2009, ‘Group IV humpback whales: abundance estimates from aerial and land-based surveys off Shark
Single platform aerial line transect and land-based surveys of Southern Hemisphere Group IV humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae were undertaken to provide absolute abundance estimates of animals migrating northward along the western Australian coast. The aerial survey flew a total of 28 flights,...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
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2009
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| Online Access: | http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.485.1191 http://www.iwcoffice.co.uk/_documents/sci_com/SC61docs/SC-61-SH23.pdf |
| Summary: | Single platform aerial line transect and land-based surveys of Southern Hemisphere Group IV humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae were undertaken to provide absolute abundance estimates of animals migrating northward along the western Australian coast. The aerial survey flew a total of 28 flights, of which 26 were completed successfully, from 24th June-19th August 2008. The land-based survey was undertaken from Cape Inscription, Dirk Hartog Island, during the expected peak of the whales’ northward migration, from 8th-20th July. During the first week of the land-based survey, some double count effort was undertaken to provide information on the numbers of pods missed from the land station. The assumed period of northward migration was 2nd June-7th September. Estimated abundance of northward-migrating whales during that time is 21,750 (95 % CI: (17,550-43,000)). This estimate is based on an estimate of relative abundance of surface-available whales of 11,850 (9,550-23,450), and an estimated g(0) of 0.54 (±0.21). |
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