A citizen science approach to long-term monitoring of humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) off Sydney, Australia
The Cape Solander Whale Migration Study is a citizen science project that annually counts northward migrating humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) off Cape Solander, Sydney, Australia. Dedicated observers have compiled a 20-year data set (1997–2017) of shore-based observations from Cape Soland...
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ftmacquarieunicr:oai:https://researchers.mq.edu.au:publications/eddc8be7-9513-442b-8dc2-75ffe9689172 2024-09-15T17:57:18+00:00 A citizen science approach to long-term monitoring of humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) off Sydney, Australia Pirotta, Vanessa Reynolds, Wayne Ross, Geoffrey Jonsen, Ian Grech, Alana Slip, David Harcourt, Robert 2020-04 https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/publications/eddc8be7-9513-442b-8dc2-75ffe9689172 https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12651 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85074321077&partnerID=8YFLogxK eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess Pirotta , V , Reynolds , W , Ross , G , Jonsen , I , Grech , A , Slip , D & Harcourt , R 2020 , ' A citizen science approach to long-term monitoring of humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) off Sydney, Australia ' , Marine Mammal Science , vol. 36 , no. 2 , pp. 472-485 . https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12651 citizen science conservation count humpback whale long-term monitoring Megaptera novaeangliae migration article 2020 ftmacquarieunicr https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12651 2024-07-31T23:49:40Z The Cape Solander Whale Migration Study is a citizen science project that annually counts northward migrating humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) off Cape Solander, Sydney, Australia. Dedicated observers have compiled a 20-year data set (1997–2017) of shore-based observations from Cape Solander's high vantage point. Using this long-term data set collected by citizen scientists, we sought to estimate the humpback whale population trend as it continues to recover postexploitation. We estimated an exponential growth rate of 0.099 (95% CI = 0.079–0.119) using a generalized linear model, based on observer effort (number of observation days) and number of whales observed, equating to 10% per annum growth in sightings since 1997. We found that favorable weather conditions for spotting whales off Cape Solander consisted of winds <30 km/hr from a southerly through a north westerly direction. Incidental observations of other cetacean species included the endangered blue whale ( Balaenoptera musculus ) and data deficient species such as killer whales ( Orcinus orca ) and false killer whales ( Pseudorca crassidens ). Citizen science-based studies can provide a cost-effective approach to monitoring wildlife over the time necessary to detect change in a population. Information obtained from citizen science projects like this may help inform policy makers responsible for State and Federal protection of cetaceans in Australian waters and beyond. Article in Journal/Newspaper Balaenoptera musculus Blue whale Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae Orca Orcinus orca Macquarie University Research Portal Marine Mammal Science 36 2 472 485 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
Macquarie University Research Portal |
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ftmacquarieunicr |
language |
English |
topic |
citizen science conservation count humpback whale long-term monitoring Megaptera novaeangliae migration |
spellingShingle |
citizen science conservation count humpback whale long-term monitoring Megaptera novaeangliae migration Pirotta, Vanessa Reynolds, Wayne Ross, Geoffrey Jonsen, Ian Grech, Alana Slip, David Harcourt, Robert A citizen science approach to long-term monitoring of humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) off Sydney, Australia |
topic_facet |
citizen science conservation count humpback whale long-term monitoring Megaptera novaeangliae migration |
description |
The Cape Solander Whale Migration Study is a citizen science project that annually counts northward migrating humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) off Cape Solander, Sydney, Australia. Dedicated observers have compiled a 20-year data set (1997–2017) of shore-based observations from Cape Solander's high vantage point. Using this long-term data set collected by citizen scientists, we sought to estimate the humpback whale population trend as it continues to recover postexploitation. We estimated an exponential growth rate of 0.099 (95% CI = 0.079–0.119) using a generalized linear model, based on observer effort (number of observation days) and number of whales observed, equating to 10% per annum growth in sightings since 1997. We found that favorable weather conditions for spotting whales off Cape Solander consisted of winds <30 km/hr from a southerly through a north westerly direction. Incidental observations of other cetacean species included the endangered blue whale ( Balaenoptera musculus ) and data deficient species such as killer whales ( Orcinus orca ) and false killer whales ( Pseudorca crassidens ). Citizen science-based studies can provide a cost-effective approach to monitoring wildlife over the time necessary to detect change in a population. Information obtained from citizen science projects like this may help inform policy makers responsible for State and Federal protection of cetaceans in Australian waters and beyond. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Pirotta, Vanessa Reynolds, Wayne Ross, Geoffrey Jonsen, Ian Grech, Alana Slip, David Harcourt, Robert |
author_facet |
Pirotta, Vanessa Reynolds, Wayne Ross, Geoffrey Jonsen, Ian Grech, Alana Slip, David Harcourt, Robert |
author_sort |
Pirotta, Vanessa |
title |
A citizen science approach to long-term monitoring of humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) off Sydney, Australia |
title_short |
A citizen science approach to long-term monitoring of humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) off Sydney, Australia |
title_full |
A citizen science approach to long-term monitoring of humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) off Sydney, Australia |
title_fullStr |
A citizen science approach to long-term monitoring of humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) off Sydney, Australia |
title_full_unstemmed |
A citizen science approach to long-term monitoring of humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) off Sydney, Australia |
title_sort |
citizen science approach to long-term monitoring of humpback whales ( megaptera novaeangliae ) off sydney, australia |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/publications/eddc8be7-9513-442b-8dc2-75ffe9689172 https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12651 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85074321077&partnerID=8YFLogxK |
genre |
Balaenoptera musculus Blue whale Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae Orca Orcinus orca |
genre_facet |
Balaenoptera musculus Blue whale Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae Orca Orcinus orca |
op_source |
Pirotta , V , Reynolds , W , Ross , G , Jonsen , I , Grech , A , Slip , D & Harcourt , R 2020 , ' A citizen science approach to long-term monitoring of humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) off Sydney, Australia ' , Marine Mammal Science , vol. 36 , no. 2 , pp. 472-485 . https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12651 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12651 |
container_title |
Marine Mammal Science |
container_volume |
36 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
472 |
op_container_end_page |
485 |
_version_ |
1810433456207822848 |