Unexplained recurring high mortality of southern right whale Eubalaena australis calves at Península Valdés, Argentina

Rowntree, Victoria J.; Uhart, Marcela; Sironi, Mariano; Chirife, Andrea D.; Martino, Matías Di; Sala, Luciano La; Musmeci, Luciana Raquel; Mohamed, Nadia; Andrejuk, Julian; McAloose, Denise; Sala, Juan Emilio; Carribero, Alejandro; Rally, Heather; Franco, Marcelo; Adler, Frederick R.; Brownell, Robert L.; Seger, Jon; Rowles, Teri

doi:10.3354/meps10506

Cited by 51 publications

(82 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…However, from 2003 to 2012, we recorded 605 SRW deaths at PV. Over this time period, the total number of deaths was much higher than that of the 3 previous decades combined (Rowntree et al 2013), average annual deaths were significantly elevated relative to those in the previous decade (over 50 versus 8.2) (Rowntree et al 2013, Marón et al 2015, and there was an unprecedented number of deaths in calves-of-theyear (462/496, 93.1%) from 2007 to 2012. In 2012, 116 SRW deaths were recorded; 113 were calves-of-theyear (Rowntree et al 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Over this time period, the total number of deaths was much higher than that of the 3 previous decades combined (Rowntree et al 2013), average annual deaths were significantly elevated relative to those in the previous decade (over 50 versus 8.2) (Rowntree et al 2013, Marón et al 2015, and there was an unprecedented number of deaths in calves-of-theyear (462/496, 93.1%) from 2007 to 2012. In 2012, 116 SRW deaths were recorded; 113 were calves-of-theyear (Rowntree et al 2013). This was the highest number of recorded natural mortalities and the highest number of calf deaths for the species in a single year, and losses in this year alone were estimated to represent nearly 3% of the South Atlantic SRW stock (Rowntree et al 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many aspects of SRW ecology, including population dynamics, behavior, sound production/vocalization, and aspects of reproduction, calving, and calf rearing, have been continuously or periodically studied at PV since the early 1970s (Cummings et al 1972, Payne et al 1983, Thomas & Taber 1984, Payne 1986, Best & Ruther 1992, Best & Schell 1996, Rowntree et al 1998, Cooke et al 2001, Leaper et al 2006). More recently, with the establishment in 2003 of the Southern Right Whale Health Monitoring Program (SRWHMP), investigations to understand SRW health and causes of mortality have also been pursued (Uhart et al 2008, La Sala et al 2012, Martino et al 2012, Rosas et al 2012, Rowntree et al 2013, Sironi et al 2014, Marón et al 2015, Torres et al 2015, Wilson et al 2015.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Based on historical data, the mortality rate of SRWs at PV prior to 2002 appeared to mirror the population's 6.9% annual growth rate (Cooke et al 2001, Cooke 2012, Rowntree et al 2013). However, from 2003 to 2012, we recorded 605 SRW deaths at PV.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Post-mortem findings in southern right whales Eubalaena australis at Península Valdés, Argentina, 2003-2012

McAloose¹,

Rago²,

Martino³

et al. 2016

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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). Postmortem examination and pathogen testing were performed on 212 whales; 208 (98.1%) were calvesof-the-year and 48.0% of these were newborns or neonates. A known or probable cause of death was established in only a small number (6.6%) of cases. These included ship strike in a juvenile and blunt trauma or lacerations (n = 5), pneumonia (n = 4), myocarditis (n = 2), meningitis (n = 1), or myocarditis and meningitis (n = 1) in calves. Ante-mortem gull parasitism was the most common gross finding. It was associated with systemic disease in a single 1−2 mo old calf. Immunohistochemical labeling for canine distemper virus, Toxoplasma gondii and Brucella spp., and PCR for cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV), influenza A, and apicomplexan protozoa were negative on formalin-fixed, paraffinembedded lung and brain samples from a subset of whales; PCR for Brucella spp. was positive in a newborn/neonate with pneumonia. Skin samples from whales with gull parasitism were PCR negative for CeMV, poxvirus, and papillomavirus. This is the first long-term study to investigate and summarize notable post-mortem findings in the PV SRW population. Consistent, significant findings within or between years to explain the majority of deaths and those in high-mortality years remain to be identified.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Post-mortem findings in southern right whales Eubalaena australis at Península Valdés, Argentina, 2003-2012

McAloose¹,

Rago²,

Martino³

et al. 2016

Dis. Aquat. Org.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…2) and tend to target mother-calf pairs of right whales (Fazio et al, 2012;Sironi et al, 1998). Although the consequences of this parasitic relationship between gulls and whales is unknown, it is but one of several factors potentially contributing to a growing mortality rate of Southern right whale calves in the Península Valdés region, which reached a 10-year high in 2013 with 113 dead calves (Fazio et al, 2012;Rowntree et al, 2013;Sironi et al, 1998).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Whales vs. gulls: Assessing trade-offs in wildlife and waste management in Patagonia, Argentina

Stefanski

Villasante

2015

Ecosystem Services

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a b s t r a c tIn Península Valdés, (Patagonia) Argentina, the consequences of poor waste management and an overpopulation of kelp gulls has led to gulls feeding on living southern right whales, potentially causing losses to the tourism industry through loss in coastal quality and suboptimal right whale viewing experiences. Despite local progress in closing waste disposal sites and culling gulls, both waste and pest problems persist. While this problem could impact the long-term viability of the site as a whale watching destination and present conservation concerns, little research has been done concerning the socio-economic aspects of the problem. The present study interviewed 650 tourists about their willingness to pay to manage the gulls versus the waste in order to reduce the gull population and remove the risk to the whales. This research finds that tourists favor addressing the human-driven component of the problem, the waste, over culling the natural component of the problem, the kelp gulls. These findings present a remarkable insight to assessing trade-offs between two management strategies to a local problem associated with coastal development and tourism. The results could further be broadened to other destinations facing waste and pest management challenges in the face of growing tourism and urbanization.

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Southern right whale (Eubalaena australis), seasonal abundance and distribution at Head of Bight, South Australia

Charlton

Ward

McCauley

et al. 2019

Aquatic Conservation

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Seasonal trends in the distribution and relative abundance of southern right whales (SRWs) Eubalaena australis, were assessed in Australia's largest calving aggregation ground at the Head of the Great Australian Bight, in the Commonwealth Marine Reserve, South Australia. Annual cliff‐based surveys were undertaken between June and October from 1992 to 2016. SRWs were primarily distributed in a 15 km by 2 km area within the 10 m depth contour (with 95% of whale sightings made within a 10 km2 area). The distribution of SRWs at Head of Bight varied within an individual season but was consistent among the years. The composition of SRW sightings was 70% female–calf pairs and 30% unaccompanied whales. Peak abundance occurred between mid‐July and end‐August for female–calf pairs and unaccompanied whales (juveniles or adults not accompanied by a calf), earlier than previously reported. A mean of 16% (range 8–28%, SD = 6.5, 95% CI = 0.15) of calving females were present at the site in mid‐June and a mean of 37% (range 13–61%, SD = 15.8, 95% CI = 0.37) remained at the site at the end of September. Based on nearest‐neighbour distances of 150 m, the area occupied by 95% of SRWs at Head of Bight could reach carrying capacity at 68 female and calf pairs. Results suggest that the primary aggregation area at Head of Bight may have reached saturation capacity and that habitat expansion can be expected as the population increases. This study provides information on SRW seasonal trends in distribution and abundance, timing of arrival and departure from the site and peak abundance periods relevant to application to conservation and marine park management. As management requirements increase with a growing population, there is a need to complete an Australia‐wide assessment of SRW connectivity and habitat expansion.

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Unexplained recurring high mortality of southern right whale Eubalaena australis calves at Península Valdés, Argentina

Cited by 51 publications

References 25 publications

Post-mortem findings in southern right whales Eubalaena australis at Península Valdés, Argentina, 2003-2012

Post-mortem findings in southern right whales Eubalaena australis at Península Valdés, Argentina, 2003-2012

Whales vs. gulls: Assessing trade-offs in wildlife and waste management in Patagonia, Argentina

Southern right whale (Eubalaena australis), seasonal abundance and distribution at Head of Bight, South Australia

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