Identifying The Behaviors of Humpback Whales (Megaptera Novaeangliae) at Mating Grounds in Guerrera, Mexico

• Main Author: Herberg, Matthew S
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: UVM ScholarWorks 2021
• Subjects: Humpback Whale; Megaptera novaeangliae
• Online Access: https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/src/2020/marinebiology/12

Humpback whales are often thought of as non-social animals. However, at their breeding ground in tropical waters they are reported to interact among themselves and with other marine species. Here I used video footage from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) collected by collaborators in Guerrero, Mexico to study humpback whale intra and interspecific social behavior. Videos were analyzed in BORIS to estimate social behavior frequency and duration between conspecifics and other species. Only good quality videos were included in this study. Our preliminary results show intraspecific interactions were most common and showed interactions between mother-calf pairs and competitive groups of mating males pursuing females. Interspecific interactions included whales chasing dolphins, sea turtles, and stingrays. This study shows that humpback whales’ repertoire of social interactions is more diverse than previously thought. Future studies of humpback whale habitat usage should incorporate UAS (unmanned aerial systems) to their data collection.