The waters of São Tomé: a calving ground for West African humpback whales?
In the Southern Hemisphere, humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae feed in Antarctic waters during the austral summer and migrate to their breeding grounds in subtropical and tropical waters during the winter. Historical whaling records suggest that the Archipelago of Sao Tome and Principe, located...
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Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/12074 https://doi.org/10.2989/1814232X.2011.572353 |
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ftunivalgarve:oai:sapientia.ualg.pt:10400.1/12074 2023-05-15T14:03:08+02:00 The waters of São Tomé: a calving ground for West African humpback whales? Carvalho, Inês Brito, C. dos Santos, M. E. Rosenbaum, H. C. 2011 http://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/12074 https://doi.org/10.2989/1814232X.2011.572353 eng eng Natl Inquiry Services Centre Pty Ltd info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/SFRH/SFRH%2FBD%2F18049%2F2004/PT 1814-232X http://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/12074 doi:10.2989/1814232X.2011.572353 openAccess Megaptera-Novaeangliae Population-structure Wintering grounds Breeding grounds North Pacific Orcinus-Orca Atlantic Movements Segregation Archipelago article 2011 ftunivalgarve https://doi.org/10.2989/1814232X.2011.572353 2022-05-30T08:48:29Z In the Southern Hemisphere, humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae feed in Antarctic waters during the austral summer and migrate to their breeding grounds in subtropical and tropical waters during the winter. Historical whaling records suggest that the Archipelago of Sao Tome and Principe, located in the Gulf of Guinea, serves as a possible breeding ground. In order to investigate the temporal occurrence and group composition of humpback whales around Sao Tome Island, annual surveys were conducted during the breeding season between 2002 and 2006. A total of 186 boat-based surveys took place during this period. Data collected during each sighting included geographical positions, group size, group composition and behavioural classifications. Of the 66 groups encountered, mother/calf pairs made up a large proportion (65.15%), followed by solitary individuals (15.15%). Mother/calf pairs were seen in the region into November and resightings of identified animals indicate periods of occupancy that extended over three weeks. Few behaviours typically associated with mating activity were observed. Given the high percentage of mother/calf pairs, sometimes with very young calves, and the low frequency of mating activity, the waters of Sao Tome may primarily serve as a calving and nursing or resting area for humpback whales. Projecto Delfim; Rolas Island Resort; ECOFAC (Conservation et utilisation rationnelle des Ecosystemes Forestiers en Afrique Centrale); Wildlife Conservation Society; Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Megaptera novaeangliae Orca Orcinus orca Universidade do Algarve: Sapienta Antarctic Austral Pacific African Journal of Marine Science 33 1 91 97 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Universidade do Algarve: Sapienta |
op_collection_id |
ftunivalgarve |
language |
English |
topic |
Megaptera-Novaeangliae Population-structure Wintering grounds Breeding grounds North Pacific Orcinus-Orca Atlantic Movements Segregation Archipelago |
spellingShingle |
Megaptera-Novaeangliae Population-structure Wintering grounds Breeding grounds North Pacific Orcinus-Orca Atlantic Movements Segregation Archipelago Carvalho, Inês Brito, C. dos Santos, M. E. Rosenbaum, H. C. The waters of São Tomé: a calving ground for West African humpback whales? |
topic_facet |
Megaptera-Novaeangliae Population-structure Wintering grounds Breeding grounds North Pacific Orcinus-Orca Atlantic Movements Segregation Archipelago |
description |
In the Southern Hemisphere, humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae feed in Antarctic waters during the austral summer and migrate to their breeding grounds in subtropical and tropical waters during the winter. Historical whaling records suggest that the Archipelago of Sao Tome and Principe, located in the Gulf of Guinea, serves as a possible breeding ground. In order to investigate the temporal occurrence and group composition of humpback whales around Sao Tome Island, annual surveys were conducted during the breeding season between 2002 and 2006. A total of 186 boat-based surveys took place during this period. Data collected during each sighting included geographical positions, group size, group composition and behavioural classifications. Of the 66 groups encountered, mother/calf pairs made up a large proportion (65.15%), followed by solitary individuals (15.15%). Mother/calf pairs were seen in the region into November and resightings of identified animals indicate periods of occupancy that extended over three weeks. Few behaviours typically associated with mating activity were observed. Given the high percentage of mother/calf pairs, sometimes with very young calves, and the low frequency of mating activity, the waters of Sao Tome may primarily serve as a calving and nursing or resting area for humpback whales. Projecto Delfim; Rolas Island Resort; ECOFAC (Conservation et utilisation rationnelle des Ecosystemes Forestiers en Afrique Centrale); Wildlife Conservation Society; |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Carvalho, Inês Brito, C. dos Santos, M. E. Rosenbaum, H. C. |
author_facet |
Carvalho, Inês Brito, C. dos Santos, M. E. Rosenbaum, H. C. |
author_sort |
Carvalho, Inês |
title |
The waters of São Tomé: a calving ground for West African humpback whales? |
title_short |
The waters of São Tomé: a calving ground for West African humpback whales? |
title_full |
The waters of São Tomé: a calving ground for West African humpback whales? |
title_fullStr |
The waters of São Tomé: a calving ground for West African humpback whales? |
title_full_unstemmed |
The waters of São Tomé: a calving ground for West African humpback whales? |
title_sort |
waters of são tomé: a calving ground for west african humpback whales? |
publisher |
Natl Inquiry Services Centre Pty Ltd |
publishDate |
2011 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/12074 https://doi.org/10.2989/1814232X.2011.572353 |
geographic |
Antarctic Austral Pacific |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Austral Pacific |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Megaptera novaeangliae Orca Orcinus orca |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Megaptera novaeangliae Orca Orcinus orca |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/SFRH/SFRH%2FBD%2F18049%2F2004/PT 1814-232X http://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/12074 doi:10.2989/1814232X.2011.572353 |
op_rights |
openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.2989/1814232X.2011.572353 |
container_title |
African Journal of Marine Science |
container_volume |
33 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
91 |
op_container_end_page |
97 |
_version_ |
1766273690463371264 |