HUMPBACK WHALES, CLIMATE CHANGE AND PREY AVAILABILITY
Background Information
In 2016, the distinct population segment (DPS) of humpback whales in Hawaii were delisted from the Endangered Species List. However, since then, sighting rates of humpback whales in Hawaiian and southeast Alaska have dropped (See article here). There is currently a lack of understanding of why humpback whale numbers have reduced. This project will contribute to efforts investigating the possible causes of this apparent decline including shifts in habitat use, changes to food availability linked to prey depletion and climate change.
AIMS
Through collaborations, the aims of this project are to gain an understanding of:
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intra-seasonal changes in body condition of humpback whales throughout the feeding and breeding seasons;
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inter-annual variability in body condition of humpback whales;
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potential factors contributing to the decline in observed sighting rates of humpback whales in Hawaii and Alaska.
research team
HAWAII
- MMRP (L. Bejder, M. van Aswegen, A. Pacini)
- Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary (M. Lammers, E. Lyman)
- Pacific Whale Foundation (S. Stack, J. Currie)
ALASKA
- MMRP (L. Bejder, M. van Aswegen)
- Alaska Whale Foundation (Andy Szabo, Fred Sharpe)
PROJECT BLOGS
