Journal
MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES
Volume 453, Issue -, Pages 249-261Publisher
INTER-RESEARCH
DOI: 10.3354/meps09613
Keywords
Megaptera novaeangliae; South Pacific; Capture-recapture; Genotyping; Endangered species
Categories
Funding
- International Fund for Animal Welfare
- French Fonds Pacifique (through Operation Cetaces)
- National Marine Mammal Laboratory
- Australian Department of Water, Heritage and Arts RNHP
- International Whaling Commission Scientific Committee
- New Zealand Ministry of Research, Science and Technology
- American Samoa Division of Marine and Wildlife Resources
- Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary
- US National Park of American Samoa
- West Marine Products
- Mike Poliza of the Starship Millennium Voyage
- Office des Postes et Telecommunications
- Sin Tung Hing Marine and Mercury outboards
- Hardy Jones-Julia Whitty Productions
- Yves Lefevre and the Raie Manta Club
- Cine Marine
- Marie-Helene Bacconnet
- National Oceanic Society
- Dolphin & Whale Watching Expeditions
- NERC [bas0100026] Funding Source: UKRI
- Natural Environment Research Council [bas0100026] Funding Source: researchfish
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Estimating the abundance of long-lived, migratory animals is challenging but essential for managing populations. We provide the first abundance estimates of endangered humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae from their breeding grounds in Oceania, South Pacific. Using fluke photo-identification (1999-2004, n = 660 individuals) and microsatellite genotypes (1999-2005, n = 840 individuals), we estimated abundance with open capture-recapture statistical models. Total Oceania abundance and trends were estimated from 4 primary and 5 secondary sampling sites across the region. Sex-specific genotype data enabled us to account for the difference in capturability of males and females, by doubling male-specific estimates of abundance derived from genotypes. Abundance estimates were congruent between primary-and secondary-region data sets, suggesting that the primary regions are representative of all Oceania. The best estimate of total abundance was 4329 whales (3345-5313) in 2005, from a sex-specific POPAN super-population model, which includes resident whales and those migrating through the surveyed areas. A doubled-male POPAN abundance estimate from 2003 (n = 2941, 95% CI = 1648-4234) was considered the most plausible for the 4 primary survey areas and was similar to the 2003 doubled-male estimate derived from Pradel capture probabilities (n = 2952, 95% CI = 2043-4325). Our results confirm that Oceania is the least abundant humpback whale breeding population in the southern hemisphere. Pradel models showed no significant trend in abundance, which contradicts the recovery seen in most other populations throughout the world. Thus we suggest that the whales in this area warrant continued study and management attention.
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