
After 4 years of the PacMam podcast this will be our last episode! We have enjoyed bringing you marine mammal highlights, interviews, and journal reviews. Although this is the end of the podcast, you will be able to interact with us in other platforms! We will be focusing our outreach in other areas, like our YouTube channel, so be sure to keep up with us there and stay tuned for other updates. But join us for this episode as we recap the awesome things we did this year, and what we are looking forward to next year!
Dec 10, 2024
37 min

One of the biggest questions about harbor porpoises is if the stocks we currently manage are truly one large population, or if there are smaller distinct units within a geographic area. DNA can help answer this question, but getting samples from harbor porpoises using traditional routes (i.e. biopsy darting), is very difficult. That's where eDNA comes in! Scoop some seawater from where an animal just dove, and you can snag some skin cells and extract the DNA. Using eDNA along with previously published data and tissue samples from stranded animals, this paper reveals the community/population structure of harbor porpoises in Alaska, with some intriguing results! Listen to learn more!
Paper is open access and available here:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/mec.17563
Donate to help our work!
www.pacmam.org/donate
Nov 16, 2024
58 min

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!
Donate today: https://donorbox.org/donatetopacmamwww.pacmam.org
This week: Irrawaddy dolphin
Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver
Music by Josh Burns
Sources:
https://www.marinebio.org/species/irrawaddy-dolphins/orcaella-brevirostris/#:~:text=Irrawaddy%20dolphins%2C%20Orcaella%20brevirostris%2C%20are,sub%2Dtropical%20Indo%2DPacific.
https://www.riverdolphins.org/river-dolphins-worldwide/irrawaddy-dolphin/
New Research
• Habitat modeling in Thailand Jackson Ricketts et al 2020 - https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/28594
• Long term population and distribution dynamic in Inodonesia and effects of coastal development, Kreb et al. 2020 - https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2020.533197/full
• ID habitat characteristics and crucial areas Peter et al. 2016 - https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-26161-4_15
• Surviving ware and crowded world – in largest brackish water lagoon, Acharyya et al 2023 - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11852-023-00982-8
• Demographic collapse and low genetic diversity in Mekong river, Krutzen et al 2018- https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0189200
Nov 4, 2024
51 min

Join us today as we celebrate Pacific Mammal Research's 10th anniversary! We have learned a lot about harbor porpoises and harbor seals, along with how to run a non-profit. We have grown so much, and are so excited for the next 10 years. Listen as we discuss how it all started, what we have learned, and where we are going! Thank you to everyone who has supported us through the years - whether volunteering, sharing about us, donating or listening, we would not be here without you!
Oct 20, 2024
51 min

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
Check out our 10 year anniversary fundraiser: https://www.pacmam.org/news-and-events/10th-anniversary-fundraiser
This week: Frasers dolphin
Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver
Music by Josh Burns
Sources:
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/frasers-dolphin
https://us.whales.org/whales-dolphins/species-guide/frasers-dolphin/
https://cascadiaresearch.org/hawaii-species/frasers-dolphins-hawaii/
https://www.marinebio.org/species/frasers-dolphins/lagenodelphis-hosei/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraser%27s_dolphin
https://www.dolphins-world.com/frasers-dolphin/#google_vignette
New Research
• West et al. 2021, Novel Morbillivirus in rare Fraser’s dolphin, Maui, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-94460-6
• Durante et al 2016 POPs in South Latin America, common and frasers - https://ri.conicet.gov.ar/bitstream/handle/11336/38484/CONICET_Digital_Nro.f76cda30-a15e-4926-a7af-134f876f2aeb_A.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y
• Vu et al 2020 – New record of Frasers from Whale Temples and Fishing Communities of Vietnam - https://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/46.4-Vu.pdf
• Chen-Yi Su et al 2022 and 2023, Wound healing in Frasers - https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/5/537 and https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/10/1681 and https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/12/1482
Oct 5, 2024
46 min

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 killer whale
Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver
Music by Josh Burns
Sources:
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/pygmy-killer-whale
https://media.fisheries.noaa.gov/2021-08/2020-Pacific-SARS-Pygmy.pdf
http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=61
https://us.whales.org/whales-dolphins/species-guide/pygmy-killer-whale/
https://cascadiaresearch.org/hawaii-species/pygmy-killer-whales-hawaii/
https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Feresa_attenuata/https://www.marinebio.org/species/pygmy-killer-whales/feresa-attenuata/
Underwater video!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufsEo6bXFoc&t=8s
New Research:
• Alvarez Aleman et al – First report of pygmy killer whales in Cuba - https://new.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/47.1-Alvarez-Aleman-1.pdf
• Berrow et al 2020 – First sighting off Cabo Verde – Atlantic African coast - https://www.scvz.org/zoolcv/Zoologia%20Caboverdiana%20Vol.%208%20No.%202%20complete%20issue.pdf#page=22
• Vanderzee et al – Underwater photos evaluate prevalence of injury - https://cascadiaresearch.org/files/Vanderzee_etal2019WMMC.pdf
• Currie et al 2021 – Rapid weight loss in free ranging pygmy killer whales - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-87514-2
• Yahn (Shelby) et al. 2022 – sexually dimorphic characteristics of short-finned pilot, pygmy killer, melon headed, false killer using fin and body morphometrics - https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/mms.12963
• Pulis et al. 2018 – Movements and dive patterns of pygmy killer whales released in Gulf of Mexico after Rehab - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Eric-Pulis/publication/327669759_Movements_and_Dive_Patterns_of_Pygmy_Killer_Whales_Feresa_attenuata_Released_in_the_Gulf_of_Mexico_Following_Rehabilitation/links/5ceeaea8a6fdcc8475f62e3f/Movements-and-Dive-Patterns-of-Pygmy-Killer-Whales-Feresa-attenuata-Released-in-the-Gulf-of-Mexico-Following-Rehabilitation.pdf?origin=journalDetail&_tp=eyJwYWdlIjoiam91cm5hbERldGFpbCJ9
Sep 6, 2024
51 min

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: Ross seal
Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver
Music by Josh Burns
Sources:
https://www.asoc.org/learn/ross-seals/
https://www.pinnipeds.org/seal-information/species-information-pages/the-phocid-seals/ross-seal
https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Ommatophoca_rossii/
https://seaworld.org/animals/facts/mammals/ross-seal/
https://oceaninfo.com/animals/ross-seal/
https://www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/animals/seals/ross-seal/
https://animalia.bio/ross-sealhttps://marinemammalscience.org/facts/ommatophoca-rossii/
New Research:
• Brault et al 2019 – Trophic position and foraging ecology - https://www.int-res.com/articles/feature/m611p001.pdf
• Wege et al 2021 Distribution and habitat suitability of Ross seals in warming ocean - https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.659430/full
• Bester et al. 2020: Ross seal distribution in the Weddell Sea: fact and fallacy - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00300-019-02610-4
• Wege et al 2023 – The nightlife of a Ross seal - https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/C5A2A625A3D0733433C8D0D48BD49B98/S0954102022000438a.pdf/the-nightlife-of-a-ross-seal-diving-and-haul-out-behaviour-from-the-eastern-weddell-sea.pdf
• Loza et al 2017 – sensory anatomy of the most aquatic seal - https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsbl.2017.0489
Aug 3, 2024
50 min

Every animal has to balance the cost of foraging, with the benefit of what they get out of it. They have to make sure the effort is worth the reward! For predators, this means how much energy they expend in the hunt, vs. how much energy they are getting out of the prey the capture. Harbor porpoises generally feed on a lot of small fish, but have a very high metabolism. So they need to eat a lot, and that takes time. In this paper we discuss why this seemingly not effecient strategy is actually pretty effecient and why. For harbor porpoises this strategy is energetically pretty cheap, if not time consuming!
Paper is freely available here: https://www.science.org/doi/full/10.1126/sciadv.adj7132
Jul 19, 2024
59 min

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: Pacific White Sided Dolphin
Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver
Music by Josh Burns
Sources:
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/pacific-white-sided-dolphinhttps://thewhaletrail.org/wt-species/pacific-white-sided-dolphin/
https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/animal-care/learn-about-marine-mammals/cetaceans/pacific-white-sided-dolphin
https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=pacificwhitesideddolphin.main
https://us.whales.org/whales-dolphins/species-guide/pacific-white-sided-dolphin/
https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Lagenorhynchus_obliquidens/
New Research:
• Rosser et al. 2022 – Calf directed aggression, infanticide? - https://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/48.3-Rosser.pdf
• Waite and Shelden 2018 – Distribution in Eastern N Pacific - https://bioone.org/journals/northwestern-naturalist/volume-99/issue-2/NWN17-15.1/The-Northern-Extent-of-Pacific-White-Sided-Dolphin-iLagenorhynchus-obliquidens/10.1898/NWN17-15.1.short
• Sekiya et al 2024 – Anatomy https://anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ar.25284
• Mishima et al. 2019 – Pulsed calls as contact calls- https://pubs.aip.org/asa/jasa/article-abstract/146/1/409/994113/Pulsed-call-sequences-as-contact-calls-in-Pacific?redirectedFrom=fulltext
• Suzuki et al. 2023 – Genomics shows genetically isolated population in Sea of Japan https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/mec.16797• Kanes et al 2024 – Seasonal and diel patterns in pusled calls near Barkley Canyon - https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/mms.13055• Ashe et al 2021 – Natural and Anthropogenic mortalitiy - https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.606876/full?field&journalName=Frontiers_in_Marine_Science&id=606876
Social Struture in BC
Morton 2010- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1748-7692.2000.tb00905.xo Ashe 2015 https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/handle/10023/9483
Jul 6, 2024
53 min

The Pacmam team got to go on an amazing trip this June - for our 10 year anniversary we all went to Alaska! We all had marine mammals and behaviors we wanted to see. We didn't see everything, but we saw a lot - and all checked off boxes on seeing a particular marine mammal we hadn't seen in the wild before. Join us to hear about what species and behaviors we got to see, and what Alaska was like. We highly recommend visiting Alaska, so much to see, on land and on the water!
Note: we talk about Happywhale, a platform where you can upload photos of humpback whales and get them identified, check it out here: https://happywhale.com/home
Check out our Facebook and Instagram to see the whales we got pictures of on our trip!
Jun 23, 2024
40 min
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