Sound propagation modeling of right whale calls in Cape Cod Bay.

Passive acoustic monitoring is playing an increasing role in the detection of endangered North Atlantic right whales (NARW). Previous acoustic monitoring has relied on a single stereotyped vocalization, the upcall. Here the entire repertoire produced by NARW during the winter and early spring in Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts is described. An objective sound classification scheme and automatic classification algorithm were developed. Nine days of acoustic recordings were used for the data analysis and a total of 9,611 right whale sounds were identified. The objective classification scheme of right whale sounds allowed for rapid identification of a diversity of right whale sounds. These sounds were assigned to 6 classes of narrowband upcalls, downsweep, complex and high frequency calls, wideband gunshot sounds and complex sounds. Results indicate that the prevalence of upcalls varied from 28% of detected calls in January to 80% in April. Other classes of signals were also well represented in the repertoire including the narrowband complex(10-36%) and high frequency calls (1-26%), wideband gunshot sounds (4-25%) and wideband complex sounds (0 – 25%). The prevalence of non-upcall signals suggests that including more signals classes may improve rates of detection for right whales in the Cape Cod Bay habitat.

Download Full-text

Surface foraging behaviour of the North Atlantic right whale, Eubalaena glacialis, and associated zooplankton characteristics

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z90-308 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 68 (10) ◽

pp. 2214-2220 ◽

Cited By ~ 85

Author(s):

Charles A. Mayo ◽

Marilyn K. Marx

Keyword(s):

Foraging Behaviour ◽

Rate Of Change ◽

Calanus Finmarchicus ◽

Cape Cod ◽

North Atlantic Right Whale ◽

Right Whale ◽

The North ◽

Cape Cod Bay ◽

Zooplankton Density ◽

Right Whales

Right whales in Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts, were studied to determine the relationship between their surface feeding behaviour and the density and composition of their planktonic prey. The swimming path characteristics of whales feeding, socializing, and travelling were compared. Zooplankton samples collected in the feeding path were contrasted with those from areas where whales were not present. Surface prey patches where right whales fed were dominated by Calanus finmarchicus (21 samples), Pseudocalanus minutus (n = 13), Centropages sp. (n = 3), and larval barnacles (n = 2). The zooplankton density in the feeding path of the whales tested significantly higher (Mann–Whitney U-test, P < 0.001) than at stations where whales were not present (mean total densities were 6.54 × 103 (SE = 1.03 × 103) and 0.87 × 103 (SE = 0.19 × 103) organisms/m3, respectively). Feeding was rarely observed in locations where the total zooplankton density was less than 1000 organisms/m3. The rate of change of direction in the feeding path (mean 19.3°/10 m of path) was significantly higher (P < 0.001) than for paths of whales travelling (mean 5.3°/10 m of path), reflecting area-restricted foraging behaviour.

Download Full-text

Objective classification of North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) vocalizations to improve passive acoustic detection

10.7287/peerj.preprints.322v1 ◽

2014 ◽

Author(s):

Ildar R Urazghildiiev ◽

Susan E. Parks

Keyword(s):

North Atlantic ◽

High Frequency ◽

Classification Scheme ◽

Acoustic Monitoring ◽

Cape Cod ◽

Complex Sounds ◽

Right Whale ◽

Cape Cod Bay ◽

Objective Classification ◽

Passive Acoustic

Passive acoustic monitoring is playing an increasing role in the detection of endangered North Atlantic right whales (NARW). Previous acoustic monitoring has relied on a single stereotyped vocalization, the upcall. Here the entire repertoire produced by NARW during the winter and early spring in Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts is described. An objective sound classification scheme and automatic classification algorithm were developed. Nine days of acoustic recordings were used for the data analysis and a total of 9,611 right whale sounds were identified. The objective classification scheme of right whale sounds allowed for rapid identification of a diversity of right whale sounds. These sounds were assigned to 6 classes of narrowband upcalls, downsweep, complex and high frequency calls, wideband gunshot sounds and complex sounds. Results indicate that the prevalence of upcalls varied from 28% of detected calls in January to 80% in April. Other classes of signals were also well represented in the repertoire including the narrowband complex(10-36%) and high frequency calls (1-26%), wideband gunshot sounds (4-25%) and wideband complex sounds (0 – 25%). The prevalence of non-upcall signals suggests that including more signals classes may improve rates of detection for right whales in the Cape Cod Bay habitat.

Download Full-text