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Migratory Interchange of Humpback Whales between Peru and Ecuador
Project Name:
Migratory Interchange of Humpback Whales between Peru and Ecuador
Project Dates:
Ongoing
Project Site(s):
Santa Elena Marine Protected Reserve (Ecuador), Puerto Bolívar (Ecuador), Mancora (Perú), Los Organos (Perú) and Sechura (Perú)
Project Aims:
• Expand PWF’s research and whalewatch expertise from southern Ecuador to northern Peru.
• Standardize research methodologies between Peru and Ecuador, and develop collaborative research efforts
• Train guides, observers and researchers in cetacean photo-identification and data collection.
Project Justification:
Little is known of the Peruvian population of humpback whales. It is presumed the waters of Peru serve as a migratory corridor, but recent evidence indicates there may be breeding activities ongoing. Our research will provide training, standardize research methodologies between Ecuador, Peru, Columbia, Costa Rica and Panama, and will result in the a comprehensive identification catalogue for Breeding Stock G animals (west Latin America).
Project Methodology:
Date collected will be based on fluke and lateral body photographs of individual whales, and the recordation of pod compositions, location, sex, age class, water temperature and environmental sighting conditions.
Project Permits:
Ministerio de Ambiente– Parque Nacional Machalilla – Permiso No. 002 - RM - DPM - MA
Collaborators:
Ministerio de Ambiente, Refugio marino – costero Puntilla Santa Elena, Pacific Adventures (Orgános – Perú), Luis Santillán (Sechura)
Management Outcomes:
Research findings will establish rates of interchange for Breeding Stock G humpback whales between Peru and Ecuador, and other known west Latin American breeding areas (Panama, Columbia, Costa Rica). Such data will be critical in developing population models for the completion of the IWC’s Comprehensive Assessment of Southern Hemisphere humpback whales Breeding Stock G.
Publications/Presentations:
2011: Castro, C., Alcorta, B., Allen, J., Caceres, C., Forestell, P., Kaufman, G., Mattila, D., Pacheco, A.S., Robbins, J., Santillan, L., Scheidat, M., Silva, S. and Tagarino, A. Comparison of the humpback whale catalogues between Ecuador, Peru and American Samoa. Evidence of the enlargement of the Breeding Stock G to Peru. International Whaling Commission, Tromso, Norway. SC/63/SH19.
