A5075230057- Marine animal studies overview
- Arctic and Antarctic ice dynamics
- Underwater Acoustics Research
- Marine and fisheries research
- Marine and coastal plant biology
- Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
- Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior
- Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact
- Mercury impact and mitigation studies
- Ocean Acidification Effects and Responses
- Maritime Navigation and Safety
- Coastal and Marine Management
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Identification and Quantification in Food
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Indigenous Studies and Ecology
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Aerospace Engineering and Energy Systems
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Economic and Environmental Valuation
- Rangeland and Wildlife Management
National Park Service
2023
University of Alaska Fairbanks
2009
For the 40 years after end of commercial whaling in 1976, humpback whale populations North Pacific Ocean exhibited a prolonged period recovery. Using mark–recapture methods on largest individual photo-identification dataset ever assembled for cetacean, we estimated annual ocean-basin-wide abundance species from 2002 through 2021. Trends estimates describe strong post-whaling era population recovery 16 875 (± 5955) to peak estimate 33 488 4455) 2012. An apparent 20% decline 2012 2021, 26 662...
Abstract Humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) are known to interfere with attacking killer Orcinus orca ). To investigate why, we reviewed accounts of 115 interactions between them. Humpbacks initiated the majority (57% vs . 43%; n = 72), although were almost exclusively mammal‐eating forms MEKW s, 95%) fish‐eaters (5%; 108). When s approached humpbacks 27), they attacked 85% time and targeted only calves. 41), 93% ≥87% them or feeding on prey at time. interacted 11% 89% comprised 10...
Abstract Aim Entanglement in fishing gear is recognized as a potentially significant source of serious injury and mortality for humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) some parts their range. In recent years, the number reported to have been entangled Alaska has increased. 2003–04 we quantified prevalence non‐lethal entanglements northern Southeast (SEAK) with ultimate goal informing management discussions entanglement issue Central North Pacific stock whales. Location The near‐shore...
Here we summarize 108 reported whale-vessel collisions in Alaska from 1978–2011, of which 25 are known to have resulted the whale's death. We found 89 definite and 19 possible/probable strikes based on standard criteria created for this study. Most involved humpback whales (86%) with six other species documented. Small vessel were most common (<15 m, 60%), but medium (15–79 27%) large (≥80 13%) vessels also struck whales. Among mortalities, length was seven cases (190–294 m) speed three...
Abstract The rigorous program of monitoring humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ), implemented by Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in 1985, augmented additional data collected southeastern Alaska since 1968, constitutes one the longest studies living world. This program, now a Service NPS ) Inventory Monitoring Program Vital Sign, employed consistent methods for summer surveys from 1985 to 2014 document number gather longitudinal records on individuals Icy Strait. Survey effort...
We present an ocean-basin-scale dataset that includes tail fluke photographic identification (photo-ID) and encounter data for most living individual humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the North Pacific Ocean. The was built through a broad collaboration combining 39 separate curated photo-ID catalogs, supplemented with community science data. Data from throughout were aggregated into 13 regions, including six breeding feeding one migratory corridor. All images compared minimal...
Acoustic backscatter observations at 12, 50, and 200 kHz in the inner Scotian Shelf basins reveal large populations of silver hake (Merluccius bilinearis) its principal prey, euphausiid Meganyctiphanes norvegica. Multichannel sonar colour imagery facilitates separation fish from euphausiids delineation their separate diurnal migration patterns. Silver acoustic abundances are consistent with midwater trawl sampling. column densities for mature M. norvegica approximately 1000/m 2 exceed net...
Given recent declines in North Pacific humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) reproductive output and calf survival, there is additional urgency to better understand how mother-calf pairs allocate energy resources across their migratory cycle. Here, unoccupied aerial system (UAS; or drone) photogrammetry was used quantify the body size condition (BC) of whales on Hawai'i (HI) breeding Southeast Alaska (SEAK) feeding grounds. Between 2018 2022, we collected 2410 measurements 1659...
Understanding calving rates of wild whale populations is critically important for management and conservation. Reproduction humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) difficult to monitor and, even with long-term sighting studies, basic physiological information such as pregnancy intervals remain poorly understood in many populations. We hypothesized that pregnant have sustained elevations baleen progesterone temporally correlate gestation. To test this hypothesis, profiles from two adult...
Baleen whales are subject to a myriad of natural and anthropogenic stressors, but understanding how these stressors affect physiology is difficult. Measurement adrenal glucocorticoid (GC) hormones involved in the vertebrate stress response (cortisol corticosterone) baleen could help fill this data gap. analysis powerful tool, allowing for retrospective re-creation multiple years GC hormone concentrations at approximately monthly resolution. We hypothesized that died from acute causes (e.g....
Standardized sight-resight data of Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Glacier Bay and Icy Strait, Alaska, have been collected since 1985. We applied closed robust design capture-recapture models to these provide inferences about: (1) population size; (2) growth rate; (3) apparent survival (4) temporary emigration rate the region during 1985–2009, while accounting for imperfect detection probability. Population size estimates ranged from a low 49.8 (95% CI: 44.3–64.4) 1986 high 181.1...
We delineated and scored Biologically Important Areas (BIAs) for cetacean species in the Gulf of Alaska region. BIAs represent areas times which cetaceans are known to concentrate activities related reproduction, feeding, migration, also ranges small resident populations. This National Oceanic Atmospheric Association (NOAA)-led effort uses structured expert elicitation principles build upon first version NOAA’s cetaceans. Supporting evidence these came from aerial-, land-, vessel-based...
Abstract Understanding reproductive physiology in mysticetes has been slowed by the lack of repeated samples from individuals. Analysis humpback whale baleen enables retrospective hormone analysis within individuals dating back 3–5 years before death. Using this method, we investigated differences four steroid hormones involved reproduction and mating during confirmed pregnant non-pregnant periods two female whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) with known histories based on sightings necropsy...
Abstract We present an ocean-basin-scale dataset that includes tail fluke photographic identification (photo-ID) and encounter data for the majority of living individual humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) in North Pacific Ocean. The was built through a broad collaboration combining 39 separate curated photo-ID catalogs supplemented with community science data. All available images were compared using recently developed machine learning artificial intelligence image recognition...
Abstract We present an ocean-basin-scale dataset that includes tail fluke photographic identification (photo-ID) and encounter data for most living individual humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) in the North Pacific Ocean. The was built through a broad collaboration combining 39 separate curated photo-ID catalogs, supplemented with community science data. Data from throughout were aggregated into 13 regions, including six breeding feeding one migratory corridor. All images compared...