Vocal behavior of North Atlantic humpback whales during reunion events on Stellwagen Bank.

2010 ◽  
Vol 127 (3) ◽  
pp. 1894-1894 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaitlin Palmer ◽  
Susan E. Parks ◽  
David Wiley ◽  
Mason Weinrich ◽  
Jennifer Tackaberry ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North Atlantic ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Vocal Behavior

A longitudinal study of humpback whales in Irish waters

2015 ◽  
Vol 96 (4) ◽  
pp. 877-883 ◽  
Author(s):  
Conor Ryan ◽  
Pádraig Whooley ◽  
Simon D. Berrow ◽  
Colin Barnes ◽  
Nick Massett ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Migratory Species ◽  
The Public ◽  
Photo Identification ◽  
The North ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
Eastern North Atlantic

Knowledge on the ecology of humpback whales in the eastern North Atlantic is lacking by comparison with most other ocean basins. Humpback whales were historically over-exploited in the region and are still found in low relative abundances. This, coupled with their large range makes them difficult to study. With the aim of informing more effective conservation measures in Ireland, the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group began recording sightings and images suitable for photo-identification of humpback whales from Irish waters in 1999. Validated records submitted by members of the public and data from dedicated surveys were analysed to form a longitudinal study of individually recognizable humpback whales. The distribution, relative abundance and seasonality of humpback whale sighting records are presented, revealing discrete important areas for humpback whales in Irish coastal waters. An annual easterly movement of humpback whales along the southern coast of Ireland is documented, mirroring that of their preferred prey: herring and sprat. Photo-identification images were compared with others collected throughout the North Atlantic (N = 8016), resulting in matches of two individuals between Ireland and Iceland, Norway and the Netherlands but no matches to known breeding grounds (Cape Verde and West Indies). This study demonstrates that combining public records with dedicated survey data is an effective approach to studying low-density, threatened migratory species over temporal and spatial scales that are relevant to conservation and management.

scholarly journals More of the same: allopatric humpback whale populations share acoustic repertoire

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e5365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle E.H. Fournet ◽  
Lauren Jacobsen ◽  
Christine M. Gabriele ◽  
David K. Mellinger ◽  
Holger Klinck
Keyword(s):  
North Atlantic ◽  
North Atlantic Ocean ◽  
North Pacific Ocean ◽  
Humpback Whale ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Massachusetts Bay ◽  
Baleen Whale ◽  
Southeast Alaska ◽  
Allopatric Populations ◽  
Strong Contrast

Background Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are a widespread, vocal baleen whale best known for producing song, a complex, repetitive, geographically distinct acoustic signal sung by males, predominantly in a breeding context. Humpback whales worldwide also produce non-song vocalizations (“calls”) throughout their migratory range, some of which are stable across generations. Methods We looked for evidence that temporally stable call types are shared by two allopatric humpback whale populations while on their northern hemisphere foraging grounds in order to test the hypothesis that some calls, in strong contrast to song, are innate within the humpback whale acoustic repertoire. Results Despite being geographically and genetically distinct populations, humpback whales in Southeast Alaska (North Pacific Ocean) share at least five call types with conspecifics in Massachusetts Bay (North Atlantic Ocean). Discussion This study is the first to identify call types shared by allopatric populations, and provides evidence that some call types may be innate.

Cryptic vocal behavior of foraging humpback whales on feeding grounds in West Greenland

2021 ◽  
Vol 150 (4) ◽  
pp. 2879-2887
Author(s):  
Simone K. A. Videsen ◽  
Malene Simon ◽  
Mark Johnson ◽  
Peter Teglberg Madsen ◽  
Fredrik Christiansen
Keyword(s):  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Vocal Behavior ◽  
West Greenland ◽  
Feeding Grounds

scholarly journals Estimates of the Abundance of Cetaceans in the Central North Atlantic from the T-NASS Icelandic and Faroese Ship Surveys Conducted in 2007

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel G. Pike ◽  
Thorvaldur Gunnlaugsson ◽  
Bjarni Mikkelsen ◽  
Sverrir Daniel Halldórsson ◽  
Gísli Víkingsson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North Atlantic ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Barents Sea ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Physeter Macrocephalus ◽  
Survey Area ◽  
Distance Measurements ◽  
The Core ◽  
Abundance Estimates ◽  
Core Survey

The Trans-North Atlantic Sightings Survey (T-NASS) carried out in June-July 2007 was the fifth in a series of large-scale cetacean surveys conducted previously in 1987, 1989, 1995 and 2001. The core survey area covered an area of about 1.8 million nm² spanning from the Eastern Barents Sea at 34°E to the east coast of Canada, and between 52°N and 78°N in the east and south to 42°N in the west. We present design-based abundance estimates from the Faroese and Icelandic vessel survey components of T-NASS, as well as results from ancillary vessels which covered adjoining areas. The 4 dedicated survey vessels used a Buckland-Turnock (B-T) mode with a tracker platform searching an area ahead of the primary platform and tracking sightings to provide data for bias correction. Both uncorrected estimates, using the combined non-duplicate sightings from both platforms, and mark-recapture estimates, correcting estimates from the primary platform for bias due to perception and availability, are presented for those species with a sufficient number of sightings. Corrected estimates for the core survey area are as follows: fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus): 30,777 (CV=0.19); humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae): 18,105 (CV=0.43); sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus): 12,268 (CV=0.33);  long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas): 87,417 (CV=0.38); white-beaked dolphins (Lagenorhynchus albirostris): 91,277 (CV=0.53); and white-sided dolphins (L. acutus): 81,008 (CV=0.54). Uncorrected estimates only were possible for common minke whales (B. acutorstrata): 12,427 (CV=0.27); and sei whales (B. borealis): 5,159 (CV=0.47). Sighting rates from the ancillary vessels, which used a single platform, were lower than those from the dedicated vessels in areas where they overlapped. No evidence of responsive movement by any species was detected, but there was some indication that distance measurements by the primary platform may have been negatively biased. The significance of this for the abundance estimates is discussed. The relative merits of B-T over other survey modes are discussed and recommendations for future surveys are provided.

scholarly journals Distribution of mtDNA haplotypes in North Atlantic humpback whales: the influence of behaviour on population structure

1995 ◽  
Vol 116 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
PJ Palsbøll ◽  
PJ Clapham ◽  
DK Mattila ◽  
F Larsen ◽  
R Sears ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Population Structure ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Mtdna Haplotypes

Humpback Whales, North Atlantic

1988 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 127-127
Author(s):  
Toni Flores
Keyword(s):  
North Atlantic ◽  
Humpback Whales

scholarly journals Segregation of migration by feeding ground origin in North Atlantic humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae)

2003 ◽  
Vol 259 (3) ◽  
pp. 231-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter T. Stevick ◽  
Judith Allen ◽  
Martine Bérubé ◽  
Phillip J. Clapham ◽  
Steven K. Katona ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North Atlantic ◽  
Megaptera Novaeangliae ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Feeding Ground

North Atlantic humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) hotspots defined by bathymetric features off western Puerto Rico

2016 ◽  
Vol 94 (7) ◽  
pp. 517-527 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.M. MacKay ◽  
B. Würsig ◽  
C.E. Bacon ◽  
J.D. Selwyn
Keyword(s):  
Puerto Rico ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Humpback Whale ◽  
Current Data ◽  
Megaptera Novaeangliae ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Shelf Edge ◽  
Species List ◽  
Occurrence Patterns ◽  
Potential Interactions

North Atlantic humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae (Borowski, 1781)) are increasing in number, necessitating current data from winter areas for assessing potential interactions with humans. Occurrence patterns of humpback whales wintering off Puerto Rico were investigated to predict where whales aggregate in nearshore areas. Here we describe the relationship between group associations of humpback whales and bathymetric features off western Puerto Rico. Data were collected from 2011 to 2014. Effort consisted of 240.9 vessel h, 13.0 aerial h, and 303.6 h of land observations conducted over 165 days. A total of 197 humpback whale groups were observed with n = 331 individuals: 91 (46.2%) singletons, 67 (34%) dyads, 17 (8.6%) mother–calf pairs, 8 (4.1%) competitive groups, 8 (4.1%) mother–calf–escort groups, and 6 (3.1%) mixed-species associations. A linear regression model supported that group composition correlated with hotspots associated with four bathymetric features. Dyads and competitive groups were dispersed among features in deeper water. Singletons were observed farther from a shelf edge, whereas singing males were closely associated with a shelf edge. Mother–calf pairs occurred nearshore in shallow water; however, when mother–calf pairs were sighted with an escort, they were offshore. This study is especially important ahead of possible removal from the Endangered Species list.

Local and migratory movements of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) satellite-tracked in the North Atlantic Ocean

2014 ◽  
Vol 92 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.S. Kennedy ◽  
A.N. Zerbini ◽  
O.V. Vásquez ◽  
N. Gandilhon ◽  
P.J. Clapham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dominican Republic ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Gulf Of Maine ◽  
North Atlantic Ocean ◽  
Megaptera Novaeangliae ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
The North ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
Multiple Feeding ◽  
Feeding Grounds

North Atlantic humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae (Borowski, 1781)) migrate from high-latitude summer feeding grounds to low-latitude winter breeding grounds along the Antillean Island chain. In the winters and springs of 2008 through 2012, satellite tags were deployed on humpback whales on Silver Bank (Dominican Republic) and in Guadeloupe (French West Indies) breeding areas. Whales were monitored, on average, for 26 days (range = 4–90 days). Some animals remained near their tagging location for multiple days before beginning their northerly migration, yet some visited habitats along the northwestern coast of the Dominican Republic, northern Haiti, the Turks and Caicos islands, and off Anguilla. Individuals monitored during migration headed towards feeding grounds in the Gulf of Maine (USA), Canada, and the eastern North Atlantic (Iceland or Norway). One individual traveled near Bermuda during the migration. This study provides the first detailed description of routes used by North Atlantic humpback whales towards multiple feeding destinations. Additionally, it corroborates previous research showing that individuals from multiple feeding grounds migrate to the Antilles for the breeding season. This study indicates that North Atlantic humpbacks use an area broader than the existing boundaries of marine mammal sanctuaries, which should provide justification for their expansion.

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