Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals (LAJAM)
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A decade of whale watching in an important tourist destination in the Pacific coast of Colombia: Challenges for proper management
No full textUramba Bahía Málaga Natural National Park is one of the most important places visited by tourists to see humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Colombia. Humpback whales arrive from Southern Chile and the Antarctic Peninsula every year between May and December to reproduce, give birth and rear calves. To evaluate the current state of whale-watching in Málaga we analyzed tourist visitation data from 2011 to 2019 during the peak whale-watching season (July–October), and during one week in October 2020. We found that whale-watching activity has increased considerably. In 2019, 21,186 tourists realized whale watching in Málaga. Whale watchers per month increased by 108% and monthly whale-watching boat trips increased by 140%, in the last decade. Currently there are in average 19 boat trips per day (±18.0), and most boats are small (≤15 m). Tourists came mainly from Colombia (90%). August was the most important month for whale watching. Although environmental education activities are undertaken, currently responsible whale-watching guidelines are overlooked. At present, whale-watching activity produces important economic benefits for local people and neighboring sites, with a monthly expenditure of at least $362,409 USD, but to ensure the sustainable continuity of this activity, negative impacts on whales need to be minimized. We classified management challenges into social, economic and biological aspects. From a social perspective, operators should form a whale-watching community association; this would improve cooperation amongst operators, promote good practices in whale-watching and reduce pressure on whales. Economic recommendations include 1) whale-watching trips handled mainly by local people; 2) ticket prices unification; and 3) investment in tourist facilities. Biological recommendations focus on the welfare of whales and include: 1) follow the current whalewatching recommendations strictly; 2) reduce transit speeds to below 10 knots in the area during whale season; 3) use propeller guards; 4) promote land-based whale watching; 5) implement acoustic whale tourism; 6) reinforce environmental education programs; and 7) support long-term monitoring and scientific research. Based on these three aspects, we urge environmental and ethnic authorities, conferring with relevant stakeholders, to determine the whale-watching carrying capacity of the area and to promote a responsible tourism. Authorities need to strengthen the monitoring, oversight and control of this growing tourist activity in order to ensure its long-term persistence
Humpback whales in Banderas Bay, Mexico: relative abundance and temporal patterns between 2004 and 2017
No full textBanderas Bay, Mexico is an important breeding and transit area for the North Pacific humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) population. In this paper we estimated relative abundance (RA = number of whales/hours of navigation) as a proxy to assess population temporary patterns in the area. We analyzed data from 14 breeding seasons (2004-2017), collected between December and March each winter. A total of 8,013 whales were observed in 1,394.6 navigation hours. Average seasonal RA was 5.7 whales per hour with a maximum of 7.5 (2013) and a minimum of 4.0 (2016). Sea surface temperature (SST) averaged 25.1°C and remained within the range considered optimal for humpback whale reproduction areas. SST showed no significant correlation with RA (r = 0.183). Inter-seasonal RA values suggested an increase throughout the study period, although the increase was not statistically significant (R = 0.32; R2 = 0.10; t = 1.15, p > 0.05). Intra-seasonal analyses showed that RA in December and January were significantly higher (U = 150, p < 0.05) than in February and March; this pattern was consistent throughout the seasons of study. These results represent a shift in the intra-seasonal abundance peak relative to previous studies when most whales were observed between January and February. It is important to recognize changes in population parameters of humpback whales in breeding areas to improve management practices. This study also highlights the potential of opportunistic platforms, such as whale watching tour boats, as viable sources of quality information, particularly in contexts when funding is limited
Antofagasta Region in northern Chile, a potential nursing ground for the Southern right whale Eubalaena australis
No full textThe Chile-Peru subpopulation (CPe) of the Southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) is classified as Critically Endangered following intense whaling in past centuries. Due to their very low abundance, information on breeding and feeding grounds is also scarce. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly applied in marine mammal research thanks to their low cost and relative ease of use. This case study documents a Southern right whale nursing in Bahía Moreno (23º S), Antofagasta, in northern Chile through high-resolution images taken by UAV of an adult in July 2019 and the same whale with a neonate in August. Combined with earlier data we hypothesize that the Antofagasta Region may be a potential calving and nursing ground for the CPe subpopulation. Given the intense shipping traffic and fishing activities around the Mejillones Peninsula and Antofagasta port, priorly recommended marine spatial planning to help avoid net entanglements and vessel collisions of fin and humpback whales may also contribute to the conservation of the CPe stock
Towards an aquatic mammal research code of conduct in Latin America: Ethical before technical considerations
No full textGuidelines for collection of biological samples for giant otters (Pteronura brasiliensis Gmelin, 1788) and Neotropical otters (Lontra longicaudis Olfers, 1818)
No full textTo optimize the health evaluation of Giant and Neotropical otters in the wild and under human care and to guarantee the quality of the information collected and maximize efforts in research projects, Brazilian veterinarians developed two protocols: 1) Protocol for collection, processing and storage of biological samples from live Giant and Neotropical otters, 2) Protocol for collection of biological material during necropsy. 
Duration of scratches in Guiana dolphin, Sotalia guianensis (Cetartiodactyla: Delphinidae): Supplementary marks to improve abundance estimates
No full textScratches on small marine cetaceans can be produced naturally from contact with substrate, but most of them are caused by intra- or interspecific interactions. This study provides information on the duration of scratches on Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) and their potential use in photo-identification studies. The duration of scratches was estimated for twenty individuals in a resident population of Guiana dolphins in Babitonga Bay, South Brazil. The scratches were classified considering their degree of penetration in the animal’s body (1 - superficial scratches, that do not penetrate the dermis; 2 - deep scratches, which usually penetrate deeper into the dermis) and the number of lines present (1 - multiple scratches, with two or more parallel lines; 2 - single scratches, consisting of only one line). For the multiple scratches category the shortest duration was estimated at 11 days and the longest 733 days (188 ± 160). For the single scratches category, the shortest duration was 51 and the longest 369 days (173 ± 111.8). Considering that the species has a small dorsal fin with discrete permanent marks, and that a relevant proportion of the population does not have marks like nicks, we propose that scratches can be used to identify Guiana dolphins in order to estimate their abundance in specific short-term studies. This type of mark could also be used as a secondary mark for the identification of individuals, reducing the bias present in the mark-recapture method
Beaked whales strandings in El Salvador
No full textThis short communication summarizes all the stranding records of beaked whales in El Salvador that could be located or were available, all in the Pacific Ocean and presents first records of Peruvian, Cuvier's and Blainville's beaked whales in El Salvador
Stranding of a pregnant dwarf sperm whale (Kogia sima) in Utila, Honduras
No full textThis short communication presents details on a stranding of a pregnant dwarf sperm whale in Honduras
A live-stranding of a Clymene dolphin (Stenella clymene, Gray, 1850) in the Gulf of Venezuela: first record for the southern Caribbean
No full textClymene dolphin, Stenella clymene, is currently classified as “Least concern” on the UICN Red List. It is distributed in tropical and temperate waters of the Atlantic Ocean, including the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, but its occurrence is majority documented in the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic coast of the United States and the Brazilian coast. This is the first record of the presence of Clymene dolphin in Venezuela and in Southern Caribbean Sea, an individual live-stranded in the mouth of Lake Maracaibo, in the western Gulf of Venezuela, that died few hours later of event at stranding site. The macroscopic external examination and a necropsy were conducted, revealed no wounds or lacerations produced by anthropogenic interaction. Respiratory failure due to stranding was determined as the cause of death of the animal, but the causes of the stranding could not be determined. The individual was identify as a female adult of Clymene dolphin considering the body coloration pattern, morphological measurements and tooth counts. This event confirms the importance and scientific value of stranding records by providing relevant biological and ecological data contributing to the characterization of the species.