Site Fidelity of southern right (Eubalaena australis) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Algoa Bay, South Africa

The site fidelity of humpback and southern right whales in Algoa Bay was investigated as a baseline study to examine the importance of this area for the future conservation of these species. An absence of whales since the 1980’s from Algoa Bay and more frequent sightings of southern right and humpba...

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Main Author: Drost, Eduard F
Format: Master Thesis
Language:English
Published: Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University 2016
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21732
https://corycommons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:29743
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spelling ftrhodesunivcory:vital:29743 2023-05-15T16:36:11+02:00 Site Fidelity of southern right (Eubalaena australis) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Algoa Bay, South Africa Drost, Eduard F 2016 1 volume pdf http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21732 https://corycommons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:29743 English eng Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Faculty of Science http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21732 vital:29743 https://corycommons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:29743 Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Southern right whale -- South Africa -- Algoa BaySH Humpback whale -- South Africa -- Algoa Bay Thesis Masters MSc 2016 ftrhodesunivcory 2022-12-26T10:48:11Z The site fidelity of humpback and southern right whales in Algoa Bay was investigated as a baseline study to examine the importance of this area for the future conservation of these species. An absence of whales since the 1980’s from Algoa Bay and more frequent sightings of southern right and humpback whales during a survey conducted between 2008 and 2011 in Algoa Bay led to the present photo-identification study. Data were collected from boat-based surveys along the coastline in 2015 and 2016 and data from a previous boat-based study during 2008-2011 assessing the occurrence of all cetaceans in Algoa Bay were added. A cumulative number of 96 individual southern right whales and 184 individual humpback whales were identified from callosity patterns and dorsal fins, respectively, over this period in Algoa Bay. A low resighting rate for both species was observed within (6.25 for southern right whales & 6.98% for humpback whales) and between years (1.04% for southern right whales & 9.24% for humpback whales) with mainly individual adult humpback whales being resighted. In contrast, all southern right whale resightings were confirmed to be mother-calf pair individuals. The timing of monthly sightings and resightings of mother-calf pair individuals in the bay may suggest that this area may serve as a fairly new nursery area for southern right whales and as a possible migratory corridor for humpback whales during their migrations to and from their breeding grounds. The sighting distribution within the bay suggest that mother-calf pairs are located closer inshore and further away from the shipping activities on the eastern side of the bay in the proximity of two operational ports. This forms an important baseline for future monitoring to assess the effect of increased shipping activity in the bay on the breeding behaviour of the whales. The site fidelity of humpback and southern right whales in Algoa Bay was investigated as a baseline study to examine the importance of this area for the future conservation of ... Master Thesis Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae Southern Right Whale Rhodes University Cory: Repository
institution Open Polar
collection Rhodes University Cory: Repository
op_collection_id ftrhodesunivcory
language English
topic Southern right whale -- South Africa -- Algoa BaySH Humpback whale -- South Africa -- Algoa Bay
spellingShingle Southern right whale -- South Africa -- Algoa BaySH Humpback whale -- South Africa -- Algoa Bay
Drost, Eduard F
Site Fidelity of southern right (Eubalaena australis) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Algoa Bay, South Africa
topic_facet Southern right whale -- South Africa -- Algoa BaySH Humpback whale -- South Africa -- Algoa Bay
description The site fidelity of humpback and southern right whales in Algoa Bay was investigated as a baseline study to examine the importance of this area for the future conservation of these species. An absence of whales since the 1980’s from Algoa Bay and more frequent sightings of southern right and humpback whales during a survey conducted between 2008 and 2011 in Algoa Bay led to the present photo-identification study. Data were collected from boat-based surveys along the coastline in 2015 and 2016 and data from a previous boat-based study during 2008-2011 assessing the occurrence of all cetaceans in Algoa Bay were added. A cumulative number of 96 individual southern right whales and 184 individual humpback whales were identified from callosity patterns and dorsal fins, respectively, over this period in Algoa Bay. A low resighting rate for both species was observed within (6.25 for southern right whales & 6.98% for humpback whales) and between years (1.04% for southern right whales & 9.24% for humpback whales) with mainly individual adult humpback whales being resighted. In contrast, all southern right whale resightings were confirmed to be mother-calf pair individuals. The timing of monthly sightings and resightings of mother-calf pair individuals in the bay may suggest that this area may serve as a fairly new nursery area for southern right whales and as a possible migratory corridor for humpback whales during their migrations to and from their breeding grounds. The sighting distribution within the bay suggest that mother-calf pairs are located closer inshore and further away from the shipping activities on the eastern side of the bay in the proximity of two operational ports. This forms an important baseline for future monitoring to assess the effect of increased shipping activity in the bay on the breeding behaviour of the whales. The site fidelity of humpback and southern right whales in Algoa Bay was investigated as a baseline study to examine the importance of this area for the future conservation of ...
format Master Thesis
author Drost, Eduard F
author_facet Drost, Eduard F
author_sort Drost, Eduard F
title Site Fidelity of southern right (Eubalaena australis) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Algoa Bay, South Africa
title_short Site Fidelity of southern right (Eubalaena australis) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Algoa Bay, South Africa
title_full Site Fidelity of southern right (Eubalaena australis) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Algoa Bay, South Africa
title_fullStr Site Fidelity of southern right (Eubalaena australis) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Algoa Bay, South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Site Fidelity of southern right (Eubalaena australis) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Algoa Bay, South Africa
title_sort site fidelity of southern right (eubalaena australis) and humpback whales (megaptera novaeangliae) in algoa bay, south africa
publisher Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
publishDate 2016
url http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21732
https://corycommons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:29743
genre Humpback Whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
Southern Right Whale
genre_facet Humpback Whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
Southern Right Whale
op_relation http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21732
vital:29743
https://corycommons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:29743
op_rights Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
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