Sharing information on 3Rs and Best Practice in Wild Marine Mammal Research
Nyhet
The Norwegian National Committee for the protection of Animals used for Scientific Purposes invited other national committees (NC), 3R centres, competent authorities and researchers in Europe to an online meeting on 3Rs in wild marine mammal research.
See invitation here:
The meeting was arranged on teams on November 5th, 2026.
The Objectives of the meeting was to establish contact for dialogue and exchange information on recent science and best practice in the use of wild marine mammals for scientific and educational purposes.
As many as 46 participants signed into the meeting, including representatives from the NCs in Norway and Germany, Norecopa, the Norwegian Competent Authority, and scientists from Norway, Germany, Sweden, Finland and Ireland,
Introductory to the discussions on the topic, two presentations were given:
“Wild seals used for scientific purposes. Replacement, Reduction and Refinement of capture-, handling-, and marking techniques as well as post-release behavior and data validity” – by Ryan Milne, Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews, Scotland.
Link to PDF.
“Wild cetaceans used for scientific purposes. Replacement, Reduction and Refinement for tagging and biopsy techniques as well as behavior and data validity” – by Alexandre N. Zerbini, Senior Research Scientist, University of Washington/ NOAA Affiliate, USA.
Link to PDF.
Following the presentations, the participants asked questions to the presenters and discussed and shared information on various topics related to wild marine mammal research.
The participants were encouraged to share resources about the 3Rs in the Teams chat during the meeting. Here we present the shared information:
Papers mentioned in Zerbini’s presentation:
Cetacean biopsy sampling review: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-7692.2011.00469.x
Cetacean best practices guidelines: https://doi.org/10.47536/jcrm.v20i1.237
Assessment of tag effects comparing non-integrated with integrated tags: https://doi.org/10.47536/jcrm.v5i1.980
Developing robust tags with follow up studies: https://doi.org/10.47536/jcrm.v5i1.1091
Development of a blubber tag for right whales: https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.70130
Special issue on tagging published by the Journal of Cetacean Research and Management: https://journal.iwc.int/index.php/jcrm/issue/view/69
Papers mentioned in Milne’s presentation:
Cognitive perception of circulating oxygen in seals is the reason they don’t drown | Science
This provides published reference to butorphanol / medetomidine / drug doses used.
This provides further information on the remote sedation / blood collection device built in house.
This provides additional information on how cost of tagging was studied, both from and experimental and empirical standpoint. The output leading to a more streamlined tag.
Training model for techniques on seals: PinniFred:
Message from Dr. Jörg Beckmann ([email protected]) at Bremerhaven Zoo in Germany: Bremerhaven Zoo is keeping three species of pinnipeds and also polar bears. We are open for research collaboration, especially with focus on our marine mammals.
www.zoo-am-meer-bremerhaven.de
Message from Adrian Smith, Secretary of Norecopa, Norway’s National Consensus Platform on the 3Rs. Norecopa maintains a website with, among other things, species-specific resources: please contact Adrian if you know of resources that should be featured there ([email protected]).
https://norecopa.no/about/3r-prize/
Information on the work conducted by Alexandra Thiel who won the 3R Prize in Norway – two papers relevant to the topics discussed.