Opportunistic sightings of blue whales off Sydney, Australia

Two subspecies of blue whale occur in Australian waters, (1) the pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) and (2) the Antarctic blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus intermedia). Understanding blue whale presence in Australian waters is critical to ensuring Australia’s protection of these mar...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Australian Zoologist
Main Authors: Pirotta, Vanessa, Harcourt, Robert
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2021
Subjects:
Antarctic blue whale
cetacean
citizen science
marine mammal
New South Wales
Pygmy blue whale
Antarctic
New Zealand
The Antarctic
Antarc*
Balaenoptera musculus
Blue whale
Online Access:https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/publications/780003e5-f496-4cf5-a9e9-ede903dbf060
https://doi.org/10.7882/AZ.2021.020
http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85148375108&partnerID=8YFLogxK
Description
Summary:Two subspecies of blue whale occur in Australian waters, (1) the pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) and (2) the Antarctic blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus intermedia). Understanding blue whale presence in Australian waters is critical to ensuring Australia’s protection of these marine mammals as both subspecies were heavily exploited during historical whaling. This short note documents pygmy blue whale sightings in New South Wales waters over the last 18 years. Observations were opportunistically made via citizen science and verified by scientists. Sightings in this note contribute to our limited knowledge of pygmy blue whale distribution along the east coast of Australia and may help understand the migratory movements of New Zealand pygmy blue whales off Australia and in the Tasman Sea. Overall, information presented in this note contributes to Australia’s national and international conservation efforts to protecting blue whales as a migratory and threatened species.

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