Migratory preferences of humpback whales between feeding and breeding grounds in the eastern South Pacific

Jorge Acevedo; Anelio Aguayo-Lobo; Judith Allen; Natalia Botero-Acosta; Juan Capella; Cristina Castro; Luciano Dalla Rosa; Judith Denkinger; Fernando Félix; Lilian Flórez-González; Frank Garita; Héctor M. Guzmán; Ben Haase; Gregory Kaufman; Martha Llano; Carlos Olavarría; Aldo S. Pacheco; Jordi Plana; Kristin Rasmussen; Meike Scheidat; Eduardo R. Secchi; Sebastian Silva; Peter T. Stevick

doi:10.1111/mms.12423

Migratory preferences of humpback whales between feeding and breeding grounds in the eastern South Pacific

Jorge Acevedo^*, Anelio Aguayo-Lobo, Judith Allen, Natalia Botero-Acosta, Juan Capella, Cristina Castro, Luciano Dalla Rosa, Judith Denkinger, Fernando Félix, Lilian Flórez-González, Frank Garita, Héctor M. Guzmán, Ben Haase, Gregory Kaufman, Martha Llano, Carlos Olavarría, Aldo S. Pacheco, Jordi Plana, Kristin Rasmussen, Meike ScheidatEduardo R. Secchi, Sebastian Silva, Peter T. Stevick

^*Corresponding author for this work

Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences

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

42 Scopus citations

Abstract

Latitudinal preferences within the breeding range have been suggested for Breeding Stock G humpback whales that summer in different feeding areas of the eastern South Pacific. To address this hypothesis, humpback whales photo-identified from the Antarctic Peninsula and the Fueguian Archipelago (southern Chile) were compared with whales photo-identified from lower latitudes extending from northern Peru to Costa Rica. This comparison was performed over a time span that includes 18 austral seasons. A total of 238 whales identified from the Antarctic Peninsula and 25 whales from the Fueguian Archipelago were among those photo-identified at the breeding grounds. Our findings showed that humpback whales from each feeding area were resighted unevenly across the breeding grounds, which suggests a degree of spatial structuring in the migratory pathway. Humpback whales that feed at the Antarctic Peninsula were more likely to migrate to the southern breeding range between northern Peru and Colombia, whereas whales that feed at the Fueguian Archipelago were more likely to be found in the northern range of the breeding ground off Panama. Further photo-identification efforts and genetic sampling from poorly sampled or unsampled areas are recommended to confirm these reported connectivity patterns.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1035-1052
Number of pages	18
Journal	Marine Mammal Science
Volume	33
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12423
State	Published - Oct 2017

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Society for Marine Mammalogy

Funding

We are grateful to all of the volunteers and personnel for providing valuable help in the field and the laboratory as well as logistical support. In particular, we would like to thank P. Acuña, B. Alcorta, G. Arias, R. Bernal, G. A. Bravo, A. Cañas, D. Cardenas, S. Cornejo, L. Crowe, P. Falk, T. Fernald, W. Gómez, T. Grados, S. Gubbins, C. Guevara, C. Guidino, D. Haro, W. Henao, Klein Family, H. Krajewsky, E. Larrañaga, A. Larrea, C. Martínez, F. Martínez, M.C. Medina, G. Moreno, F. Moreno, Marcos César de O. Santos, C. Perazio, B. Perez, E. Pérez, A. Petit, N. Ramírez, S. Rangel, G. Ravenscrofft, F. Sánchez-Salazar, I. C. Tobón, C. Valdivia, B. Wallis, S. Yeskén, and M. Zapetis. We would also like to thank “Ecologia e Conserva©cão da Megafauna Marinha - EcoMega/CNPq”, the Antarctic Research Project Baleias/Proantar (CNPq grant number 408096/2013-6), National Institute of Science and Technology Antarctic Environmental Research (INCT-APA) (CNPq grant number 574018/2008-5), Pacific Whale Foundation, USFQ GAIAS grant, INACH Projects grant number 163 and G-16-10, Rufford Small Grants for Nature Conservancy, Colciencias, Eco-fondo, WWF-Colombia, Fundación Sentir, Fondo para la Acción Ambiental, Cetacean Society International, Idea Wild, Moore Charitable Foundation, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Homeland Foundation, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (Panama), Darwin Initiative (UK), Conicyt Regional grant number R13A1002, and Conicyt Regional/GORE Magallanes (grant number R07K1002) for financial support. The authors would like to acknowledge the contributions by fishermen, Hosteria El Acantilado, Machalilla National Park, Palo Santo Travel, Fitz Roy Expeditions, Unidad de Parques Nacionales de Colombia, Grupo de Ecogúıas de Coqúı, Consejo Comunitario Los Riscales, Cabañas Pijibá, El Cantil, Nautilus, La Joviseña, Punta Brava, Turqúı, El Almejal, local communities, and other whale watching operators who helped us with our research. The first author would like to thank the Director of Fundación CEQUA for providing time and constant support in the writing of this material, and Lorena Viloria for his valuable comments that improved the quality of our manuscript. We are grateful to all of the volunteers and personnel for providing valuable help in the field and the laboratory as well as logistical support. In particular, we would like to thank P. Acu?a, B. Alcorta, G. Arias, R. Bernal, G. A. Bravo, A. Ca?as, D. Cardenas, S. Cornejo, L. Crowe, P. Falk, T. Fernald, W. G?mez, T. Grados, S. Gubbins, C. Guevara, C. Guidino, D. Haro, W. Henao, Klein Family, H. Krajewsky, E. Larra?aga, A. Larrea, C. Mart?nez, F. Mart?nez, M.C. Medina, G. Moreno, F. Moreno, Marcos C?sar de O. Santos, C. Perazio, B. Perez, E. P?rez, A. Petit, N. Ram?rez, S. Rangel, G. Ravenscrofft, F. S?nchez-Salazar, I. C. Tob?n, C. Valdivia, B. Wallis, S. Yesk?n, and M. Zapetis. We would also like to thank ?Ecologia e Conserva??o da Megafauna Marinha - EcoMega/CNPq?, the Antarctic Research Project Baleias/Proantar (CNPq grant number 408096/2013-6), National Institute of Science and Technology Antarctic Environmental Research (INCT-APA) (CNPq grant number 574018/2008-5), Pacific Whale Foundation, USFQ GAIAS grant, INACH Projects grant number 163 and G-16-10, Rufford Small Grants for Nature Conservancy, Colciencias, Ecofondo, WWF-Colombia, Fundaci?n Sentir, Fondo para la Acci?n Ambiental, Cetacean Society International, Idea Wild, Moore Charitable Foundation, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Homeland Foundation, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (Panama), Darwin Initiative (UK), Conicyt Regional grant number R13A1002, and Conicyt Regional/GORE Magallanes (grant number R07K1002) for financial support. The authors would like to acknowledge the contributions by fishermen, Hosteria El Acantilado, Machalilla National Park, Palo Santo Travel, Fitz Roy Expeditions, Unidad de Parques Nacionales de Colombia, Grupo de Ecogu?as de Coqu?, Consejo Comunitario Los Riscales, Caba?as Pijib?, El Cantil, Nautilus, La Jovise?a, Punta Brava, Turqu?, El Almejal, local communities, and other whale watching operators who helped us with our research. The first author would like to thank the Director of Fundaci?n CEQUA for providing time and constant support in the writing of this material, and Lorena Viloria for his valuable comments that improved the quality of our manuscript.

Funders	Funder number
Conicyt Regional	R13A1002
Conicyt Regional/GORE Magallanes
Ecologia e Conserva©cão da Megafauna Marinha
Fondo para la Acci?n Ambiental
Fondo para la Acción Ambiental
Fundación Sentir
Homeland Foundation
INACH
INCT-APA	574018/2008-5
Idea Wild, Moore Charitable Foundation
National Institute of Science and Technology Antarctic Environmental Research
Pacific Whale Foundation
Rufford Small Grants for Nature Conservancy
WWF-Colombia
Cetacean Society International
Departamento Administrativo de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (COLCIENCIAS)
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo	R07K1002
Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico	408096/2013-6
Universidad San Francisco de Quito	G-16-10, 163
Kadoorie Charitable Foundation

Keywords

Antarctic Peninsula
Breeding Stock G
Fueguian Archipelago
Megaptera novaeangliae
feeding ground
migratory destinations
photo-identification

Access to Document

10.1111/mms.12423

Cite this

Acevedo, J., Aguayo-Lobo, A., Allen, J., Botero-Acosta, N., Capella, J., Castro, C., Rosa, L. D., Denkinger, J., Félix, F., Flórez-González, L., Garita, F., Guzmán, H. M., Haase, B., Kaufman, G., Llano, M., Olavarría, C., Pacheco, A. S., Plana, J., Rasmussen, K., ... Stevick, P. T. (2017). Migratory preferences of humpback whales between feeding and breeding grounds in the eastern South Pacific. Marine Mammal Science, 33(4), 1035-1052. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12423

@article{777be5652c5245b2a4e1c3da02b6fe3a,

title = "Migratory preferences of humpback whales between feeding and breeding grounds in the eastern South Pacific",

abstract = "Latitudinal preferences within the breeding range have been suggested for Breeding Stock G humpback whales that summer in different feeding areas of the eastern South Pacific. To address this hypothesis, humpback whales photo-identified from the Antarctic Peninsula and the Fueguian Archipelago (southern Chile) were compared with whales photo-identified from lower latitudes extending from northern Peru to Costa Rica. This comparison was performed over a time span that includes 18 austral seasons. A total of 238 whales identified from the Antarctic Peninsula and 25 whales from the Fueguian Archipelago were among those photo-identified at the breeding grounds. Our findings showed that humpback whales from each feeding area were resighted unevenly across the breeding grounds, which suggests a degree of spatial structuring in the migratory pathway. Humpback whales that feed at the Antarctic Peninsula were more likely to migrate to the southern breeding range between northern Peru and Colombia, whereas whales that feed at the Fueguian Archipelago were more likely to be found in the northern range of the breeding ground off Panama. Further photo-identification efforts and genetic sampling from poorly sampled or unsampled areas are recommended to confirm these reported connectivity patterns.",

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author = "Jorge Acevedo and Anelio Aguayo-Lobo and Judith Allen and Natalia Botero-Acosta and Juan Capella and Cristina Castro and Rosa, {Luciano Dalla} and Judith Denkinger and Fernando F{\'e}lix and Lilian Fl{\'o}rez-Gonz{\'a}lez and Frank Garita and Guzm{\'a}n, {H{\'e}ctor M.} and Ben Haase and Gregory Kaufman and Martha Llano and Carlos Olavarr{\'i}a and Pacheco, {Aldo S.} and Jordi Plana and Kristin Rasmussen and Meike Scheidat and Secchi, {Eduardo R.} and Sebastian Silva and Stevick, {Peter T.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2017 Society for Marine Mammalogy",

year = "2017",

month = oct,

doi = "10.1111/mms.12423",

language = "English",

volume = "33",

pages = "1035--1052",

journal = "Marine Mammal Science",

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Acevedo, J, Aguayo-Lobo, A, Allen, J, Botero-Acosta, N, Capella, J, Castro, C, Rosa, LD, Denkinger, J, Félix, F, Flórez-González, L, Garita, F, Guzmán, HM, Haase, B, Kaufman, G, Llano, M, Olavarría, C, Pacheco, AS, Plana, J, Rasmussen, K, Scheidat, M, Secchi, ER, Silva, S & Stevick, PT 2017, 'Migratory preferences of humpback whales between feeding and breeding grounds in the eastern South Pacific', Marine Mammal Science, vol. 33, no. 4, pp. 1035-1052. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12423

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T1 - Migratory preferences of humpback whales between feeding and breeding grounds in the eastern South Pacific

AU - Acevedo, Jorge

AU - Aguayo-Lobo, Anelio

AU - Allen, Judith

AU - Botero-Acosta, Natalia

AU - Capella, Juan

AU - Castro, Cristina

AU - Rosa, Luciano Dalla

AU - Denkinger, Judith

AU - Félix, Fernando

AU - Flórez-González, Lilian

AU - Garita, Frank

AU - Guzmán, Héctor M.

AU - Haase, Ben

AU - Kaufman, Gregory

AU - Llano, Martha

AU - Olavarría, Carlos

AU - Pacheco, Aldo S.

AU - Plana, Jordi

AU - Rasmussen, Kristin

AU - Scheidat, Meike

AU - Secchi, Eduardo R.

AU - Silva, Sebastian

AU - Stevick, Peter T.

PY - 2017/10

Y1 - 2017/10

N2 - Latitudinal preferences within the breeding range have been suggested for Breeding Stock G humpback whales that summer in different feeding areas of the eastern South Pacific. To address this hypothesis, humpback whales photo-identified from the Antarctic Peninsula and the Fueguian Archipelago (southern Chile) were compared with whales photo-identified from lower latitudes extending from northern Peru to Costa Rica. This comparison was performed over a time span that includes 18 austral seasons. A total of 238 whales identified from the Antarctic Peninsula and 25 whales from the Fueguian Archipelago were among those photo-identified at the breeding grounds. Our findings showed that humpback whales from each feeding area were resighted unevenly across the breeding grounds, which suggests a degree of spatial structuring in the migratory pathway. Humpback whales that feed at the Antarctic Peninsula were more likely to migrate to the southern breeding range between northern Peru and Colombia, whereas whales that feed at the Fueguian Archipelago were more likely to be found in the northern range of the breeding ground off Panama. Further photo-identification efforts and genetic sampling from poorly sampled or unsampled areas are recommended to confirm these reported connectivity patterns.

AB - Latitudinal preferences within the breeding range have been suggested for Breeding Stock G humpback whales that summer in different feeding areas of the eastern South Pacific. To address this hypothesis, humpback whales photo-identified from the Antarctic Peninsula and the Fueguian Archipelago (southern Chile) were compared with whales photo-identified from lower latitudes extending from northern Peru to Costa Rica. This comparison was performed over a time span that includes 18 austral seasons. A total of 238 whales identified from the Antarctic Peninsula and 25 whales from the Fueguian Archipelago were among those photo-identified at the breeding grounds. Our findings showed that humpback whales from each feeding area were resighted unevenly across the breeding grounds, which suggests a degree of spatial structuring in the migratory pathway. Humpback whales that feed at the Antarctic Peninsula were more likely to migrate to the southern breeding range between northern Peru and Colombia, whereas whales that feed at the Fueguian Archipelago were more likely to be found in the northern range of the breeding ground off Panama. Further photo-identification efforts and genetic sampling from poorly sampled or unsampled areas are recommended to confirm these reported connectivity patterns.

KW - Antarctic Peninsula

KW - Breeding Stock G

KW - Fueguian Archipelago

KW - Megaptera novaeangliae

KW - feeding ground

KW - migratory destinations

KW - photo-identification

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DO - 10.1111/mms.12423

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AN - SCOPUS:85020409920

SN - 0824-0469

VL - 33

SP - 1035

EP - 1052

JO - Marine Mammal Science

JF - Marine Mammal Science

IS - 4

ER -

Migratory preferences of humpback whales between feeding and breeding grounds in the eastern South Pacific

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

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