Cetacean observations in the Indian Ocean Sanctuary and the South China Sea, Mauritius to the Philippines, April 1999 ...

• Main Author: De Boer, Marijke
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: OBIS-SEAMAP 2021
• Subjects: Occurrence,Vessels,Sightings; Observation; Occurrence; Indian; Fin whale; Killer Whale; Sperm whale
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.15468/jxvw8e; https://www.gbif.org/dataset/d48234f0-5b23-4718-a462-f22a81f40b7c

Original provider: Marijke de Boer Dataset credits: Marijke de Boer Abstract: Information on cetaceans in the Indian Ocean Sanctuary and the South China Sea is summarized from a cruise carried out from 29 March to 17 April 1999. Ten species were positively identified: finless porpoise, pantropical spotted dolphin, spinner dolphin, sperm whale, melon-headed whale, pygmy killer whale, false killer whale, Cuvier’s beaked whale, Bryde’s whale and fin whale. Spotted dolphins, melon-headed and pygmy killer whales were sighted around the Island of Borneo and sightings of fin whales and a sperm whale west of the Balabac Strait suggest a possible migration route of these species between the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea. This is the first record of fin whales in the South China Sea. Purpose: This note details cetacean observations made during a cruise from Mauritius to the Philippines in April (ca 4,520 nautical miles). Supplemental information: Time was not provided, so it was filled with "00:00:00." ...