New paper out in Marine Ecology Progress Series by Nemeth et al: Energetic scaling of propulsive costs across body sizes in humpback whales. www.int-res.com/abstracts/me...
Lars Bejder
@lbejder1971.bsky.social
Professor at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology. Marine mammal conservation biologist. I work with management agencies to optimize conservation outcomes. Proud Dad! www.mmrphawaii.org
Will Shrinking Spinner Dolphin Populations Spur More Protections? www.civilbeat.org?p=1801995&ut...
Will Shrinking Spinner Dolphin Populations Spur More Protections?
Researchers from the University of Hawaiʻi found that the number of young spinner dolphins is only half of what it needs to be to maintain a healthy population.
civilbeat.org
How off the press: Hollers et al. quantify the energetic consequences of going from rest to non-resting in humpback whales. Super helpful when evaluating impacts of disturbance academic.oup.com/conphys/arti... www.mmrphawaii.org/post/new-pub... @conphysjournal.bsky.social
New publication: Energetic benefits of resting behaviour in humpback whale mother–calf pairs revealed by biologging and UAS-photogrammetry
We are excited to share our newest publication in Conservation Physiology on humpback whale mother-calf energetics written by PhD candidate Gussie Hollers and coauthors! Link to the full paper: doi.or...
mmrphawaii.org
🐋 New #BioLogging article: Human disturbance and ecosystem changes are driving higher energy depletion in humpback whale mother–calf pairs, raising concerns for whale health and population recovery. Read here⬇️ academic.oup.com/conphys/arti...
New paper! Lead author @noemiefreymond.bsky.social used a hybrid approach combining tag data & physical modelling to show that the timing & hydrodynamic effects of bubble releases by sperm whales during drift dives indicate deliberate & active buoyancy regulation, even during sleep.
Journal of Experimental Biology@jexpbiol.bsky.social · last mo.Sperm whales rest in an unusual position, sleeping vertically underwater. In their recent paper, Freymond & co show that the whales blow bubbles in their sleep to keep themselves from shooting to the surface, letting them sleep soundly beneath the waves doi.org/10.1242/jeb....
New publication by Vivier et al - concerning results: Drone photogrammetry reveals age-structure shifts with potential consequences for the viability of spinner dolphins in Hawai'i www.int-res.com/journals/esr...
Hawaii’s humpback whales like to steal the spotlight, but their cousins the false killer whales desperately need our help. www.iflscience.com/nutritional-... #marmam
False Killer Whales In One Of The Last Groups On Earth Are Declining Fast At 3.5 Percent Per Year – Heatwaves And Prey Shortages To Blame
The first-ever study of body condition in these whales had some concerning findings, including one individual that lost over 200 kilograms in just 10 weeks.
iflscience.com
Recently we have transitioned to tagging whales from the sky…. Yes, recent technological advances are allowing us to tag whales via our drones. This method has several advantages: it is safer for the whales and safer for us humans. See blog for further details: www.mmrphawaii.org/post/suction...
If you are interested in working with me on a PhD on the effects of killer whale fear on baleen whale ecology, behavior, and evolution... and you would be eligible for the fellowship below... contact me! www.simonsfoundation.org/grant/simons...
NEW: NSF has been funding research at a fraction of its historic rate. Last week, the agency finally began distributing money to its directorates and is now likely to pick up the grantmaking pace. But these allocations also amount to substantial cuts across the sciences. My reporting:
Delays have kept new NSF grants to a trickle — that could be about to change
The agency is finally ready to distribute a spate of new grants, but it is also preparing substantial cuts to areas such as biological and social sciences.
nature.com
Did you hear the good news? The House has pulled the ESA Amendments Act (H.R. 1897) from the floor after facing unexpected opposition, including from several Republican members. The bill aimed to weaken parts of the Endangered Species Act, especially around how protections can impact development.
Job Alert: Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute is hiring a Data Scientist with robust quantitative skills, knowledge of best practices with data management, and an ability to collaborate across units. Based in Front Royal, VA. trustcareers.si.edu/postings/c63...
Ecological Data Scientist, IS-1560-12
Job Opening: Ecological Data Scientist, IS-1560-12 at National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, VA.
trustcareers.si.edu
New publication! 'Headbutting Behavior Between Sperm Whales Documented Using Unoccupied Aerial Vehicles' Out in @marinemammalogy.bsky.social in collaboration with @lrendell.bsky.social, @azwhlab.bsky.social and @asociaciontursiops.bsky.social. doi.org/10.1111/mms....
Headbutting Behavior Between Sperm Whales Documented Using Unoccupied Aerial Vehicles
Click on the article title to read more.
doi.org
New paper alert! Alexandra Vanderzee found that AnyDorsal can effectively identify Risso's dolphins. This is a fun result because a) AnyDorsal wasn't trained on Risso's and b) it shows AnyDorsal can balance scars dorsal notches as separate ID information onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Multispecies Matching Algorithm Applied to a Novel Species, Risso's Dolphins (Grampus griseus)
Automated matching algorithms are an increasingly valuable tool in marine mammal research. A multispecies matching algorithm, originally described in Patton et al. analyzes distinctive morphological ...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Fantastic opportunity to work with us at Shark Bay Dolphin Research 👇🏻
EvolDir@evoldir.bsky.social · 6mo agoTwo PhD positions in dolphin genomics and behavioral ecology are available at the University of Zurich, starting May/June 2026. Applicants must have relevant degrees and experience. More info: www.michaelkruetzenlab.org. #phd
Hawaii’s #falsekillerwhales are slipping closer to extinction… read more here: www.mauimagazine.net/false-killer... #marmam
The Whales Between the Lines
False killer whales were listed as endangered in 2012. More than a decade later, the decline continues. It’s not too late.
mauimagazine.net
Published! Gough et al: Daily energetic expenditure and energy consumption of short-finned pilot whales. Drones+tags+diet reveal pilot whales need ~142 squid/day @marinemammalogy.bsky.social @jexpbiol.bsky.social @acs-ps.bsky.social @uhmanoa.bsky.social journals.biologists.com/jeb/article-...
New! Longer body size means more female calves in baleen whales! By Zoe Rand, Sarah Converse and myself Paper: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/... Press: www.washington.edu/news/2025/09...
Longer body size means more female calves for baleen whale moms
University of Washington researchers found, in historical whaling data, that longer baleen whale mothers were more likely to birth female calves than males. These results run contrary to a leading...
washington.edu
We are hiring (Post number 2) - join us as a graduate research assistant to support killer whale research. Collaboration with @samellisq.bsky.social @drwhale.bsky.social Prof Dan Franks (York) start 1st Nov (or ASAP) end 31st Oct 2028. Apps close on 19th Oct. jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...
It's official! I'm now the newest postgraduate research fellow at the marine mammal research program at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. Bio and blog post with more details here: www.mmrphawaii.org/alec-burslem www.mmrphawaii.org/post/shippin...
Shippin' out from Scotland
Written by MMRP PostDoc Alec BurslemFor a while it looked like I was going to be a chef. It was 2009, and after a couple of disappointing A-level results in biology and chemistry had shaken my confide...
mmrphawaii.org
New collaborative research out today with @raincoast.org explores the deep-roots of conflict over killer whale and Chinook management in the Salish Sea - proposing new approaches to transform intractable conflicts. www.timescolonist.com/environment/...
Study reveals anglers, conservationists share surprising common ground in orca-chinook fight
Amid debate over protecting chinook salmon for southern resident killer whales, a study found anglers and conservationists share key values, which could resolve the conflict.
timescolonist.com
Impressive work by Cam Nemeth (not on BlueSky). We hypothesized that the significant lift force produced by the humpback whale’s large pectoral flippers result in them being the only species executing tight, high-speed, sustained turns characteristic of bubble-net feeding doi.org/10.1242/jeb....
The key to bubble-net feeding: how humpback whale morphology functionally differs from other baleen whales
Summary: Humpback whale turning performance during solitary bubble-net feeding exceeds the observed capabilities of other baleen whales.
doi.org
Journal of Experimental Biology@jexpbiol.bsky.social · last yr.You can find the first JEB additional language abstract by Cameron Nemeth and colleagues in #Hawaiian accompanying their paper, The key to bubble-net feeding: how humpback whale morphology functionally differs from other baleen whales at journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/...
You can find the first JEB additional language abstract by Cameron Nemeth and colleagues in #Hawaiian accompanying their paper, The key to bubble-net feeding: how humpback whale morphology functionally differs from other baleen whales at journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/...
Journal editors struggling to find reviewers — there are some bloody good reasons why conservationbytes.com/2025/05/07/j...
Had a great time this week presenting at the Scottish oceans institute seminar series, giving an overview of my PhD work on sperm whale behavior and physiology. Recording here: universityofstandrews907-my.sharepoint.com/:v:/g/person... @seamammalresearch.bsky.social @uniofstandrews.bsky.social
Sign in to your account
universityofstandrews907-my.sharepoint.com
🚨🎉 New paper "Ten quick tips to get you started with Bayesian statistics", hope you'll like it 😇🤗 ✍🏽 w/ Andy Royle, Marc Kéry and Chloé Nater 🔗 dx.plos.org/10.1371/jour... @plos.org @cnrsecologie.bsky.social @cnrsoccitanieest.bsky.social @umontpellier.bsky.social
Just two more days to support Marine Mammal Research in Hawaii. Please join us: givingday.uhfoundation.org/giving-day/9...
UH Giving Day : April 9, 2025
Join us for our opportunity to uplift every island, every campus, and every student in our UH ‘ohana.
givingday.uhfoundation.org