A STOP FOR A SNACK: apparent humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) feeding behavior and association with gillnets during migration off south-eastern Brazil

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18764/1981-6421e2019.6

Keywords:

Humpback whale, Feeding areas, Entanglement, Brazil

Abstract

Baleias-jubarte (Megaptera novaeangliae) migram anualmente desde as águas frias dos polos, onde alimentam-se de krill e pequenos peixes, em direção a regiões tropicais e subtropicais em busca de ambientes favoráveis para reprodução e cria de filhotes. Ainda pouco conhecidos são os casos de baleias-jubarte alimentando-se em áreas de reprodução. Nesse trabalho relatamos as primeiras observações em campo de uma baleia juvenil – yearling, em provável comportamento de forrageamento buscando por prováveis crustáceos ou cefalópodes em curtos mergulhos fundos. São relatadas outras observações semelhantes nas quais das baleias pareciam aproximar-se de redes de emalhe, provavelmente atraídas por peixes ali enredados e disponíveis. Considera-se que em alguns desses casos a aproximação das baleias em direção às redes tenha causado emalhamentos, que pelo menos em um caso o exemplar libertou-se das redes. Em outros casos as redes podem ter causados ferimentos e lesões nas baleias-jubarte. Recomenda-se um acompanhamento dessas interações pela costa brasileira a longo prazo para uma melhor avaliação dessas interações.

Palavras-chave: Baleia-jubarte; Enredamento; Forrageamento; Brasil.

ABSTRACT

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) migrate annually from the cold waters of the poles, where they feed on krill, towards subtropical and tropical regions in search of favorable environments for breeding and calving. Cases of humpback whales feeding on breeding grounds are still poorly known in the world. This study reports field observations of a juvenile whale - yearling, in Brazilian waters, with evidence of foraging behavior, in search of prey that seemed to be prawn or squid, during short dives. In addition, other similar observations are reported in southeastern Brazil in which the whales showed interest and approach gillnets, probably attracted by entangled fish. In some of these cases, it is considered that whale approaching towards the nets has caused entanglements, and in at least one case the specimen freed itself from nets. In other cases, nets may have caused humpback whale injuries. A follow-up of these interactions throughout the Brazilian coast is recommended
for a better evaluation of these interactions with fishing nets, since they may represent a new form of behavior of these whales in their migratory period.

 

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Author Biography

Salvatore Siciliano, Laboratório de Enterobactérias, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/Fiocruz.

Pesquisador do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/Fiocruz, biólogo graduado pela UERJ, pós-graduado pela UFRRuRJ e Museu Nacional/UFRJ.

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Published

2019-10-01

How to Cite

(1)
Siciliano, S.; Cardoso, J.; Francisco, A.; Moreira, S. C. A STOP FOR A SNACK: Apparent Humpback Whale (Megaptera Novaeangliae) Feeding Behavior and Association With Gillnets During Migration off South-Eastern Brazil. Bol. Lab. Hidrobiol. 2019, 29.

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