Variations in the feeding success and behaviour of Galápagos sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) as they relate to oceanographie conditions

1993 ◽  
Vol 71 (10) ◽  
pp. 1991-1996 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean C. Smith ◽  
Hal Whitehead
Keyword(s):  
Surface Temperature ◽  
Significant Variation ◽  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Geographic Area ◽  
Sea Surface ◽  
Physeter Macrocephalus ◽  
Sperm Whales ◽  
Feeding Success ◽  
Galapagos Archipelago ◽  
Oceanographic Conditions

The feeding success of sperm whales off the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador, was examined over 5 study years; 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, and 1991. A total of 160 days were spent following sperm whales at sea. The defaecation rates of sperm whales were used as an indication of feeding success. The recorded acoustic click rates of sperm whales were used as an indication of aggregative and foraging behaviour. Significant variation in feeding success occurred temporally over periods of days, months, and years. Feeding success also varied spatially with geographic area. Feeding success was inversely related to sea surface temperature (SST). The foraging and associative behaviour of sperm whales also varied with feeding success, SST, and by year. Variations in the feeding success and behaviour of Galápagos sperm whales can likely be attributed to changing oceanographic conditions in the waters surrounding the Galápagos archipelago.

scholarly journals Occurrence of Trichodesmium Erythraeum (Cyanophyte) Bloom and Its Effects on the Fish Catch during April 2013, in the Andaman Sea

2015 ◽  
pp. 49-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arun Kumar ◽  
Gadi Padmavati ◽  
Hosahalli Pradeep
Keyword(s):  
Surface Temperature ◽  
Growth Phase ◽  
Significant Variation ◽  
Algal Bloom ◽  
Atmospheric Temperature ◽  
Sea Surface ◽  
Andaman Sea ◽  
Fish Populations ◽  
Trichodesmium Erythraeum ◽  
Fish Catch

A highly intense bloom of the nitrogen fixing Cyanobacteria Trichodesmium erythraeum(~7,000 filaments l-1) was observed during April 2013 (for a period of 5 days) in the Andaman Sea, at Lat.10°-13°N and Long. 93°-95°E.This is the first report of this bloom in the open waters of this region. Atmospheric temperature at the time ranged from 27 to 30.5 °C, sea surface temperature ranged from 29 to 34 °C, and salinity values ranged from 32.5 to 34 psu. However, there was no significant variation in pH (8.1-8.3), and DO concentrations ranged from 4.7 to 5.5 mg L-1during the studyperiod. Phosphate values ranged from 0.07 μmol L-1to 0.57 μ mol L-1, silicate values ranged from 1.7 to 2.7 μmol L-1, nitrate levels were very low (0.3-0.57 μmol L-1). At this time, the biomass of Trichodesmium erythraeum was high, indicating the bloom was in a growth phase. An upsurge in water temperature was found to explain the bloom, together with an increase in salinity. The hooking rate of fish ranged from 0 to 0.32%. However, in the study area with the highest density of the bloom, almost zero fish catch was recorded, clearly indicating the harmful impact of this algal bloom on fish populations and their distribution pattern.

Aerial behaviour in sperm whales

1990 ◽  
Vol 68 (10) ◽  
pp. 2076-2082 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Waters ◽  
Hal Whitehead
Keyword(s):  
Water Surface ◽  
El Nino ◽  
Physeter Macrocephalus ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
Sperm Whales ◽  
Late Afternoon ◽  
Feeding Success ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Small Clusters ◽  
Feeding Grounds

This paper examines the nature and context of breaching (leaping from the water) and lobtailing (thrashing of flukes onto the water surface) in sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) using data principally collected off the Galápagos Islands. Animals generally breached on their sides at an angle of 30–50° to the water surface and with about 50–100% of their body showing at peak emergence. Breaches and lobtails were often found to occur in long sessions or "bouts" lasting up to several hours and at times containing over 250 individual activities. The rates of observing these activities did not vary seasonally, but breaching was seen more often in 1985 than in 1987, an El Niño year when the whales appeared to have reduced feeding success. Both breaching and lobtailing rates were highest in the late afternoon, although both activities occurred at all times of day and night. Bouts of breaches and lobtails were longer when several groups of sperm whales were together, and during long bouts, groups or small clusters of whales frequently merged or split up. Except for two breaches, all aerial activity was observed from groups of female and immature whales rather than from mature or maturing males on breeding or feeding grounds.

Deep-diving foraging behaviour of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus)

2006 ◽  
Vol 75 (3) ◽  
pp. 814-825 ◽  
Author(s):  
STEPHANIE L. WATWOOD ◽  
PATRICK J. O. MILLER ◽  
MARK JOHNSON ◽  
PETER T. MADSEN ◽  
PETER L. TYACK
Keyword(s):  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Physeter Macrocephalus ◽  
Sperm Whales ◽  
Deep Diving

Biological consequences of global warming: does sea surface temperature affect cetacean distribution in the western Ligurian Sea?

2008 ◽  
Vol 88 (6) ◽  
pp. 1145-1152 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Azzellino ◽  
S.A. Gaspari ◽  
S. Airoldi ◽  
C. Lanfredi
Keyword(s):  
Surface Temperature ◽  
Sea Surface Temperature ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Sperm Whale ◽  
Sea Surface ◽  
Distribution Data ◽  
Physeter Macrocephalus ◽  
Ligurian Sea ◽  
Stenella Coeruleoalba ◽  
Cetacean Distribution

The aim of this study was to assess if sea surface temperature does affect cetacean distribution in the western Ligurian Sea. Relationships with temperature were investigated for: striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba), fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) and sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus). Remotely sensed sea surface temperature (SST) data were studied. A series of 20 monthly images (i.e. June to September monthly images from 1996 to 2000) was considered. Concurrently, distribution data collected during shipboard summer surveys, and covering an area of about 20,000 km2 in the western Ligurian Sea, were analysed. The relationship between the three species presence and SST was investigated by using a grid of 3 × 3 nautical mile cell units. For every cell the SST mean, standard deviation, coefficient of variance and the deviation from the monthly average were calculated. Finally, binary logistic regression functions allowed to assess significant (P < 0.05) relationships with temperature in these species. These logistic models, were able to predict 60–78% of the species presence(1)/absence(0) cells, and suggest the need for further investigations spanning longer time periods to assess how the global climate change has been changing and will change in the future cetacean distribution in the western Ligurian Sea.

scholarly journals COMPOSITION AND DISTRIBUTION OF DOLPHIN IN SAVU SEA NATIONAL MARINE PARK, EAST NUSA TENGGARA

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 55
Author(s):  
Mujiyanto Mujiyanto ◽  
Riswanto Riswanto ◽  
Dharmadi Dharmadi ◽  
Wildan Ghiffary
Keyword(s):  
Surface Temperature ◽  
Sea Surface Temperature ◽  
Quality Parameters ◽  
Sea Surface ◽  
Marine Park ◽  
Spotted Dolphin ◽  
The Family ◽  
Spinner Dolphin ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Oceanographic Conditions

Dolphins are one of the most interesting cetacean types included in family Delphinidae or known as the oceanic dolphins from genus Stenella sp. and Tursiops sp. Migration and abundance of dolphins are affected by the presence of food and oceanographic conditions. The purpose of this research is to determine the composition and distribution of dolphins in relation to the water quality parameters. Benefits of this research are expected to provide information on the relationship between distributions of the family Delphinidae cetacean (oceanic dolphins) and oceanographic conditions. The method for this research is descriptive exploratory, with models onboard tracking survey. Field observations were done in November 2015 and period of March-April 2016 outside and inside Savu Sea National Marine Park waters. The sighting of dolphin in November and March-April found as much seven species: bottlenose dolphin, fraser’s dolphin, pantropical spotted dolphin, risso’s dolphin, rough-toothed dolphin, spinner dolphin and stripped dolphin. The highest species distribution noted in the Savu Sea is spinner dolphin, pantropical spotted dolphin, rough-toothed dolphin and frazer’s dolphin. The existence of dolphins in Savu Sea is more related with sea surface temperature than others oceanographic parameters. This condition is suspected due to the influence of sea surface temperature to body temperature of dolphin especially for foraging activities. The habit of dolphin is more active around Sumba Island and Daratan Timor waters while in the evening the animal is usually going to Manggarai and Rote Ndao Islands waters to rest.

Observations on the composition and behaviour of groups of female sperm whales near the Galapagos Islands

1989 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Arnbom ◽  
Hal Whitehead
Keyword(s):  
Significant Variation ◽  
Galapagos Islands ◽  
Physeter Macrocephalus ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
Sperm Whales ◽  
Acoustic Tracking ◽  
Dorsal Fin ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
High Incidence ◽  
Mixed Groups

During visual and acoustic tracking of sperm whales, Physeter macrocephalus, off the Galapagos Islands, observations were made on the composition and behaviour of the 13 photographically identified groups being followed. Observations of calves and the high incidence of animals with dorsal fin calluses suggested that the groups could be categorized as mixed groups, which contain females and their offspring. Animals recorded to be escorting calves were probably females. Individual calves were escorted by different individuals at different times, and known individuals were observed to escort more than one calf on different occasions. There was a significant difference in the proportion of open and closed fluke notches between groups, suggesting some relatedness of individuals within a group. Twenty-one percent of the identified individuals had tooth mark scars on their flukes, but there was no significant variation in this proportion between groups.

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