypsis for increased communication

•https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2018.1178

Martin et al 2019 – to buzz or burst pulse, functional role of vocalizations •https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0003347219300089

Gopal et al 2019 – Genetics and geographic variation mtDNA

•https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1749-4877.12380

Martin et al 2020 – First abundance estimates •https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2020.555659/full

Gridley et al. 2020 Towed passive acoustic monitoring complements visual surveys

•https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2989/1814232X.2020.1848925

Did you know that menopause is an "evolutionary oddity"? Humans are the only terristrial mammal with this trait, and then there are 5 different species of Odontocetes (the group of toothed whales, dolphins and porpoises) that have it as well. Why is it so rare, why did it evolve, what are the benefits, and costs? It is hard to figure out the why, when there aren't many species to compare. But looking at whales, who are very different (our last common ancestor with them is 90 million years ago) physically and ecologically, who show the same trait provides some unique insights into the why and how it evolved.

Paper is open access and available HERE

Check out This Podcast Will Kill You - Menapause episode HERE

Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!www.pacmam.orgThis week: Galapagos fur sealPresenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIverMusic by Josh BurnsSources:https://animalia.bio/galapagos-fur-sealhttps://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Arctocephalus_galapagoensis/https://www.galapagos.org/about_galapagos/biodiversity/https://www.marinebio.org/species/galapagos-fur-seals/arctocephalus-galapagoensis/https://galapagosconservation.org.uk/species/galapagos-fur-seal/https://www.nathab.com/know-before-you-go/galapagos-islands/wildlife-guide/mammals/galapagos-fur-seal/New Research:• Lopes et al. 2015 – Matrilineal population structure - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10592-015-0725-1• Paez-Rosas et al. 2017 – Northernmost record on Pacific coast of North and South America https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Diego-Paez-Rosas/publication/319433301_Northernmost_Record_of_the_Galapagos_Fur_Seal_Arctocephalus_galapagoensis_A_Consequence_of_Anomalous_Warm_Conditions_Around_the_Galapagos_Archipelago/links/5a09e9ad45851551b78d287f/Northernmost-Record-of-the-Galapagos-Fur-Seal-Arctocephalus-galapagoensis-A-Consequence-of-Anomalous-Warm-Conditions-Around-the-Galapagos-Archipelago.pdf• Quintana-Rizzo et al. 2017 – 1st fur seal in Guatamala https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s41200-017-0126-x• Tamayo-Millan et al. Molec ID of first fur seal on central coast of Oaxaca https://www.scielo.org.mx/scielo.php?pid=S0185-38802021000300201&script=sci_arttext• Chaves et al – 2022 Pop genetics and phylogeography https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genetics/articles/10.3389/fgene.2022.725772/full• Riofrio-Lazo and Paez-Rosas et al. 2021 – Galapagos sea lions and fur seals adapted to variable world https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-59184-7_30• Ventura et al 2019 – Minimal overlap with conservation zone of marine reserve and Fur seals https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/aqc.2943

Harbor seals eat a lot of different things, over 60 different prey species in fact. This includes salmon, which here in the Pacific Northwest puts seals in competition with humans and other species that rely on salmon as well. Salmon runs are greatly in decline, with many of them threatened or endangered. Seals are often seen as a major impediment to salmon recovery, even though they are not the reason the salmon are in decline in the first place. So researchers are looking for ways to lower their impact on salmon populations in non-lethal ways (vs. widespread culling which has been brought to the table). Acoustic deterrent devices have been used for many years as a way to scare seals away, but come with costs including hearing damage, impact to other species and habitat displacement. This paper talks about a new technology that is species specific and limits possible hearing damage and habitat displacment. It is an exciting example of how we can find ways to protect both the salmon and the seals at the same time. Learn about how this new technology works and the possible impacts it could have for both these species.

Paper is open access, access it HERE.

Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

www.pacmam.orgThis week: White Beaked DolphinsPresenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIverMusic by Josh BurnsSources:https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/white-beaked-dolphinhttps://nammco.no/white-beaked-dolphin/#1475762140594-0925dd6e-f6ccNew Research:• IJsseldijk et al 2018 – Spatiotemporal analysis of strandings https://dspace.library.uu.nl/handle/1874/374690• Van Elk et al 2014 – Is dolphin morbillivirus virulent? https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0300985813516643• Bertulli et al 2015 – photoID marks in Iceland https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-the-marine-biological-association-of-the-united-kingdom/article/abs/an-assessment-of-the-natural-marking-patterns-used-for-photoidentification-of-common-minke-whales-and-whitebeaked-dolphins-in-icelandic-waters/C90BB6B92A97B770842D962A3C21F98D• Bertulli et al 2015 photoID and site fidelity in Iceland https://journal.iwc.int/index.php/jcrm/article/view/512• Bertulli et al 2021 – Fission-fusion dynamics https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1749-4877.12524• Bertulli et al. 2016 – Color pattern in Iceland https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/mms.12312• Haelters and Everaarts 2011 https://www.sosdolfijn.nl/websites/1711/images/two-cases-of-physical-interaction-between-white-beaked-dolphins-and-juvenile-harbour-porpoises-in-the-southern-north-sea.pdf• Samarra et al. 2022 – trophic ecology of white beaked and harbor porpoise https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v702/p139-152/

Have you heard of Roberts Bank Terminal 2? Chances are you have not (unless you are from Canada). This is a very large new terminal that is planning to be built within the next 10 years. It sits on the mouth of the Fraser River, and will greatly impact the health of the Salish Sea, and the animals and people that call it home. However, little media attention has occurred on the US side of the border, even though it will affect US waters, and is only 1 mile away from the border. This highlights the role of media in raising awareness about an issue, and how the border still acts as a barrier to management in a transboundary ecosystem. For something that will affect both countries, and the many Indigenous First Nations and Tribes in US and Canada, it is a start reminder that we all need to know, and have a say, in what happens. Listen to learn more about the economic, policital, cultural and environmental concerns about this large scale project.

Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!This week: Spinner dolphinsPresenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIverMusic by Josh BurnsSources:https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/spinner-dolphinhttps://us.whales.org/whales-dolphins/species-guide/spinner-dolphin/https://www.wilddolphin.org/behavior.html#spinnerhttps://iwc.int/about-whales/whale-species/spinner-dolphinhttps://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/Spinner-Dolphinhttps://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/marine-mammals/spinner-dolphinshttps://www.greenpeace.org/usa/oceans/wildlife-facts/spinner-dolphin/New Research:• Fish et al 2006 - Dynamics of aerial maneuvers - https://journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/209/4/590/16484/Dynamics-of-the-aerial-maneuvers-of-spinner

• Tyne et al 2015 - Importance of spinner dolphin resting habitat - https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1365-2664.12434

• Fumagalli et al 2018 - Behavior responses to humans - https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsos.172044

• Tyne et al 2018 – Chronic exposure to human activities - https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsos.171506

• Stack et al 2020 – movement and behavioral patterns Maui Nui Hawai’I - https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v644/p187-197 and McElligott and Lammers 2021 - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.703818/full

• Letessier et al 2022 – Spinner residency in tropical atoll lagoons - https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jzo.13000

Want to know what PacMam has been up to this year? Check out this episode where we recap what we have done and are most excited about, and what we have in store for next year!

Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This week: Harp seal

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver

Music by Josh Burns

Sources:

⁠https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/harp-sealhttps://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/species-especes/profiles-profils/harpseal-phoquegroenland-eng.html⁠

⁠https://www.pinnipeds.org/seal-information/species-information-pages/the-phocid-seals/harp-seal⁠

⁠https://www.britannica.com/animal/harp-seal⁠

⁠https://nammco.no/harp-seal/⁠

New Research:

Stenson et al. 2020 - Harp Seals: Monitors of Change in Differing Ecosystem: ⁠https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2020.569258/full⁠

Daoust and Caraguel 2012- The Canadian harp seal hunt: observations on the effectiveness of procedures to avoid poor animal welfare outcomes: ⁠https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/animal-welfare/article/abs/canadian-harp-seal-hunt-observations-on-the-effectiveness-of-procedures-to-avoid-poor-animal-welfare-outcomes/7D9A319A8F86898827F2F03E3C50B154⁠

Stenson et al 2016 - The impact of changing climate and abundance on reproduction in an ice-dependent species, the Northwest Atlantic harp seal, Pagophilus groenlandicus: ⁠https://academic.oup.com/icesjms/article/73/2/250/2614432⁠

Gmuca et al 2015 - The Fat and the Furriest: Morphological Changes in Harp Seal Fur with Ontogeny: ⁠https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/680080⁠

Lindstrom et al 2012 Harp seal foraging behaviour during summer around Svalbard in the northern Barents Sea: diet composition and the selection of prey: ⁠https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00300-012-1260-x⁠

Grahl-Nielsen et al 2011 - Fatty acids in harp seal blubber do not necessarily reflect their diet: ⁠https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v426/p263-276/

Cooperation between humans and animals is not common, but does happen. Killer whales in Eden, New South Wales, had cooperatively hunted baleen whales with Indiginous peoples for millenia, and then for a short time with the commercial whalers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Eventually the baleen whales they hunted became scarce, and so did the Eden killer whales. Was their disspearance due to lack of prey, a breach in protocol (did the humans break the Law of the Tongue), or something else? Did they just die out, or spread their genes elsewhere? Genetics can help solve at least some of this mystery. This is the story of the Eden killer whale, Old Tom, and his pod. Join us as we discuss this unique relationship, and what possibly became of those killer whales.

The paper can be found here: https://academic.oup.com/jhered/article/114/6/598/7308443

End of year fundraiser, thank you for your support!: https://donorbox.org/pacmam2023

Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This week: Hector's dolphinPresenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver

Music by Josh Burns

Sources:

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/hectors-dolphin

https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/marine-mammals/dolphins/hectors-dolphin/https://us.whales.org/whales-dolphins/species-guide/hectors-dolphin/https://animalia.bio/hectors-dolphin

https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/marine-mammals/dolphins/maui-dolphin/facts/#:~:text=Social%20groups&text=Hector's%20dolphins%20often%20form%20groups,few%20other%20females%20and%20calves.

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Cephalorhynchus_hectori/https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/hector-s-dolphinNew

Research:

•Roe et al 2013 Toxoplasma gondii as mortality https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1748-7692.2009.00326.x

•Leunissen et al 2019 Impact of pile-driving https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0025326X19302012

•Miller et al 2012 – diet by stomach content https://healthyharbour.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Miller-et-al-2013-Hectors-dolphin.pdf

•Slooten et al. 2010 – effectiveness of conservation measures https://www.cabdirect.org/cabdirect/abstract/20103147699

•Hammer et al. 2013 – long range movements of hectors may help Maui’s dolphin https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/mms.12026

•Webster et al 2010 – laser photogrammetry for measuring Hector’s dolphins https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1748-7692.2009.00326.x

Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW) are fish eating killer whales. In particular, they are salmon eaters, with their preferred prey being Chinook salmon. But over the years they have been documented killing porpoises (often times young calves), but NOT eating them. This type of non-consumptive killing by predators is not unique in the animal kingdom, but the reason behind it varies by species - and sometimes we just don't know why they do it. Are there particular individuals, age classes, or sexes that do it? Is the behavior being transmitted throughout the popluation (evidence of social learning, and culture)? Is it for play, competition for prey, hunting practice, helping of an injured animal, or just fun? Join us as we discuss this paper that covers 45 years of data to try and answer these questions for SRKW and porpoises in the Salish Sea.

Paper available here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/mms.13073

Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This week: Shepard's beaked whalePresenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver

Music by Josh Burns

Sources:

https://us.whales.org/whales-dolphins/species-guide/shepherds-beaked-whale/

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Tasmacetus_shepherdi/

https://australian.museum/learn/animals/mammals/shepherds-beaked-whale/

https://news.mongabay.com/2012/02/featured-video-scientists-capture-first-footage-of-shepherds-beaked-whale/

New Research

Thompson et al 2019 - First underwater sighting -https://mbr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s41200-019-0165-6

Holyoake ey al 2014 - Northern most stranding -https://www.publish.csiro.au/PC/PC130169

Towers et al 2022 - Indian ocean sighting confirms circumpolar distribution -https://www.proquest.com/openview/ea83de51fddba9ba437623426ebb16a7/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=38594

Donnelly et al 2022 - New diagnostic descriptions and distribution information for Shepherd's beaked whale (Tasmacetus shepherdi) off Southern Australia and New Zealand - https://research.monash.edu/en/publications/new-diagnostic-descriptions-and-distribution-information-for-shep

It is a surprise to no one that single use plastics are increasing in the marine environment, and that the dangers of this are widespread across all organisms. For cetaceans it comes in the form of ingesting the material and/or becoming entangled. The outcomes for the animals in these scenarios are not good, and in many cases is death. But how do the animals get to that point - what is the behavior that causes them to ingest or get entangled? Do they mistake it for prey items, or as social animals are they playing with it? Understanding how they are interacting with these pieces of litter can help us understand why the bad outcomes happen, and how we may be better able to help prevent them. Join us as we discuss this interesting paper about how cetaceans around the world are playing with plastic (like they would other items in their environment like seaweed), how social media is helping to document this behavior and how all this can help us in the protection of these animals.

Paper is available here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X23008627

Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This week: The Byrde's whalePresenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver

Music by Josh Burns

Sources:

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/long-finned-pilot-whale#:~:text=Long%2Dfinned%20pilot%20whales%20are%20one%20of%20two%20species%20of,features%2C%20coloration%2C%20and%20pattern.

https://us.whales.org/whales-dolphins/species-guide/long-finned-pilot-whale/https://iwc.int/about-whales/whale-species/pilot-whale

https://www.marinebio.org/species/pilot-whales/globicephala-macrorhynchus/https://www.acsonline.org/pilot-whale

New Research

Visser et al 2014 – Social context of individual foraging dives: https://ffi-publikasjoner.archive.knowledgearc.net/bitstream/handle/20.500.12242/781/1188198.pdf

Visser et al. 2016 – Disturbance specific social responses: https://www.nature.com/articles/srep28641

Isojunno et al. 2017 – Activity budgets: https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ecs2.2044

Zwamborn and Whitehead 2016 – repeated calls and behavioral context: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09524622.2016.1233457

Bolea-Fernandez et al 2019 – Mercury metabolism: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-43825-zBetty et al. 2022 – Southern hemi age, growth and sex dimorph: https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article/103/3/560/6520866

Mammal eating killer whales (often termed transients or Bigg's killer whales) feed on many different species, even larger whales - including humpback whales. An adult doesn't have to worry too much - they are too big, with defenses that can protect them. But killer whales do attack young calves. So it would make sense that adult humpbacks defend their young, or other humpback whales. But they don't stop there! They have been documented to seeminly come to the aid of other species, including seal, sea lions and other cetaceans. Why would they expend the energy (sometimes coming from miles away, and spending minutes to hours in the encounter), and risk injury to stop killer whales from attacking another species? Is it interspecific altruism, or a side effect of a behavior for another purpose? Join us as we discuss this very interesting paper, learn what defenses humpbacks have and what possible reasons they have for doing this seeminly benevolent behavior!

Paper available: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/mms.12343

Mammal eating killer whales (often termed transients or Bigg's killer whales) feed on many different species, even larger whales - including humpback whales. An adult doesn't have to worry too much - they are too big, with defenses that can protect them. But killer whales do attack young calves. So it would make sense that adult humpbacks defend their young, or other humpback whales. But they don't stop there! They have been documented to seeminly come to the aid of other species, including seal, sea lions and other cetaceans. Why would they expend the energy (sometimes coming from miles away, and spending minutes to hours in the encounter), and risk injury to stop killer whales from attacking another species? Is it interspecific altruism, or a side effect of a behavior for another purpose? Join us as we discuss this very interesting paper, learn what defenses humpbacks have and what possible reasons they have for doing this seeminly benevolent behavior!

Paper available: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/mms.12343

Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This week: The Byrde's whale Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver

Music by Josh Burns

Sources: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/brydes-whale

https://iwc.int/about-whales/whale-species/brydes-whale

Vocalizations: https://voicesinthesea.ucsd.edu/species/baleenWhales/brydes.html

New research Rosel and Wilcox 2014: Rice’s Whale

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/peer-reviewed-research/genetic-evidence-reveals-unique-lineage-brydes-whales-northern-gulf

NOAA Timeline of Rice's whale discovery:

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/southeast/marine-mammal-protection/how-gulf-mexico-brydes-whale-became-rices-whale

Constantine et al. 2018: Future directions in research for Bryde’s whales https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2018.00333/full

Alves et al 2009: associations and dive profiles: insights into foraging behaviors https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Filipe-Alves-9/publication/230108980_Bryde's_whale_Balaenoptera_brydei_stable_associations_and_dive_profiles_New_insights_into_foraging_behavior/links/5a01c9e94585152c9db46389/Brydes-whale-Balaenoptera-brydei-stable-associations-and-dive-profiles-New-insights-into-foraging-behavior.pdf

Izadi et al 2018: night life of Bryde’s whale https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00265-018-2492-8

Izadi et al 2022 – Feeding tactics in NZ https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/mms.12918

Segre et al 2022 – High speed chases along sea floor – entanglement risk https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/csp2.12646

Zhang et al 2021 – Community based population monitoring in CA https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1749-4877.12525

Dr. Roger Payne is a giant in the world of marine mammal science. He is the reason "Save the Whales" is phrase, and why we still have whales to save. He recently passed away at the age of 88. In this episode we give some background on who is was, what he did that was so important, his legacy, and what we can learn from him and how we can continue the work he started.

This is the last article Roger wrote (5 days prior to his death) for Time magazine: https://time.com/6284884/whale-scientist-last-please-save-the-species/?fbclid=IwAR3z_Cnqls3E-FEcqeHveCqEFSWflR4tB93HhlK43CuX0LiyzNdgP6NQja8

Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This week: The Commerson's dolphin

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver

Music by Josh Burns

Sources: https://www.marinebio.org/species/commersons-dolphins/cephalorhynchus-commersonii/

https://oceanwide-expeditions.com/blog/mysteries-of-antarctica-the-commerson-s-dolphin

https://seaworld.org/animals/facts/mammals/commersons-dolphin/

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Cephalorhynchus_commersonii/#A9D5ED70-5253-4F4F-9369-E324EA316FEF

https://oceanwide-expeditions.com/to-do/wildlife/commerson-s-dolphin https://us.whales.org/whales-dolphins/species-guide/commersons-dolphin/

New research:

Kyhn et al 2010 - Narrowband high frequency clicks: https://journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/213/11/1940/9821/Echolocation-in-sympatric-Peale-s-dolphins

Garaffo et al 2011 - Modeling habitat of Peales, Dusky and Commersons: https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v421/p217-227/

Yoshida et al 2014 - Sound variation in captivity: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0376635714001855

Riccialdelli et al 2013 - Ontogenetic diet shift: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00300-013-1289-5

Coscarella et al 2011 - body size and ranging patterns relating to sociality https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article/92/3/544/866487

Durante et al 2022 - Population structure with female philopatry and male dispersal https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-26192-0

You may have heard in the media about the killer whales in Spain, off the Iberian Peninsula, that have been interacting with boats. These have been occurring since 2020, but seem to be increasing in number and intensity. Three boats have now been sunk due to the interactins of the whales with the boats, mainly their rudders. Is this play that just goes to far? Is this aggression? Who are the individuals involved? What are the dangers to the whales, and to people? Join us as we discuss the recent 2022 paper that first describes these interactions, including what types of boats seem to be targeted, possible reasons, the individual whales involved, and what mitigation measures have been put in place. We then discuss how the media is portraying the most recent events, and how the reason they discuss is or is not based in scientific evidence, and how this plays into the conservation of this endangered subpopulation of whales.

The paper is available here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/mms.12947

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Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam! This week: Ringed sealPresenters: Cindy Elliser and Katrina MacIver Music by Josh BurnsReferences:

General

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/ringed-seal

https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/Ringed-Seal

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Pusa_hispida/

https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=ringedseal.main

New research

Reimer et al 2018 – ringed seal and climate change

https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/eap.1855?casa_token=rjEuyFVtuNcAAAAA%3A9fIYA23r6nCvn01HzCZ3NfWs6OJbUXDkMBm-0aR3q-0BvIHOm0nAqSVPZa-vT7mF3XGFN1_CtTU2mtx4

Kunnasranta et al 2021 - review

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320720309666

Kelly et al 2010 – home ranges

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00300-010-0796-x

Riget et al 2013 - PFO pollution

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0045653513010989

Koivuniemi et al 2016 - photo-ID

https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/esr/v30/p29-36/

We are still learning about what and how harbor porpoises eat, here and around the world. In the waters around Spain, needle fish are a known part of the diet of harbor porpoises as well as other cetaceans in the area. What is interesting about that is that these animals eat fish head first, exclusively, we thought. This may have evolved to protect them from fish that have sharp spines or hard scales that could damage the soft tissue of the esophagus. But with needle fish, the danger lies more in the head (their mouth is long, sharp and full of teeth), so does it make sense to eat it head first? In this interesting note, the researchers document 3 cases where harbor porpoises ate needle fish... but tail first! Is this the normal way to eat this prey species, are these outliers, what is going on? Join us as we discuss what they found, why it is so interesting and why we still have so much to learn about what they are eating!

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Paper is available here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/mms.12781

This would normally be a marine mammal highlight episode, but Assistant Research Director Kat is on a well deserved vacation, and it isn't the same without her on those episodes! So instead, we are bringing you a sneak peak into what you have access to if you subscribe to the podcast! Subscribers get ad free episodes, plus additional content. That content is made up of mini-episodes about updates from the field, summaries of talks or workshops we have gone to, and learning more about the team behind PacMam and more. This episode is a combo of updates from the field over the last week or so, and then a dive into how our Research Director, Dr. Cindy Elliser came to be here in the Pacific Northwest researching harbor porpoises (it began in the desert if you can believe that!). So sit back and enjoy, and be sure to subscribe if you want to hear more episodes like these!For a small monhtly fee, subscribe to our podcast and get ad free listening and bonus mini episodes!: https://anchor.fm/pacific-mammal-research/subscribe

Tokitae (Toki), or Lolita, is a Southern Resident killer whale (SRKW) that was taken as a 4 year old in 1970. She has been in captivity for 52 years at the Miami Seaquarium in a tank far too small (smaller than all guidelines set for captive orcas). For over 40 of those years she has been with no other orcas (sometimes she has a dolphin in her tank for company). There has been dedicated work for decades to get her released, and that possibility is actually on the horizon! The Dolphin Company (who recently bought the Seaquarium) retired her, and has entered into a binding contract with Friends of Lolita/Toki to release her back into her home waters. This is fantastic news, but there is still a lot of work to be done, and things that need to be considered. There are economic, ethical, social and biological factors that need to be considered in how this release will go, and what is ultimitely best for Toki. There are so many people that have come together to help this whale, and that is truly heartwarming. Vets, trainers, activists, native tribes, researchers, the public all want what is best for her. In this podcast we are not judging either side (keeping captive vs. release), but raising the various questions that we need to consider in this complicated, and emotional, situation in order to inform our decisions so that we do the best we can for Toki.

Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This week: Pygmy Right Whales

Presenters: Cindy Elliser and Katrina MacIver

Music by Josh Burns

Sources: https://www.acsonline.org/pygmy-right-whale

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780123735539002145

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/caperea-marginata

New Research:

2013, Fordyce and Marx. Last of the Cetotheres: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2012.2645

2015, Tsai and Fordyce. Missing link – Ancestor-descendant relationships https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsbl.2014.0875

2017, Tsai et al. Northern pygmy right whales in past https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982217310965

2018, Tsai and Mead. Stranding pygmy right whale in Northern hemisphere https://zoologicalletters.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40851-018-0117-8?fbclid=IwAR3qemUVOE7380cJYpCNbsWkYwpmpWkBTBZzjnCrwFvmFONeIMXkbnwaQUk

2002, Kemper. Distribution in Australasian region https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1748-7692.2002.tb01021.x

2013, Kemper et al. whales and areas of high marine producitivity off AU and NZ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03014223.2012.707662

2022, Tanaka et al. Feeding by skimming https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsos.221353

2017, Park et al. Inner ear cochlea and phylogeny https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jmor.20674

2018, Werth et al. Filtration area scaling and evolution https://academic.oup.com/biolinnean/article/125/2/264/5085357

How can you measure a prey item that is being consumed by a sea otter? You can't take it and physically measure it, you are just watching them eat it. But size is an important factor to know about when looking at foraging ecology and how much energy they are deriving from their prey. Well, sea otter researchers have come up with an ingenious way to measure things that can be comparable with any other location - which is very necessary when wanting to compare between regions. They use sea otter paw widths! This is one of the fun new things we learned while reading this study on sea otter foraging ecology. We also learn more about how Washington sea otters are different than California and British Columbia sea otters, and why that is important when discussing and comparing diets, energy intake and population growth between regions. Come and learn about how good Washington sea otters are at eating kelp crabs (compared to the other locations) and what implications that has for differences in foraging ecology and population growth between these regions.

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Paper is available here: https://bioone.org/journals/northwestern-naturalist/volume-104/issue-1/NWN20-07/RAPID-CONSUMPTION-OF-KELP-CRAB--IMPLICATIONS-FOR-SEA-OTTERS/10.1898/NWN20-07.short

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Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam! This week: New Zealand Fur Seals

Presenters: Cindy Elliser and Katrina MacIver

Music by Josh Burns

For a small monhtly fee, subscribe to our podcast and get ad free listening and bonus mini episodes!: https://anchor.fm/pacific-mammal-research/subscribe

Sources:

Diet and Behavior:

https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/marine-mammals/seals/nz-fur-seal/facts/

https://www.pinnipeds.org/seal-information/species-information-pages/sea-lions-and-fur-seals/new-zealand-fur-seal

https://australian.museum/learn/animals/mammals/new-zealand-fur-seal/

New research:

Lactating females and foraging: https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/abs/10.1139/z08-055

Colony specific foraging grounds: https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v361/p279-290/

Foraging site fidelity continental shelf vs. oceanic: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1748-7692.2011.00487.x

Vessel disturbance: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/mms.12171

Swimming with seals ecotourism: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0308597X13002522

Toxoplasmosis: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304401714004099

Novel DNA virus: https://journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.1128/genomeA.00558-13

Hybrids: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2007.03586.x

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In some species males and females look different, this is called sexual dimorphism. Often times it is the males that have the distinct features, but not always. Sometimes the features are VERY different, and sometimes they are more subtle. Being able to know if an individual is male or female is important in understanding their social structure, behavior, mating strategies and can inform conservation measures. It is often hard to know the sex of a whale, dolphin or porpoise as many species don't have distinct sexual dimorphism, and other ways to determine sex are more invasive (like biopsies or necropsies). In this episode we dive into a new technology that allows researchers to determine the sex of individual whales by using photographs. They use a special program, ImageJ, that allows researchers to use pixel measurements to quantify different body parts (like fin height, length, etc.). They can then use combinations of these measurements to create ratios that they can then compare between individuals. Join us and learn how this new technology may allow researchers to be able to predict the sex of individuals, and the implications that has on conservation!

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Paper is available here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/mms.12963

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Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This week: Weddell Seals

Presenters: Cindy Elliser and Katrina MacIver

Music by Josh Burns

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Weddell seal episode Sources:

· https://www.pinnipeds.org/seal-information/species-information-pages/the-phocid-seals/weddell-seal

· http://weddellsealscience.com/about.html (research running since 1968!)

· https://www.marinebio.org/species/weddell-seals/leptonychotes-weddellii/

Sound files:

· https://dosits.org/galleries/audio-gallery/marine-mammals/pinnipeds/weddell-seal/(sound file)

· https://ocr.org/sounds/weddell-seal/(sound file)

· https://www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/animals/seals/weddell-seal/(lots of sound files)

New research:

LaRue et al 2020 - crowd sourcing and remote sensing: https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/rse2.124

LaRue et al 2021 - new global population estimate with crowd sourcing and remote sensing: https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/rse2.124

Popular science article of that publication: https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2022/02/04/weddell-seal-population-may-be-much-lower-than-previously-thought/

Davis et al 2003 - 3D dive movments: https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v264/p109-122/

Williams et al 2004 - metabolic costs of foraging: o https://journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/207/6/973/15049/The-cost-of-foraging-by-a-marine-predator-the

Heerah et al 2013 - ecology of seals during winter (foraging): o https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0967064512001658

Wheatley et al 2006 - influence of maternal mass: https://www.jstor.org/stable/3838384

Hadley et al 2006 - variation in probability of first reproduction: https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-2656.2006.01118.x

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We often talk about the Salish Sea on our podcast, but many of you may not know exactly where or what that is. It is an urban sea, with high biodiversity and productivity - making it a great place for many organisms, including humans. However, the extenisve development by humans often comes at a cost, which is paid for by the ecosystem, usually resulting in negative effects that can combine, accumulate and interact in very complex ways, reducing the health of both the ecosystem and those that call it home. But the Salish Sea has shown resiliency, it still boasts thriving populations of plants, animals and humans; but it is also a cautionary tale. There are many parts of the Sea, and animals within it, that are in danger - showing us that we are testing that resiliency. So what can be done? Join us as we review this article that showcases how the Salish Sea as an urban sea can be a model for understanding the complex threats to urban seas around the world, and most importantly provides ideas and hope for what we can do now to help protect and conserve these important waterways, so that we don't pass the point of no return.

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Paper is open access: https://online.ucpress.edu/elementa/article/10/1/00055/195015/Urban-seas-as-hotspots-of-stress-in-the

Governance article mentioned in the podcast: https://cedar.wwu.edu/salish_pubs/33/

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We wanted to end the year with a look back at the favorite things we covered and learned in the podcast, what was the most exciting field session and what we are looking forward to next year! Join us for a look back and a look forward, and have a wonderful holiday!

There is still time to donate to our end of year fundraiser: https://donorbox.org/pacmam2022

Thank you for your support!

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This episode we are covering two short notes on some pretty fantastic behaviors! Drones can give us perspectives that we can't otherwise get when viewing wildelife, and these two papers are great examples of this. The first paper reviews an apparent expulsion of placental material in a group of pilot whales that also contained a neonate calf (likely born within the past 12 hours). It is very rare to see a cetacean birth in the wild, or anything like this relating to a recent birth, so this is a very interesting and important documentation. Join us as we review the video and the interesting behaviors that the other pilot whales in the group showed during the event. The second paper is a bit lighter, and seems like two animals having some interspecies playtime. Here they document a river otter and harbor seal seemingly playing hide and seek or tag. Now, we don't know exactly what they are doing or why, but they are definitely interacting together on purpose, chasing after each other at times, and looking for each other when one runs off. Join us as we review the playful video and discuss what may be happening and why. Both papers provide unique and important insights in the lives of these marine mammals.

Papers and videos freely available

Long finned pilot whales: paper and video

Otter and seal interaction: paper and video

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Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This week: The Bowhead Whale

Presenters: Cindy Elliser and Katrina MacIver

Music by Josh Burns

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Marine ecotourism provides economic benefits for humans, and is a good alternative for marine species that migh otherwise be hunted, like many dolphin and whale species. However, there are still negative effects that can have long-term consequences for a species' survival. Increased vessel traffic creates a noisy enviornment, increases risk of vessel strike, and can cause changes to behavior and activity budgets. These can directly hurt the animals, but can also cause indirect effects (like reduced time foraging, or reduced reproduction) that can accumulate and negatively impact the long-term survival. It is important that we understand where the balance lies between what we need/want to do, and the needs of the animals. This paper is a great example of using long-term data to show what the problem is and articulate what we should be doing into the future to strike that balance so that both humans and dolphins can coexist. This paper looks at changes in the number of cruise ships and people going into a harbor in New Zealand and correlates that with changes observed in Hector's dolphins sighting rates and distribution pattern. It is an excellent example of how long-term monitoring is vital to being able to identify when changes occur, why the are occurring, and gives us the tools we need to be able to act in real-time for the health of the ecosystem that the humans and dolphins rely on.

Paper is freely available: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aqc.3881

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Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This episode: the pantropical spotted dolphin

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Culture is not unique to humans. This idea is becoming increasingly more accepted, and researchers are finding evidence of culture in many different species, including marine mammals. From tool use, to foraging strategies and dialects, there is evidence of social learning and transmission of information between individuals and through generations, which is the basis for culture. Sperm whales are a wonderful example of multilevel cultural society, with distinct vocal characters (akin to dialects) and nearly permanent social units that interact with other social units in their range. This paper looks at if the vocal characteristics they have constitute a symbolic marker for a group of individuals that the whales can use to identify themselves, but also other whales. Do they use this as a cultural marker defining one group from the next. Think of clothing styles, accents, and body modifications in humans that serve the same purpose. Do sperm whales use specific vocal calls to identify members of their own clan, vs. members of others? Come learn what they found and how amazing the culture of sperm whales is!

Paper is open access: https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2201692119

Ted talk by Hal Whitehead on whale culture mentioned in the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uyGXoMaXns

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Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This episode: The Walrus

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We are what we eat...that is more than just a metaphor. The food we eat gets incorporated into our body tissues. This allows us to learn about what an animal eats, not just by observing them, or looking through their poop, but by sampling tissues like skin. This is particularly important for animals where it is hard to observe exactly what they are eating, or getting their poop, like many marine mammals. By using skin/blubber samples from biopsy darting researchers can look at the stable isotopes of Carbon and Nitrogen. Every element has a certain number of istopes, which are naturally occurring variants of each element that differ in the number of neutrons in the atom. They occur in particular ratios at different trophic levels (level of the food chain) and regions. By looking at these istopes researchers can determine what and where an animal has eaten. In this paper researchers are looking at Eastern Pacific Gray whales (on the U.S. West Coast). Previously it was thought that they only ate in the Arctic, and did not eat at their breeding grounds in Baja California, Mexico. But observations of occassional feeding in other areas, like west of Vancouver Island, and at the breeding grounds raise questions. Join us as we learn about what these stable istopes from skin samples can tell us about the importance of different feeding areas to these whales, why this turns the table on what we have previously thought about their feeding habits, and why this information is so crucial for conservation.

Paper freely available at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-10780-1

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Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This episode: Burmeister's porpoise

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We did an episode about Mucormycosis a while back, and here we are touching on it again, but this time about the risk factors. This is an emergent disease in marine mammals of the Salish Sea, and particularly harbor porpoises who it seems to affect more than other species. In addition, porpoises are a good surrogate for how this disease can affect Southern Resident Killer Whales that are critically endangered. But in order to understand what the risk is, we need to know how they get the fungus, how likely are they to be exposed to it, how severe is the infection, what does it look like, and what are the cofactors that may affect if a porpoise gets the disease? In this paper the authors look at a lot of different factors, studies and what we know from other species and combine them into a qualitative risk assessment for harbor porpoises that is the first step to better understanding this disease and its effect on Salish Sea marine mammals.

Paper is open access and freely available: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2020.00555/full

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This episode is a little different, we aren't going over one journal paper, but a few. These papers are called notes, and they are shorter descriptions of interesting behaviors, observations or occurrences. They are similar to anecdotes in that a full analysis of the event or behavior cannot be conducted as there are only a few instances (or maybe only 1), and so a full analysis cannot be completed, or it would not be correct to do so. Some have seen these types of papers as 'less than', or not worthy of publication, but that is changing. Science starts with observation - that is the beginning of the scientific method, it starts the process! These observations are important as they can point us in new directions of research, or just to keep our eyes open for something we weren't looking for before. This allows us to ask more questions and better understand the organisms we are studying - sometimes a new behavior becomes the norm! Join us as we showcase a few scientific notes that show why this type of paper is so important, and the amazing things they have documented.

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This episode: The Ribbon seal

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New Zealand leopard seals are generalist top predators. However, little is known about the diet and foraging ecology for many populations, especially in New Zealand. Although they are usually found around Antarctic waters, they can be found farther north along the land masses and islands that surround those waters. Recently a nonprofit organization, leopardseals.org, has found through photo-ID that individuals are returning to the NZ coastline. They also collect scat, or poop, to identify what they are eating. This unique research combines citizen science, dedicated research, photo-ID, along morphological and DNA analyses to identify prey of the NZ leopard seals. Come learn about how citizens are helping collect vital data, and what these leopard seals are eating - something that hasn't been documented in this species before!

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This episode: Peale's dolphin

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What do you use to identify another person? Probably things like their hair, face structure, voice, amongst others. Using multiple sensory inputs is called cross modal recognition and helps an organism identify relevant entities in their environment, making the process faster and more efficient. We know some animals have the ability to identify things this way, which requires a mental model of the entity, and possibly that they create a label in their mind of the entity that incorporates the different factors they use to ID them. But it is very difficult to prove what and animal is thinking in their mind - how do we know they have a label, or concept of an individual in this way? We know bottlenose dolphins have acoustic labels for individuals known as signature whistles (basically names), but do they use other cues as well? This study delves into this idea and whether bottlenose dolphins can 1. identify individuals by tasting their urine (gustatory) and 2. have a concept of an individual in their mind that includes both the chemical (urine) and acoustic (signature whistles) cues to that individual. Join us as we learn about this very interesting study and the implications for what this means in terms of animal intelligence/awareness.

Paper freely available: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abm7684#:~:text=Here%2C%20we%20demonstrate%20that%20bottlenose,only%20social%20recognition%20in%20animals

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This episode: False killer whale

Here is a good picture of the wholfin we mention: https://pictures.blueplanetarchive.com/image/I0000qJocYgXPYRI

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This episode we are interviewing Stacia from the Humane Nature podcast and Stumble Safari Blog! Dr. Cindy Elliser was on her podcast a few weeks ago discussing the ethics of swimming with dolphins ecotourism. With her podcast and blog Stacia is trying to educate people about the do's and don'ts around ecotoursim and the science behind why we should do things a certain way, for both the health and safety of the animals and the human visitors. She has a background in biopsychology, veterinary technician, and travelling around the world. Join us as we learn more about Stacia, how she got to where she is (instead of becoming a vet!), how to identify the good and bad ecotoursim opportunities (it isn't always easy!), why it is so important to educate people about ecotourism and more!

Be sure to check out her blog HERE and podcast HERE!

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WARNING: This episode discusses the killing of a killer whale calf, with some graphic descriptions of the event.

Infanticide, or a member of a population (usually a male) killing the young of another female, has been documented in some species. The reasons behind this behavior can vary, but it is often thought to increase the males' chance of mating with the female (by making her go back into estrous) and siring offspring, thus increasing his fitness by increasing his genes in the population. This behavior has only been documented (or suggested) in a few cetacean species. This low occurrence may be because it is rare in these species, or because of the difficulty in observing cetaceans at sea, both in terms of time on the water, and being able to see what is happening below the surface. This paper documents the rare event where researchers observed the killing of a killer whale calf, only a few days old, by a mature adult male and his mother (who was no longer reproductively active). Join us as we discuss what happened, the possible reasons behind the behavior and why this type of behavior is important to understand.

Paper freely available: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-22714-x

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This episode: The grey/gray seal

Learn more about the mystery of the corkscrew seals we discuss at the end (links to scientific paper): https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/grey-seal

Here are some other videos we reference in the acoustic section:

Clapping video: https://youtu.be/69n8jnFTmBg

Learning to mimic notes: https://youtu.be/_-lH7kfy7TA

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Poop, aka scat, can tell us a lot about a species. In particular, it is one of the best ways for us to understand what that species eats. Want to know about the diet of a given species? Collect some poop and find out. But one of the limitations of traditional methods of diet analysis is that they can tell you occurrence, but not how much (what percentage) that prey species makes up of the diet. This is critical to understand for ecosystem dynamics and managing populations. In the Salish Sea there is particular interest in who is consuming the most salmon (particularly species like Chinook, Coho and Steelhead). In trying to manage salmon populations to save the Southern Resident Killer Whales (who eat mainly Chinook), other species have come under attack for the reason that salmon populations are crashing. One of these species is the harbor seal. Join us as we learn about a new diet analysis study using DNA metabarcoding (from scat), and how it can help us better understand the diet of Salish Sea harbor seals, how much of each species they are eating, if that includes a significant amount of salmon that could negatively affect those fish populations, and how this dataset can continue to help us answer questions like these in the future.

Paper freely available: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41597-022-01152-5

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This episode: The Bearded Seal

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We are excited to talk with Casey Mclean the Executive Director and Veterinary Nurse for SR3! You may be surprised to find out, but until last year there was no hospital dedicated to treating marine mammals in the Pacific Northwest. Sick animals bigger than harbor seal pups had to be transferred to other hospitals, often in CA - a ride that an already stressed animal doesn't need to take. Casey worked for many years to change this, and in 2020 SR3 opened their hospital Des Moines, WA and have already treated many harbor seals, a sea turtle and a guadalupe fur seal. But they do more than just rehab:

Responding to stranded or injured marine wildlife throughout the Pacific Northwest, including disentangling sea lions and whales from ocean trash and fishing gear.

Rehabilitating sick and injured marine animals to give them a second chance at life in the wild.

Researching the health of Southern Resident killer whales and other cetaceans (dolphins, whales and porpoise) to inform conservation efforts.

Working with tribes and other local communities to support wildlife health and community involvement.

Educating to reduce human-wildlife conflict to promote healthy marine wildlife and healthy human communities.

Join us as we learn about Casey and how she came to this mission of helping the marine animals of the Salish Sea, about SR3 and the amazing work they are doing and why education is so important to this work.

Learn more at: https://www.sealifer3.org/ and if you are able, help them continue their important work here.

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Music by: Josh Burns

This episode: The Fin Whale

Check out this book if you are interested in learning more about the issues surround vessel strikes and entanglement: https://www2.whoi.edu/staff/mmoore/we-are-all-whalers/

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We are very excited to talk with Richard Riels the Founder, Executive Director and VP of Research and Development and Lead Engineer of SMELTS - Sea Mammal Education Learning Technology Society (a 501c3 nonprofit). Smelts has developed a patent pending ropeless lobster retrieval and marking technology that allows fishermen to fish and whales to live without the danger of entanglement. This amazing technology helps save whales by removing fixed gear lines (connecting the pots to the buoys) that threaten many species, and in particular the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whale. Rich and his team have also developed a deployment rig for researchers to deploy passive acoustic devices without the need of lines and buoys - we partnered with them and tested our first deployment the summer of 2021! By working with fishermen, engineers, hardware/software companies and researchers, SMELTS is helping to pave the way for ropeless gear to be the standard. Learn more about how all this works, how he got to where he is and what we can accomplish when we all work together.

To learn even more visit: www.smelts.org

SMELTS mission: We are committed researching and developing new technologies for rescue and prevention of harmful human interaction on marine life. We strive to educate communities on how to be stewards of the environment by focusing on the ocean and its global importance to life on Earth.

Check out the deployment of our passive acoustic device with SMELTS unique rig on our YouTube channel HERE!

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This episode: The hour glass dolphin

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Conservation of a species requires knowledge of the ecological, genetic and social components of the population being studied, but did you also know that social learning and culture are also vital to understand? Social learning and culture are increasingly being identified in a variety of species, and in particular, culture is being acknowledged as not just a human trait. However, they are not being integrated as important parts of a conservation strategy. These can influence reproduction and survival and influence (or be influenced by) demography that can affect population persistence and viability. Join us as we discuss what social learning and culture are, and how and why they are important to include to create biologically meaningful conservation measures.

Paper freely available: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rspb.2020.2718

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This episode: Tucuxi and Guiana dolphins

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We all know that nutrition is important, but for harbor porpoises, and particularly reproductively active females, it may be the key for long-term survival. Marine mammals have a lot of stressors, including boats, noise, pollution, habitat degredation, disease, climate change, and more, and all of these can affect the health of an individual. But are there some things that have stronger influences on individual health, and thus the health of a population? This is important to understand for the conservation of the population and species. Join us as we learn about what the biggest influence on reproductive success (and thus long-term survival) is for harbor porpoises, and how we can use that knowledge to better protect and conserve the small cetacean.

Paper freely available: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-98629-x

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This week: Bulugas

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, Trevor Derie

Check out information on the recent beluga sighting in Puget Sound: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/genetic-analysis-shows-beluga-whale-puget-sound-likely-arrived-arctic-waters

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Humans impact marine mammals both directly (through provisioning, boat interactions, etc) and indirectly (through our influence on climate change and associated environmental disturbances), and these are also not mutually exclusive. Bottlenose dolphins as a species have good behavioral plasticity - meaning they can adapt and change their behaviors to fit the environment they are in. This means they are better off than other species that are more specialized in their niche when environmental disturbances (which are ever increasing due to climate change) occur. But at the individual level this may not be the case for every dolphin in a population. Some choose a more specialized foraging strategy, which could become a problem if that resource is heavily impacted by a disturbance. The effects of this can be exacerbated when there is direct human interaction like provisioning, as these dolphins have other stressors and changes to their behavior. Join us as we look at the interplay between human influence and forage specialization on the lives of individual bottlenose dolphins from a long-term (37 years) research group in Monkey Mia, Australia.

Paper freely available: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.617550/full

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Harbor porpoises are thought of as relatively non-social animals. They live in smaller groups, don't have as wide a repertoire (as far as we know) of vocalizations and live shorter lifespans than their highly social dolphin cousins. But there is mounting data that there is more to their sociality than we currently understand, and this study adds to that body of evidence. Using drones, researchers documented groups and individuals foraging in shallow water in Denmark. What they found went against most of what was thought about the sociality of harbor porpoises - they were cooperating. The majority of the time they were found hunting in groups, and in those groups individuals had specific roles, evidence that they are involved collaborative hunting, a more complex type of cooperation. This strategy is normally found in social animals, so perhaps there is more to the harbor porpoise's sociality than we know. Listen to learn more about this interesting study and the implications of the work on what we know about harbor porpoise behavior.

Paper freely available: https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/abs/10.1139/cjz-2020-0289

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This week: Dusky dolphins

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, Trevor Derie

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Taking a bite out of anything usually leaves a mark, but did you know these can be used to tell us more about how much, how often and how severe the attacks were? Researchers can also look at differences between species, and if there are differences in how the killer whales attacked the whales, by looking at the location/placement of the bite mark. That is exactly Corsi et al. (2021) did in this interesting paper we are covering this week. The flukes are the most common place for these attacks to occur. The animals almost always try to flee first (so think about a dog nipping at your heels), but if they fight back, they use their tail which is very very powerful - either way the tail is the body part that is in the path of the attacking mouth. They looked at rake marks and fluke mutilation (missing portions of the flukes) on photos of individual Gray, Blue and Humpback whales in the Eastern North Pacific that were attacked by the marine mammal eating Biggs (or transient) killer whales. Join us to find out what they learned, how there were differences between the species, and how photo-ID is more than just IDing individuals; it can tell us so much more about these species and the threats they face.

Paper link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mms.12863 This one is not open access, so you will need to contact the author for pdf print, email is found at that link.

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This week: Sea otters

Learn more about sea otters in 'Return of the Sea Otter: The Story of the Animal That Evaded Extinction on the Pacific Coast by Todd McLeish (click link!)

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, Trevor Derie

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Return of the Sea Otter: The Story of the Animal That Evaded Extinction on the Pacific Coast

The manatee, also known as a sea cow, is a generally slow moving, warm water species. They are very common in Florida, where humans and their associated water-craft are also quite prevelant, which there in lies the rub. Often found in shallow water, near the surface, manatees are at high risk for water-craft interactions (i.e. getting hit by boats and other things like jet skis). This problem has been known about for years, and there are regulations and protections in place, but manatees are still getting hit. How many and how often? That is what this paper is about this week. Join us to find out the astronomical numbers surrounding how many manatees have evidence (scars) from water-craft collisions (and how many scars per animal - spoiler it is usually way more than one), what this means for their population, and how our current protections and regulations are just not doing enough.

Paper freely available: https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/esr/v43/p395-408/

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This week: Atlantic spotted dolphin

Learn more about Atlantic spotted dolphins at http://www.wilddolphinproject.org/

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver

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Gray whales have been extinct in the Atlantic for hundreds of years...but there have been sightings of Gray whales in the last decade along the European and North African coasts. More strangely, there was a sighting in 2013 of a Gray whale of Namibia... why is this strange? Because Gray whales are only found in the Northern hemisphere! This particular Gray whale was very, very far away from home. Who are these odd visitors? Are they remnants from an Atlantic population, or are they intentional or accidental migrants from the Pacific? This week's paper answers this question for the 2013 Namibian gray whale. Join us to learn more about this record breaking whale, and how this fits into the conservation and future of this species.

Paper freely available: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbl.2021.0136

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This week: The Harbor Porpoise

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, Trevor Derie

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This week: The Right Whale

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, Trevor Derie

Check our our FB feed to see a post we shared about the sighting of the North Pacific Right Whale!

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Climate change is a hot topic right now (pun intended!). With that comes the discussion about carbon emissions, how we can lower them and needing to better understand the carbon cycle. Earth is the biggest recycler there is, nutrients are constantly recycled, reformed and moved around the ecosytem and even the planet! So keeping track of where the carbon is going, staying (removing carbon from the atmosphere and helping to mitigate climate change) or getting back into the atmosphere (and thus affecting the warming of the planet) is important in our efforts to slow down the rate of climate change. Enter marine vertebrates (small to large, fish to whales). These animals, through their bodily functions and behavior have direct and indirect effects on the movement of carbon. However, little research has focused on this, and their ultimate (and complicated) effects are unknown. This paper reviews the available knowledge and why it is so important to better understand these interactions. Leveraging naturally occurring carbon interactions for mitigating climate change can be a productive strategy with lower cost and risk than other geoengineering solutions. Join us as we discuss the paper, and how cetaceans, pinnipeds, fish and other marine vertebrates can help us combat climate change, if we just protect their populations and environment.

Paper freely available: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590332221002384

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This week: Risso's dolphin

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, Trevor Derie

Check out an article and photos of the Risso's and bottelnose dolphin hybrid here: https://www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk/new-encounter-with-a-possible-rissos-bottlenose-dolphin-hybrid-in-scottish-waters/

Jonian Dolphin Conservation's smart photo identification of Risso's dolphins: http://dolfin.ba.issia.cnr.it/spirs

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We are on the topic of microplastics again, but this time with our favorite study animal, the harbor porpoise! This interesting paper looks at the amount and type of microplastics between harbor porpoises in 2 differenct seas: the North sea and the Baltic sea around Germany. Are there differences in the abundance of microplasitics found in animals of different ages, between males and females, or reproductive status? Is there a difference between the microplastic load in harbor porpoises in the North sea vs. the Baltic sea (which is more enclosed)? Does it make sense that animals that have good nutrional status actually have higher levels of microplastics? Learn the answers to these questions and more as we dive into this important topic and begin to understand just how pervasive microplastics are, and what the consequences of that may be.

Paper freely available: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.682532/full

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Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This week: Monk seals

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, Trevor Derie

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How do prey avoid their predators? Can an intelligent, social mammal share knowledge about what they have learned, with other unexperienced individuals and have it make a difference? This is the question being asked in our journal pick this week, but in this case humans are the predators, and sperm whales are the prey. Utilizing data from digitized whale logs, along with what they know from decades of research on the social structure and behavior of sperm whales the authors can use mathmatical models to test hypothesises on why, in only 2.4 years, the rate of a whaler striking a whale (harpooning them) decreased by 58%!! That is a stark decrease in a short time. So, was it due to a difference in whaler's abilities, individual whales learning from their own experience, the fact that vulnerable whales were likely taken first (and they were easier to strike), or was it because sperm whales used social learning - the unexperienced learning from the experienced? Join us as we discuss how social learning may have played a role in the history of whaling.

Paper freely available: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbl.2021.0030

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Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This week: Northern fur seals

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, Trevor Derie

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Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW) are endangered. Understanding what prey they consume, and when and where they eat different prey species is vital to their conservation, as food is crucial to their survival. We know that they mainly eat Chinook salmon (many populations are also endangered) during the summer months while they are in the Salish Sea, but much less is known about their diet during other seasons, and when they are out on the outer coast of Washington. Join us as we discuss how their diet changes seasonally, how Chinook is still a large part of their diet year round, and how humans affect the conservation of salmon and killer whales. There are a lot of complex interactions that make this story so interesting, and difficult to solve, and fun to discuss!

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Paper freely available: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0247031

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Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This week: Minke whale

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, Trevor Derie

Here the 'boing' vocalization from a minke whale here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rJyjCixE58

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Join us this week as we learn about how antibiotic resistant bacteria are making their way into the Salish Sea. Wild harbor porpoises and harbor seals have been found with antibiotic resistant bacteria in their bodies, but they were never exposed to antibiotics. Learn about how they may be getting exposed and how this affects not only marine mammals, but other marine animals and humans as well. Antibiotic resistance is a large public health issue, and this work sheds light onto how our actions are affecting the marine environment, but also how that can come back to affect human health. It is a stark reminder that our actions have far reaching consequences, one we need to understand better (through studies like these), so we can make things better.

Paper freely available: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-1924/2/1/6

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Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This week: Sei whale

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, Trevor Derie

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This week we are excited to interview Joy Kacoroski, a Parks Interpretive Specialist (aka education is her main focus) at Deception Pass State Park. Have you ever thought about becoming a park ranger, or wonder what it is like to help take care of these wonderful parks and educate others? This is the episode for you! We talk to Joy about her job, how she got there, and how she educates people about marine mammals, nature, and the park.

Have questions for Joy about being a ranger? Contact her at: Joy.Kacoroski@PARKS.WA.GOV

Learn about WA state parks here: https://www.parks.wa.gov/

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Season 2 is here!

Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This week: Dalls porpoise

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, Trevor Derie

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about 3 different marine mammals or topics each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species or topic. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This week: Since it is almost the end of 2020 (thank goodness!), we are asking ourselves 3 questions: what was our favorite highlight from 2020, the favorite thing we learned in 2020, and what we look forward to in 2021. A nice wrap up of an otherwise crazy year. We hope you have enjoyed the podcast as much as we have enjoyed making it - we are looking forward to more in 2021!

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, Trevor Derie

Music by Josh Burns

Link to our drone footage we mention: https://youtu.be/J48yZI45ohg

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Salmon population are down. Some are dying in what is called urban spawner mortatily syndrome - where they die (within hours) before they have a chance to spawn. Sometimes up to 90% of the run. But what is interesting is that this happens to Coho, but not Chum salmon that may spawn in the same stream. Why? And what is causing this syndrome? We discuss a paper that documents the differences between these two species and why coho may be more susceptible to this particular unknown toxin (they know it is from motorized vehicles and gets to streams via storm water run-off). That leads us to discuss a very recent article that came out that found that smoking gun- the particular toxin that is killing the coho, and it has to do with tires. Join us as we discuss the work that went into figuring all this out, what the impacts of this research are, how it is connected to the consumer, and what we can do to protect these salmon, and all that depend on them (including people!).

Paper available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S026974911734527X?via%3Dihub

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Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about 3 different marine mammals or topics each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species or topic. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This week: Marine mammal intelligence- dolphins, seals, sea lions and tool use!

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, Trevor Derie Music by Josh Burns

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Orca, or killer whales, have a wide range of foraging behaviors. For transient or Bigg's killer whales, this involves hunting other marine mammals- prey that is also very intelligent. In this battle of wits, killer whales have found a variety of ways to aprehend their prey. Strand feeding, where the killer whale intentially or strands (or beaches) themselves on shore to try and capture seals, has been documented in a few places around the world. But for the first time this has been described for killer whales in the Salish Sea. This is a risky behavior, because if you are a killer whale and go too far up the beach and out of the water, you many not be able to get back. Here we discuss this unique event, how it is similar and different compared to other locations, and the implications this behavior may (if learned by more killer whales) have on harbor seal behavior and habitat choice.

Paper available at: https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.46.6.2020.556

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Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about 3 different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This week: Sea otters/urchins/kelp, dolphins and tuna, and commensalists!

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, Trevor Derie Music by Josh Burns

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Microplastics are a hot topic right now in many areas of science. We are finding plastic everywhere, and in animals around the world - even in the deepest parts of the ocean. Microplastics are small, often microscopic pieces of plastic. The question now is how are this type of plastic affecting our oceans, the animals in it, and us? In this paper researchers looked at microplastic abundance in bottlenose dolphins in South Carolina, spoiler - they found them! But there is more to this story (and where you may find microplastics), so join us to find out more!

Paper available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0025326X20307955

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Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This week: Whale poop and whale falls (when a whale dies and sinks in deep water)! Did you know that whale poop can help us combat climate change, and even after a whale dies they are an important part of the marine ecosystem (some species are only found where whales die and sink)? Join us to learn all about it!

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, Trevor Derie

Music by Josh Burns

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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Many seals (especially young juveniles/pups) in Atlantic waters have stranded with odd spiral, or corkscrew, lacerations. There have been many hypotheses over the years as to how these injuries occurred, but researchers have recently uncovered the truth, and it was suprising to say the least. Join us as we discuss how the mystery was solved, who was the culprit (spoiler: grey seals!), what else researchers have discovered (evidence for cannabalism for one!) and why this is important to understand for the health of all species involved.

Warning: the description of the attacks may be graphic for some listeners (we note this in the podcast so you know when it is coming up)

Referenced papers available at:

Brownlow et al. 2016 (open access): https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0156464

van Neer et al. 2019: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1385110118303368

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This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This week: Foraging strategies: bottlenose dolphin edition! Bottlenose dolphins have a lot of different, unique, ways to catch their prey. Here we highlight some of the coolest (we think) foraging strategies from bottlenose dolphin populations around the world.

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, Trevor Derie

Music by Josh Burns

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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Join us as we talk with Michelle Greenfield, the founder and host of the new podcast, Aquadocs! We are chatting with Michelle about her story, how she got to where she is, how she became interested in marine mammals, and aquatic medicine in general and learn about all the different ways you can work in this field. We also learn what a typical day in the life of an aquatic vet looks like - spoilers, it can be very different depending your animal subjects and very interesting! So join us as we delve into the world of aquatic medicine, of course with an emphasis on marine mammals!

Be sure to check out Michelle's podcast at: https://anchor.fm/aquadocs and http://www.aquadocspodcast.com/about.html

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Join us as we talk about a recent paper that was published this year about postmortem attentive behavior (PAB) by humpback whales toward a deceased gray whale calf. This type of behavior is rarely observed in mysticetes (baleen whales), and the fact that it was between 2 different species makes it even more unique. Why would humpback whales be interested in a gray whale calf recently killed by killer whales (who were still feeding on the carcass)? Is there a benefit to the humpback whales to do this, or is it just curiosity? Is this something that happens more often, it is just we aren't there to observe it? Join us as we ponder these questions and discuss this unique event!

Check out the article here: https://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/

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Sponsorships: on for this episode

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Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This week: Foraging strategies: Sperm whales, crabeater seals and gray whales! There are a lot of different ways to catch your prey, here we highlight some of the more unique strategies some pretty cool marine mammals use.

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, Trevor Derie

Music by Josh Burns

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Join us as we talk about a recent paper that was published about a hybrid animal that may be the largest hybrid on Earth! The blue whale is the largest whale (and the largest animal to have ever lived - yes even larger than dinosaurs!), and the fin whale is the second largest. Well, when they mate and produce a hybrid offspring, that is a pretty big hybrid whale! Learn about how scientists discovered these hybrids exist, why it is difficult to identify them, why this may be occurring (and why only in one direction) and what it means for the populations of both species.

Check out the article here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/eva.13091

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Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This week: The extremists: Walruses, river dolphins and the blue whale. This week is a little different as we talk about why each of these species is kind of extreme in terms of biology and ecology, and of course debate which one is the best!

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, Trevor Derie

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Join us on a mystery into the world of the humpback whale, and the songs they sing! We will be discussing a documentary about humpback whale song, that you can find on HERE, featuring our colleagues Dr. Marc Lammers and Dr. Adam Pack. We will discuss a little about what they reveal in the video (not all of it - go watch it to see everything!), but we will also discuss the really cool tools they are using and how having a variety of tools allows researchers to better address the questions they are trying to answer. For example, if you are researching humpback whale songs, why do you need to measure how large the whale is, and how do you do it? Listen to find out.

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Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This week: Pinnipeds of the Salish Sea (the regulars: steller sea lions, California sea lions, harbor seals)

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, Trevor Derie

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Join us as we discuss an interesting paper about rough-toothed dolphins and prey sharing. It isn't common to observe prey sharing in cetaceans, and particularly small dolphin species. We will talk about what the researchers observed and why this is interesting, how it may relate to social structure and why drone footage can reveal such cool behavior!

Link to the article: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/mms.12727

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Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This week: Orcas: Residents, transients and offshores, oh my!

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, Trevor Derie

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Join us as we discuss an 2 scientific papers about harbor porpoise behavior and prey choices. These are 2 recent publications by PacMam researchers and colleagues along the U.S. West Coast documenting the capture and ingestion of large prey items by harbor porpoises (particularly reproductively active females), and the potential risk this behavior poses. Why risk it? Listen to find out. Learn how it all started with one picture, which took us down a road we didn't even know was there, and led us to some new and exciting information about harbor porpoises.

Links to the papers:

Catching large fish: https://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/index.php?option=com_hikashop&ctrl=product&task=show&cid=1480&name=vol-46-iss-2-elliser

Asphyxiation: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-1924/1/3/8#cite

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Join us as we discuss an interesting scientific paper about an emerging disease, Mucormycosis, in marine mammals caused by fungi. Fungal diseases are rare in marine mammals, so the fact that this has been noted 21 times since 2012 is concerning. We will learn about the disease, which species are most affected and discuss how and why this may be happening.

Link to the paper: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2020.00555/full

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Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This week: Beaked whales - those mysterious whales!

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, Trevor Derie

Music by Josh Burns

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about 3 different marine mammals each episode. We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This week: In honor of International Save the Vaquita day, July 18, we are talking about the vaquita and 2 other porpoise species, the Indo-pacific finless and the spectacled porpoises!

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, Trevor Derie

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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Join us as we discuss an interesting scientific note about a pantropical spotted dolphin with 2 blowholes! Note that they normally only have 1, so this is a bit strange. Listen and learn a bit about dolphin anatomy, how this could affect the animal, and why this type of observation/taking photographs is so important in marine mammal work!

Link to the paper: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/mms.12708

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This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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Join Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) scientists to learn about 3 different marine mammals each episode! We discuss a little about the biology, behavior and fun facts about each species. Have fun and learn about marine mammals with PacMam!

This week: the weird ones - the ones you don't immediately think of as marine mammals: River otters, Dugongs/manatees, and polar bears!

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver, Trevor Derie

Music by Josh Burns

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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Join us as we discuss a fascinating scientific article about sperm whales that are attacked by giant petrels. That's right, birds eating on sperm whales! We will talk about the paper, what they found and why it is so interesting.

Link to the paper: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00300-020-02687-2

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In this episode we will be discussing the elephant seal, the leopard seal and the baikal seal! Join us to learn some fun facts about these pinnipeds as we discuss why they are so cool!

Help us continue to provide content like this by donating: https://pacmam.org/wp/donate/

Also see a video version of this podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/v-DxiNmfduI

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Today we are discussing the narwhal, the beluga and the humpback whale! Join PacMam's researchers as we learn fun facts about these species and try to decide which is the best!

Help us continue to provide content like this by donating: https://pacmam.org/wp/donate/

Also see a video version of this podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/35MFNJ6JMZ0

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Welcome to the PacMam podcast!

Here we introduce our hosts Cindy Elliser and Kat MacIver and explain what the PacMam podcast is all about. Cindy and Kat are researchers with Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam), a scientific non-profit conducting marine mammal research in the Salish Sea. Learn about marine mammals, research and environmental news in this fun podcast!

This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

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