- Unpublished master's thesis, University of Hawaii.
The behavior and residence characteristics of reproductive classes
of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Hawaiian waters.
- Gabriele, C. M. (1991)
- University of Hawaii, Kewalo Basin Marine Mammal Lboratory,
1129 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu, HI, USA, 96814
-
- (C) 1991 University of Hawaii
Association patterns, behavior and residence characteristics of
humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) were compared using photographic
sightings of known individuals off the islands of Maui and Hawaii
between 1976 and 1989. The sex of whales was determined using
sighting histories, with individuals seen as mothers classed as
female, and whales seen as singers or escorts classed as male.
Sizes of pods containing an adult female unaccompanied by a calf
(AF pods) suggested that AFs are highly attractive to other whales:
AFs were rarely seen alone, a comparatively high proportion of
AF pods contained four or more whales and disaffiliation was never
observed in an AF pod. AF pods generally engaged in no surface
behavior except respiration and diving. The lack of surface behavior
in what are likely to be male/female pairs indicates that courtship
and mating activity in this species probably occur primarily underwater.
Mothers with a calf (MC, n=152), adults females unaccompanied
by a calf (AF, n=50), males (n=490), and whales of unknown sex
(n=979) were compared on their date of first sighting, date of
last sighting and residence time. First and last sightings of
AFs were consistently earlier than adult males and MCs near Maui
and Hawaii. The early arrival and departure of AFs as compared
to adult males and MCs is probably an important factor in the
prevalence of escorting behavior in males later in the season,
despite apparently low ovulation and conception rates in MCs.
These results corroborate commercial whaling data describing temporal
segregation in the migration of age/sex classes of humpback whales.
The prevalence of longer residence times for males as compared
to AFs and MCs suggests that male mating strategies entail remaining
in a given area and competing for more transient females.
- Gabriele, C. M. (1991). The Behavior and Residence Characteristics
of Reproductive Classes of Humpback Whales (Megaptera noveangliae)
in the Hawaiian Waters. Unpublished master's thesis, University
of Hawaii.
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