Distribution and relative abundance of large whales in a former whaling ground off eastern South America

Ship-based sighting surveys for cetaceans were conducted in the former whaling ground off the northeastern coast of Brazil. The cruises took place in winter and spring of 1998-2001 with the objectives of investigating current distribution and abundance of cetaceans, particularly large whale species...

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Main Authors: Andriolo, Artur, Rocha, Jesuina Maria da, Zerbini, Alexandre N., Lopes, Paulo C. Simões, Moreno, Ignacio Maria Benites, Lucena, Alineide, Danilewicz, Daniel, Bassoi, Manuela
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2010
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10183/108576
id ftunivfrgs:oai:www.lume.ufrgs.br:10183/108576
record_format openpolar
spelling ftunivfrgs:oai:www.lume.ufrgs.br:10183/108576 2023-05-15T13:48:18+02:00 Distribution and relative abundance of large whales in a former whaling ground off eastern South America Andriolo, Artur Rocha, Jesuina Maria da Zerbini, Alexandre N. Lopes, Paulo C. Simões Moreno, Ignacio Maria Benites Lucena, Alineide Danilewicz, Daniel Bassoi, Manuela 2010 application/pdf http://hdl.handle.net/10183/108576 eng eng Zoologia. Curitiba. Vol. 27, n. 5 (out. 2010), p. 741-750 Open Access Bryde’s whale Minke whale Sei whale Sperm whale South atlantic Baleia de Bryde Baleia minke Cachalote Atlântico Sul Oceano Artigo de periódico Nacional 2010 ftunivfrgs 2019-10-26T23:11:30Z Ship-based sighting surveys for cetaceans were conducted in the former whaling ground off the northeastern coast of Brazil. The cruises took place in winter and spring of 1998-2001 with the objectives of investigating current distribution and abundance of cetaceans, particularly large whale species taken during whaling. In 1998 the survey were conducted between the parallels 5°30’W and 9°S and the 200 m isobath and the meridian 033°W. A total of about 3,100 nm were surveyed between 1998 and 2001 Surveys were conducted using line transect methods from about 5- 10°S, and from the coast to 33°W. A total of 151 sightings (203 individuals) of large whales were recorded on effort. The Antarctic minke whale – Balaenoptera bonaerensis (Burmeister, 1867) was the most frequently sighted species (97 groups/ 132 individuals; Sighting Rate [SR] = 0.031 groups/nm), being recorded only in offshore waters. Density gradually increased from August to October. Minke whales were distributed throughout the area, both to the north and the south of former whaling ground. Sighting data indicate this is the most abundant species, particularly in the area beyond the continental shelf break. Breeding behavior was observed for Antarctic minke whales, but few groups containing calves were recorded (4.3% of the groups sighted on effort). Three other large whale species were recorded in low numbers: the Bryde’s whale – Balaenoptera edeni (Anderson, 1879)1, the sei whale, B. borealis (Lesson, 1828), and the sperm, Physeter macrocephalus (Linnaeus, 1758). Sei, Bryde and sperm whales were regularly caught during whaling operations, but are rare in the area, suggesting they were depleted by whaling and have yet to recover to their pre-explotation abundance. In contrast, minke whales are abundant in this area, suggesting that either they were not substantially depleted, or that they have recovered rapidly. Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus (Linnaeus, 1758), and fin whale, B. physalus (Linnaeus, 1758), not recorded on our surveys, have always been extremely rare in the area. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Minke whale Balaenoptera bonaerensis Balaenoptera musculus Blue whale cachalote Fin whale minke whale Physeter macrocephalus Sei Whale Sperm whale Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS): Lume Antarctic Bryde ENVELOPE(-63.033,-63.033,-64.867,-64.867) Cachalote ENVELOPE(-45.800,-45.800,-60.817,-60.817) The Antarctic
institution Open Polar
collection Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS): Lume
op_collection_id ftunivfrgs
language English
topic Bryde’s whale
Minke whale
Sei whale
Sperm whale
South atlantic
Baleia de Bryde
Baleia minke
Cachalote
Atlântico Sul
Oceano
spellingShingle Bryde’s whale
Minke whale
Sei whale
Sperm whale
South atlantic
Baleia de Bryde
Baleia minke
Cachalote
Atlântico Sul
Oceano
Andriolo, Artur
Rocha, Jesuina Maria da
Zerbini, Alexandre N.
Lopes, Paulo C. Simões
Moreno, Ignacio Maria Benites
Lucena, Alineide
Danilewicz, Daniel
Bassoi, Manuela
Distribution and relative abundance of large whales in a former whaling ground off eastern South America
topic_facet Bryde’s whale
Minke whale
Sei whale
Sperm whale
South atlantic
Baleia de Bryde
Baleia minke
Cachalote
Atlântico Sul
Oceano
description Ship-based sighting surveys for cetaceans were conducted in the former whaling ground off the northeastern coast of Brazil. The cruises took place in winter and spring of 1998-2001 with the objectives of investigating current distribution and abundance of cetaceans, particularly large whale species taken during whaling. In 1998 the survey were conducted between the parallels 5°30’W and 9°S and the 200 m isobath and the meridian 033°W. A total of about 3,100 nm were surveyed between 1998 and 2001 Surveys were conducted using line transect methods from about 5- 10°S, and from the coast to 33°W. A total of 151 sightings (203 individuals) of large whales were recorded on effort. The Antarctic minke whale – Balaenoptera bonaerensis (Burmeister, 1867) was the most frequently sighted species (97 groups/ 132 individuals; Sighting Rate [SR] = 0.031 groups/nm), being recorded only in offshore waters. Density gradually increased from August to October. Minke whales were distributed throughout the area, both to the north and the south of former whaling ground. Sighting data indicate this is the most abundant species, particularly in the area beyond the continental shelf break. Breeding behavior was observed for Antarctic minke whales, but few groups containing calves were recorded (4.3% of the groups sighted on effort). Three other large whale species were recorded in low numbers: the Bryde’s whale – Balaenoptera edeni (Anderson, 1879)1, the sei whale, B. borealis (Lesson, 1828), and the sperm, Physeter macrocephalus (Linnaeus, 1758). Sei, Bryde and sperm whales were regularly caught during whaling operations, but are rare in the area, suggesting they were depleted by whaling and have yet to recover to their pre-explotation abundance. In contrast, minke whales are abundant in this area, suggesting that either they were not substantially depleted, or that they have recovered rapidly. Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus (Linnaeus, 1758), and fin whale, B. physalus (Linnaeus, 1758), not recorded on our surveys, have always been extremely rare in the area.
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Andriolo, Artur
Rocha, Jesuina Maria da
Zerbini, Alexandre N.
Lopes, Paulo C. Simões
Moreno, Ignacio Maria Benites
Lucena, Alineide
Danilewicz, Daniel
Bassoi, Manuela
author_facet Andriolo, Artur
Rocha, Jesuina Maria da
Zerbini, Alexandre N.
Lopes, Paulo C. Simões
Moreno, Ignacio Maria Benites
Lucena, Alineide
Danilewicz, Daniel
Bassoi, Manuela
author_sort Andriolo, Artur
title Distribution and relative abundance of large whales in a former whaling ground off eastern South America
title_short Distribution and relative abundance of large whales in a former whaling ground off eastern South America
title_full Distribution and relative abundance of large whales in a former whaling ground off eastern South America
title_fullStr Distribution and relative abundance of large whales in a former whaling ground off eastern South America
title_full_unstemmed Distribution and relative abundance of large whales in a former whaling ground off eastern South America
title_sort distribution and relative abundance of large whales in a former whaling ground off eastern south america
publishDate 2010
url http://hdl.handle.net/10183/108576
long_lat ENVELOPE(-63.033,-63.033,-64.867,-64.867)
ENVELOPE(-45.800,-45.800,-60.817,-60.817)
geographic Antarctic
Bryde
Cachalote
The Antarctic
geographic_facet Antarctic
Bryde
Cachalote
The Antarctic
genre Antarc*
Antarctic
Antarctic Minke whale
Balaenoptera bonaerensis
Balaenoptera musculus
Blue whale
cachalote
Fin whale
minke whale
Physeter macrocephalus
Sei Whale
Sperm whale
genre_facet Antarc*
Antarctic
Antarctic Minke whale
Balaenoptera bonaerensis
Balaenoptera musculus
Blue whale
cachalote
Fin whale
minke whale
Physeter macrocephalus
Sei Whale
Sperm whale
op_relation Zoologia. Curitiba. Vol. 27, n. 5 (out. 2010), p. 741-750
op_rights Open Access
_version_ 1766249076952662016