Coastal migratory connections of humpback whales, Megaptera Novaeangliae Borowski, 1871, southern Chile

• Main Authors: Galleti, Bárbara, Capella, Juan, Gibbons, Jorge, Cabrera, Elsa
• Format: Book
• Language: English
• Published: UMAG, Punta Arenas (Chile) 2008
• Subjects: Cetacea; Megaptera novaeangliae; Marine mammals; Migratory species; Aggregation; Austral; De la Costa; Ballenas; Magallanes; Estrecho; Cockburn; El Hallazgo; Chiloé
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1834/4165

There is not published information on a comparative analysis about interchange of individual humpback whales between coastal areas of aggregation of the species along southern Chilean coast. Here we present a comparison of individually photo-identified humpback whales obtained off northwestern Chiloé Island, in Patagonian and Fuegian fjords and in the Strait of Magellan near Carlos III Island , to discover movements and interchange of individuals. Comparison of photographs resulted in conclusive matches of four individuals within the four study locations: two whales from Canal Wide (49°55’S, 74°30’W), one whale from Canal Cockburn (54°18’S, 72°15’W) and a mother-calf pair off northwestern Chiloé Island matched whales found near Carlos III. The minimum linear distance between these summering locations are approximately 80 km from Canal Cockburn to Carlos III, 540 km from Carlos III to Canal Wide, and 1300 km from Carlos III to northwestern Chiloé Island. The trip from Chiloé Island to Strait of Magellan during 38 days in the same summer season represented a minimum mean speed of transit of 34 km/day. This study provides the first evidence of direct connection of individual humpback whales along the coast of southern Chile. A lo largo de la costa del sur de Chile existen varias áreas de agregación de ballenas jorobadas durante el verano austral, pero no hay información publicada que analice el intercambio de ballenas entre ellas. En este trabajo se presenta una comparación de ballenas jorobadas identificadas individualmente por fotografías obtenidas en el noroeste de la isla de Chiloé, en los fiordos Patagónicos y Fueguinos y cerca de la isla Carlos III en el estrecho de Magallanes, con el fin de descubrir el movimiento e intercambio entre estas áreas. La comparación resultó en el hallazgo de cuatro ballenas comunes entre el estrecho de Magallanes y los demás sectores: dos ballenas del canal Wide (49°55’S, 74°30’W), una del canal Cockburn (54°18’S, 72°15’W) y una madre con su cría del noroeste de la isla de ...