- Marine Mammal Science, 1(4):304-323
Population Characteristics and Migration of Summer and Late-Season
Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) In Southeastern
Alaska
- C. Scott Baker
- Louis M. Herman
- Anjanette Perry
- Kewalo Basin Marine Mammal Laboratory and the Departments of
Zoology, Psychology, and Oceanography, University of Hawaii.
-
- William S. Lawton
- Global Naturalists, 3300 34th Avenue South, Seattle, Washington
98144
-
- Janice M. Straley
- John H. Straley
- P.O. Box 273, Sitka, Alaska 99835
-
- (C) 1985 by the Society for Marine Mammology
A total of 326 humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae)
were indiviually identified in southeastern Alaska during five
summer seasons (July to September) and four late seasons (November
to February) spanning the years 1979 to1983. Peak nuumbers of
whales were found late in August or early in September. Whales
arived 1-2 wk later in 1982 than in 1981. Whales sighted in both
the summer and late seasons of 1981 and 1982 remained about 3.7
mo and one whale remained for at least 4.9 mo. Humpback whales
from the southeastern Alaska wintered in Hawaiian or Mexican waters,
but generally did not travel to other feeding regions. The most
rapid migratory transit between Hawaii and southeastern Alaska
was 79 d. Based on mark-recapture analyses of the photographic
data, we estimate a population of 270-372 whales in the southeastern
Alaska feeing herd. (C) 1985 by the Society for Marine Mammology
- Baker, C.S., Herman, L. M., Perry, A., Lawton, W. S., Straley,
J. M., Straley. (1985). Population Characteristics and Migration
of Summer and Late Season Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeanglia)
in Southeastern Alaska. Marine Mammal Science , 1(4):304-323
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