Antofagasta Region in northern Chile, a potential nursing ground for the Southern right whale Eubalaena australis

Authors

  • Ana Garcia Cegarra Santo Tomas University
  • Maritza Malebran Centro de Investigación de Fauna Marina y Avistamiento de Cetáceos (CIFAMAC), Chile.
  • Koen Van Waerebeek Centro Peruano de Estudios Cetológicos (CEPEC), Peruvian Centre for Cetacean Research, Lima-20.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5597/lajam00270

Keywords:

Habitat Use

Abstract

The Chile-Peru subpopulation (CPe) of the Southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) is classified as Critically Endangered following intense whaling in past centuries. Due to their very low abundance, information on breeding and feeding grounds is also scarce. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly applied in marine mammal research thanks to their low cost and relative ease of use. This case study documents a Southern right whale nursing in Bahía Moreno (23º S), Antofagasta, in northern Chile through high-resolution images taken by UAV of an adult in July 2019 and the same whale with a neonate in August. Combined with earlier data we hypothesize that the Antofagasta Region may be a potential calving and nursing ground for the CPe subpopulation. Given the intense shipping traffic and fishing activities around the Mejillones Peninsula and Antofagasta port, priorly recommended marine spatial planning to help avoid net entanglements and vessel collisions of fin and humpback whales may also contribute to the conservation of the CPe stock.

Author Biographies

Ana Garcia Cegarra, Santo Tomas University

Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Sciences

Maritza Malebran, Centro de Investigación de Fauna Marina y Avistamiento de Cetáceos (CIFAMAC), Chile.

Msc.

References

Acha, E.M., Piola, A., Iribarne, O., Mianzan, H. (2015) Ecological Processes at Marine Fronts. Oases in the Ocean. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15479-4

Acevedo-Whitehouse, K., Rocha-Gosselin, A., Gendron, D. (2010) A novel non-invasive tool for disease surveillance of free-ranging whales and its relevance to conservation programs. Animal Conservation 13: 217-225. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-1795.2009.00326.x

Aguayo-Lobo, A., Acevedo, J., Brito, J.L., Olavarría, C., Moraga, R., Olave, C. (2008) La ballena franca del sur, Eubalaena australis (Desmoulins, 1822) en aguas chilenas: análisis de sus registros desde 1976 a 2008. Revista de Biología Marina y Oceanografía 43(3): 653-668. http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0718-19572008000300024

Cárdenas, J.C., Torres, D., Oporto, J., Stutzin, M. (1986) Presencia de la ballena franca (Eubalaena australis) en las costas de Chile. Resumen, 2do Reuniao de trabalho de Especialistas em Mamíferos Aquáticos da America do Sul, 4-8 Agosto 1986, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.

Clarke, R. (1965) Southern right whales on the coast of Chile. Norsk Hvalfangst-Tidende 54(6): 121-128.

Cooke, J.G., Rowntree, V.J., Payne, R. (2001) Estimates of demographic parameters for southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) observed off Península Valdés, Argentina. Journal of Cetacean Resarch Management (2): 125-132.

Cooke, J.G. (2018) Eubalaena australis Chile-Peru subpopulation. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-1.RLTS.T133704A50385137.en.

Christiansen, F., Sironi, M., Moore, M.J., Di Martino, M., Ricciardi, M., Warick, H.A., Uhart, M.M. (2019) Data from: estimating body mass of free-living whales using aerial photogrammetry and 3D volumetrics, v2, dyard, dataset https://doi.org/10.5061/dyard. M0087p4

Escribano, R., Marin, V.H. and Irribarren, C. (2000) Distribution of Euphasia mucronata at the upwelling área of Peninsula Mejillones, northern Chile: the influence of the oxygen mínimum layer. Scintia Marina 64(1): 69-77. https://doi.org/10.3989/scimar.2000.64n169

Frisch-Jordán, A., Ransome, N.L., Aranda-Mena, O. and Romo-Sirvent, F. (2019) Intensive feeding of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the breeding ground of Banderas Bay, Mexico. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals 14(1): 27-33. http://dx.doi.org/10.5597/00251

Galletti-Varnazzi, B., Cabrera, E. and Brownell, R. (2014) Eastern South Pacific southern right whale photo-identification catalog reveals behavior and habitat use pat-terns. Marine Mammal Science 30(1). http://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12030

García-Cegarra, A.M. and Pacheco, A.S. (2019) Collision risk areas between fin and humpback whales with large cargo vessels in Mejillones Bay (23ºS), northern Chile. Marine Policy 103:182-186. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2018.12.022

Gibbons, J., Capella, J.J., Kusch, A. and Cárcamo, J. (2006) The southern right whale Eubalaena australis (Desmoulins, 1822) in the Strait of Magellan, Chile. Anales Instituto Patagonia (Chile) 34:75-80. https://scielo.conicyt.cl/pdf/ainpat/v36n2/art07.pdf

Guerra-Correa, C., Van Waerebeek, K., Portflitt, G. and Luna, G. (1987) The presence of cetaceans off northern Chile coast. Estudios Oceanológicos 6:87-96. http://www.vliz.be/nl/datasets-belgische-kust-en-zee?module=ref&refid=222425

Koski, W.R., da-Silva, C.Q., Zeh. J. and Reeves, R.R. (2013) Evaluation of the potential to use capture-recapture analyses of photographs to estimate the size of the Eastern Canada – West Greenland bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) population. Canadian Wildlife Biology Management 2(1): 23-25. http://cwbm.name/evaluation-of-the-potential-to-use-capture-recapture-analyses-of-photographs-to-estimate-the-size-of-the-eastern-canada-west-greenland-bowhead-whale-balaena-mysticetus-population/

Leaper, R., Cooke, J., Trathan, P., Reid, K., Rowntree, V.J. and Payne, R. (2006) Global climate drives southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) population dynamics. Biology Letters 2:289-292. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2005.0431

Mackintosh, M.A. (1942) The southern stocks of whalebone whales. Discovery Reports 22:197-300. https://doi.org/10.1038/153569a0

Moreland, E.E., Cameron, M.F., Angliss, R.P. and Boveng, P.L. (2015) Evaluation of a ship-based unoccupied airraft system (UAS) for surveys of spotted and ribbon seals in the Bering Sea pack ice. Journal of Unmaned vehicle systems 3:114-122. https://doi.org/10.1139/juvs-2015-0012

Nowacek, D.O., Christiansen, F., Bejder, L., Goldbogen, J.A. and Friedlaender, A.S. (2016) Studying etacean behaviour new technological approaches and conservation applications. Animal Behavior 120:235-244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.07.019

Pacheco, A.S., Villegas, V.K., Riascos, J.M. and Van Waerebeek, K. (2015) Presence of fin whales Balaenoptera physalus in Mejillones Bay, a major seaport area in northern Chile. Revista Biología Marina y Oceanografía 50(2): 383-391. http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0718-19572015000300017

ORCA-Peru (2012) Ballena Franca Austral, descubierta por ORCA en Lima, Perú. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zo6SJGoHrDk (Downloaded on 15 April 2020).

Papastavrou, V. and Van Waerebeek, K. (1998) A note on the occurrence of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in tropical and subtropical areas: the upwelling link. Report International Whaling Commission 47: 945-47.

Pastene, L.A. and Quiroz, D. (2010) An outline of the history of whaling in Chile. Pages 73-98 in International center for Folk Culture Studies, ed. Human Culture from the perspective of traditional maritime communities. International symposium Report No. 1. Kanagawa Shimbun Press, Kanagawa, Japan. https://www.academia.edu/1871805/An_Outline_of_the_History_of_Whaling_in_Chile

Payne, R., Rowntree, V.J. and Perkins, J.S. (1990) Population size, trends and reproductive parameters of right whales (Eublaena australis) off Peninsula Valdes, Argentina. Report of the International Whaling comisión (Special Issue) 12:271-278. https://ballenas.org.ar/descargas/publicaciones-cientificas/1990/18. Population size, trends and reproductive parameters of right whales %28Eubalaena australis%29 off Peninsula Valdes, Argentina.pdf

Piedra, J., Costa, P.L. and Franco-Fraguas, P. (2006) Ballena franca Eubalaena australis en la costa atlántica Urugaya (southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) off the Atlantic coast of Urugay). Buenos Aires Argentina: VIDA SILVESTRE (Sociedad Uruguaya para la Conservación de la Naturaleza).

Pomeroy, P., Connor, L.O. and Davies, P. (2015) Assessing use of and reaction to unmanned aerial systems in gray and harbor seals during breeding and molt in the UK. Journal of Unmanned Vehicle Systems 3:102-113. https://doi.org/10.1139/juvs-2015-0013

Richardson, W.J., Greene, C.R., Malme, Jr. and Thomson, D.H. (1995) Marine Mammals and Noise. San Diego, CA: Academic Press.

Riquelme-Bugueño, R., Gómez-Gutiérrez, J., Escribano, R., Ruz, P., Hidalgo, P. and

Schneider, W. (2016) First measurements of euphausiid growth rates in the northern Humboldt Current (23ºS). Revista de Biología Marina y Oceanografía 51(2):435-440. http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0718-19572016000200020

Rowntree, V.J., Valenzuela, L.O., Franco-Fraguas, P. and Seger, J. (2008) Foraging behaviour of southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) inferred from variation of carbón stable isotope ratios in their baleen. Journal of Cetacean Research Management SC/60/BRG233. https://ballenas.org.ar/descargas/publicaciones-cientificas/2008/49. Foraging behaviour of southern right whales ....pdf

Santillán, L., Roca, M., Apaza, M., Oliveira, L.R. and Ontón, K. (2004) New record of mother-calf pair of southern right whale, Eubalaena australis, off the Peruvian coast. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals 3(1):83-84. http://dx.doi.org/10.5597/lajam00053

Schaeff, C.M., Best, P.B., Rowntree, V.J., Payne, R., Jarvis, C. and Portway, V.A. (1999) Dorsal skin color patterns among southern right whales (Eubalaena australis): genetic basis and evolutionary significance. Journal of Heredidty 90(4): 464-471. https://doi.org/10.1093/jhered/90.4.464

Teal Group Corporation. (2011) World Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

Systems: Market Profile and Forecast. Fairfax, VA. Report from the Teal Group Corporation.

Vanderlaan, A.S.M. and Taggart, C.T. (2007) Vessel collisions with whales: the probability of lethal injury based on vessel speed. Marine Mammal Science 23(1): 144-156. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-7692.2006.00098.x

Van Waerebeek, K. and Leaper, R. (2008) Second report of the IWC Vessel Strike Data Standardisation Working Group. Document SC/60/BC5, Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commision, Santiago de Chile. 8pp. [online] URL: https://iwc.int/document_1797

Van Waerebeek, K., Reyes, J.C. and Aranda, C. (1992) Southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) off southern Peru. Marine Mammal Science 8(1):86-88. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-7692.1992.tb00129.x

Van Waerebeek, K., Reyes, J.C. abd Van Bressem, M.F. (1998) Sighting of a mother-calf pair of southern right whale Eubalaena australis in Peruvian waters. Estudios Oceanologicos 17:105-107.

Van Waerebeek, K., Santillán, L. and Suazo, E. (2009) On the native status of the southern right whale Eubalaena australis in Peru. Boletín del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Chile 58: 69-76. http://publicaciones.mnhn.gob.cl/668/w3-article-64569.html

Weerdt, J. and Ramos, E.A. (2019) Feeding of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua. Marine Mammal Science 36(1): 285-292. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12613

Published

2021-11-30

How to Cite

Garcia Cegarra, A., Malebran, M., & Van Waerebeek, K. (2021). Antofagasta Region in northern Chile, a potential nursing ground for the Southern right whale Eubalaena australis. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals, 16(1), 40-45. https://doi.org/10.5597/lajam00270

Issue

Section

Notes