scholarly journals The use of underwater viewing deck of the semi-submersible whalewatching vessel Yellow Submarine at Península Valdés, Argentina as a platform of opportunity for scientifc research with the southern right whale, Eubalaena australis

10.5597/00242 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 2-8
Author(s):  
Mariano Sironi ◽  
Lucía Alzugaray ◽  
Agustina Saez ◽  
Florencia Ornela Vilches ◽  
Alejandro Fernández Ajó ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural History ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Short Duration ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Scientific Data ◽  
Photo Identification ◽  
Right Whale ◽  
Eubalaena Australis ◽  
Southern Right Whales ◽  
History Of

Whale-watching vessels can be used as platforms to collect scientific data on the natural history of cetaceans. Vessels with underwater viewing decks are exceptional and offer a unique view of the whales. We assessed the underwater viewing platform of the semi-submersible vessel Yellow Submarine that operates off Puerto Pirámides, Península Valdés, Argentina as a platform of opportunity for southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) research. The variables considered during observations included, among others, the age class and sex of the animals observed, behavioral patterns, opportunities for individual photo-identification, distance and duration of the underwater observations and how weather conditions affected data collection. The Yellow Submarine offers a unique platform to make underwater observations of southern right whales in this calving ground. The main limitations are the relatively short duration of the observations and reduced visibility in spring.

The Great Australian Bight Right Whale Study, 1991–2018: bridging the gap between science and industry to provide baseline data for impact assessment in oil and gas

2019 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 534
Author(s):  
Claire Charlton ◽  
Robert D. McCauley ◽  
Rhianne Ward
Keyword(s):  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Conservation Management ◽  
Species Conservation ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Scientific Data ◽  
Right Whale ◽  
Eubalaena Australis ◽  
Southern Right Whales ◽  
Great Australian Bight

The Curtin University Great Australian Bight Right Whale Study (GABRWS) delivers cost effective scientific research to inform risk-based decision making and conservation management of Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) listed endangered southern right whales (Eubalaena australis). The GABRWS has operated annually on Yalata Aboriginal lands at the Head of Bight in Australia’s largest calving ground, between 1991 and 2019, and at Fowlers Bay in the Nuyts Archipelago Marine Park between 2013 and 2019. The Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Environment) Regulations 2009 require operators to demonstrate an understanding of values and sensitivities (particularly EPBC-listed threatened species and Matters of National Environmental Significance) in the environment and show that impacts and risks from proposed activities are as low as reasonably practicable and of an acceptable level. The GABRWS delivers peer reviewed science on southern right whale recovery and population trends critical for stock and impact assessment. The study promotes collaboration between the scientific institutions, the community, oil and gas (O&G) operators, stakeholders, government and regulators. Data are publicly available through published scientific literature and communicated through university and sponsor reports, sponsor presentations, community events and international conferences. The GABRWS provides a unique win-win example of a university program bridging the gap between science and industry to promote species conservation management and provide cost effective baseline scientific data for impact assessment in O&G. Benefits to sponsors also include collaboration with research, community and government organisations; access to scientific data in real time; and promotion of community stewardship and reputation.

Anthropology and Development Planning

1979 ◽  
Vol 1 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 6-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Partridge
Keyword(s):  
Natural History ◽  
Technical Assistance ◽  
Interorganizational Relationships ◽  
Development Planning ◽  
Development Project ◽  
Scientific Data ◽  
Social Aspects ◽  
History Of ◽  
Social Scientific ◽  
Project Objectives

A development project "is alive, it changes its form and develops, or it declines" (Opler, Morris E. Social Aspects of Technical Assistance. p. 70. Amsterdam: UNESCO, 1954). Conditions in the natural history of a development project are different in its conception phase as compared to its construction phase, or two years after it is in operation, or a generation later—project objectives evolve, personnel come and go, interorganizational relationships shift, program designs are modified, and the uses to which social scientific data and analysis are put change over the life of the project. The evaluation of the socioeconomic and cultural impacts of a project undertaken at only one stage is, perforce, unsystematic and only rarely comprehensively analytical. When anthropologists enter a development project, it is often as technicians. They are fieldworkers on sojourns from academe, hired to carry out studies and write reports and leave the decisions to others. Our wholistic perspective does not assist us in achieving systematic and comprehensive analyses of impacts when we are limited in this way.

Half a century of sightings data of southern right whales in Mar del Plata (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

2019 ◽  
Vol 100 (1) ◽  
pp. 165-171
Author(s):  
Maria A. Mandiola ◽  
Gisela Giardino ◽  
Julián Bastida ◽  
Sergio Morón ◽  
Diego H. Rodríguez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Buenos Aires ◽  
Buenos Aires Province ◽  
Western Atlantic ◽  
Right Whale ◽  
Eubalaena Australis ◽  
Coastal Marine ◽  
Past Half Century ◽  
Southern Right Whales ◽  
Inshore Waters

AbstractIn South-western Atlantic waters, individuals of the southern right whale (SRW) Eubalaena australis spend part of the year (the austral winter and spring) in northern inshore waters where they breed and then migrate to southern feeding grounds during the summer. Mar del Plata (MDP) is located between two main reproductive areas (Península Valdés-Argentina and Santa Catarina-Brazil). The purpose of the present study is to report the presence of SRWs on their journey off the coast of MDP based on sighting records during the past half century. We carried out whale observations through systematic weekly coastal marine mammal surveys in different points of the MDP area from 1966 to 2016. The first SRW sighting was recorded in 1970; since then, sighting frequency has gradually increased, reaching a peak of 28 sightings (N = 63 whales) in 2016. These are unique long-term sighting records of SRWs in Argentina and the first on their journey off the shores of Buenos Aires province. We expect that these results will help local authorities to regulate tourism and other activities in the area and thereby contribute to the conservation of the species.

scholarly journals Stranding events of southern right whales, Eubalaena australis, in southern Brazil

2020 ◽  
pp. 157-160
Author(s):  
Antonio B. Greig ◽  
Eduardo R. Secchi ◽  
Alexandre N. Zerbini ◽  
Luciano Dalla Rosa
Keyword(s):  
Storm Surges ◽  
Anthropogenic Factors ◽  
Brazilian Coast ◽  
Illegal Hunting ◽  
Right Whale ◽  
Eubalaena Australis ◽  
Marine Traffic ◽  
Right Whales ◽  
Southern Right Whales ◽  
The Right

Although international protection has been granted since 1935, southern right whales have only recently shown signs of recovery, possiblydue to anthropogenic factors. Off Brazil, illegal hunting of right whales occurred until 1973. This paper reports on surveys conducted alongthe southern Brazilian coast and the information recovered on right whale strandings for this area from 1977-1995. In the first 10 years ofthis period only four cases were registered. However, in contrast, 20 cases were counted during the last nine years. These results arediscussed in relation to marine traffic and the fisheries in the area that produce risks of collision and entanglement. Further, the possibilityof storm surges being a preponderant factor in the mortalities in this area is presented. These yearly rates are compared with neighbouringareas that are also inhabited by the right whales. Both possibilities fit the hypothesis that the right whales using the Brazilian coast forbreeding may finally be showing signs of recovery.

scholarly journals A note on an automated system for matching the callosity patterns on aerial photographs of southern right whales

2020 ◽  
pp. 291-295
Author(s):  
Lex Hiby ◽  
Phil Lovell
Keyword(s):  
Random Search ◽  
Automated System ◽  
Aerial Photographs ◽  
Test Set ◽  
Photo Identification ◽  
Eubalaena Australis ◽  
Right Whales ◽  
Southern Right Whales ◽  
Similarity Scores

Photographs showing the callosity patterns of southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) are currently compared by eye to identifyindividuals and monitor their occurrence within certain areas. This paper describes software designed to reduce the number of by eyecomparisons required to maintain each of the existing local photo-identification catalogues. The software is used to extract, from eachphotograph, a viewpoint-independent description of the shape and location of each callosity which generates a parallel catalogue of extracts.This is then compared with the description extracted from each new photograph to generate a list of similarity scores and thus highlightlikely matches. The software can also be used to compare the different catalogues of extracts with each other. Using a test set of 67photographs of 23 whales taken from 1974 to 1986, the software reduced the number of by eye comparisons required to identify allindividuals by 93% when compared with a purely random search.

Reproductive natural history of endangered Cook Inlet Beluga whales: insights from a long-term photo-identification study

Polar Biology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (11) ◽  
pp. 1851-1871 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamara L. McGuire ◽  
Amber D. Stephens ◽  
John R. McClung ◽  
Christopher D. Garner ◽  
Kim E. W. Shelden ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural History ◽  
Cook Inlet ◽  
Beluga Whales ◽  
Photo Identification ◽  
History Of

First molecular estimate of sex-ratio of southern right whale calves, Eubalaena australis, for Brazilian waters

2009 ◽  
Vol 89 (5) ◽  
pp. 1003-1007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larissa Rosa de Oliveira ◽  
Paulo Henrique Ott ◽  
Paulo A.C. Flores ◽  
Salvatore Siciliano ◽  
Raquel Santos de Almeida ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
The Other ◽  
Brazilian Coast ◽  
Southern Brazil ◽  
Rio Grande Do Sul ◽  
Original Population ◽  
Baleen Whales ◽  
Right Whale ◽  
Eubalaena Australis ◽  
Southern Right Whales

The southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) was one of the most intensively hunted whales between the 17th and 20th centuries in the southern hemisphere. Recent estimates indicate that today there are around 7000 whales, representing 5 to 10% of its original population. On the other hand, recent studies estimated that the population that migrates to the Brazilian coast grew by 14% from 1987 to 2003. However, there is no information about sex-ratio for adults or for calves in this region, which is an important parameter for understanding the biology of the species. We present here the first estimate of calves' sex-ratio of southern right whales found along the southern Brazilian coast, one of the most important wintering grounds for the species. Sex was molecularly indentified for 21 biopsies collected from calves between 1998 and 2002, along the coast of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina States, in southern Brazil. The sex-ratio was two females for one male, however, it was not statistically different (χ2 test, α = 0.05; df = 1) from the expected ratio of 1:1. This result is in accordance with the sex-ratio estimated for the species of all ages using external morphology (and behaviour information), as well as for most species of baleen whales.

Southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) off Torres, Brazil: group characteristics, movements, and insights into the role of the Brazilian-Uruguayan wintering ground

Mammalia ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 81 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Danilewicz ◽  
Ignacio B. Moreno ◽  
Maurício Tavares ◽  
Federico Sucunza
Keyword(s):  
Right Whale ◽  
Eubalaena Australis ◽  
Right Whales ◽  
Southern Right Whales ◽  
Group Characteristics ◽  
Wintering Ground

AbstractThe southern right whale (SRW),

Humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae and southern right whales Eubalaena australis in Gerlache Strait, Antarctica

Polar Record ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 24 (148) ◽  
pp. 15-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory S. Stone ◽  
William M. Hamner
Keyword(s):  
Open Water ◽  
Euphausia Superba ◽  
Megaptera Novaeangliae ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Southern Limit ◽  
Right Whale ◽  
Eubalaena Australis ◽  
Right Whales ◽  
Southern Right Whales ◽  
The Right

AbstractDuring surveys conducted 2–20 April 1986 in Gerlache Strait, Antarctic Peninsula, 103 humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae and eight right whales Eubalaena australis were sighted. The right whale sightings extend the southern limit of known distribution for the species. Humpback and right whale densities were respectively 0.22 (sd 0.23) and 0.01 (sd 0.06) whales per survey mile. Highest densities for both species were recorded inside bays, rather than in the relatively open water of Gerlache Strait. Both species were feeding on Antarctic krill Euphausia superba. Twenty-three humpback and four right whales were identified individually using photographs of natural features. Also included are sighting records of 18 southern bottlenose whales Hyperoodon planifrons.

scholarly journals The missing whales: relevance of “struck and lost” rates for the impact assessment of historical whaling in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morgana Vighi ◽  
Asunción Borrell ◽  
Jennifer A Jackson ◽  
Emma L Carroll ◽  
Maria Grazia Pennino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Ocean ◽  
Initial Population ◽  
Physeter Macrocephalus ◽  
Southwestern Atlantic ◽  
Sperm Whales ◽  
Right Whale ◽  
Eubalaena Australis ◽  
Southwestern Atlantic Ocean ◽  
Southern Right Whales ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The massive impact that open-boat historical whaling (18th to 20th centuries) had on whale populations has been traditionally estimated from records of oil and baleen plate production. However, an unknown proportion of hunted whales were struck, wounded, eventually killed, but lost, and not included in these records, suggesting that whaling impact may be critically underestimated. Whaling logbooks provide a key source for assessing past catches and losses. Here, we extract detailed records of 19875 days of activity in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean from 255 logbooks of offshore whaling voyages. During the period considered (1776–1923), whalers first targeted southern right whales (Eubalaena australis, 2497 sightings and 658 catches), gradually substituted by sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus, 1157 sightings and 843 catches) after 1840. Loss rate factors, calculated to account for the number of “struck and lost” whales, decreased across time for both species, and were particularly high (ranging 1.09–1.6) for the southern right whale, whose population was drastically reduced by whaling, as compared to previous estimates based on rough catch records. Accurate accounting for these “lost” individuals is essential for reconstructing the impact of whaling on cetacean populations and for a proper assessment of their initial population size and demographic trends.

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