Annotated Bibliography of Publications from the U.S. Navy's Marine Mammal Program

Specialized bibliographies are steady sellers for Nimble Books, and this one fits nicely in the pattern: it is a thorough compilation by a leading expert on an important topic that is intrinsically interesting, widely known, and of continuing contemporary relevance. At Point Loma in California, the US Navy continues to train and operate sea lions and bottlenose dolphins to find and mark undersea objects. In 2019, a beluga whale wearing a Russian harness turned up in Sweden (it is named Hvaldimir) and has continued to return to Nordic waters. And in 2023, orcas in the Mediterranean began, apparently on their own initiative, to learn a helpful new cultural behavior, sinking yachts. This document is a compilation of research papers and reports on various topics related to marine mammals, with a focus on dolphins and whales. The topics covered include the anatomy and physiology of their auditory system, echolocation abilities, sound production and reception, target detection and discrimination, and the use of echolocation for navigation and communication. The document also discusses the sensory capabilities, diving behavior, reproductive biology, and other physiological adaptations of marine mammals. It provides insights into the biology, behavior, and health of these animals, as well as techniques and methods used in their study and management. Additionally, the document includes information on the distribution, abundance, migration patterns, general behavior, and sound production of bowhead whales and gray whales, as well as the feeding patterns and habitat preferences of bowhead whales. It also covers miscellaneous topics such as the selection of marine mammal trainers, capture and adaptation of beluga whales, cytogenetic studies of porpoises, and the distribution of whales relative to oil industry activities. This annotated edition illustrates the capabilities of the AI Lab for Book-Lovers to add context and ease-of-use to manuscripts. It includes five types of abstracts, building from simplest to more complex: TLDR (one word), ELI5, TLDR (vanilla), Scientific Style, and Action Items; three essays to increase viewpoint diversity: Grounds for Dissent, Red Team Critique, and MAGA Perspective; and Notable Passages and Nutshell Summaries for each page.