Herd structure and behaviour in cetaceans

• Published in: Mammal Review
• Main Author: FRAZER, J. F. D.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1976
• Subjects: baleen whales
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2907.1976.tb00201.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1365-2907.1976.tb00201.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1365-2907.1976.tb00201.x

Abstract Despite the difficulties of exact observations at sea, it is clear that there are variations in the composition of herds even within the same species. In general, mixing of species is not unusual in herds, whether feeding or in transit, though smaller animals may consort with others of their own size and show fear of larger ones. Baleen whales or even ships may be accompanied by dolphins while in movement, and some species will remain with a stationary vessel while others go past. We have no evidence whether this relates to the relative size of cetacean or vessel, or anything other than the normal behaviour of the species under herding conditions.