44
Zerbini et al. 2011). As a result of this recovery and reoccupation of former breeding
range along the Brazilian coast (Mas-Rosa et al. 2002; Pacheco de Godoy et al.
2005; Baracho et al. 2006; Rossi-Santos et al. 2008), from the early 2000s sightings
of this species became increasingly frequent along the northern coast of Bahia state.
In order to widen its study area and monitor the humpbacks in this region the Projeto
Baleia Jubarte installed its second station in the coastal village of Praia do Forte,
northern Bahia, in 2001.
Although it was recently down-listed to Near Threatened category in Brazil
(ICMBio 2014), this population remains a fraction (17,000 individuals; Instituto
Baleia Jubarte, unpublished data) of its hypothesized size prior to commercial whaling (22,000–28,000; Zerbini et al. 2011) and, therefore, demands continued conservation efforts.
Fig. 3.1 Humpback whale-watching started in the Abrolhos region, the species’ main breeding
ground in the southwestern Atlantic ocean (Photos: Enrico Marcovaldi/Instituto Baleia Jubarte)
L. Fernandes and M.R. Rossi-Santos
Zerbini et al. 2011). As a result of this recovery and reoccupation of former breeding
range along the Brazilian coast (Mas-Rosa et al. 2002; Pacheco de Godoy et al.
2005; Baracho et al. 2006; Rossi-Santos et al. 2008), from the early 2000s sightings
of this species became increasingly frequent along the northern coast of Bahia state.
In order to widen its study area and monitor the humpbacks in this region the Projeto
Baleia Jubarte installed its second station in the coastal village of Praia do Forte,
northern Bahia, in 2001.
Although it was recently down-listed to Near Threatened category in Brazil
(ICMBio 2014), this population remains a fraction (17,000 individuals; Instituto
Baleia Jubarte, unpublished data) of its hypothesized size prior to commercial whaling (22,000–28,000; Zerbini et al. 2011) and, therefore, demands continued conservation efforts.
Fig. 3.1 Humpback whale-watching started in the Abrolhos region, the species’ main breeding
ground in the southwestern Atlantic ocean (Photos: Enrico Marcovaldi/Instituto Baleia Jubarte)
L. Fernandes and M.R. Rossi-Santos