scholarly journals Searching for humpback whales in a historical whaling hotspot of the Coral Sea, South Pacific

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
pp. 67-82
Author(s):  
C Garrigue ◽  
S Derville ◽  
C Bonneville ◽  
CS Baker ◽  
T Cheeseman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
New Caledonia ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Breeding Area ◽  
Pristine Area ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
Commercial Whaling

Humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae were severely depleted by commercial whaling. Understanding key factors in their recovery is a crucial step for their conservation worldwide. In Oceania, the Chesterfield-Bellona archipelago was a primary whaling site in the 19th century, yet has been left almost unaffected by anthropogenic activities since. We present the results of the first multidisciplinary dedicated surveys in the archipelago assessing humpback whale populations 2 centuries post-whaling. We encountered 57 groups during 24 survey days (2016-2017), among which 35 whales were identified using photographs of natural markings (photo-ID), 38 using genotyping and 22 using both. Humpback whales were sparsely distributed (0.041 whales km-1): most sightings concentrated in shallow inner-reef waters and neighbouring offshore shallow banks. The recently created marine protected area covers most of the areas of high predicted habitat suitability and high residence time from satellite-tracked whales. Surprisingly for a breeding area, sex ratios skewed towards females (1:2.4), and 45% of females were with calf. Connectivity was established with the New Caledonia breeding area to the east (mtDNA FST = 0.001, p > 0.05, 12 photo-ID and 10 genotype matches) and with the Australian Great Barrier Reef breeding area to the west (mtDNA FST = 0.006, p > 0.05). Movement of satellite-tracked whales and photo-ID matches also suggest connections with the east Australian migratory corridor. This study confirms that humpback whales still inhabit the Chesterfield-Bellona archipelago 2 centuries post whaling, and that this pristine area potentially plays a role in facilitating migratory interchange among breeding grounds of the western South Pacific.

scholarly journals First assessment of interchange of humpback whales between Oceania and the East coast of Australia

2020 ◽  
pp. 269-274
Author(s):  
Claire Garrigue ◽  
Trish Franklin ◽  
Rochelle Constantine ◽  
Kirsty Russell ◽  
Daniel Burns ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
East Coast ◽  
New Caledonia ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
French Polynesia ◽  
American Samoa ◽  
Individual Identification ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Cook Island ◽  
Breeding Grounds

The interchange of individual humpback whales between the wintering grounds of Oceania (South Pacific) and the east coast of Australia weredocumented by individual identification photographs collected from 1999 to 2004. Interchange was assessed using regional catalogues of flukephotographs, totalling 672 individuals from Oceania (represented by New Zealand, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Niue, Cook Island,French Polynesia and American Samoa) and 1,242 individuals from Hervey Bay and Byron Bay representing the southbound and the northboundmigration along the east coast of Australia (EA). Overall, there were seven documented movements between EA and Oceania. Four instances ofmovement of four individuals were documented between EA and the closest breeding grounds of New Caledonia. A further three movements wererecorded between EA and a small catalogue (n = 13) from the New Zealand migratory corridor. In contrast, during this same period, 20 cases ofinterchange were documented among nine breeding grounds: French Polynesia, Cook Islands, Niue, American Samoa, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatuand New Caledonia. The low level of interchange between Oceania and the east coast of Australia has important implications for understanding thestock structure and abundance of humpback whales in the South Pacific.

scholarly journals Movement of individual humpback whales between wintering grounds of Oceania (South Pacific), 1999 to 2004

2020 ◽  
pp. 275-282
Author(s):  
Claire Garrigue ◽  
Rochelle Constantine ◽  
Michael Poole ◽  
Nan Hauser ◽  
Phil Clapham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Caledonia ◽  
Winter Season ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
French Polynesia ◽  
American Samoa ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Wintering Grounds ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
The Antarctic ◽  
Directional Trend

The movement of individual humpback whales between regional breeding grounds of Oceania (South Pacific) was documented by individualidentification photographs collected from 1999 to 2004. Photographs were collected with comparable effort across the six years in four primaryisland breeding grounds: New Caledonia, Tonga (Vava’u) the Cook Islands and French Polynesia (Mo’orea and Rurutu); with smaller effort inadjacent regions: Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa, Niue and American Samoa. Interchange among wintering grounds was assessed first with all usablephotographs included in each regional catalogue, representing 1,080 regional sightings (including within-region and between-region resightings)of 949 individual whales from Oceania. From this, 28 cases of movement between (mostly adjacent) regions were documented. Previouslyundocumented interchange was found between regions of central Oceania and the western South Pacific. No individual was sighted in more thantwo regions during this six-year period. The documented movement between regions was one-directional, except for one individual sighted first inFrench Polynesia, then in American Samoa and then back in French Polynesia (each in different years). Only one whale was resighted in more thanone region during the same winter season. No directional trend was apparent and movement between regions did not seem to be sex specific. Asystematic quality control review of all catalogues was then implemented to calculate standardised indices of within-region return and betweenregion interchange, resulting in a quality controlled catalogue of 776 regional sightings of 659 individuals. The standardised indices confirmed thatthe probability of between-region interchange was low, relative to within-region return, supporting the assumption of multiple management unitsor stocks in Oceania. The relative isolation of breeding regions and the movement of individuals across the longitudinal borders of Antarcticmanagement Areas V and VI has important implications for the allocation of historical catches from the Antarctic and therefore, for assessingcurrent levels of recovery for breeding stocks

scholarly journals Migratory convergence facilitates cultural transmission of humpback whale song

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (9) ◽  
pp. 190337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clare Owen ◽  
Luke Rendell ◽  
Rochelle Constantine ◽  
Michael J. Noad ◽  
Jenny Allen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Transmission ◽  
New Caledonia ◽  
Vocal Learning ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Wintering Grounds ◽  
Migration Patterns ◽  
Acoustic Contact ◽  
Migratory Routes ◽  
And Migration

Cultural transmission of behaviour is important in a wide variety of vertebrate taxa from birds to humans. Vocal traditions and vocal learning provide a strong foundation for studying culture and its transmission in both humans and cetaceans. Male humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) perform complex, culturally transmitted song displays that can change both evolutionarily (through accumulations of small changes) or revolutionarily (where a population rapidly adopts a novel song). The degree of coordination and conformity underlying song revolutions makes their study of particular interest. Acoustic contact on migratory routes may provide a mechanism for cultural revolutions of song, yet these areas of contact remain uncertain. Here, we compared songs recorded from the Kermadec Islands, a recently discovered migratory stopover, to multiple South Pacific wintering grounds. Similarities in song themes from the Kermadec Islands and multiple wintering locations (from New Caledonia across to the Cook Islands) suggest a location allowing cultural transmission of song eastward across the South Pacific, active song learning (hybrid songs) and the potential for cultural convergence after acoustic isolation at the wintering grounds. As with the correlations in humans between genes, communication and migration, the migration patterns of humpback whales are written into their songs.

Pod Characteristics of Migrating Humpback Whales (Megaptera Novaeangliae) Off the East Australian Coast

Behaviour ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 132 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 163-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Corkeron ◽  
Miranda Brown
Keyword(s):  
Mate Guarding ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Spatial Proximity ◽  
Breeding Area ◽  
Cooperative Interactions ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
Competitive Behaviour ◽  
Female Pair ◽  
Skin Biopsies ◽  
Size And Sex Composition

AbstractThe size and sex composition of migrating humpback whale pods were investigated off the east Australian coast. Two hundred and thirty one singletons, 257 pairs, 63 trios, 7 quads and 4 pods containing more than 5 individuals were observed during two land-based surveys carried out throughout the northward migration in 1991 and 1993. Generally humpback whales migrated northward towards the breeding area in pods of I or 2 individuals. In 1992, a biopsy study was carried out throughout the northward and southward migrations. Pods migrating southward (mean = 2.59, SE = 0.19) towards the feeding areas were significantly larger than those travelling north (mean = 1.75, SE = 0.03). The sex of 134 individuals in 63 complete pods was determined by molecular analysis of skin biopsies. Male humpback whales were found in larger pods than females. The most common pod type observed was the male-female pair, which is suggestive of either mating on migration and/or mate-guarding. Males were found associated together frequently. Competitive behaviour was observed during both the northward and southward migrations. The sexing of all individuals within 8 competitive pods indicated that not all contained a female. Although competitive behaviour was observed during the migration, most male-male associations were charactcrised by non-agonistic and occasionally cooperative interactions. We suggest there is a behavioural continuum on migration between the feeding and breeding grounds which is not governed solely by spatial proximity to the terminus. The pod characteristics of humpback whales on their return migration to the feeding grounds showed greatest similarity to those observed on breeding grounds elsewhere. In conclusion, our study showed that the migration of humpback whales is more

scholarly journals Humpback whales extend their stay in a breeding ground in the Tropical Eastern Pacific

2019 ◽  
Vol 77 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabel Cristina Avila ◽  
Carsten F Dormann ◽  
Carolina García ◽  
Luis Fernando Payán ◽  
María Ximena Zorrilla
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Arrival Time ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Breeding Site ◽  
Eastern Pacific ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Tropical Eastern Pacific ◽  
The Past ◽  
Management Plans ◽  
Breeding Grounds

Abstract During the austral winter, G-stock humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae, migrate to the Tropical Eastern Pacific to breed. To analyse if the whale migration times have changed over time, we analysed 31 years (1988–2018) of arrival and departure times to Gorgona National Park, Colombia, an important breeding site. During this period, whales have significantly changed their arrival time, coming now earlier, but their departure time has not changed significantly. Hence, humpback whales now stay 1 month longer than 31 years ago. Humpbacks arrived in Gorgona at the earliest during the beginning of May and stayed at the most until late December. The change observed in the arrival time to breeding grounds could be related to ice sheet mass changes in autumn in Antarctica and increase in population size over the past decades but we were unable to determine which factor is more important in explaining the observed trend. Management decisions in Colombia need to account for a longer stay, specifically restricting anthropogenic activities from 1May to 31December. We urge other researchers to review their data, in case this shift is evident in other regions and management plans need to be updated.

Geograpmc Variation in South Pacific Humpback Whale Songs

Behaviour ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 135 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Helweg ◽  
Peter Jenkins ◽  
Douglas Cat ◽  
Robert McCauley ◽  
Claire Garrigue
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Cultural Transmission ◽  
Regional Differences ◽  
New Caledonia ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
Humpback Whale ◽  
Megaptera Novaeangliae ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Song Sharing ◽  
Eastern Australia

AbstractEvery winter, (male) humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) produce long complex songs. Song content is dynamic and singers incorporate changes as they occur, thus song is shared through cultural transmission. We compared songs recorded in winter migratory termini in Tonga, New Caledonia, Eastern Australia, and on migration paths off Eastern Australia and New Zealand, in the winter of 1994. Seven themes were shared by all regions, with an additional two themes shared by all but Tonga. Differences in regional variants were most pronounced between Tongan and Eastern Australian song. New Caledonian and Kaikouran song were more similar to songs from Eastern Australia rather than Tonga. These regional differences were stable across the season. The results suggest some migratory exchange among widely separate wintering regions of Area V, consistent with tag recovery data, but the time and location at which song sharing occurs remains speculative.

Population structure of South Pacific humpback whales and the origin of the eastern Polynesian breeding grounds

2007 ◽  
Vol 330 ◽  
pp. 257-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Olavarría ◽  
CS Baker ◽  
C Garrigue ◽  
M Poole ◽  
N Hauser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Population Structure ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Breeding Grounds

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

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 1035-1052 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Acevedo ◽  
Anelio Aguayo-Lobo ◽  
Judith Allen ◽  
Natalia Botero-Acosta ◽  
Juan Capella ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Pacific ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Breeding Grounds

scholarly journals Migratory insights from singing humpback whales recorded around central New Zealand

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 201084
Author(s):  
Victoria E. Warren ◽  
Rochelle Constantine ◽  
Michael Noad ◽  
Claire Garrigue ◽  
Ellen C. Garland
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
East Coast ◽  
New Caledonia ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
Humpback Whale ◽  
Breeding Population ◽  
Population Connectivity ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Migratory Routes ◽  
Migratory Corridor

The migration routes of wide-ranging species can be difficult to study, particularly at sea. In the western South Pacific, migratory routes of humpback whales between breeding and feeding areas are unclear. Male humpback whales sing a population-specific song, which can be used to match singers on migration to a breeding population. To investigate migratory routes and breeding area connections, passive acoustic recorders were deployed in the central New Zealand migratory corridor (2016); recorded humpback whale song was compared to song from the closest breeding populations of East Australia and New Caledonia (2015–2017). Singing northbound whales migrated past New Zealand from June to August via the east coast of the South Island and Cook Strait. Few song detections were made along the east coast of the North Island. New Zealand song matched New Caledonia song, suggesting a migratory destination, but connectivity to East Australia could not be ruled out. Two song types were present in New Zealand, illustrating the potential for easterly song transmission from East Australia to New Caledonia in this shared migratory corridor. This study enhances our understanding of western South Pacific humpback whale breeding population connectivity, and provides novel insights into the dynamic transmission of song culture.

Modeling cetacean habitat use in an urban coastal area in southeastern Brazil

2020 ◽  
Vol 642 ◽  
pp. 227-240
Author(s):  
L Lodi ◽  
R Tardin ◽  
G Maricato
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Buffer Zone ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Southeastern Brazil ◽  
Major Influence ◽  
Cetacean Species ◽  
Few Data

Most studies of cetacean habitat use do not consider the influence of anthropogenic activities. We investigated the influence of environmental and anthropogenic variables on habitat use by humpback Megaptera novaeangliae and Bryde’s whales Balaenoptera brydei off the coast of the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. Although there are 2 marine protected areas (MPAs) in this area, few data are available on cetacean habitat use or on the overlap of different cetacean species within these MPAs. Our aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of the MPAs and propose a buffer zone to better protect the biodiversity of the study area. We conducted systematic surveys and developed spatial eigenvector generalized linear models to characterize habitat use by the species in the study area. Habitat use by humpback whales was influenced only by depth, whereas for Bryde’s whales there was the additional influence of anthropogenic variables. For Bryde’s whales, which use the area for feeding, sea surface temperature and the distance to anchorages had a major influence on habitat use. We also showed that neither of the MPAs in the study area adequately protects the hotspots of either whale species. Most of the humpback whale grid cells with high sighting predictions were located within 2 km of the MPAs, while areas of high sighting prediction of Bryde’s whales were located up to 5 km from the MPAs, closer to beaches. Our findings provide important insights for the delimitation of protected areas and zoning of the MPAs.

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