Migrations of individually identified humpback whales between the antarctic peninsula and South America

Peter T. Stevick; Anelio Aguayo; Judith Allen; Isabel C. Avila; Juan Capella; Cristina Castro; Kim Chater; Luciano Dalla Rosa; Márcia H. Engel; Fernando Félix; Lilian Flórez-González; Ana Freitas; Ben Haase; Martha Llano; Liliane Lodi; Edwin Munoz; Carlos Olavarría; Eduardo Secchi; Meike Scheidat; Salvatore Siciliano

Migrations of individually identified humpback whales between the antarctic peninsula and South America

Peter T. Stevick, Anelio Aguayo, Judith Allen, Isabel C. Avila, Juan Capella, Cristina Castro, Kim Chater, Luciano Dalla Rosa, Márcia H. Engel, Fernando Félix, Lilian Flórez-González, Ana Freitas, Ben Haase, Martha Llano, Liliane Lodi, Edwin Munoz, Carlos Olavarría, Eduardo Secchi, Meike Scheidat, Salvatore Siciliano

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

81 Scopus citations

Abstract

Considerable uncertainty exists regarding the migratory destinations of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) from the Antarctic Peninsula region and the breeding grounds off the coasts of South America. Evidence is presented on the migratory patterns of Antarctic humpback whales based upon movements of individuals identified by natural markings as part of a large-scale international collaboration. Recapture rates were compared between animals from the low latitude breeding and calving areas along the northeastern (n=288) and northwestern (n=325) margins of South America with those identified in the high-latitude feeding areas in the region of the Antarctic Peninsula (n=535). The number of individuals re-sighted in the Antarctic Peninsula differed dramatically between eastern and western South America (c²=40.98, p=1.5 3 10^-10). No individuals from Brazil were re-sighted in either the Antarctic Peninsula or off western South America. In contrast, 43 individuals from western South America were identified off the Antarctic Peninsula. These findings suggest that the northwest coast of South America represents an important breeding ground destination for at least some of the humpback whales that feed near the Antarctic Peninsula, but provide no support for movement between the Antarctic Peninsula and the east coast of South America.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	109-113
Number of pages	5
Journal	Journal of Cetacean Research and Management
Volume	6
Issue number	2
State	Published - 2004
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2004 International Whaling Commission. All Rights Reserved.

Funding

This project would not have been possible without the cooperation of many dedicated naturalists, tourists, tour operators and researchers from throughout the world. Over 120 individuals or groups provided photographs that contributed to these analyses. Photographic comparison was conducted with assistance from B. Holm, M. McOsker, P. Olson, J. Rock and O. Uz. Field assistance was provided by P. Acuña, M.I. Barraquer, M. Bassoi, R. Bernal, G. Bravo, D. Danilewicz, P. Falk, P.A. Flores, E. Pérez, L. González, L. Medrano, I. Moreno and M.C.O. Santos. A. Larrea edited the INACH catalogue. Versions of this work have benefited from critical reading by R. Reeves, J. Robbins, P. Hammond, S. Katona, C. Petersen and J. Anderson. The formation of the Antarctic Humpback Whale Catalogue, its growth and expanding collaborative nature owe much to the efforts of C. Carlson, S. Katona and G. Stone. Financial support for conducting the photographic analysis was provided by the Friends of Conservation, the International Whaling Commission, and numerous contributors to the Antarctic Humpback Whale Catalogue programme, with additional logistical and financial support from Allied Whale, College of the Atlantic. For support of field research and of the editing and comparison of photographic collections we would like to thank: the Brazilian Antarctic Programme (PROANTAR); Brazilian Council for Scientific Research and Development (CNPq); Cetacean Society International; Colciencias; Conservation Action Fund; Ecofondo; Fundación Yubarta; Instituto Antartico Chileno; Interministerial Commission for the Resources of the Sea (CIRM)/Brazilian Navy; International Fund for Animal Welfare; Pacific Whale Foundation; Parque Nacional Marinho dos Abrolhos/IBAMA; Parques Nacionales; Petróleo Brasileiro SA (PETROBRAS); Redley; Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society; World Wildlife Fund-Office Colombia; and Yaqu Pacha. Portions of Fig. 1 include intellectual property of ESRI and its licensor(s) and are used under license.

Funders	Funder number
Brazilian Council for Scientific Research and Development
Conservation Action Fund
Dolphin Conservation Society
Friends of Conservation
Fundación Yubarta
Instituto Antártico Chileno
International Whaling Commission
World Wildlife Fund-Office Colombia
Yaqu Pacha
California Institute for Regenerative Medicine
Cetacean Society International
Departamento Administrativo de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (COLCIENCIAS)
Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
Comissão Interministerial para os Recursos do Mar

Keywords

Antarctic
Humpback whale
Migration
Photo-ID
South America

Cite this

Stevick, P. T., Aguayo, A., Allen, J., Avila, I. C., Capella, J., Castro, C., Chater, K., Dalla Rosa, L., Engel, M. H., Félix, F., Flórez-González, L., Freitas, A., Haase, B., Llano, M., Lodi, L., Munoz, E., Olavarría, C., Secchi, E., Scheidat, M., & Siciliano, S. (2004). Migrations of individually identified humpback whales between the antarctic peninsula and South America. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management, 6(2), 109-113.

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abstract = "Considerable uncertainty exists regarding the migratory destinations of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) from the Antarctic Peninsula region and the breeding grounds off the coasts of South America. Evidence is presented on the migratory patterns of Antarctic humpback whales based upon movements of individuals identified by natural markings as part of a large-scale international collaboration. Recapture rates were compared between animals from the low latitude breeding and calving areas along the northeastern (n=288) and northwestern (n=325) margins of South America with those identified in the high-latitude feeding areas in the region of the Antarctic Peninsula (n=535). The number of individuals re-sighted in the Antarctic Peninsula differed dramatically between eastern and western South America (c2=40.98, p=1.5 3 10-10). No individuals from Brazil were re-sighted in either the Antarctic Peninsula or off western South America. In contrast, 43 individuals from western South America were identified off the Antarctic Peninsula. These findings suggest that the northwest coast of South America represents an important breeding ground destination for at least some of the humpback whales that feed near the Antarctic Peninsula, but provide no support for movement between the Antarctic Peninsula and the east coast of South America.",

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Stevick, PT, Aguayo, A, Allen, J, Avila, IC, Capella, J, Castro, C, Chater, K, Dalla Rosa, L, Engel, MH, Félix, F, Flórez-González, L, Freitas, A, Haase, B, Llano, M, Lodi, L, Munoz, E, Olavarría, C, Secchi, E, Scheidat, M & Siciliano, S 2004, 'Migrations of individually identified humpback whales between the antarctic peninsula and South America', Journal of Cetacean Research and Management, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 109-113.

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AU - Allen, Judith

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AU - Capella, Juan

AU - Castro, Cristina

AU - Chater, Kim

AU - Dalla Rosa, Luciano

AU - Engel, Márcia H.

AU - Félix, Fernando

AU - Flórez-González, Lilian

AU - Freitas, Ana

AU - Haase, Ben

AU - Llano, Martha

AU - Lodi, Liliane

AU - Munoz, Edwin

AU - Olavarría, Carlos

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AB - Considerable uncertainty exists regarding the migratory destinations of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) from the Antarctic Peninsula region and the breeding grounds off the coasts of South America. Evidence is presented on the migratory patterns of Antarctic humpback whales based upon movements of individuals identified by natural markings as part of a large-scale international collaboration. Recapture rates were compared between animals from the low latitude breeding and calving areas along the northeastern (n=288) and northwestern (n=325) margins of South America with those identified in the high-latitude feeding areas in the region of the Antarctic Peninsula (n=535). The number of individuals re-sighted in the Antarctic Peninsula differed dramatically between eastern and western South America (c2=40.98, p=1.5 3 10-10). No individuals from Brazil were re-sighted in either the Antarctic Peninsula or off western South America. In contrast, 43 individuals from western South America were identified off the Antarctic Peninsula. These findings suggest that the northwest coast of South America represents an important breeding ground destination for at least some of the humpback whales that feed near the Antarctic Peninsula, but provide no support for movement between the Antarctic Peninsula and the east coast of South America.

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KW - Photo-ID

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ER -

Migrations of individually identified humpback whales between the antarctic peninsula and South America

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

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Cite this