Critical Decline of the Eastern Caribbean Sperm Whale Population.
Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) populations were expected to rebuild following the end of commercial whaling. We document the decline of the population in the eastern Caribbean by tracing demographic changes of well-studied social units. We address hypotheses that, over a ten-year period of ded...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:b9ac2a2bf39042a4bef4baac894cb6a8 2023-05-15T17:59:23+02:00 Critical Decline of the Eastern Caribbean Sperm Whale Population. Shane Gero Hal Whitehead 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0162019 https://doaj.org/article/b9ac2a2bf39042a4bef4baac894cb6a8 EN eng Public Library of Science (PLoS) http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5051958?pdf=render https://doaj.org/toc/1932-6203 1932-6203 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0162019 https://doaj.org/article/b9ac2a2bf39042a4bef4baac894cb6a8 PLoS ONE, Vol 11, Iss 10, p e0162019 (2016) Medicine R Science Q article 2016 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0162019 2022-12-31T03:34:58Z Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) populations were expected to rebuild following the end of commercial whaling. We document the decline of the population in the eastern Caribbean by tracing demographic changes of well-studied social units. We address hypotheses that, over a ten-year period of dedicated effort (2005-2015), unit size, numbers of calves and/or calving rates have each declined. Across 16 units, the number of adults decreased in 12 units, increased in two, and showed no change in two. The number of adults per unit decreased at -0.195 individuals/yr (95% CI: -0.080 to -0.310; P = 0.001). The number of calves also declined, but the decline was not significant. This negative trend of -4.5% per year in unit size started in about 2010, with numbers being fairly stable until then. There are several natural and anthropogenic threats, but no well-substantiated cause for the decline. Article in Journal/Newspaper Physeter macrocephalus Sperm whale Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles PLOS ONE 11 10 e0162019 |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
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English |
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Medicine R Science Q |
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Medicine R Science Q Shane Gero Hal Whitehead Critical Decline of the Eastern Caribbean Sperm Whale Population. |
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Medicine R Science Q |
description |
Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) populations were expected to rebuild following the end of commercial whaling. We document the decline of the population in the eastern Caribbean by tracing demographic changes of well-studied social units. We address hypotheses that, over a ten-year period of dedicated effort (2005-2015), unit size, numbers of calves and/or calving rates have each declined. Across 16 units, the number of adults decreased in 12 units, increased in two, and showed no change in two. The number of adults per unit decreased at -0.195 individuals/yr (95% CI: -0.080 to -0.310; P = 0.001). The number of calves also declined, but the decline was not significant. This negative trend of -4.5% per year in unit size started in about 2010, with numbers being fairly stable until then. There are several natural and anthropogenic threats, but no well-substantiated cause for the decline. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Shane Gero Hal Whitehead |
author_facet |
Shane Gero Hal Whitehead |
author_sort |
Shane Gero |
title |
Critical Decline of the Eastern Caribbean Sperm Whale Population. |
title_short |
Critical Decline of the Eastern Caribbean Sperm Whale Population. |
title_full |
Critical Decline of the Eastern Caribbean Sperm Whale Population. |
title_fullStr |
Critical Decline of the Eastern Caribbean Sperm Whale Population. |
title_full_unstemmed |
Critical Decline of the Eastern Caribbean Sperm Whale Population. |
title_sort |
critical decline of the eastern caribbean sperm whale population. |
publisher |
Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0162019 https://doaj.org/article/b9ac2a2bf39042a4bef4baac894cb6a8 |
genre |
Physeter macrocephalus Sperm whale |
genre_facet |
Physeter macrocephalus Sperm whale |
op_source |
PLoS ONE, Vol 11, Iss 10, p e0162019 (2016) |
op_relation |
http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5051958?pdf=render https://doaj.org/toc/1932-6203 1932-6203 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0162019 https://doaj.org/article/b9ac2a2bf39042a4bef4baac894cb6a8 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0162019 |
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PLOS ONE |
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11 |
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10 |
container_start_page |
e0162019 |
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1766168185715818496 |