The foraging behaviour and body condition of northern bottlenose whales (Hyperoodon ampullatus) ...

• Main Author: Siegal, Eilidh
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: University of St Andrews 2020
• Subjects: Behaviour; Foraging; Body condition; Beaked whale; Northern bottlenose whale; QL737.C438S5; Northern bottle nose whales; Whales > Behavior; Whales > Food; hyperoodon ampullatus
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.17630/sta/59; https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/handle/10023/23023

Despite foraging being critical for survival, characterising foraging behaviour in marine animals is inherently challenging. Found in deep offshore habitats, beaked whales are the least known cetacean family, whose foraging behaviour (besides echolocation) remains poorly understood. This thesis provides insights into the foraging behaviour of northern bottlenose whales, a data-deficient species of beaked whale with an uncertain conservation status. Fine-scale sound- and movement-recording tags were deployed on the little-known north-eastern Atlantic population. Using echolocation buzzes as a proxy for prey-capture attempts, Chapter Two characterises prey-capture kinematics. Buzz-associated movements consisted of dynamic translational and rotational motions, and complex rolling manoeuvres. Building on this knowledge, Chapter Three develops a method of detecting prey-capture attempts using accelerometer data. Concordance with rolling behaviour demonstrated that rapid changes in acceleration (jerk) successfully ...