scholarly journals Author response: Vessel noise levels drive behavioural responses of humpback whales with implications for whale-watching

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate R Sprogis ◽  
Simone Videsen ◽  
Peter T Madsen
Keyword(s):  
Author Response ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Whale Watching ◽  
Behavioural Responses ◽  
Vessel Noise

scholarly journals Vessel noise levels drive behavioural responses of humpback whales with implications for whale-watching

eLife ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate R Sprogis ◽  
Simone Videsen ◽  
Peter T Madsen
Keyword(s):  
Low Frequency ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Whale Watching ◽  
Noise Emission ◽  
Sensory Stimuli ◽  
Fitness Consequences ◽  
Controlled Exposure ◽  
Vessel Noise ◽  
The Impact

Disturbance from whale-watching can cause significant behavioural changes with fitness consequences for targeted whale populations. However, the sensory stimuli triggering these responses are unknown, preventing effective mitigation. Here, we test the hypothesis that vessel noise level is a driver of disturbance, using humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) as a model species. We conducted controlled exposure experiments (n = 42) on resting mother-calf pairs on a resting ground off Australia, by simulating whale-watch scenarios with a research vessel (range 100 m, speed 1.5 knts) playing back vessel noise at control/low (124/148 dB), medium (160 dB) or high (172 dB) low frequency-weighted source levels (re 1 μPa RMS@1 m). Compared to control/low treatments, during high noise playbacks the mother’s proportion of time resting decreased by 30%, respiration rate doubled and swim speed increased by 37%. We therefore conclude that vessel noise is an adequate driver of behavioural disturbance in whales and that regulations to mitigate the impact of whale-watching should include noise emission standards.

scholarly journals Whale-watch vessel noise levels with applications to whale-watching guidelines and conservation

Marine Policy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 134 ◽  
pp. 104776
Author(s):  
Patricia Arranz ◽  
Natacha Aguilar de Soto ◽  
Peter T. Madsen ◽  
Kate R. Sprogis
Keyword(s):  
Noise Levels ◽  
Whale Watching ◽  
Vessel Noise

scholarly journals Behavioural responses of humpback whales to food-related chemical stimuli

PLoS ONE ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. e0212515 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bertrand Bouchard ◽  
Jean-Yves Barnagaud ◽  
Marion Poupard ◽  
Hervé Glotin ◽  
Pauline Gauffier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Behavioural Responses ◽  
Chemical Stimuli

scholarly journals The Lombard effect in singing humpback whales: Source levels increase as ambient ocean noise levels increase

2020 ◽  
Vol 148 (2) ◽  
pp. 542-555 ◽  
Author(s):  
Regina A. Guazzo ◽  
Tyler A. Helble ◽  
Gabriela C. Alongi ◽  
Ian N. Durbach ◽  
Cameron R. Martin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Lombard Effect ◽  
Ocean Noise

scholarly journals Humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae alter calling behavior in response to natural sounds and vessel noise

2018 ◽  
Vol 607 ◽  
pp. 251-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
MEH Fournet ◽  
LP Matthews ◽  
CM Gabriele ◽  
S Haver ◽  
DK Mellinger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Megaptera Novaeangliae ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Calling Behavior ◽  
Natural Sounds ◽  
Vessel Noise

Effects of whale watching on the activity budgets of humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae (Borowski, 1781), on a feeding ground

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 810-820 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacopo Di Clemente ◽  
Fredrik Christiansen ◽  
Enrico Pirotta ◽  
Dave Steckler ◽  
Magnus Wahlberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Megaptera Novaeangliae ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Whale Watching ◽  
Activity Budgets ◽  
Feeding Ground

scholarly journals The Impact of Vessels on Humpback Whale Behavior: The Benefit of Added Whale Watching Guidelines

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jens J. Currie ◽  
Jessica A. McCordic ◽  
Grace L. Olson ◽  
Abigail F. Machernis ◽  
Stephanie H. Stack
Keyword(s):  
Respiration Rate ◽  
Humpback Whale ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Whale Watching ◽  
Modeling Framework ◽  
Marine Tourism ◽  
Generalized Additive Modeling ◽  
The World ◽  
Additive Modeling ◽  
The Impact

The concurrent increase in marine tourism and vessel traffic around the world highlights the need for developing responsible whale watching guidelines. To determine the impact of vessel presence on humpback whale behaviors in Maui Nui, a land-based study was conducted from 2015 to 2018 in Maui, Hawai'i. Theodolite tracks were used to summarize humpback whale swim speed, respiration rate, dive time, and path directness to determine the potential impacts of various types of vessel presence on whale behavior. Vessel presence, proximity, and approach type in conjunction with biological parameters were used in a generalized additive modeling framework to explain changes in whale behaviors. The results presented here show increases in swim speed, respiration rate, and path directness in conjunction with decreasing dive times, which has been shown to be an energetically demanding avoidance strategy. These observations, in conjunction with increasing awareness on the implication of non-lethal effects of human disturbance and changing oceanic environments on humpback whales, highlights the need for a pre-cautionary approach to management. Stricter guidelines on whale watching will limit the level of disturbance to individual humpback whales in Hawai'i and ensure they maintain the fitness required to compensate for varying ecological and anthropogenic conditions.

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