A carregar...
2 resultados
Resultados da pesquisa
A mostrar 1 - 2 de 2
- Opportunistic data for assessing abundance and site fidelity of fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) in the Faro area, PortugalPublication . Gennari, Ginevra; Rodrigues, Alfredo; Carvalho, Pedro; Gil, Susana; Magno, Ramiro; Castilho, Rita; Peres dos Santos, Rui PedroThe distribution and migration of fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) remain poorly understood in parts of the North Atlantic. One of these regions is the Algarve in southern Portugal, which is shaped by seasonal upwelling and the exchange of Atlantic and Mediterranean waters. This area represents a potentially critical yet poorly understood habitat for this species. This study presents the first comprehensive assessment of fin whale abundance and site fidelity in the Faro area, located approximately between 36–37° N and 8–7° W. Data was collected from 2020 to 2024 through photoidentification and GPS vessel tracks, in collaboration with a local whale-watching company. A regional catalog of 86 individuals was established, and an open spatially explicit capture-recapture model estimated a population of 1.476 individuals. Sightings peaked in spring, likely linked to phytoplankton blooms and foraging opportunities. While re-sighting rates were low, some individuals returned across years, indicating possible seasonal site fidelity. Our results demonstrate the value of data collected from platforms of opportunity in an under-surveyed region, providing a foundation for ongoing monitoring efforts. Results also highlight the Faro area’s ecological relevance as a seasonal feeding ground for fin whales and offer insights to support future conservation in the eastern North Atlantic.
- Occurrence and anthropogenic threats affecting humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) inthe Southern Iberian Atlantic WatersPublication . Gennari, Ginevra; Marçalo, Ana; Rodrigues, Alfredo; Magalhães, Sara; Abrantes, Gonçalo; Dias, André; Climaco, Rodrigo; Truluck, Steve; Pignata, Eleonora; Lubansky, Tanya; Jones, Lindsey; Wenzel, Frederick; Castilho, Rita; Peres dos Santos, Rui PedroMigration is crucial behavior for many animals, allowing them to adapt their life history requirements to their environments' temporal and spatial variability (Kettemer et al. 2022). Among marine mammals, humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) stand out as a highly migratory species, and their survival is heavily reliant on established migratory routes (Kennedy et al. 2013; Peres dos Santos et al. 2022; Stone et al. 1990). Although this species is one of the most researched marine mammals worldwide, very little is known about its behavior in various parts of the world. For nearly 50 years, photographic identification (photo-ID) techniques have facilitated in-depth studies of their long-distance migration patterns (Chosson et al. 2024; Katona and Whitehead 1981; Reeves et al. 2006; Schevill and Backus 1960). This type of identification is possible because individual humpback whales possess distinctive pigmentation patterns on the ventral surface of their flukes, as well as scars and variations in the serration of the trailing edges (Carlson et al. 1990; Katona and Beard 1990; Reeves et al. 2006; Schevill and Backus 1960). These unique features are often complemented by shape variations and marks in the dorsal fins (Blackmer et al. 2006; Franklin et al. 2020). Notably, the North Atlantic Humpback Whale Catalog (NAHWC), maintained by Allied Whale at the College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Maine, USA (https://www.coa.edu/allied-whale/), has documented over 12,000 individual humpback whales from the North Atlantic Ocean basin (Jones et al. 2025).