442
Australian coast were resighted on feeding grounds offshore (Bannister et al. 1997).
Other evidences for migratory patterns and locations of feeding grounds have been
found from stable isotope studies (Rowntree et al. 2008; Valenzuela et al. 2009;
Vighi et al. 2014). Recent information on migratory routes and feeding grounds of
whales off Argentina was obtained from a satellite tagging project carried out
between 2014 and 2015. Whales were tracked through the outer Patagonian shelf,
(north of about 54°S and between about 57°–60°W) and the Scotia Sea (north of
around 57°S and between about 28–42°W), and appeared to show feeding behavior
(IWC 2016). There also is evidence that right whales can feed in their breeding
grounds, both from studies on stable isotopes (Vighi et al. 2014; Best and Schell
1996) and from individuals repeatedly observed feeding on plankton blooms, particularly at the end of the season, in Argentina (Hoffmeyer et al. 2010).
During the austral winter/spring time southern right whales occur in coastal
waters of South America, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and some oceanic
islands. In the South Atlantic five main breeding grounds are recognized: Argentina,
Brazil, Tristan da Cunha, Namibia and South Africa (IWC 2001). Studies have also
demonstrated the occurrence of southern right whales in Uruguay (Costa et al.
2007).
Coastal areas are the preferred habitat of mother/calf pairs, mainly because they
enable energy conservation by the calves (Lockyer 1981; Thomas and Taber 1984;
Corkeron and Connor 1999). Shallow waters and gently sloping beaches are preferred for being areas free from underwater obstacles where whales can drift freely
following the tides (Thomas 1987). There is evidence that female select sheltered,
inshore habitats during the early stages of nursing while their calves are presumably
at their most vulnerable (Rayment et al. 2015). Shallow waters may also offer protection against killer whales (Thomas and Taber 1984; Thomas 1987; Corkeron and
Connor 1999; Sironi et al. 2008a, b). Habitat use may also be determined by environmental factors that favor calf survival (Rowntree et al. 2001; Elwen and Best
2004a; Seyboth et al. 2015).
Southern right whales can be flexible in many aspects of their habitat use
(Rowntree et al. 2001; Sironi et al. 2008a, b) but displays preference by certain
aggregation areas as well as the segregation of concentration areas between mother/
calf pairs and mating groups (Payne 1986; Bannister 1990; Best 1990; Burnell and
Bryden 1997; Rowntree et al. 2001; Groch 2005; Rayment et al. 2015). Mother-calf
pairs spend longer coastal residence periods than adults unaccompanied by calves
(Bannister 1990; Burnell and Bryden 1997; Groch 2005) and present less movement along the coast (e.g. Bannister 1990; Best 1990; Rowntree et al. 2001; Groch
2005).
Southern right whales, especially mother-calf pairs, exhibit levels of site fidelity
for breeding areas (Bannister 1990; Best 1990, 2000; Burnell and Bryden 1997;
Rowntree et al. 2001; Groch 2005). Right whales have also shown site fidelity to
feeding grounds (Valenzuela et al. 2009).
K. Groch
Australian coast were resighted on feeding grounds offshore (Bannister et al. 1997).
Other evidences for migratory patterns and locations of feeding grounds have been
found from stable isotope studies (Rowntree et al. 2008; Valenzuela et al. 2009;
Vighi et al. 2014). Recent information on migratory routes and feeding grounds of
whales off Argentina was obtained from a satellite tagging project carried out
between 2014 and 2015. Whales were tracked through the outer Patagonian shelf,
(north of about 54°S and between about 57°–60°W) and the Scotia Sea (north of
around 57°S and between about 28–42°W), and appeared to show feeding behavior
(IWC 2016). There also is evidence that right whales can feed in their breeding
grounds, both from studies on stable isotopes (Vighi et al. 2014; Best and Schell
1996) and from individuals repeatedly observed feeding on plankton blooms, particularly at the end of the season, in Argentina (Hoffmeyer et al. 2010).
During the austral winter/spring time southern right whales occur in coastal
waters of South America, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and some oceanic
islands. In the South Atlantic five main breeding grounds are recognized: Argentina,
Brazil, Tristan da Cunha, Namibia and South Africa (IWC 2001). Studies have also
demonstrated the occurrence of southern right whales in Uruguay (Costa et al.
2007).
Coastal areas are the preferred habitat of mother/calf pairs, mainly because they
enable energy conservation by the calves (Lockyer 1981; Thomas and Taber 1984;
Corkeron and Connor 1999). Shallow waters and gently sloping beaches are preferred for being areas free from underwater obstacles where whales can drift freely
following the tides (Thomas 1987). There is evidence that female select sheltered,
inshore habitats during the early stages of nursing while their calves are presumably
at their most vulnerable (Rayment et al. 2015). Shallow waters may also offer protection against killer whales (Thomas and Taber 1984; Thomas 1987; Corkeron and
Connor 1999; Sironi et al. 2008a, b). Habitat use may also be determined by environmental factors that favor calf survival (Rowntree et al. 2001; Elwen and Best
2004a; Seyboth et al. 2015).
Southern right whales can be flexible in many aspects of their habitat use
(Rowntree et al. 2001; Sironi et al. 2008a, b) but displays preference by certain
aggregation areas as well as the segregation of concentration areas between mother/
calf pairs and mating groups (Payne 1986; Bannister 1990; Best 1990; Burnell and
Bryden 1997; Rowntree et al. 2001; Groch 2005; Rayment et al. 2015). Mother-calf
pairs spend longer coastal residence periods than adults unaccompanied by calves
(Bannister 1990; Burnell and Bryden 1997; Groch 2005) and present less movement along the coast (e.g. Bannister 1990; Best 1990; Rowntree et al. 2001; Groch
2005).
Southern right whales, especially mother-calf pairs, exhibit levels of site fidelity
for breeding areas (Bannister 1990; Best 1990, 2000; Burnell and Bryden 1997;
Rowntree et al. 2001; Groch 2005). Right whales have also shown site fidelity to
feeding grounds (Valenzuela et al. 2009).
K. Groch