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On the occurrence of sei whales, Balaenoptera borealis, in the south-western Atlantic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2010

Miguel Iñíguez ,
Juan F. Masello ,
César gribaudo ,
Débora Arcucci ,
Florencia Krohling  and
Jimena Belgrano
Miguel Iñíguez*
Affiliation:
Fundación Cethus, Potosí 2087, (B1636BUA), Olivos, Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, Brookfield House, 38 St Paul Street, Chippenham, SN15 1LJ, UK
Juan F. Masello
Affiliation:
Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Vogelwarte Radolfzell, Germany
César gribaudo
Affiliation:
Dirección de Museos de Caleta Olivia, Province of Santa Cruz, Argentina
Débora Arcucci
Affiliation:
Fundación Cethus, Potosí 2087, (B1636BUA), Olivos, Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina
Florencia Krohling
Affiliation:
Fundación Cethus, Potosí 2087, (B1636BUA), Olivos, Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina
Jimena Belgrano
Affiliation:
Fundación Cethus, Potosí 2087, (B1636BUA), Olivos, Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: M. Iñíguez, Fundación Cethus, Potosí 2087, (B1636BUA), Olivos, Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina email: miguel.iniguez@cethus.org
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Abstract

This paper reports on the occurrence of the sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis) in the south-western Atlantic. Only in recent years have sei whale sightings been reported regularly within the surveyed area. In a total of 20 sightings, 65% were reported from August to September. Group size was small, averaging 1.94 (SD = 1.21) individuals per group. During this study, feeding behaviour and interactions with seabirds were observed and are here described. Comparison of our results with historical data from the whaling industry showed that whales were observed where expected based on past catches. Further studies are necessary in order to assess the status of sei whales in the south-western Atlantic. However, our data might indicate a slow recovery in the region. This information will be useful for the conservation of the species in this area and in the southern hemisphere.

Keywords

sei whalesBalaenoptera borealisfeedingmigrationgroup sizesouth-western Atlantic
Type
Research Article
Information
Marine Biodiversity Records , Volume 3 , June 2010 , e68
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2010

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