PacMam Podcast

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!

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This week: Heavisides (or Havisides) Dolphin

Presenters: Cindy Elliser, Katrina MacIver

Music by Josh Burns

Sources:

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.

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.

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:

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.

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.

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:

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.

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!

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.

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.

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 seal Presenters: Cindy Elliser and Katrina MacIver Music by Josh Burns References:

General

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!

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

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.

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 

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!

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

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. 

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!

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

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

Sources

General:

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. 

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  

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!

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. 

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. 

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.

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: False killer whale