Distribution and abundance of sei whales off the west coast of the Falkland Islands
Abstract Little information exists on the current status of Southern Hemisphere sei whales ( Balaenoptera borealis ). We assessed their distribution and abundance along the west coast of the Falkland Islands (southwest Atlantic) during February and March 2018, using line transect and nonsystematic s...
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/mms.12784 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/mms.12784 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1111/mms.12784 |
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crwiley:10.1111/mms.12784 2024-09-15T17:57:16+00:00 Distribution and abundance of sei whales off the west coast of the Falkland Islands Weir, Caroline R. Taylor, Maria Jelbes, Pamela A. Q. Stanworth, Andrew Hammond, Philip S. 2021 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/mms.12784 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/mms.12784 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1111/mms.12784 en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor Marine Mammal Science volume 37, issue 3, page 919-933 ISSN 0824-0469 1748-7692 journal-article 2021 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12784 2024-08-27T04:28:49Z Abstract Little information exists on the current status of Southern Hemisphere sei whales ( Balaenoptera borealis ). We assessed their distribution and abundance along the west coast of the Falkland Islands (southwest Atlantic) during February and March 2018, using line transect and nonsystematic surveys. Abundance estimates were generated for a single survey stratum using design‐ and model‐based approaches. Sightings of sei whales and unidentified baleen whales (most, if not all, likely to be sei whales) occurred from the coast to the 100 m depth isobath that marked the offshore boundary of the stratum. The modeled distribution predicted highest whale densities in King George Bay and in the waters between Weddell Island and the Passage Islands. Sei whale abundance was estimated as 716 animals ( CV = 0.22; 95% CI [448, 1,144]; density = 0.20 whales/km 2 ) using the design‐based approach, and 707 animals ( CV = 0.11; 95% CI [566, 877]; density = 0.20 whales/km 2 ) using the model‐based approach. For sei whales and unidentified baleen whales combined, the equivalent estimates were 916 animals ( CV = 0.19; 95% CI [606, 1,384]; density = 0.26 whales/km 2 ) and 895 animals ( CV = 0.074; 95% CI [777, 1,032]; density = 0.25 whales/km 2 ). The data indicate that the Falkland Islands inner shelf region may support globally important seasonal feeding aggregations of sei whales, and potentially qualify as a Key Biodiversity Area. Article in Journal/Newspaper Balaenoptera borealis baleen whales Sei Whale Wiley Online Library Marine Mammal Science 37 3 919 933 |
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Wiley Online Library |
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crwiley |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract Little information exists on the current status of Southern Hemisphere sei whales ( Balaenoptera borealis ). We assessed their distribution and abundance along the west coast of the Falkland Islands (southwest Atlantic) during February and March 2018, using line transect and nonsystematic surveys. Abundance estimates were generated for a single survey stratum using design‐ and model‐based approaches. Sightings of sei whales and unidentified baleen whales (most, if not all, likely to be sei whales) occurred from the coast to the 100 m depth isobath that marked the offshore boundary of the stratum. The modeled distribution predicted highest whale densities in King George Bay and in the waters between Weddell Island and the Passage Islands. Sei whale abundance was estimated as 716 animals ( CV = 0.22; 95% CI [448, 1,144]; density = 0.20 whales/km 2 ) using the design‐based approach, and 707 animals ( CV = 0.11; 95% CI [566, 877]; density = 0.20 whales/km 2 ) using the model‐based approach. For sei whales and unidentified baleen whales combined, the equivalent estimates were 916 animals ( CV = 0.19; 95% CI [606, 1,384]; density = 0.26 whales/km 2 ) and 895 animals ( CV = 0.074; 95% CI [777, 1,032]; density = 0.25 whales/km 2 ). The data indicate that the Falkland Islands inner shelf region may support globally important seasonal feeding aggregations of sei whales, and potentially qualify as a Key Biodiversity Area. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Weir, Caroline R. Taylor, Maria Jelbes, Pamela A. Q. Stanworth, Andrew Hammond, Philip S. |
spellingShingle |
Weir, Caroline R. Taylor, Maria Jelbes, Pamela A. Q. Stanworth, Andrew Hammond, Philip S. Distribution and abundance of sei whales off the west coast of the Falkland Islands |
author_facet |
Weir, Caroline R. Taylor, Maria Jelbes, Pamela A. Q. Stanworth, Andrew Hammond, Philip S. |
author_sort |
Weir, Caroline R. |
title |
Distribution and abundance of sei whales off the west coast of the Falkland Islands |
title_short |
Distribution and abundance of sei whales off the west coast of the Falkland Islands |
title_full |
Distribution and abundance of sei whales off the west coast of the Falkland Islands |
title_fullStr |
Distribution and abundance of sei whales off the west coast of the Falkland Islands |
title_full_unstemmed |
Distribution and abundance of sei whales off the west coast of the Falkland Islands |
title_sort |
distribution and abundance of sei whales off the west coast of the falkland islands |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/mms.12784 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/mms.12784 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1111/mms.12784 |
genre |
Balaenoptera borealis baleen whales Sei Whale |
genre_facet |
Balaenoptera borealis baleen whales Sei Whale |
op_source |
Marine Mammal Science volume 37, issue 3, page 919-933 ISSN 0824-0469 1748-7692 |
op_rights |
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12784 |
container_title |
Marine Mammal Science |
container_volume |
37 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
919 |
op_container_end_page |
933 |
_version_ |
1810433423489105920 |