443
16.2 Southern Right Whales in Brazil
Southern right whales were severely depleted by commercial whaling from the 18th
through the early twentieth centuries. In 1935 the species received international
protection, however in the mid-twentieth century there was unreported Soviet
catches of right whales on their pelagic summer grounds (Tormosov et al. 1998).
The original Southern Hemisphere right whale population was estimated between
70.000 and 90.000 right whales (IWC 2001, 2013). By the time substantial catches
have ceased, the population probably reached as few as 400 individuals.
In Brazil Right whales were historically distributed between the southern and
northeastern coast of Brazil, between Rio Grande do Sul and Bahia states (~33–
16oS) (Ellis 1969). Hunting in Brazil occurred illegally until 1973, and the population size declined drastically (Palazzo and Carter 1983). Whaling references
revealed that the population was especially abundant off Santa Catarina State. In the
early 1980s, whales were ‘rediscovered’ in this region and have been studied there
since then (Câmara and Palazzo 1986). In 1982 the “Right Whale Project”, a
research and conservation program, was officially created with the aim of ensure the
survival and recovery of the right whale population in Brazilian waters.
The species occurs in winter/spring and the time of peak abundance is September
(Groch et al. 2005; Seyboth et al. 2015). Their main aggregation area is in the shallow and protected bays of the central-southern coast of Santa Catarina State, from
the south of Ilha de Santa Catarina (27°25′S, 48°30′W) to Cabo de Santa Marta,
Laguna (28°36′S, 48°48′W) (Fig. 16.1) (Simões-Lopes et al. 1992; Groch et al.
2005; Renault-Braga 2014). In the year 2000 this area was declared a marine protected area – Right Whale Environmental Protection Area (RWEPA) (Federal
Decree of 14 September 2000) (Fig. 16.1). The RWEPA is managed by an
Environmental Agency of the Government of Brazil, the Instituto Chico Mendes de
Conservação da Biodiversidade (ICMBIO). The main purpose of the RWEPA was
to give special protection to habitat crucial to the life cycle of the species, managing
and regulating the human activities in the area. Most groups sighted in this region
are mother-calf pairs with a few sightings of juveniles, single adults and mating
groups (Simões-Lopes et al. 1992; Groch 2005; Seyboth et al. 2015). Right whale
sightings have also been reported along the southeastern Brazilian coast along with
a number of strandings (Lodi et al. 1996; Santos et al. 2001; 2010; Lodi and
Rodrigues 2007; Figueiredo et al. 2013).
Possible factors determining distribution an occurrence of right whales off Brazil
have been studied (Renault-Braga 2014; Seyboth et al. 2015). Whale numbers are
higher in shallow areas with gentle slope, and areas less than 10 m depth and closer
to river mouths are preferred (Renault-Braga 2014). There is also evidence that both
mother-calf pairs and adults unaccompanied by calves prefer bays with dissipative
beaches, and that cow-calf pairs apparently avoid bays facing southeast during days
of strong east-west winds (Seyboth et al. 2015).
16 Conservation Advances for the Southern Right Whales in Brazil
16.2 Southern Right Whales in Brazil
Southern right whales were severely depleted by commercial whaling from the 18th
through the early twentieth centuries. In 1935 the species received international
protection, however in the mid-twentieth century there was unreported Soviet
catches of right whales on their pelagic summer grounds (Tormosov et al. 1998).
The original Southern Hemisphere right whale population was estimated between
70.000 and 90.000 right whales (IWC 2001, 2013). By the time substantial catches
have ceased, the population probably reached as few as 400 individuals.
In Brazil Right whales were historically distributed between the southern and
northeastern coast of Brazil, between Rio Grande do Sul and Bahia states (~33–
16oS) (Ellis 1969). Hunting in Brazil occurred illegally until 1973, and the population size declined drastically (Palazzo and Carter 1983). Whaling references
revealed that the population was especially abundant off Santa Catarina State. In the
early 1980s, whales were ‘rediscovered’ in this region and have been studied there
since then (Câmara and Palazzo 1986). In 1982 the “Right Whale Project”, a
research and conservation program, was officially created with the aim of ensure the
survival and recovery of the right whale population in Brazilian waters.
The species occurs in winter/spring and the time of peak abundance is September
(Groch et al. 2005; Seyboth et al. 2015). Their main aggregation area is in the shallow and protected bays of the central-southern coast of Santa Catarina State, from
the south of Ilha de Santa Catarina (27°25′S, 48°30′W) to Cabo de Santa Marta,
Laguna (28°36′S, 48°48′W) (Fig. 16.1) (Simões-Lopes et al. 1992; Groch et al.
2005; Renault-Braga 2014). In the year 2000 this area was declared a marine protected area – Right Whale Environmental Protection Area (RWEPA) (Federal
Decree of 14 September 2000) (Fig. 16.1). The RWEPA is managed by an
Environmental Agency of the Government of Brazil, the Instituto Chico Mendes de
Conservação da Biodiversidade (ICMBIO). The main purpose of the RWEPA was
to give special protection to habitat crucial to the life cycle of the species, managing
and regulating the human activities in the area. Most groups sighted in this region
are mother-calf pairs with a few sightings of juveniles, single adults and mating
groups (Simões-Lopes et al. 1992; Groch 2005; Seyboth et al. 2015). Right whale
sightings have also been reported along the southeastern Brazilian coast along with
a number of strandings (Lodi et al. 1996; Santos et al. 2001; 2010; Lodi and
Rodrigues 2007; Figueiredo et al. 2013).
Possible factors determining distribution an occurrence of right whales off Brazil
have been studied (Renault-Braga 2014; Seyboth et al. 2015). Whale numbers are
higher in shallow areas with gentle slope, and areas less than 10 m depth and closer
to river mouths are preferred (Renault-Braga 2014). There is also evidence that both
mother-calf pairs and adults unaccompanied by calves prefer bays with dissipative
beaches, and that cow-calf pairs apparently avoid bays facing southeast during days
of strong east-west winds (Seyboth et al. 2015).
16 Conservation Advances for the Southern Right Whales in Brazil